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US President Joe Biden has shaken hands with Rishi Sunak on the runway at RAF Aldergrove near Belfast after landing in Northern Ireland to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.

The policing operation around Mr Biden’s visit to Northern Ireland will be the biggest in nearly a decade, at an estimated cost of around £7m.

Around 300 officers from other parts of the UK will travel to the area to help police a series of events to mark the anniversary.

Mr Biden is on a four-day visit to the island of Ireland where he said he wants underscore “the US commitment to preserving peace”.

Live: Joe Biden lands in Northern Ireland for historic visit

Mr Biden and the prime minister will hold a bilateral meeting on Wednesday.

The leaders of Northern Ireland’s five main political parties will then have the opportunity to engage with Mr Biden before he speaks at Ulster University.

More on Joe Biden

His remarks at the university will commemorate the Good Friday Agreement.

Mr Biden will then travel across the border to Ireland where he will tour Carlingford Castle in County Louth, an area to which he has traced his roots.

Then it’s off to Dublin, where he is expected to visit Irish President Michael D Higgins on Thursday.

Mr Biden will take part in a tree-planting ceremony and ringing of the Peace Bell at the president’s official residence, Aras an Uachtarain.

President Joe Biden disembarks Air Force One
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President Joe Biden disembarks Air Force One

Following that ceremony, he will meet again with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar and address the Irish parliament.

A banquet dinner at Dublin Castle will follow on Thursday evening.

The president’s trip will end with a visit to County Mayo on Friday, where he has connected with distant cousins.

A descendant of Irish immigrants to the United States, Mr Biden will deliver remarks at St Muredach’s Cathedral in Ballina, County Mayo, to which his great-great-great-grandfather Edward Blewitt sold 27,000 bricks in 1827.

The bricks were used to build the cathedral and their sale helped to fund Mr Blewitt’s passage to the US with his family in 1851.

Asked what his top priority was for the trip as he was about to board Air Force One to travel to Northern Ireland, the president said: “Make sure the Irish accords and the Windsor agreement stay in place; keep the peace. That’s the main thing.”

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Why is Biden’s visit to Northern Ireland significant?

The president’s trip comes at an uncertain time for Northern Ireland, where power sharing in Stormont is still on hold and the terror threat has been raised to severe – meaning an attack is highly likely.

Mr Biden’s arrival came hours after four suspected pipe bombs were found by police in a cemetery in Northern Ireland.

Officers sealed off the City Cemetery in Creggan, Derry/Londonderry, on Tuesday following the discovery of a suspicious device.

There were some disturbances on Easter Monday when petrol bombs were thrown at an armoured police Land Rover in Creggan during what police described as an “unnotified” march by dissident republicans.

Read more:
Good Friday Agreement 25 years on – how it led to peace, hope and paralysis

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What is the Good Friday Agreement?

Police in Northern Ireland condemned the incident as “senseless and reckless” and said its officers will review footage of the incident as part of an investigation into potential terrorism offences.

It came as the world marked the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, also known as the Belfast Agreement, which has been credited with bringing peace to the region after decades of sectarian conflict.

It is also the day that dissident republicans traditionally mark the anniversary of the Easter Rising rebellion against British rule in 1916.

Elsewhere, Mr Sunak issued a renewed call to get Stormont back up and running after a year of stalemate, saying: “We must get on with the business of governance”.

His meeting with Mr Biden comes just weeks after his Windsor Framework passed through parliament.

UK and EU officials have since signed off on the new Brexit deal, despite opposition from the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which is preventing the return of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

It was the DUP’s objection to the previous Northern Ireland Protocol, which the Windsor Framework replaces, that resulted in Stormont’s collapse.

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‘ANTI ICE’ engraved bullet found at scene of Dallas immigration centre shooting, FBI chief says

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'ANTI ICE' engraved bullet found at scene of Dallas immigration centre shooting, FBI chief says

Ammunition recovered from the scene of a shooting at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field office in Dallas was engraved with the phrase ‘ANTI ICE’, the FBI has said.

It is being investigated as an act of “targeted violence”, the bureau added.

There are conflicting reports about injuries. The Department of Homeland Security said two detainees had been killed and another was in a critical condition.

Earlier, Dallas police said one person had died and four had been shot.

The attacker also died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The suspect has not been identified.

One of the bullet casings was engraved with 'ANTI ICE'. Pic: Kash Patel/X
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One of the bullet casings was engraved with ‘ANTI ICE’. Pic: Kash Patel/X

The shooter opened fire on the office from an adjacent building at about 6.40am local time, officers said.

Dallas FBI Special Agent Joseph Rothrock said it was a “coordinated attack” and “just the most recent example we’ve seen of targeted violence”.

Early evidence suggested the incident was “anti-ICE in nature”, he added.

A recovered, unspent shell casing was engraved with the phrase “ANTI ICE”, said FBI director Kash Patel.

The shooting happened at an ICE field office in Dallas. Pic: Reuters
Image:
The shooting happened at an ICE field office in Dallas. Pic: Reuters

Multiple rounds were fired just before 7am local time, Mr Patel said.

An initial review of evidence shows an “ideological motive behind this attack”, he added, describing the assault as “despicable”.

The “whole of government” will respond, Mr Rothrock said.

“There will be no resource not utilised to bring all those individuals who are responsible to justice and to hold them accountable.”

No police officers had been hurt, Mr Rothrock added.

Police near the ICE facility in Dallas. Pic: AP
Image:
Police near the ICE facility in Dallas. Pic: AP

The victims were being led into the building to be processed and repatriated, Fox News reported, citing Dallas police Department sources.

Greg Abbott, the governor of Texas, said the shooting would “NOT slow our arrest, detention, and deportation of illegal immigrants”.

He added: “We will work with ICE and the Dallas Police Department to get to the bottom of the assassin’s motive.”

US Vice President JD Vance said: “The obsessive attack on law enforcement, particularly ICE, must stop.

“I’m praying for everyone hurt in this attack and for their families.”

No ICE agents were shot or hurt, Sky News’s US partner network NBC reported.

Despite the reports that no ICE agents were shot, US Attorney General Ken Paxton said: “We will continue to do everything in our power to combat the alarming increase of targeted attacks against ICE and all law enforcement by evil, twisted individuals.”

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Jimmy Kimmel addresses Charlie Kirk comments in first show since being taken off-air

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Jimmy Kimmel addresses Charlie Kirk comments in first show since being taken off-air

Jimmy Kimmel has said it was “never my intention to make light of” Charlie Kirk’s death.

The presenter appeared almost tearful as he opened his first show since being taken off-air last week over comments about the assassination of the conservative influencer.

“I don’t think there’s anything funny about it,” he said as he choked up.

“Nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for the actions of what was obviously a deeply disturbed individual. That was really the opposite of the point I was trying to make”.

Kimmel was accused of being “offensive and insensitive” after using his programme, Jimmy Kimmel Live, to accuse Donald Trump and his allies of capitalising on the killing.

Speaking on Tuesday night’s show, Kimmel said he understood why the remarks “felt either ill-timed or unclear, or maybe both”.

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Kimmel returns – and not everyone’s on same page

‘Not legal’ to take me off-air, says Kimmel

Appearing tearful again, Kimmel praised Kirk’s widow, Erika, for forgiving her husband’s killer at his memorial service, calling it a “selfless act of grace … that touched me deeply”. In contrast, Mr Trump has said he disagreed, telling the service: “I hate my opponent and I don’t want the best for them.”

Kimmel went on to criticise the ABC affiliates who took his show off the air, saying: “That’s not legal. That’s not American. It’s un-American.”

He also thanked those who supported him, adding: “It takes courage for them to speak out against this administration. They did and they deserve credit for it.”

Disney announced the return of the show to its ABC network after backlash to his suspension, although two major operators said they still wouldn’t show it.

Read more from Sky News:
Trump backs Ukraine to retake all lost territory
Man found guilty of trying to assassinate US president

Jimmy Kimmel's show returned after less than a week off-air. Pic: Reuters
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Jimmy Kimmel’s show returned after less than a week off-air. Pic: Reuters

Trump threatens further action

In a post on his Truth Social platform before it aired on Tuesday night, Mr Trump said he “can’t believe” ABC gave Kimmel his show back and hinted at further action.

“Why would they want someone back who does so poorly, who’s not funny, and who puts the Network in jeopardy by playing 99% positive Democrat GARBAGE,” he wrote.

“He is yet another arm of the DNC and, to the best of my knowledge, that would be a major illegal Campaign Contribution. I think we’re going to test ABC out on this.”

In his opening monologue, Kimmel mocked Mr Trump for criticising him for bad ratings, saying: “He tried his best to cancel me and instead he forced millions of people to watch this show.”

Mr Trump had welcomed Kimmel’s suspension, saying he had “bad ratings”, but the move was criticised by Hollywood stars and senior Democrats including Barack Obama.

What did Kimmel say about Charlie Kirk?

The comments that saw Kimmel taken off-air were made last week.

The TV presenter said: “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterise this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it.”

Speaking about Mr Trump, he added: “This is not how an adult grieves the murder of someone he calls a friend.

“This is how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish.”

“Many in MAGA land are working very hard to capitalise on the murder of Charlie Kirk,” he continued.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

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Trump disparages Russian military – and backs Ukraine to retake all lost territory

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Zelenskyy's UN speech was a warning and a plea - as he knows Trump can turn on a dime

US President Donald Trump has said he believes Ukraine could retake all its occupied territory and described Russia as a “paper tiger”.

Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Sky News correspondent Mark Stone it was a “big shift” from his US counterpart.

Mr Trump, speaking to French President Emmanuel Macron at the United Nations in New York, said his relationship with Vladimir Putin had turned out to be meaningless.

Read more: Why emboldened Trump has changed his stance on Ukraine

Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the United Nations. Pic: Reuters
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Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the United Nations. Pic: Reuters

Writing on Truth Social, the US president said: “I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form.

“With time, patience, and the financial support of Europe and, in particular, NATO, the original Borders from where this War started, is very much an option.”

Mr Trump wrote that he had gained a greater understanding of the “economic trouble” the war was causing Moscow.

He said Russia had been “fighting aimlessly” for three-and-a-half years and had it been a “real military power” it would have defeated Ukraine in less than a week.

Mr Trump added: “This is not distinguishing Russia. In fact, it is very much making them look like ‘a paper tiger’.”

Mr Trump’s tone contrasted greatly with his red-carpet treatment for the Russian president at a summit in Alaska last month, part of a push to expedite an end to the war in Ukraine.

The US president has previously suggested Ukraine would never be able to reclaim all the territory Russia has occupied since seizing the Crimean Peninsula in 2014.

Mr Zelenskyy later said he was surprised by Mr Trump’s comments, telling Fox News’ Special Report he has a better relationship with the US president than before.

He said the comments were a very positive signal Mr Trump and the US will be with Ukraine until the end of the war.

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Rigby to Trump: Was Putin’s Alaska invite a mistake?

Earlier on Tuesday, while talking to Mr Zelenskyy at the United Nations, Mr Trump was asked by reporters whether he thought NATO should shoot down Russian planes if they entered NATO airspace.

“Yes, I do,” Mr Trump replied.

Asked whether the US would support NATO in shooting down Russian aircraft, Mr Trump said it depended on the circumstances.

On Truth Social, he said the US would continue to supply weapons to NATO and it was for the military alliance to “do what they want with them”.

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Trump attacks UN and London mayor

Ukraine, he said, with the “support of the European Union”, is in a position to “fight and win all of Ukraine back in its original form”.

Kyiv would need the “financial support of Europe and, in particular, NATO”, he said.

But, given those caveats, he said the “original borders from where this war started is very much an option”.

In a joint statement following the president’s comments, G7 foreign ministers said discussions were ongoing about additional economic sanctions on Russia.

Read more:
Man found guilty of trying to assassinate Trump
Trump makes full-throttle assault on UN | Analysis
Has Trump ‘ended seven wars’?

Mr Trump also suggested the Russian people are not aware of “what is really going on with this war”.

He added: “Most of their money is being spent on fighting Ukraine. Putin and Russia are in big economic trouble and this is the time for Ukraine to act.”

Ukraine has lost large areas of land in the east of the country. In the Donetsk region, Russia now controls about 70% of the territory. Kyiv’s forces have been pushed back to a string of four cities analysts have dubbed the “fortress belt”.

Moscow has partly annexed three other regions, too: Luhansk in the east, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson further west.

The situation in Ukraine on 19 September
Image:
The situation in Ukraine on 19 September

Meanwhile, Russia appears to be provoking its neighbours to the west. Last week, Estonia said three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets violated its airspace for 12 minutes before Italian NATO jets escorted them away.

The week before, about 20 Russian drones entered Polish airspace, prompting NATO jets to shoot some of them down.

NATO has now beefed up its defence of Europe’s eastern flank.

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