Search
Menu
Home Blog Page 522

Canadian Prime Minister John Carney says he apologizes to President Trump over anti-tariff ad

US-NEA
-
0
Canadian Prime Minister John Carney says he apologizes to President Trump over anti-tariff ad

play

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Nov. 1 that he has apologized to President Donald Trump after an ad run by his state government infuriated the U.S. leader and prompted a halt to trade negotiations.

“I apologized to the president,” Carney told reporters in South Korea.

The ad, run by the Ontario government rather than the Canadian federal government, ran during the World Series and featured snippets of former President Ronald Reagan’s 1987 remarks. In his remarks, President Reagan was critical of tariffs. The ad contained the conservative icon’s exact words, but phrases taken from longer speeches were strung together. President Trump criticized this as “FAKE.”

In response, President Trump announced on social media that he was ending trade negotiations with Canada, claiming that the ad misrepresented President Reagan’s views. He also announced a 10% increase in tariffs on products imported from the United States’ northern neighbor. His move comes as the president has imposed steep tariffs on imports from countries including Canada, and the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments in a case that will decide the fate of the tariffs on Nov. 5.

Trump, tariffs, and the World Series: How TV advertising upended US-Canada trade negotiations

The ad was commissioned by Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who announced that the province would suspend advertising starting Oct. 27 “so we can resume trade talks.”

“I told Ford I didn’t want to move forward with the advertising,” Carney said on Nov. 1.

Mr. Carney said he apologized when the two attended a dinner hosted by South Korea’s president on October 29, and Mr. Trump said he had a “very good” conversation with Mr. Carney at the dinner.

What did you see in the ad?

The 60-second ad summarizes President Reagan’s remarks in a lengthy radio address on April 25, 1987, days after he raised tariffs on some Japanese imports in response to Japan’s violation of the semiconductor trade agreement. At that meeting, President Reagan made it clear that he did not support tariffs.

“When someone says, ‘Let’s put tariffs on foreign imports,’ it looks like they’re doing the patriotic thing of protecting American products and American jobs. And sometimes it works, but only for a short period of time,” President Reagan said in the ad.

The White House objected, arguing that the ad omitted other parts of President Reagan’s speech. “As I have often said, our commitment to free trade is also our commitment to fair trade,” the former president said in his opening remarks.

Learn how President Reagan felt about tariffs here.

Contributed by Michael Collins and Joey Garrison, USA TODAY. Reuters

How to replace your cabin air filter in minutes without a mechanic

US-NEA
-
0
How to replace your cabin air filter in minutes without a mechanic

If your car smells like rotten eggs, you’re not alone. Learn these simple maintenance steps to keep the air in your cabin fresh.

play

  • Millions of Americans have experienced bad car odors from dirty air filters.
  • Cabin air filters are affordable and easy to replace by following the proper instructions.
  • To avoid musty smells in your car, replace your cabin air filter before turning up your car’s heat.

Does your car smell? If you notice a strange smell inside your car, there’s no need to worry. You, like millions of other Americans, probably need to replace your cabin air filter. It’s a quick, easy and affordable way to ensure the cleanest possible air inside your car’s cabin.

Seasonal cleaning doesn’t have to be done at home. By performing basic maintenance on your car, you can ensure the safest and most comfortable driving experience possible heading into winter.

What is a cabin air filter?

A cabin air filter is a filter that traps dust, pollen, and pollutants in the air, allowing your vehicle to bring clean air to the cabin. A dirty or moldy cabin air filter can create serious odors and put you at risk of breathing in harmful pollutants. Your local repair shop will be happy to replace this filter during your oil change. On the other hand, if you want to replace your cabin air filter faster and for less money, it’s much easier than most Americans think.

Car repair costs will skyrocket in 2025. Why this happens and what drivers need to know

Your car’s cabin air filter should be replaced at least once a year. Additionally, if you plan to turn up the heat while driving this fall and winter, it’s important to clean your filters.

How much does a cabin air filter cost?

A basic cabin air filter costs between $10 and $20. Original equipment manufacturer (car brand) filters tend to be more expensive. Auto mechanics often try to upsell OEM air filters. For most drivers, there won’t be enough of a difference to justify purchasing a more expensive filter, but the choice is yours, especially if you change the filter yourself on your own time.

The easiest way to find the right cabin air filter for your car online is to search for the term “cabin air filter” for your specific year/make/model. For example, according to AutoZone.com, my 2018 Honda Civic EX is compatible with several brands of cabin air filters, including STP ($19.99) and K&N ($44.99). You can have this particular cabin air filter shipped directly to your home, or you can add it to your cart and pick it up at your local AutoZone. Most auto parts stores carry cabin air filters.

Amazon also offers several affordable options from a variety of brands starting at $9.99. So in most cases, you can buy a new cabin air filter for less than $20, and you can save on installation and labor costs by doing it yourself.

How to replace the cabin air filter

The first step is to do a simple web search using your car’s year/make/model to find your cabin air filter. Most cabin air filters are tucked behind the glove box.

If the filter is behind the glove box, carefully remove the glove box completely by applying light pressure to the sides when the glove box is fully open. This pressure will cause the glove box to pop out of place, leaving the filter cover exposed. Set the glove box aside and open the filter.

Once you have access to the filter, delete it completely. New filters include instructions that indicate which side should face the airflow. Then just put the filter cover back on and you’re ready to go. The entire process takes less than a few minutes and can easily save you a few dollars.

Day of the Dead 2025 begins on November 1st. Here’s what you need to know:

US-NEA
-
0
Day of the Dead 2025 begins on November 1st. Here’s what you need to know:

play

Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) will be celebrated this weekend in communities across the United States. This primarily Mexican holiday is rooted in the belief that the veil between the mortal and immortal worlds is thinning, allowing the souls of the dead to cross into the world of the living to be with their loved ones.

The vacation will take place over three days. Depending on where the holiday is celebrated, official celebrations usually begin on November 1st and end on November 2nd, and preparations and preparations for the vigil begin on October 31st. November 1st is known as Día de los Angelitos, which honors the souls of children who have passed away, and November 2nd is Día de los Muertos.

As part of this holiday rooted in indigenous culture, families create a path of marigold petals from their front door to the altar to guide the spirits into their home.

“Dear Death” is the inspiration for the Disney/Pixar film “Coco,” which tells the story of a Mexican boy who travels through the land of the dead to find his musical idol, while his ancestors attempt to cross into the world of the living. People celebrating this holiday paint their faces to look like skeletons and hold parades to honor the deceased.

As the holiday approaches, here’s a primer on the key elements of Muertos Day.

What is the origin of Día de los Muertos?

The holiday began 3,000 years ago in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica as a ritual to honor the dead.

According to History.com, tradition holds that the gates of heaven will open at midnight on October 31st, allowing child spirits to return to their families for 24 hours, while adult spirits can stay with their loved ones for the entirety of November 2nd.

In the traditions of indigenous peoples, including the Aztec and Nahua peoples of central Mexico, death is considered a constant part of life. It is said that after death, a person traveled to the land of the dead called Chicnamictlan. Reaching Mictlan, believed to be their final resting place, requires several years of climbing through the heights of the land.

In traditional ceremonies, indigenous people offer food and water to deceased spirits to aid them in their journey. This gave rise to the modern tradition of the ofrenda, a special type of altar set up for this occasion.

More news: What is the difference between Halloween and Day of the Dead and how to celebrate them?

How are holidays celebrated?

Marigolds are one of the most important symbols of this holiday. Ofrendas and cemeteries are usually decorated with flowers. Flowers are believed to guide spirits into the living world with their bright colors and strong scents.

Altars are traditionally decorated with remnants of their lives, such as photographs of deceased relatives, their favorite foods and drinks, and symbols of their favorite objects and professions.

People often dress up as skeletons on Day of the Dead to reflect on their own mortality and treat death as a natural part of life.

Other important holiday symbols include calaveras de azucal, sugar skull, pan de muerto, papel picado, and “La Calavera Catrina,” a Mexican folk image created by artist Jose Guadalupe Posada in the early 20th century to mock European styles. “La Calavera Catrina” is an image of a female skeleton dressed in the fashion of the time.

Mexican cities often hold parades to celebrate the holiday, featuring mascots dressed as skeletons. In the United States, Day of the Dead parades are held in cities such as Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Antonio, and Fort Lauderdale.

What do people eat on Day of the Dead?

Pan de Muerto is a traditional sweet bread decorated with crossbone-shaped dough, flavored with orange zest, and topped with sugar, often enjoyed during the holidays. Other commonly consumed foods and drinks include atole, corn flour drinks, and dark chocolate.

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

JD Vance says he wants his wife Usha to convert to Christianity

US-NEA
-
0
JD Vance says he wants his wife Usha to convert to Christianity

Second Lady Usha Vance previously said she had no intention of becoming Catholic and that her Hindu heritage would be part of her children’s lives.

play

Vice Chancellor J.D. Vance said at an event on campus this week that he wants to see his wife, Second Lady Usha Vance, the son of Hindu Indian immigrants, convert to Christianity.

The vice president was speaking at the Turning Point USA event at the University of Mississippi on October 29, which was also attended by Erica Kirk, widow of Vance’s late friend Charlie Kirk. One audience member, who said she is an immigrant, asked J.D. Vance critical questions about his calls to reduce legal immigration to the United States and how he teaches children “not to put your religion ahead of your mother’s.”

J.D. Vance, considered a front-runner for the 2028 Republican presidential nomination, said his wife grew up in a non-religious Hindu family and that they were both agnostic or atheist when they met. Usha Vance’s parents immigrated to the United States from India. JD Vance converted to Catholicism after getting married and was baptized in 2019.

“In the end, do I hope that she will be moved in some way in the same way that I was moved by the church? Yeah, honestly, I hope so, because I believe in the Christian gospel, and I hope that eventually my wife will see it the same way,” Vance said.

“But if she doesn’t, that doesn’t matter to me because God says, ‘Everyone has free will.’ That’s something you work out with your friends, family, and loved ones,” he added.

Vance also said he and his wife decided to raise their three children as Christians, and the two older children attend Christian schools.

Usha Vance did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Vice President’s Office, but she has previously said she has no intention of becoming Catholic and that her Hindu heritage will be part of her children’s lives.

“I’m not going to convert,” Usha Vance said in an interview on Meghan McCain’s podcast in June.

“We’ve made going to church a family experience. My kids know I’m not Catholic, and they have access to a lot of Hindu traditions, from the books we gift them to the things we show them, to our recent visit to India, and the religious elements of that visit,” she added.

Vance’s comments sparked a backlash, with some saying he disrespected his wife’s heritage in public. Vance responded to X’s post on Oct. 31, writing that his wife is “the greatest blessing of my life.”

“I hope that someday she sees things the same way I do. Either way, I will continue to love and support her and continue to talk to her about faith and life and everything else because she is my wife,” Vance said.

J.D. Vance’s theological arguments regarding immigration sometimes put him at odds with leaders of his own faith. Vance cited the Catholic concept of the Christian order of love, ordo amoris, to justify the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.

“Just search ‘Ordo Amoris’ on Google,” Vance posted on X on January 30 in response to Christian-based criticism of his comments in a Fox News interview about immigration. Vance said in an interview that Christian love comes first over family, then neighbors, then community, then other citizens.

“real order of love What must be promoted is what we discover through meditation on the love that builds a fraternity open to all without exception,” the late Pope Francis wrote in a Feb. 10 letter criticizing America’s mass deportations.

Before his election to the Catholic Church’s leadership on May 8, Pope Leo XIV, then Cardinal Robert Francis Prevot, similarly criticized Vance’s comments on immigration. He shared a Feb. 3 National Catholic Reporter opinion piece from the X and reposted the article’s title, “J.D. Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others.”

Contributors: Sarah D. Wire and Francesca Chambers – USA TODAY.

25-year-old loses leg after being attacked by shark during New York Marathon

US-NEA
-
0
25-year-old loses leg after being attacked by shark during New York Marathon

play

NEW YORK — When Ari Truwitt crossed the finish line of the Copenhagen Marathon in 2023, she had a clear plan for the next few years. She was about to graduate from Yale University. There, he was on a Division 1 swim team, had a consulting job at McKinsey & Company, and was scheduled to take a celebratory trip to the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Ten days into that vacation, the unthinkable happened.

While snorkeling, she was attacked by a shark and had her left leg and part of her foot bitten off. On her 23rd birthday, she underwent surgery to have her leg amputated below the knee. Running, let alone training for my next marathon, felt like a distant dream.

On that boat, one of the first responders, Matthew Bevilacqua, helped keep Truewitt conscious. In a social media post, Truwitt recalled joking, “At least I finished the marathon before this.” He answered without hesitation: “Please run again.”

He was right. Two and a half years after the attack, the 25-year-old is lacing up her shoes for another marathon. This time I’m running the TCS New York City Marathon on November 2nd.

more: Boston Marathon runner helps fellow competitors achieve great results even after fall

From shark attacks to the Paralympics

Truwitt and her friend Sophie Pilkington, who was on the Yale swim team, were snorkeling together at the time of the shark attack. Mr. Twitt and Mr. Pilkington swam about 75 yards back to the boat, where Mr. Pilkington saved Mr. Twitt’s life by applying a tourniquet to his leg.

She was then airlifted to Ryder Trauma Center in Miami, where she underwent two surgeries and worked with a team of trauma doctors. When she left the hospital, she asked her parents to put away all her pants and skirts. She didn’t want anyone to see her prosthetic leg.

“I had to learn how to love this new body without my lower left leg, and it was really hard,” Truewitt says.

As a lifelong athlete, Truwitt wanted to get back in the water, but suffered from seizure triggers and flashbacks. She started with small steps, swimming in her backyard pool, and a little over three months later, she was swimming in the pool at Chelsea Piers as a child.

“The first thing was giving myself grace and sadness and understanding that that’s part of it, recognizing that I’m feeling sadness or anger or whatever it is, and learning how to allow myself to feel those emotions,” Truewitt says.

She began training in earnest in September. By December 2023, she had competed in the U.S. Paralympic Swimming Championships and decided to try for the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games.

Sixteen months after the attack, she competed in the Paralympics, setting two American records and winning a silver medal.

“It really highlighted how strong the power of the mind is in unlocking our abilities and helping us achieve what we’re capable of,” says Truewitt.

more: Thanks to his wife, he completed the marathon with 24 hours’ notice. Experts advise against it.

learn to run again

Last July, Truewitt received a Running Blade prosthetic leg. It uses a curved shape and carbon fiber, allowing runners to move faster than traditional prosthetic legs.

“The idea came back to me: ‘What if I could finish a marathon a year after I got the blade?'” Twitt says.

Truewitt shared the ups and downs of his training journey on social media. She started training on a treadmill, but had to adapt to running on rough surfaces when her ankles weren’t stable.

Training as an amputee meant considering factors such as limb management, and in some cases training had to be interrupted to avoid infection. When running long distances, I have to take off my prosthetic leg to wipe off the sweat.

During her own journey, she was struck by the cost of prosthetic limbs and how little insurance covers them. In December 2024, Mr. Truwitt founded Stronger Than You Think, a nonprofit organization focused on promoting water safety, access to prosthetic limbs, and para-mobility. Since then, she has helped donate 11 prosthetic legs to women and girls.

Truewitt ran the Copenhagen Marathon with her mother on Mother’s Day in 2023. In this race, she is running with 11 family members and friends, including Pilkington. She has a goal of raising $100,000 for Stronger Than You Think.

Truwitt plans to compete in the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics. For now, she’s focused on enjoying Sunday’s race.

“My biggest concern was getting out of the attack. Will I ever run again?” Truwitt said. “It was really therapeutic to have a goal and work towards it.”

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

As the government shutdown enters its 32nd day, Snap is at a standstill. live updates

US-NEA
-
0
As the government shutdown enters its 32nd day, Snap is at a standstill. live updates

play

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s administration is changing course on its use of emergency funds to pay Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, with about 42 million low-income Americans expected to lose their benefits on Nov. 1.

President Trump said he has directed lawyers in the executive branch to find a way for the federal government to legally fund SNAP as soon as possible after the government argued it could not keep benefits flowing during the shutdown.

“We’re already far behind as Democrats continue to shut down the government until the monthly payday. Even if we get guidance right away, unfortunately, it will be delayed until states come up with the money,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “I would be honored to provide funding, as I have done with military and law enforcement salaries, if appropriate legal direction is given by the courts.”

His comments came after judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island ruled that the government cannot cut off funding for SNAP benefits during an extended government shutdown. They gave the administration until Nov. 3 to report. The justices suggested the administration could allow benefits to be cut or program funds to be transferred.

The Agriculture Department previously said a $5.25 billion emergency fund was available to continue food assistance. But the department reversed course amid a standoff with Senate Democrats who called for reinstating deep cuts in health benefits to reopen the government.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said at a press conference Friday morning that reserve funds cannot be used while the government is closed. And even if that were possible, Rollins said the money would not be enough to cover the $9.2 billion needed to continue the program in November, echoing arguments the Justice Department made in court.

House Speaker Mike Johnson said at Rollins’ press conference that the lawsuit seeking to use reserve funds is “frivolous.” He said it was intended to serve as a talking point for Democrats.

“I think they know for a fact that what they submitted to the court is false,” Johnson said. “They’re using people as pawns in this game.”

The federal government was shut down on October 1 after Republicans and Democrats could not agree on a bill to keep the government open. Republicans are hoping to pass a short-term bill that would continue existing funding, while Democrats are pushing a bill that would restore health care benefits that have been eliminated.

If the closure continues until Tuesday, it will be tied for the longest on record. The record closure in 2019 ended after 35 days of traffic jams.

On Friday, President Trump suggested to reporters on Air Force One that most SNAP beneficiaries are Democrats.

“When we talk about SNAP, we’re primarily talking about Democrats. But I’m the president, so I want to help everybody. I want to help Democrats, I want to help Republicans. But when we talk about SNAP, as you can see, it’s mostly Democrats. They’re hurting their own people,” Trump said.

Hours later, President Trump took a different approach. “I don’t want Americans to go hungry because Radical Democrats refuse to do the right thing and reopen the government,” he said on social media.

He said SNAP beneficiaries should call Senate Democrats and tell them to reopen the government.

A day earlier, President Trump pressured Republicans to lift the Senate filibuster to override the Democratic blockade and pass the bill with a simple majority.

Americans in pain

Federal employees have been suffering for weeks after their paychecks were garnished by the federal government. But the pain is spreading to millions of other Americans as the government begins its 32nd day of shutdown.

About 64,000 Transportation Security Administration employees and 13,000 air traffic controllers, who are considered “essential” workers, are working without pay, which Trump officials say could lead to a travel disaster around Thanksgiving.

November 1st also marks the first day of public enrollment for the Affordable Care Act. Millions of Americans will learn how much they can expect to pay for health insurance in 2026. A federal grant that helps offset the cost of the program is set to expire at the end of this year. The Democratic Party of Japan is calling for continued reinforcement of aid as one of its demands for reopening the government.

Contributor: Bert Jansen

Watch as a family remembers their lost pet with a beautiful ofrenda

US-NEA
-
0
Watch as a family remembers their lost pet with a beautiful ofrenda

play

Losing a pet is never easy. Pet parents around the world are taking inspiration from the Disney/Pixar film “Coco” to remember their pets on Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead.

Many pet parents across the country are honoring their memory and seeking peace by preparing beautiful ofrendas, which means offering in Spanish, in memory of their fallen furry friends. Videos shared on social media by people who have lost pets show elaborate ofrendas decorated with candles, marigolds, framed photos of their pets and even pet treats.

Eric Rubin, an environmental scientist and animal protection volunteer based in Bridgewater, N.J., told USA TODAY in an email that he had always heard about the ofrenda and knew it from the Disney-Pixar film “Coco,” but was “not sure if I should make it” because it’s not part of his culture.

“But I really missed my dog ​​Max, and even now, a year and a half after he passed away, I’m still struggling with that loss,” Rubin said. “I wanted to find a way to honor him and feel close to him again.”

Day of the Dead: What you need to know about the Day of the Dead

Max’s belongings included Ash, an emotional support toy

Rubin’s gifts to Max included a replica stuffed animal, also known as a “cuddle clone,” the coat the dog wore in his last days alive, and the bed and blanket he was lying on when he died. Rubin said she also included her favorite toy, an “emotional penguin” that stayed with her throughout her illness, from surgery to recovery.

“We included his ashes, footprints, collar and food bowl,” Rubin said.

Max died of cancer, but Rubin said she did everything she could to prolong her pet’s life, spending about $36,000 on two surgeries and two-and-a-half years of chemotherapy.

“Losing him was soul crushing.”

Rubin said her pets, who she spent most of her adult life with, were her soulmates and were essential to getting her through “many challenges in life.”

“Losing him was soul-crushing. When he passed away, a part of me left,” Rubin said. “He was by my side no matter what. He loved me and I loved him.”

Rubin said participating in this tradition “made me feel close to Max again and know how much he was loved” and gave her more energy to continue her work as an animal rescue volunteer to keep Max’s spirit alive.

How did Day of the Dead for Pets start?

The tradition of dedicating Day of the Dead to pets began in 2019 when pet funeral service company Funeral Pet proposed the memorial, USA TODAY previously reported. October 27th was then chosen as the official day to set up an altar for the owner’s beloved deceased pet.

It is believed that on the night of October 27th, dogs, cats and other animals will return to Earth, visit their homes and enjoy the food and toys left in offerings.

guide: A loving and meaningful guide to honoring your pet on the Day of the Dead

Rubin praises Max every day

For Rubin, honoring his pet on Oct. 27 means “letting him know I think of him every day.”

“What I’ll miss most is how well he knew me,” Rubin said. “He was an extension of me, we were like peas and carrots. Everyone knew ‘Eric and Max’ as if they were not separate entities.”

After Max’s death, Rubin said she “turned that grief into something positive” by raising $3,500 for the Northern New Jersey-based Eleventh Hour Rescue and volunteering and fostering with them.

“Since then, I’ve dedicated my life to helping dogs in need, because Max wants me to do something good and not stay sad,” Rubin said.

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

See how she looked at the New York party

US-NEA
-
0
See how she looked at the New York party

play

New York – Long live the Queen!

Supermodel, TV host and celebrity face of Halloween, Heidi Klum dazzled once again on Friday night.

The 52-year-old “Project Runway” star appeared as a scaly green Medusa at the annual “Heidi Vienna” party. Ms. Klum was joined by her husband, Tom Kaulitz, who dressed as a gray concrete statue holding a shield, turning his gaze to stone.

“I wanted to be really scared, and I think it worked,” Krumm told USA TODAY with Kaulitz. “We love a challenge because there are a lot of people doing Medusa, and I wanted to step it up a notch.”

As for Cowlitz, the Tokio Hotel guitarist gave rock a new meaning with his stone statue costume. Kaulitz said she and Klum “started today in the makeup chair at the same time.”

“We started at noon, so that’s good,” he continued with a laugh.

In an interview Thursday after setting the Empire State Building on fire, Klum teased that the couple would dress “within the same theme” again since they started dating in 2018. The couple, who married in 2019, appeared in different versions of the 2024 movie Alien E.T. When Klum donned her infamous worm costume in 2022, Kaulitz appeared alongside her as a fisherman.

“I always wanted to do Shrek with Fiona, but I never found a Shrek that I wanted to do with me,” Klum told USA TODAY of what ended up being her and Kaulitz’s 2018 costume. “And when I met my husband, he said, ‘Okay, I’m going to be Shrek.'”

play

Heidi Klum’s big Halloween tips and some amazing costume hacks

The Queen of Halloween has arrived! Ahead of her annual “Heidiween” party, model and TV host Heidi Klum shared her top Halloween tips with USA TODAY.

Klum said she looks forward to welcoming friends and family from around the world to Manhattan’s Hard Rock Hotel, the venue for this year’s party, the 24th annual event.

Klum said, “I want to see great costumes.” “We want to be inspired by what they’re wearing, and it’s amazing what people come up with.”

As for what she was hoping for Friday night, Klum quickly turned her attention back to her husband and said she hoped he still thought she was “hot.” When Kaulitz answered, “Absolutely,” Klum began elaborating.

“I hope so,” she said with a laugh.

“It’s a fun afterparty,” interjected Kaulitz.

McDonald’s Monopoly game ends on November 2nd. How you can still play.

US-NEA
-
0
McDonald’s Monopoly game ends on November 2nd. How you can still play.

play

The Monopoly game at McDonald’s is almost over.

The fast food giant brought back the Monopoly game on October 6th after not offering it for 10 years. McDonald’s has also made the McDonald’s app an integral part of the game, adding “digital game pieces” in addition to the classic game pieces offered in restaurants.

However, this limited-time promotion ends on Sunday, November 2nd (until game pieces run out). You still have time to play by getting physical game pieces when you order certain foods or digital game pieces in the McDonald’s app.

Here’s what you need to know to participate in the McDonald’s Monopoly game before it ends.

Mr. Piv is back: Coca-Cola rebrands its soda 24 years after discontinuing sales.

How to play McDonald’s Monopoly game

To play the McDonald’s Monopoly game, you must download and register the McDonald’s app. Prizes include a free meal, 1 million American Airlines AAdvantage miles, a trip for four to Universal Orlando Resort, a new 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and $1 million in cash. Here’s how to play:

  • Please order. Once you register, you will receive a physical or digital “game piece” when you order selected menu items. (To play McDonald’s Monopoly without purchasing, visit amoe.playatmcd.com and request game pieces.)
  • “Peel” the game pieces to see if you’re a winner. For example, peel off a physical game piece from a package of French fries and scan the QR code with the McDonald’s app. If you get a digital game piece in the McDonald’s app, you can “peel” it directly within the app.

Contributor: Amaris Encinas

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

What is everyone talking about? Sign up for our trending newsletter and get the latest news of the day

Democratic White House candidates are using 2025 as practice for 2028

US-NEA
-
0
Democratic White House candidates are using 2025 as practice for 2028

Democratic leaders such as Pete Buttigieg, Andy Beshear and JB Pritzker are filling the void in New Jersey and Virginia after Joe Biden and Kamala Harris retreat.

play

WASHINGTON — A year after President Donald Trump gutted the party, the Democratic Party’s newest presidential candidate has largely disappeared from the race, opening the door to many others plotting to take on Kamala Harris in the 2028 race for the White House.

Harris is currently on a book tour and has his sights set on California. Ahead of the pivotal 2026 midterm elections, voters in their home states are set to make their first in-person appearance on the 2025 campaign on Saturday as they decide which side they will take in the battle with Trump over redrawing Congressional lines.

But neither Harris nor former President Joe Biden, who withdrew the Democratic nomination last year under political pressure, are directly campaigning for their party’s nomination in this year’s only gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey.

more: How Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill want to redefine the Democratic Party in Virginia and New Jersey

Instead, Democrats are turning to familiar forces in these campaigns during political crises. Former President Barack Obama has appeared in campaign ads in California and is scheduled to headline a rally this weekend with Mikie Sherrill in New Jersey and Abigail Spanberger in Virginia.

Many politicians who have been talked about as potential candidates in 2028 often make stops in one or both states where gubernatorial races are held, often showing off their resumes in an effort to differentiate themselves from the Democratic Party’s deep base of supporters who want to be part of the Democratic Party’s rebuilding story.

“For many Democrats, it’s a turning of the page,” said Jim Manley, a veteran Democratic strategist. “As a party, we are searching hard for our future leadership. Unfortunately, we have not found one yet.”

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, who will lead the Democratic Governors Association next year, was quick to tout his electoral success as a second-term Democrat in red states that Trump decisively won during an Oct. 29 livestream for candidates of both parties.

“I live and breathe proof that Democrats can and should win everywhere,” Beshear said.

Other prominent figures, including former 2020 presidential candidates Sen. Cory Booker (D.N.J.) and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), also joined the call, calling for a landslide Democratic victory and the need to turn the election into an anti-Trump referendum.

“This is our chance to show that the MAGA world doesn’t win when it comes to what people want,” Booker said on an Oct. 29 livestream.

More people stopped by, including Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who stumbled in Virginia, as well as events in both states, including former Biden Cabinet staffer Pete Buttigieg, California Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna, and former Japanese ambassador and Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel.

Mr. Khanna and Mr. Emanuel are also campaigning in New York City, where 34-year-old Congressman Zoran Mamdani has excited progressives with his bid to become mayor of the nation’s largest city. Another 2028 candidate, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, said Mamdani’s candidacy represents new hope for the city and the nation.

more: “I was imperfect”: Top 5 moments from Sen. Cory Booker’s marathon Senate speech

He suggested that while voters are rallying behind democratic socialists to oppose the Trump administration, they are also supporting a “bygone” Democratic establishment exemplified by former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is running as an independent for mayor.

“It’s going to take all of us, but to be honest, it always has been,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “It’s no coincidence that the very forces Zoran faces in this race mirror the conditions we face nationally.”

more: Understand why Virginia and New Jersey elections matter this year

more: Zoran Mamdani excites Muslim and South Asian voters amid attacks on faith

President Trump called Mamdani a “communist” and said it would be a “fluke” if the politician he threatened to arrest was elected on November 4. Still, Trump, a New York City native who defeated Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa in the race, has not joined moderate Republicans in supporting Cuomo.

In Virginia, President Trump has supported the re-election of the state’s attorney general, Jason Miyares, while keeping Republican gubernatorial candidate Winsome Earl Sears at arm’s length. Miyares will face Democrat Jay Jones. President Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance called on Jones to withdraw from the race, citing violent text messages.

President Trump is supporting Jack Ciatelli in New Jersey and campaigning virtually for the Republican Party. However, neither Mr. Trump nor Mr. Vance has directly campaigned in the two states that were badly defeated by Democrats in 2024.

Biden is largely out of the picture for 2025.

Biden has been less active politically as the 82-year-old former president battles prostate cancer. He completed a course of radiation therapy in late October. But he hasn’t completely disappeared from the public eye.

While accepting the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute in Boston on October 27, Mr. Biden said the country’s “democracy is at stake” and declared that “this is not the time to give up.”

“These are dark days,” Biden said. “But our country is one of the only countries in the world that has overcome every crisis we’ve faced, time and time again, and bounced back stronger than when we went into it.”

more: Joe Biden speaks with USA TODAY’s Susan Page for an exclusive interview about his legacy, the 2024 election

The former president will also headline the Nebraska Democratic Party’s annual gala on Nov. 7.

Biden’s press secretary had no comment.

Harris is on a book tour promoting her campaign memoir “107 Days,” which is mostly sold out. However, there are no tour dates on the calendar for the week leading up to Election Day. Her next stop is Seattle on November 4, Election Day.

In her book, Harris criticized Biden’s aides for refusing to tell the aging president that he should not seek reelection. He also said he was urged to distance himself from Biden by David Plouffe, a former White House staffer and senior adviser to President Obama’s 2024 campaign.

“People hate Joe Biden,” she said Plouffe told her.

For the 2025 campaign, Harris’ engagement was primarily digital. She sent fundraising emails to Spanberger and recorded robocalls to Cheryl.

In an Oct. 30 video, the former 2024 Democratic presidential candidate endorsed the Proposition 50 movement in California, where potential 2028 rival Gavin Newsom is spearheading the fight against Trump in the 2026 midterm elections, in which he accused Trump and the Republican Party of “trying to rig the system around Congressional maps.” She is scheduled to attend a rally in California on Saturday in support of the ballot initiative.

Ms. Harris reluctantly endorsed Ms. Mamdani in a television interview and did not appear on any of the Democratic candidates running this fall. She recently held a private fundraiser for former Democratic North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, who is running for the state’s vacant Senate seat in next year’s election.

A spokesperson for Mr. Spanberger’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment.

Sherrill did not directly respond to a question from USA TODAY during an October editorial board meeting with USA TODAY Network partner Bergen Record about whether she would welcome Harris to the trail. Sherrill said his campaign creates invitations based on who people ask to visit.

The congressman, who is in a tight race with Republican Jack Ciatelli, said voters want to hear more about Maryland Gov. Wes Moore’s anti-violence plan, while Latino voters are asking about Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego.

“If people want to meet (Harris) and ask for her at a rally, she’s certainly someone who…a lot of people were excited about her book tour, and she still has that kind of appeal,” Sherrill said.

“If so, if people want her, we will reach out.”

A spokeswoman for Ms. Harris said that Ms. Spanberger and Ms. Sheryl had invited her, but it did not work with her schedule.

Harris considers his future

Harris recently admitted that she is considering running for president again.

“I’m not done yet,” she told the BBC at the end of October. “I’ve lived my entire career as a life of service, and it’s in my bones.”

But early polls in the campaign suggest party members are ready to move forward. An October survey of Democratic primary voters conducted by the University of New Hampshire placed Harris in fourth place in the likely 2028 race, ahead of Buttigieg, Newsom and Ocasio-Cortez.

more: 7 points that will pave the way for Kamala Harris to win the Democratic nomination

In the poll, 55% of people had a favorable rating for Harris, 26% were neutral, and 17% had an unfavorable opinion, with few people unsure about their opinion of her.

By comparison, Buttigieg, the most popular Democrat in the poll, had an approval rating of 81%, with 9% neutral, 6% unfavorable and 4% undecided. Newsom’s approval rating was 58%, with 24% neutral, 10% opposed and 8% expressing uncertainty.

Most primary voters in early-voting states were still forming their minds about other potential candidates, including Beshear, Gallego, Khanna and Moore.

One prominent Democratic lawmaker, who requested anonymity to speak candidly about the former president and vice president, said the survey was evidence that Harris’ appeal is waning. The party’s newest presidential candidate shouldn’t be left behind a year after his historic run, the people said.

Democrats suggested Harris could continue to help the party in targeted ways. But Biden is done, the official said.

obama factor

The party’s most recent standard-bearer has been largely absent from the public eye, but Obama, the most popular Democrat, has stepped forward to fill the void.

He cut ads for California’s redistricting play by Sherrill, Spanberger and Newsom. Virginia’s ads focus on the economy, voting rights, and abortion access. The New Jersey spot focuses on the economy and security, reminding voters that Sherrill is a former federal prosecutor, mother, and Navy veteran.

more: How Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill want to redefine the Democratic Party in Virginia and New Jersey

Obama plans to campaign for Sherrill in Newark on November 1st and for Spanberger in Norfolk on the final weekend.

In announcing his appearance, Sherrill said, “President Obama reminds us of what we can accomplish when we as leaders are fearless and take on big challenges.”

Manley, a Democratic strategist and longtime assistant to Capitol Hill leadership, said it’s “about time” for Obama to take on a more high-profile role in the current political debate.

The former president has been out of office for nearly nine years. Still, he is seen as the Democratic Party’s best hope to take on Trump, who held a telephonic rally for Ciatarelli to start early voting in New Jersey.

“His fastball is still there,” Manley said of Obama. “And he’s still hugely popular around the base, and no one speaks like him.”

Santiago Mayer, executive director of Tomorrow’s Voters, said President Obama stirred nostalgia for Gen Z during the campaign because he was the last person to serve as president before the far-right shift in national politics.

Meyer said of his presence, “I think it’s going to draw a lot of people who are excited to see a return to normalcy, who are excited to see that excitement, to see that energy, to see the energy of change that Obama actually represented.”

Gen Z voters still have a lot of love for Harris, said the 23-year-old liberal activist, whose group has helped organize youth support for Spanberger and Sherrill. Mayer said Trump’s double-digit demographic support hindered his campaign, but support from young people should not be underestimated.

California will have a huge impact on President Trump’s final two years in office.

US-NEA
-
0
California will have a huge impact on President Trump’s final two years in office.

California’s Proposition 50 will help determine whether Democrats or Republicans win the U.S. House of Representatives in 2026 and who holds power after the last two years of the Trump presidency.

play

California voters on Nov. 4 will play a major role in determining which party controls the U.S. House of Representatives during the final two years of President Donald Trump’s term.

Residents of the nation’s most populous state are weighing in on Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed constitutional amendment, Proposition 50. Prop. 50 would give the state the opportunity to temporarily suspend the use of bipartisan commissions to draw congressional district lines. Instead, California could use the line drawn by Democratic state legislators in Sacramento to improve the party’s chances of winning more seats in Congress.

Both major political parties are rushing to redraw congressional boundaries in at least a dozen states in an unprecedented effort to determine which party controls the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2026 midterm elections. President Trump is asking state lawmakers from Texas to Indiana to Missouri to redraw maps that favor Republicans, anticipating a historic trend in midterm elections that favors the opposition party that doesn’t control the White House.

more: How Proposition 50 could change the California election and change President Trump’s strategy

“What we’re doing here, redistricting to find additional seats for one party at the president’s behest, is really novel,” said Matthew Levendusky, a political science professor at the University of Pennsylvania.

So how did we get here?

Republicans hold a slim majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, and the party that controls the White House has historically performed poorly in midterm elections.

According to the American Presidency Project, the president’s party has won seats in only three of the 23 midterm elections since 1934.

more: Why President Trump’s political war in Texas is much bigger than the Lone Star State

If Democrats take control of the House of Representatives in the midterm elections, as they did in 2018 during President Trump’s first term when they gained 40 new seats, it would likely mean a congressional investigation, legislative paralysis, and even a third impeachment of Trump.

If Republicans retain their House majority, the president will be able to continue one of the most aggressive and destructive policies in modern presidential history.

Over the summer, President Trump began pressuring the Republican-controlled Legislature in Texas, home to the nation’s largest delegation, to redraw district lines to exclude some of the 12 Democrats representing the state.

After some drama with Democratic lawmakers fleeing the state, the Texas Legislature approved new maps creating five new Republican-leaning congressional districts. The new line faces several federal lawsuits.

California, which has the nation’s largest Democratic delegation, moved to redraw its own districts in response, effectively canceling Texas’ efforts.

Under Texas law, the state legislature draws the lines for congressional districts. But under California’s current constitution, a bipartisan commission draws the line, so any changes lawmakers need to get approval from voters.

more: Voters push back in California redistricting battle – oppose Trump and Newsom

California’s Proposition 50 would allow Congress to redraw the state’s congressional districts by 2030 to create five more seats that favor Democrats. The map has already been completed and published.

Aren’t other states doing this?

States typically redraw district boundaries every 10 years after the U.S. Census. Changes typically only occur between each census if someone challenges the boundaries in court and wins.

Like Texas, Republicans in Missouri have enacted new maps, but voters may have the opportunity to reject the Show-Me state changes in a special election. Redistricting is also underway in Ohio, and Republicans in North Carolina, Kansas and Indiana are working to redraw their maps.

Democratic leaders are also joining the effort, pushing for new lines of support for the party in blue states. Democratic-controlled legislatures in Illinois, New York and Maryland are considering similar moves, but party leaders have varying degrees of interest.

It’s too early to know whether more states will follow suit, but federal-level officials from both parties continue to press their state-level counterparts to take action.

At least 11 states explicitly prohibit mid-decade redistricting, while others explicitly allow it, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Will the results be known on election night?

If the margin is wide, Americans will know whether Prop. 50 passes on election night.

But California has a history of long vote counting, and even special elections tend to turn out in large numbers (to be fair, California has 23 million registered voters).

Therefore, if the difference is close, it may take several weeks to see the final results.

Prop. 50 is on track to pass with 20 points of support in an Emerson College poll conducted Oct. 20-21.

Fifty-six percent of likely California voters said they would vote in favor of the proposal, according to a statewide survey released Oct. 28 by the Public Policy Institute of California. The survey also found that regardless of their position on the proposal, most voters said they believed the outcome was very important.

The survey also found that President Trump’s approval ratings in California remain low and that Californians identify political extremism and threats to democracy as the most important issues facing the country.

“About 9 in 10 voters say the outcome of their Prop. 50 vote is at least somewhat important, including 2 in 3 who say it is very important,” said PPIC researcher Dejah Thomas. “Notably, we have not seen this high level of importance placed on ballot proposals since this survey began measuring them more than 20 years ago.”

What does this mean politically?

Every seat matters in the 2026 midterm elections. Democrats currently need to win just three seats to gain a majority in the House.

California’s new boundaries could nullify new seats Republicans hope to gain under Texas’ new map. If Prop. 50 passes, it could put even more pressure on other states to redraw their districts.

more: Any clues to the interim period and 2028? Watch Virginia, New Jersey, and California now. (perhaps.)

Starting in 2026, Newsom will be a big political bet on President Trump, his effort to get the state’s voters to agree to redraw the state’s political maps as a way to push back against President Trump in the run-up to the 2028 presidential election.

He made his clearest comments yet about his future plans on “CBS News Sunday Morning” on Oct. 26 when asked if he would seriously consider running for president after the midterm elections.

“Yes,” he said, adding that if he didn’t, “you’d be lying, and you can’t do that.”

How will the Supreme Court consider this?

The Supreme Court is currently considering whether districts can be created to protect minority voting rights without discriminating against voters of other races.

Their decision could limit key provisions of the landmark 60-year-old Voting Rights Act. The provision is intended to prevent Congressional mapmakers from diluting the votes of racial minorities by stuffing them into one district or spreading them across too many districts to exert influence.

Republican lawmakers in Louisiana, the focus of the lawsuit, are considering a bill that would delay the state’s 2026 primary election by a month. This could give lawmakers extra time to redraw the state’s congressional district boundaries if the Supreme Court repeals the current boundaries.

Depending on the court’s decision, other states, particularly those with large black populations, could also join the redistricting battle.

Isn’t redistricting usually about changes in a state’s population?

Yes, redistricting is typically tied to a state’s population.

Every 10 years, a national census is taken and the number of representatives in each state is rebalanced. States then redraw their parliamentary and legislative boundaries to account for population changes. For example, the 2020 census showed California’s population decreased and Texas’ population increased. In other words, California’s number of representatives decreased, and Texas’ number of representatives increased.

But what is happening now has nothing to do with population changes. The number of House seats in each state remains the same.

Texas, California, and other states currently redrawing their borders are intentionally and vocally changing which residents belong to which districts, increasing the likelihood that the state’s majority party will win more seats in the U.S. Congress, thus determining whether Democrats or Republicans will be in power during the final two years of President Trump’s presidency.

What does that mean for the future?

Political experts like Levendusky worry that if redistricting standards are broken in mid-decade, it could become a routinely used political tool.

“There will be increasing pressure to continue this, especially in a closely divided House, as both parties seek to get the most out of each state,” he said. “The losers are the state’s political minority voters who are no longer able to have their voices heard by their elected representatives.”

What do Californians think?

USA TODAY Network reporters spoke to Californians about a month before Election Day and found that from rural Republican northern states to liberal enclaves along California’s coast, many are frustrated, angry and want to fight back against Trump and Newsom.

How much does this special election cost?

Proposition 50 is the only item on the ballot for this special election and is expected to cost $282.6 million in taxpayer funds, according to the California Department of Treasury.

Democrats have poured money into persuading voters to approve the initiative. This is already one of the costliest voting contests in the state’s history.

Ariana Grande joins ‘American Horror Story’ season 13 cast

US-NEA
-
0
Ariana Grande joins ‘American Horror Story’ season 13 cast

play

American Horror Story is hard at work for an epic season 13, bringing back Jessica Lange to the series and bringing Ariana Grande back to TV acting for the first time in over a decade.

Ryan Murphy’s horror anthology series announced a bold cast for Halloween on Friday, October 31st, showing off a lineup that includes many familiar faces, including series favorites Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Angela Bassett, Kathy Bates, and Emma Roberts.

Longtime fans were thrilled when they read Lange’s name in a casting announcement on Instagram, happy to see an original cast member appear on screen for the first time since their departure in 2014. The 76-year-old actress played Constance Langdon in season 1 (Murder House), Sister Jude Martin in season 2 (Asylum), Fiona Goode in season 3 (Coven), and Elsa Mars in season 4 (Freak Show).

Grande’s “AHS” debut will also mark her first acting role on a TV show since 2015’s “Scream Queens.” While continuing her music career with the upcoming “Eternal Sunshine” tour, the singer is leaning into her acting roots, playing Glinda in both “Wicked” and the upcoming sequel “Wicked for Good.”

Season 12 of the series, titled “Delicate,” concluded last year and starred Kim Kardashian, Matt Cucuri, Annabelle Dexter-Jones and Cara Delevingne.

Here’s what you need to know about ‘American Horror Story’ season 13.

American Horror Story season 13 cast

  • jessica lang
  • ariana grande
  • sarah paulson
  • evan peters
  • angela bassett
  • Kathy Bates
  • emma roberts
  • billy lard
  • Gabourey Sidibe
  • leslie grossman

American Horror Story season 13 release date

Season 13 of American Horror Story is scheduled to be released next Halloween, October 31, 2026.

American Horror Story season 13 title

The title for season 13 of “American Horror Story” has not been revealed.

Should I stock up? What you need to know in a downturn in the job market.

US-NEA
-
0
Should I stock up? What you need to know in a downturn in the job market.

play

I received an acquisition proposal. Your employer wants to pay you a severance package. That’s a big change.

But quitting your job now means looking for a new job in a weakening job market.

Should I accept the offer?

Companies spend money in the short term to save money in the long term, and propose acquisitions to thin the company’s ranks.

Employers often use buyouts to avoid layoffs in uncertain economies. And that thought alone should give you pause.

This year, the Trump administration proposed a buyout of the entire federal workforce, aiming to cut jobs by up to 10%. It accepted approximately 75,000 workers. Recently, Amazon, UPS, and Target announced cuts to their private sector jobs.

Acquisitions may sound appealing. A five-figure severance package may be the most a worker has ever seen in a single paycheck. But it’s also the last paycheck your employer will give you.

“It’s like winning the lottery. Some people think their money will last longer than it actually does,” said Donna Walton, wealth strategist at TD Wealth.

When considering an acquisition, some considerations are universal. How much is my retirement allowance? Am I close to retirement? Did you want to quit the job anyway?

However, the current economic climate presents its own challenges.

Employers added just 22,000 jobs in August, according to the latest federal report. The unemployment rate rose to 4.3%, the highest level since October 2021.

Roughly 2 million Americans have been unemployed for more than six months, the highest number in more than two years, the Labor Department said in May. Companies are hiring less due to uncertainty over President Trump’s tariffs. Artificial intelligence is taking jobs away from new graduates. Recession fears are looming.

“The job market is very soft,” Michelle Evermore, a senior fellow at the National Academy of Social Insurance and a former Labor Department official in the Biden administration, told USA TODAY earlier this year. “I think people are holding on to their jobs because it’s a time of great economic uncertainty.”

Here are five tips for employees considering an acquisition in 2025.

Request a purchase

Let’s start by taking a positive step. Maybe your employer hasn’t offered to buy you out. But you’re restless about making changes and hear that the company wants to cut costs.

Consider contacting your manager and requesting an acquisition. In most cases, there is nothing to prevent your employer from creating a voluntary severance package just for you.

“You’re going to see this happen, especially when news breaks that companies are planning to downsize,” said Michael Scarpati, CEO of financial wellness platform RetireUS. “It’s kind of a win-win for both parties.”

If you request a buyout first, you may be able to receive a better severance package than what your employer ultimately offers everyone else.

But don’t ask for an acquisition if you’re not ready to do so.

“If they make you an offer, you have to be willing to leave,” Walton said. “That’s not a bluff.”

negotiate acquisition terms

A typical buyout might offer you four weeks’ pay, plus an additional week’s pay for each year you worked for the company. You may receive additional health insurance and may even be able to help you find a new job.

According to a report from AARP, about half of employees accept takeover offers without negotiating. However, there is nothing wrong with asking for better conditions.

“Think of it like going to a job interview,” Scarpati says.

You can also request a full year of severance pay instead of a few months. Perhaps your employer will cover the cost of your health insurance while you look for a new job.

Some workers are hiring lawyers to negotiate buyouts, said David John, senior strategic policy adviser at AARP’s Public Policy Institute.

While it may sound extreme, remember that acquisitions are business propositions. Contracts can be complex and may include non-disclosure agreements and non-compete clauses.

Even if you don’t bring a lawyer to the deal, Walton said, “you should at least meet with one.”

test the job market

Experts say that unless you plan to retire, you should assess your chances of finding another job before leaving your current one.

If you work in a field that is shrinking or in an area that has been hit economically, you may already know this.

“It’s one thing for someone who works at a think tank to get bought out in Washington, D.C., and a very different thing to get bought out if you work on an oil rig in South Dakota,” Evermore said.

Evermore said look at the Department of Labor’s employment report to find out how many people in your area have applied for unemployment insurance and how many remain on the benefits rolls.

Even better, apply for a few jobs. Check to see if you are bitten. If not, that might be a good sign that acquisitions aren’t for you.

In the best case scenario, you can arrange a new job before you get acquired.

Measuring the risk of dismissal

Many employers offer buyouts to avoid layoffs, or at least delay layoffs.

If there is an acquisition offer, consider the possibility that the company may resort to downsizing after the acquisition closes.

“Responsible companies will address these concerns immediately and give a yes or no answer,” AARP’s John said.

If you are likely to be fired, consider whether you might be placed on a redundancy list. Ask your manager if you are vulnerable.

If your company has experienced layoffs in the past, check to see what severance benefits those employees received.

In some cases, Walton said, the buyout package could be “the same thing the company would offer if they fired you in six months.”

please take it easy

Many federal employees who were bribed by the Trump administration had just weeks to make decisions.

Experts say that’s not long enough.

“If you’re asking someone to make a major life decision that might involve moving your entire family, it’s going to take at least a few months,” Evermore says.

Mr Scarpati said that ideally six weeks would be the “minimum” period for a takeover offer. 90 days is more reasonable.

Use that time to “think about where you are in your career,” Evermore says. Discuss your options with friends, colleagues, and loved ones. Test the job market. Ask yourself if you are ready to uproot your family and move across the country.

and run the numbers. If you’re mid-career, do you have enough emergency savings to get you through a period of unemployment? How will your health insurance cover you? How generous are unemployment benefits in your state?

If you’re nearing retirement: When did you expect to receive Social Security? How will you cover your health insurance until Medicare kicks in? Are you saving enough for retirement?

Consider consulting a financial planner.

“Ideally, you would have this financial plan in place before something like this happens,” Walton said.

Blue Jays lose Game 7 of the World Series in heartbreaking loss

US-NEA
-
0
Blue Jays lose Game 7 of the World Series in heartbreaking loss

In Game 7 of the World Series, the Blue Jays will have another chance to win their first title since 1993.

play

TORONTO – It might have been easier on the mind and soul for the Toronto Blue Jays to simply put up some token resistance when they were down 3-1 in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 6 of the World Series, guaranteeing Game 7 and November baseball if nothing else.

After a meek submission to Los Angeles Dodgers rookie closer Aki Sasaki and right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s second win in eight days, the postgame atmosphere would have been quiet but monotonous.

Please pick it up tomorrow. Sometimes you just have to tip your hat. Everyone pitches in for Game 7.

Alas, these are the 2025 MLB upset victory leaders, the Blue Jays, who are capable of nothing but big emotions and bigger goals, and they almost always come true against expectations.

But this time, a sunken line drive and the ultimate youthful mistake on the basepaths left one of the best hitters in postseason history on the deck, robbing him of a chance to tie or win the game. And now everyone has to come back tomorrow night and try again, including the Dodgers and Blue Jays, a crowd of 44,710 title-hungry Toronto fans, and hundreds of police officers stationed in hopes of making a Sixth victory noise.

What are the best words in sports for Game 7?

I want him to convey this to the club where he got on base with the game-tying hit and hit the World Series-winning RBI in an empty at-bat. A temporary stage built by Major League Baseball for the championship celebration was ready for the batting staff to guide the ball into the Rogers Center wasteland where, if it landed properly, Rob Manfred would award the Blue Jays the Commissioner’s Trophy.

That stage never moved.

I wish Addison Berger had done the same thing when Andres Jimenez’s sinking fly to shallow left field was carried by Dodgers playoff legend Quique Hernandez.

Ever the quick thinker, Hernandez spotted Berger far from second base, eager to jack him up and score the tying run. In fact, it was the worst World Series walk-off result ever for a home team. George Springer, who hit a 7-4 double play, game over, and hit 23 home runs in the postseason, including the game-winning three-run shot in Game 7 of the ALCS, was on deck for the Joe Carter moment.

Instead, Berger drifted far from the second base bag, dead man’s land. Hernandez immediately but casually spiked a one-hop throw to second baseman Miguel Rojas.

And Berger, his limbs and long hair flying, headed toward second base, but with a mile to go, he was out.

You could say Rogers Center was deflated, but there was little chance of it getting back on track, and the rally ended far too quickly and too abruptly.

The Blue Jays, winners of 105 games in the regular season and playoffs, are good enough to deserve a championship. But the smallest part of it, those nine wins that happen dozens of times a year in baseball, isn’t done yet.

“It’s kind of hard to say you deserve it. To deserve something, you have to get the job done,” says Blue Jays rookie starter Trey Yesavage, who may still need to take the Rogers Center mound one more time in that epic postseason. “You can get all these honors not only in the regular season, but also in the playoffs.

“But there’s a limit to what you can deserve. Tomorrow you have to arrive.”

Berger has been in the playoffs all month of October, just one week removed from his Grand Slam win in Game 1 of the Open World Series. He hit a 165.5 mph ball right into the left field seats, hard enough to send it into the wall and put the Blue Jays in position to steal the game.

Even with the basic rule of double, what was planned did not change. Berger tied the game at second base, and no one was out. Ernie Clement’s pop-up against Tyler Glasnow brought up Jimenez, who became a playoff savior despite being the No. 9 hitter this month.

He did the best he could against Glasnow, stroking the ball to the left. Given Jimenez’s lack of attacking power on the opposite side, Hernandez played shallow and closed quickly.

If only Berger could understand what most everyone else understands: that it’s a relatively routine flyball, a motion that freezes and retreats almost immediately.

“I was pretty surprised what he did,” Berger said in the Blue Jays’ clubhouse. “From the bat, I thought it was going to go over the shortstop’s head.

“I didn’t expect it to travel this far. It was a bit of a bad reading.”

And it’s not the way any club would want to go into Game 7.

At the Blue Jays clubhouse where the funeral was held, some people tried to cover their burgers.

“I thought it was a hit. 1,000 percent, I thought it was going down,” infielder Isaiah Kiner-Falefa said of the play’s advantage. “Kike played great there, it was an offensive mistake.

“If we’re going to make a mistake, we want to be aggressive. That’s how we played. It just didn’t work tonight.”

And the Blue Jays still had the spirit of the team, the idea that the cause was never lost, the expectation of a no-out victory whether they finished second or third, and the feeling that they would come again next time.

“We’ve been in that position all regular season. It’s a walk-off win,” Gausman said. “No one’s out. Guys second and third. We kept coming back. Everyone was like, oh, we were going to win this game.”Obviously we didn’t win. But we had a chance to win. At least we weren’t going down without a fight. ”

However, it cannot be denied that there was a residual effect of missed opportunities. All is not lost. These guys bounced back from an 18-inning loss in Game 3 and won the next two games at Dodger Stadium to claim this enviable position in first place.

Your jaw will be lifted on Saturday evening. Yes, there’s still a chance. But we can’t ignore that something golden just passed them by.

“We had a chance to shut them out, but we didn’t, so we’ll just focus on tomorrow,” infielder Bo Bichette said. “Game 7, Game 60 of the regular season, we’re going to come in ready to play, ready to fight and give it our all.

“I thought we had a chance to win today. But we didn’t do it.”

Are President Trump’s tariffs too big to fail at the Supreme Court?

US-NEA
-
0
Are President Trump’s tariffs too big to fail at the Supreme Court?

How the Supreme Court’s decision on President Trump’s tariffs could affect President Trump’s policy agenda, the economy, the federal budget, presidential power, and costs for businesses and households.

play

WASHINGTON – As President Donald Trump sees it, the Supreme Court faces a tough choice on Nov. 5 as it considers whether to keep in place the steep tariffs it has imposed on almost all products coming into the United States.

Removing tariffs would give the country “unprecedented success.”

Overthrowing them would have “devastating national security, foreign policy, and economic consequences,” the administration told the justices in a brief before Wednesday’s oral argument.

more: President Donald Trump announces 10% increase in tariffs on Canadian products

Trump’s rhetoric may be unusually dramatic for a court filing, but there is no doubt that the stakes are huge for his policy agenda, the economy, the federal budget, presidential power and the businesses and households bearing the brunt of the tariffs.

“No matter how you look at it, this is a big problem,” said Daniel Walters, an administrative law expert at Texas A&M University School of Law.

“A breathtaking statement of power”

Trump has argued that trillions of dollars in new tariffs are needed to reduce persistent trade deficits, which he says are hollowing out the nation’s manufacturing base, weakening critical supply chains and allowing other countries to take advantage of the United States.

Companies and states challenging the import fees say they do more harm than good, including increased costs and uncertainty for consumers and businesses.

And they argue that the president lacks the legal authority to take such sweeping and consequential action.

“This is a breathtaking assertion of power,” lawyers for some of the challengers said in a high court filing.

more: Will the Supreme Court treat President Trump’s tariffs the same way as Biden’s policies?

It is not unusual for the Supreme Court to hear major economic cases.

To be sure, it is not unusual for the Supreme Court to decide on cases that have a major economic impact.

In 1935, the court narrowly upheld a contract change that prevented Congress from demanding repayment in gold rather than dollars, notes legal historian Stuart Banner, author of “The World’s Most Powerful Court.”

President Franklin D. Roosevelt had recently devalued the dollar, so had he made the opposite decision, most debts would have increased by 60%. The Roosevelt administration considers the case so important that the president intends to disobey the court if the ruling differs, Banner said.

Michael McConnell, a professor at Stanford Law School and one of the attorneys representing some of the companies challenging the tariffs, said the first case he teaches in his constitutional law class is the court’s 1952 ruling that President Harry Truman could not take over private steel mills to continue production during the Korean War.

“In times of war, I can’t think of anything more important than having an armament,” he says. “And the Supreme Court said, ‘No, we don’t have that authority.'” And this is widely considered to be the Supreme Court’s finest hour. ”

The high court considered the case central to the president’s agenda.

Historically, it is not unprecedented for courts to make litigation as central to a president’s agenda as tariffs are to President Trump’s economic and foreign policy plans.

Matthew Fitzgerald, a partner at law firm McGuireWoods and a former clerk to Justice Clarence Thomas, said the case is reminiscent of the court’s rejection of challenges to President Barack Obama’s health care policies.

“There were some justices on the court, including some conservative justices, who were very cautious about overturning the president’s signature accomplishments on any dubious basis,” Fitzgerald said at a preview event for the court’s tenure at McGuire Woods. “I wonder if a similar impulse will work in Trump’s favor here.”

But Alan Morrison, a professor at the George Washington University School of Law, pointed out that unlike President Trump’s tariffs, Obamacare was explicitly created by Congress through the Affordable Care Act. If the Supreme Court had struck down the measure, it would have faced both the legislative and executive branches.

“The legislation that President Trump is relying on here is legislation that was passed in 1977 and it doesn’t address trade at all,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison said. “I can’t think of a time when a president has asserted so much power over the economy.”

President’s emergency powers could be expanded

The 1977 law, called the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, has historically been used to impose economic sanctions and other penalties on foreign countries. But the administration contends that the law gives the president the power to “regulate” imports in response to “unusual and unusual threats” to national interests, including the power to impose tariffs.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce argues that it defies common sense to believe that Congress intended to give the president “unprecedented powers to upend the nation’s economy through taxation” without directly saying so.

“In other words, the president asked the court to uphold the tariff decision because of its enormous economic and political importance,” influential business groups said in a brief opposing the tariffs. “But it is precisely this importance that requires explicit approval from Congress.”

Peter M. Schoen, a separation of powers expert at New York University, said if the courts don’t agree, President Trump could use the same law to impose excise taxes on many other things, including the transportation of goods, wire communications, banking transactions and more.

“He could put excise taxes on a lot of things,” Shane said. “It’s going to be very difficult.”

A ruling in Trump’s favor could also show how much deference the courts will respect the president in deciding when to use emergency powers, said Walters, of Texas A&M University School of Law.

“If this is interpreted broadly by the Supreme Court and Mr. Trump is allowed to do this, it’s not hard to imagine that there will be other emergency laws that allow for other things beyond economic regulation,” he said.

A ruling against Trump would leave a huge hole in the budget.

But if the courts rule against Trump, the administration could have to return at least $90 billion in customs revenue, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data. (The longer it takes for the court to issue a judgment, the larger the amount will be.)

“That would create a lot of problems for the federal government,” said Juscelino Corrales, a trade expert at Case Western Reserve University. “This is by far the biggest trade event in history.”

This could be a logistical problem, could be the subject of further litigation, and would have an impact on the federal budget.

In addition to paying back tariffs already collected, the government will not raise the roughly $2.2 trillion over the next decade that Republicans had hoped would pay for much of Mr. Trump’s massive tax and policy bill, according to the bipartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.

“This is a huge amount,” said Mark Goldwein, the group’s senior policy director.

President Trump could use other non-emergency laws to impose new tariffs, but doing so could take time and face challenges.

Congress could find other ways to raise revenue, such as a tax-like business tax.

But Goldwein thinks it’s likely that lawmakers won’t replace the revenue, which would bring the U.S. closer to a precarious situation where the national debt grows quickly enough to trigger a debt crisis.

“We are right on the brink of that,” he said.

Experts say they are ‘acting blind’ to what the court will decide

No one knows what decision the high court will make.

Corrales believes the odds are slightly in Trump’s favor.

“It’s not like the president is acting in areas that we’re not used to seeing him act in,” he said. “Trade is diplomacy. Diplomacy includes trade.”

Schoen believes the odds are slightly against Trump.

“There are many other ways Congress has explicitly given the president the power to adjust tariffs, but to do so implicitly here seems quite surprising,” he said.

And Walters, the administrative law expert, said he can’t stress enough that everyone is “acting blind trying to figure out what the courts are going to do.”

“There are a lot of legal factors, political factors, etc. that are at play here,” he said. “That doesn’t provide much certainty.”

Kayla Nicole appears to be throwing shade at ex Travis Kelce in Halloween post

US-NEA
-
0
Kayla Nicole appears to be throwing shade at ex Travis Kelce in Halloween post

Model Kayla Nicole’s Halloween costume was in the spotlight this year, but many were paying special attention to the song she used to show off the outfit on social media.

The influencer and sports journalist flaunted her look as R&B soul singer Toni Braxton in an Instagram post on Friday, Oct. 31, recreating part of the iconic music video for her track “He Wasn’t Man Enough.”

“She’s an icon. A legend,” Nicole said of Braxton in the caption of her post.

While many commenters praised the song choice, some wondered if the lyrics were a subtle dig at Taylor Swift’s ex-boyfriend, NFL star Travis Kelce, who is engaged to her.

A song from Braxton’s 2000 album The Heat includes the lyrics, “Do you know I left your husband, your girlfriend?” “You know how he begged to be with me? He wasn’t good enough for me.”

According to People magazine, Kelsey and Nicole dated for about five years starting in 2017.

Did Nicole comment on Swift Kelce’s engagement?

Nicole has not commented on her ex-girlfriend’s engagement to the Grammy Award winner.

During a New York Fashion Week event on September 11, she dismissed a question from the Daily Mail about the engagement news, People magazine reported. She also addressed the amount of online hate she has faced this year in an interview with People.

“Other people’s opinions are only as big as you say them,” she told the outlet. “So if I don’t allow it to affect me, it simply doesn’t affect me.”

Nicole dressed up as another R&B icon last year

Nicole also went all out for Halloween last year, dressing up as another R&B icon.

Last October, she wore a fur coat and swimsuit to reenact her “Ride” music video, showing off her appearance as “Goodies” singer Ciara.

“Ciara…uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!” she wrote.

Game 7 of the World Series will be a ‘huge mess’ for Dodgers and Blue Jays

US-NEA
-
0
Game 7 of the World Series will be a ‘huge mess’ for Dodgers and Blue Jays

play

TORONTO — Hall of Fame outfielder Vladimir Guerrero walked down the hallways of the Rogers Center with a few friends Friday night, greeting a familiar face and simply saying, “Game 7.”

He spread his arms, exhaled, and shook his head.

Guerrero has only appeared in one World Series in his 16-year career, never winning a title, and his son, Vladimir Jr., will have a chance to go where he hasn’t been before, playing in Game 7 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday night after losing 3-1 in Game 6.

The Blue Jays will face a tough battle going forward, and Shohei Ohtani is expected to start, but he may also pitch in late relief, or he may have to play in the outfield to remain in the game after pitching.

When asked if Ohtani would start, Roberts said, “That’s a possibility.” “I’m not sure, but it’s possible.”

The original plan was for Tyler Glasnow to start, but rookie Roki Sasaki got tired and entered the game in the 9th inning of Game 6, resulting in the shutout.

“It was pretty cool,” Glasnow said of producing his first World Series save.

This set the stage for magic for Ohtani, who saved Team Japan’s World Series Baseball Classic by striking out Angels teammate Mike Trout and winning the gold medal.

Neither team has much experience with Game 7s, with the Blue Jays having never played a Game 7, while the Dodgers lost the last seven games of the World Series to the Houston Astros in 2017.

“It’s going to be tough here,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said.

“As the game went on, we had chances with the guys on the bases. But we’re ready to play (Saturday). We’re all ready to play. I think we’ll play cards around 1 p.m. and we’ll all shoot. It’s going to be fun here. But fans, we’ll see you tonight (Saturday). Loud, rowdy. We’re ready to play.”

Of course, if they had a douceur, the series would have already ended. However, Yoshinobu Yamamoto did not give them a chance. Even though the bullpen was left hanging and Glasnow, who was originally scheduled to start in Game 7, was selected, he allowed only 5 hits and 1 run in 6 innings.

That honor will likely go to Ohtani.

“We’re just kind of figuring out what his temperature is when he starts and when he comes out of the pen,” Roberts said. “So we’re getting closer to a decision.”

Ohtani had never pitched on three days of rest in his MLB career, but this is the World Series.

“This is Game 7, so there’s a lot of things people aren’t doing,” Roberts said. “You have to trust your players and try to win baseball games.

What is Ohtani’s other superhuman feat that will go down in the history books?

“We’re going to keep it that way,” Roberts said. “I don’t think the pressure or this moment is too much for us. We’ve got to go out there and win one baseball game. We’ve been doing that all year long. Everybody agrees. So we don’t know how the game is going to go, but as far as kind of the moment of winning the game, I couldn’t be more excited to play a baseball game, waking up.”

Game 7 couldn’t have been better.

“It’s going to be three, four, five hours of mayhem and great baseball,” Schneider said. “They’ll be ready. Hopefully they’ll be able to slow down some things but enjoy it.”

“It’s Game 7 of the World Series in your home stadium. I mean, what else do you want?”

Mega Millions winning numbers for October 31 drawing: $754 million jackpot

US-NEA
-
0
Mega Millions winning numbers for October 31 drawing: 4 million jackpot

play

The Mega Millions jackpot rose to $754 million for the Friday, October 31st drawing because no one matched all the winning numbers in the Tuesday, October 28th drawing.

If someone matches all six numbers, they can elect a one-time cash payment of $352.8 million.

There were four Mega Millions winners this year. The most recent winner was from Virginia, who won a $348 million jackpot on June 27th. Before that, on April 18th, an Ohio player won a $112 million jackpot. On March 25th, a lucky ticket holder from Illinois took home $344 million, and earlier this year, on January 17th, another winner from Arizona took home $113 million.

The winning numbers for the Friday, October 31, 2025 Mega Millions drawing are:

Mega Millions winning numbers for October 31, 2025

Winning numbers for Friday, October 31st: 2-24-52-66-68 And Gold Mega Ball: 9

The lottery winning numbers sponsors are: Jackpocket, USA TODAY Network’s official digital lottery delivery company.

Has anyone won at Mega Millions?

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

To view a list of past winners, go to Visit the Mega Millions website.

How to play Mega Millions

To play Mega Millions, you must purchase a 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 Mega Millions tickets online.

Once you have your ticket, you have to choose six numbers. Five of them are white balls numbered 1-70. The golden mega ball ranges from 1 to 24.

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

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

Where can I buy lottery tickets?

Tickets can be purchased directly at gas stations, convenience stores, and grocery stores. 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 states and territories of the United States: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington DC, and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to select your lottery games and numbers, place your order, view your tickets, and claim your winnings, all from 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.

This story has been updated with new information.

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_.

Automakers face massive production disruptions due to impending chip crisis

US-NEA
-
0
Automakers face massive production disruptions due to impending chip crisis

play

  • A dispute involving a Chinese-owned semiconductor maker could disrupt the global supply of semiconductors to automakers.
  • Major automakers such as GM and Stellantis are monitoring the situation, which could affect U.S. auto production as early as next month.
  • Auto industry groups are calling for an early resolution to avoid major economic disruption like the 2021 chip shortage.

Detroit automakers are facing an impending semiconductor chip crisis that could put a brake on much of new car production.

A group representing major automakers has warned that a dispute between China and the Dutch government is disrupting the supply of semiconductor chips used in various car parts.

According to Reuters, the European Union’s automotive association ACEA said automakers and their suppliers recently received notice from Nexperia that it could no longer guarantee chip deliveries.

The group warned that the result could be significant disruption to car manufacturing. According to Reuters, some automaker officials told Reuters that U.S. auto production could be affected as early as next month. The officials requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.

The warning comes after the Dutch government announced it had placed Chinese-owned computer chip maker Nexperia under control as of September 30 over concerns about possible technology transfers to Nexperia’s Chinese parent company Wingtech. Most of Nexperia’s chips are manufactured in Europe, but the packaging is done in China, according to Reuters. Neither side of the company’s operations will be able to quickly find a replacement partner. It’s unclear how long customers’ stockpiles will last.

Automatic groups facilitate quick resolution

Reuters reported, citing court documents, that the Dutch government’s move came after months of increased pressure from the United States on Nexperia. The company was at risk of being affected by new U.S. rules extending export control restrictions to companies that are at least 50% owned by one or more companies on the U.S. Entity List. In December, the US government placed Wingtech, which owns 100% of Nexperia, on the list of US entities.

The auto industry is on high alert following the incident, with General Motors and Stellantis saying they are closely monitoring the situation. Ford Motor Co. declined to comment.

But the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which represents major automakers including GM, Toyota, Ford, Volkswagen and Hyundai, called for an early resolution, citing the potential for significant economic disruption.

“We don’t know all the circumstances surrounding this incident. What we do know (from very recent experience) is that disruptions to the interconnected automotive supply chain will rapidly reverberate not just within the United States but around the world,” John Bozella, CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, said in a statement to the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network. “If auto chip shipments do not resume soon, auto production will be disrupted in the U.S. and many other countries, with other industries affected as well. that Important. We’re looking for a quick resolution to keep auto manufacturing in the U.S. and around the world on track. ”

GM works 24 hours a day

So far, GM’s production has not been affected by the spike in chip shortages, but CEO Mary Barra told investors on GM’s third-quarter earnings call that GM is scrambling to source chips elsewhere to help alleviate production disruptions.

“This is an industry issue. This may impact production, but we are teaming with our supply chain partners around the clock to minimize the potential for disruption. The situation is very fluid,” Barra said.

He said GM’s team has “swung into action” to assess where the potential disruptions lie and what sources of supply are available for the chips.

“The team is working around the clock to achieve that,” Barra said. “We are very hopeful that this matter will be resolved. In the meantime, we will continue to run as the team continues to work as we speak to ensure we continue to identify other sources of information.”

“Stellantis is closely monitoring the situation and working with Nexperia and other suppliers to assess potential impacts and develop mitigation measures,” Stellantis spokeswoman Kaylene Connelly told the Detroit Free Press in an email.

“We do not comment on supplier issues,” Ford spokesman Mike Levine told the Detroit Free Press.

But the news comes just as Ford is facing an ongoing aluminum shortage due to a fire at New York supplier Novelis. Ford uses aluminum in the bodies of many of its vehicles, including its best-selling F-Series pickups. As reported by USA TODAY Network, sources say Ford has temporarily suspended production of the all-electric Ford F-150 Lightning and two large SUVs due to an aluminum shortage.

Ford declined to comment on adjustments to vehicle production.

Regarding the chip situation, Levine directed the Free Press to MEMA, an association representing auto suppliers.

In case you missed it: Ford will temporarily suspend production of SUVs. Here’s what you need to know

Automotive supplier organizations call on President Trump

MEMA spokeswoman Megan Gardner said in a statement that the group is “closely monitoring recent export controls affecting semiconductors and diodes, including developments related to Nexperia. Suppliers across the auto industry are working to understand the potential impact on production and supply continuity.”

MEMA said chips and diodes are the basis of automotive components and systems. Used in infotainment systems, door handles, steering, and brakes. The absence of a single diode or chip can cause disruption in vehicle manufacturing.

Automotive suppliers source thousands of parts around the world and have made significant progress in diversifying their supply chains since the 2021 semiconductor shortage, MEMA said in a statement.

“However, risks still exist,” the statement said. “This issue has implications far beyond tier one suppliers, impacting sub-suppliers across the global supply base who provide components for nearly every vehicle system.”

MEMA said it was working with suppliers, automakers, consumer electronics partners and other industry groups to assess the full scope of the impact, and would seek support from President Donald Trump if needed.

“Together, we aim to ensure the administration understands the potential impact on the competitiveness of U.S. manufacturing and supply chains and support constructive solutions that protect both national and economic security,” MEMA said in a statement.

The last chip crisis

A tiny chip, roughly the size of a quarter, can certainly cause big problems.

Four years ago, a shortage of semiconductor chips brought U.S. auto production to a near standstill. Car dealerships had barren parking lots, consumers had limited options for new car purchases, and many buyers had to wait months for their new vehicle.

The chips are tiny transistors made of silicon, which is found in most minerals on the earth’s surface. These allow computers, smartphones, home appliances, and other electrical devices to function. Most vehicles cannot run without it.

The 2021 chip shortage was a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which increased demand for personal electronic devices such as cell phones and laptops in which chips are used, to the point where production could no longer keep up with demand.

Detroit Free Press staff writers Jackie Charniga and Liam Rapley contributed to this report.

Jamie L. Lareau is a senior auto writer covering Ford Motor Company for the Detroit Free Press. Contact Jamie at jlareau@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @Jalalean. To sign up for our automotive newsletter. become a subscriber.

Who will be affected as SNAP benefits end on Saturday, November 1st?

US-NEA
-
0
Who will be affected as SNAP benefits end on Saturday, November 1st?

play

In an 11th-hour ruling, two federal judges ruled that President Donald Trump’s administration cannot stop food assistance to millions of low-income Americans while the government shutdown continues and must use reserve funds to pay benefits that end on Saturday, Nov. 1.

Shortly after the Oct. 31 court ruling, President Trump said on social media that the federal government likely lacks the legal authority to require the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to pay benefits provided by the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as SNAP or food stamps.

“I would be honored to provide funding, as I have done with military and law enforcement salaries, if appropriate legal direction is given by the courts,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. What that means for SNAP recipients in November remains unclear.

more: Millions of people rely on SNAP to access healthy food. How to find help or donate if possible.

About 3 million recipients would receive benefits Saturday if the government were open, according to estimates from Code for America, first reported by CNN. By the second week of November, more than 13 million SNAP enrollees will receive their funds in phases throughout the month.

SNAP funds end on Saturday, November 1, but here’s what you need to know.

How many people in the United States are on food stamps?

According to the USDA, 22 million households and more than 42 million people relied on SNAP benefits during fiscal year 2025.

This number represents about 12% of the total US population of 342 million.

more: Who will be affected when food stamps are removed? Verify SNAP recipients by number.

How many children and adults rely on food stamps?

According to USDA’s 2023 report on the SNAP program, the most recent annual data shows that the largest age group receiving benefits was adults ages 18 to 59.

However, the data shows that about 39% of those receiving benefits were children.

WIC and school lunches may be affected.

SNAP is the nation’s largest food assistance program, accounting for about 70% of USDA’s nutrition assistance spending in fiscal year 2024, according to the agency.

However, there are many other food assistance programs run by the government, including:

  • The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) serves at-risk children under age 5 and pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding women.
    • According to USDA, WIC served approximately 6.7 million participants each month in fiscal year 2024, including an estimated 41% of all young children in the United States.
  • The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free school lunches to children.
    • According to USDA, NSLP served more than 4.8 billion lunches in fiscal year 2024.

The impact of the government shutdown on WIC, NSLP, and other government-sponsored programs varies by program.

Donation destination

Anyone interested in donating to those in need should be sure to contact their local food bank to see what they need. There are also several online resources for fundraising for food banks and SNAP recipients.

  • Through Instacart’s Community Carts program, you can donate directly to your local food bank by selecting a facility and selecting the items you want to send. Click here to donate.
  • Propel is an app that many SNAP recipients use to manage their benefits and fundraise through GiveDirectly. Funds will be distributed directly to families through the Propel app. Click here to donate.
  • Feeding America works with food banks across the country. Click here to donate.

Contributors: USA TODAY’s Zach Anderson, Joey Garrison, Bert Jansen, Zachary Schermelet, Mary Walrus-Holdridge, Sarah Wyer and N’Dare Yancey-Bragg. Reuters

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_.

1...521522523...1,006Page 522 of 1,006

About us

Stay informed with the latest breaking news, expert insights, and in-depth coverage across USA, Politics, Economy, World News, Technology, Health, Sports, Science, and more. Your trusted source for daily news and trending topics.

Editor's Picks

The latest

When will the Trump administration’s Dulles Airport renovation work begin?

Politics 0
President Trump pressured Senator Schumer to rename Penn Station...

Lindsay Clancy, ex-husband’s testimony and nature of mental illness

USA 0
Massachusetts mother goes on trial for killing her three...

Chili’s announces nationwide restaurant renovations. What you can expect

Economy 0
Server impressed by customer's ketchup portraitWhen Jacqueline Mang realized...

Subscribe

©2025 US-NEA.COM. All Rights Reserved.