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How one family conquered every Disney ride on the planet in 12 days

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How one family conquered every Disney ride on the planet in 12 days

Hoppers first took on the unofficial Disney Parks 12 Park Challenge in 2023, but fell short of riding every ride in the world in 12 days. So they did it again.

Brent Hopper and his kids can make a point that most Disney fans can’t.

“We did every ride, every park within 12 days,” he said.

Not just at Walt Disney World, but at Disney parks around the world.

The Florida father actually tried it twice with his two older children, Tanner and Peyton, while his then-toddler children stayed home with his wife. The Hoppers were not able to participate in all the rides in their first attempt in 2023.

“The competitor in me was like, ‘Okay, I have to redeem,'” Brent said. “We have to do this again.”

Fueled by Mickey’s ice cream bars and external motivation, they achieved success in 2024.

why did they do it

Brent said he considered the idea years ago on a family trip to Asia, but after Nathan Firesheet rode all the rides at all 12 Disney parks in 12 days in 2023, he was inspired to give it a try.

“I’ve been to Disney a lot, and I could do this just fine, but I could do a little bit,” Brent recalled thinking about the unofficial challenge.

After all, he grew up attending Disney World and worked there as a cast member before becoming a commercial airline pilot. He still visited the park often.

His children were also seasoned park goers and travelers.

”I was excited, but I didn’t know how it would work,” said Tanner, 17.

“It was crazy and I thought it was so impossible,” said her 15-year-old sister Peyton.

Giving the world to children: This Florida resort gives seriously ill children a chance to be kids

For extra motivation, Brent tried to raise money for Give Kids the World Village, a Central Florida nonprofit that partners with theme parks to grant wishes to families with seriously ill children.

After visiting the village, Tanner said, “I definitely felt a little bit more eye-opened when I saw what we were raising money for.”

how did they do it

Americans can visit China without a visa for up to 10 days if they transit through a third country on the same trip, but the Hoppers had already obtained a 10-year visa for their previous trip.

They were able to use Brent Airlines benefits to fly between resorts, which helped them save money but added stress and didn’t always work out.

On my first return trip in 2023, I couldn’t get a seat on a flight from Shanghai to Hong Kong, so I flew to Shenzhen instead and ended up taking a taxi to Hong Kong for about $75. Brent said that on his second attempt in 2024, he was able to secure the last three seats on a flight from Paris to Shanghai.

“There were times when I could barely sleep because my flight arrived so late and I had to go to another park the next day or morning,” Peyton recalled.

In most cases, you will take a taxi or rideshare to your hotel. However, on one occasion, they went directly from the airport to Hong Kong Disneyland and left their luggage at the resort’s baggage storage..

Inside the park, we used tools like Lightning Lane and Premier Access to reduce wait times at attractions where possible and save time wherever possible. We also focused on quick service meals and snacks.

Still, I couldn’t go to all the rides on the first try without risking upsetting my tight travel schedule.

“We have to keep going,” says Brent, the logistics manager. “It felt like I was running a marathon or an ultramarathon or something.”

In both attempts, they took photos at each attraction and posted them to X as @hopinarndthwrld.

park order

Their trips followed roughly the same schedule. But on our first trip, we took a rest day at home in Orlando, Florida before tackling Disney World.

On our second trip, we skipped a rest day and spent an extra day in Tokyo to make sure we got to the rides we missed the first time.

In both cases, I lost time on the flight to China due to the time difference, but I would make up time on the flight back to the United States.

2023 itinerary:

  • Days 1-2: Visit both Disneyland Paris parks and then move on to Shanghai.
  • Day 3: Transfer to Shanghai Disneyland and Hong Kong.
  • Day 4: Hong Kong Disneyland, transfer to Tokyo.
  • Days 5-6: Visit both Tokyo Disney Parks and then move on to Los Angeles.
  • Days 7-8: Visit both Disneyland parks and then move on to Orlando.
  • Day 9: Rest day at home.
  • Days 10-12: All four Disney World parks.

2024 itinerary:

  • Days 1-2: Visit both Disneyland Paris parks and then move on to Shanghai.
  • Day 3: Transfer to Shanghai Disneyland and Hong Kong.
  • Day 4: Hong Kong Disneyland, transfer to Tokyo.
  • Days 5-7: Visit both Tokyo Disney Parks and then move on to Los Angeles.
  • Days 8-9: Visit both Disneyland parks and then travel to Orlando.
  • Days 10-12: All four Disney World parks.

Brent did the math and counted nearly 31 hours of flying on that second trip. 100 hours and 47 hours A few minutes in the park.

difficult part

Tanner said the hard part was “just trying to keep going when I was tired and everything was falling apart.”

“I had no idea how difficult this would be, mentally and physically,” echoed Brent, who said the first trip hit him in the face. “The lack of sleep, the total number of steps, and the subsequent rides can cause your body to fall apart quickly.–Stop. ”

Brent got more supportive shoes for his second attempt in 2024, and he and Tanner brought extra insoles and socks.

Peyton said when she is exhausted, she will remember their cause. Ice cream also helped.

“Honestly, the Mickey ice cream bar cheered me up. It was so delicious,” she said. “I survived those few days.”

in return

Hoppers visited all 12 parks within 12 days on both trips, but was nine rides short at Disneyland Paris in 2023 and seven rides short at Tokyo Disneyland.

“It was definitely a little bit of a nuisance,” Payton said. “I felt a little defeated because I didn’t achieve that goal.”

They rode all 217 rides around the world in 2024.

“The second time around, I felt a lot better knowing I actually did everything in every park,” Tanner said.

They raised over $5,000 for “Give Kids the World Village” on both trips. Brent also hopes they raise awareness.

“Obviously, people are like, ‘You guys are crazy, but what you guys are doing is great,'” he said.

As new Disney attractions open, he’s open to trying a third time. He thinks Tanner will join, but Payton will have to be convinced.

Where are the 12 Disney parks located?

How much does it cost to visit all 12 Disney parks?

Brent estimates he spent about $10,000 on both trips, including airline perks. This includes park tickets, lodging, meals, ground transportation, and incidentals for all three people.

Disney ticket prices vary by date. Even at Disney World, it varies by park. Please check each resort’s website for the latest rates and promotions.

In some cases, it may be cheaper to purchase multiple per-park tickets per day than a multi-day pass. Multi-day passes have longer expiry dates and may include more expensive dates.

A standard one-day, one-park ticket at Disney World typically starts at $119 for adults at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and more at the other three parks. But this summer, the resort is offering 4-Park Magic tickets for $399. This includes one day at each park without park hopping.

A standard one-day, one-park ticket for Disneyland and Disney California Adventure starts at $104 per adult per day. Two of them cost $208. These starting prices are available for multiple dates this summer.

As of May 14, the lowest price for a one-day, one-park passport to Tokyo Disneyland or Tokyo DisneySea this summer is 7,900 yen, which is just over $50 for adults. Two will cost about $100.

Disneyland Paris offers both dated and non-dated tickets, with dated tickets being cheaper. As of May 14, the lowest price for a one-day, one-park ticket with dates for Disneyland Park or Disney Adventure World this summer is $87 for adults. Two of them will cost $174. Cheaper dates are available later this year through early 2027.

Single-day tickets to Hong Kong Disneyland currently start at HK$669 for adults, with multiple dates available at that price this summer. This equates to just over $85.

Shanghai Disneyland releases tickets about a month in advance. The cheapest standard one-day pass currently on sale costs 499 yuan for adults, or about $73.

Tickets to all 12 parks this summer will cost at least $1,039 per adult.

Airfare, accommodation, meals, and other expenses will be charged separately.

This article has been updated to update the headline.

Taco Bell adds Cantina Chicken Mexican Pizza to menu starting May 21st

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Taco Bell adds Cantina Chicken Mexican Pizza to menu starting May 21st

A new twist on Taco Bell’s Mexican pizza, the limited-time Cantina Chicken Mexican Pizza is served with both the new Jalapeño Citrus Salsa and Avocado Verde Salsa.

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Taco Bell is adding a new Mexican pizza to its menu.

Cantina Chicken Mexican Pizza ($6.49) will be available on Thursday, May 21st and will be served with a new jalapeño citrus salsa. This dish is made with slow-roasted chicken and black beans layered between crispy tortillas and topped with green chile sauce, a three-cheese blend, cabbage, and pico de gallo. Also includes avocado verde salsa.

Starting Tuesday, May 19th, members of the Taco Bell Rewards loyalty program can order Cantina Chicken Mexican Pizza faster in the Taco Bell app.

7-Eleven: Convenience store chain launches $1 Slurpee happy hour for summer

The dish was one of many new menu items, including Diablo Dusted Crispy Chicken Nuggets, announced during the fast food chain’s Live Mass Live event in March.

“Mexican pizza is iconic for a reason. It’s the perfect layer of crispy, saucy, cheesy nostalgia that our fans have loved for years, so we didn’t want to reinvent it, we wanted to build on it,” Liz Matthews, Taco Bell’s global chief food innovation officer, said in a statement. “And we know our fans take their sauces seriously, so we made sure our Jalapeno Citrus Salsa brings that extra sparkle to complement Cantina’s menu.”

Taco Bell’s Jalapeño Citrus Salsa is now available with a new Mexican pizza. Made with red jalapenos, guajillo chiles, and citrus fruits. For a limited time, Taco Bell says new sweet and spicy salsa packs and one avocado verde salsa will be available along with the entire lineup of limited-time Cantina Chicken. Additional packets can be purchased for 20 cents each.

Taco Bell’s New Cantina Chicken Mexican Pizza Nutrition Facts

Here are the nutritional details for Taco Bell’s Flamin’ Hot Grilled Cheese Burrito, according to the restaurant chain.

  • Calories: 520 (26% of daily intake for a 2,000 calorie diet)
  • Total fat: 30 grams (approximately 46%).
  • Cholesterol: 75mg (25%)
  • Sodium: 1190mg (50%)
  • Total carbohydrates: 37g (approx. 12%)
  • Protein: 27g (54%)

Mike Snyder is a national trends news reporter for USA TODAY. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, and X, and email him at: mike snyder & @mikegsnider.bsky.social & @mikesnider & msnider@usatoday.com.

Epstein files available for viewing in new New York exhibition

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Epstein files available for viewing in new New York exhibition

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More than three million pages of investigative files on sex offender Jeffrey Epstein are all available in print in a new pop-up exhibit in New York.

The Donald J. Trump and Jeffrey Epstein Memorial Reading Room displays documents released by the Justice Department related to the investigation into Epstein, who died in 2019.

In this exhibit, every page of over 3,000 books will be bound, printed, and available for reading by attendees. Also on display are images of Epstein and Trump, a timeline of their friendship, and a memorial to survivors of Epstein’s abuse.

This space is free to attend and will remain open until late May. It is run by the Institute for Primary Facts, a nonprofit organization dedicated to government transparency through immersive exhibits.

The memorial viewing room is the latest in a series of art exhibits drawing attention to the friendship between Epstein and Trump.

Trump has repeatedly denied wrongdoing in his relationship with Epstein and has not faced any charges related to the investigation.

More news: Group supporting Epstein and Trump statues revived with Iranian satirical video game

What is the Epstein Reading Room?

Organizers said they launched the exhibit to draw attention to the Epstein case, including the alleged misconduct of many of those around him, and to support victims of abuse, the group’s website said.

“The truth is hard to deny when you’re bound to see it in print,” the website says.

The room also has shelves containing 3,437 printed materials, as well as a timeline chronicling the intersection of Trump and Epstein’s lives over the decades, according to the room’s website.

In the center of the space is a memorial to survivors and victims of Epstein’s abuse in the form of hundreds of lit candles.

How to get to Epstein Reading Room

The space will open in New York City’s Tribeca neighborhood on May 8th and run until May 21st. Business hours are Monday through Saturday, noon to 8 p.m. local time, and Sunday noon to 6 p.m.

Admission is free and reservations can be made online. Each reservation is valid for a one-hour session, with groups admitted every 20 minutes.

Walk-in admission is not guaranteed, but a limited number of walk-ins are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

A valid government-issued photo ID is required for admission.

Melina Khan is USA TODAY’s national trends reporter. X Keep up with her at @melinakh and on Instagram @bymelinakhan.

Canada’s ‘fentanyl czar’ warns of new, more deadly synthetic opioids

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Canada’s ‘fentanyl czar’ warns of new, more deadly synthetic opioids

In an exclusive interview with USA TODAY, Kevin Brosseau said U.S. and Canadian efforts have eased the fentanyl crisis, but drugs like Nitazene pose a threat.

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WASHINGTON – Canada’s “Fentanyl Czar” warns that newer, more powerful and deadly synthetic opioids than fentanyl are increasingly appearing on both sides of the U.S. border, putting at risk the gains made in the U.S. and Canada’s joint anti-drug fight.

In an exclusive and wide-ranging interview with USA TODAY, Kevin Brosseau, whose official title is Canada’s commissioner for the fight against fentanyl and the equivalent of the United States’ “drug czar,” said nitazene and similar compounds in particular are prompting the Ottawa government to step up cooperation with partners around the world. He said they are working together to raise awareness of these emerging threats, eliminate the precursor chemicals used to manufacture them, and combat the transnational organized crime syndicates that sell them.

“In the ’90s, when we were dealing with heroin overdoses, no one could have predicted that … new synthetic substances would go completely mainstream and that they would essentially blow up the North American drug market,” Brosseau said.

“That’s why I’m working with our G7 partners, whether it’s China or India, to recognize what’s coming.” Brosseau said. “Because if[fentanyl]is this deadly, what’s next?”

Brosseau is concerned that these synthetic opioids are causing an unknown number of fatal overdoses that have not been fully counted because they are mixed with fentanyl and other drugs that have already been in circulation for years, if not decades. And smart chemists are constantly changing the formulas created in the lab “with new chemicals that are coming along,” he said.

For example, nitazene can be 10 times or even 40 times more potent than fentanyl, and fentanyl can be 50 times more potent than heroin. And unlike heroin, which is obtained from cultivated poppy plants, it is made in a lab, allowing traffickers to cook large quantities of heroin at a relatively low cost in labs away from law enforcement scrutiny.

Brosseau, a longtime counter-narcotics officer with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, said cooperation between Canada and the United States has allowed the two countries to each reduce fatal fentanyl overdoses by 20 per cent in recent years, but traffickers are adapting by producing these other synthetic opioids.

More powerful ones, like Nizen, are often mixed with fentanyl and other drugs to make them more potent and appealing to users, he told USA TODAY.

more: Blue Lotus, Four Horsemen, Hydra, Pelican Bone: How America Will Combat the Fentanyl Crisis

Brosseau has been fentanyl czar since February 2025, after serving as the prime minister’s deputy national security and intelligence adviser. In March, he was given additional duties as Canada’s senior deputy minister of defense.

Brosseau has been meeting in recent months with his U.S. counterpart, Sarah Carter, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. ONDCP spokeswoman Vianna Schlapp said Carter could not be reached for comment, but “we are working closely with the Canadian side.”

President Donald Trump has criticized Canada’s efforts in the past to stem the flow of fentanyl into the United States, even pledging to impose tough tariffs on the U.S.’s northern and southern neighbors until Canada and Mexico do more to stop it.

Brosseau said U.S. counternarcotics officials have praised Canada’s aggressive efforts to combat fentanyl and other opioids, and said despite statements from the White House, virtually no amount of drugs is making its way south into the U.S. at the northern border.

Nitazen is ‘significantly more powerful than fentanyl’

According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Nitazene, which is technically a highly potent synthetic opioid, is often mixed into things like heroin, fentanyl, and counterfeit prescription drugs to make them more potent and addictive.

Nitazen was actually developed in the 1950s, but it wasn’t approved for medical use in the United States due to safety concerns, said Kurt Larson, a Missouri attorney and founder of the anti-drug group Safe & Sober.

And although the medical community rejected the compound, today’s illegal drug manufacturers have brought back nitazene in a much more concentrated and dangerous form.

“All they care about is maximizing profits, not the loss of life that comes with it, unless someone stops them,” Larson told USA TODAY.

On May 12, the DEA echoed Brosseau’s concerns and issued a public safety advisory regarding the “growing threat” posed by fentanyl mixed with emerging synthetic drugs such as nitazene, xylazine, cyclofin, and medetomidine.

“These combinations make an already deadly drug supply even more unpredictable and deadly,” the DEA said.

The DEA said new Nitazenes tend to be introduced when regulatory actions, enforcement, and drug schedules put pressure on existing similar substances, including fentanyl. The U.S. Drug Administration has reported 22 unique nitazene compounds since 2020, warning that “these emerging synthetic drugs are far more potent than fentanyl and can significantly increase the risk of fatal overdose.”

Brosseau said fentanyl and other synthetic opioid compounds are most often packaged in pill form and sold to recreational users.

“Another concern, and one that I often work with the industry on, is weathering,” Brosseau said. “Young people think they’re smoking marijuana or weed or something more inert, but in reality it’s addictive, so it’s laced with opioids.”

“Because that’s the business model. That way you can charm someone and it becomes more powerful. They want more, right?” he said. “That’s why we can’t just make it about decriminalization and harm reduction technology. That’s all well and good. But at the same time, we need to hold people accountable and show that there are consequences for those who try to trade and distribute these products.”

Larson said Nitadine poses an especially pressing threat among young people because marijuana e-cigarettes, counterfeit painkillers and illegal powders such as heroin are spread, usually without the knowledge of users.

He cited a March 24, 2026 health advisory from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services that said the state school wastewater testing pilot program detected nitazene in 26 of 37 participating schools.

more: Fentanyl has killed 70,000 people in the United States. With Biden in Mexico, will neighboring countries be able to work together to stem the flow?

Latest developments in the synthetic opioid trade

Brosseau said he first learned about synthetic opioids in 2015 as an RCMP commander in Winnipeg, Manitoba. At the time, addicts were stealing fentanyl patches from pharmacies.

Decades ago, heroin was rampant on the streets of Canada and the United States.

Over time, the advent of synthetic opioids made in labs has made heroin almost non-existent in some parts of Canada, he said.

“Right now, synthetic opioids can be found everywhere and are in great demand,” he says. “It’s so addictive and so deadly that it deserves the attention it deserves from law enforcement.” Synthetic opioid traffickers are also difficult to catch because they don’t operate openly, Brosseau said.

“We will no longer burn down poppy fields and coca plantations” to stamp out the heroin and cocaine trade, Brosseau said.

Currently, he said, authorities are investigating everything from industrial-scale manufacturers in transnational drug cartels to “artisanal” dealers who manufacture Nizen and other synthetic opioids in their basements and compress them into pills and other shapes that users think they will buy.

A partnership built on the “war on terror”

Brosseau said the U.S.-Canada partnership in combating synthetic opioids is modeled after the two countries worked together to combat the threat of terrorism after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington.

“We recognize the common threat, the huge impact it has on North American and hemispheric perspectives, and we recognize that partnering and moving that information back and forth is the way to really address this issue,” Brosseau said.

“While much progress has been made, much more remains to be done and we cannot ease off the accelerator,” he said.

Silver Price Today May 14, 2026

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Silver Price Today May 14, 2026

How much is silver worth per ounce today?

As of 8:05 AM ET on May 14, 2026, the spot price of silver is $86.93 per oz., according to the latest market data. Shares fell 0.45%, or $0.39 from the previous closing price of $87.33.

One year ago, silver was trading at $32.93 per ounce. This means that the price has increased by 164.02% in the last 12 months.

Key levels to look out for this week:

52 week low: $32.17

52 week high: $117.39

Silver is trading 25.95% below its 52-week high. It is 170.23% higher than its 52-week low.

What is the historical price of silver?

today 1 week ago 1 month ago 1 year ago
$86.93 $77.44 $75.54 $32.93

A week ago, silver was trading at $77.44 per ounce. Since then, the price has increased by 12.26%.

A month ago, silver was trading at $75.54 per ounce. Since then, the price has increased by 15.09%.

USA TODAY is an independent publisher and not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or trading advice. We recommend that you seek independent advice from a qualified professional regarding any specific financial decisions you may make. Trading commodities, futures, and options involves significant risk of loss. Individual investment results may vary. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Prices can change rapidly and unpredictably due to factors such as supply/demand, weather, and geopolitical events. Our company assumes no responsibility for any loss or damage arising from the use of the information.

What is driving the price of silver today?

The price of silver is driven by inflation expectations, central bank policy, global economic conditions, and investor demand. The strength of currencies, especially the US dollar, can influence daily prices, as well as physical and industrial demand. For more on the market, read the latest investment news on USA TODAY Money.

What does XAG/USD mean?

XAG/USD is the ticker symbol used to track the spot price of silver in US dollars.

XAG stands for 1 troy ounce of silver and USD stands for US dollar. The estimated price tells you how many dollars it costs to purchase one ounce.

Prices are usually quoted per troy ounce, which is slightly heavier than a standard ounce.

Spot prices reflect real-time market transactions and serve as a benchmark for futures contracts, ETFs, and retail bullion prices.

how to invest in silver

Investing in silver can be done by buying physical coins and bars, buying ETFs that track its price, or investing in mining stocks. Be sure to weigh costs, storage needs, and risk tolerance before making a decision. The retail price of a coin or bar typically includes a premium over the spot price.

Disclaimer: This USA TODAY Money article was automatically generated using live market data from Alpha Vantage. If you think we made a mistake or have feedback, please use this form.

Taylor Holder cancels tour due to feeling ‘lonely’ and ‘unfulfilled’

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Taylor Holder cancels tour due to feeling ‘lonely’ and ‘unfulfilled’

Taylor Holder revealed she is keeping calm and taking a step back from her performance.

The 28-year-old country musician apologized to fans for canceling his upcoming “When No One’s Around” tour because he has been battling mental health over the past few months “to the point where it can no longer be ignored,” he said in an Instagram post on May 12. He called the decision one of the hardest he’s ever had to make.

“I’ve been trying for a while to keep my head down and just get through this and give my all to music and the people who support me, but honestly, I’ve reached a breaking point right now and need to take a step back and focus on getting healthy,” Holder wrote in the post.

The former TikTok star said he knows his fans made plans and spent money to see him, and wrote that he “deeply regrets the disappointment this has caused.”

“Even though I’m doing everything I’ve ever dreamed of, I still feel very alone and unfulfilled. Being able to perform in front of you is the greatest privilege of my life, and this decision was not made lightly,” he said.

he continued. “I’m taking this time to rest, seek support, and catch up with myself away from the pressure and pace of touring. My hope is that this time off will help me grow stronger and healthier so that I can give you all the performance you deserve. Thank you for your patience, compassion, and continued support. It means more than you know.”

He simply captioned the post, “Sorry 💔.”

Who is Taylor Holder?

Holder is a country musician and content creator from Alvarado, North Central Texas, who has been on hiatus since 2017 with his first song, “Who I Am.”

He boasts over 4.5 million followers on Instagram and 19 million followers on TikTok, where he frequently promotes his music and opens up about his life as an artist.

His music explores themes of vulnerability and loneliness, and embracing vulnerability. His latest song, ‘When No One’s Around’, was released in April, and although he believed he had ‘everything figured out’ by the age of 25, by the age of 28 he felt lost and at an ‘all-time low’. In an April 2 TikTok video, he told his followers to view the song as a sign to affirm his “happy” friends.

“When I don’t have anyone around me, I’m drowning, so throw me a rope ’cause there’s only one way out,” he sings in the song’s chorus. “Is this the end? I feel like I’m losing the battle with myself. God only knows where I’m going, but where is He now?”

The “When No One’s Around Tour” includes stops in St. Louis, Missouri, on May 13th and Kansas City, Missouri, on May 14th. Performances were also scheduled for May 21st in Atlanta and May 22nd in Jacksonville, Florida.

President Trump, China, Cannes daily press conference

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President Trump, China, Cannes daily press conference

Welcome to the daily briefing. Start your day with a story like this:

nicole farato Here’s the news you need to know on Thursday, from President Donald Trump’s schedule in China today to one influencer’s experience on a cruise ship struck by hantavirus.

What to expect from President Trump’s visit to China

President Donald Trump is in China on Thursday in the middle of a glittering two-day visit and talks on Iran. He is scheduled to participate in bilateral talks, a state dinner and a working lunch with President Xi before departing on Friday afternoon.

Who will date Trump? Trump is also accompanied by tech executive Elon Musk, who is part of a delegation that includes Eric Trump, his wife Lara Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and more than a dozen billionaire CEOs.

What does the document say? President Trump’s aggressive tariff policy, the ongoing US war in Iran, the future of technology, and US military aid to Taiwan are expected to be central topics in the face-to-face meeting between President Trump and Xi.

More news you need to know right now

  • Strange things happen when it rains. New research shows that while the world is receiving more rainfall overall, it is also becoming drier.
  • SCOTUS has big decisions coming up: Before adjourning for the summer, the court must rule on more than 30 cases, including several that test President Trump’s broader views on presidential power.
  • FDA Reorganization: Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty McCulley has reportedly resigned following a week-long pressure campaign from anti-abortion activists for not moving quickly enough to restrict mifepristone and a conflict within the White House over his refusal to approve flavored e-cigarettes and nicotine products.

movie

Please say something like “I can”

Increase your cultural influence by pronouncing this French city correctly to your colleagues. On Thursday, Hollywood’s biggest stars will attend the 79th annual Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France. There’s nothing quite like the south of France in spring.

hantavirus outbreak

he was on the hantavirus cruise

Boston influencer Jake Rosmarin was one of 18 Americans aboard the MV Hondius, the cruise ship at the center of the deadly hantavirus outbreak. Rosmarin is currently asymptomatic. But he says he plans to quarantine in Nebraska for a full 42 days, the approximate incubation period for the virus, out of concern for the safety of others, including his fiancée back home. Rosmarin told USA TODAY on May 12, her second day in quarantine. He’s not used to the routine yet. He has no idea what a day in his life will be like.

before going

Have feedback about the daily briefing? Email Nicole at NFallert@usatoday.com.

How retirees can earn a recession-proof income in 2026

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How retirees can earn a recession-proof income in 2026

If the economy takes a turn for the worse this year, a few small, simple actions can collectively make a big difference.

james bramley
|The Motley Fool

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The market may be in turmoil right now. But between rising inflation, below-average GDP growth, weak consumer confidence, and the protracted conflict in Iran, the risk of a recession remains too high to ignore. Here’s how retirees can protect their retirement income if this worst-case scenario comes true.

1. Own dividend stocks that can be expected to provide reliable dividends

This is obvious to most people, but it still needs to be said clearly. Check whether the dividend payer is prepared to continue funding these payments even in the midst of economic turmoil. These reliable high-dividend stocks include stocks like Coca-Cola. (NYSE: KO) and Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ)providing products that maintain market value regardless of the environment.

2. Shifting the maturity date of bonds

If you also hold bonds for income (or instead), make sure their underlying maturity dates are spread out over years, if not decades, into the future. This means that all bonds have different effective interest rates, but more importantly, it also minimizes the risk that the large amount of money you receive when one of these bonds matures will be locked in at an unusually low interest rate.

Preparing for retirement: Americans fear retirement setbacks more than death, according to a recent survey

3. Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS)

Separately and at the same time, Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS) are an effective way to ensure that interest payments are not lost to inflation if inflation is a factor in the recession.

Simply put, TIPS are bonds issued by the federal government whose interest payments fluctuate to reflect changes in the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index (CPI). Interest payments are typically lower than corporate bonds. However, if you are willing to accept lower interest payments in exchange for reduced risk, this option may be worth taking advantage of, especially during a recession.

That said, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) like the iShares TIPS Bond ETF (NYSEMKT: Hint) or the Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF (NASDAQ:VTIP) It may be an easier option than figuring out which inflation-protected securities in the actual Treasury to buy.

4. Have plenty of cash (but make the most of it)

If economic turmoil is likely to affect your portfolio’s ability to generate adequate retirement income, try to carve out a large amount of cash now to meet your projected cash needs. The last thing you want to do is be forced to sell something when the market is down.

Be wise and careful with this cash. Savings and checking accounts at most banks don’t offer much in the way of profits. However, many online banks and most brokerages now offer 4% on cash-like money market accounts.

5. Pension some of your retirement savings

Finally, although it may not be suitable for everyone, consider annuitizing some of your retirement savings to generate a reliable annual return over a period of time. These returns are typically lower than the market’s average annual return. But you get paid even if the market goes down.

Note that this guarantee is only as strong as the insurance company offering the annuity.

Mr. James Brumley holds a position at Coca-Cola Company. The Motley Fool recommends Verizon Communications. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

The Motley Fool is a USA TODAY content partner providing financial news, analysis and commentary designed to help people take control of their financial lives. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.

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Comcast agrees to $117.5 million settlement related to Xfinity data breach

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Comcast agrees to $117.5 million settlement related to Xfinity data breach

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Comcast has agreed to pay $117.5 million to settle a class action lawsuit stemming from an October 2023 cybersecurity breach that exposed the personal information of millions of Xfinity customers.

The complaint alleges that Comcast “failed to adequately protect personal information” and had “insufficient data security.” The carrier denied any wrongdoing. In a notice, Comcast advised customers that the personal information included in the data breach included usernames, passwords, contact information, dates of birth, and the last four digits of Social Security numbers.

According to Comcast’s settlement website, the settlement is now open for claims, and current or former customers who received a violation notice from Comcast in December 2023 may be eligible for payment.

Here’s what you need to know about settlement funds, including who is eligible, how much to expect to pay, and when payments will be made.

Who is eligible to receive Comcast’s settlement payments?

Not all Comcast customers can automatically submit a payment request.

The money is set aside for people whose personal information was accessed during a data breach in 2023, according to the settlement website. Consumers who were notified of the breach in December 2023 are eligible for the settlement.

How much is Comcast’s settlement?

Eligible persons may submit a claim for up to $10,000 in reimbursement for documented out-of-pocket costs or lost time resulting from the violation.

This number is influenced by the total amount of the settlement and the number of customers who filed affected claims. Valid claims for out-of-pocket losses must be submitted by August 14th.

If an injured consumer chooses not to go through the process of proving out-of-pocket losses or lost time, they may instead elect a cash payment of $50, although this amount may also change depending on the total number of claimants.

The deadline to request alternative cash payments is also August 14th.

When will the payment be issued?

A final approval hearing is scheduled for July 7, and payments will be made thereafter.

Gabe Hauari is USA TODAY’s national trends news reporter. You can follow him at X @gabehauari Or email Gdhauari@gannett.com.

California gubernatorial race could hinge on Pelosi, Harris and Newsom

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California gubernatorial race could hinge on Pelosi, Harris and Newsom

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  • In the crowded California gubernatorial primary, he has virtually no support from the political establishment.
  • Recent polls show a tight race between Republican Steve Hilton and Democrat Xavier Becerra.
  • Many potential voters have not yet made up their minds before the June 2nd primary election.
  • The California Democratic Party chairman is still encouraging candidates with low approval ratings to drop out to avoid splitting the vote.

Time is running out to choose a final candidate in the high-stakes California gubernatorial race, but the support of four political power brokers could make a big difference.

All the millions of dollars spent on all the muddy arguments and attack ads may not matter to the six — yes, six — Democratic candidates still vying for the top spot in this forward-thinking blue state.

As ballots arrive in the mail and the final debate airs on May 14, some veteran political analysts believe the Democratic primary will be determined not by quick polls, union support or social media influencer posts, but by garnering the traditional support of certain political heavyweights.

Experts say such endorsements remain important in California because they provide clues to voters, especially those who are undecided. Those big backers include Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi, possibly former Vice President Kamala Harris, and, in case of an emergency, Governor Gavin Newsom.

“If ever there was a time for the Democratic Party to introduce some of the biggest names in American politics, it’s now,” said Brian Sobel, a veteran political analyst in the San Francisco Bay Area. “It’s still a very crowded race.”

For Democratic front-runners such as former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and former Rep. Katie Porter, who have important support from California’s independent “jungle,” the primary could overwhelm their rivals. According to a recent CBS News/YouGov poll, support from these powerful Democrats could clear up the voting landscape., More than a quarter of likely voters are still undecided.

Until this month, a poll conducted by the California Democratic Party had shown that two leading Republican candidates, former Fox News contributor Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, were in the lead. A May 4 poll showed Hilton and fast-rising Becerra tied at 18%.

Other polls, including a Survey USA poll released earlier this month, show Hilton, who has the support of President Donald Trump, ahead of Becerra and fellow Democrat, billionaire entrepreneur and climate change activist Tom Steyer. The top two vote-getters advance to the general election, regardless of party affiliation.

Taken together, this poll suggests that Democratic voters are still looking for candidates to support.

Willie Brown, a former San Francisco mayor and longtime speaker of the California Assembly, endorsed Steyer, who spent more than $130 million on his campaign. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) also endorsed Porter, a member of Congress and a former Harvard Law School student, although she is not a local.

“I hope this starts a trend for the party’s sake,” said Caroline Heldman, a political commentator and professor of politics and gender studies at Occidental College in Los Angeles and co-author of the book “Rethinking Madame President: Are We Ready for a Woman in the White House?” “Otherwise, I think Kamala Harris should have entered this race to rebuild her political capital, because the bane of this primary is that there are so many candidates.”

But Harris has hinted at a third run for president and recently announced a statewide endorsement. Given what remains a crowded race, her choices for governor were noticeably lacking.

“She deliberately left out the people she wanted,” said David McCune, a veteran political science professor at Sonoma State University. “I think she missed a tremendous opportunity.”

Pelosi, who played a key role in persuading President Joe Biden to resign and Harris to continue in the 2024 presidential election, has not announced her coveted choice in any state race.

Heldman believes support from Harris and Pelosi could tip the scales.

“Either one of them will help clear the field,” Heldman said.

And while Newsom recently announced his pick for lieutenant governor, he has chosen to remain silent about his successor leading the nation’s most populous state. In a May 8 press conference, Newsom described the choice as strategic.

Newsom, whose term ends in 2027, told reporters: “I’m not going to get involved in the primary.” “I will do everything I have to do to ensure that the Democratic Party’s choices are not compromised in the general election.”

There may be other reasons for Newsom’s reluctance.

Asked why, Newsom said he was withholding support “based on previous relationships” with many candidates, given that his support could woo voters in a crowded race and some polls show one in four voters are still undecided.

It’s also possible, as Sonoma State’s McCune believes, that “Democrats just aren’t that excited about one candidate. There just isn’t a sense of ‘it’.”

Two Candidates Lead in Latest California Poll: As the final debate approaches, the gubernatorial race will be close, with Hilton and Becerra leading a crowded field.

Democratic candidates with low approval ratings don’t want to be labeled as “spoilers”

California Democratic Party Chairman Rusty Hicks rattled off a list of reasons why the stakes are so high in the Golden State. First, one in eight Americans lives in California. This is the center of big technology and artificial intelligence. States often initiate national debates on issues such as environmental protection, fair working conditions, and minority rights, leading to parallel efforts and backlash in other parts of the country.

It is also home to some of the major players on the national scene. The last Democratic presidential candidate (Harris) and likely future presidential candidate (Newsom) are from California. Hicks said Newsom spearheaded the Proposition 50 effort in California, the first blue state to redraw its congressional district lines to counter the Trump-inspired redistricting effort in Texas three months ago. The Texas-California standoff sparked a polarizing redistricting battle across the country.

Also, whoever becomes California’s governor will inherit a state with an estimated $4 trillion economy, the fourth largest in the world. They also take over management roles California’s multi-billion dollar debtAccess to Medicaid amid federal spending cuts, soaring real estate prices making large cities nearly uninhabitable for working families, homelessness surging, and the ongoing crisis of wildfire prevention and recovery.

Why California’s top two primaries matter: What Americans especially need to know about California’s “jungle” elementary system in 2026

Dozens of candidates vie to become California’s next governor

Voters will see 61 gubernatorial candidates on their primary ballots (which, by the way, take up about two feet of tiny ink). Among them is former Democratic congressman and top gubernatorial candidate Eric Swalwell, who resigned amid allegations of sexual assault and misconduct, which he denies. Former state governor Betty Yee’s poll numbers were low and she ended her campaign. (State law prohibits the removal of a candidate’s name after a certain date.)

Democrats faced a dilemma last July when Harris declined to run for the state’s top seat. California U.S. senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff have resigned. This led to a flood of candidates and embarrassed state Democrats, who were unable to endorse a candidate at the party’s February convention in San Francisco.

In March, Party Chairman Hicks wrote an open letter urging potential candidates to withdraw from the gubernatorial race. He warned at the time that the scenario of two Republicans competing for the top spot in a deep blue state was “unlikely” but “not impossible.”

But as unlikely as that may seem, there’s always a chance that Democrats will cancel each other out, according to a poll sponsored by the state Democratic Party and seven out of 10 other past polls. With the exception of Mr. Yi, no candidate will drop out due to lack of funds, inability to participate in debates, or lack of significant support.

“It’s a matter of pride,” McCune believes.

That makes the possibility of two leading Republican candidates elected in the general election very interesting, Craig Dells, communications director for the California Republican Party, told USA TODAY. Arnold Schwarzenegger served as the state’s last Republican governor from 2003 to 2011. And, of course, there’s actor and former California governor Ronald Reagan, who served two terms as president.

DeLuce has noticed that Democrats have become more combative, taking shots at Becerra in the past two debates, as the former state attorney general is now considered the party’s front-runner. There has been renewed speculation that Mr. Becerra was involved in a fraud and wire transfer scheme involving Dana Williamson, a former Mr. Newsom aide and former Becerra political adviser.

Williamson was indicted by a federal grand jury last year on charges that he diverted $225,000 from a dormant Becerra campaign account to Sean McCluskey, Becerra’s longtime chief of staff. Becerra has not been accused of any wrongdoing and has repeatedly denied knowledge of any wrongdoing.

“The problem is that Democrats are doing crabs in a barrel. When one of them shows up, the rest will hit him hard,” DeLuce said.

He believes Southern California sheriffs running as Republicans could benefit from the fight. “I think that’s what gives Bianco a puncher a chance to be in the top two. The big question here is, ‘Are you going to be a Democrat or are you going to be Chad Bianco?’

California gubernatorial candidate delivers a lob jab: Explaining the argument,

Democratic Party Chairman stands silently

This heated argument may be the reason why Hicks’ position remains unchanged.

“What I’ve been calling on candidates to do is honestly assess the viability of their campaigns and their path to the general election,” Hicks told USA TODAY. “That call was important then, and it’s even more important now. My call from two months ago still stands.”

Melissa Michelson, a political science professor at Silicon Valley’s Menlo College, said the real question facing Democratic candidates with low approval ratings, such as Porter, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and state Public Instruction Superintendent Tony Thurmond, is whether they will leave now and be replaced by another candidate, or whether they will stay and be seen as dividing the Democratic vote.

“If you want to get Democratic support in the future, you have to show that you’re a team player,” Michelson said. “I don’t want to risk being labeled a spoiler, but I also don’t want to be seen as a quitter. It’s not an easy choice.”

McEwan, a professor at Sonoma State University, believes Thurmond, the state superintendent, has reason to resign. And while Villagrosa has “pushed the punches and punched above his weight in the last three debates,” McCune said the former Los Angeles mayor has no chance of winning.

“Mr. Villagrosa has the money to maintain, but I think all he’s doing is wasting money on the Democratic Party,” McEwan said.

Different strokes: How California’s top gubernatorial candidates disagree on key issues

Will Becerra’s momentum be enough to earn the backing of a big-name player?

Meanwhile, Hicks said he has been impressed with Becerra’s rapid growth. The former US health secretary’s candidacy has been languishing, with opinion polls repeatedly hovering in the single digits. After Swalwell’s dramatic departure, he is now one of the top candidates.

Becerra has risen 15 points since the first poll sponsored by the California Democratic Party was released on March 24. He has improved in similar polls and is tapping into loyal Democratic voters, Latinos and even voters without a party affiliation, Hicks said.

“This speaks to the fluidity of the race,” Hicks said. “As Eric Swalwell’s campaign falls apart and voters start looking at new and different avenues, some see Becerra as a viable candidate.” “He’s certainly moving in the right direction.”

But it’s probably not enough to garner enthusiastic support from the state’s top political figures.

“I think they might pass,” Sobel, a veteran political analyst, said bluntly.

Food prices have increased by the most in four years. How to save.

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Food prices have increased by the most in four years. How to save.

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Shoppers who found their grocery shopping a huge strain on their budgets last month were proven right by Department of Labor data released this week, with household food costs rising 0.7% in April, marking the largest monthly increase since 2022.

Food economist and Michigan State University professor David Ortega said the cost of groceries has increased 2.9% over the year, and pressure on food prices is now coming from multiple directions simultaneously. These price increases, along with the soaring price of gasoline, which has increased 28.4% over the year, are putting an economic strain on Americans.

Due to rising food prices, some people are cutting prices in other areas as well.

Ed Moore, 79, of Louisville, Kentucky, said prices at his local grocery store have increased significantly over the past year. His recent trip cost him $95 for one week’s worth of food. Retired and living on a fixed income, he said he doesn’t have much cash for emergencies, and the rising prices of essential goods are making it more difficult to save for emergencies.

In response, he stopped buying new clothes, except for Skechers, which he purchased using credit card benefits. He shops for deals, avoids big-name brands, and shops at Kroger to earn points that can be redeemed for discounts on gas.

“But with gas prices so high, I don’t know how much this discount will help,” Moore said, adding that since the Iran war began, he has gone from filling up twice a month to just once and driving less.

more: President Trump says he is not thinking ‘at all’ about Americans’ finances in Iran talks

Increases in various parts of the supply chain

Ortega told USA TODAY that the energy costs of the war are starting to show up in food prices through the so-called cold chain, or supply chain for fresh produce and goods.

“Refrigerated trucking runs on diesel, and diesel prices are rising rapidly,” he said. “Categories most reliant on the cold chain, such as fresh produce, dairy products, and prepared salads, saw the steepest monthly increases. For example, prepared salads rose about 3% over the month.”

Ortega said layered on top of that are category-specific issues that already exist, such as record beef prices. “Demand for beef remains unusually strong, with cattle herds at their lowest levels in decades and widespread high-protein trends that have reshaped the way consumers think about their diets.”

In addition, tomato supplies in Mexico and Florida have been hit by weather issues, and imports from Mexico are also subject to tariffs. He said coffee prices reflected the lingering effects of last year’s coffee import tariffs, as well as constraints from past harvests.

“Consumers are not facing one shock, but multiple shocks at the same time. The energy-related impact of the Middle East conflict is likely to increase in the coming months,” Ortega said.

Ortega said further increases in food prices could be affected by higher fertilizer prices due to the Iran conflict, but the full effects may not be felt until next year.

“And with price increases now outpacing wage growth, affordability is paramount for many households, leaving them with less of a buffer to absorb shocks than they did a few years ago,” he said.

Even some high-income earners are changing their behavior in response to rising prices. Koji Hosokawa, 65, of Norwalk, Conn., takes home about $10,000 a month, but said he is shifting investments into dividend-paying stocks to reduce expenses and increase cash flow to support his wife and recently laid-off son.

“I cannot control the prices of products such as food and gasoline,” Hosokawa said. “That’s natural. So what you can control is your income.”

Save money by choosing alternatives

The rise in meal-in costs in April was due to a 1.8% increase in fruit and vegetable prices and a 1.3% increase in the province’s Meat, Poultry, Fish and Eggs Index as beef prices rose 2.7% in the same month.

Michael Swanson, chief agricultural economist at Wells Fargo Agri-Food Research Institute, said the choices you make about purchasing meat protein can impact your entire grocery tab.

“When it comes to protein, do you want beef on the table? … It’s what you buy that has a big impact on the checkout price,” Swanson says. Meanwhile, chicken and egg prices have fallen, while pork prices have remained flat, he said.

Similarly, in the produce section, while prices have increased for some items and others are flat from last year, shoppers could potentially adjust, Swanson said.

“If you want to keep your tomatoes for the next month or so until the next crop is harvested, you can erase that number from your budget,” he said.

How to save money on groceries

Here’s how shoppers can save money on groceries, according to Ortega.

  1. Let’s go shopping. Grocery stores compete for your business and run promotions on certain products. Shop around, compare weekly ads, take advantage of promotions, and save big over the course of a month.
  1. Shift your protein sources whenever possible. While beef prices have risen sharply over the past year, chicken and pork are more affordable and have remained relatively flat or down over the past month. Eggs are also significantly cheaper than a year ago as chicken flocks have been rebuilt. Replacing just one or two meals a week can significantly reduce your food costs.
  1. Whenever possible, buy seasonal produce locally. Seasonal and local produce tends to be less expensive to transport over long distances, so it can be a good way to save money on items hit hard by rising diesel prices.
  1. Consider store brands and private labels. These products are usually sold at much more affordable prices, and the quality of most staples is on par with national brands.

Cuba gives political prisoners ultimatum: deport or jail

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Cuba gives political prisoners ultimatum: deport or jail

Thursday, May 14, 2026, episode of the podcast The Excerpt: On April 10, the United States gave Cuban leaders only two weeks to release political prisoners if they wanted to preemptively reach a deal with the United States. Cuba then offered two high-profile prisoners, Maykel Castillo Pérez and Luis Manuel Otero Alcantara, either leave Cuba or stay behind bars and rot in prison. Both agreed to the expulsion. However, both men are still languishing behind bars. USA TODAY investigative reporter Rick Jarvis joins The Excerpt to talk about the future of Castillo and Otero, as well as high-level negotiations between U.S. and Cuban officials.

Press play in the player below to listen to the podcast and follow the transcript below. This transcript was automatically generated and edited in its current format for clarity. There may be some differences between audio and text.

Podcast: For true crime stories, in-depth interviews, and more USA TODAY podcasts, click here

Dana Taylor:

Cuba, a longtime ally of Venezuela, has been a target of the White House since the moment the Trump administration overthrew former Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro. In the aftermath of the operation, President Donald Trump declared “Cuba will be next.” On April 10, the United States gave Cuban leaders only two weeks to release political prisoners if they wanted to preemptively reach a deal with the United States. Cuba then made offers to two prominent prisoners, Maykel Castillo Pérez and Luis Manuel Otero Alcantara. They either leave Cuba or stay and rot in prison. Both men agreed to be expelled but are still languishing in prison.

Hello. Welcome to this excerpt from USA TODAY. I’m Dana Taylor. Today is Thursday, May 14, 2026. USA TODAY investigative reporter Rick Jarvis joins us here to talk about the future of Castillo and Otero, as well as high-level negotiations between U.S. and Cuban officials. Rick, thank you so much for taking the time to join us.

Rick Jarvis:

I’m glad to be here, Danna.

Dana Taylor:

Rick, could you start by telling us how you found out about these two prisoners, Castillo and Otero? Who are they and why is their story so fascinating to you and your colleagues?

Rick Jarvis:

So most people who have been following Cuba over the last few years have probably heard of these two guys. Maykel Castillo Pérez is a Cuban rapper and Luis Manuel Otero Alcantara is an activist and visual artist who became very famous during the mass protests in Cuba in 2021, mainly because Maykel was actually part of the rap group that created the song “Patria y Vida”. It was a hip-hop song written by Cuban exile hip-hop artists on and off the island.

And it’s kind of a protest song. It basically denounced the lack of many freedoms in Cuba, and it spread quickly. And within a few months, it had over 1 million views. And the song became a kind of anthem for the massive protests that took place in Cuba in 2021. In other words, it was a really well-known song. It is known that Maykel was part of it, and Lewis was also deeply involved in the actual group that created it.

And they were arrested in 2021. Michael was arrested in May 2021, and Luis Manuel was arrested in July of the same year. They were then sentenced to nine years in prison and five years in prison, respectively. And the two became very famous later that year, as the song “Patria y Vida” won two Latin Grammy Awards later that year. Although Meikel was in prison, he basically couldn’t attend the actual ceremony, but the song became really popular, and after that, these two really gained worldwide recognition.

Dana Taylor:

Castillo and Otero each recorded audio from prison and shared those files exclusively with USA TODAY. I’d like to start with Otello’s audio. Could you please set this up?

Rick Jarvis:

Basically, we wanted to hear directly from these two individuals. So we can call these two people through a third party and basically record some of their thoughts. What you are about to hear is Luis Manuel’s first-hand thoughts on some of the protests that took place in 2021 that ultimately landed him in prison.

Luis Manuel Otero Alcantara:

(Translator Ramon Padilla) What we are talking about is a process that has been going on in this country for more than six or seven years. Change is happening in Cuba. The San Isidro movement, other movements, and the entire opposition. And on July 11, protests broke out outside the Ministry of Culture. All of these, we would argue, are signs of a Cuba in transition. The Cuba that Americans are now stepping up to help is a big boost to Cuba, which is built on civil society. All Cuban exiles. We are that civil society, and we have tried to organize in Cuba and abroad, with varying degrees of success.

Dana Taylor:

Rick, what did you think when you heard this?

Rick Jarvis:

It was really interesting. First of all, it is very difficult to understand someone’s thoughts inside a Cuban prison. These are obviously very heavily guarded facilities, and the individuals inside don’t have much freedom. So it was really amazing to hear someone’s story from behind bars.

But what Luis Manuel raises is also very interesting. People tend to forget that. There’s a lot of talk about Cubans, exiles, and civil society outside of Cuba, but Luis Manuel is basically trying to remind everyone that there is a civil society in Cuba, and that there are intellectuals and thinkers and artists and writers who are really trying to bring about change in Cuba.

Dana Taylor:

There is also an audio recording of Castillo talking about his determination to fight for change. Let’s listen.

Maykel Castillo Perez:

(Translator Ramon Padilla) We need people with sufficient capabilities to emerge. Someone who understands people’s problems and can move the country forward instead of backwards. We are 50 years behind. We need people who can move our country forward. When I say “progress” I mean the economy will improve. Improving justice. That courts are fair.

Dana Taylor:

Castillo is clearly frustrated, which is understandable given his current situation. What do you think here?

Rick Jarvis:

Yeah, this is interesting too. Meichel is very different from Luis Manuel in several ways. From what I’ve been told, he’s more of a street guy. So what you’re going to hear is a more intuitive answer from him. And there’s a lot of frustration exuding from him, both in his words and his tone. He was sentenced to nine years in prison. So there’s a certain palpable sense of hopelessness around him, and he’s very open about his sense of hopelessness and his lack of hope that change will ever happen in Cuba.

Dana Taylor:

Let’s zoom out a little bit now and talk about the steps this administration has taken against Cuba so far to force change.

Rick Jarvis:

Yeah. Following the January raid that effectively arrested Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro, the Trump administration took control of virtually all of the country’s oil production and imposed an oil embargo on Cuba. Cuba has suffered from power outages before. They’ve been suffering from an economy that basically collapsed, and now they’re really struggling. There is very little oil flowing in and out of the country, and the country is suffering greatly from prolonged power outages.

The Trump administration tightened sanctions. They basically increased the economic pressure on the island. At the same time, they have held numerous backchannel talks with Cuban leaders, seeking long-standing economic reforms, some form of political reform, and the release of political prisoners in exchange for sanctions relief. But I think it’s kind of a really surprising turn of events and something that a lot of people didn’t expect from this administration.

Dana Taylor:

The Biden administration appeared to have made significant progress in releasing political prisoners in Cuba. Tell me about that and how the Trump administration’s approach has changed.

Rick Jarvis:

In January 2025, former President Biden took steps to essentially remove Cuba from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism. And with that, through negotiations brokered by the Catholic Church, Cuba actually began releasing political prisoners, including some of the protesters who were actually arrested during the 2021 protests. And the traction was there. However, shortly after that, President Trump took office, presumably putting Cuba back on the state aid list, and these efforts have since stalled.

President Trump’s approach is actually very different. He has a fairly large stick to swing around along with a few carrots. So he’s doing both. He’s basically aggressively showing Cuba that he kind of holds all the cards with the oil embargo, but he’s also offering him another carrot. He proposes easing sanctions. He is proposing an economic agreement that could make Cuba truly prosperous. And it will be very interesting to see how it plays out.

Dana Taylor:

What will happen to the high-level talks between these two political prisoners?

Rick Jarvis:

Now, it’s just a wait and see game. We are told that both of these political prisoners, Castillo and Alcantara, are on the list of selected political prisoners who have asked for their release. High-level talks seem to have stalled at the moment. There were some very advanced talks that seemed to get a little traction, but nothing has happened since then.

So what the Trump administration does next is something of a wait-and-see game. And I think a lot of people are waiting to see if Cuba will start releasing some of its actual political prisoners as an act of goodwill. And obviously Maykel and Luis Manuel are at the top of the list, so we’ll see what happens.

Dana Taylor:

Rick Jervis is an investigative reporter for USA TODAY. Rick, thank you for sharing your report with The Excerpt.

Rick Jarvis:

of course. Thank you, Danna.

Dana Taylor:

Thank you for your attention. I’m Dana Taylor. Our stories come from USA TODAY journalists across the country. Come back tomorrow morning for a closer look at another important story.

Note: Cuban officials did not respond to USA TODAY requests for comment.

In response to a request for comment from USA TODAY, State Department officials said the Cuban regime continues to show indifference to the suffering of the Cuban people and continues to hold hundreds of political prisoners. The official reiterated that President Trump supports a diplomatic solution but will not allow Cuba to deteriorate into a larger national security threat.

NBA Playoffs, Cavaliers vs. Pistons Game 5 Key Points

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NBA Playoffs, Cavaliers vs. Pistons Game 5 Key Points

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In a pivotal Game 5, the Cavaliers did something they hadn’t been able to do all postseason. We won on the road against Cleveland.

The Cavs took a 3-2 lead over the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference semifinals on Wednesday, May 13, and are one win away from advancing to the conference finals against the New York Knicks.

The series now returns to Cleveland, where the Cavaliers are undefeated in the playoffs and have won all six games played at Rocket Arena.

James Harden led the Cavs with 30 points on 8-of-21 shooting (38.1%), Donovan Mitchell had 21 points and Evan Mobley added 19 points.

After overtime, the Cavaliers won 117-113.

Here are the takeaways from Game 5 between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons.

Frankly, the Cavaliers got lucky with all their turnovers.

In some ways, this is a game the Cavaliers shouldn’t have won. Star players Harden and Mitchell shot just 38.5% combined. In the second quarter, the lead was 15 points. But more concerning were the 17 turnovers, many of which were unforgivable.

The Cavaliers were too casual with their ball security, letting lazy passes fly all over the court and sometimes telegraphing them. This allowed Detroit to turn those scores into 27 points and is also why the Pistons claimed a 23-7 advantage in fast break points.

The Cavaliers were better in the second half, but their careless offense could completely thwart the team’s chances of winning. If the Cavs make it to the conference finals, Cleveland should consider themselves lucky because the Knicks won’t let them get away easily.

Detroit Pistons rely too much on Cade Cunningham

It was another shocker for Cunningham, Detroit’s unquestioned star. Cunningham finished with 39 points on 13-of-27 shooting, nine assists and seven rebounds. But once again, the Pistons wasted a great game from Cunningham because the supporting cast didn’t contribute enough.

Danis Jenkins, making his first career postseason start, had a solid night on 8-of-17 shooting, scoring 19 points, although he struggled from 3-point range (2-of-8). However, Tobias Harris (13 points) and Jalen Duren (9 points, 5 rebounds) struggled. This is becoming a theme for the Pistons.

As long as they look to Cunningham as a savior, especially in the clutch, when teams can play a little more physical and throw double teams to him, Detroit will have a hard time advancing deep into the playoffs.

Cunningham is an outstanding player and one of the top 10 basketball players in the world. However, the pressure and responsibility on his shoulders is unsustainable, which leads to unforced errors. Six turnovers on Wednesday night (including a debilitating one late in overtime) is a problem he needs to fix.

Donovan Mitchell has been to some big playoff games in his career, but his team has never made it past the conference semifinal round. James Harden has a reputation (which, frankly, is unfair) for faltering when it matters most, despite his 185 career playoff games and several big postseason performances.

But if Cleveland can defend home court on Friday, May 15 and advance Cleveland to the Eastern Conference Finals, Mitchell and Harden will have a chance to rebuild those narratives.

There were times in this series where both struggled somewhat. But when Cleveland needed a clutch bucket, it was Mitchell and Harden who provided it.

The Pistons, who are 1-4 on the road this postseason, will be playing desperately, so the Cavaliers will need to be prepared and relentless. Notice Mitchell and Harden trying to set the tone.

Probably not. After all, Duren was named an All-Star for the first time this season and is still impacting games defensively, but it doesn’t necessarily show up in the box score.

But Reid is outperforming Duren again, and it’s clear that Pistons coach JB Bickerstaff is adjusting his rotation to that end. On Wednesday night, Reed played a series-high 17 minutes, just eight minutes fewer than Duren’s 25 minutes.

Reed had 10 points, eight rebounds, and two blocked shots, while Duren had nine points, five rebounds, and no blocks.

Duren’s plus-minus of 16 was the lowest on the team Wednesday night, but he is now minus-42 over the final three games of the series.

In the regular season, Duren developed a solid mid-range jumper, but it’s simply not a part of his game now. The only offensive contributions Duren seems to make are putbacks or the occasional lob. He took just five shots on Wednesday compared to Reed’s seven. Reed simply plays with more energy and pace from the moment he steps on the floor.

This seems to be a confidence issue for Duren, and Detroit needs him to at least put in the effort. That’s because his offensive rebounds give the Pistons second chances, and his defensive rebounds can create transition opportunities.

At times during the playoffs, Mobley found it difficult to assert himself offensively. However, he has made steady progress over the last three games. Mobley had 19 points on 6-of-13 shooting, grabbed eight rebounds and had three blocks. He hit two 3-pointers, the first at the end of the third quarter and the second with 1:22 left in the fourth, cutting Detroit’s lead to two points.

Strus also played well, making 6 of 8 3-point shots and recording 20 points and 8 rebounds off the bench. Once he catches fire, Strus will be a key part of Cleveland’s offense and help start the run. He scored 64.5% of the team’s bench points Wednesday night. The Cavs will need the same type of production from both players to shut out Detroit in Game 6.

What is E15 gas? Will the price go down? What you need to know

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What is E15 gas? Will the price go down? What you need to know

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  • Congress is considering a bill that would allow E15 gasoline to be sold year-round in response to soaring fuel prices.
  • E15 is a gasoline blended with 15% ethanol, which proponents say saves drivers money.
  • The temporary exemption allowing summer sales of E15 is scheduled to expire on May 20th.

As Washington grapples with the soaring gas prices that upset many Americans during an election year, Congress is considering legislation that would allow the sale of gasoline that is high in ethanol.

On Wednesday, May 13th, the US House of Representatives passed a bill that would allow the year-round sale of E15 gas, which is a blend of gasoline with 15% ethanol. The bill, known as the National Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act, still needs approval from the U.S. Senate before being sent to President Donald Trump for his signature.

Supporters of the bill, including the National Corn Growers Association, say “year-round E15 would save motorists money on every gallon of gasoline and spur demand for bushels of corn.”

The measure’s consideration comes as a temporary waiver, which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency traditionally issues in the summer for additional E-15 gas permits approved in March, expires May 20.

The average price of gasoline reached $4.51 on Wednesday, May 13, according to the AAA Auto Club. This is an increase from the national average price of gasoline of $2.98 on February 28, the day the United States launched its first military strike against Iran.

The Trump administration and Republican leaders in Congress are scrambling to contain the political fallout from soaring gas prices. President Donald Trump supports a proposal to suspend the 18 cents per gallon federal gas tax, and several members of Congress have introduced bills to do just that.

What is E15 gas?

E15 is a gasoline blended with 15% ethanol. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, most finished motor gasoline sold in the United States is E10, and most of the E15 gas currently available in the United States is sold in the Midwest.

The EPA said E15 is now offered at more than 3,000 gas stations across the country, and the agency said it is a “more affordable option for Americans.”

“Without this action, about half the country will not have access to E15 gasoline this summer,” EPA officials said when announcing the exemption on May 1.

Environmental groups have previously criticized the idea of ​​increasing the use of ethanol in gas, saying it emits the same harmful pollutants as regular gas.

How much does E15 gas cost?

The average price of E15 is not tracked as closely as the price of regular gasoline. A 2023 study conducted by the Renewable Fuels Association showed that drivers can save about 25 cents per gallon when using E15 gas.

According to the study, the last time national gas prices approached $4 per gallon in 2022, E15 gas averaged $3.41 per gallon.

Can E15 gas damage my car?

According to the EPA, E15 gas can be used in flexible fuel vehicles and most vehicles manufactured after 2001.

However, authorities said E15 gas cannot be used in the following types of vehicles:

  • On-highway and non-road bikes.
  • Vehicles with large engines such as school buses, transit buses, and delivery trucks.
  • Non-road vehicles such as boats and snowmobiles.
  • Engines of off-road equipment such as lawn mowers and chainsaws. or
  • 2000 model year or newer cars, light trucks, and medium-duty passenger cars.

Consumer Reports said in a post on its website that it agrees with the EPA’s position that E15 gasoline is safe for most modern vehicles, but the group argues that drivers should “check the manufacturer’s manual for the type of fuel recommended” before choosing the cheaper option.

“If your car is a 2001 model or older, you’ll find that the most common regular gasoline blend in the United States recommends no more than 10 percent ethanol. One tank of E15 won’t destroy your car, but it will take a toll over time,” Consumer Reports said.

BTS, Madonna, Shakira make World Cup history with halftime show

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BTS, Madonna, Shakira make World Cup history with halftime show

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K-pop supergroup BTS, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Madonna and Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira will headline the first FIFA World Cup final halftime show in the tournament’s nearly 100-year history. The World Cup final will be held on July 19th at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

FIFA and non-profit organization Global Citizen announced on Instagram the lineup for the Super Bowl-style halftime show to be held on May 14th. The announcement video featured Coldplay’s Chris Martin, as well as Elmo, Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, and Cookie Monster, who joked that BTS’s hit song “Butter” is Monster’s favorite song and an ingredient in his cookies.

When Elmo asked Martin what a halftime show was, the Grammy winner explained that it was a gathering of people for singing, dancing, and music.

“This is a chance to show how amazing all kinds of people are,” Martin continued. “And we can raise money for our children’s education.”

According to FIFA, “The program will raise funds for the FIFA Global Citizenship Education Fund, which aims to improve access to quality education and football for children around the world.”

Late on May 13, eagle-eyed fans noticed that Madonna and FIFA World Cup Instagram accounts had begun following each other. The Queen of Pop will perform with Sabrina Carpenter at Coachella in April and will release Confessions II, the sequel to 2005’s Confessions on a Dance Floor, on July 3.

BTS, whose members recently completed military service in South Korea, released their fifth studio album “ARIRANG” on March 20th, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook are currently on a world tour, with stops in Stanford, California, and Las Vegas in May. The tour will perform in Chicago in August and Los Angeles in September before returning to the United States. The group has had six No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 since 2020 and has filled stadiums around the world.

Shakira, the best-selling Latina female artist of all time, is no stranger to the World Cup. The Grammy Award winner released the official song for the 2026 World Cup, “Die Die,” on May 14. The single features Nigerian artist Burna Boy. Shakira also sang the anthem “Waka Waka” during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Global Citizen will produce the halftime show with the help of Martin, who is also familiar with FIFA. Martin also supported Global Citizen in the first-ever FIFA Club World Cup Final Halftime Show, held for professional clubs (vs. national teams) at MetLife Stadium in 2025. In addition to performances from J. Balvin, Doja Cat, and Thames, Coldplay wowed the audience with a rendition of “A Sky Full of Stars.”

Martin joined Global Citizen, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending world hunger, in 2015 as an international festival curator.

Who else will be playing in the 2026 World Cup?

FIFA will host three opening ceremonies, one for each of the first group stage matches of the host country (Mexico, United States and Canada). Each competition will feature performances by top music artists representing the host country and opponents.

Rockers Mana, Alejandro Fernandez, Belinda, Danny Ocean, J Balvin, Lila Downs, Los Azures and South African singer Tyra will perform at the June 11 game in Mexico City.

Katy Perry, along with Future, Anitta, Lisa, Rema and Tyra, will perform at the US Opening Day in Los Angeles on June 12th.

Canadians Michael Bublé, Alanis Morissette and Alessia Cara take to the stage during the kickoff match on June 12 in Toronto. Elianna, Jesse Reyes, Nora Fatehi, Sanjoy, Vegedream and William Prince will also appear.

FIFA releases official album including single “Lighter” by Jelly Roll, Carín León and Circut.

Who played in the 1994 World Cup final?

The 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, will mark the second time that a World Cup match will be held in the United States. The United States hosted the 1994 World Cup, which drew more than 3.5 million fans to venues across the United States. It led directly to the creation of Major League Soccer. And, according to the head of U.S. soccer at the time, he almost produced the first halftime show.

“We had Whitney Houston do the halftime show,” former U.S. Soccer president Alan Rosenberg, who oversaw the World Cup, told USA TODAY. “We wanted to do it Super Bowl style, but FIFA wouldn’t allow it.”

Instead, Houston performed at the closing ceremony, which was originally scheduled to take place 50 minutes before the final. According to the Los Angeles Times, FIFA executives were concerned about whether players would have enough time to warm up, so the start time of the ceremony was moved up by an additional 30 minutes.

“We just did everything under the sun to make it more than just a soccer tournament,” Rothenberg continued. “It was clearly a success. As a result, many people who were interested in the tournament became soccer fans.”

Contributor: Nancy Armour, USA TODAY; Victoria Hernandez, USA TODAY

I got into the Chevrolet Blazer EV. this is what we liked

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I got into the Chevrolet Blazer EV. this is what we liked

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  • The Chevrolet Blazer EV is the first electric model to get the company’s “SS” performance trim.
  • The SS trim features a 17.7-inch touchscreen, a panoramic glass roof, and up to 59.1 cubic feet of cargo space.
  • The 2026 Blazer EV is compatible with both CCS and Tesla’s NACS charging stations via adapters.

The Chevrolet Blazer EV is the company’s first electric model with the iconic “SS” trim.

General Motors, which owns the Chevrolet brand, said in a press release that the Chevrolet Blazer EV, which debuts in 2025, is “the first all-electric addition to the Chevrolet SS family” and “the fastest Chevrolet SS ever.”

“With 615 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque, it’s also the most powerful EV in its class,” the company said, noting that the Blazer is also “Chevrolet’s first high-performance EV.”

GM touts the fact that it is the nation’s second-largest EV seller, trailing only Tesla in cumulative sales when considering electric versions of Chevrolet, Cadillac and GMC models. According to Cox Automotive, GM sold 169,887 EVs across its three brands in 2025. The Detroit-based company’s cumulative sales rank second only to Tesla’s 589,160 EV sales in the U.S. in 2025.

GM sold 22,637 Blazer EVs in 2025, making it the company’s second-best-selling electric vehicle model behind the Chevrolet Equinox EV.

Take a look inside and around the Chevrolet Blazer EV for yourself and see why the exterior and interior are so eye-catching.

17 inch screen

General Motors says the 2026 Chevrolet Blazer EV SS trim features a 17.7-inch diagonal color touchscreen display with built-in Google compatibility. The system includes navigation, connectivity to popular apps such as Pandora, Spotify, iHeartRadio and Audible, and allows owners to create personalized profiles for each driver’s preferences. GM says these cars feature natural voice recognition.

59 cubic feet of cargo space

The Chevrolet Blazer EV doesn’t have a front trunk, or “frunk,” like many other EVs. But GM says the Blazer EV “has a maximum cargo capacity of up to 59.1 cubic feet.”

“There is also a hidden storage space under the rear cargo floor to keep items out of sight,” the company added.

Easy charging with Tesla adapter possible

The Blazer EV’s charging port can be opened and closed with a button on the car’s touchscreen or manually with a double tap. The vehicle is charged by CCS (Combined Charging System). This is the most commonly used charger for non-Tesla EVs and most public charging stations.

The 2026 Blazer EV also comes with an adapter that allows it to be charged with a North American Charging Standard (NACS) charger, which is the standard for Tesla chargers.

Warren and Hawley target CVS Health and other big pharmacy companies

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Warren and Hawley target CVS Health and other big pharmacy companies

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A bipartisan group of lawmakers is renewing efforts to force some large pharmacy companies to spin off parts of their businesses and target drug price intermediaries.

This is a familiar bill to Tennesseans, as similar legislation has passed the state legislature and is awaiting Governor Bill Lee’s signature. CVS Health is threatening to close all 134 of its pharmacies in Tennessee as the bill takes aim at the pharmacy giant’s business model.

On May 13, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) reintroduced the Exclusive Pre-Patient Act. Under the law, companies that own pharmacy benefit management companies or insurance companies would be prohibited from owning pharmacies.

The bill focuses on large health care companies that own pharmacies, as well as the insurance companies and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) that influence the prescription drugs Americans can get through their insurance plans and the costs of those drugs.

The big companies that own health insurance companies also own the nation’s three largest PBMs: CIGNA’s Express Scripts, UnitedHealth Group’s Optum RX, and CVS Health’s Caremark.

Warren and Hawley introduced the bill in December 2024, but the bill failed to advance.

Warren and Hawley’s bill, introduced Wednesday, would give PBMs, or companies that jointly own pharmacies with insurance companies, one year to sell their pharmacy operations. In the original version, companies had three years to sell part of their business.

The bill also specifies enforcement actions that the Federal Trade Commission, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Justice, and state attorneys general can take against companies that violate the law.

For Warren and Hawley, the bill targets a narrower segment of the health care industry than the Great Care Breakup Act, which prohibits PBMs, health insurance companies and drug wholesalers from owning health care providers and pharmacies.

Warren said in a statement that she expects “PBM legislation will gain momentum as people begin to realize that they cannot lower health care costs without confronting corporate greed in the health care system,” adding that it is time to finally rein in the health care intermediaries that drive up drug prices and drive small pharmacies out of business.

Hawley said PBMs are “at the heart of a broken system that rewards middlemen while driving up costs for patients and crowding out independent pharmacies.”

He added that the bill would increase transparency and make health insurance more affordable for Americans.

Promoting dismantling PBMs gains bipartisan support

Rep. Diana Hershberger (R-Tenn.) and Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.) introduced a sister version of the bill in the House.

Sens. John Fetterman (D-Pennsylvania) and Roger Marshall (R-Kansas) signed on as co-sponsors of the Senate bill. Rep. Greg Landsman, Democrat of Ohio, Rep. Buddy Carter, Republican of Georgia, Rep. Jerry Nadler, Democrat of New York, and Rep. Troy Neals, Republican of Texas, are co-sponsors of the House version.

Supporters of the bill cited national momentum toward PBM reform.

In 2025, a coalition of 39 state attorneys general asked Congress to pass legislation that would prevent companies from jointly owning pharmacies and PBMs. Also in 2025, the state of Arkansas passed a bill banning companies that own PBMs from operating retail pharmacies.

Tennessee Governor Lee received the bill passed by the state House and Senate on May 11th. He has 10 business days to sign the bill, veto it or allow it to pass without a signature.

CVS spokeswoman Amy Thibault said the company would close its Tennessee pharmacies if the bill becomes law, but that won’t happen right away because the bill doesn’t go into effect until July 2028. The company also said it was prepared to sue in federal court to block the bill.

Thibault said CVS does not take the Warren-Hawley Act into account, but the company provides a tailored platform to 185 million Americans.

“We support that and we really feel that our patients and members get value from it,” Thibault said.

Greg Lopez, a spokesman for the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, a group representing pharmacy benefit managers, said the bill would make it more difficult for patients to navigate the complex system.

“One of the things that American patients and families dislike most about our health care system is that it is fragmented and complex. This bill would only make that problem worse, sending patients deeper into the maze of intermittent care,” Lopez said.

In February, Congress ended the partial shutdown of the federal government and passed a bill that included provisions addressing PBM transparency and business practices.

The law prohibited PBMs from collecting compensation based on drug prices, rebates, or discounts under Medicare Part D, according to KFF, a health policy nonprofit. Instead, PBMs will only be able to collect service fees starting in 2028.

Vance says White House feels like ‘Home Alone’ during Trump’s visit to China

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Vance says White House feels like ‘Home Alone’ during Trump’s visit to China

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Vice President J.D. Vance compared himself to Kevin McCallister, played by Macaulay Culkin in the “Home Alone” movie series, who is in the country during President Donald Trump’s visit to China.

“When I entered the White House, it was very quiet and empty, and it took me about a second to realize exactly what was going on,” Vance said at a May 13 press conference.

Mr. Vance pointed to Secret Service protocol as the reason he did not accompany Mr. Trump, who appeared briefly in “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York,” on his visit to China. “Sometimes I feel like Macaulay Culkin in ‘Home Alone,'” he said.

President Trump arrived in China on May 13 just before 8pm local time. The highlight of the trip will be a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, where they will discuss topics such as the U.S.-Israel war against Iran, Taiwan, and U.S. business interests.

While President Trump is away, Vance is scheduled to speak on May 14 in Bangor, Maine, about anti-fraud efforts, according to WABI-TV, the city’s NBC affiliate. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is seen as a potential rival to Vance as leader of the post-Trump MAGA movement, is also among the travelers on the two-day trip.

“Home Alone” comments amid Medicare membership freeze

This “Home Alone” irony came at the beginning of a May 13 press conference in which the Trump administration announced it would temporarily block new home health and hospice providers from enrolling in Medicare as part of Vance’s fraud task force.

The six-month moratorium will temporarily prohibit new providers in these categories from enrolling in Medicare reimbursement, but will not affect providers already enrolled in Medicare, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

The agency has in the past suspended registrations from a particular county if staff suspected fraud related to that county. In 2013, it banned the registration of new providers based in Miami-Dade County, Florida, and several counties in Illinois. However, it is unusual for registration to be temporarily suspended nationwide.

CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz gave reporters Wednesday no concrete evidence explaining why he believes the Trump administration needs to ban new registrations across the U.S. rather than in specific regions.

Vance also announced that the federal government would defer $1.3 billion in Medicaid reimbursements to California, claiming that the state “doesn’t take fraud very seriously.”

The Trump administration has made fraud a favorite cudgel to use against political opponents. When President Trump announced the fraud task force in March, he said, without providing evidence, that there were more allegations of fraud in Democratic-led states than in Republican-led states.

Citing the Minnesota child care scandal, the administration froze child care payments to the state in preparation for a surge in large-scale immigration enforcement in Minneapolis. Two people were killed by federal agents during the surge.

Contributed by: Reuters.

Late Night with Stephen Colbert – What’s next for CBS and beyond?

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Late Night with Stephen Colbert – What’s next for CBS and beyond?

“The Late Show” with Stephen Colbert will officially end on May 21st. What will happen to the late night talk genre at CBS and beyond?

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We all know that Stephen Colbert and the CBS “Late Show” series are officially parting ways this month. But no one knows what will happen next.

Over the past 10 months, since the embattled Colbert announced he would be canceling his talk show after 30 years in July 2025, the countdown to his departure has loomed over him and the entire late-night genre like a guillotine with a frayed rope. With just a few days left until the May 21 finale (which will air without competition from other shows), only uncertainty looms on the other side of Colbert’s farewell.

CBS has announced that the comedy series “Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen” will take over Colbert’s weekday 11:35 p.m. slot after “Late Show” ends, but it’s unclear whether that’s a temporary or long-term solution. And as Colbert’s colleagues Jimmy Fallon (NBC’s “The Tonight Show”), Jimmy Kimmel (ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”) and Seth Meyers (NBC’s “Late Night”) resume their normal lives in a world without Colbert’s nightly voice, are they waiting for a knife to fall on their necks?

“It feels like the end of an era,” says Paley Center for Media curator Jason Lynch. “For decades, it seemed far-fetched that late night as we know it would cease to exist. It’s now fair to speculate whether the current group of late-night hosts will be the last to hold such a job.”

Will CBS ever return to traditional late-night talk shows?

Is CBS getting rid of late-night talk hosts, or just ones with Colbert-like tone?

From the moment Colbert announced the show’s cancellation, speculation abounded as to his motives for leaving CBS and parent company Paramount (now Paramount Skydance).

At the time, Paramount called it a “purely financial” decision, but commentators lashed out, pointing out that Colbert had recently criticized his boss and the company was in the midst of a merger with Skydance. Skydance was previously led by David Ellison, the son of prominent Trump supporter Larry Ellison (David Ellison is now CEO of the newly merged Paramount Skydance, which is also in the process of acquiring the storied Hollywood film company Warner Bros.). Did Colbert, a prominent Trump critic, not fit in with the new administration’s political atmosphere? Was Paramount worried about getting the merger approved, or was it purely mercenary as the media industry fights to survive?

“Two things could be true,” Colbert himself recently told the New York Times. “Sometimes the broadcast industry is in trouble. You can’t monetize it because of streaming competition because of things like YouTube. They’ve got the books, and I’m not going to argue with them about what their business model is and why it doesn’t work anymore. But less than two years after the call to end the show, they had been wanting to sign me for so long. So something changed.”

“Comics Unleashed” is a much different show than “Late Show” and ultimately costs less.

Media mogul and producer Byron Allen waged a massive campaign to acquire a self-funded show in this time slot, convincing enough for CBS to greenlight it for the 2026-2027 season. But like any TV show in today’s media environment, there are no guarantees about the future.

Clare Ransom, head of digital marketing and PR and founder of Aloha Digital, said Comics “works well for CBS when the goal is near-term cost control and predictable revenue, but it’s less clear whether it fits with the network’s long-term brand strategy in its flagship broadcast slot, which has historically used late night to build cultural relevance.”

“Current reports suggest that CBS is explicitly using this period as an interim step to develop other ideas,” Ransom added, “which means Mr. Allen’s tenure is not guaranteed.”

What would go into that time slot if “Comics” didn’t last? Well, there’s always the possibility that the network will run reruns of prime-time shows and other extremely cheap outsourced shows just to keep the lights on. But saying goodbye to “Late Show” doesn’t preclude CBS from trying the traditional (or non-traditional) talk show format again someday.

Although ratings are down for the 11:35 p.m. broadcast, there’s no denying that distinctly conservative talk host Greg Gutfeld is drawing viewers to his 10 p.m. Fox News show. But Gutfeld has the big advantage of being aired in an earlier primetime slot, where more viewers are awake and tuning in to all the networks. Shows like NBC’s “Chicago PD” and CBS’ “Boston Blue” typically draw 3 or 4 million viewers at 10 p.m. (Mr. Gutfeld’s viewership hovers around 3 million). Will CBS one day choose a host with a different perspective for 11:35 p.m.?Onlookers can only guess and speculate.

Is this the end of Colbert or the end of late night television as we know it?

For years, late-night TV comedians have suffered viewership declines, lean toward political humor over cultural perspectives, and struggled to adapt to a modern media landscape where streaming services, YouTube, and TikTok compete with traditional TV viewing. In 2025, CBS ended the 12:30 a.m. comedy panel show After Midnight after just over a year after host Taylor Tomlinson decided to leave the show in favor of a stand-up career. NBC’s Seth Meyers’ “Late Night” will eliminate its live studio band in 2024 as a cost-cutting measure. “The Tonight Show” will go from five nights a week to four in 2024, joining other late-night shows. Conan O’Brien, who briefly took over the Tonight Show throne in 2009 and 2010, transitioned from decades of traditional late-night television at NBC and then TBS to podcasting, now a huge media market in its own right. Samantha Bee’s TBS talk show was also canceled in July 2022.

But things aren’t as simple as ratings, TikTok views, dollars and cents. Whether we tune in live every weeknight or not, late-night TV remains one of the biggest places we go to process major cultural moments, from the shooting death of Charlie Kirk (which sparked the Jimmy Kimmel controversy in September 2025) to the release of Taylor Swift’s new album. Perhaps that’s part of why Colbert’s old friend Jon Stewart, who made his name as a prominent late-night voice on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” from 1997 to 2015, actually returns to his old home once a week to speak about politics and current events. A brief stint on a streaming Apple TV investigative show (“The Jon Stewart Problem,” 2021-2023) wasn’t as good as sitting behind the same old “Daily” desk at 11 p.m. Traditional late night is trickling into new media, rather than the other way around: Comedian and actor Ben Grave will launch “Goodnight with Ben Grave” on YouTube on May 28 with a leading veteran late night producer from “The Daily Show.”

But some in Hollywood are less optimistic about the future of late-night talk.

“I’d be surprised if it lasted more than a year or so,” former “Late Show” host and genre legend David Letterman told The New York Times this month. “Well, it might be a particular show. I don’t think it’ll ever go away because it’s just the best. It’s humans talking to humans.”

“If that were to happen, it would be very surprising to me that it was completely gone,” Kimmel said in January, when he accepted the Critics Choice Award for Best Talk Show. “Maybe it won’t be as big, and there won’t be a big band hosting the stage, and there won’t be 15 writers, but I think there will be a version of it that’s like a late-night talk show.”

“Late-night talk shows have been an integral part of television since the beginning of ‘The Tonight Show’ in 1954,” said Lynch, the Paley curator. “The current slate of shows and hosts prove that this format still has a lot of life left in it, and what happens on these shows still has the potential to occasionally make global headlines and dominate pop culture conversations.”

Watch for Trump and Kimmel’s latest feud, the steamy coverage of the last few episodes of Colbert’s reign, or Fallon launching a new show on NBC. There is history here and there is a powerful voice. There’s a moment of cultural fame, solidarity and catharsis in men in suits telling jokes (more women wouldn’t be a bad thing). It’s worth it, even if the genre has to evolve.

You’ll have to follow the laughs to find out what happens next.

President Trump’s tariff refunds begin. What does that mean?

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President Trump’s tariff refunds begin. What does that mean?

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U.S. companies that paid now-defunct Trump administration tariffs could start receiving billions of dollars in refunds this week as federal authorities introduce a new claims system aimed at speeding up the repayment process.

The refunds stem from tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) before the Supreme Court ruled in February that the administration exceeded its authority under the 1977 law.

Currently, U.S. Customs and Border Protection uses a newly developed system called Consolidated Administration and Entry Processing (CAPE) to manage potentially billions of dollars in customs refunds.

Here’s what it means for businesses to start receiving money and how it benefits consumers.

What is a cape?

CAPE was created to streamline claims for refunds of IEEPA duties that courts have determined are due, customs officials said.

Rather than processing refunds for each shipment, CAPE consolidates eligible duty refunds, including interest, into a single payment to each importer.

The agency launched Phase 1 of the system on April 20. The initial rollout only applies to some shipments that are still in final processing or have been recently processed, with more options planned for future phases.

CBP calculated the final refund and interest as of May 11 at $35.46 billion, covering 8.3 million shipments, according to Reuters. All told, up to $166 billion in tariff collections could ultimately be refunded.

Who can apply for a customs duty refund?

Only the importer listed on the shipment and the intermediary acting on his or her behalf may submit a CAPE refund declaration.

Companies set to receive refunds include major retailers such as Home Depot, Nike, Target and Walmart, MSN reported.

Once a company’s application is approved, CBP will update its records, remove any tariff provisions that have since been canceled, and recalculate the duties before issuing the refund.

CBP said valid refunds are typically issued within 60 to 90 days after the return is received, but may take longer in complex cases.

What impact does this have on consumers?

Economists argue that many companies are passing on at least some of that cost to shoppers through higher prices, but consumers who paid higher prices tied to tariffs are not eligible for direct refunds from the government.

Still, some companies have suggested that consumers may benefit indirectly. Costco previously said it would pass on the savings through lower prices and added membership value once the tariff refunds were collected. FedEx said it plans to refund customers if it acts as a customs broker.

Trade experts say widespread price cuts are unlikely in the short term because many companies have absorbed significant tariff costs over the past year and may instead use government refunds to offset the hit.

Ongoing tariff uncertainty may also limit consumer relief. The Supreme Court struck down the original IEEPA tariffs, but President Trump has since imposed temporary 10% tariffs under another trade authority, and the administration is pursuing additional tariffs that could impose new import taxes later this year.

Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@usatodayco.com or on Twitter @athompsonUSAT.

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