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What’s the latest on the government shutdown? Here’s what you need to know.

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What’s the latest on the government shutdown? Here’s what you need to know.

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  • The federal government shutdown is in its 27th day as President Trump is in Asia for trade negotiations.
  • Funding for food assistance programs like SNAP and WIC is scheduled to run out on November 1, impacting 42 million people.
  • Nov. 1 is also the opening day for public participation registration for the Affordable Care Act, a central issue during the government shutdown.
  • Democrats want to extend the expiring ACA tax credits in the budget, while Republicans want to address the issue separately.

Monday marks the start of the work week and the 27th day of the federal government shutdown, which affects all but the most essential services as President Donald Trump is in Asia until Thursday, Oct. 30, for trade negotiations. But all eyes are on Saturday, November 1, when two significant events are expected to impact millions of Americans.

Starting this weekend, government funding for food assistance benefits for around 42 million people will end.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which administers the nation’s largest food assistance programs, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), posted a notice on its website on Friday, Oct. 24, saying it will no longer provide federal food assistance starting Nov. 1.

“The bottom line is that the wells are dry,” the USDA notice says.

November 1 will also mark the opening of applications for more than 24 million Americans to enroll in the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare.

Health care remains a key sticking point in the government shutdown for Democrats, who are pushing to extend tax credits that expire at the end of the year. President Trump and the Republican Party continue to insist that the issue can be discussed after the government shutdown ends.

Republican-majority states like West Virginia, Louisiana, Ohio, Indiana, and Texas had record numbers of residents enrolling in ACA insurance in 2024 because of tax benefits. This statistic has caught the attention of Republican leaders in several red states. And without the subsidies that started during the pandemic, average out-of-pocket premiums are expected to double from $888 to $1,904 a year.

Is the federal government still closed?

Yes, the federal government has remained largely shut down since shortly after midnight on October 1st.

More than 700,000 federal employees have been furloughed, and about the same number are working without pay. Employees deemed essential to public safety, such as military personnel, law enforcement officers, Border Patrol agents, and air traffic controllers, are required to work regardless.

President Trump signed an executive order directing the Pentagon to keep active-duty military members paid despite the government shutdown, but this does not apply to all federal employees who are required to work.

What do Democrats and Republicans want from reopening the government?

Democrats want to secure tax breaks for the 24 million Americans who get insurance through the Affordable Care Act (known as Obamacare) and refuse to support government spending bills that do not address the issue.

Senate Democrats want to make the tax cuts, which are set to expire at the end of the year, permanent and provide reassurance to prevent the Trump administration from temporarily withholding funds.

Republicans and the president have said they are open to considering fixes to the expiring ACA tax cuts, but want the issue to be addressed separately from the ongoing budget impasse.

What about Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid?

According to the Social Security Administration’s closure plan, the agency will continue issuing retirement and disability benefits, but will furlough 12% of its employees and suspend marketing campaigns.

Payments will continue under the Medicare and Medicaid health care programs as well.

Will American mail be delivered?

The USPS said in a statement that it is open because the U.S. Postal Service is not dependent on Congress for funding.

What about the airport?

More than 13,000 air traffic controllers and about 50,000 Transportation Security Administration employees will be required to report to work during the shutdown, and neither group is expected to be paid until Congress approves a budget.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” show on Saturday, Oct. 25, that the Federal Aviation Administration had 22 “triggers” indicating a shortage of air traffic controllers.

“That’s a sign that the controller is worn out,” Duffy said.

Will food assistance continue under SNAP and WIC?

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which runs the nation’s largest food assistance program, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which helps about one in eight Americans buy groceries, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, known as WIC, posted notices on their websites on Friday, Oct. 24, saying federal food assistance will no longer be implemented on Nov. 1.

more: 10 important dates to watch as government shutdown approaches record length

What does the military shutdown mean for the military?

Earlier this month, President Trump signed an executive order directing the Department of Defense to ensure active duty military personnel are paid despite the federal government shutdown.

However, about 55% of the Pentagon’s 740,000 military personnel have been furloughed, including employees in training, procurement and administrative support. Civilians in cybersecurity, medical care, weapons systems maintenance, intelligence and logistics are still working and are not included in President Trump’s order to pay active duty employees.

The National Guard, which President Trump deployed to American cities, must also remain active.

What about Homeland Security, Immigration and Border Protection officers?

Only 5% of the Department of Homeland Security’s 271,000 employees are furloughed, including those involved in research, planning, training and auditing.

The Department of Homeland Security confirmed on October 16 that more than 70,000 sworn law enforcement officers across the department, including officers in Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Secret Service, the Transportation Security Administration, and other critical mission areas, will be paid for all hours worked during the shutdown.

Contributors: USA TODAY’s Joey Garrison, Melina Khan, Kathryn Palmer, Zachary Sharmere and Saman Shafiq. and Reuters

Celebrity costumes for Halloween 2025 — see the best looks

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Celebrity costumes for Halloween 2025 — see the best looks

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With the first “Halloween ending,” celebs are stepping up their Halloween 2025 celebrations.

Stars will be dressed in their best costumes for the actual Halloween holiday on October 31st. Some, like Janelle Monáe and Chloe Bailey, are totally in love with the characters they play, while others are more playful with their outfits.

For Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton, spooky holidays are a family affair. Kardashian, her mother Kris Jenner and daughter North West made their debut as a trio of TikTokers on Oct. 25, with Hilton and husband Carter Liam doing an adorable “Toy Story” recreation with their kids.

Read on for more amazing celebrity looks for Halloween 2025.

Kim Kardashian and North West imitate TikToker Jay Guapo

TikToker Jay Guapo is “successful.”

On Oct. 25, Kardashian and her 12-year-old son North shared five TikTok videos featuring Guapo, her brother Pink Cardigan, and her mom @TherealChrissyG. The mother-daughter duo used the TikToker’s signature song and dance moves, even incorporated a water gun and featured a cameo from Kris Jenner.

Mr. Kardashian, with a beard and curly black hair, wore an electric blue jacket and leggings, while his daughter wore a salmon pink cardigan and black leggings, the same outfits her siblings wore in a video posted over the summer.

After the Kardashian-West Jenner family paid tribute to the New York City-based content creator, he reposted one of his videos that included a clip of him and his family gleefully reacting to the fact that they had “made it.”

Paris Hilton and husband Carter Liam adorablely embody ‘Toy Story’

While they’re certainly showing off a few looks this year, Hilton and Reum shared one of their family costumes early for the People issue.

Hilton perfectly recreated Little Bo Peep from Toy Story, and Reum played cowboy Woody. Their 2-year-old son, Barron, dressed up as Buzz Lightyear, and their daughter, London, who will turn 2 on Nov. 11, dressed up as Jessie the Cowgirl.

Chloe Bailey plays Beyoncé’s iconic character

Chloe Bailey has no chance of winning against Gold Member.

This year, she celebrated Halloween in a special way, treating fans to a photoshoot on October 21 dressed as Foxy Cleopatra (the spy played by Beyoncé in the 2002 film Austin Powers in Goldmember).

“I’m (Foxy) Cleopatra and I’m such a lovely lady!!!” she captioned a series of photos wearing a glittery gold bodysuit and matching bra.

Janelle Monáe is ‘the most haunted’ like Beetlejuice

Halloween always means showtime for the theatrical Monáe.

The “Tightrope” singer has several costumes lined up for the Wonderween Halloween Music Festival in Los Angeles on Oct. 30, and even teased that more are on the way, writing, “🤭 Outfit #1” in an Oct. 23 post sharing details of her Michael Keaton-inspired Beetlejuice costume.

Monáe went all out, even sharing a recreation of Keaton’s iconic 1988 movie poster with his signature green hair, face paint, and black-and-white striped suit sitting atop a tombstone that reads “Here Betelgeuse.”

Bette Midler goes back to her ‘Sacred Miss M’ days

When it comes to giving it her all, Bette Midler never disappoints.

At the anniversary celebration for his nonprofit New York Restoration Project on October 24, the multihyphenate performer wore multiple hats. She appeared step-and-repeat, embodying her persona, the divine Miss M, and her curly red hair.

Later in the event, she underwent a costume change for a more modest look, wearing overalls, blonde hair, and red Crocs.

Mookie Betts aims to win a World Series and become a Hall of Famer

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Mookie Betts aims to win a World Series and become a Hall of Famer

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  • Mookie Betts is looking to win his third and fourth World Series with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
  • The Dodgers have appeared in the World Series three times since acquiring Mookie Betts in a trade from the Red Sox in February 2020.
  • After switching to shortstop for the 2025 season, Mookie Betts was named a Gold Glove finalist due to his defensive prowess.

LOS ANGELES — He’s Michael Jordan in cleats.

This is Tiger Woods wearing gloves.

He’s Tom Brady with a bat.

He is Mookie Betts, a shortstop for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Of course, he’s not an international sensation like Shohei Otani, who can’t even walk down the streets of Los Angeles, let alone Tokyo, without a swarm of photographers and reporters chasing him.

He’s not a folk hero like Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the son of a Hall of Famer and beloved by everyone in his home country.

He doesn’t pitch like Yoshinobu Yamamoto, which brings back memories of Bob Gibson pitching a complete game in the postseason.

No, all Betts does is win.

And win.

And win.

He’s into it.

Forget about fancy statistics and don’t pay attention to the numbers on the back of bubblegum cards. Also, there’s no need to bother comparing it to the legends who played this game.

I want to define Mookie Betts.

Look at the ring on his finger.

Betts has already won a World Series with Boston. He won two more in Los Angeles. And he’s three wins away from wearing a ring on every finger on his left hand except his thumb.

“That’s all that matters to me,” Betts said quietly on Monday (8 p.m. ET on FOX) ahead of Game 3, when the Dodgers play the Toronto Blue Jays. All I think about is winning. ”

Betts, 31, who is in the fifth year of a 12-year, $365 million contract, hopes to make his final resting place in baseball in Cooperstown, New York, home of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

He doesn’t worry about his accomplishments or individual performance, but makes sure every win, postseason appearance, and World Series championship exceeds the standard.

“Being in the Hall of Fame is kind of a driving force for me,” Betts says. What I do know is that if I can achieve my ultimate goal of being inducted into the Hall of Fame, all that comes with it will come.

“You can’t argue about winning. You can argue about the statistics on the back of a baseball card. There are a lot of people who do that. But there aren’t many people who can say they’ve won four or five rings. That’s what I mean.”

“Then there’s no room for discussion.”

He’s focused on Buster Posey, who only had 1,500 hits as a catcher but won three World Series with the San Francisco Giants and should be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2027.

He is in awe of the late Yogi Berra, who won 10 World Series championships with the New York Yankees.

He looks up to Derek Jeter, the Yankees’ great shortstop who won five World Series championships.

Betts also wants to be the ultimate winner, doing whatever it takes to make his team a championship.

Would you like him to play right field? Okay, so he won six Gold Glove Awards, one batting title and the MVP Award as a right fielder.

Do you want to move him to second base? No problem. He would win the Silver Slugger Award and be named to the All-Star team.

And would you like to see if he can play shortstop this year? Well, he was a Gold Glove Award finalist, and Betts led the Dodgers back to the World Series with his great defense while hitting 20 home runs, scoring 95 runs, and driving in 82 RBIs.

“Shohei Ohtani may be the best baseball player on the planet right now,” said Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy. “Freddie Freeman has touched our hearts in all the wrong ways so many times. He has touched our hearts.” But what Mookie Betts is doing in baseball is incredible. He made the transition from outfielder to shortstop for the Los Angeles Dodgers, a team that had it all.

“For him to do that and do it well is unbelievable. Imagine Steph Curry just saying, ‘Okay, he’s going to play power forward and protect the other team’s best player.'” That kind of thing. So he’s going to protect the other team’s best player, the bigger player. Never did it, but he does it and they still win. And he played over 30 games. …

“What I’m saying is, if you’re talking about the Most Valuable Player (award), you’re going to look at the stats and all that kind of stuff. But if you’re talking about the players who are really valuable to this team this year, I’m saying Mookie Betts is No. 1.”

Betts, a seven-time top-10 MVP, is arguably the best athlete in the game, although his slow start has made it difficult for him to break into the top-10 this season.

“For a guy like Gold Glover in right field, playing shortstop looks easy. He’s just so consistent,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. I think he understands the speed of the game and understands the big stage of the game. … Some of the plays he’s made, hey, hey, just going right against us in the first few games, what he’s doing is pretty impressive.

“And I think Mookie is a hell of a player, given the fact that he’s batting at the top of the order.”

There’s really nothing Betts can’t do.

Come on, name a sport and he’ll beat you.

Grab a golf club and he’ll beat you every round.

Would you like to go to a bowling alley near you? Now, why not take on the guy who has perfect games so many times that he might go bowling professionally when he’s done playing baseball?

Yamamoto has pitched consecutive complete games this postseason, but when he comes to Betts’ house to bowl, well, things don’t go so well.

“He comes around pretty often, actually,” Betts said the last time he bowled with him before his flight to Toronto. He tries to bend it a little. He’s learning. ”

Want to pick up a table tennis paddle? Don’t be shy about it.

Pickleball? Good luck trying to beat him since he started this sport a few years ago.

“What he’s doing is just insane,” Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy said. I’m sure he can throw it. He can do everything else so why can’t he? ”

Was there a sport that Betts hasn’t conquered yet?

“Um, not really,” he says. If it’s something you’re weak in, figure it out and learn it so you can at least be useful. I guess that’s just how my brain works when it comes to sports.

“I can’t really explain it, but it’s just the way it is.”

got it. Have you ever tried a sport that you couldn’t dominate?

“To be honest, I don’t remember,” he says.

Now, considering he’s excelled at every position he’s ever played on the baseball field, outfield positions, second base, shortstop, why not try the hot corner at third base? How about the first base side? If you want to get a good laugh, why not try catching it while wearing shin guards? He was a pitcher in high school, so why isn’t he pitching now?

Dodgers relief pitcher Blake Treinen said, “With his competitiveness, I don’t think there’s anything he can’t do. Can he pitch and get some big outs?” He should be able to do that. He’ll probably become a great relief pitcher and win a Gold Glove if he does. ”

Sorry, Betts says, but for now he’s better off sticking with shortstop.

“I don’t want to do anything else,” Betts said. “I just want to win. That’s it, no matter what.”

And Betts cares too much about winning rather than making fun of his versatility. He’s too busy trying to keep the Dodgers from being vulnerable when other teams in baseball are trying to attack them.

“Nothing is easy. Winning the World Series is hard in itself, but coming back after that is a different story because the goal is always on your back,” Betts says.

“But it’s also fun to play like that. There’s an art to it. There’s a mindset to it. That’s something a lot of us Dodgers have learned to embrace. Not everyone can play on a team where they’re expected to win and say they love that expectation and embrace that expectation.”

Betts is also evidence 1-A of the argument that the Dodgers aren’t bad for baseball because they have huge salaries, they’re actually just smarter than most teams.

The Boston Red Sox acquired Betts in February 2020, a year before he was eligible for free agency. Any team in baseball could have acquired him. His contract did not include a no-trade clause. The Red Sox just wanted something in return.

The Dodgers have agreed to release Red Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo, young shortstop Jeter Downs and catcher Connor Wong, and carry over the contract of starting pitcher David Price. Well, Verdugo has become just a traveler. Downs plays for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in Japan. Wong recorded a batting average of .190 as a reserve for the Red Sox. And Mr. Price retired three years ago.

The Red Sox have not returned to the World Series since the trade.

The Dodgers have advanced to the World Series three times in six years.

“So anyone could have made that deal,” Betts said. Everyone can spend money if they want to, and we all want to do the same.

“I’m sure there’s a financial component to it, but I’m not here to discuss that. We just know that everyone has the ability to do this, and we chose to do it. We enjoy continuing to win from the top to the bottom.”

And oh boy did they win.

They have made 13 consecutive postseason appearances, won 12 National League West titles and five pennants, and are looking for their third championship in that span.

Hello, Dynasty, this is Mookie.

“I don’t even know what a dynasty actually is,” Betts says. (Team principal) Andrew (Friedman) and these guys continue to put out good products. There are no secrets. There is no magic formula. We just want to win and it’s purely your will to win.

“When you look around here, everyone is driven to win. We want to be with good guys. We want to come to a clubhouse where no one gets in trouble. No one’s lazy. No one argues. No one fights. You just come in and do your job. We’re all accountable to each other. I think that’s a big thing.”

“We just want to be the smartest players, the best players, the most talented players, and yes, the greatest players.”

That’s all Mookie wants, and a little more championship ring on his other hand.

X Follow Bob Nightengale at @Bnightengale.

Temporary ground stop at LAX due to staff shortage

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Temporary ground stop at LAX due to staff shortage

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According to the Federal Aviation Administration, flights were temporarily grounded at Los Angeles International Airport on October 26 due to staffing shortages in Southern California airspace.

The restrictions affect flights departing from Oakland, California, and went into effect around 8:45 a.m. local time, according to an advisory from the FAA Air Traffic Control System Command Center. The order was lifted around 10:30 a.m., but the FAA warned it could be extended.

The FAA said in an advisory that the ground stop only affected flights between Los Angeles and Oakland, but travelers experienced a total delay of more than 900 minutes. The average flight delay was about 49 minutes, with some flights delayed by up to 87 minutes, according to the FAA.

The FAA said delays may continue even after flights resume and advised travelers to monitor flight status. The temporary ground stop comes after U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned of increased flight disruptions in the coming days as air traffic controllers will not receive their first full paycheck Oct. 28 amid the federal government shutdown.

Duffy told Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” program that the FAA had 22 “triggers” on Oct. 25 indicating a shortage of air traffic controllers. He called the numbers “one of the highest we’ve seen in this system” since Oct. 1.

“That’s a sign that the controller is worn out,” Duffy said.

Duffy said earlier this month that the government shutdown has added stress to already overworked and understaffed air traffic controllers. He previously said air traffic control facilities have seen an increase in calls from air traffic controllers calling in sick since the shutdown began on October 1, with some having as many as 50% of their employees absent on any given day.

Federal government shutdown: Transportation Secretary warns of more flight disruptions due to shutdown

Newsom blames Trump administration for air traffic controller shortage

Following the temporary ground suspension at Los Angeles International Airport, California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office blamed the Trump administration for the disruption.

“Tough job, @SecDuffy,” Newsom’s news organization wrote on X, sharing a news article about the ground stop. “I can’t wait to see what you do with NASA.”

Earlier this month, Newsom criticized President Donald Trump for the lack of air traffic controllers at Los Angeles County’s Hollywood Burbank Airport. On October 6, the FAA announced that the air traffic control tower at Burbank Airport would be unmanned due to staffing shortages.

“Thank you, @realDonaldTrump! Due to the government shutdown, there will be zero air traffic controllers at Burbank Airport from 4:15pm to 10pm today,” the governor wrote in a social media post on Oct. 6.

Staff shortages cause chaos at multiple U.S. airports

More than 5,400 U.S. flights were delayed on Oct. 25, and more than 5,700 as of 3 p.m. local time on Oct. 26, according to aviation tracking website FlightAware. Since the shutdown began, delays have often been above average. Weather issues are also impacting flights.

By noon ET on October 26, the FAA had recorded air traffic controller shortages at six U.S. airports.

According to the FAA, staffing shortages caused disruptions at Newark Liberty International Airport and Teteboro Airport in New Jersey on Oct. 26. The agency also said air traffic control staffing issues have been reported for the Chicago flight.

more: Major U.S. airports suffer flight delays due to FAA staffing shortages

Transportation Secretary Duffy says air traffic controllers are looking for other sources of income

Speaking on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures,” Duffy predicted that the shortage of air traffic controllers would worsen and that flight delays and cancellations would increase in the coming days.

Air traffic controllers, who received 90% of their regular salary two weeks ago, will not receive their first full salary on October 28. Controllers facing the prospect of not receiving a federal salary are looking for other sources of income, Duffy said.

“They’re working on the side, they’re out looking,” he said.

About 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 Transportation Security Administration employees will have to work without pay during the shutdown. The FAA is about 3,500 short of its target staffing level for air traffic controllers, and many were required to work overtime or six-day weeks even before the shutdown.

Contributor: Zach Wichter, USA TODAY. Reuters

How to prioritize withdrawals from retirement accounts

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How to prioritize withdrawals from retirement accounts

If you have multiple retirement accounts, you’ll need a smart withdrawal strategy.

Dana George
|The Motley Fool

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Some people have been saving and investing for retirement for decades, only to realize they missed a step along the way. What are the commonly “missed” steps? Devising a decumulation plan, or retirement withdrawal strategy. Because just as you need a plan to build your nest egg, you also need a plan to plan it wisely.

A retirement withdrawal strategy is simply a plan for leveraging your assets to cover expenses during your golden years. Let’s say you have a single retirement account, like a self-directed Roth IRA. Having a withdrawal strategy is essential no matter how many accounts you have, but planning is easier if you only have one account. That’s because the order in which you withdraw money from your retirement accounts and the percentages you use when tapping them will affect the taxes you pay. That means it can play a key role in determining how long your money will last.

Minimum distribution required

One decision is whether to start withdrawing money from your retirement accounts in your first year of retirement or wait until required minimum distributions (RMDs) require you to start making withdrawals. RMDs must begin being withdrawn from defined contribution plans, such as IRAs and 401(k)s, once you reach age 73 (until age 75 for those born after 1960). These forced withdrawal amounts are calculated as a percentage of the assets in your account, and that percentage increases as you age.

Failure to take RMDs can result in hefty penalties from the IRS.

Brokerage accounts, 401(k)s, IRAs, etc.

There is no single rule that dictates the order in which withdrawals should be made, as everyone deals with different situations. However, as the following scenario illustrates, a good starting point is to consider brokerage accounts first, then tax-deferred accounts, and finally tax-free accounts.

don and nancy

Imagine a couple named Don and Nancy. They are both 67 years old and collect $1,500 a month in Social Security. So Don and Nancy start with a guaranteed income of $36,000 per year. In addition, Don and Nancy have $1 million invested in various retirement accounts.

  • Securities account: $300,000 (gains taxed as long-term capital gains)
  • Traditional 401(k): $400,000 (taxed at regular tax rates)
  • Roth IRA: $300,000 (tax not included)

Don and Nancy want to withdraw a total of 4% each year from their retirement account to cover their expenses. This will increase your income by an additional $40,000 this year.

focus on taxes

The couple recognizes they may need to tweak their strategy as their circumstances change over the years, but for now, it’s all about saving money on taxes this year.

Between Social Security payments and retirement account withdrawals, the couple has an income of $76,000. Their ultimate goal is to stay in the 12% tax bracket ($23,850 to $96,950).

deduction

Don and Nancy aren’t worried because they know they only have to pay taxes on their adjusted gross income (AGI), or their final income after deductions. The deduction amount for that year is as follows:

Basic deduction, joint tax return for married couples

Basic deduction for people aged 65 and over

New deduction for seniors for tax years 2025-2028

Total deduction

$31,500

$3,200 ($1,600 per spouse)

$12,000 ($6,000 per spouse)

$46,700

Couples take a close look at their retirement accounts and carefully consider how each will affect their tax burden.

  • Securities account: Don and Nancy have had a brokerage account for years, and any gains they record on the stocks they sell at this point will be taxed at the lower long-term capital gains tax rate. And in fact, their income is low enough that they don’t owe capital gains taxes at all.
  • Tax-deferred account: Because the 401(k) is a tax-deferred account, Don and Nancy paid no taxes on their contributions in the year they earned these funds. But from now on, withdrawals from a married couple’s 401(k) will be taxed at their regular marginal tax rate.
  • Tax-free account: With Roth IRAs and similar types of tax-advantaged accounts, you pay taxes on the funds you contribute in the year they are earned. But later in life, all withdrawals are tax-free.

A few years ago, the couple agreed to use the funds in their Roth IRA to fund later retirement, when medical and living expenses would be higher. In the meantime, they are determined to give their tax-free accounts time to grow by not making withdrawals from them until absolutely necessary.

distribute $40,000

Withdrawals from Roth IRAs are off the table for now, so couples will have to choose how much to withdraw from their remaining accounts. They decide to withdraw 60% ($24,000) from their 401(k) and 40% ($16,000) from their brokerage account.

Developing an exit strategy isn’t an exact science, and this couple’s priorities may change from year to year, but for now, their total taxable income is well within the 12% marginal tax bracket. And since their joint income is less than $96,700, they don’t owe federal taxes on the money they withdraw from their brokerage accounts.

One size does not fit all

While it may be popular to withdraw money first from a brokerage account, then from a tax-deferred account, and finally from a tax-free account, it may not be suitable for everyone.

In retirement, you’ll undoubtedly spend some time determining the best withdrawal strategy for you, but the right answer may change over time as you go through different stages of retirement. You may have just one retirement account to withdraw funds from, or you may have multiple accounts. Your situation will be unique to you. This is where a good financial or retirement advisor can help you determine the best strategy to make your nest egg last.

The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

The Motley Fool is a USA TODAY content partner providing financial news, analysis and commentary designed to help people take control of their financial lives. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.

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Russia successfully tests nuclear-powered cruise missile

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Russia successfully tests nuclear-powered cruise missile

Guy Faulconbridge and Lydia Kelly
|Reuters

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MOSCOW – Russia has successfully tested a nuclear-powered Burevestnik cruise missile. The Russian government claims the weapon can penetrate any defensive shield, and President Vladimir Putin said on October 26 that it would move toward deploying the weapon.

The test, which parallels last week’s nuclear test, sends a message, in Putin’s words, that Russia will not bow to Western pressure over the war in Ukraine, even as President Donald Trump takes a tougher stance on Moscow’s calls for a ceasefire.

Russian military chief of staff Valery Gerasimov told President Putin that the missile traveled 8,700 miles during the Oct. 21 test and was in the air for about 15 hours.

Russia says the 9M730 Burevestnik (Storm Petrel), dubbed SSC-X-9 Skyfall by NATO, has a near-infinite range and unpredictable flight path, making it “invincible” against current and future missile defenses.

“This is a unique product that no one else in the world has,” Putin, who wore camouflage for a meeting with generals overseeing the war in Ukraine, said in a statement released by the Kremlin on Sunday.

Since first unveiling the 9M730 Burevestnik in 2018, President Putin has fielded the weapon in response to U.S. efforts to build a missile defense shield and expand the NATO military alliance after Washington unilaterally withdrew from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in 2001.

President Putin said on Sunday that Russian experts once told him the weapon would never be possible, but now said “significant testing” of it had ended.

He told Gerasimov, his trusted wartime commander, that Russia needed to figure out how to classify its weapons and prepare its infrastructure to deploy burevestniks.

But the timing of the missile test, and the fact that Putin announced it after exhausting headquarters meetings with generals in charge of the Ukraine war, sends a signal to the West, especially Trump.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the missile.

President Putin signals Washington

For President Trump, who branded Russia a “Paper Tiger” for failing to quickly take control of Ukraine, the message is that Russia remains a global military competitor, especially with respect to nuclear weapons, and that Russia’s overtures on nuclear arms control must be implemented.

Following the United States’ move to provide Ukraine with information about Russia’s long-range energy infrastructure targets, President Putin’s message to the West is that Russia can strike back if it wishes.

After the Wall Street Journal reported that the Trump administration had lifted important restrictions on Ukraine’s use of some long-range missiles provided by Western allies, President Putin said on October 23 that Russia would respond “very seriously, if not overwhelmingly,” if attacked.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated that message to Russian state television in remarks published on October 26.

Gerasimov said the Burevestnik missile was nuclear-powered and had an essentially unlimited range, but the test was different because it flew over a very long distance. He said it could defeat any anti-missile defenses.

On October 22, President Putin oversaw land, sea and air tests to rehearse the readiness and command structure of Russia’s strategic nuclear forces. Gerasimov said firing training of the Yaz and Sineva intercontinental ballistic missiles, along with two Kh-102 air-launched cruise missiles, had been completed.

“The so-called modernity of our nuclear deterrent is at the highest level,” Putin said, “higher than that of any other nuclear state.”

In Ukraine, Gerasimov said Russian troops had surrounded large numbers of Ukrainian soldiers around Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region and were advancing into Kharkov, Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhia regions.

(Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge and Lydia Kelly; Additional reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; Writing by Guy Faulconbridge; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)

Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau hold hands on birthday outing

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Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau hold hands on birthday outing

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Katy Perry is celebrating her new journey around the sun with Justin Trudeau by her side.

The “Firework” singer and the former Canadian prime minister stepped out together on Saturday, Oct. 25, to attend a cabaret show in Paris for Perry’s 41st birthday, according to a TMZ video and photos published by Backgrid.

Perry and Trudeau, 53, left the theater together holding hands and got into a car surrounded by photographers. She wore a sexy red gown with black heels, her hair tied back in a bun, and Trudeau wore a black suit.

USA TODAY has reached out to Perry’s representatives for comment.

Neither Mr. Perry nor Mr. Trudeau have publicly commented on rumors of their relationship in recent months amid speculation that the two were in trouble. Rumors of a relationship escalated in July when Trudeau, who served as Canada’s Prime Minister from 2015 to 2025, attended Perry’s concert in Montreal (apparently a solo performance).

Prior to that appearance, multiple media outlets reported that Mr. Perry and Mr. Trudeau were seen taking a walk and having dinner together, but it was not clear whether these outings were dates.

Justin Trudeau discovered: Canada’s former prime minister appeared at Katy Perry’s concert

Perry and her longtime partner Orlando Bloom (with whom she shares 5-year-old daughter Daisy Dove) announced their split in July. At the time, a representative for the Grammy-nominated singer and the “Pirates of the Caribbean” actor, who had been engaged for six years, said the two “have been transitioning their relationship in recent months to focus on co-parenting.”

“They will continue to be seen as a family, as raising their daughter with love, stability and mutual respect is and will continue to be their shared priority,” the statement said.

Orlando Bloom and Katy Perry break up: Couple focuses on co-parenting daughter Daisy

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Trudeau, who resigned as Canada’s prime minister earlier this year amid difficult election forecasts, will divorce his wife Sophie Grégoire in 2023. The former couple married in 2005 and had three children.

In announcing their separation, Trudeau and Gregoire said they “remain a close family with deep love and respect for each other and all that we have built and continue to build.”

Contributed by: Jay Stahl, Edward Segarra, Marina Pitovsky and Eric Lagatta, america today; Reuters

Novartis to acquire biotech company for $12 billion

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Novartis to acquire biotech company for $12 billion

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Swiss drugmaker Novartis on Sunday said it has agreed to acquire U.S. biotechnology company Avidity Biosciences for about $12 billion in cash, aiming to strengthen its treatment portfolio for rare muscle diseases.

Under the terms of the deal, Avidity shareholders will receive $72 in cash per share, representing a 46% premium to the company’s Friday closing price. Bloomberg News earlier reported on the deal, citing people familiar with the matter.

Novartis has aggressively struck deals this year to address the looming patent cliff on some of its blockbuster drugs, including heart failure drug Entresto, asthma drug Xolair and autoimmune disease drug Cosentyx.

Under the terms of the agreement, Avidity will spin off its early-stage precision cardiology program into a new company called Spinco, which will become a publicly traded company, Avidity said in a separate release.

Novartis strengthens treatment for rare muscle diseases

The acquisition will strengthen Novartis’ presence in rare diseases while expanding into areas where treatment options are limited.

Avidity, a clinical-stage company based in San Diego, California, develops treatments for a variety of muscle diseases and has several first-in-class drug candidates.

The company’s lead drug, Delzota, is in early to mid-stage development as a potential treatment for a rare form of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and the company is also working on two other drugs for serious muscle diseases.

Avidity, which has a market capitalization of about $6.7 billion, is working on three experimental drug candidates aimed at treating rare neuromuscular disorders. These candidates are expected to seek approval by 2026 and use special technology designed to deliver RNA therapeutics directly into muscle tissue.

Avidity said Kathleen Gallagher, currently Avidity’s chief program officer, will lead Spinco after the spin-off.

The deal will help Novartis gain a stronger foothold in the U.S. market amid the threat of potentially steep drug tariffs from U.S. President Donald Trump.

President Trump’s tariff proposals increase uncertainty

In response to the Trump administration’s proposed tariffs, major pharmaceutical companies including Johnson & Johnson, Roche and Sanofi are pledging billions of dollars in U.S. investment to help them navigate trade policy uncertainty.

The Trump administration imposed a 39% tariff on Switzerland in August, and Swiss exports to the United States fell significantly that month. However, pharmaceutical companies were exempted from the original U.S. tariffs.

Analysts say Novartis’ plan to acquire Avidity Biosciences is consistent with its acquisition of Cato Therapeutics, which develops gene therapies for similar neuromuscular diseases, in November 2024.

The deal follows Novartis’ $3.1 billion acquisition of Anthos Therapeutics in February to strengthen its cardiovascular products, and its $1.7 billion agreement with Regulus Therapeutics in April for a drug to treat kidney disorders.

Last month, Novartis also partnered with MatchPoint Therapeutics in a partnership worth up to $1 billion to develop oral drugs for inflammatory diseases.

President Trump dances in Malaysia on first stop of Asia tour

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President Trump dances in Malaysia on first stop of Asia tour

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President Donald Trump did a fist-pump dance on October 26th after arriving in Malaysia, the first stop on his Asian tour. The president previously made the dance part of the centerpiece of his 2024 election campaign.

President Trump will participate in the 47th ASEAN Summit to be held in Kuala Lumpur from October 26th to 28th, followed by stops in Japan and South Korea. According to Reuters, while in Malaysia, President Trump will witness the signing of a cease-fire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia, which he claims he helped broker.

After spending several days in Malaysia and Japan, President Trump is scheduled to visit South Korea at the end of his tour on October 30th and meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

President Trump has insisted that a trade deal could be reached with President Xi, but left open the possibility of him leaving the continent without a deal. “I think we’ll come to a deal,” President Trump said on October 20. “They threatened us with rare earths and they threatened me with tariffs.”

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer met with China’s Vice Premier He Lifeng and top trade negotiator Li Chengang on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, their fifth direct meeting since May.

“I think we have a very successful framework for the leaders to discuss on Thursday,” Bessent told reporters.

U.S. and Chinese officials said they discussed expanding trade, extending the ceasefire, fentanyl, U.S. port fees, rare earths, TikTok and more.

Mr Lee described the talks as “candid” and Mr Bessent said they were “very substantive negotiations”.

President Trump’s travel during government shutdown draws criticism

The visit comes as the U.S. federal government shutdown enters its fourth week with no end in sight. This would threaten SNAP and WIC funding and jeopardize food options for approximately 42 million Americans on November 1st.

Several Democratic lawmakers said President Trump should have called off the trip and remained in Washington to negotiate an end to the government shutdown. At the heart of the weeks-long shutdown is a disagreement between Republicans and Democrats over Affordable Care Act subsidies. Republicans say they won’t debate health care policy as part of their government reopening bill, while Democrats say Congress needs to permanently extend the credit now before state health insurance markets open to the public on Nov. 1.

“Instead of going on a foreign trip, shouldn’t the president be listening to the concerns and dire health care needs of the American people?” Schumer (D-N.Y.) asked Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), who held a talk-a-thon on the Senate floor for more than 22 hours protesting the Trump administration’s policies.

The enhanced tax credit increases subsidies for eligible individuals and expands eligibility to include those with incomes four times the federal poverty level or more. In 2025, that amount will be $62,600 for an individual and $124,800 for a family of four.

If Congress does not act and the credit expires at the end of 2025, out-of-pocket premiums will rise by more than 75% on average, USA TODAY previously reported.

Contributions: Bart Jansen, Saman Shafiq, Kahn, Rebecca Moin, Sarah Wire – US TOD. Reuters

A Halloween attraction with a tragic history has ethical issues

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A Halloween attraction with a tragic history has ethical issues

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For years, Eastern State Penitentiary’s “Terror Behind the Walls” was perhaps Philadelphia’s most popular Halloween attraction, drawing thousands to the 19th-century penitentiary that towered like a castle on Fairmont Street.

Actors dressed as sadistic guards and agitated prisoners jumped and scared visitors from their cells. Giant gargoyles looked down on crowds waiting to enter the controversial prison, a practice that British author Charles Dickens once called “cruel and wrong.”

But today, fear does not exist beyond these walls, at least not as it used to. Jump scares still exist during the Halloween season, but they are fictional ghosts like zombies and vampires. The atmosphere is family-friendly and festival-like, with food, beer, live music, and fire pits.

Eastern State is just one of the troubled historical places grappling with the question of how to celebrate Halloween, educate visitors and acknowledge the suffering that actually occurred. Places like Pennhurst Asylum, Waverly Hills Sanatorium, and Lizzie Borden House put tragedy and suffering at the center of their respective histories, depicting what one researcher calls “dark tourism.”

“It’s not a Halloween attraction.”

The COVID-19 pandemic put an end to “terror behind the wall,” and the event now called Halloween Night was launched in 2021 “with a purpose,” Eastern State President and CEO Kelly Sautner said. “There was extensive experience here and the question was asked how to deal with this. It was decided that ‘terrorism behind the wall’ was not appropriate.”

Life in Eastern Province was not easy. Started as a Quaker experiment in justice, Eastern State forced prisoners to undergo rehabilitation through “solitary confinement,” a method that became a model widely imitated by other prisons. Contact between prisoners and guards was kept to a minimum, they were fed through a hole in their cell door, and they were allowed to see light only through their cell’s skylight.

A similar conclusion was reached at Lizzie Borden’s mansion in Fall River, Massachusetts, the scene of two brutal murders in which Borden was tried and acquitted in 1892.

“This is not a Halloween attraction,” said Lance Zahl, owner of the Lizzie Borden House.

“This is a historic house. Real things happened there. There’s real history.” Saar, who founded US Ghost Adventures, said the goal is to teach people about Borden’s life, how Gilded Age families like hers lived, how women were viewed at the time and how the criminal justice system worked. US Ghost Adventures also hosts ghost tours of Gettysburg, the site of one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War, and the company’s website offers guests the opportunity to “take the most haunted Gettysburg Ghost Tour and learn why the reverberations of pain continue to linger in this historic city.”

The Mutter Museum at the College of Physicians, not far from Eastern State University, also asked the community for help and reconsidered its events and collections as it works to collect human remains dating back to the 18th century. The museum has suspended most public events as it embarks on what it calls the Afterlife Project. The museum will once again host events such as performances by the Philadelphia Orchestra, a fundraising gala, and a medieval-themed dance party.

Is “dark tourism” ethical?

Marius Pascal, a professor of applied and professional ethics at Guilford University, said that while “dark tourism” can pose moral problems, there is nothing inherently wrong with it.

Professor Pascal, whose research focuses on moral psychology and the ethics of fascination with morbidity and death, said a major consideration was whether the fascination was directed toward real or imaginary fear. “It helps people process questions about death and grief. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that, but we also don’t want to accept it all and say that’s okay too.”

Do attractions promote empathy? Does it feature real life stories? How recently did that tragedy occur? Can visitors learn anything? These are the kinds of questions Pascal has in mind when he talks about “dark tourism” locations.

Mr. Sautner, who served as CEO of Eastern State University for the past two years, has extensive experience in civics education and has worked on restorative justice and criminal justice reform. She said Eastern State University focuses on educating the public not only about the institution and its history, but also about the criminal justice system in the United States and around the world.

“I wanted to remind people that we are dealing with human beings,” she said. These are people who lived in prison, worked there, got sick and died there, got married there, and left prison to rebuild their lives.

Eastern State University has a review committee that works with the team that plans Halloween Night to ensure costumes, performances and props are appropriate and “align with our mission,” Sautner said.

“If it actually happened in our field, we wouldn’t use it for fun,” she said.

Standards continue to evolve, and Eastern State continues to listen to the public, including those impacted by the criminal justice system, as part of that process, she added. “There’s a tension in this place between pain and beauty, glamor and trauma. We don’t know if it’s right, but instead of closing the door, we want to open it wider.”

Saar said part of the Lizzie Borden House’s mission is to address difficult questions. “Life is full of hard facts, and our goal is not to hide history,” he said. Preservationists can restore physical structures, but “the most important thing is to tell the story in a way that is both engaging and true.”

Phaedra Torresan is a national correspondent for USA TODAY. Please contact us at ptrethan@usatoday.com.

Top 25 Coaches Poll revealed after Week 9

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Top 25 Coaches Poll revealed after Week 9

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  • The top 10 teams in the US LBM Coaches Poll remain unchanged after Week 9.
  • Oklahoma State dropped seven spots to 18th place after losing to Ole Miss.
  • Houston, Navy, Utah and Memphis are new additions to the top 25 rankings.

There was plenty of drama in Week 9 of college football, but few upsets. As such, most of the top tiers of the US LBM Coaches Poll remain unchanged.

In fact, the top 10 is in exactly the same order as last week. Ohio State, which had a weekend off, maintained its lead with 62 of the 64 first-place votes cast this week. Indiana University holds onto the No. 2 spot by surpassing UCLA, but the Hoosiers were unable to claim either of the remaining two No. 1 spots. They both go to Texas A&M, which remains No. 3 overall following a second-half dominance at LSU.

Alabama narrowly escaped South Carolina but remains in fourth place, while struggling Georgia continues to round out the top five. Oregon State, Georgia Tech, Mississippi State, Miami (Fla.) and Brigham Young again round out the bottom of the top 10.

Top 25: Respond to US LBM Coach Poll after Week 9

Vanderbilt takes over the 11th spot held by Oklahoma last week, moving it one step closer to the top 10. With the loss to Ole Miss, the Sooners dropped seven spots to 18th place. Notre Dame also moved up to 12th place. Cincinnati and Louisville moved up five spots to 16th and 17th, respectively, while the University of Missouri dropped six spots to 20th.

Leading the group of four teams moving into the rankings is No. 22 Houston. Navy, the last undefeated team outside of the Power Four conferences, makes its debut at No. 23. No. 24 Utah and No. 25 Memphis also rejoin.

LSU, South Florida, Illinois and Arizona State were all eliminated with losses.

This story has been updated to change the video.

Social Security retirees will not receive their full 2026 COLA

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Social Security retirees will not receive their full 2026 COLA

We know how big COLA will be in January, but don’t start counting your money just yet.

morley backman
|The Motley Fool

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If you work full-time, the weeks leading up to your year-end performance review can be stressful. That’s because managers typically use this opportunity to share next year’s raise, if any.

Similarly, Social Security recipients tend to feel anxious come October. Because October is the month when the cost of living adjustment (COLA) for next year’s program is released.

Social Security COLAs are calculated based on the year-over-year change in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage and Office Workers (CPI-W) for July, August, and September. Because of this, the Social Security Administration (SSA) must wait until October of each year for the next calculation.

SSA was originally scheduled to release the 2026 COLA on October 15th, but due to the government shutdown and delays in releasing September CPI-W data, the release was pushed back to October 24th.

Now, retirees will see their monthly allowance increase by 2.8% starting in January. Based on current average monthly profits, this equates to an average increase of approximately $56 per month.

However, not all seniors on Social Security will see their checks increase by the full 2.8%.

Why some Social Security recipients lose money in the new year

Anyone who receives retirement benefits from Social Security will be eligible for the upcoming COLA program. However, some retirees claim Social Security before they are old enough to enroll in Medicare.

Eligibility for Medicare typically begins at age 65, but Americans can claim Social Security as early as age 62, albeit at reduced tax rates. However, it is common for seniors age 65 and older to enroll in Medicare and Social Security at the same time.

Medicare Part A, which covers inpatient care, is typically free for enrollees, but Part B, which covers outpatient care, is not.

There is a standard monthly Part B premium that renews annually. For seniors who have both Medicare and Social Security, their Part B premiums are automatically deducted from their Social Security benefits.

Currently, standard Medicare Part B premiums are $185 per month. However, standard Part B premiums could increase by $21.50 to $206.50 in 2026, based on projections from the Medicare Administrative Board.

If this approximately 12% increase were implemented, the average Social Security recipient on Medicare would only see an increase of about $34.50 in monthly benefits, compared to an increase of $56. This may be a bit off-putting for those who were expecting a more generous COLA to give them more financial cushion.

Of course, this $206.50 prediction is not set in stone. It may change. However, the general consensus is that Medicare Part B costs will increase by a significant percentage in 2026. So whatever the specific amount of the increase, it could have a big impact on future COLAs for Social Security recipients enrolled in Medicare.

know what happens

It would be natural to take note of the recent Social Security COLA announcements and start crunching the numbers based on the benefits you receive each month. However, if you also have Medicare, you may want to wait to see what changes will be made to Part B before planning any budget adjustments based on COLA.

Of course, Part B may not be the only thing changing in the Medicare context. Prices for Part D or Advantage plans can also be higher.

The good news is that Medicare’s open enrollment period is underway, so you have the opportunity to make changes to your coverage from now until December 7th. If you can find a cheaper Part D or Medicare Advantage plan, you may be able to reduce your overall Medicare spending and extend your Social Security check even further.

But overall, it’s important to be realistic about what future COLAs will and won’t do to your finances, especially if you have Medicare. And if you’re hoping for a more generous raise, you might want to take matters into your own hands instead.

A 2.8% COLA will raise your Social Security check in the new year a little, even if Medicare increases are taken into account. But measures such as downsizing your job, returning to part-time work, or adding a few extra hours if you’re already working part-time, can have an even bigger impact on household finances.

The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

The Motley Fool is a USA TODAY content partner providing financial news, analysis and commentary designed to help people take control of their financial lives. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.

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California Governor Gavin Newsom considering 2028 presidential bid

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California Governor Gavin Newsom considering 2028 presidential bid

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California Governor Gavin Newsom said he would consider a run for the White House after next year’s midterm elections, following months of speculation that the Democratic figure was preparing to run for president in 2028.

In a recorded interview on “CBS News Sunday Morning” that aired on October 26, Newsom said he was “seriously considering” running for president.

Asked if he was considering it, Newsom said, “If you’re not, you’re lying.” “I’m just lying. And I’m not. I can’t do that.”

This is not the first time Newsom has expressed interest in the nation’s highest political office, having been at the top of the Democratic list for several years. Before former President Joe Biden ended his 2024 campaign and endorsed then-Vice President Kamala Harris, Newsom’s name was often floated as a possible Democratic nominee if Biden decided not to seek another term.

more: ‘It’s not over yet’ Kamala Harris considers new presidential bid

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

Despite the speculation, the governor was one of the most vocal delegates in the Biden-Harris campaign, staunchly supporting Biden as a candidate and then Harris. Newsom has gained attention in recent years for his confrontational stance with Republican politicians in debates and on social media.

Since President Donald Trump began his second term in January, Newsom has become increasingly hostile to the Republican administration, once again positioning himself as a leader of the Democratic resistance movement against the Trump administration.

It’s a role he played during the president’s first term, and he made headlines in recent months with viral social media posts and videos in which he publicly sparred with the president and Vice President J.D. Vance.

The governor has also launched various legal challenges, including one over sending thousands of National Guard troops to Los Angeles in June. Mr. Newsom supports a statewide voting bill known as Proposition 50, which would counter Texas’ redistricting efforts to redistrict the state’s House districts and create five more Democratic-friendly seats by 2030.

The latest polls show the bill has significant support in the deep-blue Golden State.

Mr. Newsom, 58, is a former mayor of San Francisco and is currently in his second term as governor of California. His term will end at the end of 2027.

In an interview with CBS recorded in San Jose, he declined to say when he plans to make a decision after the midterm elections.

more: Collision with Newsom at Marine Corps show causes highway closure

“I’m looking forward to seeing who emerges in 2028 and who meets that moment,” Newsom said. “And that’s the question for the American people.”

Newsom’s interview aired a day after Harris told the BBC she had not yet ruled out running for president again after choosing not to run to replace Newsom as California’s next governor.

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

Coach updates AP poll top 25

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Coach updates AP poll top 25

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Texas A&M football came out strong in Week 9 of the season.

The third-ranked Aggies improved to 8-0 on the season after an emphatic 49-25 victory over LSU, increasing their chances of finishing second in the National LBM Coaches Poll ahead of Week 10. However, second-place Indiana State defeated UCLA 56-6, so there was no reason to move up.

Must read: Jimbo Fisher’s $77 million acquisition was a meaningful investment for Texas A&M. Please take a look

Alabama and Texas avoided devastating upsets, but the Crimson Tide trailed 22-14 to South Carolina with five minutes left, scored the game-clinching touchdown and two-point conversion, and then won 29-22 in the final moments. On the other hand, Texas defeated Mississippi State 45-38 in overtime despite trailing by 17 points in the fourth quarter.

The race for Group 5 teams in the College Football Playoff remains in doubt as USF, considered the favorite on the road, lost 34-31 to Memphis just one week after Memphis lost to UAB.

Take a look at the latest US LBM Coaches Poll from Week 9 onwards.

college football rankings

Let’s take a look at the US LBM Coaches Poll conducted in advance of Week 10.

  1. Ohio State University (62)
  2. Indiana
  3. Texas A&M (2)
  4. Alabama
  5. georgia
  6. Oregon
  7. Georgia Tech
  8. Ole Miss
  9. miami
  10. BYU
  11. Vanderbilt
  12. virgin
  13. Texas Tech University
  14. tennessee
  15. virginia
  16. cincinnati
  17. Louisville
  18. Oklahoma
  19. texas
  20. missouri
  21. Michigan
  22. houston
  23. navy
  24. Utah
  25. memphis

School you dropped out of: No. 19 LSU; No. 20 USF; No. 23 Illinois. 25. Arizona.

Other people to vote for: Iowa 85; USC 77; Tulane 65; Washington 60; South Florida 24; LSU 19; James Madison 18; Pittsburgh 15; San Diego State 14; North Texas 11; TCU 7; UNLV 6; Nebraska 4; Arizona State 2; Wake Forest 1; Boise State 1;

AP Top 25 Voting

This section will be updated.

US and China agree on important trade framework ahead of Trump-Xi meeting

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US and China agree on important trade framework ahead of Trump-Xi meeting

Kokai-kaku
|Reuters

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Chinese and U.S. economic officials agreed on a framework for a trade deal on October 26, and President Donald Trump said he was confident of expediting a deal during his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the coming days.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer met with China’s Vice Premier He Lifeng and top trade negotiator Li Chengang on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, their fifth direct meeting since May.

“I think we have a very successful framework for the leaders to discuss on Thursday,” Bessent told reporters.

Bessent said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that he expects the deal will delay China’s expansion of export restrictions on rare earth minerals and magnets and avoid new 100% U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods that President Trump has threatened.

He said Trump and Xi would discuss purchasing soybeans and agricultural products from American farmers, more balanced trade and resolving the U.S. fentanyl crisis, which was the basis for the U.S.’s 20% tariffs on Chinese goods.

China’s Li said the two sides had reached a “preliminary agreement” and would now go through their respective internal approval processes.

“The US is in a difficult position,” Lee said. “We have experienced very intense consultations and constructive exchanges to explore solutions and arrangements to address these concerns.”

President Trump will arrive in Malaysia on October 26th to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit, the first stop on a five-day tour of Asia, which is expected to culminate with a meeting with President Xi Jinping in South Korea on October 30th.

After the meeting, he expressed a positive attitude, saying, “I think we will be able to reach an agreement with China.”

trade truce

The two countries are trying to avoid an escalation of a trade war after President Trump threatened to impose new 100% tariffs and other trade restrictions on Chinese goods starting Nov. 1 in retaliation for China’s expanded export restrictions on rare earth magnets and minerals.

China and the United States have lifted most of the triple-digit tariffs on each other’s products under a trade ceasefire that expires on November 10.

U.S. and Chinese officials said they discussed expanding trade, extending the ceasefire, fentanyl, U.S. port fees, rare earths, TikTok and more.

Mr Lee described the talks as “candid” and Mr Bessent said they were “very substantive negotiations”.

Bessent said the ceasefire could be extended depending on the president’s decision, making it the second extension since it was first signed in May.

issue

The White House has officially announced the long-awaited meeting between President Trump and President Xi, but the Chinese government has not yet confirmed that the two leaders will meet.

On the sidelines of the ASEAN summit, President Trump hinted at the possibility of meeting with President Xi in China and the United States.

“We agreed to meet. We will meet in China at a later date, and in the United States we will meet in Washington or Mar-a-Lago,” he said.

The topics of talks between Trump and Xi include China’s purchase of U.S. soybeans, concerns over democratically-ruled Taiwan, which Beijing considers its own territory, and the release of imprisoned Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai.

The detention of the founder of the now-defunct pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily is the most high-profile example of China’s crackdown on rights in Hong Kong.

President Trump also said he would seek China’s cooperation in the United States’ response to Russia as Russia’s war in Ukraine escalates.

fragile armistice

Tensions between the world’s two largest economies have intensified in the past few weeks as a delicate trade ceasefire struck after the first round of trade talks in Geneva in May and extended in August failed to prevent the two countries from clashing with further sanctions, export restrictions and threats of stronger retaliation.

The latest talks are likely to center around China’s expansion of rare earth export restrictions, which are causing a global rare earth shortage.

In response, the Trump administration is considering using software to block exports of everything from laptops to jet engines to China, Reuters reports.

(Reporting by Xinghui Kok; Writing by Mei Mei Chu, Yukun Zhang, John Mair; Editing by Tom Hogue, Ros Russell)

The latest piece about the Louvre Museum jewelry heist. Suspect arrested near Paris

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The latest piece about the Louvre Museum jewelry heist. Suspect arrested near Paris

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The Paris public prosecutor’s office announced the arrest of multiple suspects in connection with the brazen theft of the Crown Jewels from the Louvre Museum in Paris, a week after thieves stole millions of dollars worth of historic jewelry.

French newspaper Le Parisien first reported that two men in their 30s from the outskirts of the French capital, Seine-Saint-Denis, were arrested on October 25.

Paris prosecutor Laure Becuau said one of the suspects was preparing to fly out of the country from Charles de Gaulle airport at the time of his arrest.

Le Parisien and French television station BFMTV reported that two suspects were taken into custody. However, Bequo did not confirm these reports or provide additional details about the suspect or whether the jewelry had been recovered.

more: The Louvre robbery sounds like the plot of a movie. This is where Hollywood is wrong.

In a statement, Bequo expressed dissatisfaction that information about his arrest had been leaked.

“This revelation will only hinder the investigative efforts of the approximately 100 investigators who have been mobilized to search for the stolen jewels and to find all the perpetrators. It is too early to reveal specific details,” Bequo said.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez praised the arrests by investigators, saying they were “working tirelessly” and had “full confidence” in them.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Nuñez said, “We approach with the same determination!! We will keep moving forward!!”

On October 19, thieves stole eight pieces of jewelry worn by 19th-century French royalty, valued at an estimated $102 million, before fleeing on motorbikes in a seven-minute broad daylight raid. The robbers climbed a ladder to a second-floor balcony and used tools to break through a window and enter the Apollo Gallery, where they broke a glass display case and stole jewelry.

more: where are the gems? $102 million worth of stolen Louvre loot may be melted down.

The stolen jewelry included a sapphire jewelry set earrings and necklace, an emerald-encrusted necklace and earrings, and two tiaras that belonged to Queen Marie Amélie and Queen Hortense, stepdaughters of Napoleon I.

News of the attack sparked worldwide criticism of the museum’s lack of security. The director of the Louvre said the museum’s cameras failed to detect the robbers and there were not enough cameras monitoring the area around the museum.

Contributed by: Reuters; Nguyen, USA TOD

These states do not tax retirement income

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These states do not tax retirement income

Some retirees may end up living in states with much more favorable tax policies than other states.

stephon walters
|The Motley Fool

play

People (ideally) spend decades preparing for retirement, including paying into Social Security, saving and investing in various retirement accounts, and earning pensions. It may seem like a chore at times, but it’s well worth the effort when it pays off when you reach your golden years with a great nest egg.

There’s no question that one of the surest ways to avoid stress in retirement is to prepare financially for retirement. However, just like during your active duty years, there’s still a good chance you’ll need to interact with the IRS. Federal tax rules still apply to everyone, but fortunately some retirees in certain states may be exempt from many of these taxes.

States that do not tax retirement income in any way

The next state will do not have Tax some retirement income, such as Social Security, 401(k)/IRA withdrawals, and pensions. Some states exempt all, while others exempt some.

  • Arkansas: Up to $6,000 per year is exempt from IRA distributions (until age 59 1/2) and pension plans.
  • Illinois: All retirement income is exempt, including Social Security, retirement account withdrawals, and pensions.
  • Iowa: Social Security benefits are exempt. Distributions from retirement accounts and pensions are also exempt after age 55.
  • Mississippi: All retirement income is exempt, including Social Security, retirement account withdrawals, and pensions. Early withdrawals are not exempt from state tax.
  • New Hampshire: Social Security benefits and pension income are exempt. Interest and dividends paid through retirement accounts (such as traditional IRAs) are not exempt, but will be phased out starting this year.
  • Pennsylvania: All retirement income is exempt, including Social Security, retirement account withdrawals, and pensions.
  • South Carolina: Social Security benefits are exempt. Retirement allowances and pensions are tax deductible up to a certain amount. If you’re under 65, you can deduct up to $3,000 of your retirement income. If you are 65 or older, up to $10,000 is tax deductible.

states with no income tax

In most cases, distributions you take from Social Security or retirement accounts are taxed like regular income. So living in a state with no income tax also means you don’t have to pay taxes on these withdrawals. Nine states currently do so. do not have There are state income taxes:

  • alaska
  • florida
  • nevada
  • new hampshire
  • south dakota
  • tennessee
  • texas
  • washington
  • wyoming

Social security tax system

Currently, 41 states and Washington, D.C., do this. do not have Tax Social Security benefits. The remaining nine states that will implement it are Colorado, Connecticut, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, and West Virginia (complete repeal until 2026).

However, regardless of whether your state taxes your Social Security benefits, you may be subject to federal taxes on your benefits. To determine whether and how much your Social Security benefits are subject to federal tax, the IRS considers your total income.

Total income includes your adjusted gross income (AGI), half of your annual Social Security benefits, and any tax-free interest you receive (such as on government bonds). For example, if your AGI is $20,000 and you receive $20,000 a year from Social Security and $500 in tax-free interest, your total income is $30,500 ($20,000 + $10,000 + $500).

Percentage of taxable benefits added to income filing single Married, filing jointly
0% Less than $25,000 Less than $32,000
up to 50% $25,000 to $34,000 $32,000 to $44,000
up to 85% Over $34,000 Over $44,000

Source: IRS.

The amount of your taxable Social Security benefits is added to your ordinary income and taxed at your ordinary income tax rate.

The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

The Motley Fool is a USA TODAY content partner providing financial news, analysis and commentary designed to help people take control of their financial lives. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.

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Government suspends live updates. Latest information on social security and airline tickets

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Government suspends live updates. Latest information on social security and airline tickets

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WASHINGTON – As the government shutdown entered its 26th day on Sunday, many people with the power to solve the funding crisis, whose effects for millions of Americans are growing more severe by the day, were nowhere to be found in the nation’s capital.

President Donald Trump departed on a six-day overseas trip as the weekend began, after many members of Congress had already left town. Lawmakers are deeply divided over health care policy, and there appears to be no prospect of bipartisan agreement.

Trump’s trip to Asia, including Malaysia, Japan and South Korea, has left him far removed from the domestic impasse and unable to participate in any negotiations to reopen the government.

Meanwhile, the reality of the shutdown is worsening. As flu season approaches, key federal health data has stalled. The government has warned of a travel meltdown over the holidays.

Funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which serves the more than 40 million low-income people enrolled in the program to receive benefits, will begin to run out in less than a week. In preparation for that cliff, tribal leaders in Montana have begun culling bison herds to feed local residents on a reservation whose population is disproportionately food insecure.

President Trump departs on Air Force One late Friday night and is scheduled to return to Washington on Thursday, October 30th. President Trump told reporters he would need to be present in the nation’s capital to sign the new funding bill, but he didn’t know if lawmakers would be able to resolve the shutdown by the time he returns.

it’s complicated. Transportation Security Administration personnel and Federal Aviation Administration air traffic controllers are considered essential employees. Therefore, they are required to work during the shutdown even if they are not receiving a paycheck.

Although the number of delays overall is fairly low, staffing levels at some air traffic control facilities are causing problems. Earlier this month, the FAA had to delay a flight to Burbank, Calif., after the tower there was deserted for several hours in the evening.

It is important to note that not all delays during the shutdown are due to lack of funds. Regardless of what’s happening in Washington, weather remains a major factor in flight delays.

Still, in previous shutdowns, more of these essential workers started missing work, which led to longer security lines and delays at some airports.

– Zack Wictor and Kathleen Wong

Yes, veterans benefits, including compensation and pension payments, will continue to be paid.

The following VA services remain available and operating normally despite the shutdown.

  • Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Outpatient Clinic, Veterinary Center
  • Veterans benefits including compensation, pension, education and housing benefits
  • Burial in a VA National Cemetery, Headstone, Marker, and Application for Burial Benefits
  • The Veterans Appeals Board continues to decide on veterans’ cases.
  • Call center:
  • Suicide prevention programs, homeless services, and caregiver support

Lawmakers will continue to receive salaries during the shutdown under Article I, Section 6 of the U.S. Constitution, which protects Congressional salaries.

The Constitution provides that “Senators and Representatives shall receive such compensation as may be established by law and paid from the Treasury of the United States.”

While members of Congress are expected to receive paychecks, some, including Sen. Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and Rep. Kat Cammack (R-Fla.), have said they will not receive compensation during the shutdown.

– Saman Shafik

No, it is business as usual at Land Transport Bureau offices nationwide. Like the U.S. Postal Service, the agency’s operations are not contingent on Congress passing a funding package.

The Department of Motor Vehicles, a state agency, is financed primarily by the state budget, supplemented by fees charged to drivers.

– Amaris Encinas

When was the longest government shutdown?

The current closure period is 26 days, the second longest in history.

The longest shutdown in history was 35 days during President Trump’s first term, from December 2018 to January 2019.

That means if the shutdown continues through Election Day, Nov. 4, the record will be tied. If the current impasse continues, it will become the longest shutdown in history.

Will a government shutdown affect unemployment?

Unemployment compensation is administered by state agencies, not the federal government, so it will continue during the shutdown.

The Unemployment Insurance Program is jointly funded federally and by states through federal and state employer payroll taxes and provides temporary cash benefits to eligible workers who are unemployed.

However, as the shutdown reaches its third week, new applications may experience some delays. The U.S. Department of Labor says it typically takes two to three weeks after an application is submitted for applicants to receive their first check.

Some government employees affected by the government shutdown may be eligible for Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE), which is similar to state-run unemployment benefits.

Yes, Social Security payments, including Supplemental Security Income, retirement, disability, and survivor benefits, will continue during the government shutdown.

Social Security benefit programs are considered mandatory expenditures by law and are therefore not affected by the expiration of appropriations. Payments will continue to be made regularly during the shutdown.

Social Security offices will remain open during the closure, but only some services will be available.

Yes, according to Military Times, veterans will continue to receive their paychecks because their funding comes from a different source.

According to the news site vetember.com, the Department of Veterans Affairs has lobbied Congress to fund the department in a two-year budget cycle that would exempt it.

– Jordan Gerard and Melina Khan

The 50th Marine Corps Marathon is scheduled for Sunday morning, according to the event’s website and social media accounts.

The annual event, one of the world’s largest marathons, will continue despite the ongoing government shutdown. The race passes through Virginia and Washington, DC, passing some of the most famous landmarks in the country. The event, which was scheduled to start just after 7 a.m., meant residents and runners could expect road closures across the region.

read more: When will Trump go to Japan? The president plans to meet with Japan’s new prime minister

read more: How long will the government shutdown last? Lawmakers don’t have answers.

In 2013, when the government shutdown brought work to a standstill in Washington, former President Barack Obama canceled a planned trip to Asia. This week, faced with much the same challenges, President Trump still decided to visit the same region.

Congressional Democrats have been keen to draw that contrast in recent days, criticizing Trump for traveling abroad amid a domestic crisis.

“The President is leaving the country as Americans struggle to make ends meet, federal workers go without pay, and millions of families brace for rising health care costs,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement Friday. “Instead of doing his job, President Trump is abandoning it.”

President Trump said the anonymous donor who gave $130 million to the Department of Defense to help pay military personnel during the government shutdown was a U.S. citizen.

“He doesn’t want any publicity,” President Trump told reporters on Air Force One on October 24, en route to Asia. “He prefers not to have his name mentioned, which is very unusual in the world I come from, and in the world of politics they want their names to be mentioned.”

read more: Pentagon accepts anonymous $130 million donation from President Trump’s ‘friend’ to pay for military costs

The Pentagon confirmed the donation on Oct. 24, marking a dramatic break from the government’s process of funding the military through federal appropriations appropriated by Congress.

– darren samuel thorn

This 13-year-old boy invented new technology to help his grandma

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This 13-year-old boy invented new technology to help his grandma

At just 13 years old, Kevin Tan is carving out a place for himself in the world of science and elder care with the goal of keeping his grandmother safe.

A Southern California eighth-grader just won a $25,000 prize and the title of “America’s Top Young Scientist” for his invention of a fall detection device for seniors. This is different from Life Alert and other brands, which offer devices that seniors wear around their necks, in their pockets, or on their wrists. Kevin’s invention, FallGuard, is a camera monitoring system with an algorithm he programmed to identify falls and alert caregivers.

Kevin’s device is not a wearable. Instead, users install FallGuard cameras around their homes and connect them to a small computer to monitor falls.

He works to make his devices available for free, or at least cheaply, to anyone who needs them.

Kevin was always inventing and making “weird things at home,” his father, Yan Tan, told USA TODAY. At first, she didn’t know her son was working on the project, but when Kevin showed it to her, she knew it was a good idea.

Tan was thinking about other friends who were worried about their elderly parents. Regardless of whether Kevin won the award or not, his father told him, “We’re definitely going to build this product to help everyone.”

“It was really scary.” Grandma’s fall sparked a junior high school student’s invention

Kevin said that his grandmother, who lives with his family, had a fall at home about five years ago.

“No one noticed right away, and by the time we found her and called 911, she had permanent brain damage,” he said. “It was really scary.”

Years later, Kevin told me that his friend’s grandfather had also fallen. That’s when he realized how common and dangerous falls were.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, falls are the leading cause of injury for adults 65 and older. More than 14 million people, or one in four older adults, report a fall each year, and there are approximately 1 million fall-related hospitalizations among older adults each year. Falls are the most common cause of traumatic brain injury.

Kevin said developing the fall detection algorithm took time. He was a finalist in the 3M Young Scientist Challenge and was paired with mentor Mark Gilbertson to work to make sure the device worked at night.

“He used some AI algorithms to detect your shoulder position and elbow joint, and then he built his own algorithm on top of that to determine when you were going to fall,” Gilbertson explained.

Kevin’s device does not require a subscription, unlike other fall detection systems. And it “always works”.

“You don’t have to remember to wear it,” Kevin said. The grandfather of the friend who fell had a watch equipped with fall detection technology. “But I forgot to charge it the day before, so it tipped over and no one knew until the next day.”

Kevin says it costs about $90 in materials to make one device, but he’s trying to bring that cost down to $30 by using another computer. Since winning the National Science Fair competition, he said at least one surveillance camera company has expressed interest and many individuals have told him they want the device to keep their families safe.

The Tongues now have FallGuard installed in their home, and another family member is also using the device. Kevin has a waiting list of more than 10 other families and hopes to help more families soon.

Madeline Mitchell’s role covering women and the care economy for USA TODAY is supported by partnerships such as: extremely important and Journalism funding partners. Funders do not provide editorial input.

Contact Madeline at: memitchell@usatoday.com and @maddiemitch_ With X.

A family of eight waits for ICE to decide their fate during deportation

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A family of eight waits for ICE to decide their fate during deportation

Her husband’s application to legalize his immigration status is unfolding against the backdrop of President Donald Trump’s mass deportation efforts.

play

One in a series detailing how President Trump’s immigration policies are changing America.

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – It was a Sunday like any other for Branty Barojas’ family. Breakfast croissants for 6 kids. Keurig coffee brewed in the kitchen. Video games in the living room. Soccer in the backyard.

But while her children were eating and playing, Chelsea Branty Barojas was frantically piling clothes and belongings to fill a 40-gallon container in her garage, preparing for the possibility that her husband, Antonio Barojas Solano, the family’s sole caregiver, would be detained by ICE and deported to Mexico within days.

She was having a hard time understanding it.

“He doesn’t meet the criteria that people say would warrant deportation in this mass deportation,” she said. “He’s not a criminal.”

But her husband’s application to legalize his immigration status is unfolding against the backdrop of President Donald Trump’s sweeping efforts to deport millions of immigrants. And a chance encounter with ICE in August left Barrojas Solano in custody for six weeks, disrupting the legal process and leaving police fearing he might be taken into custody again.

It didn’t seem to matter that he was brought to the United States by his uncle when he was 14, a year older than his eldest son at the time. Or maybe he was left here.

Barojas Solano, now 33, has been working in landscaping and construction ever since. He and Branti Barojas, 37, married in 2022 and have a child, 2-year-old Colette, and have started a blended family. They were in the process of filing a green card application when investigators took him into custody.

An immigration judge released him on $5,000 bail, but U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement appealed the release and ordered him to check in on Oct. 29 in Birmingham, two hours away.

Now, every ordinary day feels like a blessing accompanied by fear.

“We are trying to prepare mentally first and foremost,” he said in Spanish. “I still have hope and faith, but if the worst happens, we have to be strong.”

a chance encounter

On Aug. 6, Barojas Solano and his team left a construction site in Huntsville where they were hanging drywall. He needed to stop by before heading home.

Two cousins ​​died in a tragic car accident overnight and he wanted to express his condolences and reach out to their families.

When he arrived, police were outside the house. He said he thought they were there to investigate the accident. However, ICE agents had come to the same address looking for a man with a criminal history. They arrested the man and began asking all the Hispanic men there for identification, Barrojas Solano said.

He told agents he has an American wife and lawyer and is applying for legal status. A USA TODAY review of court records found he had no previous interaction with law enforcement. They arrested him anyway.

He tried to call his wife before investigators took away his phone.

Branty Barojas saw a missed call. She tried him many times, but he was not accepted. Something is wrong, she thought. She located his phone and drove there.

“The kids got in the car and were like, ‘Where’s daddy? What happened?'” she said, wiping away tears. “I was calling my parents who were out. I was like, ‘They took Antonio. I don’t know where he is.’

A chance encounter with an ICE agent complicated Barojas Solano’s claim for legal status as the husband of an American woman. Branty Barojas said she spent months gathering evidence of the two’s intertwined finances. That they had a child. He was supporting his three boys, a 15-year-old daughter and a 9-year-old son.

The couple reportedly met in 2020 after connecting through mutual friends on Facebook. Although we were both single parents at the time, we found that we shared the same family values.

Branty Barojas liked that she could take her children on weekends and pay child support. He had built a career in drywall construction. He didn’t smoke or drink. “Once you have kids, it’s hard to find a good man,” she says. “He was kind and ambitious.”

Barojas Solano believes in destiny and a higher power. “I thank God for putting her in my path,” he said. “In addition to being beautiful, she had a very good heart and emotions and was accepting of my children.”

Packing for the unknown

Branty Barojas packed her bags haphazardly that Sunday morning, expecting the worst. She knew little about Mexico and could not imagine life in the pueblo where her husband was born. So far, she’s collected clothes for her family, a vacuum cleaner, a space heater, a Keurig coffee maker and 80 K-cups in case they don’t sell.

She packed her things as if she really didn’t want to go, but she couldn’t imagine living without him.

I had a doctor’s appointment. Branty Barojas undergoes surgery every three months to remove a colorectal tumor that can turn cancerous if left untreated. Her eldest daughter, 15-year-old Camille, has a brain lesion that causes severe epilepsy and must be seen by a neurologist.

And the language barrier. She speaks Spanish with her husband, and her youngest child, Colette, is learning Spanish. But that’s not the case for Camille and 9-year-old James.

And home. Who would pay the mortgage on a four-bedroom house with a grassy backyard and thin white pillars out front?

Barojas Solano spent years sending money to his parents to build a two-bedroom concrete block house in the mountains of Veracruz on Mexico’s east coast, mostly because he could afford it, not because he dreamed of moving his family to Veracruz.

He hosed down the 40-gallon container and turned it upside down to dry on his front porch. Colette played on the lawn. Branty Barojas stood with one hand on her hip, looking at bags of toys and clothes in her garage.

A proud Southerner, Branty-Barrojas traces her family’s ancestry back to before the American Revolution and to families who fought on both sides of the Civil War.

“A lot of my family were patriots, so I never thought the government could come in here and take my husband away, because he came here when he was 14 years old,” she said. “That’s ridiculous.”

The impact of quiet policy changes

The Trump administration’s mass deportations are unfolding on several fronts, some more public than others.

There have also been high-profile workplace attacks, such as those at a Hyundai plant in Georgia and a legal marijuana farm in California. Videos of street arrests in Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York have been published on TikTok, X, Instagram, and Facebook.

But behind the scenes, quiet policy changes are putting new pressure on the country’s already troubled immigration system.

On August 19, an immigration judge ordered Barojas Solano to be released on bond, according to court documents.

When ICE lawyers appealed his bail, one reason was that ICE is challenging the jurisdiction of immigration judges over immigrants who entered the country illegally.

A pivotal legal challenge sets a new precedent. In a case known as the Yajule Hurtado case, the Trump administration argued that immigration judges cannot grant bond to undocumented immigrants who are subject to detainment.

The Board of Immigration Appeals sided with the administration on September 5th.

In Barojas Solano’s case, the judge recommended that ICE use “alternatives to detention,” such as ankle monitors, at the agency’s discretion. But the Trump administration has cut back on lower-cost alternatives to detention, and Barrojas-Solano was released without one.

Branty Barojas’ parents drove more than six hours each way from Huntsville to Natchez, Mississippi, to pick him up at Adams Detention Center, the largest ICE detention center in the country.

He had lost weight and had bronchitis. He had a new blue bracelet on his wrist, a gift from a Nepalese detainee, with the name “Colette” woven into it using thread from a plastic bag from the cafeteria.

“We just want mercy.”

When her husband was taken into custody, Branty Barojas sent a letter to the Huntsville City Council asking for community support. Her elected officials did not respond.

“I heard how people talked about immigration here in the South and thought it would affect my relationship with my husband,” she said.

Colette bounced past with her curls hanging in a ponytail. She showed off her red polish by pointing her toes.

“I painted my nails!” she exclaimed.

“Who painted your nails?” her father asked her.

“Daddy did it!” she said proudly.

“We just want mercy,” Branty Barojas said, sitting next to her husband in the living room. “We just want to be together as a family and hope that he can continue his case in the right way, in a legal way, without him going to jail and being treated like a criminal.”

Barojas Solano intertwined his fingers with hers.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen right now,” he said. “The truth is, we are in their hands. They may give me a chance to stay, but they may not.”

Lauren Villagran covers immigration for USA TODAY. Contact him at lvillagran@usatoday.com.

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