There is no question food prices have jumped in the past five years, and Halloween candy is no exception.

A report by FinanceBuzz found that Halloween candy prices have increased more than triple the rate of inflation since 2020. Overall inflation, based on the Consumer Price Index, has risen 24% since then, while the price of Halloween candy has surged 78%.

This year, the average cost of a 100-piece bag of candy is $16.39, according to FinanceBuzz. In 2020, the average bag cost $9.19. Last year, a typical bag cost $14.06.

FinanceBuzz calculated prices by shopping at Walmart, Target, Kroger and Albertsons locations nationwide.

RELATED STORY | Americans admit they eat their Halloween candy before trick-or-treaters arrive

The National Retail Federation projects Americans will spend $3.9 billion on Halloween candy this year, up from $3.5 billion in 2024.

Halloween chocolate and candy represented nearly 18% of all confectionery retail sales in 2024, according to the National Confectioners Association.

Government data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows candy and gum prices have climbed 38% in the past five years.

Its possible candy prices will continue to rise as the effects of new tariffs deepen. Most of the United States cocoa comes from West African nations. About half of U.S. cocoa imports come from Cte dIvoire, which now faces a 21% tariff on products shipped to the U.S.

Because of the federal government shutdown, the data used to set the Social Security Administrations annual cost-of-living adjustment is not available.

The data, which is part of the monthly Consumer Price Index report, was not released Wednesday as intended. The Social Security Administration bases its cost-of-living adjustment on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, which the Bureau of Labor Statistics releases monthly.

The consumer price index weighs the costs of goods based on their importance. Items like food, shelter and energy typically carry heavier weight.

RELATED STORY | Dueling letters, contradictions, a man confused: There's 'chaos' at Social Security, says national expert

Last years cost-of-living adjustment was 2.5%, which closely matched the 2.4% increase in consumer goods and services. About 74 million Social Security beneficiaries are scheduled to receive a cost-of-living adjustment starting in January. Nearly 7.2 million people receiving Supplemental Security Income will get the adjustment starting Dec. 31.

The Social Security League projects the annual cost-of-living adjustment for 2026 will be 2.7%. For the average Social Security retiree, that would mean a monthly increase of about $54.

For the 12-month period ending in August, the consumer price index showed a 2.9% increase in prices.

RELATED STORY | Senate again fails to end shutdown as standoff enters third week

There are long-term concerns over the future of Social Security payments.

The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget said legislation passed in July will reduce Social Securitys revenue from the income taxation of benefits. The group says this change will cause Social Security to become insolvent sooner than previously expected. A report from Social Securitys trustees states there are enough funds to fully pay benefits until 2034, but without congressional intervention, benefits will be cut. The committee projects Social Security will become insolvent by the end of 2032.

Officials have long expressed concern about the stability of the program. As the Baby Boomer generation ages and birth rates decline, Social Security revenue is falling while its expenses are rising. Social Security paid out $1.5 trillion in benefits in 2024, accounting for about 23% of federal spending.

Diane Keaton, whose career spanned over five decades and included leading roles in dozens of features, died at the age of 79, People Magazine reported, citing a family spokesperson. Details surrounding her death were not released, as People said the family asked for privacy.

Keaton won a Best Actress Academy Award in 1977 for her role in "Annie Hall." Her role as the titular character also earned her a BAFTA and Golden Globe awards. She also earned an Oscar nomination for her 1981 appearance in "Reds" alongside Warren Beatty.

Keaton garnered an Oscar nomination in 1996 for playing Bessie in "Marvin's Room."

ICYMI | Jane Goodall, known for her study of primates, dies at 91

She also had leading roles in "The Godfather" films. She also showed off her comedic chops in such films as "Father of the Bride," "The First Wives Club," and "Something's Gotta Give," the latter of which earned her an Academy Award nomination.

She continued appearing in films well into her 70s. She starred more recently in films such as "Book Club" and "Poms." She also appeared in Justin Bieber's 2021 music video "Ghost."

Before getting into film, Keaton starred on Broadway, making her stage debut in the original "Hair" production.

Outside of acting, she directed "Unstrung Heroes" and authored several best-selling memoirs, including "Then Again" and "Let's Just Say it Wasn't Pretty."

Actor Ben Stiller, who once called Keaton his favorite actress, reacted to the news on X.

"Diane Keaton. One of the greatest film actors ever. An icon of style, humor and comedy. Brilliant. What a person," he said.

One day after a massive blast at the Accurate Energetic Systems plant in the Bucksnort area, about 60 miles southwest of Nashville, officials said Saturday they do not expect to find the 18 missing people alive.

Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis said volatility at the site of Fridays explosion is complicating search and recovery efforts.

We can assume they are deceased at this point, Davis told reporters Saturday. At some point in time, we have to rip off the Band-Aid. I can tell you and I alluded to this yesterday its not like working an accident or a tornado. Were dealing with explosions, and at this time, were dealing with remains.

Officials initially believed 19 people were unaccounted for, but said late Friday that one person thought to be inside the complex at the time was found at home.

Accurate Energetic Systems specializes in the development, manufacture, handling and storage of explosives for military, aerospace and commercial demolition markets.

Davis said some devices at the scene may still need to be detonated. Video from a Scripps News Group helicopter showed the charred remains of vehicles and twisted steel. Witnesses reported hearing the blast from more than 20 miles away.

Davis said foul play cannot be ruled out.

A spokesperson for former President Joe Biden confirmed that he is undergoing radiation treatment, marking a new phase of his treatment for an aggressive form of prostate cancer.

"As part of a treatment plan for prostate cancer, President Biden is currently undergoing radiation therapy and hormone treatment," according to a spokesperson for Biden.

A source familiar with Biden's treatment told Scripps News that the former president is "doing well."

In May, Biden announced the cancer diagnosis. A Biden spokesperson said that doctors found a prostate nodule after he experienced increasing urinary symptoms.

"While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management. The President and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians," a Biden spokesperson said in May.

RELATED STORY | Former President Joe Biden diagnosed with prostate cancer

The 82-year-old had sought reelection for the presidency last year, but opted to drop out in July 2024 amid concerns about his health and age.

According to the American Cancer Society, the U.S. averages 313,780 new cases of prostate cancer. There are about 35,770 deaths from prostate cancer every year in the U.S.

Prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths among men in the U.S., the American Cancer Society said.

A summary of President Donald Trumps physical exam revealed that he received updated COVID-19 and flu vaccines, as guidance on COVID shots continues to evolve.

The exam was conducted Friday at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

Dr. Sean Barbabella, the physician to the president, wrote, Trump remains in exceptional health, exhibiting strong cardiovascular, pulmonary, neurological, and physical performance.

RELATED STORY | CDC shifts to individual COVID-19 vaccine decisions and standalone chickenpox shot

Comprehensive laboratory studies performed in conjunction with the visit were exceptional, including stable metabolic, hematologic, and cardiac parameters. In preparation for upcoming international travel, he added.

Changes enacted by the Trump administration have made getting a COVID-19 booster more complicated than in previous years. In past seasons, obtaining a shot was often as simple as visiting a pharmacy. Now, the CDC recommends Americans consult a physician before getting vaccinated.

The COVID-19 vaccine will be recommended on an individual-based decision-making basis for those under age 65.

For people over age 65, the CDC advises getting vaccinated after consulting with a doctor.

It means that the clinical decision to vaccinate should be based on patient characteristics that, unlike age, are difficult to incorporate in recommendations, including risk factors for the underlying disease as well as the characteristics of the vaccine itself and the best available evidence of who may benefit from vaccination, the CDC said in a press release.

U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach shared designs for a potential $1 coin featuring President Donald Trump, timed to coincide with the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

One side of the coin shows a side profile of Trump. The reverse depicts him raising a fist in front of an American flag, with the words fight, fight, fight encircling the image.

Beach said additional details would be released soon, once the federal government shutdown ends.

Congress previously authorized the U.S. Mint to issue new $1 coins with designs emblematic of the United States semiquincentennial. If produced, Trump would be the first living president to appear on a $1 coin. From 2007 to 2016, the Mint released four coins annually honoring deceased presidents, and in 2020, it issued a coin honoring George H.W. Bush after his death.

In recent years, the Mint has also released $1 coins recognizing innovations from all 50 states and honoring Native American leaders. However, due to a surplus of $1 coins, production since 2011 has been limited to quantities meeting collector demand, with coins largely absent from general circulation.

It remains unclear whether the semiquincentennial coins will be intended for wide circulation or for collectors.

As many workers say they are worried artificial intelligence might replace them, so far AI has failed to cause any substantive changes to the workforce, according to a new report from Yales Budget Lab.

The report notes changes in the types of jobs people hold, but says some of these shifts can be explained by workers changing positions or reentering the workforce from unemployment.

"Our metrics indicate that the broader labor market has not experienced a discernible disruption since ChatGPTs release 33 months ago, undercutting fears that AI automation is currently eroding the demand for cognitive labor across the economy," the report says.

The disruption AI has caused to the workforce is similar to other technological shifts, such as the advent of the Internet in the 1990s or the rise of personal computing in the 1980s, the report adds.

RELATED STORY | ChatGPT launches parental control features for teen users

The findings come as polls show workers expressing concern that their jobs could be replaced by AI. Separate surveys also show some employers plan to use AI to replace certain roles.

A recent survey by Resume.org found that four in 10 employers plan to replace part of their workforce with AI by 2026. Such impacts could be felt across industries.

High-salary roles are often targeted first because companies see immediate savings in payroll, and employees lacking AI-related skills are vulnerable because organizations are accelerating automation, said Kara Dennison, head of career advising at Resume.org. Recent hires and entry-level employees are also at risk because they havent built deep institutional knowledge or proven long-term value."

An August Reuters poll found that 71% of Americans fear permanent job loss due to AI.

RELATED STORY | Children are asking AI for advice on sex and mental health, new report finds

But the Yale Budget Lab says these polls may not reflect reality.

"While this finding may contradict the most alarming headlines, it is not surprising given past precedents. Historically, widespread technological disruption in workplaces tends to occur over decades, rather than months or years," the report says. "Computers didnt become commonplace in offices until nearly a decade after their release to the public, and it took even longer for them to transform office workflows. Even if new AI technologies will go on to impact the labor market as much, or more, dramatically, it is reasonable to expect that widespread effects will take longer than 33 months to materialize."

Mental Health America just released a national ranking of the prevalence of mental health issues and access to care.

The rankings showed New York, followed by Hawaii, New Jersey and Vermont, were the states with the lowest prevalence of mental health conditions and the best access to care.

Nevada, Arizona, Alabama and Idaho ranked at the bottom, the report found.

The report looked at 17 indicators, including the number of people with mental illness, suicidal thoughts and major depressive episodes. It also factored in access to care, such as the number of providers and use of insurance.

RELATED STORY | ChatGPT launches parental control features for teen users

The report found New Jersey, Texas and Mississippi had the lowest prevalence of mental health issues, while Oregon, Colorado and Maine had the highest rates.

Vermont, Maine and Massachusetts had the most access to care, while Alabama, Texas and South Carolina had the lowest.

The report found 23.5% of adults experienced any mental illness in 2024, while 17.7% reported having a substance use disorder. It also said 5.5% of adults reported experiencing thoughts of suicide.

Some good news, Mental Health America reported, was that youth incidences of major depressive episodes and thoughts of suicide declined in 2024 compared to a year earlier.

This report gives us a foundation to build better strategies, advocate for smarter policies, and target resources where they are needed most to address the ongoing mental health crisis in this country, said Mary Giliberti, interim president and CEO of Mental Health America. By using these facts to fuel action, we can best support the individuals and communities the data represent, moving from awareness to lasting change.

Government tax credits for electric vehicles expired Oct. 1 after Congress voted to end the program years ahead of schedule.

The program, intended to boost production of electric vehicles made in the U.S., awarded $7,500 tax credits to individuals making less than $150,000 a year, or couples filing jointly who made up to $300,000 a year. The credits were expanded in 2022 under a Democratic-controlled Congress and signed by President Joe Biden.

The program was slated to run through 2032.

But with the program coming to an abrupt end, electric vehicle makers now have to decide how to price vehicles that had been sold with $7,500 subsidies.

Hyundai lowering prices

Hyundai said it will lower the MSRP of the Ioniq 5 by up to $10,000 for 2026 models and continue offering a $7,500 cash incentive for 2025 Ioniq 5 models. The base model of its Ioniq 5 will start at $35,000 in 2026, Hyundai said.

The 2025 Ioniq 5 base model is now priced at $42,600 MSRP.

RELATED STORY | Hurry! These are all the clean energy tax credits expiring soon

"Hyundai is taking bold steps to ensure our award-winning IONIQ 5 remains a top choice for EV buyers," said Randy Parker, president and CEO, Hyundai Motor North America. "This pricing realignment reflects our commitment to delivering exceptional technology and innovation without compromise."

EV sales expected to sag

Ford Motor Co. CEO Jim Farley told CNBC he expects demand for all-electric vehicles to be cut in half due to the loss of credits. He said customers are interested in EVs but are priced out of the vehicles.

Customers are not interested in the $75,000 electric vehicle. They find them interesting. Theyre fast, theyre efficient, you dont go to the gas station, but theyre expensive, Farley said.

Possible temporary workaround

Even though customers are unable to directly get $7,500 credits, Ford and GM are reportedly launching programs to extend the use of $7,500 tax credits for retail leases.

Reuters reported the automakers devised the program after consulting with the IRS.

GM has seen its EV sales skyrocket in recent months. The automaker announced Wednesday that EV sales for 2025 had already surpassed all of 2024. Still, EV sales accounted for less than 10% of GM's total deliveries in the third quarter of 2025, despite record-breaking numbers.

Jane Goodall, the famed primatologist and conservationist, died Wednesday at age 91 of natural causes, the Jane Goodall Institute announced on Instagram. She was in California ahead of a planned speaking engagement in Los Angeles, according to the institute.

"Dr. Goodalls discoveries as an ethologist revolutionized science, and she was a tireless advocate for the protection and restoration of our natural world," the Jane Goodall Institute said.

"Young Jane immersed herself in books about wild animals and dreamed of a life alongside African wildlife like Tarzan and Dr. Dolittle. At the young age of 23, after having spent the past few years as a waitress and secretary, she finally found a way to make her dream a reality," according to her official biography.

Goodall's studies of wild chimpanzees began in 1960 when she visited the shores of Tanzania with her mother, Vanne.

Once in Tanzania, she took what was considered an "unorthodox approach" toward studying wildlife. She immersed herself with chimpanzees, gaining their trust and becoming a companion to the primates. She gave chimps human-like names and came to understand their personalities and behaviors. Amid her studies, she noted that chimps used tools and had other social traits that were originally thought to be unique to humans.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Ohio zoo celebrates birth of critically endangered western lowland gorilla

Following her initial studies in Tanzania, she became just the eighth person to ever be admitted to Cambridge University's Ph.D. program without an undergraduate degree. She earned her doctorate in ethology in 1966, but continued her research at Gombe National Park.

She launched the Jane Goodall Institute in 1977, which has since expanded to have offices in 24 countries. These institutes continue ongoing research on chimpanzees, while also advocating for the protection of chimps and their habitats.

Goodall continued sharing her love of chimps and her knowledge through multiple books and programs. Her most recent book, The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times, was published in 2021.

Even into her 90s, Goodall remained an active voice for conservation. At the time of her death, she had several speaking events on her schedule in the coming days.

Just last week, she was in New York for Climate Week, where she reportedly told audience members to "have courage" in taking on sustainability.

As Democrats cite changes to health care policy as their reason for not keeping the government funded, a new analysis from KFF shows how much more some Americans will pay for insurance premiums.

Those who use Affordable Care Act-subsidized plans have had their premiums capped based on total income. If a plan exceeded that cap, the enrollee received a tax credit.

The tax credit is set to expire because a provision in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 ends this year. Democrats have sought to extend the provision, but Republicans have opposed continuing the subsidies.

Currently, a family of four with a household income of $90,000 pays about $4,680 for health care premiums through the Affordable Care Act. That same family would lose $3,735 in tax credits, increasing their total premium to $8,415 a year.

Citing federal data, KFF estimates the average subsidized enrollee would save $1,016 annually in premium payments if Congress extended enhanced tax credits through 2026.

KFF estimates 24 million Americans use the Affordable Care Act marketplace for insurance, with the vast majority receiving subsidies.

Drew Altman, KFF president and CEO, said some Republicans may begin supporting certain subsidies.

The impact will be felt especially hard in red states that did not expand Medicaid and by groups Republicans traditionally rely on to vote for them, he said. Its an open question whether President Trumps loyal base will protect him and Republicans more generally from the usual consequences a party in power faces when voters costs rise, especially when they were promised they would go down.

Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain on the central banks board at least through January after the Supreme Court deferred oral arguments in her dispute with the Trump administration.

The high court will hear the case in January and decide Cooks fate afterward.

President Donald Trump moved to fire Cook in August, accusing her of mortgage fraud, claiming she listed two properties as her primary residence. Cook has not been charged with any crime and said at the time she would not be bullied into resigning.

After Trumps attempted ouster, both a district court and an appeals court declined to remove Cook immediately.

The Supreme Court will now determine whether Trump was justified in seeking her removal.

Cooks case comes as Trump has kept heavy pressure on the independent Federal Reserve and Chair Jerome Powell to lower interest rates. Last month, Powell, Cook and other board members voted to cut rates by a quarter percentage point the first interest rate decrease of 2025.

Parts of the U.S. government will remain closed after the Senate failed to pass a continuing resolution to fund operations on Wednesday. The Senate voted down along party lines, a continuing resolution proposed by Democrats. The Senate then was unable to approve a continuing resolution already passed by the House.

The House-approved version got 55 votes, with three senators who caucus with Democrats joining Republicans in supporting the continuing resolution. The vote would have required 60 senators to advance. Sen. Rand Paul was the only Republican to vote against the GOP-backed bill, while Sens. John Fetterman, Catherine Cortez Masto and Angus King crossed the aisle to vote in favor.

Had the latter proposal been approved by the Senate, the resolution could have gone to President Donald Trump's desk for his immediate signature.

RELATED STORY | From Social Security to TSA: How agencies plan to operate during a shutdown

Essential government employees are still reporting to work Wednesday; however, they will not see a paycheck until after the shutdown is resolved. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that about 750,000 workers will be furloughed amid the shutdown.

"The number of furloughed employees could vary by the day because some agencies might furlough more employees the longer a shutdown persists and others might recall some initially furloughed employees," the CBO said.

Members of the military also could go without pay, but funds appropriated to the military could be used by the Department of Defense to help mitigate some of the loss of pay.

Why is there a shutdown?

Congress is required to pass an annual budget or a continuing resolution. Continuing resolutions allow the government to continue functioning temporarily, typically at existing spending levels.

Even though Republicans hold a majority in the House and Senate, the party needs 60 votes to get a funding bill through the Senate. With only 53 Republicans, cooperation from Democrats is required for a budget or continuing resolution to pass.

Democrats say that passing a continuing resolution is not simply a carryover of the previous budget, as upcoming changes to Affordable Care Act tax credits and Medicaid verification processes are expected to increase the number of uninsured Americans.

This issue has led the two parties to blame each other for the shutdown.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune was urging some Democrats to break ranks.

"Democrats may have chosen to shut down the government tonight, but we can reopen it tomorrow," he said. "All it takes is a handful of Democrats to join Republicans to pass the clean, nonpartisan funding bill that's in front of us. And I hope, I really hope that some of them will join us to reopen the government, resume bipartisan appropriations work and get back to the business of the American people."

Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer says it is on Republicans, claiming they are failing to work with Democrats to reach a compromise.

"Republicans are plunging America into a shutdown, rejecting bipartisan talks, pushing a partisan bill and risking America's health care," he said.

Merriam-Webster announced it will publish a new edition of its Collegiate Dictionary for the first time in more than 20 years, adding 5,000 new words.

New entries include cold brew, farm-to-table, rizz and dad bod. The edition also features 1,000 new phrases and 20,000 additional usage examples.

The release marks the 12th edition of the Collegiate Dictionary. It is expected to weigh more than 5 pounds and will include curated word lists such as words from the 1990s and words for things that often go unnamed.

Many terms in the new edition were absent from the last edition, published in 2003, but have appeared on Merriam-Websters website for years.

Our website receives over a billion visits per year, said Greg Barlow, president of Merriam-Webster. But people still love books. In fact, we continue to sell over a million dictionaries a year and the new Twelfth Edition is the finest Collegiate weve ever published. For those who enjoy books and dictionaries, it will be a volume to cherish.

The new edition of the Collegiate Dictionary will be released Nov. 18.

An unidentified man in Missouri stepped forward this week to claim his share of Powerballs $1.787 billion jackpot from the Sept. 6 drawing.

After 42 consecutive drawings without a winner, the Sept. 6 drawing produced two winners one in Missouri and another in Texas. Missouri is among 18 states where lottery winners can remain anonymous.

His half of the $1.787 billion jackpot is the largest prize ever awarded by lottery officials in Missouri.

Instead of taking a 29-year annuity of $893.5 million, the man chose a one-time payment of about $410.3 million.

The unidentified winner said in a press release that he plans to spend more time with his wife as she reduces her workload.

Im going to just do me for a year, the winner said in the release.

While the man said he likes to stay home and relax, he added that his wife might want to do some traveling.

Shes going to drag me out of town now, he said.

Even three weeks later, the man said he remains in disbelief.

Im a millionaire, a multi-millionaire, and Im doing laundry last night," he said.

The odds of winning the jackpot are about 1 in 292 million. Powerball also offers prizes ranging from $4 to $2 million, and the odds of winning a smaller prize are about 1 in 25.

Powerball is played in 45 states and Washington, D.C.

Since Powerball lengthened the odds of hitting all six numbers in 2015, the multistate lottery generally has six to nine winners a year. All 10 of its largest jackpots have occurred since 2015.

The largest Powerball jackpot in history was $2.04 billion, won Nov. 7, 2022.

The National Hurricane Center has issued a hurricane warning for the Azores as Hurricane Gabrielle barrels toward the Portuguese-controlled islands.

Gabrielle had maximum sustained winds of 115 mph Wednesday morning, making it a Category 3 hurricane. At its peak, it reached Category 4 strength. The storm formed as a tropical storm nearly a week ago and became a hurricane over the weekend.

Gabrielle developed after an unusually quiet stretch in the Atlantic basin during the peak of hurricane season. The Atlantic went three weeks without a named storm amid what is typically the busiest time of year for tropical system activity.

The hurricane is expected to weaken before striking the islands but could bring hurricane-force winds and flooding rains. After impacting the Azores, it could reach Portugal as an extratropical storm over the weekend.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic, the National Hurricane Center said two systems are expected to develop into tropical depressions or tropical storms by the weekend. One system, with an 80% chance of development by Monday, could form over the Bahamas.

Another system has a 90% chance of developing into a tropical depression or tropical storm in the next 48 hours and is expected to track north of the Caribbean.

Jimmy Kimmel made his return to late-night TV on Tuesday, to the delight of the audience on hand but to the dismay of President Donald Trump.

Kimmel was briefly suspended from hosting "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" after controversial remarks he made following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. ABC suspended the program after Sinclair Broadcast Group and Nexstar Media Group companies that own multiple ABC stations said they would preempt the show.

On Monday, ABC announced Kimmel could return. Before his return on Tuesday, Sinclair and Nexstar said they would follow through with blocking the program from airing in dozens of markets.

RELATED STORY | What we know about Jimmy Kimmels show being pulled indefinitely from ABC

Kimmel opened his monologue by thanking his fans and other late-night hosts who offered their support. He also thanked ABC for defending my right to poke fun at our leaders and to advocate for subjects that I think are important by allowing me to use their platform. He then acknowledged the support he received from conservatives who expressed concern that his suspension was tied to pending regulatory approvals by the Trump administration.

And maybe weirdly, maybe most of all, I want to thank the people who dont support my show and what I believe, but support my right to share those beliefs anyway, he said. People who I never would have imagined like Ben Shapiro, Clay Travis, Candace Owens, Mitch McConnell, Rand Paul, even my old pal Ted Cruz, who, believe it or not, said something very beautiful on my behalf, which led to a clip saying that government censorship would end up badly for conservatives.

Hes absolutely right, Kimmel added. This affects all of us, including him. I mean, think about it. If Ted Cruz cant speak freely, then he cant cast spells on the Smurfs.

Addressing the comments he made last week, Kimmel said it was never his intention to make light of Kirks killing.

I posted a message on Instagram on the day he was killed, sending love to his family and asking for compassion and I meant it; I still do, Kimmel said. Nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for the actions of what it was obviously a deeply disturbed individual. That was really the opposite of the point I was trying to make. But I understand that to some, that felt either ill-timed or unclear, or maybe both. And for those who think I did point a finger, I get why youre upset. If the situation was reversed, theres a good chance Id have felt the same way.

Trump threatens ABC with legal action

As Kimmel returned to the air Tuesday, Trump posted on Truth Social his frustration with ABC allowing Kimmel to return.

I cant believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back. The White House was told by ABC that his Show was cancelled! Trump wrote. Something happened between then and now because his audience is GONE, and his talent was never there. Why would they want someone back who does so poorly, whos not funny, and who puts the Network in jeopardy by playing 99% positive Democrat GARBAGE. He is yet another arm of the DNC and, to the best of my knowledge, that would be a major Illegal Campaign Contribution.

RELATED STORY | What we know about Jimmy Kimmels show being pulled indefinitely from ABC

I think were going to test ABC out on this. Lets see how we do. Last time I went after them, they gave me $16 Million Dollars. This one sounds even more lucrative. A true bunch of losers! Let Jimmy Kimmel rot in his bad Ratings.

Trump was referring to a 2024 settlement with ABC after anchor George Stephanopoulos made an incorrect claim that he had been found civilly liable for raping writer E. Jean Carroll.

Could Trumps FCC take action?

While ABC itself owns only a handful of stations, mostly in large cities such as New York and Los Angeles, most of its programming is carried by affiliates. The E.W. Scripps Co., parent company of Scripps News, owns ABC stations in several major cities, including Phoenix, Cincinnati and Cleveland.

Nexstar and Sinclair also own dozens of stations that carry ABC programming. Nexstar is attempting to finalize a merger with Tegna, which would require Federal Communications Commission approval. FCC Chair Brendan Carr claimed that Democrats were upset that Nexstar and Sinclair preempted Kimmels program.

Notably, this is the first time recently that any local TV stations have pushed back on a national programmer like Disney, Carr said. And that is a good thing because we want empowered local TV stations. After all, local TV stations not the national programmers have public interest obligations, and they should be making decisions that in their view meet the needs of their local communities.

Kimmel addressed free speech concerns during his return Tuesday.

The FCC has a tradition of meddling where they shouldnt under many administrations, but it wasnt always like this, Kimmel said. There was an FCC commissioner back in 2022 who worked under Joe Biden who was spot on. He wrote, President Biden is right. Political satire is one of the oldest and most important forms of free speech. It challenges those in power while using humor to draw more people into the discussion. Thats why people in influential positions have always targeted it for censorship. You know who wrote that? FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, who later was appointed chairman of the FCC by this former crusader for free speech.

The U.S. Secret Service announced early Tuesday that it dismantled a network of electronic devices capable of disabling cellphone towers and enabling denial-of-service attacks.

According to the agency, investigators found more than 300 SIM servers and 100,000 SIM cards that could be used to conduct a wide range of telecommunication attacks. In addition to disrupting phone service, the network also enabled encrypted communication between threat actors, the Secret Service said.

The devices were concentrated within a 35-mile radius of this weeks United Nations General Assembly in New York. Many world leaders are in the city this week for the General Assembly, including President Donald Trump.

The agency did not say whether anyone has been arrested or identified as a suspect. The Secret Service said the investigation is ongoing.

The potential for disruption to our countrys telecommunications posed by this network of devices cannot be overstated, said U.S. Secret Service Director Sean Curran. The U.S. Secret Services protective mission is all about prevention, and this investigation makes it clear to potential bad actors that imminent threats to our protectees will be immediately investigated, tracked down and dismantled.