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What's going on: At his inauguration, Donald Trump vowed to “stop all government censorship and bring back free speech to America.” Months later, critics say his administration is leading an aggressive and dangerous media crackdown. On Wednesday, ABC pulled Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show after his monologue about conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr defended the move, calling it “unprecedented” but justified. Sinclair, a major broadcaster with ABC affiliates, said it won’t air the show unless conditions are met, including an apology from Kimmel to Kirk’s family and a donation to the group he co-founded, Turning Point USA. The Writers Guild blasted the suspension as unconstitutional. And FIRE, a free speech advocacy watchdog, warned: “We cannot be a country where late-night hosts serve at the pleasure of the president.”

What it means: The episode has reignited a bigger question: What exactly counts as free speech, and who gets to decide? Some argue Kimmel’s comments about Kirk crossed the line and warrant an apology. But others, including critics of Kimmel, say pulling him off the air went too far. Then there’s the charge of a double standard: After years of railing against progressive cancel culture, Trump’s detractors say his allies are now using the same tactics to silence opposing views. The president, who once signed an executive order to “restore” free speech, dismissed the controversy and suggested the FCC should consider revoking the licenses of TV networks that are “against” him. Carr, for his part, told CNBC yesterday: “We’re not done yet.” It comes as analysts warn about a broader effort to redraw the lines of free speech through lawsuits, bans, and political pressure.

Related: The House Will Vote on a Resolution Honoring Charlie Kirk as a Defender of the First Amendment (Axios) 

Health

A New Vaccine Committee Takes Its Shot

What's going on: A federal panel that makes vaccine policy recommendations voted for new restrictions on the combined measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (chickenpox) shot, known as MMRV. The vaccine is typically given to children between ages 1 and 2. But yesterday, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s hand-picked Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) said children under 4 should receive separate vaccines — one against MMR and another for varicella — instead of the combined injection. The panelists focused on rare instances of seizures associated with the first dose, which doctors agree isn’t linked to long-term issues. Today, the group reconvenes and is expected to consider limiting the hepatitis B vaccine and to weigh new recommendations for COVID-19 shots.

What it means: Public health experts expressed concern that the new decision could cause more vaccine skepticism or confusion — especially since 85% of parents already opt for separate MMR and chickenpox shots. So what happens next? ACIP’s decisions aren’t final — the CDC director must sign off, though the agency has almost always followed the panel’s lead. The committee’s influence is significant because insurers must cover all vaccines it recommends. Still, many insurers may go further: a national trade group recently said members would keep covering every vaccine recommended as of Sept 1. The panel’s meetings come after RFK Jr. fired all 17 existing ACIP members and installed his own picks — a move that critics say cemented his long-running campaign against vaccines. It’s also just days after his former CDC director testified that Kennedy pressured staff to weaken vaccine recommendations.

Related: US Childhood Vaccination Rates Are Backsliding, Per Investigation (NBC News)

Food

Diners Are Going Full Beli 

What's going on: The last few months may have been consumed with The Summer I Turned Pretty’s Belly, but now there’s another trendy Beli in town. The social-media-meets-restaurant-rating app has ascended — and it’s changing the way the internet dines. On Beli, users rank meals, build lists, post food pics, make reservations, and swap notes with other diners, all in one place (sounds exhausting, but OK). It also acts like a more satisfying dating algorithm, suggesting what you’ll want next based on your preferences. Some say it’s replacing Yelp as the go-to review hub, and has turned frequent diners into microinfluencers. All this has attracted the next generation of foodies — Beli says roughly 80% of its users are under 35.

What it means: Critics call Beli the Yelp for the “phone eats first” generation — one that’s often more about aesthetics than food quality, forsaking beloved dives for spots with edible flowers. Its rise also reflects a larger shift: Americans now log once-private pleasures — reading, movies, running — on public platforms like Goodreads, Letterboxd, and Strava. As one person quipped, Beli is “Letterboxd for lunch.” Others say dismissing it would be like ignoring TikTok’s influence on media: You don’t have to like it, but you can’t pretend it isn’t changing the menu.

Related: Can Meat Look “Sexy”? This Social Account Is Trying (LA Times) 

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