5 Things

A leaked Trump administration plan to end Russia’s war in Ukraine has triggered debate among U.S. allies and sharp pushback from Kyiv. As negotiations continue in Moscow and European capitals, critics say the revised proposal still favors Kremlin demands and risks locking in territorial losses for Ukraine. USA TODAY White House correspondent Francesca Chambers explains what’s changed in the peace plan, where talks stand and whether either side is any closer to a deal.Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There have been 21 U.S. military strikes against Venezuelan vessels since September, with a total of 83 casualties, all without Congressional approval or oversight. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has recently cautioned airlines to avoid Venezuelan airspace, encouraged Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to flee and said land strikes could “start very soon.” Is all of this really about combatting the drug trade or could the primary motivation even be more simply to get rid of Maduro? USA TODAY Domestic Security Correspondent Josh Meyer joins The Excerpt to break down this fast-evolving and complex story.Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Trump administration has begun carving up the Education Department, signing six new agreements that shift major K-12 and higher ed programs to other federal agencies. USA TODAY Congress reporter Zach Schermele explains why these moves are happening now, how they build on a Supreme Court decision that allowed an earlier transfer to the Labor Department and what’s at stake for school districts that rely on Title I funding and federal oversight. He also breaks down concerns around special education, the future of student loan services, and whether these changes could widen disparities the department was created to fix.Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After less than a year, the Department of Government Efficiency, better known as DOGE, is done. The controversial cost-cutting initiative was initially led by the equally controversial tech billionaire Elon Musk. Did DOGE succeed in what it set out to do? While much has been made of the steep cuts in the number of federal employees, there was also what Musk called a mandate from President Donald Trump to “delete the mountain” of government regulations and remake the government with AI. USA TODAY Politics Reporter Kathryn Palmer joins USA TODAY’s The Excerpt to dive into all things DOGE.Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Since its inception back in 2001, Wikipedia has become a trusted source for information. The online encyclopedia took hold despite initially being a punchline for late-night talk show hosts like Stephen Colbert. But nearly 25 years on, its founder has gotten the last laugh all while teaching the world about trust. The engine of the world’s largest encyclopedia runs on the work of volunteers. And at its helm is Jimmy Wales, the Wikipedia founder, who joins USA TODAY’s The Excerpt to share insights from his new book, “The Seven Rules of Trust,” on bookshelves now. Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@usatoday.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In 1960, 26-year-old Jane Goodall arrived with her mother at Gombe Stream Chimpanzee Reserve in western Tanzania. What followed was truly a story for the ages. Her work transformed how humans interact with and understand the natural world. Dr. Jane Goodall passed away last month at the age of 91. Dr. Goodall will be remembered as an ethologist and conservationist whose life and work not only made an indelible mark on our understanding of chimpanzees and other species, but also of humankind and the environments we all share. Author Douglas Abrams, who co-wrote “The Book of Hope” with Jane Goodall, joins USA TODAY’s The Excerpt to discuss her legacy of hope.Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@usatoday.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On Monday, a judge ordered that charges against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, both targets of President Donald Trump, be dismissed. What led to both cases being tossed, and where does the Justice Department go from here? USA TODAY National News reporter Aysha Bagchi joins USA TODAY’s The Excerpt to break down the charges, the dismissals and the response from the Trump administration.Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A woman told USA TODAY that nearly a year ago she walked into the OBGYN's office in Fort Hood, an Army base in Texas, because she wasn't sure what to take for her sinus infection during her pregnancy. She said that the doctor, Major Blaine McGraw, then sexually abused her. She said that when she told him to stop, he laughed. The woman is one of more than 1,400 patients of Major McGraw’s who the Army says it has contacted in a snowballing investigation alleging sexual exploitation. USA TODAY National Security Reporter Cybele Mayes-Osterman joins USA TODAY’s The Excerpt for more on this disturbing story. Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@usatoday.com.  Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In states like Texas, California, Kansas and beyond, politicians are fighting to redraw congressional maps that could shape power in America for years to come. The question many are asking is whether 2025’s redistricting efforts are about upholding democracy or diluting representation? USA TODAY Chief Political Correspondent Phillip M. Bailey and USA TODAY Politics Reporter Kathryn Palmer join The Excerpt to hash out what the implications are for the 2026 midterm elections.UPDATE: Late Friday, Nov. 21, the U.S. Supreme Court temporarily revived Texas’ contested congressional map while it considers the state’s emergency appeal. Read more here.Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@usatoday.com.  Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Former Vice President Dick Cheney was remembered this week at a Washington memorial as a defining figure in modern Republican politics. USA TODAY Washington bureau chief Susan Page breaks down his complicated legacy, from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars to the rise of the MAGA movement. She explains Cheney’s push to expand executive power, the backlash over enhanced interrogation, and why Cheney ultimately endorsed Kamala Harris over Donald Trump.Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@usatoday.com.  Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A USA TODAY exclusive investigation found thousands of in-custody deaths that could have been easily prevented. USA TODAY Investigative Data Reporter Austin Fast explains what the records reveal about sepsis, medical neglect and the human cost for families left behind. He shares stories from jails and prisons across the country, including people who died waiting for basic care and inmates who feared punishment for asking for help.Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@usatoday.com.  Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Before a Supreme Court ruling in 2018 opened the flood gates to legalized sports betting across the country, the proposition bet or prop bet – picking one statistic in a game to place a wager on that has nothing to do with the game’s outcome - wasn’t a big factor in online sports betting. Now it’s ubiquitous, causing a huge headache for leagues and making fans question the integrity of the games. USA TODAY Sports Reporter Steve Gardner joins The Excerpt to explain.Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@usatoday.com.  Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If the meteoric rise of New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani illustrates one thing, it’s this: affordability, or a lack thereof, has energized young voters. But that’s not the only term voters and politicians are buzzing about. Mamdani is also a member of the Democratic Socialists of America. What does that even mean in 2025? USA TODAY Chief Political Correspondent Phillip M. Bailey joins The Excerpt for more on all things Mamdani and what it might mean for the party that lost control of all three branches of government in the 2024 elections.Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@usatoday.com.  Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Epstein files are back in the news, with fresh speculation about how deep President Donald Trump’s involvement goes. A new trove of 20,000 pages released last week has everyone talking about how much Trump knew and when did he know it? Cue the coming House vote on releasing the full batch of documents that has been supposedly sitting on US Attorney General Pam Bondi’s desk since she took office. What has this latest batch of Epstein documents reveal? And what are the chances that we’ll see even more before the year is out? USA TODAY White House Correspondent Bart Jansen joins The Excerpt to discuss the fallout.Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@usatoday.com.  Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Teenagers are increasingly using AI chatbots for friendship, emotional support, and even romance. When 14-year-old Soul Setzer III formed an intense bond with a character on Character AI, his mother didn’t know what was happening until it was too late. USA TODAY Wellness Reporter Alyssa Goldberg walks us through the lawsuit, the platform’s design, what her own testing revealed and new research showing how widespread — and risky — AI relationships have become for minors.If you or someone you know needs mental health resources and support, please call, text or chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or visit 988lifeline.org for 24/7 access to free and confidential services.Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In honor of World Kindness Day — we’ve partnered with the Humankind team at USA TODAY for a deeper exploration on the topic of compassion. What drives us to carry out acts of kindness for total strangers and how can we actively cultivate this selflessness as a society? Abigail Marsh, Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Georgetown University, joins The Excerpt to talk about empathy and altruism — why we help, even when it costs us. Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@usatoday.com.  Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nobody seems to have gotten everything they wanted out of the longest shutdown in U.S. history. Not the Democrats. Not the Republicans. And definitely not the American people whose healthcare premiums are set to dramatically rise in 2026, whose SNAP benefits aren't yet fully funded and whose air travel has been greatly disrupted. Was it worth it? USA TODAY Congress reporter Zach Schermele joins The Excerpt to talk through the fallout.Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@usatoday.com.  Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

College football season this year is…. different. How so, you ask? It’s not just the breakout success of Indiana’s Hoosiers and the crushing disappointment of Penn State, although those are both noteworthy developments. It’s the golden parachutes being doled out to bad coaches from public schools. Some of the biggest parachutes we’ve so far include Penn State’s payout to coach James Franklin to the tune of $49 million dollars. We also have another big payout to Brian Kelly at LSU. So far across the country, we’re looking at millions in go-away payouts for failing college football coaches from public colleges, colleges where many students continue to take on exorbitant debt to earn a degree. Is this okay? USA TODAY Senior National College Football Writer Matt Hayes and USA TODAY Sports Project Reporter Steve “Berk” Berkowitz join USA TODAY’s The Excerpt to dig into all of it.Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@usatoday.com.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com

After record highs in 2024, border crossings have collapsed. ICE raids, deportations and new asylum limits are now driving a wave of reverse migration. Arizona Republic Immigration Reporter Daniel González shares what he saw in Mexico and Panama — and what comes next.Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@usatoday.com.  Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It wasn’t so long ago that America’s fisheries were in a state of collapse, with cratering fish stocks and well-meaning but impractical government regulations threatening the livelihoods of 1.6 million people and a $180 billion dollar industry. But then, an unlikely alliance of environmental activists and commercial fishermen kind of miraculously turned things around, leaving the nation’s four million square miles of fishing grounds healthier -- and more profitable -- than they’ve been in decades. Buddy Guindon, a commercial fisherman on the Texas Gulf Coast, and Scott Hickman, a charter fisherman who once saw Buddy and his ilk as ruthless competitors for ever-more-elusive fish join The Excerpt to share their stories.Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@usatoday.com.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.