US late-night host Jimmy Kimmel pulled off-air over Charlie Kirk comments

We begin in France, where the front pages are dominated by Thursday’s nationwide strikes. Up to 900,000 people are expected to protest across the country, driven by general discontent and proposed cuts to public spending. From transport to education, all sectors are expected to be affected. The communist daily L’Humanité outlines the core issues at stake: the budget, pensions, salaries, employment, and fiscal equality. Protesters plan to form a “common front” in their fight for greater equality. Catholic newspaper La Croix highlights a deepening "social malaise" across France, writing that it’s too early to say whether this Thursday will mark a turning point in the country’s social and political history – but noting that the French Revolution also began with a budget crisis. On the right, Le Figaro says trade unions are set to pressure newly appointed Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, warning of a country on the “brink of breakdown”.

In the United States, late-night television host Jimmy Kimmel’s show has been suspended by ABC following comments he made about the death of right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk. According to Politico, the show was abruptly pulled off-air on Wednesday night after Kimmel criticized Republicans for what he called attempts to politicize Kirk’s assassination. The decision reportedly came after threats from the chair of the Federal Communications Commission, a Trump appointee. The backlash was swift and cut across political lines. As The New York Times reports, conservatives saw Kimmel’s suspension as an overdue reckoning for a comedian they’ve long opposed. Trump critics, however, condemned the move as a government-backed assault on free speech. Vox went further, calling it the Trump administration’s “most brazen attack on freedom of speech” to date, arguing that regulatory powers are being used to silence dissenting voices – a tactic often employed by modern autocrats.

Kimmel isn’t the only public figure in the spotlight. The Washington Post reports that a resolution to censure Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar – over comments and a social media post she made regarding Kirk – failed on Wednesday after being fast-tracked to a floor vote. Although the resolution was dismissed, other motions against her are still pending. The Post also notes new legislation introduced this week that would block federal funds from going to any entity employing individuals who condone or celebrate political violence. The paper says the bill reflects the aggressive rhetoric coming from the White House and signals a shift in the Republican Party, which has traditionally defended free speech.

And finally, a scientific development is making headlines: researchers say they are one step closer to reviving the extinct Dodo bird. Tech Funding News reports that Colossal Biosciences, a Dallas-based startup focused on de-extinction, has successfully cultured primordial germ cells from Nicobar pigeons – the Dodo’s closest living relative. The goal is to develop Dodo-specific cells that could eventually produce fertile offspring. The company has just raised $120 million in a new funding round, signalling strong investor confidence. Colossal has previously worked on attempts to revive the dire wolf and woolly mammoth. Critics, however, argue that de-extinction projects often overlook the environmental challenges that led to species extinction in the first place – particularly habitat loss.

You can catch our press review every morning on France 24 at 7:20am and 9:20am (Paris time), from Monday to Friday