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BC has pulled “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” from its lineup after the host criticized the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Kimmel called the “MAGA gang” “doing everything they can to score political points” and suggested that the shooting suspect, Tyler Robinson, was “one of them.” The FCC’s chair, Brendan Carr, warned that the network could lose its licenses, and Nexstar Media Group announced it would pre‑empt the show. Trump praised ABC’s decision on Truth Social, while the Writers Guild of America and other Hollywood groups condemned the move as a threat to free speech.
In the Middle East, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said that Israel is in talks with the United States to rebuild Gaza as a commercial enterprise. Speaking at a real‑estate conference, he described the plan as a “real business plan” that could turn Gaza into a “real‑estate bonanza.” The comments came amid a fierce Israeli ground offensive that has displaced hundreds of thousands of Palestinians. U.S. officials have previously floated the idea of turning Gaza into a “Riviera of the Middle East,” but experts warn that any takeover of land or property left by displaced residents would violate international law.
Former CDC director Susan Monarez testified before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, warning that the upcoming Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) meeting could see changes to the childhood vaccine schedule. She said she had a heated exchange with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who urged her to sign off on recommendations without seeing data. Monarez declined, insisting that any shift in vaccine policy must be backed by evidence.
Other headlines: Trump’s second state visit to the United Kingdom ended with a lavish banquet at Windsor Castle and a meeting with Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Chequers, where the two leaders are expected to sign a multibillion‑dollar tech‑prosperity deal. Meanwhile, an immigration judge ordered the deportation of Mahmoud Khalil to Algeria or Syria after he allegedly omitted information on his green‑card application. First Lady Melania Trump has instructed her attorneys to pursue legal action against anyone who publishes false or defamatory statements about her regarding Jeffrey Epstein. Democratic leaders released a competing budget bill that sharply contrasts with the Republican proposal. In other news, a former co‑founder of Ben & Jerry’s resigned over concerns that social campaigns were being stifled by the parent company. The Federal Reserve announced its first interest‑rate cut of the year, though many economists remain skeptical. In Pennsylvania, a shooting left three police officers dead and two wounded, with the suspect also killed. A decomposed body found in a Tesla in Los Angeles was identified as a 15‑year‑old girl. In archaeology, researchers uncovered the world’s oldest mummies in southern China, dating back over 9,000 years.
