U.S. and world news for Sept. 22

Trump delivers different message at Kirk memorial

In his speech at yesterday’s memorial for Charlie Kirk, Donald Trump stood apart from the other speakers by delivering a message in which he emphasized the hate he has for his opponents and how much importance he puts on crowd size. Trump said he disagrees with the approach Kirk took and holds hate for his opponents. Trump used part of his speech to attack former President Joe Biden. He also said he looks forward to sending the military into Chicago. In her speech, Kirk’s widow Erika said she forgives Kirk’s assassin for what he did.

Kimmel and Disney in talks about the future

Jimmy Kimmel’s staff will continue to receive pay, for now, as talks remain ongoing between the late-night host and Disney executives on the future of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” The show was abruptly pulled off the air last week following pressure from the trump administration’s FCC chief Brendan Carr who didn’t like comments Kimmel made in a monologue about Charlie Kirk’s suspected killer. Two sources close to Kimmel’s show told CNN the crew for the late-night program will be paid through next week, while the show’s fate remains in limbo. “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” employs a staff of roughly 200 to 250 people, operating out of a theater in Hollywood. Kimmel has not yet commented on the suspension.

Super typhoon hits the Philippines

Super Typhoon Ragasa is lashing the Philippines, prompting widespread evacuations and preparations in nearby Hong Kong, Taiwan and mainland China. Meteorologists have warned of life-threatening conditions after the storm rapidly intensified over the Philippine Sea and reached sustained winds of over 165 miles per hour — the equivalent of a Category 5 hurricane. Tens of millions of people could be impacted by the storm, which is expected to unleash torrential rain on the Philippines today before heading toward the major cities of Hong Kong and Macau, and mainland China’s Guangdong Province in the coming days.

SEC moves to dismiss civil cases

The Trump administration’s Securities and Exchange Commission has filed motions in federal court to dismiss pending civil enforcement cases against three people who were pardoned this year by Donald Trump. The SEC had been pursuing the cases to try to recover funds for the victims of the people. Trump’s pardons nullify the orders for them to pay restitution and forfeit the gains of the conduct for which they were convicted. Devon Archer had been convicted of fraud and ordered to pay tens of millions. Trevor Milton was convicted of securities and wire fraud. Carlos Watson also had been convicted of securities and wire fraud.

Rand Paul opposes threats by Trump’s FCC

On the NBC News program “Meet the Press,” Republican Sen. Rand Paul said FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr was wrong to threaten to pull broadcast licenses of companies that air comments the Trump Administration doesn’t like. Paul said he’d fight against government efforts to control speech, emphasizing that Americans have the right to free speech. Rand Paul also criticized Donald Trump’s order for Attorney General Pam Bondi to prosecute people who Trump considers to be his political enemies.

Recognizing a Palestinian state

More than 145 nations have joined the call for international recognition of a Palestinian state. Canada and the United Kingdom announced formal recognition of the State of Palestine on Sunday, making them the first of the Group of Seven (G7) nations to do so. Australia and Portugal followed suit. France and several other countries are expected to take similar action at the United Nations General Assembly this week, deepening Israel’s isolation as it presses on with its offensive in Gaza. In response, a defiant Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Sunday, “there will be no Palestinian state.”