The Excerpt
Episodes
SPECIAL | Could AI-generated art replace human creators?
17 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Generative AI is now widely used to make artwork, music and even film – valuable cultural contributions that used to be exclusively the province of ...
New revelations in Charlie Kirk murder case as suspect is charged
17 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
According to court documents, the 22-year-old had been planning the attack for a week.USA TODAY Government Accountability Reporter Erin Mansfield disc...
Israel launches ground assault in Gaza City
16 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz posted on X that "Gaza is burning."USA TODAY White House Reporter Zac Anderson has the latest after President Don...
Charlie Kirk remembered in DC vigil; Utah governor says suspect is not cooperating
15 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Utah Governor Spencer Cox gave some of the latest details on the Utah shooter during his appearances on Sunday news shows.USA TODAY Money Reporter Bai...
Charlie Kirk's assassination matters more than you think
14 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed while speaking before thousands at Utah Valley College. His death marks a new and unsettling ch...
White House mourns the death of Charlie Kirk
13 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY White House reporter Francesca Chambers discusses what Charlie Kirk’s death means in this moment for the White House. A U.S. Marine h...
Manhunt continues for Charlie Kirk shooter
12 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Authorities have released new video of the suspected shooter of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. In the aftermath of the shooting, USA TODAY C...
The 'dirtbag' who built Patagonia—and gave it away
11 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Patagonia is worth billions. But founder Yvon Chouinard never wanted the title of billionaire. From his days as a dirtbag climber to his reluctant rol...
Conservative influencer Charlie Kirk fatally shot
11 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Conservative activist and Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk was fatally shot at Utah Valley University yesterday. Poland's military ...
Can sharks help predict hurricanes? Researchers are hoping so.
10 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Accurately forecasting hurricanes has improved over the past few decades with the use of satellites, NOAA’s airborne Hurricane Hunters and numerical...
MAHA report on childhood health is out
10 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY White House Correspondent Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy breaks down Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his MAHA Commission’s release&...
A House committee releases full Jeffrey Epstein “birthday book”
09 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A slew of documents about Jeffrey Epstein with purported messages from President Trump and President Bill Clinton have been released.USA TODAY Supreme...
What keeps Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett up at night?
08 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA Today Supreme Court Correspondent Maureen Groppe shares highlights from an exclusive interview with the Supreme Court justice.Hundreds of South Ko...
The CDC is in crisis
07 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
For Robert F Kennedy Jr, it was never going to be a smooth road as Secretary of Health and Human Services given the controversy surrounding his well-d...
A disappointing new jobs report reveals a slowdown in U.S. hiring
06 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY Money Reporter Bailey Schulz breaks down the latest disappointing jobs report. President Donald Trump says Americans should take vaccin...
RFK Jr. says he doesn't know how many Americans died from COVID as he's grilled at hearing
05 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was grilled during an explosive hearing Thursday.USA TODAY National Correspondent Chris Kenn...
SPECIAL | Ultrapotent nitazenes present a new front in the opioid battle
04 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Picture this, a powerful synthetic opioid that quietly morphs into one of the nation’s most lethal drug crises. A drug that can be slipped undetecte...
Epstein victims speak as pressure grows to release files
04 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY Domestic Security Correspondent Josh Meyer takes a look at Wednesday comments from Epstein victims, as they push for the release of more rec...
SPECIAL | New series “Extremely Normal” tackles the "manosphere"
03 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
America’s young men are lost. At least, that’s what they’re telling us online. From feeling disconnected in school, relationships, and even purp...
US appeals court rejects Trump's use of Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelans
03 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An appeals court has rejected President Donald Trump's use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelans.Military strikes killed 11 on an alleged 'dr...
What is Congress focused on now that it's back in session?
02 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY's Zachary Schermele takes a look at some of the major looming issues as lawmakers return from an August recess.China's President Xi Jinping ...
Federal judge halts deportation of unaccompanied Guatemalan children
01 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A judge Sunday issued a restraining order blocking the Trump administration from deporting 10 unaccompanied migrant Guatemalan children.President Dona...
Twenty years after Katrina, New Orleans' Preservation Hall is thriving
31 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Twenty years after Hurricane Katrina decimated New Orleans, the landmark musical venue of Preservation Hall is once again the center of the city's liv...
Most Trump tariffs are illegal, appeals court rules
30 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A divided U.S. appeals court ruled Friday that most of President Donald Trump's tariffs are illegal.USA TODAY's Zach Schermele discusses the conversat...
Families remember children slain, wounded in Minnesota shooting
29 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Families remembered 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel and 10-year-old Harper Moyski the day after this week's Minneapolis shooting.USA TODAY Washington Burea...
SPECIAL | Takeaways from USA TODAY’s exclusive sit-down with Vice President JD Vance
28 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The vice president sat down with USA TODAY White House Correspondent Francesca Chambers to share his thoughts on issues both controversial (the firing...
Vance says Trump doesn't want long-term occupation of American cities
28 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Vice President JD Vance sat down with USA TODAY for an exclusive interview Wednesday.Two children were killed in a Minneapolis church shooting.USA TOD...
SPECIAL | What science says about what makes something cool
27 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Is coolness just a vibe—or something deeper? A new global study spanning 12 countries finds surprising common traits that define who we see as cool....
Trump said he fired a Fed governor. What's next?
27 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY White House Correspondent Bart Jansen puts President Donald Trump's announced firing of Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook in context, and e...
Judge temporarily blocks Kilmar Abrego Garcia's deportation
26 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A judge Monday temporarily blocked Kilmar Abrego Garcia's deportation.USA TODAY White House Correspondent Bart Jansen breaks down President Donald Tru...
Army base used for WWII Japanese internment will be nation's largest ICE detention center
25 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY National Immigration Reporter Lauren Villagran takes a look at some of the history behind Fort Bliss, amid efforts to detain migrants there....
The hidden crisis of Black land loss in the wake of slavery
24 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Black Americans have lost millions of acres of land due to systemic failures and legal loopholes. Saul Blair’s story is one of heartbreak, resilienc...
Ghislaine Maxwell tells DOJ she never saw Trump behave inappropriately
23 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jeffrey Epstein's imprisoned former girlfriend and associate Ghislaine Maxwell absolved President Donald Trump of wrongdoing.USA TODAY White House Rep...
GOP on verge of big Texas win, but redistricting battles are only starting
22 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY Chief Political Correspondent Phillip M. Bailey takes a closer look at redistricting battles, and how the conversation is shifting to Califo...
SPECIAL | US in a tight squeeze as water demands soar
21 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The US water supply is struggling under the combined pressures of drought, aging infrastructure, thirsty AI data centers, and over extraction. The nee...
Texas Republicans approve Trump-backed congressional map
21 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Texas Republicans have passed a new state congressional map intended to flip five Democratic-held U.S. House seats up for grabs in the 2026 elections....
SPECIAL | How to spot a con artist
20 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan Walton thought he was being helpful to a neighbor. But his good nature was taken advantage of, and he was ultimately scammed out of nearly $1...
37 former intel officials stripped of their security clearances
20 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced Tuesday that President Donald Trump had directed her office to revoke security clearances fr...
Trump calls Putin to arrange meeting with Zelenskyy
19 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY White House Correspondent Francesca Chambers breaks down Monday's meeting between President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zele...
European leaders to join Zelenskyy in Washington
18 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders will meet with President Donald Trump in Washington Monday. Plus, details of the Alaska s...
How do you define American cuisine?
17 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What is American cuisine and who gets to define it? Is it barbecue or blueberry pie, hot dogs or lobster rolls, chili or gumbo? American food culture ...
Trump leaves Alaska with 'no deal' after Putin meeting
16 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY White House Correspondent Francesca Chambers recaps President Donald Trump's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.The Dis...
Why is Alaska the 'most strategic place' for Trump-Putin meeting?
15 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY National Correspondent Trevor Hughes takes a look at some of the reasons a meeting in Alaska makes sense for President Donald Trump and Russ...
SPECIAL | From electric grids to powering gadgets, sodium-ion batteries hold promise
14 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
From laptops to electric cars, lithium-ion batteries are in so many of the products we use every day. It’s hard to imagine there’s an alternative....
Why Democrats have limited power to fight Republican redistricting
14 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY Government Accountability Reporter Erin Mansfield takes a closer look at redistricting fights playing out across the country.Ukrainian Presi...
SPECIAL | 'Freakosystems' reveal nature's strange new balance and its risks
13 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Across the planet, the actions of humans are creating novel ecosystems which, according to the BBC, have been dubbed ‘freakosystems’ by the daught...
National Guard troops arrive in DC
13 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Members of the Washington, D.C., National Guard have reported for duty across the nation's capital under President Donald Trump's orders to fight crim...
Trump orders National Guard into Washington and takes over DC police
12 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY Pentagon Correspondent Tom Vanden Brook takes a closer look at President Donald Trump's moves this week surrounding the National Guard and p...
Israel strike kills journalists in Gaza
11 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Israel's military says it targeted and killed Al Jazeera journalist Anas Al Sharif.USA TODAY Health and Wellness Reporter Adrianna Rodriguez discusses...
PhD student finds lost city in Mexico jungle by accident
10 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Valeriana is an ancient, lost city in Southern Mexico hidden under jungle canopy for centuries, recently discovered via a Google search. How did that ...
Trump and Putin will meet in Alaska next week to discuss Ukraine war
09 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are scheduled to meet next week in Alaska to discuss an end to Russia's war on Ukraine.Pre...
Israel's security cabinet approves plan to take control of Gaza City
08 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Israel's security cabinet has approved a plan to take control of Gaza City. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said earlier this week that Isra...
SPECIAL | Love, marriage and disability
07 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Squirmy and Grubs are not your typical YouTube stars. One is them is able-bodied. The other is not. How they navigate the challenges that dichotomy pr...
Trump doubles India's tariffs to 50% as penalty for importing Russian oil
07 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
New tariffs take effect on Thursday after a new tariff announcement from President Donald Trump penalizing India for importing Russian oil. Plus, Appl...
SPECIAL | How do you love a forest? Ethan Tapper has thoughts.
06 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
With climate change, the threat of wildfires, and human encroachment among other things, our trees and forests are in desperate need of guardians. Fro...
House Republicans subpoena Clintons, DOJ and FBI officials in Epstein probe
06 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY Domestic Security Correspondent Josh Meyer breaks down subpoenas issued by Republicans on the House Oversight Committee in their Jeffrey Eps...
Texas Gov. Abbott threatens legal action for absent Dems amid redistricting battle
05 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is threatening more than 50 Democrats with legal action and removal from the state legislature after lawmakers fled the state a...
Hamas says it will allow hostage aid if Israel halts airstrikes, opens permanent humanitarian corridors
04 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hamas says it will coordinate with the Red Cross to deliver aid to hostages it holds in Gaza, if Israel meets certain conditions.USA TODAY Consumer He...
Escape rooms to theme parks: immersive entertainment is booming
03 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Forget passive viewing. Audiences today want to step inside the story. From Super Nintendo World to Stranger Things pop-ups, immersive entertainment i...
Trump fires head of labor statistics bureau after weak jobs report
02 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY White House Correspondent Joey Garrison discusses President Donald Trump's move to fire the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics following...
Trump signs order for sweeping new tariffs on countries across the world
01 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
President Donald Trump has signed an order for sweeping new tariffs.Israeli troops again fire on Gazans waiting for aid, as U.S. special envoy Steve W...
SPECIAL | Attempt to fix California's severe housing crisis offers lessons to U.S.
31 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Across the country, Americans are in need of affordable housing. In California, the crisis is particularly acute. Could California's repeal of 70-year...
US to set 15% tariff on South Korean imports under new deal
31 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that the U.S. will set a 15% tariff on South Korean imports under a new deal ahead of a Friday deadline. Pl...
SPECIAL | Why are ICE agents hiding behind masks?
30 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Law enforcement officers working in plain clothes or undercover is nothing new. What is new is that some officers are now hiding their faces behind ma...
Tsunami waves reach Hawaii and West Coast hours after magnitude 8.8 earthquake
30 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Tsunami waves reached Hawaii and parts of the West Coast after one of the strongest earthquakes in recorded history.USA TODAY Justice Department Corre...
Starvation stalks Gaza
29 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There are major international starvation concerns in Gaza, even as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says there is no starvation there.A gunma...
US and EU reach trade deal
28 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The U.S. has reached a trade deal with the European Union after President Donald Trump's weekend trip to Scotland.USA TODAY National Correspondent Chr...
Transgender athletes in college sports are rare, despite outsized political attention
27 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In July, the University of Pennsylvania agreed to prohibit transgender athletes from competing in women's sports and strip the record of former swimme...
Trump arrives in Scotland for golf and trade talks
26 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
President Donald Trump's four-day visit to Scotland is opening old wounds for some.USA TODAY Investigative Reporter Chris Quintana takes a look at the...
Israel and US recall teams from Gaza truce talks; violence near aid distribution centers continues
25 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Israel and the United States recalled their delegations from Gaza ceasefire talks for consultations Thursday. Plus, hundreds of people have been kille...
SPECIAL | Insomnia is a global epidemic. How do we fix it?
24 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you suffer from insomnia, you're not alone. About one in 10 adults suffers from chronic insomnia, an inability to fall or stay asleep three nights ...
Columbia University to pay $200 million fine in new agreement with Trump administration
24 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Columbia University has struck another deal with the Trump administration.A federal judge has rejected the Justice Department's bid to unseal grand ju...
SPECIAL | Elon Musk wants to start a third party but it will take more than just money
23 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Elon Musk is taking aim at both Democrats and Republicans with his “American Party.” But ballot access, unpopularity, and a messy political middle...
Speaker Mike Johnson to shut down House early amid Jeffrey Epstein drama
23 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY White House Correspondent Bart Jansen discusses the latest tensions surrounding Jeffrey Epstein's case files, as House Speaker Mike Johnson ...
'Flood' of ICE agents is coming to cities run by Democrats, according to the White House
22 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY National Correspondent Trevor Hughes breaks down what the White House is saying about ICE agents heading to 'sanctuary cities.'A former Loui...
Nobel laureates plea for diplomacy to prevent nuclear war
21 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY White House Reporter Davis Winkie breaks down what nuclear experts said last week about the current state of nuclear threats and what to do ...
How to navigate a job market transformed by AI
20 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The U.S. job market is undergoing a fundamental shift. As AI advances, roles that were once gateways to upward mobility are disappearing. In a recent ...
Can Trump calm MAGA's fury by releasing more Epstein records?
19 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY White House Reporter Zac Anderson breaks down some of the latest surrounding President Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein records. Trump sued ...
House passes Trump's cuts to public broadcasting, foreign aid
18 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A bill with cuts to public broadcasting and foreign aid will next land on President Donald Trump's desk for his signature.Trump denies a report he wro...
SPECIAL | Nature is the medicine: Hospitals are catching on
17 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hospitals aren’t usually known for comfort — but could bringing nature inside actually help us heal faster? Public health expert Dr. Jay Maddock j...
Senate passes aid, public broadcasting cuts
17 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Senate has passed another legislative victory for President Donald Trump.USA TODAY National Correspondent Trevor Hughes breaks down a new Trump po...
SPECIAL | SkinnyTok is now banned. Its dangerous influence persists.
16 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Health and wellness trends can be found on every social platform. But what happens when the pursuit of a particular body type morphs into harmful cont...
Senate Republicans weigh billions of dollars in spending cuts
16 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Senate Republicans are considering billions in cuts, targeting programs from public broadcasting to global health initiatives.USA TODAY National Immig...
Supreme Court lets Trump fire hundreds of Education Department workers and dismantle the agency
15 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY Supreme Court Correspondent Maureen Groppe discusses the high court's move to let President Donald Trump fire hundreds of workers from the E...
Americans' views on immigration take a positive swing
14 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Americans' views on immigration took a positive swing this year.USA TODAY Senior National Political Correspondent Sarah D. Wire discusses how states a...
Caitlin Clark has changed women's sports forever
13 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
WNBA player Caitlin Clark is a phenomenon. It has changed women's basketball, women's sports and sports. Period. But what makes her tick? How did a ki...
Grim reality looms as search for missing Texas flood victims continues
12 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY National Correspondent Rick Jervis reports on the shift to recovery in the wake of Texas floods. Plus, President Donald Trump visited the st...
Trump at odds with MAGA movement on multiple fronts
11 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY Chief Political Correspondent Phillip M. Bailey discusses some of the latest friction between President Donald Trump and parts of the MAGA m...
SPECIAL | Eco-anxiety is on the rise
10 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Devastating rains in Texas Hill County on the morning of July 4th created deadly floods that have now claimed over 100 lives and counting. The catastr...
Trump tax bill supercharges Coast Guard’s Arctic icebreaker fleet
10 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY National Correspondent Trevor Hughes breaks down a part of the recent tax bill that adds new ships to the Coast Guard's fleet in the Northwe...
SPECIAL | Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" is now law: Who are the winners and losers?
09 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
After a furious few weeks of debate, closed door negotiations, open floor debate and deal-making, the Republican-controlled legislature has finally pa...
Supreme Court lets Trump move forward with large-scale staff cuts for now
09 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY Supreme Court Correspondent Maureen Groppe breaks down the high court's move to lift a federal judge's order pausing the Trump administratio...
104 dead as hard-hit areas in Texas face new flooding risks
08 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY National Correspondent Rick Jervis reports from Texas on what he's seen in the aftermath of devastating flooding. Plus, Rick reported on how...
Death toll climbs in Texas flooding, children still missing from all-girls camp
07 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Camp Mystic was "horrendously ravaged in ways unlike I’ve seen in any natural disaster."USA TODAY National Correspondent...
Brain-computer interfaces: Unlocking the potential of man and machine
06 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It is the fodder of science fiction plots: implanting a device into the human brain... the blockbuster franchise “The Matrix” comes to mind. ...
At least 24 dead, over 20 children missing from summer camp in 'catastrophic' Texas flood
05 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Kerr County Sheriff's Office in Texas said Friday flooding was catastrophic.President Donald Trump spoke with both Russian President Vladimir Puti...
House passes Trump's megabill
04 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The House has sent Republicans' sweeping bill to President Donald Trump for his signature.The unemployment rate fell slightly in June. Plus, should yo...
Chatbot therapy? Available 24/7 but users beware.
03 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
AI chatbots are being used for mental health support — and it’s raising red flags. From offering bad advice to encouraging self-harm, some mental ...
House clears key hurdle on tax megabill
03 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The House has cleared a hurdle on President Donald Trump's bill of legislative priorities.USA TODAY National Correspondent Marco della Cava puts Diddy...
Can shared public spaces bridge the American divide?
02 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Walls. We all navigate them whether they be the walls throughout our homes, neighborhoods, and the places we choose to frequent, or the internal walls...