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How President Trump’s DHS pick Markwayne Mullin made millions in Congress

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How President Trump’s DHS pick Markwayne Mullin made millions in Congress

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STILWELL, Okla. – In 2017, a company owned by then-U.S. Rep. Markwayne Mullin paid $99,000 for a half-acre vacant lot along a highway that runs through Stillwell, a small city in far eastern Oklahoma near Mullin’s hometown.

Marin’s family later built a two-story restaurant on the property, offering a menu of country comfort foods along with fresh baked goods and a coffee bar. However, the restaurant closed in 2024 after only four years of operation.

Marin quickly found a buyer. About a week after the restaurant closed, the Cherokee Nation purchased the entire property for $1.5 million. This was about $700,000 more than the property was appraised at the time.

It is unclear why the sale price was so much higher than the appraised value, even though it included a developed restaurant. But it represents one of the many ways Mr. Marin has rapidly increased his wealth since becoming a lawmaker in 2013. The land sale to the Cherokee Nation was one of several large financial gains for Marin that year, with Marin reporting he earned at least $9 million in 2024.

Watch live: Markwayne Mullin attends Senate committee hearing on DHS Secretary

Mullin, who was recently nominated by President Donald Trump to be the next Secretary of Homeland Security, is likely to face questions about his financial transactions during his confirmation hearing, which begins Wednesday, March 18.

If confirmed, Mullin would leave his current position as Oklahoma’s next U.S. senator.

Mr Marin’s net worth has increased dramatically since joining the public service through a combination of stock trading, real estate investments and the sale of large sums of money, raising questions from ethics experts.

Donald Sherman, president of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, said trading on the stock market while a lawmaker is in office creates a conflict of interest.

“Unlike federal judges and most executive branch officials, members of Congress cannot simply retreat from these types of divisive issues because doing so would deny them the representation of their constituents in Congress,” Sherman told The Oklahoman.

Markwayne Mullin’s net worth includes stocks, real estate

An analysis of Marin’s most recent annual financial information submitted to the U.S. Senate by The Oklahoman, part of the USA TODAY Network, shows assets held by Marin and his immediate family could be as high as $96.7 million and as low as $29.2 million.

A separate analysis of Marin’s net worth by analytics firm Quiver Quantitative suggests that Marin and his immediate family could be worth an estimated $66 million in 2026, based on financial disclosures and stock purchase reports.

This is a far cry from the assets he listed in his first financial disclosure in 2013, when he began serving in the U.S. House of Representatives. That year, apart from his salary from working at his family’s plumbing company, he reported assets valued at approximately $3 million to $8 million, which primarily included the value of his plumbing business and his stock in the family’s ranch near Westville.

These financial reports do not require exact values, only ranges.

Over time, Marin built a diversified portfolio consisting of stocks in individual companies, investments in several mutual funds, and several real estate holdings in Oklahoma. Washington DC; Missouri; Florida and Louisiana. In total, he listed more than 180 assets in his most recent disclosure form filed in August 2025.

Much of his wealth comes from selling his plumbing business in 2021. Details of the transaction were not made public, but the New York Times reported that Marin moved between $25 million and $50 million into a cash management account on the same day as the sale.

How did Mr. Marin earn millions of dollars in 2024?

In 2024, Mr. Marin disclosed that he sold three assets each worth more than $1 million but less than $5 million.

One of its big assets is Rowan’s Restaurant, a family-owned restaurant in Stillwell, Oklahoma. In February of that year, a week after the restaurant served its last dinner, the Marin family sold the property to the Cherokee Nation for $1.5 million, according to Adair County property records.

One of Stilwell’s largest and newest commercial developments.

Marin is a Cherokee Nation. As a nation whose sovereignty is guaranteed by an act of Congress and supported in part by federal funds, the Cherokee Nation frequently lobbies in Washington, D.C., seeking representation in Congress in accordance with treaty provisions.

The tribe also frequently purchases property on its reservations in northeastern Oklahoma, turning much of it into community hubs such as wellness centers.

In 2023, the Cherokee Nation purchased a former grocery store building elsewhere in Stilwell, spending $448,000 for the land and 35-year-old building. The building’s appraised value at the time of sale was $454,360.

The pre-sale appraised value of Marin’s property was $802,612. The former restaurant now serves as the base for the Cherokee Nation’s senior nutrition program in Stilwell.

When asked for comment about the location and an explanation of how the $1.5 million purchase price was arrived at, the tribe’s public relations department sent a statement explaining the property’s value.

“The Cherokee Nation acquired a building located in the heart of Stilwell to serve as a gathering place to benefit senior citizens,” Cherokee Nation Communications wrote in an email to The Oklahoman. “This 6,000-square-foot building facility, formerly a restaurant, is equipped to serve as the tribe’s senior nutrition facility and opens in 2025.”

The acquisition comes at a time when Principal Chuck Hoskin Jr. boasted at Tribal Council that the tribe is spending $1.2 billion in capital investments to “create a generational impact on the Cherokee Nation.”

Mr. Hoskin praised Mr. Mullin’s appointment to the President’s Cabinet and praised his work on behalf of the Indian Nation. “We have confidence in Secretary Mullin’s ability to lead with historic responsibility and look forward to the positive, unifying impact his unique perspective will have on our nation,” Hoskin said in a statement.

Mullin did not respond to The Oklahoman’s request for comment for this article.

Overall, Marin, his wife and dependent children earned between $9 million and $28.7 million in 2024, the report said.

Marine stock trading comes under scrutiny

Marin has bought about $14.5 million worth of stock since 2023, according to tracking by Quiver Quantitative. During the same period, he sold approximately $9.5 million worth of stock.

Marin and his staff have repeatedly told reporters that he does not make individual stock trading decisions and instead uses independent third-party firms to manage portfolios on his behalf. That hasn’t stopped scrutiny of some of the deals reported to the Senate Select Committee on Ethics.

In December, Marin bought shares in Chevron and Raytheon just days before the U.S. detained Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Raytheon is a major U.S. defense contractor and has significant missile and defense systems contracts with the Department of Defense. Chevron is one of the major private oil companies operating in Venezuela.

Trump said members of Congress were not informed of the attack before it happened, but those who follow geopolitics said he had built a large military presence in the Caribbean in the weeks leading up to the attack and knew there was potential for major disruption in Venezuela.

Sherman, president of CREW, an ethics watchdog group in Washington, D.C., said that if lawmakers choose to participate in stock transactions while in government, they should have processes in place to ensure full compliance with the law and should not “shift the blame” to third-party asset managers when there are questions.

“But I think the more important mandate, which the law has yet to catch up to, is that members of Congress may not buy, trade or own stocks and bonds and such personal assets,” Sherman said.

Marin has been criticized for being late in reporting the stock purchases. In 2025, reporting of seven stock purchases was delayed by more than two years.

In 2017, Marin faced questions about an investment in a little-known pharmaceutical company that was seeking FDA approval for a new drug. At the time, Mullin was a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee’s health subcommittee, which had “tremendous influence” over the FDA.

According to the latest report, Marin has bought hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of stock in nine companies so far in 2026. These companies represent a variety of industries, including chip manufacturers, financial services, and providers of online schooling programs.

The SAVE ACT Act Requires a Copy of Your Birth Certificate

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The SAVE ACT Act Requires a Copy of Your Birth Certificate

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President Donald Trump is pushing Congress to pass sweeping election security legislation that would require proof of citizenship to vote, raising new questions for Americans who don’t have easy access to documents such as birth certificates.

If passed, the SAVE Act (American Voter Eligibility Protection Act) would require people registering to vote in federal elections to provide documentation, such as a passport or birth certificate, that proves they are a U.S. citizen. Documents must be submitted in person.

Critics and voting rights advocates say the bill could disenfranchise millions of Americans, including married women who take their husband’s last name and don’t have a birth certificate that matches their real name.

White House press secretary Caroline Levitt said concerns about the bill that would make it harder for married women to vote had “zero validity” but acknowledged that the bill would create additional measures for the renamed people.

Since the SAVE Act proposes new citizenship proof requirements, here’s how to get a copy of your birth certificate if you need one.

more: If the SAVE Act passes, you will need these documents to vote

How to find copies of official documents to prove your identity

If you need a certified copy of your birth certificate for a passport, Real ID, Social Security benefits, or other official purposes, the process varies depending on where you were born. Here’s how it works: Birth certificates are issued and kept by state and territory vital records offices, not the federal government. That means you don’t ask Social Security, the IRS, or federal court for them. You must go through the agency related to your place of birth.

If you were born in America

You will need to contact the Office of Vital Records in the state or U.S. territory in which you were born. In that office you will find:

  • How to order a certified copy (online, by mail, or in person)
  • How much does each copy cost?
  • Is expedited service available?
  • ID required

What information do you need?

Requirements vary, but typically include:

  • your full name at birth
  • Date of birth and place of birth
  • parents’ formal names
  • Valid photo ID

If your current legal name is different (for example, due to marriage), some states may require you to provide documentation of the name change.

Were you born outside the United States to American parents?

For U.S. citizens born abroad, there is no state-issued birth certificate. Instead, the U.S. embassy or consulate where your birth was reported will issue a Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA). A CRBA serves the same legal purpose as a U.S. birth certificate. If you need a replacement, there is a special process for requesting a copy issued by the U.S. Department of State.

If you have lost all your IDs

If you do not currently have a valid photo ID, some states offer alternative methods of verifying your identity, including:

  • identity card affidavit
  • A copy of the notarized document and parent photo ID (from the parent listed on the birth certificate)
  • The exact requirements vary by state, so you should check with the vital records office in your place of birth.

Quick tips for ordering online

Some states allow you to order certified copies online through VitalChek, Official partner used by many government agencies. Availability and processing times vary depending on the state or region where the record is issued.

conclusion

Born in America? Contact your state or territory’s vital records office.Were you born overseas to American parents? Request a copy of the consular report for your overseas birth.No ID? States may accept alternative verification methods. If you cannot obtain a copy of your birth certificate, first replace your driver’s license.

This story has been updated with new information.

Contributed by: Reuters

The number of young people addicted to pornography is increasing. Here’s how they’re getting help.

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The number of young people addicted to pornography is increasing. Here’s how they’re getting help.

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Ryan didn’t open his phone with the intention of finding porn. But the 11-year-old boy spotted it on his social media feed and was intrigued. As he watched, he felt curiosity and excitement rising.

Immediately, his brain was hooked on that dopamine rush. It became a daily routine.

He told himself he could stop if he wanted to, but the habit grew from something he did in the confines of his bedroom to an all-consuming compulsion. His parents installed an internet blocker, but he circumvented it. By the start of sixth grade, he was slipping out of class three times a day to watch porn and masturbate in the bathroom.

Ryan, now 25, says, “Porn is just a mental refuge for me to avoid feelings I didn’t even know I had.” Like others interviewed by USA TODAY for this story, he requested that his last name be withheld due to the sensitive nature of the topic.

Many Gen Z men who grew up with smartphones and unlimited internet access say they encountered pornography early and often. Now, some people are turning to a rapidly growing community of men online who describe themselves as addicts and try to help each other kick these habits. Research shows that men suffer from compulsive porn consumption more than women.

Anthony Preychel, a New York-based sex therapist, says porn’s accessibility, affordability, and anonymity contributed to its early popularity among teens and children.

“Gen Z has probably more unrestricted access to pornography than any other generation,” Preychel said.

more: He had a debilitating sports betting addiction but didn’t realize it. His story is not unique.

Sex “was just a facade for what I thought it could be.”

For years, Ryan told himself he could quit if he wanted to. However, when he was sent on a mission trip as a teenager and was unable to watch porn for nine months, he became depressed and experienced physical symptoms such as chronic fatigue, headaches, and extreme mood swings.

“I was so lethargic, tired and sad all the time,” Ryan says.

Within days of returning home, he was back to using porn. It was the beginning of a period of constant intrusive thoughts at its worst. There were days when I watched porn for more than six hours a day.

When Ryan became sexually active in his early 20s, he thought things would change. But his expectations were distorted by porn, and he suffered from porn-induced erectile dysfunction.

“I knew porn wasn’t real, but I had no idea what[sex]was supposed to be like, because I hadn’t experienced real, actual, intimate, loving sex,” Ryan says. “It was just the surface of what I had imagined.”

How young brains respond to porn

Like alcohol and similar substances, combining porn and masturbation stimulates the brain’s reward system, Preychel says. This activity releases the pleasure-inducing chemical dopamine, which can reinforce the behavior and form a habit loop. Over time, this loop can overwhelm the brain’s reward pathways and permanently change how we process impulse control, pleasure, and motivation.

“It started as a way to deal with trauma and mental health issues,” says Tyler, 22, who struggled with anxiety, depression and sexual abuse as a child. “If I was watching porn…I wouldn’t have thought about that.”

This behavior is especially impactful for young boys whose brains are still developing. A teenager’s executive function, abstract thinking, and decision-making skills continue to form until age 25.

“The prefrontal cortex is not yet developed, so it doesn’t have the ability to control impulses, so dopamine starts rewiring the reward pathway,” says Preychel.

Max, 35, who first discovered porn at the age of 11, says consuming porn at a young age left him struggling to manage his complex emotions as an adult.

“Since I started young, it became a way to self-medicate uncomfortable emotions because that’s what I’ve always done,” Max says.

more: These young people were drawn to the manosphere. Here’s how they found their way.

The porn industry is booming

According to a 2022 report from Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization focused on media ratings and digital online safety for children, 71% of teens reported intentionally viewing pornography in the past week.

The average respondent reported watching porn for the first time at age 12.

Brad Saltzman, a licensed clinical social worker and certified sex addiction therapist at the New York Sex Addiction Center, says that when men view pornography at a young age, it can have long-term effects on their perceptions of relationships, sexual intimacy, and women.

“All you have to do is watch porn, and it’s there waiting for you, right? Whatever type of porn you want, whatever you’re interested in, it’s there,” says Salzman. “But now try translating that to the real world. But it doesn’t work. Your girlfriend or wife doesn’t necessarily want to do what you want to do, when you want to do it.”

The porn industry is growing rapidly. Recent analysis values ​​the adult entertainment market at more than $191 billion, with growth expected to reach nearly $275 billion by 2032.

Some parts of the internet even celebrate forced porn use. Entire discussion forums exist aimed at “optimizing” the illegal video viewing experience and discussing specific content. In 2024, Reddit banned a popular subreddit on the subject, although dozens of other subreddits remain active.

Max said that porn’s transition to the Internet coincided with his developmental years as a teenager. What started as looking through my dad’s vintage magazines and printing photos online has grown into something that is available 24/7.

Porn, which was his first introduction to sex, ended up driving a wedge into his relationship.

“I definitely realized that I often sexualize women, objectify them, and see them as more objects for my own pleasure rather than real human beings,” says Max.

This is where men seek help

Although the DSM-5 does not recognize compulsive porn use as a formal disorder, online communities of affected men say it feels like an addiction and people are constantly asking for help. A Reddit forum dedicated to quitting porn currently has more than 1 million members.

Max said talking to other men who had experienced compulsive porn use was the biggest motivation for his journey. More than a dozen Reddit groups dedicated to quitting porn collectively attract more than 500,000 visitors each week.

“I think this is the biggest thing affecting men today. It’s probably a bigger issue than anyone knows,” Max says.

For young men who struggle to find professional help because of the shame, guilt, and embarrassment associated with porn use, these groups provide a first step toward support. Group moderators lead monthly motivational challenges that users can sign up for. To track their accountability, some users list the number of days they have been porn-free in their user profiles.

Users say these groups have helped them gain accountability, restore relationships, and encourage them to seek professional help from a therapist or sex addiction support group.

Salzman says the value of these groups cannot be overstated.

“To know that there are actually other men going through the same thing, that there are men who can empathize with them and not judge them, and to hear from them what strategies have actually worked for them…I think that’s very helpful,” Salzman says.

Ryan, who uses Reddit forums to supplement the anonymous 12-step groups for sex addicts she participates in, says it took exploring these support spaces before she realized she had an abnormal relationship with sex.

“I had this idea in my head that anyone, male or female, would cheat if given the chance, and that everyone thought about sex the same way I did,” Ryan says. “When I listened to other people’s stories, I realized that it was completely different.”

How to get help for compulsive porn use

Ryan said recovery is a long road, but she’s focused on replacing porn with new healthy habits.

He deleted most of his social media and started reading before bed. He followed an intense training regimen. He was also looking for a hobby that would force him to leave home. He bought a membership to an archery club and joined a local Dungeons & Dragons group.

For the past 14 years, Ryan hasn’t known who he is without porn. The sense of isolation behind his addiction and the shame of hiding what he was going through led him to hide his personality from his friends and family.

Those urges are still there, but he feels ready to deal with them and for the first time feels hope that he can get through this.

Now he wants to find out who he is in an era without porn.

“One of the biggest motivations for staying clean is to understand who you really are and be able to be that person in front of everyone,” Ryan says.

Rachel Hale’s role covering youth mental health for USA TODAY is supported by a partnership with Pivotal and Journalism Funding Partners. Funders do not provide editorial input. Contact her at rhale@usatoday.com. @rachleighhale With X.

Mega Millions player in Ohio wins $60 million jackpot

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Mega Millions player in Ohio wins $60 million jackpot

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St. Patrick’s Day brought good luck to a lucky Irish lottery winner in Ohio who won a $60 million Mega Millions jackpot.

Just eight days after someone in Illinois won a $533 million Mega Millions jackpot, another person in Ohio won big on Tuesday, March 17, when he found a pot of money. With a cash value of $27.1 million, this jackpot is the second Mega Millions jackpot won in 2026.

Jackpot winners have two options to choose from. You can receive a one-time lump sum payment in cash, or you can receive an immediate payment followed by an annual check for 5% more than the previous year.

The prize was reset to $50 million because the jackpot was won during Tuesday night’s drawing.

Here’s what you need to know about the St. Patrick’s Day win.

What are the winning Mega Millions numbers for March 17, 2026?

The winning numbers for Tuesday, March 17th’s Mega Millions drawing are: 4, 11, 18, 38, 50, and the mega ball twenty four.

We have a Mega Millions jackpot winner! Where was the ticket sold?

Are there any big Mega Millions winners other than jackpots?

No, no one has won any Mega Millions Match 5 prizes.

When is the next Mega Millions drawing?

The next Mega Millions drawing is scheduled for Friday, March 20th at 11:00 PM ET.

Top 10 Mega Millions Jackpots

  • August 8, 2023, $1.602 billion in Florida.
  • $1.537 billion in South Carolina on October 23, 2018
  • January 1, 2023, $1.348 billion 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
  • January 22, 2021, $1.05 billion in Michigan
  • $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 lottery that is played in 45 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Each ticket costs $5, and players can choose six numbers from two different number pools: five different numbers from 1 to 70 (white balls) and one number from 1 to 24 (gold mega ball), or choose Easy Pick/Quick Pick.

If you match all six winning numbers in the drawing, you win the jackpot. If there are multiple jackpot winners, the jackpot prize will be shared.

How to play Mega Millions

To play Mega Millions, you must purchase a ticket. This can be done at several locations, including local convenience stores, gas stations, and grocery stores. In some states, you can purchase Mega Millions tickets online.

Once you have your ticket, you have to choose six numbers. Five of them are white balls ranging from 1 to 70. Gold Mega Balls range from 1 to 24.

If you’re feeling particularly unlucky or don’t want to go through the hassle of picking, you can request a “quick pick” or “easy pick.” When you use these options, your computer randomly generates numbers.

Mega Millions tickets have built-in multipliers that increase your non-jackpot prize by 2, 3, 4, 5, or 10 times. Previously, players had to pay an extra dollar to add a “Megaplier”.

Julia Gomez is USA TODAY’s trends reporter, covering popular toys, scientific research, natural disasters, holidays, and trending news. Connect with her on LinkedIn ×Instagram, TikTok: @juliamariegz or email jgomez@gannett.com..

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_.

Joe Kent’s wife was killed in an ISIS bombing. This is why he quit Team Trump

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Joe Kent’s wife was killed in an ISIS bombing. This is why he quit Team Trump

President Donald Trump’s top counterterrorism adviser, Joe Kent, resigned from his post less than a year after taking office in protest of the ongoing US-Israel-Iran war.

Kent’s announcement on Tuesday, March 17, that he is resigning as director of the US National Counterterrorism Center marks the first resignation by a senior Trump administration official over the war, which has entered its third week with no clear end in sight.

In a letter to Trump explaining his decision posted on social media, Kent said Iran did not pose a serious threat to the United States prior to the Feb. 28 joint U.S.-Israel attack that started the war.

“I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran,” Kent said in a statement. “Iran is not an immediate threat to our country and it is clear that we started this war under pressure from Israel and its powerful US lobby.”

In response, President Trump said on Tuesday, March 17, that he thought Kent was a “good person,” but criticized the counterterrorism chief as “very weak when it comes to national security.”

“When I read the statement, saying Iran was not a threat, I knew it was a good thing for me to resign,” Trump said. “Iran was a threat.”

When asked for comment on Kent’s letter, Delin Sousa, a spokesperson for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, told USA TODAY that the U.S. military is “valiantly” defending Israel from the Iranian regime.

Here’s what you need to know about Kent following his resignation.

Who is former counterterrorism chief Joe Kent?

Kent, whose full name is Joseph, is a native of Oregon and a graduate of Norwich University, where he studied strategic defense analysis, according to his official bio. He served in the U.S. Army for 20 years and completed 11 combat deployments, many in the Middle East.

Kent joined the Army at age 18, starting as an infantryman, then joining the Ranger Regiment and then Special Forces, also known as the Green Berets. In an entry on the political action committee’s website related to his candidacy for Congress, Kent wrote that he “volunteered into combat at every opportunity” after 9/11.

Kent received six Bronze Stars during his service. After retiring from the Army in 2018, he served as a paramilitary officer at the CIA’s Special Activities Center.

Kent served as Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard’s chief of staff in early 2025 before becoming director of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center a few months later.

His confirmation in July 2025 was met with pushback from dozens of civil rights groups and progressive organizations, including the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Western States Center. In a June letter to Sens. John Thune and Chuck Schumer, 48 national, state and local organizations opposed his nomination, citing a lack of preparation and a history of pro-conspiracy statements regarding the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

Kent said his resignation is effective immediately in a March 17 letter to Trump outlining his opposition to the U.S.-Israel war with Iran. His tenure as the country’s top counterterrorism official lasted less than eight months.

Joe Kent’s wife Shannon Kent killed in ISIS bombing

Kent’s first wife, Shannon Kent, was killed in an ISIS suicide bombing in Syria in 2019.

Kent co-authored a book, Send Me: The True Story of a Mother at War, about her life and career as a naval cryptologist, and has spoken frequently in interviews over the years about the impact of her death and her experiences in active combat zones. Three other Americans and more than a dozen civilians and coalition forces were killed in the ISIS bombing. The bombing targeted a street in Manbij in northeastern Syria that is frequented by American and coalition forces.

Kent cited Shannon’s death in a letter to Trump announcing his resignation from his counterterrorism post.

“I cannot support sending the next generation to fight and die in a war that is of no benefit to the American people and that does not justify the cost of American lives,” Kent wrote.

Joe Kent and Shannon Kent had two sons. Ken married Heather Kaiser, an artist and military veteran, in 2023.

2-time Republican Congressional Candidate

In an August 2024 podcast, Kent said he turned his attention to national issues during his transition from active duty, shortly after the death of his first wife. He told host Ryan Shaw that he was particularly motivated to run because of disagreements over the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, unrest in Portland during the pandemic, and anger at some Republicans who voted to impeach President Trump during his first term.

Kent has twice run for the 3rd Congressional District in western Washington, presenting himself as a conservative, pro-Trump candidate. He lost to Democrat Marie Grusenkamp Perez in both 2022 and 2024.

Both sides of Kent State were embroiled in controversy. In 2022, the Associated Press reported that he hired a campaign consultant who was a member of the Proud Boys. In a 2025 Mother Jones report, Kent reportedly said on a podcast that Black Lives Matter and Antifa should be treated “like terrorist organizations.”

Kathryn Palmer is USA TODAY’s political reporter. She can be reached at the following address: kapalmer@usatoday.com And to X@Kathryn Purml. Sign up for her daily politics newsletter here.

Will airports close?

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Will airports close?

good morning! I’m Daniel de Visé from Daily Money.

A partial government shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security has resulted in long lines at airport security counters. There is now a real possibility that this impasse could force some smaller airports to close.

Do I have to wait long for interest rates?

Currently, the Fed influences interest rates, and the committee is widely expected to leave them alone. Perhaps the bigger question is whether rate cuts are still on the table in 2026.

📰 Other stories you can’t miss 📰

📰 great read 📰

And here are some popular stories from our archives that you may have missed. Please read it! share!

A six-figure salary doesn’t mean what it once did. That’s the conclusion from a recent Harris poll: a six-figure income in 2025 equates to survival, but not necessarily success.

Daniel de Visse covers personal finance for USA TODAY. Daily Money analyzes complex consumer and financial news. Subscribe here.

Latest information on Senate and House elections

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Latest information on Senate and House elections

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There’s nothing like St. Patrick’s Day in Illinois.

Results from a busy primary election as of Wednesday morning, March 18, show blue states poised to choose their next slate of congressional leaders. The Senate, House and gubernatorial races were highlighted by the opportunity to replace longtime incumbent Sen. Dick Durbin, a liberal stalwart who is retiring after first being elected in 1996.

Here are the primary election results and what they mean for November’s midterm elections.

Senate election results

All eyes are on the Illinois Senate election to be held in 2026. Durbin, 81, is in contention for a seat in the U.S. Senate after announcing his retirement in April 2025. Durbin’s opening comes as Republicans struggle to maintain a majority on Capitol Hill that would ensure the success of President Donald Trump’s policies in a second term. Both Illinois senators are currently Democrats, with Durbin serving alongside Sen. Tammy Duckworth. Democrats in faithfully blue states are trying to lock down their strongholds.

On the Democratic ticket, Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton won by 40%, according to the Associated Press and CNN. She defeated Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthy, who had topped the polls in campaign funding. Stratton, backed by Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, will bring a more progressive agenda to the Capitol. She said she would not support Sen. Chuck Schumer as Democratic leader and advocated abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. If she wins in November, Stratton could become the sixth Black woman ever to serve in the Senate.

Key points for Illinois: A new face of the Democratic Party emerges

Stratton will face Republican Don Tracy, who won by a 39.8% margin, according to the Associated Press and CNN. Tracy is a former chairman of the Illinois Republican Party, a heavily Democratic state.

House race results

There is plenty of room for new members to enter the House of Representatives in January 2027. Voters in each of Illinois’ 17 congressional districts have cast their votes for one Republican and one Democrat on the November 2026 ballot to determine who is elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.

Their seats are up for grabs as two incumbent Illinois House members, Mr. Krishnamoorthy and Rep. Robin Kelly, are currently running for Senate. Two more seats remain open as Rep. Jan Schakowsky, 81, and Rep. Danny Davis, 84, announced their retirement. Fresh candidates continued to enter the race to fill these seats.

more: President Trump won’t waste time using Iran war to help federalize midterm elections | Opinion

Here are the results of these major races, according to AP and CNN:

  • District 2 (Kelly): Donna Kelly defeated the late civil rights leader’s son Jesse Jackson Jr., slowing his return to politics by 40%. She will face Republican Michael Noak, who ran unopposed.
  • District 7 (Davis): La’Shawn Ford won with 23.9% and Chad Coppie with 65%.
  • District 8 (Krishnamoorthi): Former Representative Melissa Bean won 31% of the Democratic ticket and regained her old seat. She will face Republican Jennifer Davis, who won with 51.5%.
  • District 9 (Shakowsky): Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss won with 29% and John Elson with 49%. Bis defeated a wealthy Gen Z opponent, Kat Abu Ghazaleh, who is influential among many opponents.

Pritzker tests president’s tone

Pritzker is looking at his campaign to become the first Democratic governor in the state’s history to serve a third term. Candidates for governor and lieutenant governor run on the same ticket. Pritzker and Christian Mitchell ran unopposed in Tuesday’s Democratic primary, giving him a boost in political appeal. Pritzker will face Republican Darren Bailey, who won by a 53% margin, in November, according to the Associated Press and CNN.

Pritzker, a possible 2028 Democratic presidential nominee, also criticized President Trump in his victory speech on March 17, calling him the Republican Party’s “dear leader.” He also spoke out against last year’s immigration enforcement campaign in the state, dubbed Operation Midway Blitz, and called Trump a “carnival barker in chief” and a “thieving commander in chief.”

Why is this race important?

Race in Illinois has state-level and national implications. For local voters, Tuesday’s primary brought a fresh dose of energy from newcomers intent on keeping the Democratic Party’s mission alive in resolutely green-light states.

And the impact on America is significant. The election comes as both parties seek to maintain control of Congress in order to block or ensure the success of President Trump’s policies in a second term.

Contributor: Philip Bailey, Jay Stahl

World Baseball Classic, March Madness, Iran, Illinois Election, SAVE Act, Spring Break: Daily Briefing

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World Baseball Classic, March Madness, Iran, Illinois Election, SAVE Act, Spring Break: Daily Briefing

Welcome to the daily briefing. Start with the following story.

nicole farato Here’s the news you need to know Wednesday from Team USA’s heartbreak as Trump administration officials resign following World Baseball Classic loss.

Why did Joe Kent resign?

The first high-ranking official in the Trump administration to resign over the US war with Iran.

Joe Kent, director of the US National Counterterrorism Center, resigned on March 17 after less than a year in office, saying he “could not in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran.”

“It is clear that Iran is not an immediate threat to our country and started this war under pressure from Israel and its powerful U.S. lobby,” Kent, a decorated former Army Ranger and CIA militia officer, said in a letter to President Donald Trump, who condemned his comments.

In his letter, Kent cited the death of his wife, Shannon Kent, who was killed by an ISIS suicide bomber in Syria in 2019. “I cannot support sending the next generation to fight and die in a war that is of no benefit to the American people and that does not justify the sacrifice of American lives,” Kent said in the letter.

More news you need to know right now

2026 Midterm Elections

Stratton wins Illinois Senate primary

Democratic Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton won the Illinois Senate primary, filling the seat vacated by longtime Sen. Dick Durbin. Progressives are now heading to the November election, where they could become the sixth Black woman to serve in the Senate.

world baseball classic

Team USA whiffs

On Tuesday night, the United States lost to Venezuela 3-2 in the World Baseball Classic title game. Some of the players became enraged and, upon receiving their silver medals on the field, tore their heads off before returning to the locker room. The American players admitted afterwards that although they wanted to win, they didn’t deserve to win. Either way, the USA TODAY sports columnist thinks this was the best WBC tournament of all time.

before going

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

Housewife murderer who sparked 9/11 reform is executed

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Housewife murderer who sparked 9/11 reform is executed

Michael King kidnapped Denise Amber Lee from her Florida home in broad daylight in 2008. Lee might have survived the ordeal if the 911 call hadn’t gone awry.

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Florida has executed a death row inmate for the rape and murder of a housewife. The death exposed vulnerabilities in the nation’s 911 system and led to reforms within the industry.

Michael King, 54, was executed by lethal injection on Tuesday, March 17, for the kidnapping, rape, and murder of Dennis Amber Lee, 21. King kidnapped the married mother of two young sons from her home in broad daylight on January 17, 2008, less than an hour after Lee’s husband returned from work.

Lee might have survived the ordeal had it not been for his botched 911 call.

A driver who heard Lee’s cries for her life and saw her struggling in the back seat of King’s car called 911 and remained on the line for nine minutes. Dispatchers were given real-time updates on Lee’s location as police swarmed the area searching for him. However, due to a series of errors and apparent incompetence, the dispatcher was unable to relay the information to police, who were seconds away.

Within hours of the call, Dr. King took Lee to a wooded area, fatally shot Lee in the face, and left his body in a shallow grave.

More than 18 years later, at 6:13 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Dr. King was pronounced dead in Florida’s death chamber. At the time of her death, Lee’s widow, eldest son, parents and siblings stood as witnesses, all wearing pink, her favorite color.

According to a news witness, Associated Press, King did not apologize or ask for forgiveness when he spoke his final words.

“Ever since I found Jesus in prison, I have tried to live as a disciple of Jesus by living the two great commandments: to love God with all my heart, mind and being, and to love my neighbor and everyone, including my family, Dennis Lee’s family and everyone in the gallery,” he said of the execution team in barely audible words relayed from Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office, reported by The Associated Press.

Here’s what you need to know about the execution, how a 911 dispatcher botched Lee’s rescue, and who is Dennis Amber Lee.

Dennis Amber Lee’s family speaks out after execution

Dennis Amber Lee’s father called his daughter a “hero” and Michael King a “coward” after witnessing her execution.

“The only thing that gave him courage that day was that he put a 9mm gun to his daughter’s head,” said Detective Rick Goff, who was a sergeant with the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Department at the time of the murder.

He said his daughter showed great courage in the back seat of Dr. King’s car and buried her wedding ring and much of her hair in the car to make sure investigators could identify her. The evidence proved important at trial.

“She took a murderer off the street,” Goff said. “She saved many lives through her actions.”

Dennis Amber Lee’s husband, Nathan Lee, said he was glad the execution was over so his family could focus on moving forward. Her eldest son, who was 2 years old when his mother was murdered, said the execution left him feeling confined.

“Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to know her and be raised by her,” Noah Lee said.

His brother, Tyler Lee, said the fact that King showed no apology or remorse “just shows what a true coward he is.”

What happened to Dennis Amber Lee?

On the afternoon of January 17, 2008, 21-year-old Dennis Amber Lee was at home in Northport, Florida, doing what she loves while caring for her sons, 2-year-old Noah and 6-month-old Adam. Her husband, Nathan Lee, worked one of three jobs that supported the family.

A man named Michael King was driving through the neighborhood looking for the victim when he spotted Lee cutting Noah’s hair on her front porch.

Although no one saw what happened, Dr. King was able to kidnap Lee at gunpoint. When Nathan Lee returned home less than an hour later, around 3:20 p.m., he found his house locked. Also inside were the wallets, keys and phones of his sons and Dennis Lee. Realizing something was terribly wrong, he called 911. Dennis Lee’s father, a local sheriff’s sergeant, helped develop the massive police response.

About four hours after the kidnapping, Dennis Lee was able to use King’s phone to call 911 as police swarmed to find her. Before he knew it for more than six minutes, the phone was open and the dispatcher could hear everything. The recording of the call was harrowing and heartbreaking, with Dennis Lee sobbing and pleading for his life.

“I just want to see my family. Please release me,” she cried. “God help me!”

For more than six minutes, the dispatcher sounded at times disinterested and at other times irritated. She said “hello” 13 times as Lee cried hysterically, and it was clear that Lee was unable to speak freely, continuing to ask her name, location, address, and how long she had been away from home, even after Lee had given her some of those answers. The dispatcher offered no sympathy or comfort, at one point asking Lee if the kidnapper could turn off the radio.

About 15 minutes later, another 911 call came in from a woman named Jane Kowalski. Dennis Lee was seen banging on the back window of King’s car and he heard her scream for help.

For many minutes, Kowalski relayed the exact location of her car, information that could have led officers directly to her. However, 911 dispatchers were unable to get critical information to the many police officers desperately searching for Dennis Lee. Nathan Lee said the dispatcher who answered the call had not entered the information into the computer, which angered his fellow dispatchers, and that the failure was largely due to a dispute between the three. Nathan Lee later filed a civil lawsuit over the matter, which the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office settled in 2012 for $1.2 million.

As part of the settlement, the sheriff’s office admitted no wrongdoing. Two of the dispatchers were suspended for several days, Nathan Lee said.

Today, Nathan Lee runs the Dennis Amber Lee Foundation, which is dedicated to improving 911 systems across the country. Lee travels around the country telling dispatchers his wife’s story in hopes that no one else will have to go through what he did.

As a result of the foundation’s work and the lessons learned from Dennis Lee’s murder, many states, including Florida, have passed legislation that strengthens training requirements for dispatchers, he said. His wife’s case is so notorious in the industry that “trainers and placement centers across the country tell every new employee about Dennis,” he said.

“She’s important and she’s making a difference,” Nathan Lee said. “And that’s all you can do after this. Just hope she doesn’t die in vain.”

More information about who Denise Amber Lee is

Denise Amber Lee is the daughter of a sergeant with the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Department and grew up with her siblings in Englewood, Florida, just south of Sarasota on the Gulf Coast.

She met her future husband while they were both taking a calculus class at a local community college. Nathan Lee recently told USA TODAY that he knew right away that Dennis was the perfect fit for him.

“Obviously she was beautiful… She was intelligent, she was really smart, and I could see that she was a little goofy. I really liked that,” he told USA TODAY. “Once we started dating, I knew right away early on. I knew I had met my future wife.”

He said that’s how she saw him. “As if I was the most important person on earth to her,” he recalled.

When Denise became pregnant, the couple’s parents wanted them to get married. Although his proposal wasn’t all that romantic, it says everything about how perfect Dennis and Nathan were for each other.

“We were just sitting on the couch in my apartment and I almost asked her, ‘What do you think about the whole marriage thing?'” he recalled. “She was like, ‘You can get married.’ And I’m like, ‘It’s okay to get married.’ So we went to Walmart and got her an engagement ring. ”

He said, “It sounds really cheesy, but we didn’t care.”

“She just wanted to marry me and I wanted to marry her,” he said. “We didn’t care how fancy it was. She just loved me.”

Dennis wanted to become a lawyer, but that was put on the back burner when the couple married and had their first son, Noah, when he was 19. Our second son, Adam, was born about 18 months later. After that, Dennis wanted to have a daughter and was considering a career as a child speech therapist. As she researched why it took her oldest son a while to start talking, she became passionate about it.

“She loved children. I don’t think she realized how much she loved them until they were born,” Nathan Lee said. “The moment she first held Noah in her arms, she fell in love. Same with Adam. She was definitely born for it.”

Who is Michael King?

Michael King was a 36-year-old unemployed plumber with no significant criminal history at the time of Dennis Lee’s murder. He grew up with his three brothers in Pontiac, Michigan, and had moved to Northport, Florida, just days before killing Lee.

According to archived news articles from the Sarasota Herald Tribune, part of the USA TODAY network, King’s relationships with women have been troubled, with his own wife criticizing him and calling him meek and deceitful.

King has faced sexual harassment allegations from various women, with one woman claiming he raped her, but none of the allegations were reported to police, the Herald Tribune reported.

His family reported that Dr. King was capable of big talk, was somewhat slow-witted, and sometimes acted like an “eccentric.” King’s family believes his behavior stems from a childhood sledding accident in which his head slammed into a metal post in a barn, an injury that caused him to hear buzzing noises in his head at night even as an adult, King’s family told the newspaper.

Dr. King’s lawyers recently petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to halt the execution, citing concerns about how the state carried out lethal injections. The state attorney general’s office dismissed their claims as “merely buying time.”

His last meal before his execution was pizza, ice cream, and soda.

Among the witnesses to the execution were Dennis Lee’s husband, parents, and brother.

“The word ‘closure’ is thrown around so casually. You don’t get closure in a situation like this,” Nathan Lee told USA TODAY before his execution. “We all stood in front of the courthouse the day he was sentenced, and we all knew we needed to be there when this day came. We needed to come together and be there for Dennis.”

Florida’s rapid execution rate continues

Michael King will be the seventh person executed this year in the United States, and the fourth in Florida alone, as the Sunshine State continues its rapid pace of executions.

Last year, 47 inmates were executed in the United States, a number not seen since 2009. Of those, a state record 19 were executed in Florida, accounting for about 40%. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis began signing more death warrants last year than any governor in Florida history, and the increase remains steady.

DeSantis said the inmates being executed are the worst of the worst, and he wants to bring closure to victims who have waited, sometimes for decades, for justice.

The next execution in the United States will be that of James Duckett on March 31st in Florida. Duckett was convicted in 1987 of raping and killing 11-year-old Teresa Mae McAbee, a 30-year-old rookie police officer in Mascot, about 30 miles west of Orlando.

Contributor: Kim Luciani Sarasota Herald Tribune, part of the USA TODAY Network

Amanda Lee Myers is a senior crime reporter covering cold case investigations and capital punishment for USA TODAY. Follow her on X at @amandaleeusat.

WNBA and Players Association agree in principle on new CBA

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WNBA and Players Association agree in principle on new CBA

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After another 16 months of negotiations, the WNBA and Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) reached an agreement in principle on a new collective bargaining agreement on Wednesday, March 18th.

Details such as the length of the contract have not yet been decided. WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said the season will open as scheduled on May 8 and training camp will begin as scheduled on April 19.

“First, I would like to thank you for your patience throughout this process, especially as we know it has been a long week,” Engelbert said in a statement. “I just want to say that we have agreed on key elements of the new collective bargaining agreement. Although we still need to finalize a formal term sheet, the progress made in these discussions represents a transformative step forward for our players and our league.” “This underscores our shared commitment to the continued growth of the game, so we will share additional details as they become available.

“We just congratulated each other. It’s obviously been a journey, but we’re very proud to be leading the women’s sport. These players are amazing and we’re going to have a great 30th season in May.”

The CBA brings to an end months of tense negotiations between the players’ union and the league, including an eight-day and 100-hour marathon negotiation between March 10th and March 18th.

The previous CBA, which went into effect in January 2020 shortly after Cathy Engelbert was named the league’s first commissioner in 2019, was scheduled to expire in 2027 after eight seasons. However, amid the league’s unprecedented growth, the WNBPA exercised its right to opt out of the agreement in October 2024, setting the expiration date of the 2020 CBA to October 31, 2025.

At the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis in July, WNBA players spotlighted CBA negotiations, with all participants wearing black warm-up shirts that read “Pay Us What You Owe Us.”

WNBPA president and Seattle Storm All-Star Nneka Ogwumike said last July: “We’re seeing growth in the league, but as it stands right now, with the current salary structure, we’re not really paying what we’re supposed to be paying.” “We want to make sure that we continue to have our fair share of that, especially given all the investment that goes into it, and we want to make sure that the pay is reflected in a structure that makes sense for us.”

The new salary structure was the main issue in the negotiations. Engelbert said the league wanted to “significantly increase (players’) salaries and benefits” and work out “transformative contracts” for players, but both sides proposed different approaches. The WNBA proposed a fixed salary cap and a salary structure separate from revenue.

Negotiations reached a boiling point in October 2025, with both sides issuing conflicting statements about who was to blame for the impasse. At the time, the WNBPA claimed the league was offering “more of the same content” in one of its latest proposals, while the WNBA accused the players’ association of “publicly spreading misinformation.”

Just before the October 2025 deadline, the WNBA and WNBPA agreed to a 30-day extension, extending negotiations through November 30, 2025. Once the November deadline arrived, both sides extended collective bargaining negotiations for a second time to avoid disruption to work, setting the new deadline to January 9, 2026, about six weeks later.

In December 2025, WNBA players voted to go on strike if the impasse in CBA negotiations continued with the league. Ultimately, the WNBA and players were unable to reach a new CBA agreement by the January 2026 deadline and entered a “status quo” period, a moratorium on continued negotiations. As negotiations continue, the WNBA has set a March 10 deadline for the new CBA term sheet to be completed to avoid delaying the start of the 2026 season.

Get to the heart of the news quickly with the USA TODAY app. Download award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, e-newspapers, and more.

Don’t have health insurance? These five states still impose fines.

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Don’t have health insurance? These five states still impose fines.

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Millions of Americans may have decided to drop their health insurance this year as additional federal aid from the coronavirus era expires, but people living in certain places may be paying a penalty for that choice.

The federal government ended penalties for Americans without health insurance in 2019, but four states and Washington, D.C., still impose penalties. The penalty, typically paid when filing state taxes, is intended to encourage healthy people to buy insurance and keep costs down for everyone.

These fines are sometimes referred to as “shared liability payments,” based on the idea that it is everyone’s responsibility to make health insurance available, affordable, and accessible, even if they cannot find affordable health insurance on their own. The only way to avoid fines is to get a waiver or get health insurance.

“The fines can be quite significant,” said Kiersten DeFleuri, a Medicare expert at Daniel A. White & Associates.

Where can I find my personal shared liability payments?

Americans living in California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Washington, D.C., are still subject to penalties if they do not have health insurance.

How much is the fine?

Fines vary by jurisdiction, but are generally a flat fee per person or a percentage of income, whichever is higher, up to the cost of the lowest-level health plan.

  • Californians who are uninsured and exempt for each month in 2025 for themselves and their dependents will pay $950 for each adult or more, $475 for each dependent child, or 2.5% of their gross income that exceeds the filing threshold for their filing status. Whichever is higher, according to the California Franchise Tax Board. Fines for an uninsured couple could be more than $1,900, and fines for a family of four with two dependent children could be more than $2,850, the report said.
  • Massachusetts imposes income-based penalties and caps are based on the lowest-cost ConnectorCare plan in 2025 or the lowest-cost individual bronze premium in the Affordable Care Act market.
  • New Jersey charges an amount based on your income and family size, and is capped at the average statewide annual premium for the New Jersey Bronze Health Plan. According to the state’s website, fines for each adult per month range from a minimum of $695 to a maximum of $4,908, depending on income.
  • Rhode Islanders who were uninsured last year will pay a flat fee of $57.92 per month per adult, $28.96 per month per child under 18, or 2.5% of their modified adjusted gross income in excess of the state’s filing threshold, whichever is greater. The total amount cannot exceed the average monthly cost of an ACA Exchange Bronze level health plan of $357.
  • In Washington, DC, you are taxed up to the greater of $795 per month per adult, $397.50 per child, $2,385 per family, or 2.5% of family income in excess of the federal tax filing threshold. Total payments are limited to the Bronze plan premium rate.

Are the fines still lighter than health insurance?

Experts say penalties generally don’t save much money, if any at all, because they’re meant to deter people from not buying health insurance.

Assuming New Jersey adults pay a flat monthly minimum fine of $695, Fleury said. Bronze plans in Jersey City, N.J., are available for between $350 and $1,400 a month, and “good plans are around $800 a month,” she said.

It might make sense to pay at least catastrophic or bronze-level health insurance, or $100 more than the penalty you’d pay for good insurance, she says.

Additionally, said Miklos Ringbauer, founder of MiklosCPA Inc. in Southern California, “the cost of doctor’s visits and penalties will probably exceed very basic health insurance.”

How can people avoid penalties?

To avoid penalties, people living in these states and Washington, D.C., can check to see if they qualify for an exemption or enroll in a minimum health insurance plan to meet the requirements.

Exemptions typically include financial hardship, inability to pay for insurance (if the basic plan premium exceeds a set percentage of household income), a short coverage gap, usually no more than three months, or income below the tax filing threshold.

Ringbauer said if you need to buy health insurance, check for state subsidies that can help lower insurance prices. More than 20 states have state exchange programs that could help fill the gap left when additional federal aid expires.

He said “these state exchanges are now financially strong enough” to be able to provide grants this year.

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.

Christine Cabot talks about her position with her ex-boss after Coldplay’s kissing cam

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Christine Cabot talks about her position with her ex-boss after Coldplay’s kissing cam

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Christine Cabot is looking to a future that doesn’t include former Astronomer CEO Andy Byron.

In a March 17 interview on The Oprah Podcast, Cabot opened up about the much-talked-about moment known as the Coldplay kiss cam that forever changed her and her family’s lives, and shared an update on her relationship with Byron.

“I ended my communication with Andy in mid-fall. There was a big mistake in terms of honesty and integrity,” Cabot told Oprah. “I wasn’t…he wasn’t. He wasn’t the person to express himself to me. And lying is not a non-negotiable for me.”

Rumors that the pair were having an affair quickly spread like wildfire, with frontman Chris Martin joking that they were having an affair and that they were both just really shy, shortly after the pair came into the spotlight after being photographed hugging on Coldplay’s kiss camera at a concert in July 2025.

Days after the video went viral, Mr. Byron tendered his resignation, and Mr. Cabot followed suit.

Is it time to move on? The Coldplay concert incident captivated the internet.

Cabot, who broke her silence in an interview with The New York Times on December 18, said that in the days and weeks that followed, she received hundreds of phone calls, death threats and verbal harassment while out in public, revealing that her personal information had been exposed.

“But I was left with my bag and I was not attacked for this. As you know, he remains silent,” Cabot said. “For me, that’s not a quality I look for in a friend, partner, or boss. So it’s not relevant right now.”

Cabot says Andy Byron wasn’t “as honest as he could have been.”

Ms. Cabot believed Ms. Byron had also broken up, but told Ms. Winfrey, “You missed the mark by being as honest as you could with me.” Byron has not publicly addressed the incident.

Cabot previously told the Times that this concert was the first time her relationship with Byron turned romantic. At lunch in 2025, she learned that she and Byron were separated from their respective spouses.

Cabot was separated from her husband and was in the middle of divorce proceedings at the time. She said she and Byron never even kissed before the concert, much less had a sexual relationship as some people assume.

After a few drinks, the two were caught up in the moment, but that feeling was shattered when he saw her, first on the Jumbotron and then again on social media.

“I want to be really careful because the world has spoken for me. I don’t want to do the same to other people and their families. It doesn’t feel good,” Cabot said. “But I will say that much of what was told to me was not true.”

Cabot, who said she was struggling to find work after the Coldplay kiss cam incident, believes the “whole trajectory” of the situation would have been different had Byron issued a prompt statement, like her husband Andrew.

“But it didn’t matter…It was great that Andrew did it, but it still left me…the tone changed a little bit,” Cabot said. “Okay, she separated, but he didn’t. So she’s still a home wrecker.”

Contributor: Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY

1 dead, 1 injured in shooting at U.S. Air Force base in New Mexico

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1 dead, 1 injured in shooting at U.S. Air Force base in New Mexico

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One person was killed and another injured in a shooting at a U.S. Air Force base in New Mexico on Tuesday, March 17, military officials announced.

Holloman Air Force Base, near the southern New Mexico city of Alamogordo, was placed on lockdown around 5:30 p.m. local time after reports of a gunman, the 49th Wing said in a statement. The lockdown was lifted soon after security force officials confirmed the area was safe.

Military officials did not provide details about the incident, but said one person was killed and another injured. According to the 49th Wing, the injured were transported for treatment.

War in Iran: Which US military bases did Iran target? Did Americans get killed?

“Paramedics are responding to the situation and there is no threat at this time,” the 49th Wing said in a statement.

Holloman Air Force Base was originally established in 1942 as an airfield approximately 90 miles north of El Paso, Texas and west of Alamogordo. The base is primarily home to the 49th Wing, which supports national security operations and provides “ready airmen and security personnel,” according to the base’s website.

Mega Millions winning numbers for March 17th drawing: $60 million jackpot

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Mega Millions winning numbers for March 17th drawing: $60 million jackpot

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The Mega Millions jackpot has risen ahead of the Tuesday, March 17th drawing, and now stands at $60 million, with a cash value of $27.1 million.

If someone is lucky enough to win the jackpot on Tuesday, they have two options. Take home one-time cash or get paid instantly, then receive an annual check that’s 5% larger than the previous year.

The Tuesday, March 10th jackpot winner became the first person to win the Mega Millions jackpot in 2026, according to the Lottery. The last jackpot was won on December 2nd in New Jersey. Since then, 28 drawings have been created.

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

March 10th Winner: Where were the tickets sold?

What are the winning Mega Millions numbers for March 17, 2026?

USA TODAY will publish the winning numbers for Tuesday’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 Friday, March 20th at 11:00 PM ET.

Top 10 Mega Millions Jackpots

  • August 8, 2023, $1.602 billion in Florida.
  • $1.537 billion in South Carolina on October 23, 2018
  • January 1, 2023, $1.348 billion 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
  • January 22, 2021, $1.05 billion in Michigan
  • $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

more: Which states have the most lottery winners? What you need to know.

What is Mega Millions?

Mega Millions is a lottery that is played in 45 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Each ticket costs $5, and players can choose six numbers from two different number pools: five different numbers from 1 to 70 (white balls) and one number from 1 to 24 (gold mega ball), or choose Easy Pick/Quick Pick.

If you match all six winning numbers in the drawing, you win the jackpot. If there are multiple jackpot winners, the jackpot prize will be shared.

How to play Mega Millions

To play Mega Millions, you must purchase a ticket. This can be done at several locations, including local convenience stores, gas stations, and grocery stores. In some states, you can purchase Mega Millions tickets online.

Once you have your ticket, you have to choose six numbers. Five of them are white balls ranging from 1 to 70. Gold Mega Balls range from 1 to 24.

If you’re feeling particularly unlucky or don’t want to go through the hassle of picking, you can request a “quick pick” or “easy pick.” When you use these options, your computer randomly generates numbers.

Mega Millions tickets have built-in multipliers that increase your non-jackpot prize by 2, 3, 4, 5, or 10 times. Previously, players had to pay an extra dollar to add a “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_.

2026 was the greatest World Baseball Classic ever

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2026 was the greatest World Baseball Classic ever

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At the conclusion of each Olympic Games, it is fairly standard operating procedure that an immediate meeting of the IOC presides over the closing ceremony and declares it the greatest Games of all time.

Well, that might be a stretch for this 6th annual World Baseball Classic. This event is definitely on the upswing, but it’s not as great as the action between the lines.

Suffice it to say that this match was pretty great, as Venezuela shocked in all the knockout games and kept events from peaking with Team USA facing the Dominican Republic in the semifinals.

No, it redefined the story of the players, the team, the country, and the event itself, and was good all the way to the end. So let’s take a look at this year’s WBC winners and losers.

winner

WBC legitimacy

Even the pickiest ball fan has to admit that this event is pretty compelling. At the same time, while the matches may be exciting, the stakes can feel a little empty. Players choosing not to participate, insurance concerns about leaving other star players out, and pitchers coming and going from the team (did Jeff Hoffman accept a silver medal?) remind us that this is, in fact, the middle of spring training.

But Venezuela’s tight 3-2 victory over Team USA in the championship was as much as they deserved. Because that’s how Venezuelans played.

Their bullpen had to absorb 7 2/3 innings to beat Italy in the semifinals the night before. Still, there was no rest day, and relief pitchers Eduardo Bazardo, Angel Zerpa, Andres Machado, and Danny Palencia worked consecutive shifts with adrenaline pumping in October mode, even though it was mid-March.

It’s not necessarily good for the body, but we wish these young people the best of luck in the future. Still, Venezuelan manager Omar López added great weight to the event by ironing out the details, getting the OK from his relievers’ major league clubs, and directing them to the game of their lives.

Wylya Abreu

There was no sign of WBC MVP Michael Garcia, but Abreu turned this WBC around with one swing of the bat. In the quarterfinal match against Japan, he hit a three-run homer in the sixth inning, turning Venezuela’s 4-2 deficit into a 5-4 lead.

It’s not easy to beat a defending champion and three-time titlist, but Abreu’s victory over Japanese relief pitcher Hiromi Ito turned the entire atmosphere of the tournament upside down. Venezuela then rode that momentum to the championship game, taking a 2-0 lead on Abreu’s Nolan McLean home run and ultimately winning 3-2.

Abreu is quietly a great all-around player, winning two Gold Gloves with the Boston Red Sox and posting 3.2 WAR in just 373 at-bats last year. Now that he’s 27 years old, it’s no exaggeration to say that a star is born.

kansas city royals

They were everywhere in this tournament, from Garcia’s heroics with Venezuela and Salvy Perez’s dignity to Bobby Witt Jr.’s head-turning play with the United States to Vinny Pasquantino and Jack Calianone smashing long balls, pouring espressos and pecks on the cheeks in the dugout for Italy.

Perhaps no one benefited more from the WBC than Carianone, who went 4-for-14 with a .500 OBP in five games. There are few players with more power, but Carianone struggled with too many swings and misses a year ago. Perhaps this will be a good starting point for his second season.

roman anthony

It was a good tournament for the Red Sox outfield. Anthony’s home run was the winning run in the semifinals against the Dominican Republic, and he earned all-tournament honors with two home runs, seven RBIs, and a .920 OPS. Perhaps more importantly, the 21-year-old was named Team USA’s “rookie,” forcing him to procure an oversized radio and carry it around to grab a few cold drinks.

But this was the right environment for Anthony, reuniting him with Alex Bregman for a few weeks and also giving him a dozen older brothers to absorb knowledge from.

Anthony is going to be a superstar. Being around such talented people and actively participating will only accelerate the process.

team canada

It’s surprising that Canada hasn’t been able to make it out of pool play in the past four WBCs, especially since Canada typically ranks just behind the Dominican Republic and Venezuela in the supply of major leaguers.

However, that curse was broken when he defeated Cuba, a blue-blooded player in the WBC, to advance to the quarterfinals. They gave Team USA a big scare, losing 5-3 in the semifinals.

With more young talent emerging to join the Naylor brothers and other top contenders – imagine Jonah Tong becoming staff ace at the next WBC – this should be just the beginning of Canada’s rise.

ABS challenge system

You may have been anxious about that, perhaps since the full implementation will start from next week’s opening day. Maybe after the WBC semi-finals we’ll understand the turnaround a little more.

loser

team usa

There’s no getting around it. When the rest of the world is having the time of their lives and you’re as tight-lipped as a drill sergeant, the only acceptable outcome is a championship. Unless you win the gold medal, it’s not worth playing Squidward when every other country is SpongeBob.

However, I will not go too deeply into psychoanalysis. It’s baseball, single-elimination baseball, and the results don’t necessarily reflect the deeper story.

However, it is said that if you feel good, you will play well. And every time Fox’s cameras panned to the American dugout, it seemed like no one was in a good mood.

mark de rosa

His LinkedIn can be configured in one of two ways:

He led Team USA to back-to-back championship game appearances.

Or: Lost consecutive gold medal matches by one point.

Hey, it’s hard to lead the finest collection of world-class talent this side of Santo Domingo through grueling rounds of pool and three knockout games when there’s only one acceptable outcome. I also don’t envy juggling egos and expectations while worrying about the whims and concerns of dozens of major league teams who care more about the WBC than about a game being played in Yolo County in mid-May. And we continue to address tie-breaker scenarios.

aaron judge

Judge is far from the playoff loser many believe him to be (Yankee Stadium’s left field foul pole is probably still ringing from the ALDS). However, although this man was named the captain of this team and smashed the long ball twice, in the semifinals and championship, he did not perform well in the most important situations, with one hit in eight at bats and five strikeouts.

Similarly, snippets of his speech to the team posted on social media probably didn’t demonstrate his leadership in a macro sense. Still, he was the tone-setter for a team that felt like the atmosphere was just bad — even though the team insisted one guy “like being with everyone.”

Really.

The biggest advantage of WBC is the big tent atmosphere. From the working-class Czech Republic to star-studded clubs from the Americas, this 20-team bazaar has something for everyone.

And that’s what makes the six-team Olympics feel a little less inclusive.

With Venezuela and the Dominican Republic to name two, there will be no Canada or Puerto Rico, and the United States will occupy the continental portion of the Americas as the host country. Even though major leaguers have more freedom from pitch counts and other restrictions, they already feel small.

5 takeaways from the Illinois primary

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5 takeaways from the Illinois primary

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Democratic voters itching for a new direction in the 2026 primary season took advantage of a rare opportunity to significantly realign the national party by endorsing a new generation of faces in the March 17 Illinois primary.

The biggest issue in the election was choosing a successor to the retiring longtime incumbent Dick Durbin, the poster child for liberals in the U.S. Senate since he was first elected in 1996.

As Democrats continue to block Homeland Security funding, candidates for the Senate seat are primarily fighting over President Donald Trump’s aggressive deportation campaign, which saw immigration enforcement agents and National Guard troops flood Chicago as part of last year’s “Operation Midway Blitz.”

But at least four other races for seats in solidly blue states have funneled millions of dollars from outside groups seeking to influence the outcome and direction of the wave of progress sweeping through multiple states.

Here are the key takeaways from Tuesday’s results:

Stratton wins overwhelming victory in Senate primary

For much of the campaign, Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton trailed Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthy, who has a huge campaign fund, according to polls.

That was until late February, and the 60-year-old South Side Chicago native was emerging in more ways than one.

She called for the abolition of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement during a debate and released a profanity-laced campaign ad in which voters taunted Trump, highlighting progressive voters’ anger over the Trump administration’s 2025 “Operation Midway Blitz.”

But Stratton also said he would not support Sen. Chuck Schumer, considered a litmus test for progressive Senate candidates across the country, for Democratic leadership. She has benefited greatly from being Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s biggest ally, and he funneled about $5 million to groups supporting her campaign.

Stratton led for most of the night by a wide margin in Cook County, which includes Chicago, but also did well in other parts of the Prairie State, including counties that are home to major universities.

“The message tonight is clear: We are ready to take our democracy back into our own hands,” Stratton told supporters in his victory speech in Chicago. “Courage inspired me to run. Courage fueled this campaign. Courage will bring this fight squarely to Donald Trump.”

Illinois’ Senate race is rated by forecasters as a solidly blue state, meaning Stratton is likely to win the general election and could become the sixth Black woman to serve in the Senate. That would make her the third Black woman to serve in the Senate, joining Angela Allsbrooks of Maryland and Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware, and the most to serve in the Senate at the same time.

Pritzker mocks President Trump by showing Illinois advantage

Pritzker is one of the rumored 2028 presidential candidates, so the March 17 campaign was more of a test of his political skills than anything else. He reportedly donated more than $5 million to the Illinois Future PAC to support Stratton’s campaign.

“I’m proud to have run with her in the past two elections, proud to have worked with her for the past seven years, and proud to support her campaign for the U.S. Senate,” Pritzker said. “She is an outstanding, kind and honest person who truly loves this state and is grateful for all that we have accomplished.”

Mr. Pritzker also participated in the vote and ran unopposed, then began seeking the Democratic Party’s nomination for a third term. He will face Republican Darren Bailey in a rematch from the 2022 election. Illinois’ governor touted plans to “Fight for Our Future,” including adopting a “21st Century Housing Plan” and vowing to lower electricity rates across Illinois.

He also criticized President Trump in his March 17 victory speech, calling him the Republican Party’s “dear leader.” He also spoke out against last year’s immigration enforcement campaign in the state, dubbed Operation Midway Blitz, and called Trump a “carnival barker in chief” and a “thieving commander in chief.”

Trump also did not spare Illinois leaders. During the president’s usually good-natured turkey pardon before Thanksgiving, he called Pritzker a “big, fat slob” during the ceremony.

A new face of the Democratic Party emerges

It was a lucky day for three high-profile new and one returning members of Congress who won competitive primaries in Illinois on St. Patrick’s Day and are expected to join Congress this fall.

Donna Miller defeated Jesse Jackson Jr., the son of the late civil rights leader, thwarting his attempt at a political comeback and won his former seat covering Illinois’ 2nd Congressional District, and La’Shawn Ford will replace Danny Davis in the 7th Congressional District, both in downtown Chicago.

Former Congresswoman Melissa Bean is running to represent the 8th Congressional District, which covers the suburbs of Krishnamoorthi city, to reclaim her old seat in Congress after leaving Krishnamoorthi.

And Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss defeated Kat Abu-Ghazaleh, an affluent Gen Z opponent and influential figure among many opponents in Illinois’ 9th Congressional District.

The newcomers arrive as Americans call for generational change in politics.

Progressive vs. AIPAC

One of the features of the Illinois Congressional Primary was a focus on the role played by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) in these elections.

Groups associated with pro-Israel groups have spent about $21 million on these races, as progressives turn against their U.S. ally over the way the war is being waged in Gaza. For example, a Quinnipiac University poll released this month found that 62% of Democrats think the United States supports Israel too much.

Mr. Bean, who left Congress 10 years ago, was seen as a more moderate candidate in the 8th Congressional District race in suburban Chicago, defeating progressive Junaid Ahmed in a race largely based on their differing views on Israel.

Midterm elections: Can President Trump avoid the “MAGA misfire” issue in the 2026 primaries?

AIPAC spent about $665,000 on ads against Ahmed, while other progressive groups involved in the race, including Justice Democrats PAC, spent about $56,000 on attack ads against Bean.

But in other contests, AIPAC’s preferred candidates did not win.

The Progressive Change Campaign Committee, an influential liberal group, noted that Bis’ victory came even though pro-Israel groups spent about $5 million on ads attacking Bis and Abu-Ghazaleh and backed state Sen. Laura Fine in that race.

“The real debate within the Democratic Party is not whether progressive economic policies appeal to voters,” PCCC co-founder Adam Green told USA TODAY in a statement. “It’s whether candidates who truly believe in these ideas can compete with an industry that is willing to spend millions of dollars to co-opt that message to support candidates who will never actually challenge power.”

Abu Ghazaleh’s defeat shows the limits of ‘influencer’ campaigns

In a parliamentary election that drew national attention, Bis’ victory over former journalist and activist Kat Abu Ghazaleh showed that the trust built with voters can outlast social media juggernauts.

Mr. Abu Ghazaleh boasts more than 650,000 followers on social media and led the industry in raising more than $3 million since his candidacy, according to campaign finance data. But critics of the 26-year-old influencer called her an outsider, having moved to the state just two years ago.

Mr. Biss, 48, served as a member of both chambers of the Illinois State House before becoming mayor of Evanston, home of Northwestern University.

Both had similar progressive platforms and confronted federal agents during “Operation Midway Blitz.” But like many other races in the state, criticism of support for Israel and AIPAC became a defining feature of the home state.

The infighting within the party’s left also demonstrated the dangers of a coalition that cannot unite around a single candidate. Abu Ghazaleh is expected to fall short of the nomination with fewer votes than fellow pro-Palestinian candidate Bushra Amiwala.

The latter blamed the delayed support it received from a super PAC that shares a vendor with AIPAC, according to the New York Times. Abu Ghazaleh supporters called on Amiwala to withdraw from the race in comments on his Instagram video rejecting the PAC’s support.

Beautyblender and Glow Recipe collaborate with watermelon sponge

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Beautyblender and Glow Recipe collaborate with watermelon sponge

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Beautyblender has taken on a new form.

The iconic makeup sponge brand is collaborating with skincare brand Glow Recipe to launch a limited-edition watermelon-shaped sponge for “seamless skincare application.”

The Watermelon Glow Beautyblender sponge is part of a new collaborative kit that includes:

  • Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops – 15ml
  • Watermelon Glow Ultra Fine Mist – 30ml
  • Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dewy Flash – 12ml

A sponge that can be used for both skin care and makeup

“Celebrating our first-ever collaboration with the Beauty Blender Sponge, this launch marks a new evolution in Beauty Blender that expands beyond makeup to include skin care,” the company said in a news release, adding, “This set combines Glow Recipe’s cult-favorite Watermelon Glow Essentials with a custom Watermelon Glow Beauty Blender designed to work in both skin care and makeup.”

Beautyblender said the new sponge, with its “ultra-soft texture, ergonomic shape, and embossed watermelon seeds,” helps “push and distribute moisturizing ingredients into the skin, increasing absorption and creating a smoother, more radiant finish.”

The brand added that the sponge minimizes product waste, redistributes product evenly and “provides a seamless glow.”

When will Glow Recipe’s Beautyblender kit be available?

The Glow Recipe x Beautyblender Kit will be available exclusively on the Sephora app starting March 17th, online starting March 18th, and in-store starting March 20th. Retail price is $48.

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Contact her at sshafiq@usatodayco.com and follow X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.

Gen Z has rebranded meditation as vulgar. Can attention span be modified?

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Gen Z has rebranded meditation as vulgar. Can attention span be modified?

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Leave it to Gen Z to rebrand their alone time.

A wellness challenge is going viral on TikTok, and despite its eyebrow-raising name, mental health experts say it has real benefits. This is called “live dog boredom,” and similar to the popular travel trend of “live dogging” your flight by doing nothing for the entire flight, this trend involves allocating a set amount of time to sit alone without any distracting technology.

That means no phones, no TV, and no music. Just you, your thoughts, and your boredom.

Some videos of people squirming and attempting the challenge have gone viral online. Some commenters have noted that this trend is not necessarily revolutionary. One commenter likened it to “Gen Z’s reinvention of meditation.”

And you know what? That’s perfectly fine, says Stephanie Sarkis, a psychotherapist who specializes in ADHD and anxiety. She says it’s never a bad idea to step away from technology and focus on mindfulness.

“Anytime you can unplug and just be in the moment is healthy,” she says. “When you’re not doing anything and just sitting and thinking, it really helps you process what’s happening to you and your emotions. This is very common, especially if you’re using devices to try to avoid feeling things.”

TikTok, is short-form content ruining our attention spans?

The erosion of our society’s collective attention span by TikTok and other short-form video apps has been something of a joke for some time now. And unfortunately, this seems to be true. Research shows that short videos have a negative impact on attention.

That doesn’t mean you should never scroll through funny clips on your phone. But that means it needs to be done in moderation.

more: Gwyneth Paltrow swears this meditation technique changed her life. So I tried it out with my girlfriend.

Serkis says it’s sometimes good to balance the constant flow of technological stimulation with intentional boredom.

“Many people have reached saturation on social media, and we are all looking for ways to stay in the moment,” she says. “We know that there is research showing that mindfulness can help improve quality of life.”

Additionally, she says that processing emotions is an important life skill. Numbing ourselves with technology can hinder that.

“Before social media, sometimes I would just sit and process things,” she says. “Doing nothing is a big part of life.”

How to meditate correctly

So how can we deal with “raw boredom”? Well, it might be helpful to look at some basic meditation principles. Here are some meditation tips from a mindfulness expert previously shared with USA TODAY.

  • Get comfortable by eliminating distractions. “Make sure you are in a quiet environment, free from distractions, and wearing comfortable clothing. You should not feel cramped in any way,” said clinical psychologist Juanita Guerra.
  • Select a specific time period. “If you’re new to meditation, I recommend starting small, with short, easy practices,” says Daniel Cacioppo, instructor and coordinator of meditation, yoga, and mindfulness at Yale University. “Try setting a timer for two minutes to start, because most people aren’t ready to sit in silence for 30 or 45 minutes at first.”

I stayed at the real “White Lotus” weekend hotel. It wasn’t what I expected.

  • Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. “Sit comfortably, breathe in and out, and end the exercise when the timer goes off,” Cacioppo says.
  • Increase the length of your future meditation sessions until you find the duration and technique that works for you. “Repeat this short exercise throughout the day as needed, gradually increasing the time as needed,” Cacioppo said. “This is a skill that can be learned and takes practice and patience.”

Contributor: Darryl Austin

Which car brand will be most trusted in 2026? Lexus tops new survey

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Which car brand will be most trusted in 2026? Lexus tops new survey

While some of the most trusted car brands reflect other research and rankings, others may come as a shock to drivers.

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  • JD Power’s research identified the most trusted car brands by measuring issues experienced by original owners of cars from three years ago.
  • Lexus, Toyota’s luxury car division, has been ranked as the most reliable car brand in 2026.
  • The study found that the industry average is 204 problems per 100 vehicles.

With new car prices on the rise, there’s no doubt that choosing a reliable car brand is more important than ever for the average American driver.

A reliable new car can easily go over 200,000 miles if properly cared for. Regular maintenance is very helpful, but some vehicles are more reliable than others. J.D. Power conducted a reliability study of its U.S. vehicles to identify “issues experienced by the original owners of the three-year-old vehicles.”

The study yielded a list of car brands with the fewest problems per 100 cars. These are the most reliable car brands in 2026, according to a vehicle reliability study conducted by JD Power.

MINI produces the most reliable vehicles, says JD Power

MINI, the British car brand that makes the MINI Cooper, produces vehicles with the fewest problems, according to J.D. Power.

MINI currently produces the MINI Cooper and MINI Countryman models. Highly customizable British cars have unique exterior designs. MINI vehicles resemble go-karts and handle like one thanks to quick steering and engaging driving dynamics.

The British brand has been using components and engines co-developed with German luxury car manufacturer BMW since 2001. MINI simplifies the design of its best-selling vehicles and delivers predictable reliability year after year, earning it a top three spot on J.D. Power’s 2026 Most Trusted Automotive Brands list.

more: What is the least reliable car brand? Find out

Buick builds reliable American cars based on research results

Buick, a General Motors brand, holds the title of second most trusted car brand in 2026, according to J.D. Power. The American automaker produces several notable SUV nameplates, including one of its newest models, the Buick Envista.

Buick’s new SUV is affordable yet upscale, with a premium interior and upper trim packed with great features. GM’s Chevrolet and Cadillac brands are also among the top 10 most reliable cars, based on JD Power’s findings.

Lexus will be J.D. Power’s least problematic car brand in 2026

Toyota’s luxury brand, Lexus, has carved out an identity all its own, but the use of some reliable parts, components, and designs has earned Toyota its place as one of the most consistently reliable automotive brands in the industry.

Lexus ranks at the top of JD Power’s list of most trusted car brands. The company’s vehicles may be more expensive than Toyota vehicles, but Lexus models add a level of refinement and performance that sets them apart from their parent company. Lexus also ranked in the top three on Consumer Reports’ 2025 Most Trusted New Car Brands list.

Models such as the midsize SUV RX are the best-selling vehicles in their respective segments. Lexus, like Toyota, also produces several hybrid vehicles to replace its most popular SUV nameplates, such as the NX and RX. These options offer better fuel efficiency and more power at a small price increase.

The 10 Most Trusted Car Brands According to JD Power Research

The study conducted by J.D. Power includes 30 car brands that produce gasoline, hybrid, electric, truck, and SUV models. Only 10 brands have 194 issues per 100 or fewer vehicles.

10 Most Trusted Car Brands in 2026 (from least to most problems per 100 cars)

  • lexus
  • buick
  • mini
  • Cadillac
  • chevrolet
  • Subaru
  • porsche
  • toyota
  • come
  • nissan

JD Power found that the industry standard is 204 problems per 100 vehicles. If you’re looking for a new car that’s affordable to maintain, the top three brands on this list are worth considering.

Charles Singh is an Autos Connect reporter for The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network. Please contact CSingh@Gannett.com.

Magnetic games sold on Amazon recalled due to risk of serious injury

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Magnetic games sold on Amazon recalled due to risk of serious injury

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The magnetic chess game is being recalled due to the risk of serious injury or death from magnetic ingestion, according to a recall notice from the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

According to the CPSC, the Kluster Fun Tabletop Magnet Chess Game was recalled on March 12 because the game violates mandatory toy standards because a strong magnet that fits inside the agency’s small parts cylinder is loose and poses a risk of ingestion to children.

The game includes magnets that are approximately 0.5 to 1 inch wide and 0.3 to 0.4 inch tall. The unit will be sold in a black box with the word “Kluster” on the front.

According to the notice, the game includes approximately 24 magnets, an orange string, an instruction manual and a black storage pouch with “Kluster” printed on the front. The game was sold in a white pouch with gameplay instructions on the back.

If ingested, the magnets attract each other and can become stuck in the digestive system, causing perforation, twisting or obstruction of the intestines, sepsis and death, the notice states.

Approximately 151,600 games are affected.

What to do if you have a recalled game

Stoney Games is advising purchasers to immediately stop using the recalled magnet games, keep them away from children, and contact the company for instructions on how to dispose of the recalled magnets and how to receive a replacement magnet that does not have small parts, the notice states.

No injuries or incidents related to the recall have been reported.

These games were sold for $15 to $20 from October 2018 to September 2025 at independent game stores nationwide and online at Klustermagnets.com, Amazon.com, and Etsy.com.

The game was manufactured in China and the recall number was 26-319.

How to contact the manufacturer

For more information, contact Stoney Games Monday through Friday at 800-362-0977, email klusterrecall@gmail.com, or online at www.klustermagnets.com/recall or at www.klustermagnets.com by clicking “Recall” at the top of the page.

Michelle Del Rey is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Please contact mdelrey@usatoday.com.

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