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Watch the live stream of Dick Cheney’s funeral

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Watch the live stream of Dick Cheney’s funeral

Funeral services for former US Vice President Dick Cheney will be held on Thursday, November 20th in Washington, DC.

The former vice president died on November 3 of complications from pneumonia and cardiovascular disease, according to his family. He was 84 years old.

The 11 a.m. ET service at Washington National Cathedral will be by invitation only, the Gothic cathedral announced Thursday, Nov. 13.

The general public can also watch the service online. The cathedral said safety measures would be put in place “to ensure the health and safety” of invited guests and staff in attendance.

Watch USA TODAY’s livestream of the former vice president’s funeral at the top of this article.

George W. Bush, Liz Cheney, and others: Who will speak at former Vice President Dick Cheney’s funeral?

When did Cheney become president?

Cheney served in the Bush administration from 2001 to 2009 and was considered one of Bush’s most powerful and controversial figures, largely due to his role in leading the push to invade Iraq in 2003.

After the Jan. 6, 2021, riot, he turned into a critic of President Donald Trump and said he would vote for former Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election, USA TODAY previously reported.

Who will give the eulogy at Dick Cheney’s funeral?

The Rev. Randolph Marshall Hollerith, dean of the Washington National Cathedral, will deliver the sermon.

Who will speak at Cheney’s funeral?

Speakers at the former vice president’s funeral include:

  • George W. Bush, 43rd President of the United States
  • Dr. Jonathan Reiner, Professor of Medicine and Surgery, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences
  • dick cheney’s grandchildren
  • Liz Cheney (Dick Cheney’s daughter)

Natalie Neisa Alland is a senior reporter at USA TODAY. Contact her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her at X @nataliealund.

Military obstetrician-gynecologist who secretly photographed women was ‘predator in military uniform,’ suit says

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Military obstetrician-gynecologist who secretly photographed women was ‘predator in military uniform,’ suit says

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The woman said she went to the obstetrics and gynecology clinic at Fort Hood, an Army base in Texas, nearly a year ago because she didn’t know what to take for sinus infections during pregnancy.

She said the doctor, Maj. Blaine McGraw, rubbed his knee while examining her neck and throat. She recalled to USA TODAY that he urged her to undergo a vaginal exam, tried to tear off her leggings and touched her genitals. She said the doctor laughed when she told him to stop.

The woman is one of more than 1,400 McGraw patients contacted by the Army in a snowballing investigation into Dr. McGraw’s conduct at the third-largest U.S. military base. The military said it is “contacting all patients seen by (medical center) health care providers during their tenure, even if there is currently no indication that we believe they have been affected by the allegations of misconduct that are currently under investigation.”

One patient who was approached by law enforcement about McGraw’s alleged misconduct filed a complaint in Texas court on November 10, alleging that McGraw sexually exploited women in his care for years and the military repeatedly failed to intervene.

The civil suit alleges the military kept McGraw on staff at Fort Hood and before that, at Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii starting in 2019, despite patient complaints. According to the lawsuit, he secretly videotaped patients during pelvic exams and made lewd comments to them.

“The coaches ignored the warnings, laughed off the credible allegations, and allowed McGraw to continue practicing,” the complaint states. “The Army sheltered a predator in uniform.”

Plaintiffs’ attorney Andrew Kobos said he has heard about McGraw’s alleged misconduct from dozens of other women with accounts.

The plaintiffs are not named in the lawsuit. USA TODAY is not publishing the name of the person who reported the sexual assault.

more: Fort Hood murder of Vanessa Guillen leaves family grieving and holding clues

McGraw moved to Hawaii in 2019 and arrived in Texas in late 2022, according to public records.

According to the Army’s Nov. 10 update, McGraw was suspended from practicing at Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center on Oct. 17 “in response to patient allegations.” Mr. McGraw has not been charged with a crime.

“Dr. McGraw is fully cooperating with the investigation,” attorney Dan Conway said in a statement. “However, there is reason to believe that Army special agents are providing inaccurate and exaggerated information to the public.

“We can think of no other reason for the inaccurate disclosure than to influence the outcome of the case. Nevertheless, we continue to be cooperative.”

Conway, whose office is in San Antonio, said he had not seen a copy of the lawsuit filed Nov. 10 in Texas civil court.

Cobos, the plaintiff’s attorney, said the extensive investigation began when a military husband reported to Army investigators that he had witnessed McGraw secretly recording videos while examining his wife. Plaintiff was among 1,400 patients contacted after that initial report. Cobos said he is currently representing 56 women who have made similar claims against McGraw.

According to the complaint, the “whistleblower husband” requested a meeting with Army leadership but was “refused at all levels.”

Army spokesman Col. Kamil Starkoper countered that her husband was unable to meet with army leaders. He said the deputy chief of staff, command sergeant major and hospital director from III Armored Corps, headquartered at Fort Hood, met with the man and his wife.

Five years ago, Fort Hood became the focus of national accountability for the Army’s failure to stop sexual harassment within its ranks.

Vanessa Guillen, a 20-year-old soldier on the base, was brutally murdered, and it took months for searchers to discover her dismembered and burned body. Guillén said she had been sexually harassed by friends and family. An independent investigation found that Fort Hood leadership tolerated a “permissive environment” for sexual assault and harassment.

Guillén’s family lobbied in Washington, D.C., Congress acted, and the military ultimately moved internal sexual assault and harassment investigations out of its chain of command.

“I was always looking after myself.”

Two accusers, the plaintiff and another woman represented by Kobos, told USA TODAY that they saw McGraw for health concerns and routine exams. They claim they left his office with lingering trauma and shattered trust, and that the military failed to check on them or provide care.

The woman who sued McGraw said her husband was a longtime veteran of the military and left his first appointment with McGraw excited. Doctors were careful and attended to the woman’s hormonal issues and pelvic pain.

more: Eliminating the Confederacy: Army renames iconic Fort Hood and Fort Benning bases

His behavior afterward was strange, the woman told USA TODAY. During the breast exam, he allegedly made “unflattering comments” complimenting her body. She added that he called her after hours and made comments that went beyond the doctor-patient relationship.

Then, on October 17, the Army’s Criminal Investigation Division called a woman whose husband had served in the military for more than 20 years and asked her to come to the scene and identify photos that appeared to be of her own face and body. Investigators said McGraw had secretly videotaped a chest and pelvic exam several days earlier.

During the examination, the woman recalled that McGraw spoke into the phone as if he were answering the phone, even though the phone was not ringing. He then allegedly shoved his phone into his front pocket with the camera facing outward.

After meeting with investigators, the woman sat alone in her car crying.

“It felt like it had been groomed the whole time,” she says.

“I can’t get that out of my head.”

Nearly a year after her experience with McGraw, the woman who suffered from sinusitis told USA TODAY through sobs that she still struggles to bond with her children and be intimate with her husband. A male doctor causes a visceral panic. She suddenly starts crying while going about her daily life.

“I can’t get it out of my head,” she said. “It just keeps playing over and over again.”

When McGraw pulled down her leggings and tried to touch her, she remembers saying, “If you don’t let go right now, I’m going to punch you in the face.”

The woman recalled tearfully telling a company clerk that day what had happened and begging him to report it. The person at the counter said no one was available and told her to “call or email.”

She said she called the hospital seven times to report it. Each time, she was ignored, hung up on, and pulled aside.

In mid-November, when Army investigators contacted the new mother about her experience with McGraw and learned how many other women had accused him, she said she threw up.

The Army did not provide her with trauma counseling, she said. Instead, the agent handed her a “one-page pamphlet.”

The Army said that since the investigation began, Darnall Medical Center has “increased its call center staff and extended its 24/7 operating hours.”

Starkoper said Army investigators also provided “additional resources” as needed after interviewing McGraw’s patients.

But the new mother said she felt ignored.

“You can’t hide everything,” the woman said. “People need to take responsibility.”

Who went home on ‘Survivor 49’?

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Who went home on ‘Survivor 49’?

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Playing both sides on “Survivor” is great, in theory, until both sides start talking to each other.

This strategy led to the downfall of one castaway on the Wednesday, Nov. 19 episode of the reality competition series, where players vote against each other while surviving on the island.

Season 49’s Merge started out as a battle of Hina vs. Uri tribes, but the latest polls have proven the game to be much more fluid. After Michelle “MC” Chukwujek was voted out last week, several contestants were clearly shocked that Sophie Segreti (in yellow) remained in the game, and the reaction made her uncomfortable.

On the other hand (blue), Sophie Balerdi, Rizo Velovic and Savannah Louie continue to play from the bottom with several advantages such as extra votes, immunity idols and “knowledge is power”.

Here’s who went home on tonight’s episode.

Who was voted off on ‘Survivor’?

Alex Moore, 27, a political communications director in Washington, became the third juror after being blindsided by six negative votes.

His allies from Illinois, Stephen Lamb and Christina Mills, were also blindsided as they both voted for Sophie (in blue), while Alex cast his lone vote for target Lizzo. Rizzo led the charge against Alex after crediting him for effectively cooperating against the rival alliances.

This strategy has previously worked for players joining the merge from the Disaster Tribe.

At his retirement press conference, Alex said, “Honestly, I can’t say I’m surprised. I’m sitting here a little too loose-lipped.” “I know everyone at home calls me a softie, but I killed two chickens and brought home four fish for my tribe, so I’m a lot tougher than I think I am. And I know I’m a stronger person because of being here.”

With Alex’s exit, Sophie (in blue) becomes the only survivor of the infamous Kele tribe. The Kele lost three immunity challenges and had one player medically evacuated after being bitten by a snake.

How to watch ‘Survivor’ Season 49

Subscribers to the Paramount+ with Showtime plan can watch on CBS or live stream on Paramount+. Subscribers to Paramount+ plans can stream episodes the next day.

The first 48 seasons of the show are all available to stream with a Paramount+ subscription.

Watch all seasons of Survivor on Paramount+

Who is the host of “Survivor”?

Jeff Probst has hosted every season of the show since 2000 and is also an executive producer.

Who will stay on ‘Survivor’ season 49?

Here are the final eight of ‘Survivor’ season 49.

  • Jawan Pitts: 28 year old video editor from Salem, New Jersey
  • Christina Mills: 36 year old MBA career coach from Houston
  • Rizo Velovic: A 25-year-old technology salesman from Yonkers, New York.
  • Sage Ahrens Nichols: 30 year old clinical social worker from Roxboro, North Carolina
  • Savannah Louie: 31-year-old marketing strategist and former reporter from Walnut Creek, California.
  • Sophie Bareldi: 27 year old entrepreneur from Miami
  • Sophie’s secret: 31-year-old strategist from Darnestown, Maryland.
  • Stephen Copper: 35-year-old rocket scientist from Littleton, Colorado

Where was “Survivor” filmed?

Survivor has been filmed in Fiji’s Mamanuca Islands for the past 16 seasons. The show has previously been held in remote locations around the globe, from the Australian outback and China to the Philippines and Guatemala.

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What are the winning numbers for Powerball’s $593 million jackpot?

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What are the winning numbers for Powerball’s 3 million jackpot?

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The Powerball jackpot rose to $593 million for the Wednesday, Nov. 19 drawing after no one won the top prize on Monday, Nov. 17.

If the ticket matches all five numbers and the Powerball in the 11 p.m. ET drawing, the winner can elect a one-time cash payment of $277.6 million before taxes.

Top 10 Powerball Jackpots

  1. $2.04 billion – November 7, 2022 – California
  2. $1.787 billion – September 6, 2025 – Missouri, Texas
  3. $1.765 billion – October 11, 2023 – California
  4. $1.586 billion – January 13, 2016 – California, Florida, Tennessee
  5. $1.326 billion – April 6, 2024 – or
  6. $1.08 billion – July 19, 2023 – California
  7. $842.4 million – January 1, 2024 – Michigan
  8. $768.4 million – March 27, 2019 – Wisconsin
  9. $758.7 million – August 23, 2017 – Massachusetts
  10. $754.6 million – February 6, 2023 – Washington State

Check below to find out the winning numbers for the November 19th Powerball drawing.

Powerball winning numbers for November 19, 2025

The winning numbers for Wednesday, November 19th drawing are 10, 31, 49, 51, 68 and 19 for Powerball. The “power play” multiplier is 2x.

The lottery winning numbers sponsors are: Jackpocket is the official digital lottery carrier of the USA TODAY Network.

Has anyone won Powerball?

Powerball winners will be posted here as soon as they are announced by lottery officials.

To find a complete list of past Powerball winners, go to Click on the link to the lottery website.

When is the next Powerball drawing?

The next drawing will take place on Saturday, November 22nd at just after 11pm ET.

How to play Powerball

To play Powerball, you must purchase a $2 ticket. This can be done at a variety of locations, including local convenience stores, gas stations, and grocery stores. In some states, you can purchase Powerball tickets online.

Once you have your ticket, you have to choose six numbers. Five of them are white balls with numbers from 1 to 69. The red Powerball range is 1-26. You can also add a “Power Play” for $1, which increases your winnings on all non-jackpot prizes.

“Power Play” multipliers allow you to increase your winnings by 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, or 10x.

If you’re feeling unlucky or just want to let the computer do the work for you, you can take advantage of the “Quick Pick” option, where a computer-generated number is printed on your Powerball ticket. To win the jackpot, players must match all five white balls and the red Powerball in any order.

Powerball drawings are held on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday nights. The winnings continue to increase even if no one wins the jackpot.

Where to buy lottery tickets

Tickets can be purchased directly at gas stations, convenience stores, grocery stores, etc. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.

You can also order tickets online Jackpocket, USA TODAY Network’s official digital lottery delivery companythe following U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington DC, and West Virginia. With the Jackpocket app, you can choose your lottery games and numbers, place your order, check your tickets, and Claim all your winnings using your mobile phone or home computer.

Jackpocket is the official digital lottery carrier of USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue from viewer referrals to the Jackpocket Service. Must be 18 years or older, 21 years or older in Arizona, 19 years or older in Nebraska. Not affiliated with any state lottery. Gambling problem? Call 1-877-8-HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 1-800-327-5050(MA); 1-877-MYLIMIT (OR); 1-800-981-0023 (PR); 1-800-GAMBLER (ALL OTHERS). visit jackpocket.com/tos Over the entire period.

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

Florida’s ‘vicious’ murderer to be executed 37 years after murder

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Florida’s ‘vicious’ murderer to be executed 37 years after murder

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Florida plans to execute a death row inmate for the “brutal and prolonged” rape and murder of a beloved convenience store manager who interfered during a robbery nearly 40 years ago.

Richard Barry Randolph, 63, is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection on Thursday, November 20th, for the 1988 murder of Minnie Ruth McCollum in the small town of East Palatka, Florida. If the execution goes as expected, Randolph will become the 17th inmate executed in Florida this year (a record) and the 44th in the United States, a number not seen since 2010.

John Tanner, the former prosecutor who tried Randolph in 1989, told USA TODAY that this case stands out among the many he has worked on because of the prolonged brutality that McCollum experienced.

“She knew he was going to kill her,” Tanner said this week. “He was completely insane, so violent that there was no humanity left in him.”

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When and where will Richard Barry Randolph be executed?

Richard Barry Randolph is scheduled to be executed on Thursday, November 20th at 6pm ET at the Florida State Penitentiary in Raeford.

What was Richard Barry Randolph convicted of?

On August 15, 1988, 27-year-old Richard Barry Randolph broke into the safe of the convenient Handy Way he worked in East Palatka, Florida, about 40 miles east of Gainesville. However, according to court records, a former co-worker, Minnie Ruth McCallum, 62, barged in.

That’s when Randolph attacked. According to court records, the man punched McCollum in the head, kicked him, choked him and stabbed him with a knife. During that time, I took a break and tried to get into the safe. Prosecutors said Randolph then raped McCollum and left her for dead.

McCallum survived for six days, but died in hospital from his wounds.

Although Randolph was unable to access the safe, he fled the store with the stolen lottery tickets and McCollum’s car. He was later convicted of first-degree murder, sexual assault, armed robbery, and grand theft of a motor vehicle, and sentenced to death.

“His statements reflect the fact that he was much stronger than she realized and that he had to repeatedly beat and choke her,” 7th Circuit Judge Robert Perry said in his sentencing for Randolph. “It is clear that the victim was distressed about her injuries and impending death, as she repeatedly screamed during the beating, strangulation, and throat stabbing.”

Who is Minnie McCollum?

USA TODAY was unable to determine whether McCallum had any surviving family members, and the Florida Attorney General’s Office did not respond to requests to contact them to tell her story.

Tanner recalled that McCallum seemed especially beloved in East Palatka, especially among Handy Way’s customers.

“She was kind of a celebrity. Working at a small convenience store in Palatka, everyone gets to know everyone,” he said. “They thought of her so much. The people who called us said she was just a great person and they wanted him to pay the penalty for what he did.”

In archived news reports, her last name is spelled McCallum, McCallum, McCallum. The attorney general’s office did not respond to repeated efforts by USA TODAY to confirm the correct spelling of her name.

FamilySearch, a popular genealogy site run by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, lists her name as Minnie Ruth McCollum and describes her as the mother of one son who has been married to her husband for 47 years. Her son and husband are both listed as deceased.

Who is Richard Barry Randolph?

Randolph’s trial attorneys argued that he did not deserve the death penalty for a number of reasons. Randolph was an adopted child who never had a loving relationship with his mother, had antisocial disorders and was under the influence of crack cocaine at the time of McCallum’s murder.

Judge Perry rejected these claims, stating that he was loved by both of his adoptive parents, that his personality disorder had nothing to do with the crime, and that claims that he was mentally unstable were “selfish”.

The judge said that because McCallum and Randolph were former co-workers, Randolph “determined that it was necessary to silence the victim to prevent discovery and arrest.” “It is clear that she could have positively identified him,” the judge wrote.

Randolph’s current lawyers are seeking a halt to the execution, arguing in part that the three drugs Florida uses for the lethal injection will cause Randolph to die a “torturous” death due to lupus.

They claimed Randolph had a good childhood and countered that his adoptive father was abusive and his adoptive mother had a drinking problem. His lawyers said he had been repeatedly hospitalized for psychiatric reasons. They also noted Randolph’s “growth as a person and positive career behind bars” during the nearly 40 years he spent behind bars.

The Florida Supreme Court rejected those arguments, calling McCollum’s attack “brutal and prolonged” and saying it was too late to challenge his execution because of lupus.

“Randolph admitted that he was diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus in 1990 and had suffered from the disease his entire life. Moreover, the current three-drug protocol has remained essentially unchanged since then,” the court wrote. “If so, the facts on which this claim is based have been available since at least 2017. Randolph’s current claims, brought eight years later, are untimely.”

How many more people will be executed this year?

Three more inmates are scheduled to be executed by the end of the year, all of whom have been involved in violence against women, Harold Nichols said. tennessee On December 11, 21-year-old Karen Pooley was charged with raping and murdering Mark Gerards in 1988. florida On Dec. 12, Frank Asen Walls was charged with the stabbing death of 33-year-old housewife Tressa Pettibone during a home invasion robbery in 1989. florida On December 18th, he will be indicted for the serial murders of a couple that occurred in 1987, and he is believed to be a serial killer who has committed at least five murders.

Of the 43 executions carried out so far this year, 34 involved at least one female victim. Of these, 21 involved sexual violence against women and six were assaults against companions.

If the remaining executions scheduled for 2025 go ahead as scheduled, the United States will have put to death 47 inmates this year. The last time large numbers of prisoners were executed in the United States was 16 years ago, in 2009.

Experts blame the rise in executions on the political climate under pro-death penalty President Donald Trump and a more conservative U.S. Supreme Court.

Amanda Lee Myers is a senior crime reporter covering the death penalty for USA TODAY. Follow her on X at @amandaleeusat.

Ford holds race season opening event in Detroit

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Ford holds race season opening event in Detroit

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  • Ford Racing’s season presentation was previously held in Charlotte, North Carolina.
  • This event is invite-only and will also be livestreamed.

Ford Motor Co.’s future racing plans will be fully unveiled in January this year in Detroit.

The automaker will hold its Ford Racing Season Presentation in the Motor City the same week that the Detroit Auto Show begins.

The event is planned for January 15th at Michigan Central Station, where the automaker led a major renovation project for one of Detroit’s iconic buildings.

“We wanted a special location, a building with more history around it, to celebrate it for the company and the city,” said Mark Rushbrook, global director of Ford Racing. “We want to promote ourselves as America’s racing team.”

Rushbrook said the Detroit Auto Show will have media and industry days on Jan. 14-15 and will be open to the public at Huntington Place on Jan. 17, making it easier for industry and media members to attend the event.

The timing also allows Ford to celebrate 125 years of racing history dating back to 1901 and Henry Ford’s first and only race in the legendary sweepstakes, the Free Press reported as part of the USA TODAY Network.

In case you missed it: Ford Motor Company launches Ford Racing to align racing technology with everyday vehicles

The launch event, previously held in Charlotte, North Carolina, is now in its third year, making it a particularly important year for Ford as it returns to F1 with partner Red Bull for the first time in 22 years.

“For the first time, Red Bull will be showcasing two F1 teams at one event, and I can tell you that Ford is at the heart of this project,” Rushbrook said in a statement.

Rushbrook touted the invite-only event, which will also be livestreamed, to a “star-studded lineup of drivers, as well as employees, dealers, media, team owners and, of course, passionate fans.”

Company news will also be updated regularly, including the latest information since Ford announced in September that the automaker would be merging its road and racing programs into a single division called Ford Racing, as the company looks to better align what happens on the track with what it delivers to customers off the track, as previously reported by the Free Press.

Eric D. Lawrence is senior auto culture reporter for the Detroit Free Press. If you have any tips or suggestions, please contact us at elawrence@freepress.com. Become a subscriber. Submit a letter to the editor at freep.com/letters.

First human infection of avian influenza associated with rare virus strain

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First human infection of avian influenza associated with rare virus strain

Washington state health officials say the patient is older and has underlying health conditions. The person keeps poultry exposed to wild birds in his backyard.

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A type of bird flu that has never been transmitted to humans has infected a Washington state resident and left him hospitalized, state health officials said.

Washington State Department of Health officials said an elderly resident was hospitalized with flu-like symptoms in early November. Department of Health spokesman Roberto Bonacorso told USA TODAY on Nov. 19 that the person remains hospitalized. This person has underlying health conditions and keeps poultry in his backyard that has been exposed to wild birds.

Ministry of Health officials said this is the first time the person has been infected with influenza A H5, the bird flu. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the risk to the general public from avian influenza is low. Bonacorso said the health department has not identified any other infectious diseases associated with this case.

The case in Glades County, west of Seattle and on the Pacific coast, is the latest in a nationwide outbreak of avian influenza that has infected more than 1,000 herds in 17 U.S. states since the virus was first discovered in dairy cows in March 2024, according to the Department of Agriculture.

One death was confirmed related to the disease. In early January, a backyard flock keeper in Louisiana who was hospitalized with bird flu became infected with the D1.1 variant of the virus and became the first person in the United States to die from the disease. The person was reported to be over 65 years old and had underlying health conditions.

State and local health officials are working with the Washington State Department of Agriculture to investigate the latest source of infection.

Where does bird flu come from?

According to the Washington Department of Health, avian influenza is a disease caused by influenza A viruses found in wild waterfowl. The virus can spread to other birds and even mammals.

Health officials say most human cases occur in people who have been exposed to sick or infected animals. In humans, it can range from mild to severe. There was one death related to the disease.

According to the CDC, there have been 71 cases of avian influenza in humans. Of the cases, 41 were associated with infected dairy cows. 24 were associated with infected poultry. California has the highest number of infected people at 38.

The CDC says symptoms are similar to the common flu, including fever, chills, body aches, sore throat, eye irritation and fatigue.

Health officials say the risk of avian influenza tends to increase in the fall and winter as migratory birds carrying the virus move through the country.

According to the CDC, human-to-human transmission of avian influenza has not been confirmed.

Who is at risk?

The virus most commonly spreads among wild birds, but can also infect other mammals such as poultry, livestock, goats, coyotes, and opossums. An outbreak among chickens earlier this year caused a major egg shortage.

Infectious diseases can reduce a herd’s milk production by about a fifth, dairy industry experts say.

Those at highest risk of infection are farmers, animal care workers such as veterinarians, and other workers exposed to infected animals and animal products.

Raw or undercooked foods, such as cheese, can also carry the virus. The deaths of at least three domestic cats were linked to eating raw food contaminated with bird flu.

Shop early deals at Amazon, Walmart, Target, and more

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Shop early deals at Amazon, Walmart, Target, and more

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Black Friday may still be weeks away, but popular retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Target are already announcing early sales and big sales plans.

Thanks to changing consumer trends, sales once reserved for the day or weekend after Thanksgiving have expanded into the weeks before and after that day, giving consumers more opportunities to plan their holiday shopping and score more deals.

Whether you’re looking for the latest technology, toys and goods for your little ones, or a great deal on fashion and beauty products you’ve been holding off on, early savings events and Black Friday flash sales are the perfect time to cross items off your list.

Here’s our guide to preparing for Black Friday, including when and where to shop the hottest deals.

Please check before shopping: Save money with Black Friday shopping tips

When is Black Friday 2025?

Black Friday occurs the day after Thanksgiving, this year on Thursday, November 27th. That means the shopping holiday will be Friday, November 28th.

What is Black Friday?

Black Friday is known as one of the biggest shopping and sales events of the year. USA TODAY previously reported that Friday, which occurs the day after Thanksgiving, is believed to have received the title “Black Friday” when Philadelphia police coined the term in the 1950s to describe the chaos observed as out-of-town shoppers flocked to the city.

By 1961, the name had stuck in Philadelphia. But it wasn’t until the late 1980s that the day became nationally popular, and retailers seized the opportunity to reframe the day in a more positive light. They concocted an analogy in which a store went from being “in the red” (experiencing a budget deficit) to experiencing an explosion of sales the day after Thanksgiving and returning to “profitability” (making a profit).

Many people still believe this is the true origin of Black Friday’s name, according to a previous report by USA TODAY.

Shopping tips: Start your holiday shopping now with our 2025 Black Friday guide

When will Black Friday sales start in 2025?

As interest in online shopping increases, retailers are rolling out their “Black Friday” sales faster and extending their duration, giving customers more time to get their cash. We’re already seeing price cuts at many retailers, including Macy’s, Target, Walmart, Amazon, and Best Buy. However, some of the biggest deals are usually booked on the same day.

When does Amazon’s Black Friday start?

Amazon’s Black Friday 2025 sale begins early Thursday morning, November 20th. USA TODAY’s shopping team expects sales to roll out throughout Cyber ​​Week and the best deals to be announced on Black Friday before discounts end at the end of Cyber ​​Monday on Dec. 1.

This sale includes up to 50% off select Amazon devices, including Echo smart speakers, Fire smart TVs, Fire Stick, Kindle, and Ring doorbells. You can also save up to 55% off popular apparel and home brands like Levi’s, Carhartt, Nike, Dyson, KitchenAid, Bissell, and more.

When does Black Friday start at Walmart?

Walmart’s Black Friday sale begins exclusively online from November 25th to 27th and runs online and in stores from November 28th to 30th. The sale includes up to 60% off everything from cookware and beauty products to toys and clothing.

Ahead of Black Friday, Walmart is offering 50% off annual Walmart+ memberships, giving users early access to deals, free shipping, free delivery, Paramount+ streaming, fuel discounts, and more.

Walmart stores will be closed on Thanksgiving, but will open at 6 a.m. local time on Black Friday.

When does Black Friday start at Target?

Target’s week-long Black Friday event begins online on Sunday, November 23rd. The retailer offered weekly sales that started even earlier on Sunday, November 2nd, updated every Sunday, and continued until Christmas Eve. We also offer daily deals with even greater discounts (usually around 50% off).

This week’s sales (Nov. 16-22) include a $20 Thanksgiving meal for four, up to 40% off Christmas decorations, up to 50% off national toy brands, and discounts on technology products like Beats headphones and Samsung TVs.

Target will be closed on Thanksgiving Day. The store will open at 6am local time on Friday, November 28th.

When does Black Friday start at Best Buy?

Best Buy’s Black Friday sale starts a little over a week early on Thursday, November 20th.

After the initial release on November 21st, and on Black Friday itself, new discounts will be added to the sale, increasing prices for the holidays. And those who missed out on a good deal won’t have to wait long – Best Buy’s Cyber ​​Sunday and Monday sales begin shortly after Sunday, November 30th.

Sneak peeks include up to 25% off Apple products like the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and iPhone 16, up to 45% off laptops like the HP OmniBook tv set.

Best Buy will be closed on Thanksgiving and will open at 6 a.m. on Nov. 28 with extended hours until 10 p.m.

When does Black Friday start at Macy’s?

Macy’s has a number of Black Friday-related sales, the earliest of which was the “Parade of Sales,” which began on November 2nd. The department store’s Black Friday Early Access event was held from November 10th to 13th, the Black Friday Starts Now Sale was held from November 14th to 22nd, and the Black Friday Week Sale was held from November 23rd to 30th.

What’s the difference between all of this? Actually, there’s not much to it other than giving Macy’s a reason to offer discounts over time. Sale items include 40-50% off women’s shoes, 75% off fine jewelry, 50-60% off men’s coats, 20-40% off Lego construction sets, 70% off select mattresses, and $50-350 off Dyson home care products.

Macy’s stores will be closed on Thanksgiving Day and will reopen on Black Friday with extended hours from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

When does Black Friday start at Kohl’s?

Kohl’s, like its competitor Macy’s, will hold a Black Friday early access event from November 7th to 9th and extend its Black Friday week event from November 23rd to 29th.

During the event, shoppers can save 15% on eligible purchases and earn $15 in Kohl’s Cash for every $50 spent. A limited-time sale will be held online on Thursday, November 27th, and will run from Thursday, November 29th to Saturday. Saturday shoppers can also receive an additional $10 off eligible $50 purchases.

The sale includes 50% off games, puzzles and toys, 50% off clothing from Nike, Adidas and Under Armor, and nearly 60% off Toastmaster kitchen appliances.

Kohl’s stores will be closed on Thanksgiving and will open at 5 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 28.

When does Black Friday start at Ulta?

Ulta’s major Black Friday sale begins online on November 22nd at 8pm ET and in-store on November 23rd at 11am local time.

The popular Shark Beauty tools, which are real competitors to more expensive Dyson styling products, are now up to 40% off, along with the Morphe and Ulta Beauty collections. Luxury makeup and hair brands Tarte and It’s A 10 are offering 50% off products, Olaplex is 30% off and MILK is 35% off.

Ulta stores will be closed on Thanksgiving.

When does Sephora’s Black Friday start?

Beauty industry competitor Sephora is opting for a full Cyber ​​Week in 2025 starting on Monday, November 24th, with early access opening on its app on Saturday, November 22nd.

Unique deals are offered every day of the week, starting with an early in-app sale with 30% off Elemis and Pureology brands on Saturday, November 22nd, and 30% off on Biossance and Kate Somerville brands on Sunday, November 23rd.

Every day until Thursday, December 4th, NARS, Lancôme, Tarte, Anastasia Beverly Hills, Victor & Rolf, Urban Decay, Vegamore, Fresh, Sunday Riley, Fenty Beauty, Paula’s Choice, Drunk Elephant, Estée Lauder, Peter Thomas Roth, Ole Henriksen, Makeup Four Ever, Ralph Lauren, Ariana Grande, Youth to the People, First Aid, Too Faced, Bumble and Bumble, Milk Makeup, Marc Jacobs Fragrances, Laura Mercier, IT Cosmetics, Hugo Boss.

There will also be additional sales available through Monday, December 1st, including 50% off select beauty products and 50% off fragrances. Beauty Insiders can also receive free gifts with select purchases, including free sample bags and 4x points on fragrances.

Sephora typically has in-store sales on Black Friday, but the chain has not announced its plans for this year. However, all major sales will take place online.

President Trump signed the Epstein files bill. When will it be released?

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President Trump signed the Epstein files bill. When will it be released?

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President Donald Trump announced on November 19 that he has signed a bill requiring the Justice Department to release all files related to disgraced financier and indicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

President Trump made the announcement, claiming that the growing calls for transparency about Epstein’s relationships with the rich and powerful, including the president himself, are the “latest hoax” (sic) created by Democrats. He pointed to prominent Democrats with ties to Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019, including former President Bill Clinton and former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers.

After President Trump’s initial opposition to the bill prompted a backlash from members of his own party, particularly Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna and Republican Rep. Thomas Massie supported the bill.

The House passed the Epstein File Transparency Act by a vote of 427-1. About three hours later, the Senate followed suit, with Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York introducing a motion seeking unanimous consent.

Here’s what you need to know about when the Epstein files will be made public.

Now that Trump has signed the Epstein Files bill, what will happen next?

It’s unclear exactly when the Justice Department will release the documents.

The bill would authorize the Justice Department to release “all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials” obtained from the investigation into Epstein within 30 days. Files must be published in a “searchable and downloadable format.”

The bill would allow certain information to be kept private, including the victim’s identity, “child sexual material” and anything that could jeopardize an ongoing investigation. Attorney General Pam Bondi is being asked to provide Congress with a summary of the edits made and the legal justification for withholding the information.

“We will continue to follow the law with the utmost transparency while protecting victims,” ​​Bondi said on Nov. 19.

Days before calling on House Republicans to vote to release the Epstein files, President Trump ordered the Justice Department to launch an investigation into Democrats with ties to Epstein. Ty Cobb, who served as White House counsel during Trump’s first term, said in an interview with CNN that he believes Bondi will cite the ongoing investigation as a reason for not releasing the files.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said on November 19 that the “clear intention” of both chambers was to “get the information out” after both chambers voted overwhelmingly in favor of the bill.

Contributors: Melina Khan and Joey Garrison, USA TODAY

Amazon proposes extension of return period during 2025 year-end sales season

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Amazon proposes extension of return period during 2025 year-end sales season

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Amazon has announced that it is offering an extended return period for the 2025 holiday season to make the shopping experience for customers “as seamless and safe as possible.”

According to Amazon’s website, orders for “most items” purchased between November 1 and December 31 can be returned for a refund until January 31, 2026, as long as they are in original or unused condition.

“We understand that your purchase may not meet your expectations, or your needs may change,” Amazon says on its help and customer service page. “In those cases, we make it easy and convenient to complete your return.”

However, the e-commerce giant noted that exclusions apply and advised customers to check the product detail page for information about the product’s return eligibility before placing an order. For example, Apple-branded products purchased between November 1 and December 31 can be returned until January 15, 2026.

A refund will be issued if Amazon or the third-party seller receives the item and determines that it is eligible. Refunds may take up to 30 days to process.

Can I return anything purchased on Amazon?

According to Amazon, some items cannot be returned unless the item arrives damaged, defective, or significantly different. In this case, the customer can contact customer service. Items that cannot be returned include:

  • fresh food
  • Products that may pose potential health and safety risks when sold
  • Products with shipping restrictions
  • customized products
  • redeemable products
  • Amazon Pharmacy Products
  • pet pharmaceutical products
  • car
  • Items marked as “Final Sale”

How to return products on Amazon

To initiate a return for an item purchased on Amazon, go to Order Details and click the Return button next to the item.

Extended holiday return period for major retailers

Amazon isn’t the only retailer offering customers an extended return period. Best Buy, H&M, Macy’s, Target, and Walmart are also offering extended return windows for buyers. Our return policy is as follows:

  • Best Buy: Items purchased between October 31st and December 31st may be returned until January 15th, 2026, except for items purchased under a third-party agreement. For example, activatable devices (mobile phones, cellular tablets, mobile hotspots, cellular wearables). Learn more about Best Buy’s return policy.
  • Macy’s: Most items purchased in-store or online from October 6th to December 31st can be returned until January 31st, 2026. However, exceptions apply.
  • target: For eligible purchases made between November 1st and December 24th, the return period begins December 26th.
  • Walmart: Most items purchased in-store or online from October 1st to December 31st can be returned until January 31st, 2026, with the exception of some Marketplace products.

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Contact her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on Platform X, formerly known as Twitter @saman_shafiq7.

President Trump announces meeting with New York Mayor-elect Mamdani on Friday

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President Trump announces meeting with New York Mayor-elect Mamdani on Friday

The president announced on his social media platform Truth Social that the two men will meet in the Oval Office of the White House on November 21.

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President Donald Trump announced late on November 19 that he would meet with Zoran Mamdani, a democratic socialist and the next mayor of Trump’s hometown of New York City.

“Communist New York City Mayor Zoran ‘Kwame’ Mamdani has requested a meeting. It has been agreed that this meeting will be held in the Oval Office on Friday, November 21st,” the president said in a post on his social media platform Truth Social. “Details will be announced later!”

President Trump’s announcement of the summit came weeks after Mamdani defeated former Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who lost the primary and ran as an independent in the general election, on Nov. 4. The president has repeatedly criticized Mamdani, a 34-year-old former state lawmaker and Muslim who, like Trump, hails from Queens.

Mamdani spokeswoman Dora Pekek confirmed the two men would meet, saying, “As is customary for incoming mayoral administrations, the mayor-elect will be meeting with the president in Washington to discuss public safety, economic security, and the affordability agenda that more than 1 million New Yorkers voted for just two weeks ago.”

“I think the mayor of New York wants to meet with us and we’ll work something out, but he wants to come to Washington,” Trump told reporters on Nov. 16. “We want to see everything go well for New York.”

Mamdani’s spokesperson previously said the mayor-elect wants to discuss affordability issues in the city with the president. Mamdani promised to make New York more affordable.

“We are seeing his actions and the actions of the Washington administration have diametrically opposed effects for New Yorkers,” Mamdani said in a statement. “Frankly, I’m going to tell the president and others that these things need to change to make it easier for New Yorkers and Americans to get everyday necessities.”

Trump’s first comments after Mamdani’s election showed his distaste for New York City’s new leader.

“On November 5, 2024, the American people took back their government,” President Trump said at a business forum in Miami, Florida, the day after the election. “We have regained our sovereignty. We lost a little sovereignty last night in New York, but we will deal with it. Don’t worry.”

contributor kinsey crowley.

“The Feels” is a very delicate single mixer. I tried it.

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“The Feels” is a very delicate single mixer. I tried it.

LOS ANGELES — I don’t think I’ve ever hugged someone for so long in my life.

A few seconds ago, I was standing across from a stranger. Now we are in a full embrace, arms around each other. To be honest, I can’t even remember the person’s name. I’ve already forgotten how long the hug was supposed to last. A coordinator named Beth, with soft eyes and a gentle smile, guides us through a variety of touch-based exercises. And she should tell us when it’s time to let go. Still, it feels like a century ago.

So far this evening, I have looked into a stranger’s eyes for more than three minutes, placed my hand over another person’s heart, and placed their hand over mine. But this practice, the long hug, is basically the final boss of The Fields (and perhaps this touch single mixer is the most well-known practice). And I am determined to see it through, no matter how awkward it feels.

The Feels is a single mixer that employs a variety of touch-based techniques aimed at helping participants learn more about themselves, chip away at their defenses, and perhaps even fall in love in the process. The Level 1 experience I attended typically costs around $90-100, and in October I had the opportunity to observe the Level 2 version and interview The Fields mastermind Arie Hoffman. While researching for that article, Hoffman encouraged me to try The Fields for myself in November. My curiosity was piqued, so I couldn’t pass up this opportunity.

The situation is as follows.

The date broke. “The Fields” wants to fix that.

Hoffman has previously said Los Angeles is an interesting market for The Fields, and it’s understandable why. On the other hand, there are many people in this city who are deeply invested in psycho-spirituality. On the other side, one of the country’s most notorious image-driven dating scenes takes place.

But Hoffman has devised a way to counter the typical transactional nature of online dating. It’s about encouraging single people to have deep eye contact, spiritually centered conversations, and consensual touching. Touch a lot, a lot. Thus, The Fields was born.

Singles pay $200 Hugging each other in a dark room. Can “The Fields” solve dating problems?

Mixers may seem strange to some, but for Hoffman, who earned a master’s degree in psychology with a focus on spirituality from Columbia University, there is a method to the madness. By getting people out of their heads and in touch, she hopes to inspire them to forget their limiting beliefs and rules about dating. It worked for some people. Hoffman has heard stories of people getting engaged because of The Fields.

“A lot of what we’re trying to do is just get it into the body,” Hoffman told me in October. “There is incredible wisdom and information within the body. The body knows, ‘Is this person really with me? Is this person seeing me? Am I feeling good energetically?'”

I’m not an energy healer, but one of the things I enjoyed most about my time at The Fields was how open and motivated everyone there seemed. Sure, there was some nervous laughter at times. But everyone seemed relaxed, optimistic, and ready to try something new.

It had a distinctly different atmosphere than a typical singles event or dating app.

Did I fall in love at The Fields?

“Hey, how are you doing?” “How’s Saturday?” “What’s up?”

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve read these messages and likes from other people on dating apps. And, truth be told, I don’t really blame people for sticking with these safe openers (I’m also guilty of sending safe openers every now and then). Dating apps are strange, aren’t they? Humans didn’t evolve to fall in love over text. Plus, how else are you supposed to start a conversation with the limited information about someone available online?

Dating trends hit new lows this year. What is “throwing”, “shrecking” and “Banksy”?

While the touch practice was decent, my favorite part of The Feels were the conversation prompts that preceded it. Someone asked me to tell about a time when we had to face our own shadows. This was a question that the Carl Jung fan in me loved. Another asked us to share a time when being an underdog brought something positive to our lives. The other is the problems that surfaced in our past relationships and what might actually be behind them (oh).

What made The Fields feel so transgressive to me had less to do with the contact and more to do with how quickly and deeply the conversation went. Even if I didn’t have a romantic relationship, opening up to a stranger definitely felt therapeutic. These moments were typical of conversations on dating apps. They were much more human.

In conclusion, I couldn’t meet anyone I wanted to date. But as Hoffman told me in October, that’s not the point — and I went to work with that mindset. When you meet your person there, she thinks it’s great – some people do. But the real benefit, she says, is vulnerability and openness. That way, when you meet that person, you’ll be ready to form a deep and meaningful connection.

“The dream for me is that people take it off the mat and take it out into the world. That they ask deeper, more open questions. That they stop and say, ‘I just want to reflect positively on you.’ They stop and say, ‘Hey, can I have a little more hug?'” she says. “It’s not about meeting the love of your life. It’s about learning new tools.”

I will continue to carry these tools with me. Perhaps save the long, uninterrupted hugs until at least the second date.

2026 Honda Prelude arrives with high price and high expectations

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2026 Honda Prelude arrives with high price and high expectations

Justin Banner
|Motor Trend

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Few cars arrive with as much anticipation as the 2026 Honda Prelude. It brings back a beloved nameplate, carries on the coupe body style, and is a new sporty car in a world increasingly filled with appliance SUVs. Mr. Suar, you could say that this car is basically a Civic Hybrid Coupe with a new body, but the Civic Hybrid Sedan and Hatchback are at least better to drive and efficient to boot, especially considering the lack of a manual transmission. But now that we know prices start at over $43,000, we’re putting the brakes on our excitement a bit.

That said, the new performance coupe was a blast during my recent short drive in a prototype. Its chassis feels tuned in the best Honda fashion, and while the S+ shift system may be a little gimmicky, the simulated shifts are at least engaging. Importantly, while nearly every other new hybrid car wears an SUV badge, this one is a sleek two-door. There’s a lot to like about it, but the problem is that at $43,000, it’s very expensive. The Ford Mustang EcoBoost Premium starts at $38,430, the Subaru BRZ tS costs $39,530 (effectively with a six-speed manual), and even the BMW 230i Coupe comes in under that at $42,875. Not only are they cheap, they’re all rear-wheel drive and unapologetically great to drive.

Car purchase: Check out the safest sedans you can drive in 2025

Sure, the Prelude’s hybrid setup is unique, but that uniqueness may be its biggest challenge. At that price, buyers looking for performance might opt ​​for the cars mentioned above, while hybrid buyers might stick with more practical options from Honda or Toyota. The Civic Hybrid Sedan costs just over $30,000, and even the most expensive Civic Hybrid, the Sport Touring Hatchback, doesn’t exceed $35,000. At Toyota dealers, the RAV4 Hybrid Limited AWD costs $42,605, but even a fully optioned Prius Limited AWD will still leave some change in your pocket.

In case you missed it: Most fuel-efficient cars without a hybrid engine in 2024 and 2025

I can’t help but point out the similarities to the old CR-Z hybrid coupe. The car was fun, efficient, and advanced, but it basically answered a question no one asked. As we wrote when the CR-Z was dropped, “The CR-Z had no direct competitors, filling a niche that no one knew existed.” The Prelude is in danger of suffering the same fate as the sharp, capable hybrid coupes that enthusiasts admire, but few will actually buy, especially without a manual option. History is full of great cars that were off the mark in price and positioning.

2026 Honda Prelude Price Manufacturer’s suggested retail price
base $43,195

Photo courtesy of Honda, Motor Trend staff

James Comey scandal crisis? Prosecutor admits possible mistake

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James Comey scandal crisis? Prosecutor admits possible mistake

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ALEXANDRIA, Va. – In front of a packed courtroom, former FBI Director James Comey sat impassively as the lawyer chosen by President Trump and the attorney general to head the agency, admitting that he had failed to present the final version of the indictment Comey now faces to a grand jury.

The Nov. 19 hearing focused primarily on a different issue. Comey argued that he was being prosecuted in retaliation at the president’s behest and therefore the charges should be dismissed. But the case took a turn for the worse when Lindsey Harrigan, Trump’s former personal lawyer who had never served as a prosecutor until she was appointed in late September, confessed.

Harrigan said the grand jury foreman and another grand juror were present when the final version of the indictment was signed. Another prosecutor, Tyler Lemons, said earlier that the grand jury dismissed one of the three counts in the original indictment, and the indictment was subsequently rewritten to include only the two counts that the grand jury voted to approve.

U.S. District Judge Michael Nachmanoff, who was appointed by former President Joe Biden, told Harrigan he wanted to “make sure” the current indictment was not presented to a full grand jury, indicating he believed the matter was potentially serious. When Harrigan did not appear to be conflicted and did not respond, the judge told her she could return to her seat.

Mr. Comey’s lawyer, Michael Dreeben, later used this exchange to say that it meant there was no valid indictment in the case. He argued the case should be permanently dismissed because the legal deadline for filing charges expired at the end of September.

Comey, a longtime critic of the president, is suspected of telling senators that he did not allow anonymous information to be leaked to the media, even though he knew the statement was false. Within hours of being indicted, he publicly declared his innocence and vowed to fight the charges.

Is Trump involved in prosecuting Comey?

In a sophisticated Alexandria courtroom, Nakhanov did not rule on whether to dismiss the case, saying the issues were “too weighty and complex” for a ruling on the same day. But his questions during the hearing showed he was concerned not only about the legality of the charges but also whether Trump’s own statements indicated the case had been illegally politicized.

Nakhanov said that shortly after the president posted on social media on September 20 that Comey and the other two targets were “all guilty” and that delay was not an option, the president told reporters, “They are guilty, but they are not guilty. We must act quickly.” Comey was indicted by a federal grand jury five days later on charges of lying to Congress and obstructing the proceedings of Congress while testifying before a Senate committee in 2020.

Mr. Comey’s indictment followed a series of events that fueled protests that Mr. Trump was unfairly politicizing the Justice Department.

First, Eric Siebert, the former chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, resigned from his post in September after reportedly expressing skepticism about bringing charges against Comey. Mr. Siebert told his colleagues in an email that he had resigned, but Mr. Trump later said he had fired Mr. Siebert.

Shortly after, President Trump declared in a social media post on Sept. 20 that Comey was “guilty as hell” and that a delay was not an option. In fact, prosecutors had less than two weeks until the legal deadline to bring charges against Comey expired.

President Trump praised his former personal attorney, Lindsey Harrigan, in the same post addressed to Attorney General Pam Bondi. Bondy quickly appointed Harrigan to Siebert’s senior position, even though Harrigan had never previously served as a prosecutor. Within days, she secured indictments against Mr. Comey, just days before the legal deadline.

Mr. Comey, through his lawyer, highlighted many of these incidents and claimed there was a vendetta in the case.

“The president is at the top of the hierarchy,” Dreeben said during a Nov. 19 hearing. “In effect, he replaced the U.S. attorney as the decision maker.”

In defense of the government, Mr. Lemons told the judge there was no evidence that Mr. Harrigan did not make the decision to prosecute, only an intimation.

“It was her decision and hers alone,” Lemons said.

Judge asks whether indictment secured by novice prosecutor is valid

After hearing robust arguments about the potentially vindictive nature of the case, Mr. Nakhanov moved to question whether Mr. Harrigan had secured a legitimate prosecution.

His questioning came two days after the magistrate judge appointed to handle some issues in the case wrote that his review of the case record “points to a disturbing pattern of serious investigative errors, namely, that allowed FBI agents and prosecutors to potentially undermine the integrity of the grand jury process.”

The judge said potential misconduct could ultimately justify throwing out the case.

At one point, Nakhanov reminded Harrigan that, unlike Lemons, he was present at the grand jury proceedings and was allowed to speak.

Harrigan then took to the stage and said the grand jury foreman and another grand juror were present when he signed the indictment.

When Mr. Nakhanov said he simply wanted to confirm that the current indictment had not been presented to the entire grand jury, Mr. Harrigan did not respond. The judge then told her she could sit down.

Mr. Comey’s lawyer, Mr. Dreeben, then returned to the podium and told the judge there was no valid indictment because prosecutors did not present a second version to the entire grand jury. Dreeben argued that the legal deadline to indict Comey had already passed, so the case was over.

Another argument for dismissal of Comey’s case

Comey also said the case should be thrown out because it was a “selective” prosecution targeting him for exercising his right to free speech. His lawyers are expected to argue in court on November 19 that he was the only former Trump administration official to be indicted, even though he faces more credible allegations of misleading Congress.

Government lawyers said the comparisons Comey made bear no resemblance to the facts of his case because he allegedly testified before Congress about his official actions as head of an executive branch.

Mr. Comey’s “vengeful” and “selective” prosecution claims are not the only reason the case could be thrown out. Mr. Comey has also challenged the legality of Mr. Halligan’s appointment, and another judge appointed to handle several issues in the case said in a Nov. 17 opinion that a number of potential irregularities in the grand jury proceedings that led to the indictment could be grounds for dismissing the case.

(This article has been updated with new information.)

Former FBI employee claims he was fired for displaying a pride flag

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Former FBI employee claims he was fired for displaying a pride flag

david hood nuño
|Reuters

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WASHINGTON – A longtime former Federal Bureau of Investigation employee is suing the agency and the U.S. Department of Justice, alleging he was fired for displaying a Progress Pride flag in his office, according to a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

David Martinski, who has worked for the FBI as an intelligence specialist since 2009, displayed a flag in his office that was flown in front of the FBI’s Wilshire Federal Building in Los Angeles in 2021, saying it was a gift from the agency itself, according to the complaint. It also said Martinski had had the flag displayed in his office for several years with the permission of his two bosses.

Citing Martinski’s termination letter, the complaint alleges that FBI Director Kash Patel wrongfully fired him in October for “improper judgment during his previous employment in the Los Angeles field office, including inappropriately displaying political signs at his workplace.”

“I believe I was fired not because of who I am, but because I am a proud gay man,” Martinski said in a statement.

The lawsuit comes as President Donald Trump’s administration continues to attack diversity, equity and inclusion in the federal government, with the FBI laying off employees for unprecedented amounts.

“It’s clear that David is being targeted by Kash Patel for political reasons,” said Christopher Mattei, a partner at Koskoff, Koskoff & Bieder and lead attorney representing Martinski. “But that doesn’t turn displaying the Pride flag into a partisan political expression. On the contrary, it was a personal expression of his own identity.”

The FBI did not respond to requests for comment.

When Marcinski was fired, he had completed 13 of 16 weeks at the agency’s Special Agent Training Academy in Quantico. Previously, he worked as an intelligence specialist supporting government agencies with public corruption and cybercrime investigations. Marcinski also has received multiple awards for diversity and inclusion at the agency, which he believes is the reason he was fired, he said in a statement.

The complaint says Patel’s actions violated Martinski’s First and Fifth Amendment rights and amounted to retaliation for protected speech, viewpoint discrimination, and denial of equal protection under the law. Matei said Martinski was simply seeking to return to the agency.

(Reporting by David Hood-Nuño; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)

Ted Danson falls in love with ‘Man on the Inside’ star’s wife Mary Steenburgen

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Ted Danson falls in love with ‘Man on the Inside’ star’s wife Mary Steenburgen

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LOS ANGELES – Charles Nieuwendyk, played by Ted Danson, breaks the professional golden rule by dating the main suspect in a new case in Season 2 of Netflix’s “A Man on the Inside,” released Nov. 20.

But it’s hard to blame Charles for his criminal blunders, since Mary Steenburgen, Dunson’s wife of 30 years, plays Mona Malgadoff, the Wheeler professor who might be the blackmailer at the center of the academic mystery. Danson, 77, a two-time Emmy Award winner, didn’t have to delve into the romantic atmosphere.

“Charles is hooked, and so am I,” Danson told USA TODAY. “It’s so much fun to play a character who’s in love with someone they’re so into. They’re just so into each other, and that’s a beautiful thing.”

The coveted pair have spent decades at the intersection of love and work, but first met when Danson unsuccessfully auditioned for the role of Steenburgen’s husband in the 1983 romance film Cross Creek. The two became a real-life couple after co-starring in 1994’s “Pontiac Moon,” and married in 1995. There were rumors of a rift after they played divorced versions of themselves in the 2024 season 10 of Larry David’s Curve Your Enthusiasm.

“Thanks to Larry, we It was “We’re happily married,” Danson said with a laugh about the change in status on the show (the couple have appeared frequently on the show since its debut in 2000). People who knew us, who had dined with us a month ago, called us and asked, “Oh my god, is that true?” And Mary said, “Yes, it’s true. And we decided to present it in ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm.'” ”

Dunson insists that casting Steenburgen, 72, in the role of Man on the Inside’s lover/suspect was executive producer Mike Schull’s idea. Schur created the famous afterlife comedy series “A Good Place,” starring Danson and Kristen Bell, and in 2020, Steenburgen had a cameo as a guitar teacher.

Danson and his wife Steenburgen talk to their beloved dog

“We try to stay out of each other’s affairs,” Danson says. “But when Mike asked me about Mary, I was excited, as my big, big smile showed. Working together on this production was a dream come true.”

The couple lives in the suburbs of Los Angeles, and every morning while drinking coffee, they find time to play the same word games on their phones: Spelling Bee, Connection, and Wordle. It’s such a set routine that even the first five letter Wordle words don’t change. (PS, that’s the strategically appropriate word “passage”).

“We’re early because we’ve found that at this age, it’s better to have two brains than one,” Danson says. “We’re a team. There’s no competition. That would be weird.”

Danson confesses that the phrase “so in love that it makes you sick” applies to the couple’s constant love for each other, especially when they engage in “dog talk” with their beloved Mini Australian Shepherd.

“When couples talk dog language, I immediately feel nauseous,” he says. “But we’re also obsessed with our dogs.” (The pair also have four human children, making them a blended family of four adult children from a previous marriage.)

Steenburgen rocks his accordion and Danson breaks his iPhone

Steenburgen, who miraculously awoke from a minor surgery in 2007 and found himself newly obsessed with music, adds an element of realism to the character of an eccentric music professor. The Oscar-winning actress sometimes rocks an accordion around the house.

“I’m a fan,” Danson says of the often maligned instrument. “But I’m a fan of anything Mary does.”

Danson is serious and admits to being clumsy in real life, which makes him perfect for the role of an overzealous private investigator.

“I’d be a terrible spy,” he says. “I feel bad when the person I’m talking to doesn’t have the same ideas as me. I don’t even like watching prank shows.”

His senior character’s ignorance about all technology, including meta spyglasses, is straight out of Danson, who doesn’t even know which version of the cracked iPhone he has.

“I don’t know what you mean by ‘version,’ but this is my fourth cell phone,” Danson deadpans. “I tried to keep it uncovered, like kids, and now it’s this glass spider web.”

Whether it’s his lack of investigative skills or his comedic genius (he humbly claims to be both), Danson watches the case with fascination, sending secret, rambling voice notes to his boss, Julie Kovalenko (Laila Richcreek Estrada), a striking agency owner.

The retired professor somehow succeeds, like the great bumbling heroes before him, from Maxwell Smart to Inspector Clouzot. Charmed with silver, Charles solves Season 1’s mystery of jewelry going missing in a nursing home and, while obsessed with the suspect, leads to Season 2’s clues.

The “Cheers” alum is still grieving the loss of TV family member George Wendt in May. “We’re one or two players behind,” he says solemnly regarding the constant questions about the revival series. But in “Man on the Inside,” the positive message of starting anew, no matter how old you are, permeates real life. “We’re being realistic about aging, but we’re also celebrating it. It’s like, ‘Come on, keep going. There’s a lot to do in life.'” There’s that theme: Can I get a second chance at my age? And the answer is yes! ”

Mr. Trump’s $2,000 dividend check relies on tariff revenue. Is it there?

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Mr. Trump’s $2,000 dividend check relies on tariff revenue. Is it there?

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President Donald Trump’s tariffs will not raise enough money to fund the $2,000 “dividend” checks he plans to send to millions of Americans, according to an analysis by the nonpartisan Tax Foundation.

President Trump has repeatedly floated the idea of ​​issuing $2,000 dividend checks to return revenue from import taxes to low- and moderate-income Americans.

In a Nov. 10 post on Truth Social, President Trump suggested that the tariffs would generate enough revenue to fund dividend checks and create enough surplus to “significantly repay the national debt.”

Researchers at the Tax Foundation disagree.

The foundation, which generally supports tax cuts, estimates that President Trump’s tariffs will generate $158.4 billion in revenue in 2025 and $207.5 billion in 2026.

Who exactly is receiving the “tariff dividend” checks?

President Trump has not said who will receive the checks. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has suggested an income limit of $100,000.

In a Nov. 18 post, the Tax Foundation calculated the numbers based on three dividend check scenarios, with the most conservative scenario reducing checks only to Americans with incomes of $100,000 or less.

The costs of the various models ranged from $279.8 billion to $606.8 billion. All three exceed the revenue tariffs they will generate this year, according to the foundation’s researchers.

“The math just doesn’t add up,” said Alex Durante, senior economist at the Tax Foundation.

At least two other independent think tanks have reached similar conclusions.

On November 10, the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget projected that the tariff dividend checks would cost about $600 billion. On November 17, Yale University’s Budget Institute estimated the cost at $450 billion. Both analyzes predict that the cost of dividend checks will exceed the revenue from tariffs.

Is the $2,000 check really a tax dividend?

Some researchers argue that if tariffs don’t generate enough money to cover the checks, it’s inaccurate to call them a “tariff dividend.” As long as the costs exceed customs revenue, the checks become unfunded expenditures and the national deficit increases.

“You can do a dividend check, but it has to match the amount of revenue that the tariffs are actually raising,” said Kyle Pomerleau, a senior fellow at the libertarian group American Enterprise Institute. “So I think they went ahead by committing to $2,000 and went even further by specifying a specific cutoff.”

more: President Trump’s $2,000 rebate checks will cost $600 billion, double the new revenue from tariffs.

President Trump has said he wants to send out dividend checks in 2026.

Some in the Trump administration are optimistic that the tariffs will actually generate enough revenue to pay for them.

“If you look at how much tariff revenue is coming in, there’s actually going to be enough room to cover these checks and not put it into the rest of the budget,” National Economic Council Chairman Kevin Hassett recently told reporters.

To test this hypothesis, the Tax Foundation considered various dividend check scenarios.

Under the most conservative model, the $2,000 checks would go only to taxpayers and their spouses, and would be severely limited to those earning more than $100,000. The foundation estimates that this scenario would cost $279.8 billion.

Once checks are sent to taxpayers, spouses and dependents, the cost jumps to $368.3 billion. Add in Americans who don’t file tax returns, and the number rises to $500.8 billion.

In a broader scenario, including phasing out checks for high-income households, the cost of dividend checks could exceed $600 billion.

Tariff dividend checks could ease affordability crisis

President Trump is talking about sending money to Americans as consumers struggle with years of cumulative inflation and talk of a national affordability crisis persists.

Trump won public support during his first term by implementing two economic stimulus measures amid the COVID-19 pandemic. President Joe Biden approved the third round of payments.

Congress gave the green light to these payments. Some observers have questioned whether lawmakers would allow this.

“I’m very skeptical that Congress will appropriate the funds needed for these checks,” said Scott Linthicum, vice president of general economics at the libertarian Cato Institute. “I don’t think there are enough members of Congress to ignore budget calculations.”

Some Republicans in Congress have telegraphed their concerns about writing checks to Americans at a time when the national deficit stands at $1.8 trillion.

“I think it’s strange to send money to people when we have a budget deficit,” Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul said, according to Bloomberg.

Of course, tariffs are one reason why many consumer goods are more expensive than they were a year ago.

Polls show a growing number of Americans believe Trump is contributing to the country’s price problems. These sentiments may have given Democrats a landslide victory in early November polls.

Tariff dividend checks could help Trump address this issue.

“In some ways, the president is creating a problem and then trying to solve his own problem,” said Mr. Durante of the Tax Foundation.

The think tank’s Nov. 18 post suggests an easy alternative to dividend checks.

“A better way to reduce the burden of tariffs would be to eliminate them,” the researchers wrote.

Summers resigns as Harvard lecturer with immediate effect

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Summers resigns as Harvard lecturer with immediate effect

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Former Harvard University President Larry Summers plans to resign from his position as a lecturer at Harvard University effective immediately as the university investigates his ties to child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, according to the Harvard Crimson, the university’s student newspaper.

A spokesperson for Mr. Summers told The Crimson on Nov. 19, “His co-teachers plan to complete the remaining three classes of the course he has been teaching this semester, and he will not be teaching next semester.”

Earlier in the day, Summers announced he was stepping back from official university duties in the wake of new revelations about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, but he plans to continue teaching and recently spoke out about the Epstein issue with students.

“Some of you may have seen my statement of remorse expressing my shame for what I did in my communications with Mr. Epstein,” Summers told a group of students in a video posted online.

Emails released by the House Oversight Committee on November 12, including emails between Summers and Epstein dating back to 2019, have brought scrutiny to Summers. The volley of messages showed Summers corresponding with the disgraced investor on a variety of topics, and also seeking advice about his love life.

He also resigned from the board of technology company OpenAI. On November 17, Mr. Summers announced that he was withdrawing from public service in light of the emails. Mr. Summers served as Secretary of the Treasury under President Bill Clinton and then as president of Harvard University from 2001 to 2006.

Summers will also immediately take a leave of absence from his role as director of the Mossabah Rahmani Center for Business and Government at the Harvard Kennedy School, which he has led since 2011, The Crimson reported.

Contributed by: Melina Kahn, Zach Anderson

MLB TV ESPN broadcast rights deal also includes Netflix, NBC

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MLB TV ESPN broadcast rights deal also includes Netflix, NBC

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The way fans watch baseball games is about to change dramatically as Major League Baseball ditches the Band-Aid from its distribution model and steers toward a future where linear television and streaming coexist, even at the expense of both the sports league and consumers.

What’s the result? Welcome back, NBC. All is forgiven, ESPN. And with any luck, the word “buffering” won’t be on the lips of fans when Netflix enters the picture.

The league and its old and new distribution partners announced a broadcast agreement on Nov. 19 covering the 2026-28 season. Although various details and frameworks of the agreement have been reported in recent months, there are still many aspects that are difficult to understand for the average consumer.

What will it look like in March? From the most casual fan to the most hardcore, here are some details about the beginning of a new broadcast era for MLB.

NBC/Peacock: Sunday Night Baseball and Wild Card Round

This game of musical chairs moved into high gear in February, when ESPN terminated the final three years of its contract with MLB to broadcast its Sunday Night Baseball franchise and the four wild-card series that open the postseason.

The remainder of the deal is $1.65 billion over three years, which was agreed to before the cord-cutting crisis and the overall collapse of the cable model got even worse. ESPN seized the opportunity to escape.

Now, NBC has taken over the Sunday night series, and while it may be jarring to see baseball’s weekly national broadcast jewel transition from its original home on ESPN, older heads will recognize that NBC is baseball’s original home.

In the modern Nielsen era, NBC aired every World Series from 1968 to 1976, then alternated with ABC from 1990 to 1993 until CBS was the unfortunate primary rights holder for four years. NBC last faced MLB nationally in the 1999 World Series, after which Fox Sports acquired exclusive rights to the Fall Classic.

That won’t change for some time. Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery, or Turner as you may know it, will continue to be Major League Baseball’s primary partners, hosting one regular season game and one league championship series each year through 2028.

But after that, all bets are off, and it seems likely that the World Series rights will return to the market and be split among multiple rights holders in the near future.

For now? Baseball will be a staple of NBC’s Sunday night primetime programming — even though Sunday Night Football and the NBA may take over baseball to Peacock outside of the summer.

ESPN: All 30 Strategy

For more hardcore fans, the biggest adjustment might be ESPN taking $1.65 billion from Sunday Night Baseball and essentially using it to buy the hugely popular MLB.TV package.

The network will control the rights to all 30 out-of-market teams and will take over six essentially isolated markets where MLB has assumed production and distribution, primarily due to the collapse of Diamond Sports and the regional sports network model.

While MLB will continue to produce in-market games, the deal will allow ESPN to sell or distribute local television rights for six teams. MLB already has games produced for five teams: the Cleveland Guardians, San Diego Padres, Arizona Diamondbacks, Minnesota Twins and Colorado Rockies. A sixth team, the Seattle Mariners, will also join the team, which will be sponsored by ESPN this year.

ESPN also plans to broadcast 30 weeknight games each season. It will continue broadcasting the Little League Classic in August, with rights to the Memorial Day game and a standalone slot on the Thursday after the All-Star break, which this year will feature the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies on July 16.

That number makes sense for ESPN, as it drives consumers to TV screens of all sizes during the summer, when the roots of football and college sports are dark. The Athletic reports that MLB.TV’s $150 annual cost is expected to remain the same, but of course gives ESPN significant options to bundle with its larger broadcast inventory.

Subscription fatigue: How much is too much?

That’s something the consumer has to decide. And some of that content is likely to be relevant to brands you’re already paying for.

Netflix will take over coverage of the Horn Run Derby this July and will also air the exclusive opening night game between the New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants. Think of it as a potential beta test for a deeper investment for the streaming giant, which is focused on live sports with the NFL and boxing.

With a reported 302 million subscribers, many households don’t need to do anything to access the popular Derby.

Peacocks are another story. The NBC streaming offshoot reportedly only has 41 million subscribers. Maybe adding MLB to the Olympics and one NFL wild card game to be broadcast could change things a bit, but for now the Peacock household is still the exception, not the rule.

The real tipping point will come in September 2026, when eight teams will air a wild-card series on NBC, at least some of which will inevitably go to Peacock.

So what’s in store for consumers who want to seamlessly watch their favorite teams and gem events?

Well, consider that in-market streaming of your favorite team costs around $30 per month. You can deploy Peacock for about $15 per month. Netflix costs about $20 more. That already equates to around $65, but I still don’t know how they’re going to pay Fox Sports and Turner come playoff time.

If you’re a hardcore over-the-market fan or an insatiable ball lover, add an extra $150 a year to MLB.TV.

This is a legitimate investment to continue playing the game. But it’s also a cost of doing business for leagues, networks and consumers alike in this fragmented era.

And check back in 2028. All of MLB’s television rights, including the World Series, All-Star Game, Playoffs, MLB.TV, and Sunday night packages, will all be put back on the market for the highest bidder. Also, around that time, Commissioner Rob Manfred may want to unify all, or at least most, of MLB’s local television programming. Indeed, 2026 will see significant disruption to the way games are consumed. But change is just beginning.

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream reminds us of the popular ice cream bar

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Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream reminds us of the popular ice cream bar

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Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream has voluntarily recalled a batch of its Passion Fruit Dreamsicle ice cream bars because they may contain undeclared wheat and soy, the company said.

The ice cream brand announced the recall on Monday, Nov. 17, according to a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) notice published on Tuesday, Nov. 18.

According to the notice, undeclared wheat and soy in the affected ice cream bars can cause “serious or life-threatening allergic reactions” if ingested by people with allergies or severe sensitivities to one or both of the allergens.

As of November 18, no illnesses or injuries related to the recall have been reported.

Jenni’s Splendid Ice Cream said in a statement to USA TODAY that it initiated the recall “out of an abundance of caution” and that “no other Jenni’s products or flavors are affected.”

Here’s what you need to know about ice cream recalls.

Which ice cream flavors are being recalled?

Only one batch of Passion Fruit Dreamsicle ice cream bars is being recalled, the company said.

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream is being recalled after another product’s crunch topping was accidentally mixed into the bars during manufacturing, the company said. Crunch Topping contains wheat and soy, but it’s not listed on the package.

Affected ice cream bars can be identified by the batch code 25-210 on the top of the product box.

Where were the recalled ice cream bars sold?

According to the recall notice, the affected ice cream bars were distributed in grocery stores nationwide.

What should I do if I purchased a recalled ice cream bar?

The company is asking customers to return the recalled ice cream bars to the store where they purchased them for a full refund.

If you have any questions, please contact Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at 614-488-3224 or contact@jenis.com Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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