Visitors at the President's House in Philadelphia look at a display about what life was like for enslaved people at the residence used by George Washington while he was President.
A statue is the Secret Handshake Project's third such anti-Trump installation since June.
Jimmy Kimmel on a recent episode of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"

Good morning! I'm Nicole Fallert. What's your state's favorite Halloween candy?

Quick look at Wednesday's news:

  • Jimmy Kimmel was back on air.
  • A complex weather dance is underway in the central Atlantic Ocean.
  • Activists vow to protect a display on George Washington's ties to slavery.

Jimmy Kimmel breaks silence following suspension

Jimmy Kimmel returned to "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" on Tuesday, almost a week after ABC suspended his show over comments he made about the killing of Charlie Kirk.

Kimmel's first public address: In a nearly 18-minute opening monologue, a visibly-emotional Kimmel recounted the support he received and echoed sentiments about the necessity for free speech. He teared up while saying: "It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man."

  • There was comedy, criticism and crying: "This show is not important," Kimmel said at one point. "What is important is that we get to live in a country that allows us to have a show like this."
  • Why you might not have seen the episode: The show did not air on nearly 70 ABC affiliate stations owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group or Nexstar Media Group, which still weren't budging on their stance on Kimmel.
  • Trump said "let Jimmy Kimmel rot" — and threatened to sue ABC.

From guest Glen Powell to Kimmel backstage, see photos of his first night back.

A bad escalator, a bad teleprompter and a chance 39-second meeting

President Donald Trump addressed the 80th United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, criticizing everything from the UN's faulty escalators to a lack of action by member nations to solve global wars. Meanwhile, he touted what he described as his own record of bringing an end to seven wars and stopping the influx of undocumented immigrants into the U.S. — while railing against what he called the “globalist immigration agenda.” He also broke news — about running into Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on the way to his speech and making an impromptu decision to meet up next week after months of rancor between the two. Things got off to a rocky start when the president and first lady Melania Trump got on a stalled U.N. escalator.

More news to know now

  • Pregnant with pain or fever? Here's what doctors say to do.
  • Ryan Routh was found guilty of trying to assassinate Trump at a Florida golf course.
  • A girl shot in the head during a Minneapolis church attack is making "miracle" progress.
  • A plot could have caused cell phone chaos. It's part of a troubling trend.

What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here.

Trump to meet with Democrats as shutdown inches closer

The president is slated to sit down Thursday with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to negotiate over government funding, according to a person familiar with the matter. The dialogue represents a significant chance for Democrats and the White House, after weeks of talking past each other, to reconcile their differences and stave off a shutdown. Specifically, Democrats want to reverse Medicaid cuts and extend expiring Obamacare subsidies. The GOP, so far, has refused to budge on either of those issues.

  • An Obamacare fight may shut down the government. It's happened before.

Hurricane forecasters see activity in the Atlantic

A pair of developing tropical systems are moving through the Atlantic this week, top hurricane forecasters told USA TODAY. Although the peak of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season may have arrived later than the historical average, with no hurricane landfalls in the U.S. this year, activity is clearly ramping up, forecasters warned. Meanwhile, the season's second hurricane, Gabrielle, continues to roar far out to sea on its way to Europe. One expert summed it up: "Complicated forecast!"

Today's talkers

  • The new "Bachelorette" has been open about "soft-swinging."
  • This 300-pound Philadelphia Eagles star lost 26 pounds. Then he ran over 18 mph.
  • Does Kamala Harris’ memoir actually read "like a suspense novel"?
  • Are Caitlin Clark's Air Force 1s the key to the Indiana Fever's playoff success?

The President's House: Protecting the paradox

'Slavery was in America's first White House. If you want to call (Washington) a great general, do that. If you want to call him a great President, do that. No one would object to that. But this is history, and he cycled slaves in and out of Philadelphia ...'

~ Michael Coard, a criminal defense lawyer, is working with a group of activists, preservationists and others to make back up plans to protect displays at The President's House in Philadelphia's historic district. Displays at the site describe how George Washington owned human beings, profited off their unpaid labor and, when one of them made a break for freedom, tried for years to recapture them. Coard and others spoke to USA TODAY amid controversies at other historic sites including National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Photo of the day: Friendship month protest

A group called The Secret Handshake Project is taking credit for a surprise protest art piece erected on the National Mall in Washington. The 12-foot piece depicts the president holding hands with the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, each looking at the other and smiling.

Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Daily Briefing: Jimmy Kimmel's return

Reporting by Nicole Fallert, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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