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Donald Trump has returned to the site where he survived an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania – and opened with a joke.

“Thank you,” he told a large crowd, reportedly in the tens of thousands. “A very big thank you. We love Pennsylvania, and, as I was saying…” – which sparked cheers from the audience.

He added: “I return to Butler to deliver a simple message… We are going to make America great again, we are going to win the election.”

Discussing the assassination attempt, Mr Trump said the gunman “aimed to silence me and the MAGA movement”.

He continued: “For 16 seconds, time stopped as this vicious monster unleashed pure evil. That villain did not succeed.”

Discussing his campaign for the White House, he promised to halve energy prices, pledged large tax cuts, and claimed his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris, is strongly left wing.

He also promised that the US will “reach Mars” before the end of his second term, should he be re-elected, and pledged “no men in women’s sports”.

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Donald Trump has returned to Butler, Pennsylvania. Pic: Reuters
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Donald Trump has returned to Butler, Pennsylvania. Pic: Reuters

Shortly after Mr Trump started speaking the crowd chanted “Corey”, referencing firefighter Corey Comperatore, who died as he shielded his family from the gunfire on 13 July.

At 6.11pm, the time when shots rang out, Mr Trump called for a moment of silence. A bell tolled four times, once for each of the four victims, including him.

Some in the crowd chanted “fight, fight, fight” – the slogan Mr Trump used to rally his followers moments after he was shot.

He later repeated the phrase himself, while his vice presidential nominee, JD Vance, said the former president “took a bullet for democracy”.

Vice presidential nominee JD Vance and Elon Musk. Pic: Reuters
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Vice presidential nominee JD Vance and Elon Musk. Pic: Reuters

There was a pause while a member of the crowd was treated by medics – and a spontaneous rendition of the American national anthem.

Elon Musk, the tycoon behind Tesla and SpaceX, took to the stage briefly and urged people to register to vote.

The entrepreneur said there is no truer test than courage under fire. In an apparent reference to Joe Biden, he said the US previously had one presidential candidate who “couldn’t climb a flight of stairs”, and another who shouted “fight, fight, fight”.

In addition, he claimed Mr Trump must win next month’s presidential election “to preserve the constitution” and to “preserve democracy in America”.

“This is a must-win situation,” Mr Musk said.

Poignant but purposely political – Trump returns to Butler

It was always probable that Donald Trump would return to Butler; that he would want to go back to the place where he almost died.

That moment exactly twelve weeks ago was more than a near-death experience. For his most loyal supporters, it underlined the increasingly divine status that he carries.

In the crowd, Trump signs had been redesigned: “Trump” replaced with “Jesus”. One supporter arrived pulling a life-sized crucifix.

As always, the choreography was, for the audience, pitch-perfect. The Top Gun theme tune filled the Pennsylvania countryside as his plane, branded TRUMP, flew low overhead.

Read the rest of Mark’s analysis

Mr Trump was back at Butler Farm Show grounds – the location where a bullet appeared to hit his ear in July.

He was whisked off stage with blood dripping across his face in one of the defining images of this year’s campaign.

Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, opened fire from an unsecured rooftop before being fatally shot.

Pic: AP
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Pic: AP

His motive for the shooting is still unknown. The incident raised serious questions about security failures within the Secret Service.

Its director, Kimberly Cheatle, resigned less than two weeks after the shooting.

Read more:
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Melania Trump speaks out on abortion rights
How does Trump keep his support so strong?

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A second attempt was allegedly made on Mr Trump’s life last month when a gunman hid undetected for nearly 12 hours at the former president’s golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida, with plans to kill him, prosecutors have said.

The alleged gunman was stopped by a Secret Service agent patrolling the course ahead of the former president.

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Asian stock markets tumble – with Hong Kong’s Hang Seng suffering worst fall for 28 years

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Asian stock markets tumble - with Hong Kong's Hang Seng suffering worst fall for 28 years

Asian stock markets have fallen dramatically amid escalating fears of a global trade war – as Donald Trump called his tariffs “medicine” and showed no sign of backing down.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index of shares closed down 13.2% – its biggest one-day drop since 1997, while the Shanghai composite index lost 7.3% – the worst fall there since 2020.

Elsewhere, Japan’s Nikkei 225 lost 7.8%, while London’s FTSE 100 was down 4.85% by 9am.

Tariffs latest – FTSE falls after Asian markets tumble

US stock market futures signalled further losses were ahead when trading begins in America later.

At 4am EST, the S&P 500 futures was down 4.93%, the Dow Jones 4.32% and the Nasdaq 5.33%.

Markets are reacting to ongoing uncertainty over the impact of President Trump’s tariff regime on goods imported to the US, which he announced last week.

A screen displaying the Hang Seng stock, in central Hong Kong. Pic: Reuters
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A screen showing the Hang Seng index in central Hong Kong. Pic: Reuters

Speaking on Air Force One on Sunday, Mr Trump said foreign governments would have to pay “a lot of money” to lift his tariffs.

“I don’t want anything to go down. But sometimes you have to take medicine to fix something,” he said.

The US president said world leaders were trying to convince him to lower further tariffs, which are due to come into effect this week.

“I spoke to a lot of leaders, European, Asian, from all over the world,” Mr Trump told reporters.

“They’re dying to make a deal. And I said, we’re not going to have deficits with your country.

“We’re not going to do that because to me, a deficit is a loss. We’re going to have surpluses or, at worst, going to be breaking even.”

Mr Trump, who spent much of the weekend playing golf in Florida, posted on his Truth Social platform: “WE WILL WIN. HANG TOUGH, it won’t be easy.”

Reality hits that trade war no longer just a threat

China’s announcement of its tariff retaliation came late afternoon on Friday local time.

Most Asian markets closed shortly after – and markets in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan were closed for a public holiday – meaning the scale of the hit did not play out until today.

This morning we are getting a sense of the impact. Dramatic falls across all Asian markets clearly signal a realisation a global trade war is no longer just a threat, but a reality here to stay, and a global recession could yet follow.

Up until Friday, China’s response to Donald Trump’s tariffs had been perceived as restrained and designed to avoid escalation, the markets had reacted accordingly.

But that all changed last week when Mr Trump’s new 34% levy on all Chinese goods was matched by China with an identical tax. Both sit on top of previous tariffs levied, meaning many goods now face rates in excess of 50%.

These are numbers that make most trade between the world’s two biggest economies almost impossible and that will have a global impact.

China has clearly decided any forthcoming pain will have to be managed, and not being seen to be cowed and bullied by Mr Trump is being deemed more important.

But the scale of the retaliation will have further spooked the markets as it makes the prospect of negotiation and retreat increasingly unlikely.

Mr Trump added to the atmosphere of intransigence when he told the media on Sunday the trade deficit with China would need to be addressed before any deal could be done. The complete lack of concern from the White House over the weekend will also not have helped.

While smaller economies like Japan, South Korea, Cambodia and Vietnam are all lining up to attempt to negotiate, there are a lot of nations in that queue.

There is a sense none of this will be easily rectified.

On Saturday, US customs agents began collecting Mr Trump’s baseline 10% tariff.

Higher “reciprocal” tariffs of between 11% and 50% – depending on the country – are due to come into effect on Wednesday.

President Trump believes his policy will ultimately make the US richer, creating jobs and forcing companies to relocate more of their manufacturing to America.

However, his announcement has jolted economies around the world, triggered retaliatory levies from China and sparked fears of a global trade war.

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Trump’s tariffs: What you need to know

Investors and world leaders are unsure whether the US tariffs are here to stay or a negotiating tactic to win concessions from other countries.

Richard Flax, chief investment officer at Moneyfarm, said: “I guess there was some hope over the weekend that maybe we would see this as part of the start of a negotiation.

“But the messages that we’ve so far seen suggest that the President Trump is comfortable with the market reaction and that he’s going to continue on this course.

Goldman Sachs has raised the odds of a US recession to 45%, joining other investment banks that have also revised forecasts.

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In the UK, Sir Keir Starmer has promised “bold changes” and said he would relax rules around electric vehicles as British carmakers deal with a new 25% US tariff on vehicles.

The prime minister said “global trade is being transformed” by President Trump’s actions.

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Global markets give Trump clear no-confidence vote

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‘Nothing off the table’ over tariffs

Meanwhile, KPMG warned tariffs on UK exports could see GDP growth fall to 0.8% in 2025 and 2026.

The accountancy firm said higher tariffs on specific categories, such as cars, aluminium and steel, would more than offset the exemption on pharmaceutical exports, leaving the effective tariff rate on UK exports around 12%.

Yael Selfin, chief economist at KPMG UK, said: “Given the economic impact that tariffs would cause, there is a strong incentive to seek a negotiated settlement that diminishes the need for tariffs.

“The UK automotive manufacturing sector is particularly exposed given the complex supply chains of some producers.”

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Pope appears before cheering crowds at Vatican for first time since hospital stay

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Pope appears before cheering crowds at Vatican for first time since hospital stay

The Pope has appeared before cheering crowds at the Vatican.

It was the pontiff’s first official public appearance since he was released from hospital a fortnight ago.

Pope Francis, 88, had spent five weeks in Rome’s Gemelli hospital as he was treated by doctors for a life-threatening bout of double pneumonia.

The Pope, in what was a previously unannounced move, entered St Peter’s Square in a wheelchair shortly before noon local time at the end of the celebration of a mass for the Catholic Church’s Jubilee year.

Pope Francis arrives at the end of a mass in St Peter's Square. Pic: AP
Image:
The pontiff arrives at the end of a mass. Pic: AP

In front of the main altar for the service, Francis waved to applauding crowds, before briefly talking.

Speaking in a frail voice while receiving oxygen via a small hose under his nose, he said: “Happy Sunday to everyone. Thank you so much.”

A message prepared by the Pope and released by the Vatican said he felt the “caring touch” of God.

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“On the day of the jubilee of the sick and the world of healthcare, I ask the Lord that this touch of his love may reach those who suffer and encourage those who care for them,” said the message.

“And I pray for doctors, nurses and health workers, who are not always helped to work in adequate conditions and are sometimes even victims of aggression.”

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Pope Francis is cheered by crowds at the end of a mass in St Peter's Square. Pic: AP
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Pope Francis is cheered by crowds on Sunday. Pic: AP

Francis had been out of public view since 23 March, when he had given a short greeting before being discharged from hospital.

The pontiff’s voice sounded stronger this time than when he addressed well-wishers outside Gemelli and struggled to speak.

Francis usually offers a weekly noon-time prayer in St Peter’s Square on Sundays.

But he has not been able to do this since 9 February, before going to hospital.

He was admitted to Gemelli on 14 February for a bout of bronchitis that developed into double pneumonia.

This is a particularly serious condition for him as he had pleurisy as a young adult and had part of one lung removed.

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IDF says it mistakenly identified Gaza aid workers as threat – after video of deadly attack emerges

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IDF says it mistakenly identified Gaza aid workers as threat - after video of deadly attack emerges

The IDF says it mistakenly identified a convoy of aid workers as a threat – following the emergence of a video which proved their ambulances were clearly marked when Israeli troops opened fire on them.

The bodies of 15 aid workers – including eight medics working for the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) – were found in a “mass grave” after the incident, according to the head of the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Jonathan Whittall.

The Israeli military originally claimed an investigation found the vehicles did not have any headlights or emergency signals and were therefore targeted as they looked “suspicious”.

But video footage obtained by the PRCS, and verified by Sky News, showed the ambulances and a fire vehicle clearly marked with flashing red lights.

In a briefing from the IDF, it said the ambulances arrived in the Tel Sultan neighbourhood in Rafah shortly after a Hamas police vehicle drove through.

Palestinians mourn medics, who came under Israeli fire while on a rescue mission, after their bodies were recovered, according to the Red Crescent, at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip March 31, 2025. REUTERS/Hatem Khaled/File Photo
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Palestinians mourning the medics after their bodies were recovered. Pic: Reuters

An IDF surveillance aircraft was watching the movement of the ambulances and notified troops on the ground. The IDF said it will not be releasing that footage.

When the ambulances arrived, the soldiers opened fire, thinking the medics were a threat, according to the IDF.

The soldiers were surprised by the convoy stopping on the road and several people getting out quickly and running, the IDF claimed, adding the soldiers were unaware the suspects were in fact unarmed medics.

An Israeli military official would not say how far away troops were when they fired on the vehicles.

The IDF acknowledged that its statement claiming that the ambulances had their lights off was incorrect, and was based on the testimony from the soldiers in the incident.

The newly emerged video footage showed that the ambulances were clearly identifiable and had their lights on, the IDF said.

The IDF added that there will be a re-investigation to look into this discrepancy.

Analysis: Video undermines Israel’s account of aid worker deaths

The clip is filmed through a vehicle windscreen - with three red light vehicles visible in front
Image:
The clip is filmed through a vehicle windscreen – with three red light vehicles visible in front

Addressing the fact the aid workers’ bodies were buried in a mass grave, the IDF said in its briefing this is an approved and regular practice to prevent wild dogs and other animals from eating the corpses.

The IDF could not explain why the ambulances were also buried.

The IDF said six of the 15 people killed were linked to Hamas, but revealed no detail to support the claim.

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Bodies of aid workers found in Gaza

The newly emerged footage of the incident was discovered on a phone belonging to one of the workers who was killed, PRCS president Dr Younis Al Khatib said.

“His phone was found with his body and he recorded the whole event,” he said. “His last words before being shot, ‘Forgive me, mom. I just wanted to help people. I wanted to save lives’.”

Sky News used an aftermath video and satellite imagery to verify the location and timing of the newly emerged footage of the incident.

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Aid worker attacks increasing

It was filmed on 23 March north of Rafah and shows a convoy of marked ambulances and a fire-fighting vehicle travelling south along a road towards the city centre. All the vehicles visible in the convoy have their flashing lights on.

The footage was filmed early in the morning, with a satellite image seen by Sky News taken at 9.48am local time on the same day showing a group of vehicles bunched together off the road.

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