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President Trump says deal could lower prices of bananas and coffee for Americans

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President Trump says deal could lower prices of bananas and coffee for Americans

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WASHINGTON — The Trump administration announced trade deals with several countries that could lower the prices of bananas, coffee and chocolate for Americans.

The framework agreement announced by the White House on November 13 commits the United States to eliminating President Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs on certain exports that cannot be grown, mined or produced in sufficient quantities in the United States. The government says tariff rates in both countries remain the same — 10% for Guatemala and El Salvador and 15% for Ecuador.

Trump administration officials said this includes bananas and cocoa from Ecuador, as well as coffee, textiles and clothing from Guatemala.

The United States announced on November 13 that it had reached an agreement with Argentina to open markets to American cattle and poultry and prohibit discriminatory practices against American digital services and products. U.S. officials indicated earlier this week that they were looking at ways to lower the prices of coffee, bananas and other fruits.

President Trump said in an interview with Laura Ingraham on Fox News on November 10, “I’m going to lower some of the coffee tariffs.” “I’ll get you some coffee.”

According to the Consumer Price Index, coffee prices rose 19% from last year as of September. The price of bananas will increase by 7%. Cocoa is the main ingredient in chocolate and many popular candies, but it also drives up costs for Americans, industry and trade officials say.

Where is the prosperity? Middle-class Americans don’t feel that way.

President Trump and his aides blame the Biden administration’s spending for the high prices. They deny that his tariffs are taxes on consumers that drive up the prices of some imported goods.

For example, coffee prices were rising even before President Trump’s tariffs were imposed due to the weather, said a senior administration official who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity. Brazil, the world’s largest coffee producing country, is suffering from a devastating drought. The costs associated with tariffs are passed on to consumers. The government hopes retailers won’t have to do that in the future, the official added.

According to the National Coffee Association, the United States imports 99% of its coffee. Much of that comes from Brazil, where President Trump imposed steep 50% tariffs in the summer, citing Brazil’s criminal case against former President Jair Bolsonaro. Colombia, a large exporter of coffee, is subject to a 10% tariff.

Overall U.S. inflation was slightly lower in September than in August, but the consumer price index was up 3% from the same point in 2024. The cost of living and the economy continue to top the list of issues Americans are most concerned about.

Predator becomes the 16th person ever executed in Florida

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Predator becomes the 16th person ever executed in Florida

Brian Jennings was executed by lethal injection for assaulting, raping and drowning 6-year-old Becky Kunash, an outgoing first grader, on Merritt Island, Florida, 46 years ago.

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This story contains details about disturbing crimes against children. We recommend that you judge carefully.

A former Marine who kidnapped a 6-year-old girl from her bedroom in 1979 before raping and killing her became the 16th inmate executed in Florida this year, doubling the state’s previous record.

Brian Jennings, 66, was executed at 6:20 p.m. ET on Thursday, Nov. 13, for the murder of outgoing first-grader Becky Knash, 6. Her body was found naked and beaten in a canal just a half-mile from her home on Merritt Island off Florida’s east coast.

Jennings was scheduled to become the second person to be executed in the United States on Thursday, but Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt pardoned Tremaine Wood just hours before he was scheduled to be executed.

Jennings is the 42nd inmate put to death in the United States this year, a number not seen since 2012.

What were Brian Jennings’ last words, last meal?

Asked seconds before the injection if he had any last words, Jennings declined. His last meal was a cheeseburger, fries, and soda.

What was Brian Jennings convicted of?

On May 10, 1979, 20-year-old Brian Jennings was on Merritt Island with his mother and aunt on leave after serving in the Marine Corps in Okinawa, according to archival news reports from Florida Today, part of the USA TODAY Network.

The paper said Jennings, a local high school dropout who described himself as a “mad dog” and was waiting for his next orders, went out drinking that night and climbed out of Becky Kunash’s bedroom window.

According to court records, some time after her father checked on Becky at 11 p.m., Jennings saw the girl sleeping, removed an unlocked window screen, opened the window and took her in.

After driving Becky to a nearby canal, he raped her. He later told his cellmate that he grabbed the girl’s legs and slammed her head against the ground, according to court records. The men then held her underwater for 10 minutes and dumped her body in a canal.

The next day, as dozens of sheriff’s deputies and FBI agents searched for Becky, a fisherman found her naked, battered body floating in the Banana River, just a half-mile from her home.

Shortly afterward, Robert Kunash identified his daughter’s body.

When detectives interviewed Jennings later that day, he confessed to the crime, saying, “I always had this with me to look in the window.”

“That’s all it was supposed to be,” he told them, according to Florida Today. “I don’t know why I did that. I just did it.”

Jennings was convicted and sentenced to death in 1980 and 1982, but both convictions were overturned on appeal. He was found guilty again in 1986 and sentenced to death, and his conviction was never expunged.

Who is Becky Kunash?

Becky Kunash’s parents and friends described the blonde girl as outgoing, active and strong-willed from an early age. She was so stubborn that she refused training wheels and learned to ride a bike at age 4, Robert Kunash told Florida Today in an archived story.

The day before she was killed, Becky was so excited to be the narrator of a first-grade play that she was reading lines for her father and deciding what clothes to wear with her mother, according to Florida Today.

Attracted by the excellent schools and tree-lined streets, Becky’s parents moved their two daughters from Cleveland to Merritt Island and opened a restaurant just over a year before the murders.

Robert Kunash told Florida Today that on the night Becky was killed, he put her to bed at 8 p.m., turned on a night light to keep her safe, and checked on her again at 9 and 11 p.m. He remembered his last words to his daughter: “I love you. Please come and get me in the morning.”

When burying Becky, he placed her skipping rope and her favorite stuffed elephant in the casket together. His wife and 7-year-old daughter Samantha were too distraught to attend, according to Florida Today.

Jennings’ three trials were painful for Becky’s parents, forcing them to relive their nightmares over and over again. Their marriage didn’t work out.

“He took my baby, my husband, my family and my home,” Patricia Merrill (nee Kunash) told Florida Today in 1986, in the middle of Jennings’ third trial.

During jury deliberations, Robert Kunash told reporters how difficult it was just to be in the same room as Jennings, saying, “I killed him a million times in my sleep.”

Robert Kunash died in 2001 at the age of 52. USA TODAY was unable to reach Patricia Merrill or her eldest daughter for this story.

What else do you know about Brian Jennings?

Brian Jennings’ mother, Margaret Dana, told jurors at her son’s third trial that her son never knew his biological father and had been a problem child since birth, describing him as “very destructive and hyperactive,” according to Florida Today.

She said she wanted to commit Jennings to a psychiatric hospital in Boston at the recommendation of doctors, but later changed her mind because she feared the stigma would prevent Jennings from enlisting.

Since his 1986 conviction, Jennings has appealed his conviction at least nine times. On November 6, the Florida Supreme Court rejected his latest appeal, arguing that he had been without legal representation for three years because his lawyer died in 2022. He also claimed that because he was not represented, no one was tracking his mental health.

The Florida Supreme Court rejected the appeal, saying it “rejects his argument that any gaps in his representation over the past 40 years amount to a denial of due process.”

When is the next execution?

The state of South Carolina will execute Stephen Bryant, who killed a man named Willard Tietjen in 2004 and wrote “Catch me if you can” on a wall in his blood, on Friday, November 14th.

If his execution goes ahead, states will put to death 43 inmates in the United States this year, a number not seen since 2012.

Contributor: John A. Torres, Florida Today

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

Classic cars shine at Michigan’s 2025 Shiny Last Hot Rod Show

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Classic cars shine at Michigan’s 2025 Shiny Last Hot Rod Show

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The 2025 Shiny Rust Hot Rod Show was held over the weekend at the Oakland Expo Center in Waterford, Michigan. The focus was on classic cars, with shiny and rusty cars, big and small, all on display.

Cars on display Nov. 8 and 9 appeared in classes such as classic, custom, dragster, race car, rat rod, street rod, truck, unique and even hearse. If you’re a fan of old cars with lots of custom paint and modifications, this show is for you.

Since we’re in the middle of fall and winter is just around the corner, holding an outdoor car show isn’t ideal.

The Shiny Last Hot Rod Show was held indoors in a 100,000 square foot complex filled with hundreds of cars. Vehicles were driven into the property, pushed from behind, or towed by a golf cart. Each vehicle had an information card that listed the vehicle’s make, model, year, and owner’s name. Many cars had posters with detailed information about the vehicle. In addition to the cars on display, there were many vendors who set up booths selling automotive art, clothing, cleaning supplies, and more.

In case you missed it: Jeep unveils first of 12 limited edition vehicles for new ‘Operation Airdrop’ campaign

fast replica

Most of the cars at this show were American classics, but there was one silver Porsche that really stood out.

This was a 356 Outlaw replica based on the improved 356 Outlaw, which was derived from the 356 Speedster. The car’s owner, Jell Lind of Commerce Township, Michigan, spoke about how much fun it was to drive and the amount of work that went into it.

“It feels like driving an old sports car. It’s not particularly quiet, smooth or easy to get in and out of, but once you sit down and start hurtling around the corners, it’s a lot of fun,” Lind said. “We had the whole car disassembled over the winter, so we spent 700 hours in the garage working on it and finished it in the spring.”

He also mentioned how this modified classic is considered “sacrilegious” by Porsche purists.

agricultural pickup truck

Then there was the 1962 International Harvester Scout 80.

Joe Shand of Hartford, Michigan, talked about how his truck came from a company that specializes in farm equipment and how it resembles the original Ford Bronco.

“If you look at the front end and grille of the Scout and the early Broncos, there are a lot of similarities. I’m not saying they copied the Scout, but there are obvious similarities,” Shand said.

New York Governor puts brakes on Zoran Mamdani’s free bus plan

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New York Governor puts brakes on Zoran Mamdani’s free bus plan

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New York City’s next mayor, Zoran Mamdani, may have to put the brakes on his initiative to make buses free in the Big Apple.

“We can’t come up with a plan right now to take money out of a system that relies on bus and subway fares,” Gov. Cathy Hochul told reporters at a Nov. 8 press conference.

However, Hochul left open another possibility.

“Can we find a way to make it more affordable for people who need it? Of course we can,” she says.

Mr. Hochul spoke on the final day of the annual conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The conference brings together leaders and officials from both New York and Puerto Rico to meet to strengthen ties and strengthen the Latinx community.

Here’s what you need to know:

What is Zoran Mamdani’s free bus scheme?

During his mayoral campaign, Mamdani focused on providing the city with “fast and free” buses. On October 8, he even touted the idea by riding a local bus to a press conference about the proposal. As if to prove Mamdani’s point that service needs improvement, the bus was 25 minutes late.

Mamdani told multiple media outlets that New York City has “the slowest buses in the country.” It doesn’t have to be that way, he said.

“Eight miles an hour,” he told NBC New York while riding a bus with reporters and videographers who filmed the scene. “I was able to arrive before the bus even though I was walking next to it for this interview.”

What is the solution? He said buses should be free, people should not have to queue and should be able to use all bus entrances at each stop.

When one of the local women questioned the practicality of the plan, pointing out that if the buses were free, more people would get on them and the buses would be even slower, Mamdani quickly responded.

“You can’t make it free on your own,” he says. “We need to make it free while actually creating the infrastructure to make it faster. So at the same time as making it free, we need to ramp up the service and make sure we take advantage of all-door boarding, because a lot of the problem with dwell times at bus stops is because everyone has to go through the front door.”

When a reporter pointed out to Mamdani that making buses free would be the purview of the Metro Transit Authority, he cited former mayor Michael Bloomberg, who was responsible for building the subway station. “The city has the ability to have a lot of influence over what the MTA does. It’s just that we’ve never had a mayor that actually cares that much about the slowest buses in America,” he told NBC New York.

How much does a free bus in New York City cost?

Mamdani’s campaign estimates the cost of making the bus system free at about $800 million a year, and told CBS News that the city could cover the cost of free fares by increasing the corporate tax rate to 11.5% and implementing a 2% tax rate for New Yorkers with incomes of $1 million or more.

Can New York Governor Kathy Hochul block Mamdani’s free bus plan?

It’s unclear whether Mr. Hochul will be able to completely put the brakes on Mr. Mamdani’s plans, but one expert told CBS News that without his support, the plan would be much more difficult.

“He’s going to need the support of the MTA and the Legislature, really, the governor,” J.C. Polanco, a professor at Mount Saint Vincent College in the Bronx, told the magazine. “Is[Hochul]going to raise taxes? She’s already said no.”

What is happening now?

Mamdani’s team did not respond to USA TODAY’s request for comment on whether they will continue to pursue free bus fares.

Mamdani, a democratic socialist, was elected on November 4th, defeating former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an independent, and Republican Curtis Sliwa. He will officially assume office on January 1, 2026.

Photos show Starbucks’ ‘Red Cup Rebellion’ strike

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Photos show Starbucks’ ‘Red Cup Rebellion’ strike

Starbucks employees across the country have been on strike for much of Red Cup Day, demanding better wages and benefits from the company.

Starbucks Workers United has planned a strike at various Starbucks stores in 41 cities starting Thursday, Nov. 13, as the coffee house chain and union organizers struggle to reach a contract agreement. The first day of the strike falls on Starbucks’ popular Red Cup Day. On this day, Starbucks will give out free reusable red cups to customers who order a drink.

Starbucks and Workers United began contract negotiations for unionized baristas in February 2024, but no agreement was reached and the two sides are at odds. The union is demanding improvements in working hours, increases in take-home pay, and resolution of allegations of unfair and unfair labor practices.

Starbucks spokesperson Jaycee Anderson told USA TODAY on Nov. 12 that the company is willing to negotiate with the union.

“We are disappointed that Workers United, which represents only about 4% of our partner companies, voted to authorize a strike rather than return to the negotiating table,” Anderson said. “When they’re ready to come back, we’re ready to talk.”

Anderson added that even if a store closes due to a strike, “we can guarantee that there will be a store nearby that is open and able to serve our customers.”

Here are some of the strikes that took place on November 12th.

Today is Starbucks Red Cup Day. Here’s how to get your reusable holiday cups.

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Starbucks faces potential holiday strike as union authorizes strike

Starbucks Workers United has approved an indefinite strike starting on Red Cup Day, one of the chain’s biggest sales days.

cheddar

See photos of Starbucks workers striking on Red Cup Day

Why are some Starbucks employees on strike? What you need to know about “Red Cup Rebellion”

Greta Cross is USA TODAY’s national trends reporter. Story ideas? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.

Who are the four Republicans who joined Democrats to force a vote on the Epstein file?

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Who are the four Republicans who joined Democrats to force a vote on the Epstein file?

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Following the release of emails sent by Jeffrey Epstein, Congress is poised to vote to urge the Trump administration to fully release files on suspected sex traffickers.

In the House, after Republican Speaker Mike Johnson swore in Arizona Democratic Rep. Adelita Grijalva on Nov. 12, an expulsion petition to force a vote on the Justice Department releasing all files related to Epstein reached 218 signatures.

Grijalva, who won a special election to replace his late father Raul Grijalva, immediately became the 218th signatory. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he expected the bill to be voted on in the House of Commons next week.

Democrats, who are in the minority in the House, submitted 214 signatures to the petition, and four Republicans joined the opposition.

Here’s what you need to know about the four Republican senators.

thomas massey councilor

Massie (R-Ky.) spearheaded the release of the files along with House Democrats.

Earlier this year, Massey and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) introduced a bill that would force the Justice Department to release the entire government file on Epstein.

Massey filed a so-called dismissal petition against the bill in July, which ultimately reached the required 218 votes this week. This process would force a vote on the bill and clear other hurdles in the House.

According to the Louisville Courier-Journal, part of the USA TODAY network, Massey has repeatedly said he believes it is time for those involved in the Epstein scandal to be “bred to justice.”

Congresswoman Lauren Boebert

Boebert, a Colorado Republican, faced pressure from the Trump administration to withdraw her discharge petition.

Boebert, a staunch Trump ally, received a phone call from Trump on November 11, according to the New York Times. Then, on November 12, she met with White House officials about the petition.

Boebert thanked officials for the rally in a social media post, but did not say whether she would withdraw from the effort. Colorado lawmakers ultimately did not remove her name.

“I want to thank the White House officials for meeting with me today. We will continue to work together to ensure transparency for the American people,” she said.

Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene

The Georgia Republican has historically been a fierce defender of Trump. But in the last few weeks. Greene has begun to speak out more loudly against the Trump administration.

When Massey first announced his discharge petition in July, Greene said in a social media post that he intended to sign it and would “never protect pedophiles, elites and their circles.”

According to a September interview with the New York Times, Greene, like Boebert, was contacted by White House officials who tried to pressure Republicans to withdraw from the petition. But Green remained resolute.

“I told them, ‘You didn’t elect me. I’m not working for you. I’m working for my district,'” she told the outlet.

Greene said in a social media post that she expected more Republicans to vote in favor of releasing the files next week.

“Next week, when everyone is forced to go on record to vote to release the Epstein files, I expect the number of Republicans who will actually vote yes to be even higher,” Greene said. “But remember the original four.”

Congresswoman Nancy Mace

Mace, who is also running for governor in South Carolina, said she signed the petition in solidarity with survivors of sexual abuse and assault.

“Epstein’s petition is deeply personal,” Mace said in a social media post on Wednesday, Nov. 12.

In September, Mace walked out of a closed-door meeting with Epstein victims of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform because he had “very hard time hearing their stories.”

“Full-scale panic attack. Sweating, hyperventilating, shaking, unable to breathe,” Mace wrote on social media about her reaction to the testimony. Mr. Mace left in tears.

Mace said in July that he hoped to be arrested in connection with the Epstein case.

“I’ve always been an advocate for women and children, and the Jeffrey Epstein case is no different. I hope he gets arrested,” Mace said. “I want to see someone handcuffed and behind bars raping an underage girl.”

USA TODAY’s Zac Anderson, Bart Jansen, Joey Garrison and Josh Meyer contributed to this report.

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_.

Secret dealer won’t tell you about car trade-in

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Secret dealer won’t tell you about car trade-in

mark mcdonald
|Motor Trend

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This column mainly deals with car purchases. But there’s another half to the equation, and it’s just as important. Trade-in.

Let’s take a look at trading in your old car. Before understanding how much it’s worth, the first thing you should ask yourself is, “Should I trade?” Simply put, you can get the most money by selling your current car yourself. If you go to Kelley Blue Book, you’ll see that private party value is always higher than trade-in value.

But there’s a catch. Selling a car yourself takes time. It requires a significant investment of time and energy. You need to clean the car and make sure it is mechanically sound. Then you need to promote it, answer all calls, texts, emails, and meet with potential buyers. If you’re a woman, meeting strangers to show you your car always carries a certain amount of risk. We recommend meeting in a public place where there are a lot of people around, or bringing a friend with you.

And some people waste their time. People say, “I have $3,000 today, but next week my uncle is going to give me the money he owes me, and I’m supposed to get paid the following week. Can you keep my car until then?” No, you can’t.

So you’re going to know something that every car salesman knows. Selling a car is a tedious task. Sure, you can always get more money if you sell your car yourself, but there’s a trade-off in terms of time and energy you spend. What’s more important to you? It depends on your priorities.

In case you missed it: Could installing brake lights on the front of your car prevent more crashes?

Determine the value of your trade-in

The next step in trading in your car is determining its value. You can guess or derive numbers out of thin air, and many people do that. Or you can also use something like motor trendIt’s solid What is my car worth? tool. There are many trade-in appraisers, but my favorite is motor trend This is because we use data from Black Book, which is used by most car dealers.

However, it is important to realize that online tools are only as effective as the information they provide. The rule is “garbage in, garbage out.” It doesn’t help to say there’s no damage to the car when there is clearly damage. If your car is 10 years old and has 87,000 miles, saying it’s in “like new” condition won’t help you. As soon as the dealer sees it, and they need to see and drive it before they can put a firm number on it, they will look at the actual condition and deduct what you left out. The more honestly you answer the questions, the more accurate the numbers will be.

A word about CarMax. Many people like to take offers from CarMax because most dealers respect it. But, as always, there’s a catch. There are actually two. First, Carmax won’t necessarily give you the full amount if you receive an offer online. Even the CarMax staff will have to see your car in person, and that’s where point deductions begin. Second, Carmax offers don’t last forever. Valid for only 7 days. If you got your CarMax appraised in February and waited until April to trade in your car, forget about it. If you have put 2,000 miles on the car since the offer was made, the offer is no longer valid.

the biggest mistake people make

The biggest mistake people make when trading in a car, and I see this over and over again, is believing that they should be able to get back what they owe on the car when they trade in the car. I can’t say this too loudly, but the amount you owe on a trade-in has nothing to do with the value of the car. period.

If your car is paid off and you have no debt, does it have zero value? Of course not. If I owe $12,245, is it worth $12,245? Maybe. Probably not. It might only be worth $9,000. Or it could be worth $13,000. It all depends on one thing: fair market value. But time and time again I hear people say they want a return on their trade. I asked one woman why. she said: “Because we don’t want to have negative equity.” Well, no one wants negative equity. However, if equity is negative, capital is also negative. The only way to avoid that is to pay cash or lease instead of financing, or put down enough money to cover the negatives.

appraisal of silence

When you go to a dealer, no matter how much research you do or how realistic your numbers are, the dealer is playing the game with you. And the number one game they play is called “Silent Appraisal.” The salesperson will take you outside and stand nearby to look at your car. Sometimes he stops and touches something on your car…and doesn’t say anything. This is your cue to spout derogatory information about your profession. “Oh yeah, my wife gave me that scratch. I forgot. She was backing into the garage and hit our kid’s bike.”

The purpose of silent appraisal is to use your own words and reactions to devalue your transaction. The way to deal with this is to not say anything when the salesperson bends down and touches any part of your car. Please ignore. It’s all part of the game. Why do salespeople play this game? Because, let’s be honest, our customers are playing the game with us. First and foremost, they don’t tell you the whole truth about their cars. When you ask if there’s a problem, most people won’t reveal that they were told by the transmission shop a week ago that they needed a new transmission. They say, “No, it’s okay!”

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Pro tip: Don’t clean it.

Sometimes customers bring in their shiny new cars for trade-in. That’s because they just spent a weekend explaining the details because they thought it would help them get more money. Please don’t do this. Nothing says “a customer eager to sell” like a car that has just been meticulously serviced. Leave dog hair, food wrappers, and mustard stains on the sheets. Then say something like, “Oh, my car is a mess. I wasn’t planning on trading it in today.”

Don’t parachute your trading

Finally, the oldest trick in the book, but it almost always backfires. You go to a car dealership, choose a car, haggle over the price, spend all the money you made on the deal, and then innocently look at the salesperson and say, as if you just had an idea. “As you know, I wasn’t planning on trading in my car, but it’s parked outside in the parking lot, so could you take a look at it and let me know how much it would cost?”

In business, this is called a “trade parachute drop.” The reason people do that is because decades ago some idiot (sorry, self-proclaimed expert) started telling people to first negotiate the price, then the deal amount.

Don’t you think it’s a good strategy? it’s not. Here’s why: If you break the dealer’s bank on price, the dealer has nothing left to offer in the deal. Actually, what do you think they’re going to do? They are going to take advantage of the opportunity you have given them to recoup some of the money they lost. They are going to hold you back from trading. Instead of offering something of real value, they’re going to give you a couple grand less. By being dishonest with the dealer upfront, all you’ve really done is hurt yourself.

The secret of trade-in value

The secret to getting the most profit from trading is simple, but difficult to implement. It starts with buying wisely. Find a reliable car that will hold its value and buy it for the lowest possible price by paying cash, leasing, or financing it. If you can afford it, put at least 20% down and finance within up to 36 or 48 months. Don’t finance your car for 6 or 7 years. This almost guarantees negative equity. Don’t focus on getting the lowest payout. Instead, focus on paying it off as soon as possible and leveling the playing field. Lastly, make sure to maintain it properly. Ultimately, that’s how you maximize your trade-in value.

Photo credit: Getty Images

What did Epstein say about Trump? “I’m the one who can beat him.”

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What did Epstein say about Trump? “I’m the one who can beat him.”

A USA TODAY review of a trove of Epstein’s emails reveals that the convicted sex offender had grave concerns about his longtime friend and confidant.

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WASHINGTON – “Dirty.” “Damn, that’s crazy.” “Borderline insane.” A mafia don, but with “great and dangerous power” as president and commander-in-chief of the United States.

That’s what Jeffrey Epstein described his longtime friend and former confidant, Donald Trump, years before his death in what was ruled a suicide, according to a trove of texts and emails from the convicted sex offender just released by the House Oversight Committee.

But perhaps the most interesting thing Mr. Epstein said about Mr. Trump in more than 20,000 pages of emails provided by the foundation was, “I am the one who can beat him.”

new epstein email Debate intensifies in Congress as President Trump puts pressure on Republicans

On November 12, House Democrats released an email from Epstein in which President Trump said he “spent hours at my house” with one of the disgraced financier’s victims and that he “knew the girls.” Democrats said the emails raise questions about what Trump knew about the crimes of Epstein, who allegedly sexually abused hundreds of women and girls and trafficked them to other wealthy men.

The White House and Trump himself tried to frame this document release and subsequent Republican releases as if they were a giant nothingburger. “These emails prove nothing except the fact that President Trump did nothing wrong,” press secretary Caroline Levitt told reporters on November 12.

A review of the documents by USA TODAY found that Mr. Epstein had serious concerns about Mr. Trump’s behavior and character.

“Look, I know how dirty Donald is.”

On February 8, 2017, three weeks after President Trump first took office, former Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers told Epstein, “It’s okay.”

So far, Summers said of the new president, “He hasn’t disrupted the world, he’s avoided scandal.”

“Remember I told you, I’ve met some very bad people, but none as bad as Trump. He doesn’t have a single decent cell in his body. Yes, he’s dangerous.”

On August 23, 2018, Epstein exchanged emails with his friend Kathryn Lemmler about legal and criminal exposure of Trump, apparently in connection with the ongoing “hush money” investigation in New York.

“It doesn’t matter whether it’s his money or not, the problem is the lack of disclosure,” said Ruemmler, a former White House counsel in the Obama administration. “Furthermore, the fact that he lied about it makes it clear that he knew it was illegal.”

“You know, I know how dirty Donald is,” Epstein responded. “My guess is that no New York businessman other than a lawyer would understand what it means for a fixer to flip.”

Days earlier, Michael Cohen, Trump’s longtime fixer and personal lawyer, pleaded guilty to fraud and campaign finance violations, accusing him of paying off two women to keep quiet about their affair with the then-candidate just before the 2016 election. Trump would ultimately be found guilty of falsifying business records to conceal payments to porn star Stormy Daniels.

‘Gambino was never the commander in chief.”

In December 2018, Epstein was in a dispute with Reid Weingarten, a prominent white-collar defense attorney who represented Epstein in a federal investigation into sex trafficking charges.

“You might want to tell your despicable friends that treating Trump like a mafia don ignores the fact that he has great and dangerous power,” Epstein wrote to Weingarten on December 20, 2018. “If you tighten the noose too late, you risk a very bad situation. … Gambino was never the commander-in-chief, and there was little he could do with the walls closing in. Not so with this madman.”

That could be a reference to the notorious “Teflon Don” John Gotti, a central figure in the Gambino crime family who was sentenced to life in prison by New York federal prosecutors after evading justice for decades.

Mr. Weingarten responded that Mr. Epstein’s comments were “not a stupid point” and that Mr. Trump was “starting to behave in a very erratic manner.”

Epstein’s reaction?

“It’s borderline insane, and it’s corroborated by people who are close to it.”

Mr. Epstein had a falling out with Mr. Trump more than a decade ago and was not considered close to Mr. Trump while he was president.

more: Epstein mentioned Trump in an email he sent on Thanksgiving 2017. Its contents are as follows.

Two weeks before Trump was inaugurated for his first term in January 2017, Epstein told a New York Times reporter that Trump’s unpredictability would be a factor when dealing with nuclear-armed despots like Russia’s Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un.

On January 2, 2017, Epstein detailed his curse words: “Donald is so crazy.” “I said that.”

On March 24, 2018, New York Times reporter Landon Thomas Jr. texted Epstein, saying Trump was “really scared right now. He could very well turn the global economy upside down. … Now might be the time for you to jump in.”

Epstein responded: “He’s been telling everyone since day one that he feels alone and he’s crazy!!! Incredibly evil and crazy, and most people thought I was talking figuratively, but it’s clear he can unravel. Daniel like a storm.? Lie after lie after lie.”

“I’m the one who can defeat him.”

In December 2018, the FBI and Justice Department were investigating Epstein on sex trafficking charges following bombshell revelations in the Miami Herald about his girlfriend’s plea deal from a decade ago. The plea deal was overseen by Alex Acosta, the top federal prosecutor in Miami, who was later appointed by President Trump as labor secretary.

“Everything is going to blow over! They really just want to take down Trump and are doing everything they can to do that…!” an unidentified person wrote to Epstein on December 3, 2018.

“Yes, I am,” Epstein replied. “That’s wild, because I’m the one who can beat him.”

Epstein was first charged with soliciting prostitution in Florida in 2006. In 2008, Mr. Acosta and prosecutors reached a controversial plea deal that allowed him to avoid federal prosecution on sex trafficking charges, despite an indictment outlining 60 criminal charges against Mr. Epstein.

On July 6, 2019, seven months after claiming he could defeat Trump, Epstein was arrested on federal sex trafficking charges after his private plane landed in New Jersey.

Federal prosecutors in New York had concluded that he was not bound by the terms of a previous non-prosecution agreement. Six days later, Acosta resigned as labor secretary amid public outrage over Epstein’s plea deal.

A month later, on August 10, guards found Epstein dead in his cell at a federal prison in New York City, where he was awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Investigators concluded he committed suicide.

Trump, who was president when Epstein was arrested, said he would release the government’s file on Epstein during the 2024 presidential campaign. He is now trying to block their release.

Ariana Grande attacked at ‘Wicked’ premiere, Cynthia Erivo intervenes

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Ariana Grande attacked at ‘Wicked’ premiere, Cynthia Erivo intervenes

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Cynthia Erivo supported Ariana Grande during a horrifying red carpet incident.

The “Wicked: For Good” stars took to the stage at the film’s premiere in Singapore on Nov. 13, and a video shared on social media showed a man jumping onto the carpet and grabbing Grande.

Erivo quickly jumped in and helped separate the man from his co-star before security intervened, as seen in a video showing the moment from multiple angles.

Fans identified the man as Johnson Wen, who uses the name Pajama Man on social media. Wen posted a clip of the incident on her verified Instagram account, thanking Grande for “walking on the yellow carpet with me” in the caption, which drew widespread criticism in the comments section.

“You literally assaulted her. This is not humiliation, it’s a crime. Shame on you!” one person commented.

Another comment read: “Your behavior at SG’s premiere night is unacceptable.” “You should have some respect and privacy for Ariana and behave respectfully during the premiere.”

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USA TODAY film critic Brian Truitt’s top holiday movies

USA TODAY film critic Brian Truitt has his picks for the holiday season, and his list includes “Wicked: For Good.”

NBC’s “Wicked: One Wonderful Night” ‘For Good’ magic preview with movie cast

Wen has previously shared numerous clips of herself running on stage at concerts on her social media. According to NBC News, he was arrested and charged with trespassing on closed grounds and obstructing the performance of his duties after running on stage and grabbing Katy Perry at a Sydney concert in June.

Grande’s incident comes weeks after Billie Eilish was grabbed and violently pulled away by a person in the crowd during a concert in Miami, prompting fans to speak out in support of the pop singer. “That’s not a fan. That’s crossing the line. You can love someone’s art while still being human,” one person commented at the time.

ariana grande Taking off the pop star mask: ‘People are seeing me for the first time’

Erivo and Grande are currently in the middle of a promotional tour for “Wicked: For Good,” a musical sequel based on the second half of the Broadway show “Wicked.” The global tour kicked off with a red carpet event in Brazil on November 4, but Grande was forced to miss the event due to a flight issue.

The Oscar-nominated actress told fans she “doesn’t want us to be in any danger” after sharing on Instagram that she was “heartbroken” to miss the Brazil Games.

“We did everything we could. I promise no one is more upset than I am,” Grande wrote. “No matter how upset or disappointed you are, please don’t wish us any danger or assume we didn’t try.”

Contributor: Taylor Ardley, USA TODAY

ABC News correspondent dies at age 69

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ABC News correspondent dies at age 69

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Jim Avila, a former ABC News senior correspondent and television journalist, has died. He was 69 years old.

Avila, who also appeared as a correspondent on the ABC series “20/20,” passed away after a “long illness,” ABC News Live anchor Diane Macedo announced on Thursday, Nov. 13. Further details about Avila’s condition were not released.

“Jim was an L.A.-based correspondent for nearly 20 years, specializing in politics, justice, law and consumer research,” Macedo said. “He also worked at the White House, reporting the news that the United States and Cuba had resumed diplomatic relations. This article earned him the prestigious Merriman Award from the White House Correspondents’ Association.”

USA TODAY has reached out to ABC for comment.

Macedo also noted that Avila had previously faced health issues, including a kidney transplant.

ABC News President Armin Karamedovic paid tribute to Avila’s work as a journalist in a statement Thursday.

“My heart goes out to his family, including his three children Jamie, Jenny and Evan,” Karamemedovic said. “And we thank him for his many contributions and unwavering commitment to the search for truth.”

After Avila’s tenure at ABC News ends in 2021, the news personality joined the network’s San Diego affiliate, KGTV, as a senior investigative reporter.

A memorial service for Avila will be announced by his family, Karamedovic said in an internal memo obtained by USA TODAY.

Jim Avila pioneers television news with serious crime and political coverage

While at ABC News, Avila covered the White House from 2012 to 2016, shining a light on the heart of American politics.

In addition to his award-winning political reporting, Avila served as the television network’s senior law and justice correspondent. During his 50-year broadcast career, the television journalist has covered landmark trials of Penn State football coach Jerry Sandusky, pop star Michael Jackson, NFL alumnus O.J. Simpson, and more.

In addition, Avila has reported extensively on immigration, traveling to the southern border multiple times to cover the experiences of immigrants.

Prior to working at ABC, Avila worked at NBC News, where he served as national correspondent for the network’s “NBC Nightly News” program since January 2000.

Avila covered a wide range of domestic issues, including the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the 2002 D.C. sniper shooting. The reporter also went undercover at NBC’s Baghdad Hotel compound in Iraq during and after a terrorist bombing.

Avila received many flowers for his efforts as a journalist. He won a National Emmy Award for his coverage of the 1997 Red River flood in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and another Emmy Award for his coverage of undocumented workers during the 2008 Southern California wildfires.

The news personality is a five-time winner of the Edward R. Murrow Award and also won the prestigious Cine Golden Eagle Award for his coverage of a Los Angeles immigrant couple who collected reusable cans to support their son’s college education.

This story has been updated to add new information.

President Trump wants to send a $2,000 tariff dividend check, the White House announces.

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President Trump wants to send a $2,000 tariff dividend check, the White House announces.

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President Donald Trump wants you to receive a $2,000 customs dividend check.

The president floated the idea on Truth Social on Nov. 9, saying tariff revenue would make the checks possible. “Those who oppose tariffs are idiots!” he posted. “Everyone (except high-income earners!) will be paid a dividend of at least $2,000 per person.”

White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt reiterated the president’s interest in the proposal when asked about it on Wednesday, Nov. 12.

“The White House is committed to making that happen, and we are currently considering all legal options to make that happen,” Levitt said. “I can’t give you a timeline or any further details, but I can confirm that the president has made it clear that he wants to make it happen. So our team of economic advisors is looking at it and we’ll update you as we get more information.”

President Trump’s 50-year mortgage: Why the president’s proposal won’t solve all of young homebuyers’ problems

President Trump expressed a similar idea through DOGE.

This is not the first time President Trump has proposed giving money to Americans. Back in February, President Trump said he was considering sending stimulus checks to taxpayers for potential savings from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cost-cutting efforts.

The idea came from Azoria investment firm CEO James Fishback, who had been lobbying Company X to issue stimulus checks to Musk based on his claimed savings. The checks, which required Congressional approval, were not issued.

Why you shouldn’t spend your $2,000 customs dividend check yet

The $2,000 check will likely come from customs revenue. But the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a nonpartisan nonprofit that studies fiscal policy, said in a Nov. 10 report that while the first round of tariff dividend checks could cost about $600 billion, the tariffs have so far provided about $100 billion in benefits.

With the national debt at more than $38 trillion, “it is imperative that policymakers focus on actually reducing the deficit and putting the debt on a downward trajectory,” the group said. “Additional tariff revenue should be used to reduce the deficit, as some administration officials have stated their intention, rather than passing that revenue on to taxpayers in the form of cash dividends.”

Recent government stimulus checks

There were several stimulus checks issued by the IRS earlier this year. These were sent to taxpayers who did not claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2021 tax returns. Those who didn’t were eligible for stimulus checks of up to $1,400.

Several stimulus checks have been sent out during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, during President Trump’s first term, taxpayers received a $1,200 check in March 2020 and a $600 check in December 2020. Many Americans received $1,400 COVID-19 relief checks in March 2021 after President Joe Biden took office.

Trump’s name appeared on the checks issued in 2020, an apparent move by Trump to gain credit for the bill approved by Congress. Biden’s name was not on the 2021 checks issued as part of the American Rescue Plan because he did not want to delay payments.

A month before he left office, Biden joked that the lack of a signature may have been a mistake that led to Americans not recognizing his administration’s economic successes.

In a speech at the center-left think tank Brookings Institution, Mr. Biden said Mr. Trump’s actions were a lesson. “He signed the people’s checks,” Biden said. “And I wasn’t stupid,” he said with a laugh, before adding, “But all kidding aside.”

Contributors: Kinsey Crowley, Greta Cross, Joey Garrison, James Powell

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

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Department of Justice joins lawsuit challenging California’s new district boundaries

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Department of Justice joins lawsuit challenging California’s new district boundaries

California redraws its congressional district lines to compete with Texas’ new boundaries. Voters approved the new boundaries in November

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The Department of Justice is joining a lawsuit against California Governor Gavin Newsom over the redrawing of state House districts for the 2026 midterm elections.

The Trump administration has accused California of violating the Constitution by gerrymandering, using race as a factor to favor Hispanic voters in new maps. On November 13, the state asked a federal judge to bar California from using the new map in future elections.

“Race cannot be used as a proxy to advance political interests, and that is exactly what the California Legislature did with Prop. 50, the latest voting plan to override California’s existing electoral maps in favor of abrupt changes to California’s congressional district boundaries,” the complaint states.

Voters overwhelmingly approved the use of new maps in the Nov. 4 election and agreed to revert to non-gerrymandered districts after the 2030 Census.

“These losers lost at the ballot box and will soon lose in the courts,” Newsom spokeswoman Izzy Gurdon said in a statement.

The new lines that Proposition 50 allows Congress to draw effectively nullify five new Republican-leaning congressional districts that Texas created earlier this year at the request of President Donald Trump.

The Justice Department wants to join a lawsuit filed by California Republicans shortly after the election.

more: Forget Schumer and Pelosi. Zoran Mamdani is the new party figurehead.

The lawsuit filed by the California Republican Party and its co-plaintiffs says the new congressional map was drawn to increase the voting power of Hispanic voters by creating two new districts “to allow Latino voters to elect candidates of their choice.”

Republicans argue in their lawsuit that there is no evidence that Hispanic voters are being prevented from electing their preferred representatives, a key standard for judges in racial redistricting cases. They also point out that Latinos are California’s largest population group.

“However, California’s Hispanic voters successfully elected their preferred candidates to both state and federal office, unencumbered by racial majority voting as a bloc,” the complaint states. “This is not surprising since Latinos make up the largest population in the state, and California voters almost always vote based on party affiliation rather than race.”

State legislatures are allowed to consider race when drawing district lines, but they must be able to justify their reasons if the boundaries are challenged in court.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said on social media that the Justice Department has filed charges against Newsom over “proposition 50’s brazen redistricting initiative.”

“Mr. Newsom should be concerned with keeping Californians safe and stopping Antifa violence, not rigging the state for political gain,” Bondi said.

California’s move to redraw district lines comes in response to the Texas Legislature’s redrawing of district lines to lean Republican. Several lawsuits have been filed over the effort, but the Justice Department is not participating.

Several other states are redrawing district lines in a race to use electorate composition to determine which party controls the House after the 2026 election.

What is Prop 50?

Proposition 50 is a constitutional amendment that would allow the nation’s most populous state to temporarily suspend its use of bipartisan commissions to draw congressional district lines. Instead, California will use the lines drawn by Democratic state lawmakers to gain more seats in Congress.

The new lines were drawn and made public when voters passed a constitutional amendment. The lawsuit does not challenge Proposition 50, only the new district boundaries.

After the 2030 U.S. Census, a bipartisan commission will resume drawing the lines.

More than 5.6 million Californians voted for Prop. 50, while about 3.2 million voted against it, according to the California Secretary of State’s Office.

Sarah D. Wire, USA TODAY’s senior national political correspondent, can be reached at swire@usatoday.com.

SNAP recipients are worried about Thanksgiving and Christmas meals

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SNAP recipients are worried about Thanksgiving and Christmas meals

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SNAP recipients waiting for full federal food aid payments are already struggling with food insecurity and will struggle to even make a holiday meal, according to a new study.

According to a Coupon Follow survey, 72% of SNAP recipients said they were worried they wouldn’t be able to buy enough food for themselves and their families this holiday season. USA TODAY investigated this investigation exclusively.

more: When will SNAP benefits resume? Here’s the USDA announcement

The findings are alarming, Clay Carey, senior trend analyst and retail expert at CouponFollow, told USA TODAY.

“A huge number of families are facing budget cuts, forcing them to either skip meals, go to food pantries, or decline to host for the holidays altogether,” he said. “The bottom line is that even if full benefits were reinstated tomorrow, the financial burden on many households would not go away overnight because this is a systemic problem, not a seasonal one.”

How do people refrain from holiday meals?

Here are some highlights of the research.

  • 63% of respondents expect their holiday grocery budget to be lower, and 40% expect it to be even lower.
  • With SNAP benefits suspended, 52% said they would use a food pantry or local food program during the holidays.
  • 44% of respondents said they do not plan to host family or friends for a holiday meal.

Neighbors helping neighbors: Our friends at the grocery store are helping us buy food for SNAP recipients. what are they?

  • The average Thanksgiving holiday budget is $93, with 30% cooking a traditional meal and 28% cooking a simple or small meal. The average Christmas meal budget is $115, with 29% cooking a traditional meal and 33% considering simplifying or smaller meals.
  • Survey respondents said the top ways they try to save money on holiday meals include taking advantage of shopping sales and coupons (61%), using food banks and pantries (33%), and skipping meals before or after to save money (25%).
  • Respondents also said they would skip other things to save on holiday costs, including holiday extras like decorating (62%), entertaining family and friends (44%), and homemade desserts and baked goods (31%).

more: SNAP recipients feel ‘betrayed’ and ‘judged’ amid government shutdown cuts

While SNAP recipients missed payments during the government shutdown and it’s still unclear when benefits will be fully restored, many people lined up at food pantries, restaurants offering free meals, and community members across the country joined together to buy groceries for neighbors in need.

Betty Lin-Fisher is a consumer reporter for USA TODAY. Contact her at blinfisher@USATODAY.com or follow her at @blinfisher on X, Facebook and Instagram and @blinfisher.bsky.social on Bluesky.. Sign up for our free The Daily Money newsletter, breaking down complex consumer and financial news. Subscribe here.

The deadline for AT&T’s data breach settlement is fast approaching. Check your eligibility.

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The deadline for AT&T’s data breach settlement is fast approaching. Check your eligibility.

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AT&T customers could be eligible to receive up to $7,500 from the telecommunications giant as part of a $177 million class action settlement.

The settlement is the result of a lawsuit alleging that the company failed to protect its customers’ vulnerable data, leading to two separate data breach incidents in 2024.

In the first incident, which occurred on March 30, 2024, AT&T announced that customer information, including addresses, social security numbers, and passcodes, was published on the dark web, according to the payments website.

On July 12, 2024, AT&T announced a second incident in which customer call and text message records were illegally downloaded.

AT&T does not dispute that a data breach occurred, but denies data mishandling or wrongdoing, according to a Kroll Payments Authority news release. In a statement to USA TODAY, AT&T said it is “committed to protecting our customers’ data and ensuring their continued trust in us.”

Here’s what you need to know about settlements.

Who is eligible to file a claim in AT&T’s data breach settlement?

There are two settlement classes, or groups of eligible customers, who can file claims.

The first class of eligible claimants includes AT&T customers affected by the March 30, 2024 data breach. The second class includes those who were included in the incident announced on July 12, 2024. Some customers may be eligible for membership in both classes.

The breach is believed to have affected more than 7 million people who had AT&T accounts in 2024 and more than 65 million people who had AT&T accounts between 2019 and 2024, according to the complaint and AT&T’s 2024 statement.

Customers who are unsure whether their payment is included should call 833-890-4930.

Trader Joe’s new micro tote bag: What you need to know and how to get them.

When is the deadline to file a claim?

The deadline to file a claim is Tuesday, November 18th. Online forms must be submitted by that date. Requests sent by mail must be postmarked.

How to file a claim in the AT&T settlement

AT&T customers eligible for the settlement can submit claims online at www.telecomdatasettlement.com.

Claims may also be mailed to AT&T Data Incident Settlement, Attention: Kroll Settlement Administration LLC, PO Box 5324, New York, NY 10150-5324.

How much money can claimants receive?

Eligible claimants can receive up to several thousand dollars, depending on which settlement class they belong to.

Customers affected by the initial data incident can claim up to $5,000 through a cash payment option for documented losses. This means you will need to provide documentation of your loss.

Alternatively, members of the first payment class may choose Tier 1 or Tier 2 cash payments.

Anyone whose Social Security number was included in the March 30 data breach can file a claim against Tier 1. Customers whose data, but not their Social Security number, was involved in the breach can apply for Tier 2. Tier 1 payouts are 5 times more than Tier 2.

Customers affected by a second data breach also have a cash payment option for documented losses of up to $2,500. You can also choose the Tier 3 cash payment option. This will form part of the settlement after administrative costs and insurance claims are made.

Customers affected by both data breaches could receive up to $7,500, according to the settlement website.

Contributor: Taylor Ardley, USA TODAY

Melina Khan is USA TODAY’s national trends reporter. Contact her at melina.khan@usatoday.com.

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

Bronze statue of Trump and Epstein holding hands on display again after email is destroyed

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Bronze statue of Trump and Epstein holding hands on display again after email is destroyed

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  • A bronze statue depicting Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein holding hands is on display again in Washington, DC.
  • The return of the statue coincides with the release of new Epstein emails.
  • Previously, the National Park Service removed the statue from the National Mall due to non-compliance with permits.

A statue of President Donald Trump and late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein holding hands will be put back on display in Washington, D.C.

In September, an anonymous group called “The Secret Handshake” unveiled a 12-foot-tall artwork depicting Mr. Trump and Mr. Epstein holding hands and jumping up and down, a tongue-in-cheek reference to Friendship Month. The group says the National Park Service toppled, damaged and removed the statue without warning, days before it was scheduled to be removed. The Department of the Interior said the statue was not in compliance with permits, and the statue was eventually returned to the National Mall for a limited time.

The statue was installed in its new home on November 13, a day after House Democrats released new emails from Epstein alleging that President Trump “knew about the girls.” The group told USA TODAY in an email that the statue will remain outside the Busboys and Poets Cafe for at least several days on the 14th and V-Day. The cafe did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but posted a photo of the statue on its Instagram Story with the caption, “Where art and politics collide!”

Organizers of the statue told USA TODAY in a statement that they hope the statue will generate buzz after the email is published.

Live updates: New Epstein emails intensify records controversy as President Trump ramps up pressure on Republican lawmakers.

What was in Jeffrey Epstein’s recently released emails?

The House Oversight Committee released thousands of pages of documents from Epstein’s estate on November 12th. House Democrats began the day by pointing to emails from Epstein that claimed Trump “knew the girls” and that Trump spent hours with one of his victims.

The release comes as Congress reconvenes to reopen the government and a bipartisan effort to force a vote on releasing the Epstein files has gathered enough signatures.

“These emails prove nothing except that President Trump did nothing wrong,” White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt said at a press conference on November 12. Trump also claimed on Truth Social, as he had previously, that the controversy was a hoax.

“Democrats are going to bring back the Jeffrey Epstein hoax because they’ll do anything they can to deflect from how bad they did with the government shutdown and so many other topics,” Trump said. “Only very bad or stupid Republicans would fall into that trap.”

Epstein and Trump friendship statue was previously toppled by the National Park Service

The Secret Handshake statue of the pair was installed on the National Mall after the controversy over Trump and Epstein has roiled the Trump administration and divided the Republican Party for months. The organization said the art installation was intended to encourage conversation about the president’s relationship with the late sex offender.

The Secret Handshake told USA TODAY they are a small group of citizens who use art and humor to encourage political discussion. The group previously erected the so-called “Dictator Approved” piece, an 8-foot-tall sculpture of a hand crushing the Statue of Liberty’s crown while making a thumbs-up gesture. And the “Gold TV Statue” multimedia installation showed footage of Trump dancing with Epstein on a gold TV.

The statues of Epstein and Trump were originally scheduled to be on display on the National Mall from Sept. 22 to the evening of Sept. 28, according to a National Park Service permit obtained by USA TODAY. However, according to The Secret Handshake, NPS representatives showed up around 5:30 a.m. on September 24, toppled the statue, and took it to a government warehouse. Footage shared by the group shows a person, a member of the NPS, telling people on the other side of the camera that the statue is too large and non-compliant before workers push it down.

Organizers said they had received no warning and called it “unbelievable.” Ultimately, after the group worked for about a week to modify the statue and obtain permits with the NPS, the statue was returned to the National Mall for a limited time.

Contributor: Jennifer Sangalang, USA TODAY Network

Kinsey Crowley is a Trump Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Please contact KCrowley@usatodayco.com. follow her X (Twitter), blue sky and TikTok.

New ‘South Park’ episode shocks love scene between Donald Trump and J.D. Vance

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New ‘South Park’ episode shocks love scene between Donald Trump and J.D. Vance

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“South Park” has escalated the war against President Donald Trump to a new level.

The latest episode of the animated series, which aired on November 12, shocked viewers with a scene depicting President Trump having sex with Vice President J.D. Vance.

The episode, titled “Sora Not Sorry,” continued the storyline of Trump having a romantic relationship with Satan and expecting a baby with him. In previous episodes, Vance secretly worked with Peter Thiel on a plot to stop the baby from being born, and in “Sora Not Sorry,” Trump becomes part of the plan.

The episode shows President Trump plotting with Vance in a hot tub, leading to a graphic scene where the president and vice president have sex in Lincoln’s bedroom.

Meanwhile, the main plot of the episode is that the kids at South Park Elementary School spread AI-generated videos of each other, leading to the involvement of the police and IP lawyers.

The two stories converge when police discover security camera footage of Trump and Vance having sex in the White House. The video ended up on Fox News, but President Trump immediately called and claimed it was AI-generated. Even though the footage was real, Fox bought into Trump’s lies. Trump also lies to Satan that the video is fake, but in the final scene he secretly meets and flirts with Vance.

For a show that has had so many shocking moments over the years, even South Park fans were surprised by the new episodes. “I’ve never been so upset about something, but I’ve also never laughed as hard as I did during Vance’s relationship with Trump,” one fan commented on Reddit.

In its latest episode, “South Park” continued its trend of focusing on impersonating the Trump administration. The animated show introduced a new parody of Trump, who was established as having a romantic relationship with Satan, during its Season 27 premiere in July. At the time, White House press secretary Taylor Rogers fired back in a statement, saying “South Park” “has not been relevant for more than 20 years, hanging on the strings of an uninspired idea in a desperate bid for attention.”

Since then, creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone have continued to double down, mocking Trump with each new episode of “South Park,” and turning members of the Trump administration into recurring characters. The conspiracy that Trump is pregnant with a child with Satan has been going on since September.

Creator of “South Park” Explaining the show’s recent focus on Donald Trump

Parker and Stone recently spoke to The New York Times about their decision to focus heavily on Trump in a recent episode. They told the outlet they originally thought Trump would make a one-off appearance in the season 27 premiere, but decided to bring him back because they felt they had found a “comedic vein.”

“South Park” skewers Pam Bondi mocks President Trump’s East Wing destruction in new episode

“It wasn’t all about politics,” Parker told the Times. “Politics has become pop culture.”

However, in the recent Halloween episode, “The Woman in the Hat,” the show went meta to address fans unhappy with recent political storylines. In this episode, Stan Marsh launches a campaign declaring that “South Park sucks right now” because of “all the political stuff.”

When will the next “South Park” episode air?

“South Park” is scheduled to return in two weeks, with new episodes scheduled to air on November 26, the day before Thanksgiving. After this, the next episode is scheduled for December 10th.

IRS raises standards and limits for 401(k) savers for 2026

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IRS raises standards and limits for 401(k) savers for 2026

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The IRS said Americans who are saving for retirement have the opportunity to save even more before taxes in 2026.

Next year, the annual deferral limit for employees will increase from $23,500 in 2025 to $24,500 for workplace plans, including 401(k)s, 403(b)s, government 457 plans, and federal thrift savings plans.

Additional contributions for participants age 50 and older will increase from $7,500 to $8,000, capping total contributions in 2026 at $32,500. For employees aged 60, 61, 62 and 63 who participate in these plans, the super catch-up contribution limit remains $11,250, rather than the usual catch-up contribution of $8,000.

Only 14% of participants saved the maximum amount to qualify for the tax break in 2024, flat from 2023, according to Vanguard’s annual report, How America Saves. However, the proportion of older participants who were eligible for and made catch-up contributions gradually increased from 15% to 16%, the report said. Super catch-up contributions did not start until 2025.

Reminder about catch-up contributions for high earners

Richard Pong, a San Francisco-based certified public accountant, reminded that 2026 catch-up contributions for those who earned at least $160,000 in the previous calendar year must be made into a Roth plan or as an after-tax catch-up contribution. But employer plans don’t have to offer catch-up contributions or a Roth plan, he said.

Employers without Roth plans “may instead prohibit higher-paid participants from making catch-up contributions,” he said.

What are the IRA limits for 2026?

In 2026, the annual contribution limit to an IRA will increase from $500 to $7,500. The IRS says the IRA catch-up contribution limit for individuals age 50 will increase from $1,000 to $1,100 in 2025, subject to cost-of-living adjustments.

Have the income ranges for contributions to traditional and Roth IRAs changed?

Yes, the IRS says your income range will determine your eligibility to make deductible contributions to a traditional IRA, contributions to a Roth IRA, and to claim an increased Saver’s Credit in 2026.

The scope of the 2026 phase-out is:

  • For single taxpayers eligible for workplace retirement plans, the phaseout range increased from $79,000 to $89,000 in 2025 and from $81,000 to $91,000.
  • For married couples filing jointly, the phaseout range increases from $126,000 to $146,000 in 2025 and from $129,000 to $149,000 in 2025 if the spouse making the IRA contribution is in a workplace retirement plan.
  • For IRA contributors who are not eligible for a workplace retirement plan and are married to the eligible individual, the 2025 phaseout range is between $236,000 and $246,000 and $242,000 to $252,000.
  • For married people covered by a workplace retirement plan who file a separate return, the phaseout range remains within the $0 to $10,000 range, not subject to annual cost-of-living adjustments.
  • For married people covered by a workplace retirement plan who file a separate return, the phaseout range remains within the $0 to $10,000 range, not subject to annual cost-of-living adjustments.
  • The income phase-out range for taxpayers contributing to a Roth IRA increases from between $150,000 and $165,000 to between $153,000 and $168,000 for singles and heads of households. For married couples filing jointly, the graduated deduction range increased from $236,000 to $246,000 to $242,000 to $252,000. The phaseout range for married people who contribute to a Roth IRA and file a separate return is not subject to annual cost-of-living adjustments and remains within the $0 to $10,000 range.
  • The income limit for the Savers Credit for low- and moderate-income workers is $80,500 for married couples filing jointly, up from $79,000 in 2025. $60,375 for heads of household, up from $59,250 in 2025. Singles and married people filing separately will pay $40,250, up from $39,500 in 2025.

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 morning.

La Niña will dominate winter weather in 2025-2026. What do you expect?

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La Niña will dominate winter weather in 2025-2026. What do you expect?

The effects of La Niña events vary widely by region, even within the United States. Here’s what winter weather means:

Climate change troublemaker La Niña will dominate winter weather in the United States, federal forecasters at the Climate Prediction Center announced Thursday, Nov. 13.

“La Niña conditions have persisted over the past month, as evidenced by below-average sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific,” the prediction center said in a statement.

La Niña is part of a natural climate cycle officially known as El Niño Southern Oscillation, which scientists refer to as ENSO. This cycle moves back and forth between warm and cold ocean water in areas along the equator of the tropical Pacific Ocean. La Niña is characterized by lower than average seawater levels in the region.

These subtle changes can have large ripple effects across the Earth’s climate, increasing the likelihood of rain, drought, hurricanes, and other disruptions in cycles. Even within the United States, the impact varies widely by region.

Although on the weak side, federal forecasters say the La Niña event will still be the main driver of winter weather in the United States.

That impact is likely to be strongest during the winter months, which is why it plays a large role in the CPC’s recently released winter outlook, John Gottschalk, director of operational forecasting at the Climate Prediction Center, told USA TODAY.

La Niña events also increase hurricane activity in the Atlantic Basin. Fortunately, hurricane season is almost over, so there shouldn’t be any effects from La Niña this year.

Does La Niña mean winter weather? The map shows a typical pattern.

What is La Niña?

La Niña is part of a natural climate cycle officially known as El Niño Southern Oscillation, which scientists refer to as ENSO. This cycle moves back and forth between warm and cold ocean water in areas along the equator of the tropical Pacific Ocean. La Niña is characterized by lower than average seawater levels in the region.

This is one of the main factors that determines the weather in the United States, especially in late fall, winter, and early spring. This is the opposite of the better-known El Niño, which occurs when Pacific water temperatures are at least 0.9 degrees warmer than average for three months.

The intermediate stage is known as ENSO-Neutral, where neither La Niña nor El Niño exists.

How cold is it in winter and does it snow? The new NOAA forecast holds clues.

What’s the winter forecast?

According to CPC’s winter forecast, California, much of the East Coast and Florida, as well as the southern United States, will most likely experience a warmer-than-normal winter. Colder-than-average conditions are expected across the Pacific Northwest and upper Midwest.

When it comes to snow and rain, the northern Rocky Mountains and Great Lakes region are most likely to see the most precipitation this winter, the Climate Prediction Center said. However, a drier-than-normal winter is expected in the southern tier of the country, especially in the southeast.

The center’s forecast covers the months of December, January and February, known as meteorological winter months.

What other factors are at play?

AccuWeather’s recent U.S. winter forecast also points to La Niña as one of the key factors for next season, said Paul Pastelok, AccuWeather’s senior meteorologist and long-range expert. He said in an online forecast that La Niña conditions are likely to influence snow, rain and temperature trends across the country, but stressed that this year’s La Niña appears to be weak, leaving room for other oceanic factors to influence the forecast.

One of those factors is a marine heatwave that stretches across much of the North Pacific Ocean from Japan to the U.S. West Coast.

“These areas off the West Coast and beyond are very, very important in this year’s (winter) forecast,” Pastelok explained. He added that there have been few winters in recent decades with similar conditions over such a vast ocean area.

Why are La Niña forecasts important?

“Seasonal forecasts of El Niño and La Niña and their associated climate impacts are important climate information tools,” World Meteorological Organization Director-General Celeste Sauro said in a recent statement.

“These have led to millions of dollars in economic savings for key sectors such as agriculture, energy, health and transportation, and have saved thousands of lives when used to guide preparedness and response actions,” she added.

When can the House vote on releasing the Epstein files?

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When can the House vote on releasing the Epstein files?

A hotly debated House vote is expected next week following the bombshell release of Jeffrey Epstein’s emails that allege the president knew about the convicted sex offender’s sex trafficking allegations.

After months of opposition, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson announced on November 12 that a vote would be held next week on a bill that would require the Justice Department to release the Epstein files.

Live updates: New Epstein emails intensify records controversy as President Trump ramps up pressure on Republican lawmakers.

As the House of Commons investigation into the disgraced financier continues, Mr Johnson unveiled a rough timeline after a group of MPs on both sides of the aisle used vague petitions to circumvent opposition from House leadership. Epstein died by suicide in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial.

After the petition appeared to be heading for success, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on November 12 that the House of Commons would vote on the release of the files next week, sparking a parliamentary battle over an issue that Johnson had been trying to avoid for months.

The Epstein file has become a stubborn thorn in President Donald Trump and the Republican Party, with influential MAGA voices and commentators dividing over the government’s handling of related investigations into participants in Epstein’s human trafficking ring. If the bill passes the House next week, it will be sent to the Senate for consideration and a vote, which is likely to draw even more attention to Mr. Epstein and Mr. Trump.

The bipartisan petition itself exposed party divisions, with four House Republicans — Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina and Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky — choosing to keep their names on the document and breaking with the party’s call for the files to be made public.

Amid the Nov. 12 vote to end the shutdown, House Democrats released three emails from Epstein written between 2011 and 2019 in which he mentioned Trump by name. In one of the emails, Epstein wrote that Trump “spent many hours at my house” with one of Epstein’s victims. In another article, Epstein said Trump “knew about the girls.” The charges against Epstein include conspiring to transport minors across state lines to perform sex acts with clients.

The White House called the release of the emails a “smear,” and President Trump said on social media that Democrats were trying to “distract” from other issues.

In a social media post, President Trump warned Republicans against voting for a bill that would require full disclosure of government records related to Epstein, saying “only very bad or stupid Republicans would fall into that trap” and calling the issue a “hoax”.

Contributor: Joey Garrison, USA TODAY.

Kathryn Palmer is USA TODAY’s political reporter. She can be reached at the following address: kapalmer@usatoday.com And to X@Kathryn Purml.

Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva code-switches in her first remarks after taking the oath of office

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Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva code-switches in her first remarks after taking the oath of office

“Even if it’s the first time, I guarantee you it won’t be the last,” she said in Spanish, to a brief applause as the packed chamber again withheld an interpreter.

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Washington – granddaughter of laborerAfter waiting 50 days to take her seat in Congress, Rep. Adelita Grijalva took to the podium on the House floor and told her colleagues, “Our democracy works when everyone has a voice.”

“This moment is historic for our community.” Grijalva spoke in Spanish and did not provide an interpreter to his hundreds of colleagues on the House floor. “I am honored to be the first Latina woman to serve in the Arizona State Legislature.” (“This is a historic moment for our community,” she said. “It is an honor to be the first Latina woman to represent Arizona in Congress.)

During her roughly five-minute speech, Grijalva seamlessly switched between English and Spanish, as is common for many people who grew up along the U.S.-Mexico border, while also addressing some of her colleagues and addressing the Latino community.

Code-switching, the act of selectively switching between languages ​​or dialects during a conversation, is a phenomenon familiar to bilingual and multilingual people in the United States.

Grijalva won a special election to replace her late father, U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva, becoming the first Latina and, in her words, “the first Chicana” to represent Arizona in the state Legislature. She said it’s the first, but not the last.

“Even if it’s your first time, I guarantee it won’t be your last.” She said this in Spanish, and there was a small round of applause in the packed room, which again refrained from interpreting. Her message seems to be aimed not at those who aren’t there, but at the next Latina in office.

She also spoke directly to her three children, Adelina, Raúl and Joaquín, along with her husband Sol and mother Ramona, who were sitting in the chamber.

“Thank you very much for your support and love.” she told them in Spanish. (“Thank you so much for your support and love.”)

Her message wasn’t just for her family or the Latinx community. In front of a packed chamber, she turned herself into a lawmaker.

“We need to fight for immigrant communities and veterans,” she told her colleagues. “We need to stand up for our public schools, our children, and our educators. We need to respect tribal sovereignty and the environment. We need to stand up for LGBTQ+ rights because that’s what the American people expect of us. Let’s fight for them.”

Speaking in English, not Spanish, she said she was concerned about the damage caused by government shutdowns, executive overreach and ICE agents rounding up people without cause.

In his remarks, Grijalva also pledged to sign a release petition “now” to release more files related to the late disgraced financier and accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. House Democrats released bombshell emails on November 12 in which Epstein wrote that President Donald Trump “spent hours at my house” with one of Epstein’s victims and “knew the girls.”

But the woman who refused to join her colleagues in resuming Congress due to the government shutdown and waited seven weeks before entering the workforce as Speaker of the House Mike Johnson ended her remarks with a final message to the community. “Please, my people.”

Go ahead, my people.

This article has been updated to add new information.

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