U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed the suspension of talk-show host Jimmy Kimmel and suggested broadcasters should lose licenses over negative coverage, intensifying a national debate on free speech and government pressure.
ABC suspended late-night host Jimmy Kimmel following conservative uproar over his remarks about assassinated activist Charlie Kirk. The move drew swift criticism from writers, performers, and former U.S. President Barack Obama, who called it capitulation to government coercion. About 150 protesters gathered outside Kimmel’s Hollywood studio on Thursday (18 September), holding signs and denouncing Disney’s decision.
Trump’s remarks in London
Speaking alongside British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump labelled Kimmel “untalented” and attacked him for comments on Kirk. Later, onboard Air Force One, Trump said TV stations should have their licenses reviewed, accusing broadcasters of giving him only negative publicity.
FCC and political pressure
Kimmel’s suspension came after FCC Chair Brendan Carr threatened to investigate his commentary. Owners of local TV affiliates, including Nexstar and Sinclair, signalled they would stop airing his show. Federal law bars the FCC from revoking licenses based on unfavourable coverage, but critics say Trump’s repeated threats undermine constitutional protections.
Broader debate
Kirk’s murder has polarised U.S. opinion. Trump allies have demanded critics show respect for Kirk, while opponents argue the administration is weaponising regulation to silence dissent. Obama, unions, and the ACLU said the suspension represented an assault on First Amendment rights. Protesters in Hollywood warned the country was “going in a really wrong direction” if satire and criticism are punished.
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Maritime trackers received new reports of an attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), adding to concerns about energy supplies after Saudi Arabia shut down a vital oil pipeline on Saturday.
A Kyiv-Warsaw train was struck near the Polish border, Ukraine's state railway firm said on Sunday. No passengers were injured. Ukrainian Railways said that the country's railways were facing systematic attacks for a second day and warned of widespread delays.
U.S. Central Command said 101 commercial vessels have been redirected in the Strait of Hormuz, while oil prices rose more than three per cent amid fresh regional attacks and supply concerns.
Swedes vote in an election on Sunday (13 September) that could see the far-right enter government for the first time if the country's right-wing parties can form a majority.
A Russian strike on a farm warehouse in Pryluky, north-central Ukraine, has killed at least three people, local police said. Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said an attack on a train near the Polish border was an attempt to intimidate Ukraine's allies.
A drone hit a petrol station in Ukraine's capital of Kyiv early on Tuesday, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on the Telegram messaging app, adding that there was also a strike on warehouse facilities in another part of the city.
Every day since a torrent of mud and rocks destroyed a Nepal-China border crossing high up in the Himalayas last month, Arushi Gupta's parents have called and messaged their missing daughter hoping she somehow survived.
Foreign ministers of Cambodia and Thailand delivered opening statements on Tuesday at the first meeting of a UN arbitration process to resolve a long-running maritime dispute between the two Southeast Asian neighbours.
A federal judge has halted a Trump administration immigration policy that would have significantly changed how long foreign students, exchange visitors and international journalists can remain in the United States.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has expressed cautious optimism about ongoing discussions with the United States regarding Greenland, signalling that Copenhagen believes a cooperative solution can be reached despite years of political tensions surrounding the strategic Arctic territory.
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