AFP USA

The top US diplomat Marco Rubio issued a blunt call to his Russian counterpart to halt the “killing” in Ukraine Wednesday, as Washington’s stance on Moscow hardens.Rubio “reiterated President (Donald) Trump’s call for the killing to stop and the need for Moscow to take meaningful steps toward a durable resolution of the Russia-Ukraine war,” State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said.Lavrov fired back and “stressed the unacceptability of the schemes promoted by Kyiv and some European capitals aimed at prolonging the conflict,” according to a readout of their conversation supplied by the Russian side.Rubio’s comments came after President Volodymyr Zelensky praised Trump following the US president’s unexpected turn against Russia Tuesday, in which he suggested that Kyiv could not only win the war and re-take its territory — but could even expand it.  But the Ukrainian leader cast doubt Wednesday on NATO’s ability to guarantee Kyiv’s security.”Because international institutions are too weak, this madness continues. Even being part of the long-standing military alliance doesn’t automatically mean you are safe,” Zelensky told the UN General Assembly.Zelensky said he had a “good meeting” with Trump, who has ruled out NATO membership for Kyiv and berated the Ukrainian leader at a February encounter at the White House before warming to him.”Of course we are doing everything to make sure Europe truly helps and of course, we count on the United States,” Zelensky said.Trump’s suggestion Tuesday that Kyiv could win, with support from the European Union and NATO, marked an extraordinary shift after months of saying Ukraine would not get back swaths of territory taken by Russia.Trump said Ukraine could regain all its land and suggested, without elaborating, that Kyiv could “maybe even go further than that!”- ‘Big fat missiles’ -The US leader’s comments marked his latest in a series of policy switches on Ukraine, including a sudden pivot to peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin early this year that stunned allies.Zelensky warned Wednesday that Europe could not afford to lose strategically located Moldova to Russian influence and let it follow Belarus and Georgia into Moscow’s orbit.”Russia’s trying to do to Moldova what Iran once did to Lebanon and the global response again, (is) not enough. We have already lost Georgia in Europe… and for many, many years, Belarus has also been moving toward dependence on Russia. Europe cannot afford to lose Moldova too,” he said at the UN General Assembly.Moldova, a former Soviet republic, goes to the polls on Sunday with pro-EU President Maia Sandu facing a barrage of deepfake videos and other disinformation linked to Russia.Zelensky also sounded the alarm over the development of autonomous drones and unmanned aerial vehicles capable of shooting down other drones and targeting critical infrastructure.”We are now living through the most destructive arms race in human history, because this time it includes artificial intelligence,” he said, adding that the only real security guarantees are “friends and weapons.””If the world can’t respond even to all threats, and if there is no strong platform for international security, will there be any peace left on earth?”The wartime leader, who has a packed itinerary of meetings with world leaders while in New York for the UN’s signature diplomatic week, stressed that Ukraine had been forced to ramp up its military production.”Ukraine doesn’t have the big fat missiles dictators love to show off in parades, but we do have drones that can fly up to 2,000, 3,000 kilometers.”We had no choice but to build them to protect our right to life.”

Two detainees were killed and one wounded in a sniper attack Wednesday on a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in the Texas city of Dallas, officials said.The gunman, who opened fire “indiscriminately” on the ICE field office from the roof of a nearby building, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in a statement.The shooter’s precise motive was still under investigation, but the FBI said he appears to have been directly targeting ICE, the agency chiefly responsible for carrying out President Donald Trump’s pledge to expel millions of undocumented migrants.”Early evidence that we’ve seen from rounds that were found near the suspected shooter contain messages that are anti-ICE in nature,” FBI special agent Joe Rothrock told a press conference.FBI Director Kash Patel published a photo on X of five unspent bullets — one of which was marked with the words “ANTI-ICE” — and denounced what he called “despicable, politically motivated attacks against law enforcement.”DHS said the shooter “fired indiscriminately at the ICE building, including at a van in the sallyport where the victims were shot.”Two detainees were killed and a third is in critical condition, it said.The ICE facility which came under attack processes detainees before they are transferred to a long-term detention center, according to US media reports.Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Vice President JD Vance condemned rhetoric directed at ICE since Trump’s return to office.”For months, we’ve been warning politicians and the media to tone down their rhetoric about ICE law enforcement before someone was killed,” Noem said on X. “These horrendous killings must serve as a wake-up call to the far-left that their rhetoric about ICE has consequences.”- Other recent attacks -“The obsessive attack on law enforcement, particularly ICE, must stop,” Vice President JD Vance said on the social media platform.ICE’s prominent role in the Trump immigration crackdown has sparked widespread criticism over its use of armed, masked agents to conduct raids in public places against undocumented migrants.After ICE immigration raids in Los Angeles spurred unrest and protests earlier this year, Trump dispatched the National Guard and US Marines to the California city.Another ICE facility in Texas was the target of an attack in July that left a police officer wounded in the neck.Ten people have been charged for their roles in the attack on the ICE center in the town of Alvarado.According to a criminal complaint, the assailants, dressed in black military-style clothing, shot fireworks at the ICE facility and spray-painted “Traitor” and “ICE Pig” on cars and a guard structure.The Alvarado incident came just days before a man armed with an assault rifle opened fire at a US Border Patrol facility in McAllen, Texas.The 27-year-old man fired dozens of rounds from an assault rifle at the entrance of the Border Patrol annex before being shot dead.Two police officers and a Border Patrol employee were injured.

President Volodymyr Zelensky cast doubt Wednesday on NATO’s ability to guarantee Ukraine’s security but praised Donald Trump after the US president unexpectedly flip-flopped to say he thinks Russia can be defeated.Addressing the United Nations, Zelensky suggested that even NATO membership — which Trump has ruled out for Ukraine — might not be enough.”Because international institutions are too weak, this madness continues. Even being part of the long-standing military alliance doesn’t automatically mean you are safe,” he told the UN General Assembly.But Zelensky praised Trump after their meeting Tuesday.”We had a good meeting with President Trump, and I also spoke with many other strong leaders, and together, we can change a lot,” he said. “Of course we are doing everything to make sure Europe truly helps and of course, we count on the United States.”Trump’s suggestion Tuesday that Kyiv could win, with support from the European Union and NATO, marked an extraordinary shift after months of saying Ukraine would not get back swaths of territory taken by Russia.Trump said Ukraine could regain all its land and suggested, without elaborating, that Kyiv could “maybe even go further than that!”The US leader’s comments marked the latest in a series of his policy switches on Ukraine, including a sudden pivot to peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin early this year that stunned allies.Washington’s top diplomat Marco Rubio met with his Russian opposite number Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, although no details about their talks were immediately made available.- ‘Big fat missiles’ -Zelensky warned Wednesday that Europe could not afford to lose strategically located Moldova to Russian influence and let it follow Belarus and Georgia into Moscow’s orbit.”Russia’s trying to do to Moldova what Iran once did to Lebanon and the global response again, (is) not enough. We have already lost Georgia in Europe… and for many, many years, Belarus has also been moving toward dependence on Russia. Europe cannot afford to lose Moldova too,” he said at the UN General Assembly.Moldova, a former Soviet republic, goes to the polls on Sunday with pro-EU President Maia Sandu facing a barrage of deepfake videos and other disinformation linked to Russia.Zelensky also sounded the alarm over the development of autonomous drones and unmanned aerial vehicles capable of shooting down other drones and targeting critical infrastructure.”We are now living through the most destructive arms race in human history, because this time it includes artificial intelligence,” he said, adding that the only real security guarantees are “friends and weapons.””If the world can’t respond even to all threats, and if there is no strong platform for international security, will there be any peace left on earth?”The wartime leader, who has a packed itinerary of meetings with world leaders while in New York for the UN’s signature diplomatic week, stressed that Ukraine had been forced to ramp up its military production.”Ukraine doesn’t have the big fat missiles dictators love to show off in parades, but we do have drones that can fly up to 2,000, 3,000 kilometers.”We had no choice but to build them to protect our right to life.”

One person was killed and two were wounded in a shooting at a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in the US city of Dallas on Wednesday, officials said.The gunman, who opened fire on the ICE field office from the roof of an adjacent building, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, they said.FBI special agent Joe Rothrock told a press conference that the shooting was being investigated as an “act of targeted violence.””Early evidence that we’ve seen from rounds that were found near the suspected shooter contain messages that are anti-ICE in nature,” Rothrock said.ICE is the government agency chiefly responsible for carrying out President Donald Trump’s controversial campaign pledge to expel millions of undocumented migrants from the United States.FBI Director Kash Patel published a photo on X of five unspent bullets — one of which was marked with the words “ANTI-ICE” — and denounced what he called “despicable, politically motivated attacks against law enforcement.”Rothrock declined to confirm press reports that the three people who were shot were detainees but said “no members of law enforcement were hurt.”The ICE facility which came under attack processes detainees before they are transferred to a long-term detention center, according to US media reports.Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Vice President JD Vance condemned violence directed at ICE.”ICE law enforcement is facing unprecedented violence against them,” Noem said on X. “It must stop.””The obsessive attack on law enforcement, particularly ICE, must stop,” Vice President JD Vance said on the social media platform.After ICE immigration raids in Los Angeles spurred unrest and protests earlier this year, Trump dispatched the National Guard and US Marines to the California city.Another ICE facility in Texas was the target of an attack in July that left a police officer wounded in the neck.Ten people have been charged for their roles in the attack on the ICE center in the town of Alvarado.According to a criminal complaint, the assailants, dressed in black military-style clothing, shot fireworks at the ICE facility and spray-painted “Traitor” and “ICE Pig” on cars and a guard structure.The Alvarado incident came just days before a man armed with an assault rifle opened fire at a US Border Patrol facility in McAllen, Texas.The 27-year-old man fired dozens of rounds from an assault rifle at the entrance of the Border Patrol annex before being shot dead.Two police officers and a Border Patrol employee were injured.ICE’s role in the Trump crackdown has sparked widespread criticism over the organization’s use of heavily armed, masked agents to conduct raids in public places against suspected illegal migrants.

TV host Jimmy Kimmel defended free speech when he returned to US screens on Tuesday, calling government pressure on his late-night talk show “anti-American” as critics decried his suspension as an attack on constitutional rights.In his opening monologue, an emotional Kimmel praised the public outrage — which came from both left and right — over his suspension, as President Donald Trump once again threatened to sue ABC, the TV network that carries the show.”A government threat to silence a comedian the president doesn’t like is anti-American,” Kimmel said to wild applause.”Our government cannot be allowed to control what we do and do not say on television.”Kimmel, who frequently skewers Trump and his inner circle, raised the ire of conservatives last week when he said “the MAGA gang” was trying to exploit the college campus murder of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.On Tuesday he struck a conciliatory note. “It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man,” he said, his voice cracking.Kimmel’s suspension last week was praised by Trump and the 79-year-old Republican swiftly attacked ABC for allowing the comedian’s return.”I think we’re going to test ABC out on this. Let’s see how we do. Last time I went after them, they gave me $16 Million Dollars. This one sounds even more lucrative,” he wrote on social media shortly before the show aired.It was not immediately clear what legal grounds Trump might think he has.Previous suits against media firms — including the one against ABC — were largely viewed as meritless, but settled seemingly as a way to appease the president.Chuck Schumer, the senior Democratic senator, called the row “a test of democracy” and said Trump “wants to be king.””Trump seems to have this penchant — anyone he doesn’t agree with, he wants to shut up,” he said Wednesday. “That’s a dagger to the heart of America.”Audience members who had watched the Hollywood taping told AFP that Kimmel had struck the right tone.”He spoke really eloquently and he gave like a lot of love to everyone who’s been hurt,” said Katie Persico, 34.”I felt like I was part of history a little bit for free speech.”- Boycott -The latest bust-up between the Trump administration and critics in the media unfolded last week when Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr appeared to threaten the licenses of ABC affiliates broadcasting the show unless they demanded Kimmel’s removal.Two companies that own dozens of those affiliates — Nexstar and Sinclair — then announced they would be removing the show from their schedules, prompting Disney to suspend the show nationwide.Sinclair — which last week demanded Kimmel apologize to Kirk’s family and make a donation to his right-wing activist group Turning Point USA — said Monday that its affiliates would still not be broadcasting the show when it resumed.On Tuesday, Nexstar followed suit.This meant the show remained off the air in several of the largest US television markets, including Washington DC, New Orleans, Nashville and Seattle.Kimmel’s abrupt disappearance from the airwaves sparked fury in liberal circles, with opponents saying he had been targeted because of his criticism of Trump.Opponents saw it as the latest step in creeping government control of free speech, a right enshrined in the country’s constitution.Some on the political right were also uneasy, including Trump allies such as Senator Ted Cruz and firebrand broadcaster Tucker Carlson.Trump often complains about negative coverage of him, going so far last week as to call it “illegal,” and has sued several media organizations.Disney, which owns ABC, faced backlash after suspending Kimmel. A rash of consumer cancellations followed along with a wave of reproach from creators and Hollywood insiders over what many saw as a spineless response to government bullying.By Monday, Disney had backtracked, saying the suspension had been an effort to “avoid further inflaming a tense situation” but adding it would bring back the show after “thoughtful conversations with Jimmy.”

Iran’s president repeated Wednesday that his country is not seeking nuclear weapons, after military strikes by Israel and the United States earlier this year, and impending sanctions triggered by European powers.”I hereby declare once more before this assembly that Iran has never sought and will never seek to build a nuclear bomb,” President Masoud Pezeshkian told the United Nations General Assembly.”The one disturbing peace and stability in the region is Israel, but Iran is the one that gets punished,” he said.Iran has long contended that it is not seeking nuclear weapons, pointing to an edict by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and US intelligence has not concluded that the country has decided to build a nuclear weapon.But Israel, the United States and European countries have long been skeptical due to the country’s advanced nuclear work, believing it could quickly pursue a bomb if it so decided.Britain, France and Germany have moved to reimpose UN sanctions that had been suspended under a 2015 nuclear deal that was negotiated by the United States and then torn up by US President Donald Trump.The sanctions are set to go into effect on Saturday. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met Tuesday with his European counterparts, leading to no clear headway other than an agreement to keep talking.Pezeshkian accused the Europeans of bad faith, saying that Iran’s lack of cooperation was in response to Trump’s withdrawal from the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).”They falsely presented themselves as parties of good standing to the agreement, and they disparaged Iran’s sincere efforts as insufficient,” Pezeshkian said.”All of this was in pursuit of nothing less than the destruction of the very JCPOA which they themselves had once held as a foremost achievement.”Standing at the General Assembly rostrum, Pezeshkian showed pictures of people killed in the Israeli military campaign against Iran, which Tehran says killed more than 1,000 people.”Aerial assaults of the Zionist regime and the United States of America against Iran’s cities, homes and infrastructure at the very time we were treading the path of diplomatic negotiations constituted a grave betrayal of diplomacy,” he said.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Wednesday that Washington is in talks with Argentina for a swap line allowing the country access to billions of dollars, as its right-wing leader Javier Milei seeks to calm markets ahead of midterm elections.After Bessent’s remarks, Argentina’s currency rose 2.4 percent to 1,333.90 pesos to the US dollar.”The Treasury is currently in negotiations with Argentine officials for a $20 billion swap line with the Central Bank,” Bessent said in a social media post, a day after he and President Donald Trump spoke with Milei.The United States is also ready to buy the country’s dollar bonds, Bessent added on X.Milei, a key Latin American ally of Trump, thanked the US president and Bessent for their “support and confidence.”Swap lines are transactions in which two central banks agree to swap their currencies at a set exchange rate for a specified period.Trump said Tuesday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York that although the United States would help Argentina, “I don’t think they need a bailout.”The Argentine peso had fallen sharply after Milei’s party was beaten by the center-left Peronist movement in a Buenos Aires provincial election on September 7.The vote was seen as a litmus test for national legislative elections scheduled for October 26.Bessent added Wednesday that the US Treasury “stands ready to purchase Argentina’s USD bonds and will do so as conditions warrant,” among other measures.”As President Trump has stated, we stand ready to do what is needed to support Argentina,” he wrote.He said that the South American country “has the tools to defeat speculators, including those who seek to destabilize Argentina’s markets for political objectives.”Trump earlier said he was giving Milei his “full endorsement,” while Bessent said at the start of the week that “all options for stabilization are on the table.”But the Trump administration’s plans have also raised questions domestically. Senator Elizabeth Warren, the top Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee, wrote a letter dated Monday to Bessent seeking further information about a potential “bailout” of Argentina.”It is deeply troubling that the president intends to use significant emergency funds to inflate the value of a foreign government’s currency and bolster its financial markets,” she said.Bessent shot back at Warren’s criticism, saying she and others “failed to act when presented with a historic opportunity to stabilize Latin America economically and geopolitically during the Obama years.”Free-marketeer Milei’s election was cheered by investors in 2023 but he has begun to hemorrhage support after two years of biting austerity and a corruption scandal involving his sister.

Iranian officials at the UN summit this week won’t be able to shop in New York after the US government barred them from purchasing everything from bulk household goods to expensive watches.The restrictions on the visiting Iranians were described by a State Department spokesman as “maximum pressure.””We will not allow the Iranian regime to allow its clerical elites to have a shopping spree in New York while the Iranian people endure poverty, crumbling infrastructure, and dire shortages of water and electricity,” Thomas Pigott said.The move restricts Iranian diplomats and other officials from visiting popular stores such as Costco, Sam’s Club and BJ’s Wholesale Club, according to a notice published in the Federal Register on Tuesday.The notice in the Federal Register also said Iranian officials would need to seek permission from the State Department to buy “luxury goods.”A range of items, including watches, electronics and fountain pens, were listed, with restrictions kicking in if they were valued at more than $1,000.Vehicles worth more than $60,000 were also listed as luxury goods.Iran’s economy has been hard hit by US sanctions, impacting imports of a range of goods and also Tehran’s ability to sell its oil and other exports abroad.US President Donald Trump has sought to cripple Iran’s nuclear program since taking office this year, ordering bomb and missile attacks on three nuclear sites in June.

TV host Jimmy Kimmel defended free speech when he returned to US screens on Tuesday, calling government pressure on his late-night talk show “anti-American” as critics decried his suspension as an attack on constitutional rights.In a lengthy opening monologue, an emotional Kimmel praised the public outrage — which came from both left and right — over his suspension, as President Donald Trump threatened to sue ABC, the TV network that carries the show.”A government threat to silence a comedian the president doesn’t like is anti-American,” Kimmel said to wild applause.”Our government cannot be allowed to control what we do and do not say on television.”Kimmel, who frequently skewers Trump and his inner circle, raised the ire of conservatives last week when he said “the MAGA gang” was trying to exploit the college campus murder of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.On Tuesday he struck a conciliatory note. “It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man,” he said, his voice cracking.”Nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for the actions of what it was obviously a deeply disturbed individual.”Kimmel’s suspension last week had sparked glee for Trump, who has long hated the mockery he suffers at the hands of late night comedians.Hours before the show’s reappearance, the 79-year-old took to social media to complain — and threaten ABC.”Why would they want someone back who does so poorly, who’s not funny, and who puts the Network in jeopardy by playing 99% positive Democrat GARBAGE?” he wrote.”I think we’re going to test ABC out on this. Let’s see how we do. Last time I went after them, they gave me $16 Million Dollars. This one sounds even more lucrative.”It was not immediately clear what legal grounds Trump might think he has.Previous suits against media firms — including the one against ABC — were largely viewed as meritless, but settled seemingly as a way to appease the often-vengeful president.Audience members who had watched the Hollywood taping told AFP Kimmel had struck the right tone.”It was great. It really was. He was humble, funny, and just very genuine. His delivery was on point, heartfelt… And it was very genuine,” said Dana Lotkowski, 62, who flew in from Philadelphia for the show.”He spoke really eloquently and he gave like a lot of love to everyone who’s been hurt,” said Katie Persico, 34.”I felt like I was part of history a little bit for free speech.”- Boycott -The latest bust-up between the Trump administration and critics in the media unfolded last week when Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr appeared to threaten the licenses of ABC affiliates broadcasting the show unless they demanded Kimmel’s removal.Two companies that own dozens of those affiliates — Nexstar and Sinclair — then announced they would be removing the show from their schedules, prompting Disney to suspend the show nationwide.Sinclair — which last week demanded Kimmel apologize to Kirk’s family and make a donation to his right-wing activist group Turning Point USA — said Monday its affiliates would not be broadcasting the show when it resumed.On Tuesday, Nexstar followed suit.The show remained off the air in several of the largest US TV markets because of the boycott.Affected cities included Washington DC, New Orleans, Nashville and Seattle.Kimmel’s abrupt disappearance from the airwaves sparked fury in liberal circles, with opponents saying he had been targeted because he is critical of Trump.Opponents saw it as the latest step in creeping government control of free speech, which is a right enshrined in the country’s constitution.Some on the political right were also uneasy, including Trump allies such as conservative senator Ted Cruz and firebrand broadcaster Tucker Carlson.Trump often complains about negative coverage of him, going so far last week as to call it “illegal,” and has sued several media organizations.Disney, which owns ABC faced backlash after suspending Kimmel, with a rash of consumer cancellations and a wave of reproach from creators and Hollywood insiders over what many saw as a spineless response to government bullying.By Monday, Disney had backtracked, saying the suspension had been an effort to “avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country” and calling Kimmel’s comments “ill-timed and thus insensitive.”But it said it was bringing the show back after days of “thoughtful conversations with Jimmy.”

US President Donald Trump lashed out Tuesday hours before Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night talk show was due to be back on the air in the United States, insulting the host, and threatening to “test ABC” over the move.Kimmel’s show returns Tuesday night after a week-long hiatus following government pressure on broadcasters that critics said amounted to a chill on free speech.However, two powerful companies that own dozens of ABC affiliates have said they will continue their boycott, giving viewers “other programming relevant to their respective markets.”Trump took to his Truth Social platform to insult Kimmel and accuse broadcaster ABC of “playing 99% positive Democrat GARBAGE.” The 79-year-old Republican added: “I think we’re going to test ABC out on this. Let’s see how we do. Last time I went after them, they gave me $16 million dollars.”ABC agreed in December to donate $15 million to Trump’s eventual presidential library to settle a defamation suit instead of fighting it out in court.A separate $16 million settlement was paid by CBS’s parent company, Paramount Global, to settle a different lawsuit over an interview with former vice president Kamala Harris.All eyes will be on Kimmel’s popular opening monologue Tuesday night, in which the comedian is expected to address his suspension, which came after comments he made in the wake of the killing of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.”I don’t want him to apologize as soon as he comes in,” 18-year-old Paul Dorner told AFP as he waited for a seat in the show’s audience.”I would love for him to just put up a fight and stand up for what he thinks.”Rogelio Nunez, 38, said he had traveled from San Diego for the taping in the heart of Hollywood.”We need to make sure that we’re not being censored,” he said.”So besides just coming for entertainment, I think it’s important to protect our rights.”- ‘The MAGA gang’ -Kimmel, who frequently skewers Trump and his inner circle, raised the ire of conservatives last week when he said “the MAGA gang” was trying to exploit Kirk’s college campus murder for their own political gain.Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr appeared to threaten the licenses of ABC affiliates broadcasting the show unless they demanded Kimmel’s removal — something Trump himself has frequently called for.Two companies that own dozens of those affiliates — Nexstar and Sinclair — then announced they would be removing the show from their schedules, prompting Disney to suspend the show nationwide.Sinclair — which last week demanded Kimmel apologize to Kirk’s family and make a donation to his right-wing activist group Turning Point USA — said Monday its affiliates would not be broadcasting the show when it resumed.On Tuesday, Nexstar followed suit.”We made a decision last week to preempt ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’… We stand by that decision pending assurance that all parties are committed to fostering an environment of respectful, constructive dialogue in the markets we serve,” the company said.Kimmel’s abrupt disappearance from the airwaves sparked fury in liberal circles, with opponents saying he had been targeted because he is critical of Trump.Opponents saw it as the latest step in creeping government control of free speech, which is an article of faith for many Americans, as well as a right enshrined in the country’s constitution.Some on the political right were also uneasy, including those who regularly count themselves as Trump allies, like conservative senator Ted Cruz, and firebrand broadcaster Tucker Carlson.Trump often complains about negative coverage of him, going so far last week as to call it “illegal,” and has sued several media organizations.Disney’s ABC has already settled a lawsuit filed by the president, pledging a multi-million dollar sum in a move that observers said appeared to be an attempt to get the often-vengeful 79-year-old off its back.The company faced backlash after suspending Kimmel, with a rash of consumer cancellations and a wave of reproach from creators and Hollywood insiders over what many saw as a spineless response to government bullying.By Monday Disney had backtracked, saying the suspension had been an effort to “avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country” and calling Kimmel’s comments “ill-timed and thus insensitive.”But it said it was bringing the show back after days of “thoughtful conversations with Jimmy.”Actor Glen Powell and singer Sarah McLachlan were expected to appear on Tuesday night’s show.Kimmel has made no public comment about the episode, but on Tuesday posted a photo on Instagram of himself with late producer Norman Lear — who was known for his advocacy of free speech — with the caption: “Missing this guy today.”