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MV Hondius passengers disembark on May 10th

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May 9, 2026

MV Hondius passengers disembark on May 10th

Nationals from several countries are to be evacuated by plane to a cruise ship bound for the Spanish island of Tenerife hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak, where six people have been confirmed to have the Andean strain of hantavirus.

The MV Hondius will be anchored near Tenerife from 3pm to 5pm GMT and 10pm to midnight ET on Sunday.

At a World Health Organization briefing on May 9, Dr. Maria van Kerkhove, WHO’s acting director of epidemic and pandemic management, outlined plans for the next 24 to 48 hours.

She explained that once the boat docks, there will be a small boat that will dock passengers in groups for health screening.

“If anyone develops symptoms, those with symptoms will be immediately placed on a medical evacuation plane and taken to the Netherlands for treatment,” Van Kerkhove said. “Those who are healthy and energetic will return home on separate planes provided by each country.”

Repatriation flights to Americans and other countries amid hantavirus outbreak

The U.S. State Department said it is arranging repatriation flights for Americans who were on a cruise ship at the epicenter of the hantavirus outbreak. Spain’s interior minister announced on Saturday that planes would arrive from Germany, France, Belgium, Ireland and the Netherlands for the remaining European citizens, as well as two planes from the European Union.

Spain’s interior minister said the US and UK have confirmed that flights and contingency plans are being arranged for non-EU nationals who cannot be transported by air.

Residents of several countries, including the United States, were monitored after disembarking from the Hondius. Three people have died in connection with the outbreak.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said U.S. health officials are “actively monitoring and responding to hantavirus outbreaks” associated with cruise ships. “At this time, the risk to the American public remains extremely low,” the agency said.

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of the World Health Organization said he would personally help oversee the ship’s disembarkation.

The director-general announced his arrival in Spain in a social media post on May 9.

“I will be participating in a mission to Tenerife with senior government officials to oversee the safe disembarkation of the passengers, crew and health experts of the MV Hondius cruise ship,” he wrote. “In the meantime, I have been in direct contact with Captain Jan Dobrogovski and my @WHO colleague on board Dr. Fredi Banza Mutka, who have informed me that at this stage there are no further individuals on board exhibiting symptoms of hantavirus.”

Where do American passengers go once they return to the United States?

The Americans were evacuated to Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska, and from there transferred to the National Quarantine Center at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, CDC officials announced in an update late Friday.

“The U.S. government’s top priority is the safe return of American passengers,” the release said.

Once the ship docks in the Canary Islands, a team of epidemiologists and medical experts from the CDC will “conduct an exposure risk assessment for each U.S. passenger and provide recommendations regarding the level of surveillance needed,” the release continued. “Additional CDC teams will be sent to Offutt Air Force Base to assist with public health assessments of returning passengers.”

Which states are monitoring cruise passengers for hantavirus?

As USA TODAY previously reported, authorities in several states confirmed they are monitoring residents who recently boarded the MV Hondius for symptoms of hantavirus. So far, authorities in one state, New Jersey, are monitoring two people who were not on the boat but may have been infected.

arizona: Magda Rodriguez, spokeswoman for the Arizona Department of Health Services, said in an email to The Arizona Republic, part of the USA TODAY Network, that one of the state’s residents was a recent passenger on the ship, but has no symptoms and is being monitored.
California: The resident was recently on a ship with other passengers infected with hantavirus, but there are no signs of illness, California Department of Public Health spokesperson Grant Boyken confirmed in an email to Desert Sun, part of the USA TODAY Network.
georgia: The two residents who traveled on the MV Hondius are “currently in good health and have no signs of infection,” the Georgia Department of Public Health said in a May 6 statement to USA TODAY.
new jersey: Two people living in the state may have been infected by a person infected with hantavirus who departed from MV Hondius. The residents were not passengers on the cruise ship. The potential exposure occurred during air travel. The state health department announced on May 8 that the two people had no symptoms.
texas:The two residents were passengers on the ship and returned to the United States before the outbreak was confirmed. The state health department said they are not showing any symptoms.
virginia: One resident returned home from the ship is in good health and is being monitored, Virginia Department of Health spokeswoman Maria Leppas told USA TODAY on May 7.

CDC issues health alert

On May 8, the CDC issued a warning to the Health Alert Network (HAN) to “inform clinicians and health departments about an emerging cluster of hantavirus infections caused by infection with the Andes virus,” an action that infectious disease experts say should have been taken sooner.

“Clinicians should be aware of the possibility of imported cases, but the risk of widespread spread to the United States is considered extremely low at this time,” the warning added. “As a precautionary measure, this health advisory summarizes CDC’s recommendations for U.S. public health agencies, clinical laboratories, and health care providers regarding hantavirus disease case identification, testing, and biosafety considerations in clinical laboratories.”

In a May 7 media briefing, Dr. Gene Marazzo, CEO of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, said HAN is defined by the CDC as the CDC’s “primary method for sharing clear information about urgent public health events.”

“The last HAN on that page is from April 2, 2026, so to me this is not an exaggeration. It’s a travesty in terms of the NIH response,” she said.

“A lot of the things you want to see, we’re not seeing, and to me, that’s very concerning,” Dr. Carlos Del Rio, a professor at Emory University School of Medicine, said during a briefing. “The silence of our leading public health institutions is deeply disturbing to me.”

Contributed by: Reuters; Eve Chen, Natalie Neisa Alland, Janine Santucci, Melina Khan, USA TODAY

Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg drop new Hard Tea and Lemonade cocktails

Economy

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May 9, 2026

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Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg drop new Hard Tea and Lemonade cocktails

Gin and Juice became more than a song for Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg.

The new Dre and Snoop hard iced tea and lemonade can cocktails, the latest collaboration between the newly minted billionaire producer and the rapper and television personality, are now hitting shelves nationwide.

The still cocktails (5.9% ABV made with gin and juice) come in eight packs of 12-ounce cans, including two cans each of Iced Tea, Peach Iced Tea, Iced Tea & Lemonade, and Pink Lemonade.

It’s the latest expansion of the duo’s spirits line, which includes Gin & Juice Bydre & Snoop’s ready-to-drink cocktails (flavors include honey apricot, citrus, melon and passionfruit) and Still Gin Bydre & Snoop’s Ultra Premium Gin, both launched in 2024. New tallboy versions of Dre & Snoop’s Hard Peach Iced Tea and Hard Pink Lemonade, as well as Gin & Snoop Juice by Dre and Snoop Mango (19.2 oz each), will also be introduced to the market.

Snoop has already established itself in other beverage categories, including THC and CBD drinks and wine. “I’ve put my name on a lot of things over the years. This is different. This is me and Dre’s company. We built this,” Snoop said in a statement to USA TODAY.

“Gin is a lane that doesn’t do very well compared to vodka or tequila, so we thought we had a chance to come in and do it better than everyone else,” he wrote. “We chose a lane where we could stand out and build something that would last.”

How did Dr. Dre and Snoop start their gin brand?

Just as Dre ventured into headphones with Beats Electronics, Jimmy Iovine, who founded Interscope Records, played a big role. When Dre was considering a line of sneakers, his label Iovine, which released Dre’s 1992 album The Chronic, suggested he make speakers instead.

This led to the sale of millions of Beats By Dre headphones, and Dre and Iovine sold the company, including the Beats Music streaming service, to Apple for $3 billion in May 2014.

After Dre and Snoop performed at the 2022 Super Bowl with Mary J. Blige, Eminem and Kendrick Lamar, Iovine asked them why they didn’t base their work on their 1994 hit “Gin and Juice,” which appeared on Snoop’s 1993 debut album Doggystyle, which Dre produced. Gin and Juice has been a part of us for over 30 years. People have been asking us for years why we haven’t changed our lifestyle, our culture authentically,” Dre said in a statement to USA TODAY.

“That’s what we were drinking every day in the studio,” Snoop said. “After all these years, it finally made sense to build something together.”

For Dre, “the timing had to be right. I don’t do anything unless I’m convinced we can do it at the highest level. When we finally decided to do it, we brought in people who knew how to elevate the vision. We’ve made great records, but this is the first product Snoop and I have actually made together. It means something.”

Dre and Snoop’s team approached Patrick Hulbert, Andrew Gill, and Rocco Milano, who ran the ready-to-drink cocktail company On the Rocks. The company, founded in 2015 and sold to Beam Suntory in 2020, has a portfolio of spirits that includes Jim Beam, the Maker’s Mark bourbon brand and Sauza Tequila.

Hulbert “received an email asking if I wanted to talk to Dr. Dre, Jimmy Iovine (brand partner), and Snoop Dogg,” Gill told USA TODAY. “We thought it was spam. … And then, before we knew it, boom, almost the next day, we were on Zoom with them, and at that moment everyone was on board.”

What they learned was that this wasn’t a situation where artists were trying to espouse celebrity mentality. There are many such artists, but “sometimes it’s hit and miss. This was completely different. It was a really organic, authentic company,” said Hulbert, who is now CEO of all three brands. Milano has been named chief revenue officer and Gil has been named chief strategy officer. “We thought we could build a whole portfolio of gins.”

As for Gin & Juice by Dre and Snoop’s ready-to-drink cocktail, “We wanted something refreshing, something that tasted like a new version of what me and Snoop have been drinking for 30 years. We grew up on gin and juice, and this is just that, but now it’s appropriate for everyone,” Dre said.

Dre specifically asked for Still GIN

“I told the team I wasn’t going to serve this until it replaced Hendrix (gin) as my drink,” he said. “It took me 15 iterations before I was happy with it, but thankfully I got there, otherwise I never would have finished it.”

Industrial designer and artist Ini Archibong helped create the look of cocktail cans, still gin bottles and limited edition Hexclad cocktail shakers, which were unveiled in a commercial with celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay.

Dr. Dre and Snoop’s gin brand attracts attention

Shortly after the Gin & Juice can cocktail hit the market, the brand became the headline sponsor of Kendrick Lamar’s “The Pop Out: Ken & Friends” concert in June 2024 in Inglewood, California. After the song “Gin & Juice” played on the Kia Forum’s sound system, Dr. Dre appeared on stage and performed “Still DRE.”

In the Still GIN commercial, Dre and Snoop met Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. With these family blessings and the use of advanced digital technology, including artificial intelligence, Liverpool FC’s Virgil van Dijk joined as a partner when the brand launched in the UK. Martha Stewart, who joined Snoop at the Olympics, created cocktail recipes using still gin

“I’ve always loved vodka cocktails, so I wanted to try working with clear liquor from time to time. Then I tasted still gin, and it changed the way I make cocktails,” Stewart said in a statement to USA TODAY. “Water Mary was the first drink I made with gin and it was so great that I now think of still gin as the new vodka.”

The team’s newest brand partner is Grammy Award winner Yungblud. He happened to join Iovine and Dre at a tasting of Gin & Juice canned cocktails and was recruited to help launch the brand in the UK. “He had a great personality and was interested in liquids in cans from the beginning,” Gill said.

Restaurants are interested in getting their products on the shelves. Among them is Applebee’s, which started offering Still Gin cocktail specials in February. Meanwhile, more supermarkets and retailers are adding canned cocktails to their shelves.

“We’re here to offer something unique and innovative in this space. This is more than just a celebrity endorsement deal,” Hulbert said. “I’m really excited to see where these brands go.”

Dre and Snoop have been “involved in this development from the ground up, being involved every step of the way, from the production of the gin to the selection of gin and juice flavors,” Snoop said. “This is the only business that I run with my brother. I get to watch this business grow with him.”

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.

Trump Justice Department moves to strip 12 people of naturalized citizenship

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May 9, 2026

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Trump Justice Department moves to strip 12 people of naturalized citizenship

Prosecutors announced denaturalization measures against 12 people they accused of crimes ranging from war crimes to sexual abuse of minors.

The Justice Department has moved to strip more than a dozen people of their naturalized citizenship, a move increasingly used by the Trump administration.

On May 8, federal prosecutors announced a denaturalization lawsuit filed in federal court against 12 people, accusing them of crimes ranging from supporting terrorist groups and war crimes to sexual abuse of minors.

Between 1990 and 2017, there was an average of 11 degenerative incidents per year. During President Donald Trump’s first term, that number increased to about 25 cases a year.

Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, federal authorities can revoke the designation of naturalized U.S. citizens if they are ineligible and do not meet the requirements under which they were granted citizenship. This is usually based on authorities accusing the person of fraud, deception, or misrepresentation of information when they acquired citizenship.

The denaturalization process must be tried in federal court as a criminal or civil case.

“The Trump Administration is taking steps to correct these egregious violations of our immigration system,” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement. “Those who intentionally conceal their criminal records or make false statements during the naturalization process will be subject to the fullest extent of the law.”

Previous denaturalization rarely applied to people accused of serious crimes, but also to people who posed a credible threat to public safety or national security, as well as war crimes and crimes against humanity, according to the nonprofit Immigration Law Resource Center.

Officials in the second term of the Trump administration have vowed to expand denaturalization. In June, the Justice Department released a memo expanding denaturalization priorities under the department’s civil division.

In a recent interview with CBS News, Blanche, who served as President Trump’s personal attorney during the president’s criminal conviction in Manhattan Criminal Court in 2024, defended the increasing use of denaturalization. Just as the administration has prioritized removing illegal immigrants, he said, “we have the same obligation to enforce the law when it comes to naturalized citizens” who are accused of committing fraud or doing something improper to obtain citizenship.

According to federal government data, there will be approximately 26 million naturalized citizens as of 2024. That same year, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced that it had admitted more than 818,000 new citizens.

Contributors: Lauren Villagran and Mary Walrath-Holdridge

Eduardo Cuevas is based in New York City. Contact us via email (emcuevas1@usatoday.com) or Signal (emcuevas.01).

Mother’s Day forecast says May’s mild temperatures are on the way down

USA

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May 9, 2026

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Mother’s Day forecast says May’s mild temperatures are on the way down

The Mother’s Day forecast shows days of mild weather remaining in most parts of the country.

If there’s no storm this weekend, it might be nice to fire up the grill or eat outside on Mother’s Day. It may be a while before many parts of the country see temperatures this good again. Many regions will soon be bidding farewell to the mild days of May and welcoming the heat of summer.

The National Weather Service’s 8- to 14-day outlook shows a ridge moving in from the west that is expected to bring “unseasonably warm” weather to much of the country. The outlook map looks like a large orange-red bullseye centered on Nebraska and ripples across the United States, except for a swath along the East Coast and parts of the Pacific Northwest.

“Heat will intensify across the western United States this weekend and early next week,” the National Weather Service wrote on social media on Friday, May 8. “High temperatures could reach 20 to 30 degrees above normal in some locations. New records for daily high temperatures could be set.”

The weather bureau said some states had an early start to April with summer-like temperatures. Nationally, April 2026 was the warmest April in 20 years and the third warmest on record, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The Ohio Valley had its warmest April on record. Eight states in the region (Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia, and Virginia) set statewide records for April.

Indiana, Kentucky and West Virginia broke records set in 1896 and exceeded the average temperature for April in the 20th century by 8 degrees. April ranked in the top 10 hottest months among 16 other states.

In general, warmer-than-normal temperatures began earlier this year across much of the United States, with NOAA reporting that average temperatures for the first four months of this year were the warmest in 132 years of record. Its average was 44.8 degrees, almost 6 degrees above the long-term average.

In the short term, showers and thunderstorms are expected across the central and southern plains on Saturday, May 10, and will move further south into the southern Great Plains, Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas on Mother’s Day, the weather service said. A cold front is expected to move through the Great Lakes and mid-Atlantic, potentially bringing thunderstorms and damaging winds.

A heat wave moving west is expected to bring well-above-average or record-breaking temperatures, with lows reaching the 100s in the valleys of Southern California and Arizona.

In the longer term, NOAA predicts that El Niño has arrived and will continue through the end of the year, and many weather experts are concerned that temperatures could be even warmer than normal in some regions.

Dinah Boyles Pulver, a national correspondent for USA TODAY, covers climate change, weather, the environment and other news. Contact dpulver@usatoday.com or @dinahvp on Bluesky or dinahvp.77 on X or Signal.

What to do with your 401(k) when you retire

Economy

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May 9, 2026

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What to do with your 401(k) when you retire

A lot can happen when you quit your job, but it’s important to plan for your existing 401(k).

Dana George
|The Motley Fool

If you want to change jobs, work for a good company. The average American worker changes employers approximately once every four years.

The last thing you might be thinking about when making the switch is what to do with your 401(k). However, it is important to make decisions that will benefit you in the long run.

Option 1: Leave it alone

In rare cases, you may find an employer who wants their former employees to have a 401(k). However, it is not the norm. Most employers will be happy to let you leave your money in the plan indefinitely. Keeping your account intact has the following benefits:

It’s simple: No action is required.
Creditor protection: If you’re considering transferring your 401(k) to another plan type, it’s important to remember that 401(k)s typically offer stronger creditor protection than other retirement accounts.

Option 2: Roll over to your new employer’s 401(k)

Not all employers will accept rollovers from a previous employer’s plan, but most will. If your new employer does, a 401(k) rollover is a relatively simple process. There are two types of rollovers: direct rollovers and indirect rollovers. As the name suggests, a direct rollover moves funds directly from the old plan administrator to the new plan administrator.

In an indirect rollover, funds are transferred less the mandatory 20% withholding tax. Then, re-deposit the full amount into your new account within 60 days to avoid taxes and a possible 10% penalty. It’s rarely the best option.

The benefits of transferring your account to a new employer include:

Integration: By transferring your account to your new employer, you can keep your retirement savings in one place.
Simplified RMD: Retirement may be years away, but required minimum distributions (RMDs) will become due around age 75. Having just one retirement account for withdrawals simplifies the bookkeeping associated with RMDs.

Option 3: Roll over to an IRA

One advantage of moving funds into an IRA is that IRAs typically offer a wider range of investment options and often have lower fees. Again, a risk-free way to roll over your money is by direct transfer. That way, you don’t have to worry about missing the 60-day deadline to complete the rollover on your own.

Converting your 401(k) to an IRA also provides other benefits, including:

Everything in one place. By consolidating all your retirement accounts into one IRA, you can easily track the status of your portfolio.
Estate planning: IRAs offer great flexibility in naming beneficiaries. For example, you can name both a primary beneficiary and a contingent beneficiary, a charity or a trust. Equally appealing is the ability to easily change recipients at any time.
Professional management: While your 401(k) may seem “hands-off,” you can get up close and personal with your IRA. It’s easy to work with a financial advisor who is part of a brokerage’s professional management team and communicate your preferences.

If you’re wondering what to do with your 401(k) funds, rest assured. You don’t have to decide this week or this year. There is no transition deadline set by the IRS. If your 401(k) is working well with your previous employer, give yourself time to make a decision you’re happy with.

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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If tariffs are reintroduced, will prices also go down?

Economy

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May 9, 2026

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If tariffs are reintroduced, will prices also go down?

In another setback to President Donald Trump’s trade policies, a federal court has ruled against the president’s 10% tariffs, replacing those struck down by the Supreme Court. But consumer prices remain unlikely to fall as the Iran war continues and the administration looks for other ways to impose tariffs.

The Court of International Trade ruled 2-1 on May 7 that President Trump’s decision in February to use Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 to impose 10% tariffs was illegal. A two-judge majority barred the administration from collecting those duties from Washington state and two companies that also sued over the policy, but the duties would remain in place for most importers until the appeals process is completed.

U.S. Trade Representative Jamison Greer confirmed on May 8 that the administration plans to appeal the ruling, and is hopeful that that is a possibility.

“President Trump is focused on imposing tariffs to protect the economy,” Greer said on Fox Business Network’s “Morning with Maria.” “Obviously we will act according to the law and in accordance with the direction of the court, but his policy has not changed.”

Brian Bethune, an economics professor at Boston University, believes this lawsuit is highly likely.

“They tried that with the IEEPA tariffs and it didn’t work,” Bethune said, referring to previous tariffs implemented under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. “Long live Mary is highly unlikely in this case as the conditions of Article 122 do not apply at all.”

Why won’t tariffs end?

In any case, the administration still has several tools to implement the tariffs that are the cornerstone of President Trump’s economic policy. One method involves utilizing Section 301 of the same 1974 law. The section requires investigations but allows the administration to impose tariffs in response to actions by foreign governments that burden or restrict U.S. commerce. Mr. Greer previously announced Section 301 investigations into multiple countries and the European Union.

When the appeals process and investigation are resolved, it’s unclear whether the effective tariff rates will be the same, lower, higher or the same as last year, when President Trump used the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose tariffs on nearly all U.S. trading partners. The Supreme Court ruled in February that these tariffs were illegal.

If the Section 301 review goes as the administration intends, the effective tariff rate at the end of this year should be close to, and perhaps higher than, the level at the end of 2025, said Drew DeLong, director of corporate policy at Kearney Foresight, the global management consulting firm’s in-house think team.

Why a court ruling against tariffs doesn’t mean lower prices

In a victory for importers who paid IEEPA duties, court-ordered refunds based on judgments that invalidated previous duties will begin this month. Still, just because importers receive refunds doesn’t guarantee prices will go down.

“Time will tell, but I think companies will be wary of the ever-changing tariff landscape and proceed with caution as a result,” Matthew Seligman, an attorney and founder of Greyhawk Law, told USA TODAY.

John Groton, Thrivent’s head of energy, materials and utilities, said there was “no question” that tariffs were causing higher inflation than they currently are, but they were not the only thing driving up prices.

While the oil crisis stemming from the Iran war is already hurting gas pumps for American drivers, Groton said disruptions to supply chains for fertilizers, metals and cargo risk driving up prices for food, housing and other consumer goods the longer the conflict drags on.

“Gasoline is getting a lot of attention. It (the price increase) is going to happen quickly. Unless you own an EV or buy gas once a week, it’s very visible,” Groton said. “Most other areas take longer to bleed.”

Meanwhile, preliminary results from a consumer survey released by the University of Michigan on May 8 revealed that the consumer sentiment scale had fallen to 48.2, an all-time low.

“About a third of consumers spontaneously mentioned gas prices, and about 30% mentioned tariffs,” said Joan Hsu, director of consumer research. “Overall, consumers continue to experience cost pressure from rising prices.”

Analysts expect inflation to rise again in April. Whether these predictions are correct will be revealed in the Department of Labor’s Consumer Price Index report, which will be released on May 12th.

Contact Rachel Barber rbarber@usatoday.comFollow her on X @rachelbarber_and subscribe to her newsletter Making More of Your Money here.

How can the sandwich generation, who care for children and parents, manage to do both?

Economy

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May 9, 2026

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How can the sandwich generation, who care for children and parents, manage to do both?

Planning one person’s finances is daunting enough, but planning for three generations is downright daunting.

But that’s exactly what the tens of millions of Americans in the “sandwich generation” need to think about, as they simultaneously care for children and parents, financial experts say. If we don’t, we risk becoming financially drained and mentally and physically exhausted, as many of us are already experiencing.

A survey of 1,024 Americans between the ages of 40 and 59 conducted last year by retirement services company Athene showed that nearly 75% of respondents from the sandwich generation were adjusting their retirement goals to support adult children or elderly relatives. They cut back on expenses, delayed retirement or withdrew retirement benefits, while some were planning not to retire at all.

“It’s a very tough environment, paying for children, adult children and elderly parents,” said Miklos Ringbauer, a certified public accountant and founder of MiklosCPA Inc. Caring for people haphazardly on a day-to-day basis “is a disservice to yourself, your future, and your wealth.”

When should Americans of the sandwich generation start making plans?

As always, experts say the best time to plan is early, before an event such as a parent becoming seriously ill occurs. Early planning always gives people more tools and flexibility to protect you and your loved ones.

Experts said the main focus should be on long-term care planning. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), approximately 70% of people who turn 65 will need some type of long-term care. Long-term care includes a wide range of care, from assistance with daily tasks to more complex medical care in the home, institutional settings such as nursing homes, or community-based settings such as assisted living facilities.

Traditional health insurance and Medicare typically do not cover long-term treatment and can be expensive. The median cost of five-day adult day care in 2025 was $24,700 a year, while the cost of a non-medical home caregiver was about $80,080, according to a cost-of-care study by planning firm CareScout. According to CareScout, the cost of a semi-private nursing home room is $114,975 per year, and $129,575 for a private room.

How can people plan for long-term care?

Advisers say wealthy people may be able to afford or buy long-term care insurance, which can be expensive. Long-term care insurance premiums can rise year by year, and if you don’t use insurance, you won’t be able to recover your money.

Rob Barnett, principal investment advisor and professional tax attorney at Outlook Financial Center, said some people may consider a hybrid life insurance policy. These fixed-cost policies ensure that the beneficiary is paid either as a long-term care benefit or a death benefit, so there is no money left on the table even if you are lucky enough not to need long-term care, he said.

Government programs are also an option, said Joseph Flesard, an attorney with elder law specialist Simasko Law Firm.

“One of the biggest mistakes people make is not taking advantage of the public benefits available to their parents,” he said.

Fressard said veterans may be eligible for long-term care or can plan on using Medicaid. Both have income limits and other requirements, so families should review them and begin preparing to qualify in advance.

Because Medicaid has a five-year lookback period, families cannot simply transfer assets and qualify for Medicaid. Advisers said parents should develop and begin a plan to legally dispose of their parents’ excess assets by paying for expenses such as home repairs, accessibility upgrades, prepaid burial arrangements and unpaid medical bills.

Families can also create an irrevocable trust to remove assets that count toward Medicaid eligibility, but note that irrevocable trusts generally cannot be changed.

“You could put your parents’ home in an irrevocable trust and sell it and use the money to pay for long-term care, but the money must remain in the trust to be used,” Flessard says.

Experts say all of these options can help parents take most of their expenses out of their budget so they can focus on themselves and their children.

What would you do if something happened in your life and you didn’t have a plan?

Advisers say there’s no need to panic if your parent is unexpectedly hospitalized and suddenly needs long-term care, something you didn’t plan for.

Although your options may be limited, “it’s never too late to start planning,” Ringbauer said.

“Stable your own finances first,” he said. “It’s like getting on a plane and putting on an oxygen mask before helping others.”

Advisers say the bare minimum you should do for yourself is to contribute enough to your company’s 401(k) plan to match it with the company, then turn to looking after others.

If you have siblings, talk about your plans and how much each person can contribute to your parents’ expenses, Ringbauer says.

One place to look for help is your company’s benefits plan. Kate Winget, chief revenue officer at Morgan Stanley at Work, said: “A solid starting point is to take a closer look at how workplace benefits can help relieve pressure.” “Benefits like flexible working, time off, dependent care benefits and financial wellness tools can be a game-changer, but many people don’t even realize they’re already available to them.”

If you have to pay, Ringbauer said you should try to pay in a tax-efficient way to save on taxes.

If your parent needs care and is declared as a dependent on your tax return, you may be able to work because the pre-tax money from the Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account may be used not only for child care but also for adult day care or home care, he said. You pay for your medical expenses with pre-tax money from your health savings account.

Tax credits for parents and children may also be available, including:

Be sure to keep detailed records of all financial support for taxes.

Medora Lee is USA TODAY’s money, markets and personal finance reporter. Please contact us at mjlee@usatoday.com. Subscribe to our free Daily Money newsletter for personal finance tips and business news every Monday through Friday.

Is pot still legal? This is very time consuming.

Politics

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May 9, 2026

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Is pot still legal? This is very time consuming.

Despite moves to loosen marijuana regulations over the years, cannabis remains illegal at the federal level (with some new exceptions). I’ll explain what’s going on.

Despite years of momentum to loosen regulations on cannabis, including a recent order from the Trump administration’s Justice Department, there remains a wide gap between states and the federal government.

On April 23, the Department of Justice announced that it would ease federal regulation of some types of marijuana for medical use by moving them from Schedule I, the most heavily regulated drug under the Controlled Substances Act, to Schedule III, where they can be legally prescribed.

However, this measure does not apply to all marijuana, nor does it make it legal for recreational use at the federal level. The Trump administration said it was able to make this narrow change quickly while pursuing more sweeping schedule changes.

Heather Torella, director of operations and fellow at the Rockefeller Institute of Government, said the Justice Department’s latest action means people who use medical marijuana in states with medical use programs won’t violate federal law if they follow that state’s rules.

But experts told USA TODAY that the move to reclassify marijuana would not satisfy long-standing efforts to legalize marijuana for other uses or resolve conflicts between federal and state laws.

“It doesn’t make it legal for use under any circumstances,” Trella said. “This does not legalize medical marijuana in states that have not legalized medical marijuana.”

Despite federal law, many states have taken the unconventional approach of passing their own laws regarding marijuana, often with laws that are much more permissive than the federal government.

This leaves the country with a confusing patchwork of state laws. Most states had already approved marijuana for medical use before the date change, and nearly half of all states allowed recreational use. Few states ban it completely.

Polls show that Americans generally support legalization. Over the past decade, at least 60% have supported legalization.

Former President Joe Biden announced his intention to reschedule marijuana use and also announced federal pardons for certain marijuana-related crimes. President Donald Trump has also called for changes to the schedule.

President Trump said last year: “Some people love it, and some people hate it. Some people hate the very concept of marijuana.”

What do the Trump administration’s new orders bring?

The Justice Department’s April 23 action did not change the reopening schedule for all cannabis, as Biden and Trump showed support. Instead, it rescheduled products that fall into two categories: “FDA-approved products containing marijuana and marijuana products regulated by state medical marijuana licenses.”

These types of marijuana products have been moved from Schedule I to Schedule III.

The Controlled Substances Act classifies drugs from Schedule I to Schedule V based on their potential for abuse, addiction, and medical use. Schedule I drugs “have a high potential for abuse and can cause severe mental and/or physical dependence” and “have no currently accepted medical use,” the DEA said.

Marijuana has been considered since 1970, when it was first listed as a Schedule I drug, along with drugs such as heroin, LSD, and ecstasy.

Schedule III drugs, including Tylenol and codeine or anabolic steroids, can be legally prescribed as FDA-regulated drugs.

The move could also provide tax benefits to cannabis companies in states where medical marijuana is legal. Torella said it’s unclear how that will play out and whether these companies have reason to be concerned if they also sell recreational marijuana, which is still illegal under federal law.

Explaining cannabis laws in each state

As of June 2025, 40 states, three territories and Washington, D.C., all allow medical marijuana use, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, which monitors state laws. Twenty-four states, three territories, and Washington, D.C., have passed laws allowing recreational use with varying specific rules regarding legal restrictions. That’s an increase compared to just a few years ago.

Some other states allow “low THC, high cannabidiol” products for medical purposes.

Only one state, Idaho, has no legal use of marijuana products at all.

There is significant public support for full legalization. According to an October 2025 poll by Gallup, which has been conducting public opinion polls on cannabis for decades, about 64% of Americans think it should be legalized. The 2025 result was a slight decline from the 2023 peak approval rating of 70%.

Why is marijuana legal in states but illegal federally?

Technically, marijuana is illegal everywhere at the federal level, even though a growing number of states have announced that it is legal. The wave of medical and recreational laws passed at the state level has created a confusing disconnect.

Torella said the federal government could choose to prosecute someone for recreational use of marijuana at any time, even if they are in a state where marijuana is allowed and follow all state regulations.

But the federal government doesn’t do that, preferring instead to use its resources to pursue crimes it deems more important. Torella said they still sometimes charge someone with marijuana possession if their actions attract too much attention. This could include using weed on federal property, the U.S. Park Police recently announced.

For more than a decade, Congress has passed budget provisions that prohibit the Department of Justice from using taxpayer funds to interfere with states’ ability to implement medical marijuana programs.

And the government has discretion over how to enforce the law. Obama-era policy stipulated that the Justice Department would not interfere with state laws allowing the use of marijuana for medical or recreational purposes, effectively blocking the prosecution of nonviolent users not involved in organized crime. These were rescinded during President Trump’s first term.

“The federal government’s attitude has always been that it’s not worth the time,” Torella said.

Trella said rescheduling all marijuana to Schedule III, which the Trump administration continues to evaluate, could reduce mandatory minimum penalties for people charged with marijuana use.

However, not all marijuana use is legal at the federal level. He said full legalization is unlikely in the near future.

Can the government legalize marijuana?

Torella said Congress could act on its own to reschedule marijuana or legalize it completely. Until now, there hasn’t been enough momentum in Congress to make much progress.

Otherwise, the executive branch could pursue a much longer and more complicated process to change how marijuana is classified.

The Department of Justice announced it will begin a broader marijuana rescheduling process, including administrative hearings, beginning in late June. By limiting the scope of the rescheduling order in April, the Justice Department could bypass some of the formal administrative rulemaking process and allow the order to take effect immediately.

Delayed cannabis could encounter opposition

A federal lawsuit has already been filed over the Justice Department’s authority to order limited schedule changes. On May 4, the group Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) and the National Drug and Alcohol Testing Alliance filed a petition to block the April date change, arguing that it violates rulemaking requirements and is beyond the administration’s authority.

“With this move, we face the most pro-drug regime in history,” SAM said in a statement. “It’s certainly a drug that should be carefully studied, but it shouldn’t be legalized through the back door.”

The group said marijuana should remain in Schedule I until research proves it does not meet the standards.

Torella said the change would be very beneficial to research and is the main reason President Trump said he was in favor of changing the date.

When marijuana was strictly a Schedule I drug, that also meant there were major legal hurdles for those trying to conduct research on its effects, she said. It created something of a feedback loop. It was difficult to study marijuana to prove its medical value because the federal government claimed it had no medical value.

Torella said previous studies were limited in scope and sample size.

Federal scientists said the main reason for the move to reschedule marijuana use is because of marijuana’s low public health risks. Medical uses include pain, anxiety, and glaucoma relief. However, some studies point to health and psychological risks, including lower IQ, heart problems, and temporary paranoia and hallucinations.

“What are the long-term effects? Are there any long-term effects? What does marijuana do to your body? What is marijuana good for? What is it not good for? Does it relieve anxiety or not?” Torella said. “We don’t know many of these things.”

Contributor: Eduardo Cuevas

This half of America owns 89% of the nation’s wealth.

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May 9, 2026

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This half of America owns 89% of the nation’s wealth.

To paraphrase the late jazzman Mose Allison, young Americans these days don’t have nothing in the world.

According to the Federal Reserve’s household budget data, 45-year-old Americans control just 11% of the nation’s wealth.

In other words, 9/10 of America’s assets belong to the older half of America. People over the age of 45 make up about 42% of the country’s population and about 54% of adults.

Boomers, the generation born between 1946 and 1964, own 51% of America’s wealth, with their mountains of real estate, stocks, pension benefits, personal businesses, and other assets set to total $90 trillion by the second half of 2025.

Generation X, those born between 1965 and 1980, own 26% of wealth, worth $46 trillion.

The dwindling group of Americans over 80 controls 12% of the nation’s wealth, worth $21 trillion.

The rest of America’s wealth, valued at about $19 trillion, belongs to Millennials born between 1981 and 1996, and others, the oldest members of Generation Z, born after 1997.

Older Americans are wealthier than ever

Older Americans are wealthier than ever and are getting wealthier. Empower estimates that the average 50-something is worth $1.4 million. The average person in their 60s is worth $1.6 million.

In contrast, the average 20-something has $139,243 and the average 30-something has $325,952.

This pattern seems obvious. Age creates wealth.

Boomers, the wealthiest generation, control $31 trillion worth of stocks and mutual funds, according to the Federal Reserve. They own $19 trillion in real estate. The combined value of these assets has ballooned over time due to soaring stock markets, rising home values, and the steady accumulation of home equity.

To some extent, the concentration of wealth among the elderly is related to the simple passage of time.

“Building wealth is like a snowball rolling down a hill,” said Richard Fry, a senior fellow at the Pew Research Center. “It takes time to grow into a big snowman.”

If you continue to invest in stocks and bonds for retirement over your lifetime, the value of your account can grow exponentially.

The company reports that the average retirement account balance for Americans 65 and older will be $299,442 in 2024. The average balance for savers between the ages of 25 and 34 was just $42,640.

If you buy a home and take out a 30-year mortgage, your home equity will steadily increase over time due to payments and property value appreciation.

“These are things that accumulate over the lifecycle,” said John Sabelhaus, senior economic research fellow at the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center.

The economics of building wealth are changing

But the economics of wealth are changing, potentially making it harder for young Americans to build wealth.

According to the National Association of Realtors, the typical age for first-time homebuyers is now 40, an all-time high. The median age of all homebuyers is 59 years.

“If you live in an affluent area of this country, which is everywhere these days, and even if you have a lot of assets, even a very high income is not enough to buy a home,” says Dinon Hughes, a 25-year-old certified financial planner in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

American workers are expected to save for retirement over the course of their careers, a model intended to concentrate wealth at older ages. Previous generations relied more on workplace pensions.

Retirees are living longer, which means their heirs have to wait longer to inherit their wealth. Americans are most likely to inherit it between the ages of 56 and 65, according to a 2021 analysis from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

“I have a lot of clients who have lost their parents, and most of them are in their 60s,” said Laurie Allen, 43, a certified financial planner in Hermosa Beach, California.

It is difficult to compare different generations over time. But boomers clearly controlled more of America’s wealth in their (relative) youth than today’s millennials and zoomers.

In 1991, when the oldest baby boomers turned 45, the younger half of Americans held about 23% of all wealth, according to Brookings’ Frye.

(The complication is that in 1991, baby boomers made up a larger proportion of the population than millennials do today.)

Will Millennials and Gen Z ever catch up?

The good news for Millennials and Gen Z is that there are many encouraging signs that suggest they will accumulate a lot of wealth in the coming years.

Wayne Winegarden, a senior economics fellow at the Pacific Institute, said millennials “will inherit more from their parents than boomers.” But they may not see that money for another 20 or 30 years.

Several recent reports suggest that Millennials are building wealth faster than older generations and currently own more wealth than older generations managed at the same age.

Gen Z and Millennials typically started saving for retirement earlier than Gen X and Boomers and are avid savers.

Fidelity reports that Gen Z workers’ combined 401(k) savings rate is 11.3%, far behind the savings rates of Millennials (13.5%) and Gen X (15.4%). Because Gen Z will take decades to retire, young people’s savings rates are extremely high.

“We all know we have to save for our retirement, and we’re taking advantage of every benefit available,” said Hughes, a Gen Z financial planner.

Between saving for retirement, eventual home ownership, and inheritance, Millennials and Zoomers will end up amassing significant wealth, researchers say. But it takes time.

“They’re young. They haven’t had much time to accumulate yet,” Pew’s Fry said. “It’s the magic of compounding. And compounding is magic, but it takes decades for that magic to manifest.”

What Judge Gorsuch’s new children’s book says about this country

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May 9, 2026

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What Judge Gorsuch’s new children’s book says about this country

“Standing up for what you believe in is always difficult,” Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch told USA TODAY, speaking about his new children’s book about the American Revolution.

WASHINGTON – The history of this nation is on the walls of Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch’s courtroom.

A portrait of James Madison, often referred to as the Father of the Constitution, faces paintings depicting Revolutionary War battles at Lexington and Bunker Hill.

For Gorsuch, these are reminders of Founding Father John Adams’ point that future generations will never know how much it cost to preserve our freedoms.

One-third of the homes of signers of the Declaration of Independence were destroyed by British troops. All risked rebellion to support a cause that deeply divided the colonists and even separated Benjamin Franklin and his son.

“Most of us would like to think we had the courage to stand on the side of freedom,” Gorsuch told USA TODAY in a written response to questions. “But the reality is that it’s always difficult to stand up for what you believe in.”

The courage and sacrifice of not only the Founding Fathers but also the lesser-known colonists are the subject of a new children’s book, “Heroes of 1776: The Story of the Declaration of Independence,” by Gorsuch and co-author Janie Nitze.

As the country prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary,^th On his birthday, Gorsuch answered written questions from USA TODAY about the book, how his British-born wife views the revolution, what he read as a child and how humility was a virtue for the founding fathers and Supreme Court justices.

Below is an excerpt of that exchange.

superheroes are not superhumans

Gorsuch wants young people to understand that heroes are not superhumans.

“Most of us know George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin,” Gorsuch told USA TODAY.

One of them was Emily Geiger. At the age of 18, he volunteered to ride across enemy-held territory on horseback to deliver a message to a revolutionary general. When she was captured by British forces, Ms. Geiger memorized the message, swallowed the paper it was written on, and managed to escape to deliver the message.

James Armistead Lafayette was a slave who served as a double agent for Washington’s army, providing vital intelligence to the army during the Battle of Yorktown.

Richard Lord Jones joined the Continental Army as a sergeant at the age of 10 and experienced many of the same hardships that other soldiers faced.

“He wasn’t a superhero. He was just like any of us,” Gorsuch said. Gorsuch’s ancestry includes British colonists who fought for independence.

Why Gorsuch admires ‘fat, bald and obnoxious’ John Adams

Many of the people and stories he wrote about, even details about famous figures, were new to the judiciary.

Gorsuch was excited by the “friendly discussion” between Adams and Jefferson over who should write the Declaration of Independence. We both thought we should do it.

Adams was able to persuade Jefferson to undertake this monumental task for several reasons. Jefferson was from Virginia, the most populous colony. Jefferson was a better writer. And, as Adams himself admitted, it was “offensive, suspicious, and unpopular.”

“What a great story. The combination of humility and strategy on Adams’ part to get Jefferson to pick up the pen,” Gorsuch told USA TODAY. “And the rest, as they say, is history.”

In fact, Gorsuch said that of all the people profiled in the book, he would probably like to be Adams the most.

“Who wouldn’t want to be George Washington? And who wouldn’t want to be a fat, bald, obnoxious John Adams? But I think I’d choose John Adams anyway,” Gorsuch said during a recent discussion of his book at the Nixon Library. “I think he was looking ahead.”

Gorsuch’s own humble moment

The book humanizes the Founding Fathers by including personal details, such as Jefferson letting his pet mockingbird take food from his mouth. Adams was very frugal, so his friends bought him nicer clothes.

So USA TODAY asked justices who joined the Supreme Court in 2017 for personal details that should be included in a book about the court.

Gorsuch recalled that he joined the Colorado bar 20 years ago as a newly appointed appellate court judge. Unaccustomed to the standard black polyester choir uniform worn by American judges, Mr. Gorsuch tripped as he climbed the steps to the bench. Some of the documents he was carrying went flying, and his face “turned red with embarrassment.”

Later, when he told his wife Louise what had happened, she replied: “Oh, Neil, don’t you know? You have to pull your hem up when you go up the stairs.”

“Looking back, a little humility was the right way to start the job of a judge,” Gorsuch said.

Why Gorsuch’s British-born wife makes fun of him

Gorsuch said his wife, whom he met while studying abroad in England, is “proudly British by birth and proud to be an American by choice.” She became a citizen in 2002.

“That said, even though Louise has a deep love for America, she likes to tease me from time to time by pointing out how much we owe to England on various levels, right down to the names of states and cities like New Hampshire, Maryland, Virginia, New York, New Jersey, and Plymouth,” Gorsuch said. “After all, the colonists were British, and the two countries shared a common culture, language, and customs.”

These common characteristics, he added, “made the Declaration of Independence all the more difficult, difficult, and all the more remarkable.”

What Gorsuch read as a child

Gorsuch said she was lucky to have a Great Books program at her middle school. In addition to regular English classes, he read one book a month and met with students from other schools to discuss it.

“This show has introduced us to greats like CS Lewis, JRR Tolkien and George Orwell – authors that all young readers should explore,” he said.

“It’s up to each of us individually.”

Gorsuch was an elementary school student in Denver when the nation celebrated its bicentennial.^th Anniversary.

He saw young people struggling when they returned from Vietnam. President Richard Nixon had just resigned due to the Watergate scandal.

“Yet people came together in remarkable ways for the 200th anniversary,” the judge said. “I remember my neighbors painting 13 American flags on their red Volkswagen buses, representing the original 13 colonies. ‘Schoolhouse Rock!’ inspired my generation to think about the Declaration, the Revolution, and the Constitution. Newspapers and books retold our history.”

Gorsuch said he hopes the country reaches 250.^th The anniversary will similarly prompt Americans to consider the “three perfect ideals” of equality, liberty, and self-government embodied in the Declaration of Independence.

“These ideals speak to the heart of every human being and belong to each of us,” he said. “And it is up to each of us to hold onto them for a long time.”

Republican infighting in Congress slows progress on President Trump’s policies

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May 9, 2026

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Republican infighting in Congress slows progress on President Trump’s policies

Speaker Mike Johnson defended the recent Republican discord as part of the “messy” process of making decisions on Capitol Hill. “He can’t perform miracles,” said Sen. John Kennedy (R-Louisiana).

WASHINGTON – House Speaker Mike Johnson said the impossible is being done at the Capitol.

For the past few weeks, he has been hard at work negotiating with House and Senate Republicans to pass President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda in a critical midterm election year despite historically narrow vote margins.

That’s one way to look at it.

Republican Sen. John Kennedy, from Johnson’s home state of Louisiana, said otherwise: “Mike is going through a tough time.”

“He’s a good person,” the often outspoken lawmaker said in the halls of the Capitol last month. “But he can’t perform miracles.”

Kennedy’s observations came during a particularly difficult week in the House. Infighting in the Republican Party is in full swing as Prime Minister Johnson struggles to muster the votes needed to advance his farm bill, extend the government’s major spy program and end the record-long Department of Homeland Security shutdown.

The Republican family drama caused voting to drag on for hours in what is normally a painless process. At one point, Representative Zach Nunn, a Republican from Iowa, yelled at Johnson from the other side of the House chamber, saying the two needed to “have a talk.”

“It’s been a whirlwind,” Nunn said the morning after late-night negotiations over the stalled farm bill. Although the bill passed, it faces an uncertain future in the Senate, where provisions regarding cancer warnings on pesticides remain at odds with Republicans in agricultural states and supporters of “Make America Healthier.”

November traffic jams are dangerous for Republicans

The impasse within and between Republican-controlled Congresses is already having a tangible impact on the American people. Sharp disagreements between House and Senate Republicans are part of the reason the DHS shutdown dragged on, leaving tens of thousands of federal workers worried about paychecks and travelers worried about the reopening of long security lines at airports.

But as the midterm elections approach, public intraparty brawls pose a greater risk to Republicans. Democrats, who already have a strong advantage in taking back the House in November, are sure to do everything they can to undermine the Republican pitch to voters that Congress should remain under full conservative control.

At stake is Mr. Trump’s last, and perhaps only, chance to win a major victory in Congress.

“The process around here is sometimes messy. That’s how it works,” Johnson told reporters recently. “But despite their historically slim majority, House Republicans continue to serve the American people.”

Johnson’s Shrinking Room

Rep. Kevin Kiley said Congress has been intent on implementing the basics of the legislation “for some time.”

The Republican-turned-independent California congressman, who remains active with the party, insisted that no one (including Mr. Johnson) is to blame for the ongoing dysfunction.

“I would say he’s operating under particularly difficult circumstances,” Kyrie told USA TODAY.

Currently, the chairperson can only allow two defections on a given vote. This leaves little room for fine-tuning in the crowded legislative schedule. Not to mention the fact that yet another scandal-hit House Republican, North Carolina Rep. Chuck Edwards, could soon face a vote to lose his job.

With House and Senate Republicans at odds over several issues, from enacting voting restrictions to lowering the Senate’s 60-vote threshold, known as the filibuster, getting major legislation across the finish line between now and November won’t be that easy.

Even Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota) hasn’t been able to fully hide his frustration with other chambers. On April 29, a reporter asked him outside his office how the Senate can continue to function amid the recent political turmoil in the House. Frustrated, Toon shook his head.

“We will do everything we can,” he said.

Meanwhile, there are many issues at stake in Congress, including a Republican plan to spend more than $70 billion on immigration enforcement and an additional $1 billion for security at the new White House ballroom. The Pentagon is also preparing additional defense spending requests amid the Iran war, which has already cost taxpayers about $25 billion.

A bipartisan effort is also underway, with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle pushing for amendments to rein in the Espionage Act. Some want to move quickly to put more guardrails on online gambling. A major bipartisan housing reform bill is also on track to pass in both chambers, but has been stalled in the House for weeks due to concerns from some Republicans.

“Especially when you’re operating within such a small majority, that might be a good reason to try to do things in as bipartisan a manner as possible,” Kiley said. “Then the calculations are much easier. And it tends to lead to better policy as well.”

Zachary Schermele is a Congressional reporter for USA TODAY. You can email us at zschermele@usatoday.com. Follow him on X at @ZachSchermele and on Bluesky at @zachschermele.bsky.social.

Charles Barkley responds to Draymond Green with joke about Warriors

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May 9, 2026

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Charles Barkley responds to Draymond Green with joke about Warriors

Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley has a knack for speaking his mind, whether it’s justified or not.

Barkley continued his exchange with Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green on Friday, which originally began during Green’s May 6 appearance on ESPN’s “Inside the NBA.”

Barkley expressed his opinion about the Warriors, saying that the Warriors’ dynasty is over and that Green and Stephen Curry should consider leaving if their career goals are to become more NBA champions.

“The Warriors are finished,” Barkley said on May 6. “I don’t mean any disrespect. It’s the same with all the old teams. You have your run, you get older…it just passed. Everybody had the best run of all time.”

“I think the goal is to not look like myself in a Houston Rockets uniform. That’s the ultimate goal,” Green said.

Barkley was later supported by those who had spent 30 years with him on the show. Later in the show, they discussed how James Harden had more turnovers than field goals against the Detroit Pistons.

Green defended Harden, but it was just a setup because the producers had statistics that surprised even Green. Green has had 43 playoff games with more turnovers than field goals, tied with Kendrick Perkins for the most since 2003.

Draymond Green has 43 playoff games with more turnovers than field goals, tied for the most with Kendrick Perkins since 2003…but at least he’s not Charles Barkley in a Rockets uniform. pic.twitter.com/mAcQ8tVePR

— Terrible announcement (@awfulpayment) May 7, 2026

The “feud” continued on Friday, with Barkley giving a radio interview. Here’s what he had to say to Mr. Green, further emphasizing his position:

Charles Barkley reacts to Draymond Green’s jab

Barkley stood by his statements about the Warriors and Green. He appeared on several radio programs on Friday, May 8, and reiterated his position.

During an appearance on Arizona Sports 98.7FM’s “Bickley & Marotta Morning Show,” he praised Green but said the two aren’t on the same level.

“Man, I never punch down,” Barkley said. “Draymond is a good player. We’re not on the same level. I hear it, but I don’t have to react every time someone says something about me. Draymond’s a really good player and he’s had a great career, but we’re not on the same level.”

Barkley also appeared on “The Dan Patrick Show” and went on to detail his attempts to film Hall of Famer Green in person.

“He fired at me, but I didn’t get angry, because I said something about the men and they made a personal attack against me,” Barkley said. “You know, it’s very funny. Last time you had me on the show, I said that I regret my time with the Rockets, especially the last two years, which were the worst years as a player. But I didn’t turn down free money. I had two years left on my contract.”

Turning attention back to the Warriors, Barkley, like Green, lamented that the Warriors’ losing streak appears to be over.

“He made it personal,” Barkley said. “The Warriors haven’t been relevant the last three or four years. They’ve been in the play-ins. When you’re in the play-ins, you’re not in the playoffs.”

he continued. “The play-in is just something they made up to add more games to another network. I think the Warriors have been in the play-in four years in a row, so they’re irrelevant. And I know he doesn’t want to say that… Golden State is over, they’ve had a great run. He attacked me personally, but I’m not sensitive. But I’m done with Golden State. If Golden State meant anything, he wouldn’t be in the studio with me. ”

Charles Barkley’s Houston Rockets stats

Here’s something that many people don’t realize. Barkley was traded to Houston at age 33 and played there for four seasons from 1996 to 2000, retiring at age 36. In those four seasons, he played in 152 games and averaged 16.5 points, 12.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.2 steals.

Barkley was selected to play in the 1997 All-Star Game, but did not play due to injury. Barkley joins Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon on the team. He played alongside Hall of Famers and averaged fewer than 20 points per game for the first time since his rookie season in 1984-85. That season, he averaged 19.2 points.

The 1996-97 season was Barkley’s last real chance to win a championship, as the Rockets lost in six games to the Utah Jazz in the 1997 Western Conference Finals. Barkley averaged 16 points and 11 rebounds in the series.

Injuries derailed Barkley’s career late, ending with a torn left quadriceps tendon during the 1999-2000 season.

Looking like Houston Barkley might not be so bad after all, if Green hadn’t mentioned the career-ending injury.

Ilona Maher explains how Olympic athletes used up 10,000 condoms

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May 9, 2026

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Ilona Maher explains how Olympic athletes used up 10,000 condoms

Ilona Maher is passionate about the condom shortage caused by the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Maher, who represented the United States in women’s rugby sevens at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2024 Paris Olympics, took to Instagram on May 7 to “dispel rumors” and told viewers that “a large amount” of the rubber may have been used as memorabilia.

“There were rumors that more than 10,000 condoms were used in the past Winter Olympics,” Maher said in the video. “Well, some of them were probably used for that purpose, um, but what I’m getting here is that a lot of them were used as souvenirs.”

Madagascan alpine skier Mialitiana Clair offered a similar theory in February, telling USA TODAY Sports she doesn’t think they’re all just being taken advantage of.

“I got a handful when I went to the Olympics, and now I’ve had them forever,” Maher said. “I found a condom from Tokyo on my bedside table the other day. How cool is that?”

A week before the end of the tournament, organizers confirmed that a shortage of condoms in the Olympic Village in Milan-Cortina had been replenished.

The International Olympic Committee later acknowledged that supplies had been depleted “due to higher-than-anticipated demand” and that condoms “will be continuously replenished until the end of the Games to ensure continued availability.”

“That’s the real reason, guys. Okay, they’ve probably done a little bit there, but these are just things for us,” Maher added.

How many condoms were distributed?

According to a previous USA TODAY report, only 10,000 condoms were initially distributed to athletes.

IOC spokesman Mark Adams said: “I think 10,000 (condoms) were used. So to all the 2,800 athletes, as they say, do the numbers and do your best.”

This number pales in comparison to the 300,000 condoms provided for the 2024 Paris Olympics. However, thousands more athletes participated in the Summer Games.

Handing out free condoms to athletes in the Olympic Village has been around for decades, and has garnered public attention at every Games since the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul.

Ukraine, Russia, President Trump confirms 3-day ceasefire with hope of extension

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May 8, 2026

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Ukraine, Russia, President Trump confirms 3-day ceasefire with hope of extension

Guy Faulconbridge, Mark Trevelyan, Steve Holland
|Reuters

MOSCOW/WASHINGTON – Russia and Ukraine confirmed on May 8 that they had agreed to a three-day ceasefire brokered by the United States, from May 9 to May 11, and President Donald Trump said he wanted the ceasefire to be extended.

On the same day, President Trump announced a temporary ceasefire on Truth Social and said the countries, which have been at war for more than four years, would exchange 1,000 prisoners of war.

“I hope for a significant extension,” President Trump told reporters Friday night. “Maybe so.”

Both Kiev and Russia have accused the other of violating an armistice agreement declared separately this week, as Russia prepares to hold a Victory Day parade on May 9 to commemorate the 1945 victory over the Soviet Union over Nazi Germany.

The cessation of hostilities is a bit of good news for the U.S. president, who has grown frustrated with the lack of progress in ending the Ukraine-Russia war, and whose domestic approval rating has declined over Israel’s war with Iran. The Iran war is now in its third month, but efforts to end it appeared to be stalling amid a new escalation of fighting in the Gulf.

In a post on Truth Social, President Trump said the ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia would include a halt to all “movement activities” and an exchange of 1,000 prisoners from each country.

“This request came directly from me, and I am very grateful for the agreement reached by Presidents Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Hopefully, this is the beginning of the end of what has been a very long, deadly, and hard-fought war,” he said in the post.

Trump added that negotiations continue to move toward ending the war and are “getting closer every day.”

Writing in Telegram, President Zelenskiy acknowledged that the ceasefire was negotiated as part of US negotiation efforts and that humanitarian issues remain a key priority.

“Therefore, today, within the framework of the negotiation process mediated by the US side, we received Russia’s consent to conduct a prisoner exchange in the format of 1,000 for 1,000,” President Zelenskiy wrote.

President Zelensky also issued a tongue-in-cheek executive order “allowing” Russia’s May 9 military parade to proceed and stating that Ukrainian weapons would not target Red Square. Russia has warned that any attempt by Ukraine to disrupt the Red Square parade could trigger a major missile attack on Kiev.

The ceasefire comes after President Zelenskyy described substantive talks between U.S. and Ukrainian officials in Miami, and a U.S. envoy is expected to visit Kiev in the coming months.

Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters on Putin’s behalf that Russia also agreed to Trump’s initiative.

“We reached an agreement on this issue in a phone conversation with the U.S. government,” he said.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said air defense forces intercepted Ukrainian drones heading toward the capital for seven hours until around 8pm local time (17:00 Japan time). Since President Trump announced the ceasefire, the Russian government has issued one similar notice.

Previously, Russia and Ukraine had accused each other of violating ceasefire agreements they had declared separately.

Both countries are attacking each other with missiles, drones and artillery, and there is no end in sight to the war. Peace talks have stalled after Ukraine has rejected President Putin’s demands to surrender territory it has defended since 2022.

President Putin unilaterally declared a two-day ceasefire on May 8 and 9 to cover Victory Day, Russia’s most revered national holiday.

Kiev responded that a ceasefire for the holiday was inappropriate and instead called for an indefinite ceasefire to begin two days earlier, a request Moscow ignored.

The Soviet Union lost 27 million people in World War II, including millions in Ukraine, but it pushed Nazi forces back to Berlin, where Adolf Hitler committed suicide, and in May 1945 the red Soviet victory flag was raised over the Reichstag.

There will be no military equipment on display at this year’s parade in Moscow, which typically showcases Russia’s military might with intercontinental ballistic missiles and tanks.

Moscow’s forces have been fighting in Ukraine for more than four years, longer than the Soviet Union’s involvement from 1941-45 in what Russians call the Great Patriotic War.

Russia controls about 19.4% of Ukraine, but its advances have slowed this year, capturing just 700 square kilometers in the first four months of the year, according to pro-Ukrainian maps.

(Reporting by Steve Holland, Nandita Bose and Susan Heavey in Washington, Guy Faulconbridge in Moscow and Mark Trevelyan in London; Additional reporting by Olena Hamash in Kyiv; Editing by William McLean, Ron Popesky and Rosalba O’Brien)

Newly released Pentagon files reveal Texas UFO sightings

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May 8, 2026

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Newly released Pentagon files reveal Texas UFO sightings

Have you ever looked up into the vast Texas sky and seen something moving across the sky? It could be a shooting star, a satellite, or a UFO.

The Department of Defense released multiple documents on Friday, May 8, detailing sightings of unidentified flying objects, or “bogies,” in U.S. airspace, including a report from Texas.

The document was released by the US Department of Defense at the direction of President Donald Trump and marks the release of government files related to Al-Al.Yen and extraterrestrial life forms, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs) and UFOs.

“These files, hidden behind classified cover, have long fueled legitimate speculation, but now is the time for the American people to see for themselves,” Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said in a statement. “The release of these declassified documents demonstrates the Trump Administration’s commitment to unprecedented transparency.”

Here we will look at files related to Texas.

UFO discovered over Abilene, Texas in 1948

According to a Department of Defense incident summary, on January 1, 1948, a man identified as “Mr. A. Schroeder” reported a UFO in the 1100 block of Highland Avenue in Abilene, Texas.

Dr. Schroeder reported seeing a bright blue-green bell-shaped object stationary in the western sky over Abilene at 1:25 a.m. and 1:30 a.m.

Fort Worth man sees UFO over Alaska

Also in 1948, Lieutenant Aitch Johnson noticed a flat silver disc in the sky over Fairbanks, Alaska.

According to an incident report, a Fort Worth man observed an object flying over Alaska at an estimated speed of 250 to 300 miles per hour on April 18, 1948, at approximately 1:06 p.m.

The report also noted that the sighting “may have been a reflection of sunlight off the wing” of an aircraft flying in the area at the time.

Possible UFO sighting during NASA Gemini 7 space launch

The Pentagon has released recordings and audio files from NASA’s Gemini 7 mission in 1965 in which astronaut Frank Bowman reported sightings of an unidentified object to NASA control, which he called “bogey.”

Although the launch did not take place in Texas, the report was returned to space control in Houston.

This conversation occurred on December 5, 1965, 4 hours and 24 minutes into the flight, when Bowman notified space control that there was a “bogey” on the left.

When asked to clarify what they were seeing, Bowman said they were seeing “hundreds of small particles” to their left about three to four miles away.

As a NASA spokesperson revealed, the bogey was an unidentified object along with the particles.

Department of Defense documents reports of other possible sightings in Texas

Some documents mention connections and reports of possible UFO sightings in Texas, but lack details to understand the situation.

For example, the Pentagon received a Yocum Times Record clipping reporting a UFO sighting by Mrs. Anna Banis in 1947, but it is unclear why she wrote the letter to the Pentagon.

This is a developing story. Check back for more updates.

Mateo Rosiles is a Texas Connect reporter for USA TODAY and local Texas newspapers. Do you have any news tips for him? Email us at mrosiles@usatodayco.com.

You can now get free Papa John’s pizza with Spirit Airlines points

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May 8, 2026

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You can now get free Papa John’s pizza with Spirit Airlines points

As travelers affected by Spirit Airlines’ sudden closure deal with canceled flights and lost loyalty points, Papa John’s is offering free pizza as a consolation prize.

In a news release on Friday, May 8, the chain announced a limited-time promotion called “Sky to Pie,” where former Spirit Loyalty members can convert proof of their reward status into a free large one-topping pizza in response to the airline’s sudden bankruptcy.

“Loyalty points don’t mean much if you can’t use them,” said Shivram Vaideswaran, Papa John’s senior vice president of brand marketing. “While we cannot solve canceled flights or lost membership points, we hope to provide a smile and some delicious pizza to those affected.”

How customers claim offers

To participate, customers must send a direct message to @PapaJohns on Instagram, prove they’re a member of Spirit’s loyalty program, and provide a screenshot showing they’ve joined Papa Rewards.

The first 250 verified participants will receive a code for a free Large One-Topping Pizza while supplies last.

Papa John’s framed the promotion as a playful response to the disruption in the airline industry, promising “no blackout dates” and “no middle seats.”

Spirit Airlines suddenly suspends operations

The campaign comes just days after Spirit Airlines announced it would cease operations effective May 2.

The airline canceled all flights on its network and suspended customer service operations, leaving travelers stranded and unable to rebook directly through the airline.

“For more than 30 years, Spirit Airlines has been a pioneer in making travel more accessible,” Spirit Airlines CEO Dave Davis said in a statement announcing the closure. “The sudden and sustained rise in fuel prices in recent weeks has ultimately left us with no choice but to pursue an orderly wind down of our operations.”

Passengers across the country were forced to make costly last-minute changes to their travels as flights were canceled overnight.

The airline’s bankruptcy comes after years of instability, a bankruptcy filing, an engine recall issue that affected its fleet, and a failed merger plan between Frontier Airlines and JetBlue.

USA TODAY reporters Zach Wichter and Mike Snider contributed to this report.

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

FBI questions Wisconsin election officials about 2020 presidential vote

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May 8, 2026

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FBI questions Wisconsin election officials about 2020 presidential vote

In recent days, Federal Bureau of Investigation agents have questioned top election officials in Wisconsin about the 2020 presidential election, according to people familiar with the conversations.

The agent met with Robert Kehoe, deputy administrator of the Wisconsin State Board of Elections, earlier this week and discussed with Kehoe how elections are conducted in Wisconsin and various election theories. Officials said Mr. Kehoe debunked false claims and revealed how elections work.

One of the sources called the conversation “a professional interview by a career FBI agent.”

An FBI spokeswoman did not immediately respond to questions. A spokesperson for the state election board declined to comment.

The interview came as election officials in Wisconsin and Milwaukee prepare for possible action from federal authorities over their administration of the 2020 election that President Donald Trump falsely claimed won.

Election officials have been on high alert for much of this year, since federal agents seized hundreds of boxes related to the 2020 election in Fulton County, Georgia, in January, and the FBI issued a grand jury subpoena seeking voting information in Maricopa County, Arizona, in March.

Like Georgia and Arizona, Wisconsin is at the center of President Trump’s baseless claims that he won the 2020 election. President Trump claimed without evidence that thousands of fraudulent votes gave former President Joe Biden a victory in that year’s Wisconsin election.

How about 180,000 Milwaukeeans voted in the 2020 presidential election could be at risk of becoming public if the FBI forces election officials to turn over voting data to justify Trump’s election defeat in key battleground states.

The ballots in question are part of a wave of votes in Wisconsin’s liberal-leaning Dane and Milwaukee counties that President Trump sought to destroy at his expense during a recount of the 2020 presidential election, which saw a surge in absentee voting due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Trump lost re-election in Wisconsin, Arizona and Georgia in 2020, but continues to falsely claim he actually won, despite court rulings, audits and reviews showing he lost.

If federal authorities expand their investigation to include tracking voting data in Milwaukee, about 176,000 absentee ballots with registers and ID numbers could be turned over.

State law requires absentee ballots counted at central counting facilities to include a voting list number, which can be matched to information in the poll book to identify the voter.

Normally, ballots from elections held more than five years ago would have been thrown away by now. But those ballots still exist, in part, thanks to a lawsuit filed against the city by a New London man who has filed dozens of lawsuits against state and local election officials over the 2020 election and other voting issues.

The Justice Department is suing Wisconsin officials for refusing to turn over confidential voter information that state election officials say is protected under Wisconsin law.

The federal lawsuit is one of about 20 filed by the Trump administration across the country seeking to turn over voter rolls without redacted personal information.

Journal Sentinel reporter Mary Spicuzza contributed.

Molly Beck can be reached at molly.beck@jrn.com.

Mega Millions winning numbers for May 8th drawing

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May 8, 2026

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Mega Millions winning numbers for May 8th drawing

Mega Millions is back at $215 million with $95.2 million in cash at stake as the Friday, May 8th lottery drawing approaches.

One winning ticket can trigger a big decision. You can pay a lump sum upfront or lock in payments for 30 years that increase by 5% each year. The jump in jackpots comes after big wins earlier this year, including a $60 million prize in Ohio and a $533 million jackpot in Illinois.

With Friday’s Mega Millions drawing just hours away, here’s what you need to know.

What are the winning Mega Millions numbers for May 8, 2026?

USA TODAY will publish the winning numbers for Friday’s Mega Millions lottery after the drawing at 11pm ET.

When is the next Mega Millions drawing?

The next Mega Millions drawing is scheduled for Tuesday, May 12th at 11:00 PM ET.

Top 10 Mega Millions Jackpots

$1.602 billion in Florida on August 8, 2023
$1.537 billion in South Carolina on October 23, 2018
$1.348 billion on January 1, 2023 in Maine
July 29, 2022, $1.337 billion in Illinois
December 27, 2024, $1.269 billion in California
$1.128 billion in New Jersey on March 26, 2024
$1.05 billion in Michigan on January 22, 2021
$983 million in Georgia on November 14, 2025
$810 million in Texas on September 10, 2024
March 30, 2012, $656 million in Illinois, Kansas, and Maryland

What is Mega Millions?

Mega Millions is a multi-state lottery game played in 45 states, Washington DC, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and is known for jackpots that can soar into the hundreds of millions.

Tickets cost $5. Players can select five numbers from 1 to 70 and one Mega Ball number from 1 to 24, or use Quick Pick/Easy Pick to let the lottery randomly select numbers. Match all 6 numbers to win the jackpot. If multiple tickets are won, the prize will be shared.

How to play Mega Millions

To play Mega Millions, purchase tickets online through a convenience store, gas station, grocery store, or, in some states, an official lottery retailer.

Players choose six numbers. Five white balls numbered 1-70 and one golden mega ball numbered 1-24. Don’t want to choose? Select (Quick Pick) or (Easy Pick) and a number will be randomly generated.

All tickets have built-in multipliers that increase non-jackpot prizes by 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, or 10x. Multipliers are automatically applied and included in the ticket price, replacing the previous add-on megaplier.

Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Contact us at fernando.cervantes@usatodayco.com and follow us at X @fern_cerv_.

New movies streaming on Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, and Prime Video

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May 8, 2026

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New movies streaming on Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, and Prime Video

Need to see a new movie? Stream these 10 movies for free in your home with Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, HBO Max, and Peacock.

One of these movies is the one you should watch tonight.
There are also streaming originals, like the Netflix drama Remarkably Bright Creatures, starring Sally Field and Octopus.
Check out theatrical releases like Rachel McAdams’ survival thriller Send Help.

Do you like movies? Live for TV? USA TODAY’s Watch Party newsletter has all of our best recommendations, delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up now and be one of the cool kids.

Whether you want to see Sally Field talk to an octopus or Rachel McAdams fight a killer boar, the streaming service has new movies for all kinds of different tastes.

Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, Prime Video and more will debut theatrical releases, including Sam Raimi’s survival thriller starring McAdams and Dylan O’Brien and the action-packed sequel to Gerard Butler’s Greenland. There are also originals, including an Italian romantic comedy and a heartwarming drama starring Field, Lewis Pullman, and an opinionated mollusk.

Here are 10 hottest new movies you can stream right now.

‘vertex’

Charlize Theron is known for her action movies, but this survival thriller is full of natural wonders that make the high-stakes risks worth it. She plays a grieving rock climber who seeks solace in Australia after a tragic death, while Taron Egerton plays a sadistic serial killer who hunts and chases her through rivers and mountains, driving her insane.

Where to watch: Netflix

“Greenland 2: The Migration”

The post-apocalyptic sequel picks up engineer John Garrity (Gerard Butler) and his family five years after a comet wipes out much of civilization. When a survival bunker in Greenland becomes uninhabitable, they embark on a perilous journey fraught with climate change and human danger to find a chance of salvation in France.

Where to watch: HBO Max

“Hallow Road”

Rosamund Pike and Matthew Rhys star in this thriller as a couple who receive a worrying phone call from their daughter that she has hit a young girl on a secluded road. The action mostly takes place in the car as the parents head out to help, but certain revelations and some strange passersby lead to an unexpected dark and satisfying development.

Where to watch: Hulu

“Heartbreak Kid: Becoming Shawn Michaels”

If you’ve seen Netflix’s recent Hulk Hogan documentary series, this is a good tracker. This documentary delves into the origin story of longtime WWE fan favorite Shawn Michaels, how he reached the pinnacle of professional wrestling while battling drug addiction in the ’90s, and how he now passes on his knowledge to the next generation of performers.

Where to watch: peacock

“Marty Supreme”

Shoe salesman Marty Moser (Timothée Chalamet) will do anything to become a table tennis champion in director Josh Safdie’s brilliant sports comedy set in the 1950s world of table tennis. He is also a self-centered asshole, and his pursuit of glory draws a variety of players into his chaotic world, from a childhood friend (Odessa Azion) to a famous actress (Gwyneth Paltrow).

Where to watch: HBO Max

“There’s no place to be single.”

In the Italian romantic comedy, Elisa (Mathilde Gioli) is a single mother who runs a real estate business in a Tuscan town when her childhood friend Michele (Cristiano Caccamo) returns home. The reunion evokes new emotions and attraction, but when Michele and his brother stand to inherit the inheritance, he and Elisa have different plans for its future.

Where to watch: prime video

“Surprisingly bright creatures”

This heartwarming drama stars Sally Field as Tovah, an aquarium cleaner who cares for an octopus named Marcellus (voiced by Alfred Molina). After hurting her ankle, she trains Cameron (Lewis Pullman), a young, cash-strapped drifter, to work, but Marcellus believes that by working together they can find what’s missing in their lives.

Where to watch: Netflix

“I’ll send help.”

Rachel McAdams enjoys one of the funniest and most free-spirited roles outside of Regina George in Sam Raimi’s dark comedy/thriller. She stars as a strategy expert (and a big “Survivor” fan) who gets stranded on a deserted island with her sexist tech boss (Dylan O’Brien). She grows up, he struggles, and things get bloody and outrageous.

Where to watch: Hulu

“Exchanged”

In this mind-bending, body-swapping, fantastical animated comedy, small furry mammal Olly (voiced by Michael B. Jordan) and feathery bird Ivy (Juno Temple) are rival races. But when a mysterious orb allows them to see what each other’s existence is like, they form a bond vital to saving their ecosystem when a dire threat arises.

Where to watch: Netflix

“Wuthering Heights”

Emerald Fennell’s gothic and sassy take on Emily Bronte’s classic novel is best enjoyed by simply sitting back and soaking in the sensory overload. Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi star in a gorgeous, arrogant, bad romance about childhood friends who become passionate and annoying adult enemies.

Where to watch: HBO Max

Veteran NFL quarterback surprises NFL with retirement announcement

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May 8, 2026

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Veteran NFL quarterback surprises NFL with retirement announcement

After being inactive last season, the longtime NFL quarterback is officially leaving the sport.

On Thursday, Taylor Heinicke, drafted by the Chargers during the preseason, lost a battle for a backup role and announced his retirement.

“For 25 years, I have had the honor of playing this great sport of football…It has taught me so much not only about myself, but also about life,” Heinicke said. “There have been a lot of ups and downs over the years, but the ups and downs have been 10 times bigger. I never thought I would have a life like this.”

“Thank you to everyone who supported me on this journey. Thank you to everyone who believed in me. And thank you to everyone who gave me the opportunity to fulfill my childhood dreams. I’m excited for the next chapter of my life! And always, Go Skins!”

Heinicke signed with the Vikings as an undrafted free agent and spent a total of nine seasons on the roster. His longest tenure with Washington was from 2020 to 2022, when he started 24 games and finished with a 12-11-1 record. In his career, he passed for 6,663 yards, 39 touchdowns, and 28 interceptions.

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“Standing up for what you believe in is always difficult,” Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch told USA TODAY, speaking about his new children’s book about the American Revolution.

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What are the winning Mega Millions numbers for May 8, 2026?

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What is Mega Millions?

How to play Mega Millions

Need to see a new movie? Stream these 10 movies for free in your home with Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, HBO Max, and Peacock.

‘vertex’

“Greenland 2: The Migration”

“Hallow Road”

“Heartbreak Kid: Becoming Shawn Michaels”

“Marty Supreme”

“There’s no place to be single.”

“Surprisingly bright creatures”

“I’ll send help.”

“Exchanged”

“Wuthering Heights”

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