Hill

Ex-officials ask FCC to reject petitions to deny renewal of broadcast licenses for eight stations owned by ABCA group of prominent former Federal Communications Commission (FCC) officials, including key staffers and commissioners appointed by both Democratic and Republican presidents, issued a filing Tuesday that warns the agency is trying to send a “chilling message” to broadcasters after it received petitions to deny ABC license renewals for eight of its local television stations.The network’s licenses are up for early renewal after an extremely unusual order from the Brendan Carr-led FCC in late April, following criticism of ABC by Donald Trump and Melania Trump. Continue reading...

Former education secretary will take up influential role that puts her at vanguard of Labour’s battle to win next general electionBridget Phillipson has been appointed Labour party chair, putting her at the vanguard of Labour’s battle to win the next general election.The former education secretary and architect of a landmark overhaul in special education needs (Send) provision in England will follow in the footsteps of other Labour big beasts who have held the position, including Harriet Harman, Angela Rayner and Tom Watson. Continue reading...

• Supreme Court justices and judicial representatives are advocating for increased security funding on Capitol Hill to combat rising threats. • Isa Ulloa highlighted that both the judicial and legislative branches are currently facing an "unprecedented" level of security risks. • This push for funding underscores the growing vulnerability of high-ranking government officials and the need for enhanced protective measures.

CBA chair says contempt charge over closing speech by Rajiv Menon KC has left lawyers fearful of doing their jobThe prosecution of a leading human rights barrister for contempt of court over his closing speech during a trial of Palestine Action activists has left lawyers fearful of doing their job, the chair of the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) has said.Rajiv Menon KC is due to stand trial next week, accused of breaching the judge’s directions in the trial of six people for a 2024 direct action protest at an arms factory of the Israeli subsidiary Elbit Systems UK in Filton, near Bristol. Continue reading...

• A new streaming guide highlights upcoming releases for the week, including 'King of the Hill' Season 15 and 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' Season 4. • A professional dunking competition will air across six episodes, featuring global athletes judged by a panel of celebrities and TNT Sports Analytics. • The competition culminates in a world championship on Tuesday, Aug. 25, where the winner will receive a $500,000 grand prize.

• The Trump administration is considering new restrictions on Chinese AI models, which may include adding Chinese AI labs to the Entity List and issuing security threat designations. • This move follows the departure of pro-market figures like former senior AI policy advisor Sriram Krishnan, removing internal obstacles to a potential ban. • The proposal has caused concern in Silicon Valley, with figures like David Sacks warning that such regulations could lead to regulatory capture that benefits large U.S. labs while stifling open-source competition.

• Multiple legal and policy developments emerged on July 17, 2026, including a federal appeals court ruling that New Jersey's bans on AR-15s and high-capacity magazines violate the Second Amendment. • The White House has revived a controversial rule that would deny green cards to migrants who have utilized public safety net programs. • In other news, United Airlines denied claims of offering free flight changes related to a Trump-named airport, and reports surfaced that an ICE officer involved in a Maine shooting should not have been badged.