Let’s start Monday!🙋🏼♀️I’m Nicole Forelt. Is it possible to actually delete ChatGpt history?
Start your week with news:
- World leaders are in Washington, DC for a meeting with President Donald Trump.
- The invasion of mice threatens California’s almond industry.
- The highly anticipated penalties for Michigan’s illegal, advanced scouting scheme have been announced.
European leaders head to the White House
European leaders will join Washington, DC’s Voldy Mie Zelensky this week when President Trump meets with the White House after it appears he has embraced the peace stance held by Ukrainian President Putin.
- Why is this important: The cross-border conference at the White House, after a dramatic summit between Alaska’s Trump and President Putin, brought the US president back from his threat to welcome Russian leaders into American soil for the first time in nearly a decade and slap new sanctions in Moscow. The Ukrainians told USA Today that after the “No Deal” summit they were speechless.
Is there really a crime crisis in the US?
President Trump’s crackdown on crime in Washington, D.C. continues the decades of American narrative. Data says crime is declining despite many Americans feeling out of control.
Safety is a real concern for many people. FBI data shows that the country’s crime rate has declined over the past 30 years, but more than half of Americans believe there are more crimes than in almost every Gallup survey conducted since 1993.
- Why is Americans’ perceptions so different to crime data? The United States is more violent than other countries. Baseline-level violence in the United States remains higher than its affiliates, which can promote legitimate fear, experts say.
- Keep an eye on the theme of Trump’s acquisition. Trump has picked out cities like Oakland, Chicago and Baltimore. It is all led by a black mayor who is a Democrat.
- Meanwhile, Republican states are deploying national security forces to DC The military in West Virginia, South Carolina and Ohio came the day after D.C. officials and the Trump administration negotiated a contract to take charge of Mayor Muriel Bowser’s appointed police chief.
More news you need to know now
What’s the weather today? Check out your local forecast here.
California Almond Orchard Besieged by a Rat
“We’ve never seen anything like this. I had growers who lost more than half of their yield. I don’t know if this year’s crops are just weather-related or from damage to mice. It certainly has an impact on the orchard. Hopefully we can get ahead of this and prevent it from becoming a big deal.”
~Roger Isom, president and CEO of the Western Tree Nut Association, spoke to USA Today about an unprecedented phenomenon. It’s a massive rat attack in California’s $4.7 billion almond industry. A sudden invasion last fall takes the growers in surprise, and they are scrambling to fight off the invaders.
$101,000 medical expenses?
Do I need to change my entire knee? It costs just $12,870 or $101,527. People usually check if the hospital or doctor has insurance. However, it is a mystery how much medical procedures and operations cost even coverage, and widespread price fluctuations leave large bills, loans and medical liabilities for insured consumers. USA Today has analyzed a new report that found that prices could change nine times with the same operations or procedures. And the prices of hospitals in the same state have more than tripled. But will better price transparency spur competition or is it a lower price?
Today’s speaker
Michigan handed the punishment for stealing the sign
Almost two years later, Wolverine was handed over after reports of in-person reconnaissance and investigation into alleged sign steel from the Michigan football program. The NCAA fined Michigan $50,000 plus 10% of the football program’s budget. Wolverine is on four years of probation, with manager Sherone Moore facing two years of show’s cause order and has been suspended from the first game of the 2026 season. Michigan has since said it will appeal the NCAA ruling. Former Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh had little to say.
- USA Today Sports Opinion: The NCAA participated in College Football Money Grab.
Today’s photo: Israelis oppose the war
Thousands of Israelis took part in Sunday’s nationwide strike and demonstrations to support hostage families in Gaza, calling on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reach an agreement to end the war with Hamas.
Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer for USA Today and sign up for your email here. Want to send a note to Nicole? Please email her at nollert@usatoday.com.
