Hepatitis B

vote delayed

ATLANTA (AP) — A federal vaccine advisory committee voted to delay a vote on whether newborns should still get the hepatitis B vaccine on the day they’re born. For decades, the government has advised that all babies be vaccinated against the liver infection right after birth.

The shots are widely considered to be a public health success for preventing thousands of illnesses. But the committee formed by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an anti-vaccine activist before he became the nation’s top health official, is considering whether to recommend the birth dose only for babies whose mothers test positive, which would mark a return to a public health strategy that was abandoned more than three decades ago.

The committee plans to vote today.

One hostage

still in Gaza

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli and Thai officials say remains that militants in Gaza handed to Israel were those of a Thai agricultural worker killed during the attack that started the war two years ago. The return of Sudthisak Rinthalak’s remains leaves a single hostage, Israeli Ran Gvili, to be returned in the first phase of the ceasefire deal.

Hamas and Israel have accused each other of breaking the ceasefire agreement and questions linger over the plan’s upcoming phases. Meanwhile, Palestinians in Gaza were mourning on Thursday the death of five members of a family following an Israeli airstrike. Israel says it targeted a Hamas militant in retaliation for an earlier attack that wounded five Israeli soldiers.

CBS hosting

Erika Kirk

NEW YORK (AP) — CBS News says it will host a prime-time “town hall” event next week with Erika Kirk, widow of assassinated activist Charlie Kirk. She will be interviewed by CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss for the event, scheduled to be telecast at 8 p.m. Eastern on Dec. 13.

Kirk has taken over as head of the conservative group Turning Point USA, which was founded by her husband. She’ll be questioned by young evangelicals and religious and political leaders, as part of an invited CBS audience.

Charlie Kirk was shot on Sept. 10 while speaking to a group of college students in Utah.