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HomeGoods will open five new stores by November 6th. Check out our upcoming stores.

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HomeGoods will open five new stores by November 6th. Check out our upcoming stores.

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HomeGoods, a sister store to TJ Maxx and Marshalls, says it plans to open five new stores on or before Nov. 6.

This store opening follows TJX Companies CEO Ernie Herman’s announcement of a goal to open at least 1,300 additional stores globally across TJX’s store portfolio in May 2024.

According to TJX’s website, the company’s first two stores opened in Massachusetts in 1977, and the company acquired Marshall’s in 1995. At the time, Marshalls was the second largest off-price retailer in the United States, with 496 stores.

Founded in 1992, HomeGoods offers “a wide selection of home fashions from around the world,” according to TJX’s website.

Here’s what you need to know about the upcoming HomeGoods opening.

Where will HomeGoods open new stores?

According to HomeGoods’ Grand Openings page, the following stores are scheduled to open before or on November 6th.

  • 2747 Lakewood Village Drive, North Little Rock, AR – November 6th
  • 15140 Crossroads Parkway, Gulfport, Mississippi – November 6th
  • 25959 Lorain Road, N. Olmsted, OH – November 6th
  • 303 Gellert Boulevard, Daly City, California – October 30th
  • 3145 Manawa Center Drive, Ste 100, Council Bluffs, Iowa – October 23

The following locations are listed as new openings on the same Grand Openings page:

  • 2117 Claribel Road, Riverbank, California
  • 7095 SE 29th Street, Midwest City, Oklahoma
  • 42080 Cypress Parkway, Unit #8, Punta Gorda, Florida
  • 1463 University Drive, Burlington, NC
  • 3200 Columbus Center, Columbus, IN

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

Is the government still closed? Here’s what we know about Saturday.

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Is the government still closed? Here’s what we know about Saturday.

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The White House says President Donald Trump could step up action if the federal government shutdown continues beyond the end of this week as concerns about unpaid wages and benefits such as food assistance continue to mount. The president’s economic adviser, Kevin Hassett, did not elaborate on what actions Trump might take if lawmakers fail to agree on a budget on Oct. 17, but his comments came in the wake of layoffs across the government during last week’s government shutdown, now in its 18th day.

While Congress was in session over the weekend, more than 2,500 “No King” protests were organized across the United States against the actions of President Trump and his administration. Organizers hope to break records for participants as the largest peaceful protest planned in the United States.

The Senate is scheduled to reconvene for the 11th time and vote on a bill to end the shutdown on Monday, October 20th at approximately 5:30 p.m. ET.

more: Energy Secretary announces layoffs for nuclear weapons workers begin Monday

Is the federal government still closed?

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

More than 750,000 federal employees have been furloughed and ordered not to report to work. Personnel deemed essential to public safety, including 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 preserve pay for active duty military personnel despite the government shutdown, but this does not apply to all federal employees who are required to continue working.

What do Democrats and Republicans want from reopening the government?

Democrats want to secure tax cuts 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. Republicans also argue that the Democratic proposal could pay some of the health insurance premiums of undocumented immigrants. That’s not true, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

What about Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid?

According to the Social Security Administration’s closure plan, the agency will continue to provide 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.

more: President Trump shelves infrastructure plans in Democratic-led cities as government shutdown drags on

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.

Will food assistance continue under SNAP and WIC?

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the nation’s largest food assistance program, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, known as WIC, will continue to operate as funds allow.

But the federal agency warned that if the shutdown doesn’t end, there won’t be enough money to pay all of November’s SNAP benefits.

State health officials across the country, including North Carolina, Wisconsin and Minnesota, have begun warning recipients that they may run out of money for November.

What does the military shutdown mean for the military?

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

As of Oct. 15, 1.3 million active-duty military personnel received paychecks, but about 55% of the Pentagon’s 740,000 civilian workforce has been furloughed, including employees in training, acquisition, 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 pay order for active-duty employees.

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

What about Homeland Security, Immigration and Border Patrol agents?

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.

The shutdown, the 15th since 1981, is shaping up to be the third longest shutdown in U.S. history, surpassing 1978 under President Jimmy Carter and 2013 under President Barack Obama.

Contributors: USA Today’s Fernando Cervantes, Joey Garrison, Bart Jansen, Meliina Khan, Mary Walrath-holdridge, Swapna Venugopal RamasWAMY, Reuters

Home Depot’s skeleton ‘Skelly’ heralds the arrival of giant Halloween decorations

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Home Depot’s skeleton ‘Skelly’ heralds the arrival of giant Halloween decorations

If you take a quick walk around your neighborhood this time of year, you’re likely to see a giant ghoul looming over your neighbor’s front yard.

Giant skeletons, scarecrows, and spooky decorations of intimidating size are on the rise. One of this year’s standout newcomers is Home Depot’s Animated Worricrow. This is a towering straw man, 15 feet tall and 12 feet wide, that moves and lights up when activated by motion. (Currently $199, originally $399)

“Each year we try to develop innovative and unique products for Halloween lovers,” said Aubrey Horowitz, Home Depot Decoration Holiday Merchant. “It started with the 12-foot Skelly and has continued to add new giants every year since 2020.” Home Depot currently has six products in its Giants collection that are over 8 feet tall.

Lowe’s is also embracing the oversized trend.

“Halloween is a huge event,” said Melissa Handy, Lowe’s senior vice president and general merchandising manager. Lowe’s has a wide selection, including a 12-foot-tall animatronic scarecrow, a 10-foot-tall reaper, and even an underground kraken that sold out in just five hours in July 2024.

How big is your spooky Halloween offering?

Here are some carefully selected spooky decorations.

“Our team loves creating unforgettable, eye-catching pieces for our customers, whether it’s a giant piece that you can see across the street or a skeleton that you can truly build yourself,” Horowitz said.

Halloween starts as early as April!

This year, Lowe’s began rolling out Halloween items online in April with its “Halfway to Hollywood” collection featuring Kraken and Reaper Band animatronics.

Lowe’s released Disney’s Haunted Mansion Collection in June. Handy said the Haunted Mansion hanging frame sold out in just one day, showing strong early interest.

That same month, Disney fans got their hands on a Halloween-themed Stitch. lilo & stitchIt also sold out on the same day.

fan of Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie An animatronic series debuted in June, featuring Victor and Emily, who are over 5 feet tall, and Sparky, who is 2 feet tall.

“Each year we’ve seen fans welcome spooky season early, and we’re here for the season with larger-than-life inflatables, fan-favorite animatronics, and new collections to help everyone bring home the magic,” Handy said.

Portions of this article were originally published in October 2024.

Has your electricity bill gone up? Blame the AI.

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Has your electricity bill gone up? Blame the AI.

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Electricity and gas prices are rising rapidly and getting more expensive.

Those are the conclusions of two recent reports on rising utility costs, one looking back and one looking forward.

Household utility costs jumped 41% between 2020 and 2025, according to a September analysis by JD Power based on electricity, gas and water prices from the second quarter of each year.

That means utility prices are rising faster than inflation. Overall consumer prices are now about 24% higher than at the beginning of 2020, according to Bankrate.

JD Power reports that the average household paid $184 a month for electricity, $141 for gas and $99 for water in the second quarter of this year. In total, these monthly costs have increased by $122 since 2020.

More than 40 states face rising utility costs

A second report suggests further rate hikes are on the way.

More than 100 gas and electric companies have increased or proposed rate increases this year or into 2026, according to a September report from the Center for American Progress, a liberal public policy nonprofit.

Residents in more than 40 states are facing rising utility costs, according to the report. Some examples:

According to the report, Southern California Edison is requesting a total rate increase of 19% for 5 million California customers from 2025 to 2028, which would be a cumulative increase of $33 per customer.

Consolidated Edison called for a 13% rate hike in 2026 for 3.6 million New Yorkers, raising the average bill by $26.60.

In October, Spire raised rates by 15% for 1.2 million Missourians, an average increase of $14 per month, according to the report.

Anger spreads over soaring utility bills

According to the Washington Post, controversy over rising utility bills has emerged as an issue in gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia, and could decide the 2026 midterm elections.

“Has anyone else had a crazy electric bill lately?” one Reddit user asked in a recent post on the community r/florida. “This is the best thing in my life.”

It’s one thing for a power company to raise prices, it’s another to provide better service.

However, it is difficult to measure the marginal benefits of gas and electric services. That is, it’s on or off. And in recent years, JD Power has reported more outages for most of its customers across the country.

“Customers don’t mind paying more if they get more service,” said Lamar Vaughn, J.D. Power’s director of utility intelligence. “What we’re seeing is that these rates are going up, but the number of customers isn’t going up.”

This is the reason why electricity bills are high

Especially in recent years, inflation has become a fact of life. But two particular trends are driving up prices in the gas and electricity industries, Born said.

One is climate change. Global warming is accelerating the pace at which natural disasters such as floods, fires, hurricanes, tornadoes, and snowstorms occur across the United States.

When a disaster occurs, repairing the power grid can be costly. Utilities pass those costs on to customers.

“When these natural disasters happen, rates go up. And there’s a sense of frustration about rates going up,” Vaughn said. “If there’s a snowstorm and interest rates go up a year later, everyone forgets about the snowstorm.”

A second, less obvious driver of rising electricity prices is AI. Data centers that support artificial intelligence are experiencing a surge in power demand.

“In 24 months, data centers have gone from being something no one talked about to being something everyone is talking about,” said Todd Snitchler, president of the Electric Power Supply Association, a group that represents wholesale electric utilities.

Data centers have been around for years. But in the AI ​​era, AI is “coming online at an unprecedented rate,” powering everything from Google searches to AI-assisted job letters, said Lucero Marquez, associate director for federal climate policy at the Center for American Progress.

“Thanks to AI and data centers, that growth is on a sharper trajectory than we’ve seen in recent years,” Vaughan said. “This is a major driver of monthly bill increases with no end in sight.”

Power demands from data centers are straining aging infrastructure, forcing power companies to spend billions of dollars on upgrades. They pass those costs on to residential customers.

“The U.S. power grid is aging,” Marquez said. “Many of the systems were built decades ago.”

Utilities are expected to spend $1.1 trillion on energy grid upgrades from 2025 to 2029, according to a report from the Edison Electric Institute, an industry group.

The cost of upgrading public infrastructure is also rising. And those costs are expected to rise further.

A report from the Center for American Progress says there is a nationwide shortage of transformers, a critical component of the power grid. The Trump administration’s tariff campaign could make the shortage even worse. Most of the transformers are imported.

Power industry voices point to other factors driving up electricity prices, such as state-level mandates for clean energy. The American Progress report counters that clean energy is cheaper than fossil fuels in the long run.

Rising utility charges are putting pressure on household budgets

Rising utility charges are putting pressure on household budgets. JD Power reports that monthly gas, electricity and water services now account for 6.3% of household income, up from 4.5% in 2020.

A September study by Payless Power, a Texas utility, found that two-fifths of low-income households had fallen behind on their electricity bills in the past year. One in three low-income households received a closure notice.

The survey surveyed 1,069 Americans, 43% of whom lived in low-income housing with an annual income of less than $56,600.

“It’s becoming more common for families to go without medication, behind on rent, or without phone service just to keep the electricity running,” said Brandon Young, CEO of Payless Power.

President Trump is concentrating the military and CIA in Venezuela. Will war come?

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President Trump is concentrating the military and CIA in Venezuela. Will war come?

The US bombed six ships near Venezuela, and President Donald Trump gave the CIA the green light to operate inside the country. Why is this happening?

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WASHINGTON – The Trump administration is poised to significantly raise the stakes in its feud with the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, which it accuses of supporting drug trafficking and collusion with drug cartels.

President Donald Trump’s surprising announcement on October 15 that a land attack on Venezuela could soon follow six attacks on Venezuelan fishing boats that left more than 20 people dead, raising questions about the cause of Trump’s sudden attack and where it will lead.

President Trump said on October 17 that Maduro is already giving away Venezuela’s natural resources, adding, “You know why? Because he doesn’t want to do it with the United States.”

The president also acknowledged at the same press conference that the CIA also has permission from President Trump to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela.

“There are actually two reasons why I approved it,” Trump told reporters. “Number one, they emptied prisons and entered the United States…they came across the border. The other thing is drugs.”

On October 16, news broke that General Alvin Holsey, commander of the US military in Latin and South America, would retire after just one year in office.

Halsey has not publicly stated the reason for his resignation. According to reports, he expressed concern over ongoing boat strikes in the Caribbean.

President Trump and some allies have long harbored animosity toward Venezuela’s communist government and fantasized about overthrowing it. But it is unclear whether that is President Trump’s goal in starting a military conflict with the oil-rich South American country.

Who is Nicolas Maduro and why does President Trump hate him?

Maduro has been a target of American conservatives for decades. A socialist authoritarian with a history of human rights abuses, he took office in 2013 after winning election as the handpicked successor to strongman Hugo Chávez. Maduro and Chavez have been accused by international observers of rigging their election victory.

In the face of U.S. sanctions, Maduro’s Venezuela expanded diplomatic and trade ties with U.S. adversaries such as Russia, Iran and China, further angering Washington.

Conservative Cuban Americans, who fled Cuba after the revolution led by communist leader Fidel Castro, have long harbored particular resentment toward Chavez and his successors because of their government’s close ties to Cuba.

President Trump: ‘We’re not talking about’ overthrowing Maduro

Asked by reporters in July if he wanted regime change in Venezuela, Trump said: “Well, we haven’t talked about that.”

However, President Trump and his aides discussed domestic military action during his first term.

President Trump reportedly asked his advisers about a military invasion of Venezuela in 2019 during a meeting on sanctions against President Maduro. Two years later, Mike Pompeo, then President Trump’s secretary of state, said the United States would begin military action in Venezuela “if necessary.”

In 2020, the Justice Department indicted Maduro and 14 other Venezuelan officials on charges of “narcoterrorism, corruption” and drug trafficking, saying they “intended to flood the United States with cocaine.”

President Trump and most people in Washington supported Juan Guaido, the Venezuelan opposition leader who declared himself president of Venezuela and staged a coup attempt in 2019.

Guaido appeared in President Trump’s State of the Union address that year and received a standing ovation. After his attempt to seize power failed, Mr. Guaidó fled to the United States and became a professor at a university in Florida.

President Trump accuses Maduro of collusion with cartels

President Trump has said his revenge against Maduro’s regime hinges on its alleged ties to drug cartels such as Torren de Aragua and Cartel de los Soles. The name Cartel de los Soles comes from the sun patch on the sleeves of some Venezuelan military uniforms.

However, this link has not been proven, and Venezuelan drugs make up a small portion of the drugs trafficked to the United States.

In a confidential report released in April, intelligence analysts assessed that the Maduro government was not working directly with Torren de Aragua. In response, the Trump administration’s Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, fired both authors of the report.

The Drug Enforcement Administration says a small amount of the fentanyl trafficked into the United States comes from Venezuela, but most of it can be traced to Mexican cartels. According to U.S. drug data, less than 10% of cocaine destined for the United States is trafficked through the Eastern Caribbean off the coast of Venezuela.

What about oil?

Venezuela boasts the world’s largest oil reserves, and President Trump has not forgotten this fact.

President Trump said in 2023, “When I left, Venezuela was ready to collapse. We would have occupied it, we would have gotten all the oil, it would have been right next door.”

The New York Times reported last week that President Maduro threatened to give U.S. companies preferential access to Venezuelan oil and threaten Trump with cutting oil sales to China in favor of the United States, but to no avail.

Oil exports from Venezuela reached their highest level in five years this month after the Trump administration in July reversed a February move that cut off U.S. oil giant Chevron’s operations in the country. The terms of that waiver remain confidential.

Deadly attack and military buildup against Venezuela

Since early September, the Pentagon has launched five known attacks on boats in international waters off the coast of Venezuela, killing at least 27 people.

The Trump administration has said the boat was carrying drugs and labeled the passengers “narco-terrorists,” but has not yet produced evidence of either allegation. Questions also arose about the identity of the dead after Colombian President Gustavo Petro said earlier this month that a Colombian vessel had been targeted in an attack.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon has deployed significant military forces to the region, including eight naval ships, an F-35 fighter jet, a special operations ship, and 10,000 troops.

Is it legal for President Trump to attack Venezuela?

The airstrike was a shocking departure from US policy on maritime drug trafficking and sparked alarm and criticism of its legality.

The Coast Guard has been interdicting, boarding and arresting vessels carrying drugs for decades.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the ship could have been intercepted in the first place, but “by order of the president, we blew it up.”

In late September, the Pentagon notified some members of Congress that President Trump had determined that the United States was in a “non-international armed conflict” with drug cartels. “The President has directed the Department of the Army to conduct operations against them in accordance with the laws of armed conflict,” the notice said.

more: 21 people were killed in attacks on ships in the Caribbean ordered by President Trump. Attempts to prevent this have failed.

Critics and legal experts say this is not a use of military force authorized by Congress. Last week, Senate Democrats, joined by two Republicans, tried unsuccessfully to pass a resolution to halt air strikes, accusing President Trump of illegally using military force without permission from lawmakers.

President Maduro attempts diplomatic letter and requests assistance from UN

As pressure mounts, President Maduro is rushing to ramp up military preparedness while offering a diplomatic olive branch to President Trump.

“I hope that together we can defeat the falsehoods that have tainted our relationship,” he wrote in a letter to Trump last month.

Trump was unfazed. A few weeks later, the New York Times reported that the president called off diplomatic talks with Maduro led by special envoy Richard Grenell.

President Maduro then called on the United Nations Security Council to declare the boat attack illegal and uphold Venezuela’s sovereignty, according to Reuters.

President Maduro’s fuel immigration surge increases poverty and immigration

During his tenure as president of Venezuela, Maduro has led the arrest of thousands of political opponents, journalists, and human rights defenders. More than half of the country lives in poverty and 40% of the population experiences at least moderate food insecurity.

The situation has led to a large-scale flight of Venezuelans, many seeking refuge in the United States, and has led to an even greater influx of migrants to the southern border in recent years. In 2023, approximately 770,000 Venezuelan immigrants were living in the United States.

The Trump administration ended Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans in the United States, lifting legal protections for approximately 350,000 people and allowing them to be immediately deported. The move was challenged in court, but the Supreme Court sided with Trump in a ruling earlier this month.

A bold prediction that Georgia and Alabama will upset college football in Week 8

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A bold prediction that Georgia and Alabama will upset college football in Week 8

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Is it really any longer surprising that there are major upsets in college football every weekend? The makeup of the playoffs seems to change drastically every Saturday, and Week 7 was no exception.

Week 8 has already begun with second place Miami suffering an unexpected loss to Louisville. I’m sure there will be even more shocking results. These could be among the three games that have a big impact on the SEC conference race. When No. 12 Georgia Tech enters the picture, could another undefeated ACC team collapse? Or are there any other games in the Big 10 or Big 12 that could change the U.S. LBM Coaches poll on Sunday?

Road to the playoffs: Sign up for our college football newsletter

That’s why USA TODAY Sports’ college football staff is here to provide answers to your tough questions. Matt Hayes, Jordan Mendoza, Paul Meyerberg, Eric Smith, Eddie Timanas, and Blake Topmeyer share their bold predictions for Week 8 of the college football season.

Upset of Arkansas gives Texas A&M its first loss.

The University of Arkansas’ big win over undefeated Texas A&M further clouds the SEC race. A classic disappointing game for Agors. A sneaky rivalry game on the road with teams that can earn you tons of points. Bobby Petrino helped the Razorbacks show what they are capable of on the road in Louisville. There is no doubt that they can win at home. — matt haze

Tennessee finally wins in Tuscaloosa

It’s been more than 20 years since the University of Tennessee walked into Bryant-Denny Stadium and left with a victory. Volante has looked pretty shaky the last few weeks and I’m not confident he can pull it off this year, but I’m expecting some super aggressive play from Josh Heupel knowing how richly he rides this contest. With Joey Aguilar’s win over Ty Simpson, Tennessee can finally get a cigar in Alabama. — jordan mendoza

Duke beats Georgia Tech, complicating ACC race

Duke beats Georgia Tech, further complicating things in the ACC. The Blue Devils have been strong offensively to open conference play, dropping 45 points on North Carolina State, 38 on Syracuse and another 45 on California. This will come down to which team will set the tone. Tech looks to be a strong team at the line of scrimmage, while Duke wants a more open game. — Paul Mayerberg

Arizona State fights back against Texas Tech

A quick look at the score from Utah’s win over the Sun Devils might suggest to some that coach Kenny Dillingham’s team is unprepared for the Red Raiders’ buzzsaw. However, Arizona State was without quarterback Sam Leavitt, who was scheduled to play Saturday. Look for the home team circling the wagon and you might find an overconfident Texas Tech team that looks Big 12 class. — Eric Smith

Vanderbilt defeats LSU

What speaks volumes about this glorious sport we call college football is that a team’s fan base gets salty when the opponent’s winning home crowd doesn’t rush onto the field. Well, LSU, I hate to break it to you, but even if Vanderbilt wins this week, it won’t be a storm in Nashville.

The Tigers are in the top 10 almost entirely because of one side of the ball. Against actual FBS games, LSU averages less than 20 points per game. Granted, they’ve only allowed more than 10 points in a game once, but their only loss came against Ole Miss. The defense will once again give it their all, but Vandy will do enough to snatch the victory. — Eddie Timanas

Florida wins, but Billy Napier is fired.

This spin on the coaching merry-go-round will be the wildest since 2021, when a slew of big jobs were made public and salaries and buyouts skyrocketed. And we just started firing. So who’s next? I’ll keep an eye on struggling coaches Billy Napier (Florida), Luke Fickell (Wisconsin) and Hugh Freeze (Auburn). Bold Prediction: Napier bids farewell to Ed Orgeron. They’ll beat Mississippi State on Saturday, but they’ll probably get fired on Sunday anyway. Orgeron beat Florida in 2021, but was fired the next day. Thank you for the memories. Yes, there are certainly similarities between this year’s Carousel and 2021. blake topmeyer

UPS destroys some packages due to tariffs and customs concerns

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UPS destroys some packages due to tariffs and customs concerns

Because the customs situation is rapidly changing, UPS and shippers are tracking more customs information to ensure delivery of some packages. Packages that cannot be cleared may be discarded.

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Amid the recent wave of tariffs, package delivery operations have become increasingly complex, and in some cases, carriers such as UPS are forced to scrap some packages.

As the Trump administration increasingly uses tariffs as an economic and foreign policy tool, international packages arriving in the United States require more information to pass through customs. Tariffs have recently been introduced or increased on certain products such as steel and aluminum, and more recently on wood and wood products such as upholstered furniture and kitchen cabinets.

Additional duties are also being imposed on products from certain countries, including Canada, China, Mexico and India, where tariffs were recently raised to 50%. Also complicating matters, the de minimis exemption, which avoids customs duties on packages valued at $800 or less sent to the United States, ended on August 29th.

Shipments can get stuck as UPS, FedEx, DHL Express and other shipping companies require information needed to comply with new tariffs, such as whether a product contains wood or aluminum or whether some or all of the product is manufactured in a country with increased tariffs. Companies also need to know whether the required duties were levied on the shipment.

While shipping companies deal with customs issues, consumers waiting for their purchases are grumbling about delays or possible arrival of their packages.

“Are my packages actually being destroyed?” Ashley Freberg wondered in an interview with NBC News, which reported on the situation on Oct. 10. Freberg said some boxes that were shipped by UPS from the UK in September are missing. After receiving a notification that her package did not clear customs and was subsequently destroyed, she received an update that the package was on its way.

Other customers posted on Reddit about how they received surprising bills from UPS to pay for the tariff increase. “Am I going to be charged $1,000 in customs duties and brokerage fees, or am I going to lose this package entirely?” posted one person who said he ordered a custom wedding ring from Canada, where many items are subject to a 35% tariff.

Government shutdown: Who is to blame? See how Americans in eight major states are taking responsibility

Why UPS has to “destroy” some packages shipped to the US

UPS, which delivers millions of packages every day, removes more than 90% of imported packages on the first day of entry, the company told USA TODAY in a statement.

But that can still leave thousands of packages unresolved. “Due to changes in U.S. import regulations, a large number of packages are unable to clear customs due to missing or incomplete information about the package required for customs clearance,” the company said in a statement.

UPS “makes multiple attempts to resolve delays and obtain the information necessary to deliver packages,” the company said. The company says that after making three or more calls per package, UPS may “not be able to obtain the information necessary to remove the package.” In that case, UPS can return the package to the sender at a cost.

UPS may contact the recipient to obtain the necessary information. But if the company is unable to do so, the original shipper does not comply, and “the package is not authorized for delivery, the package will be considered abandoned and we will dispose of it in accordance with U.S. Customs regulations,” UPS said in a statement.

What are other shipping companies doing?

Other shippers are facing the same issue. If more detailed customs information is needed, FedEx will “actively work with the sender to update documentation for resubmission to (U.S. Customs and Border Protection) or return the package to the sender,” the company said in a statement.

FedEx said this is “not a common practice,” but some packages will be thrown away. “In some cases, the shipper can request that the package be destroyed if they do not want to pay for it to be returned to the sender,” the company said. “In rare cases, the recipient may be notified at the direction of the shipper.”

DHL Express is also increasingly receiving “US-bound packages with missing or incomplete customs information” in an increasingly complex shipping environment.

However, the company said in a statement to USA TODAY that it “will not dispose of packages that have not cleared customs.” DHL says if its attempts to obtain the necessary documents are not successful within 15 days, the package will be returned to the sender.

Like UPS and FedEx, DHL also posts customs information and the latest customs information updates on its website.

Customs situation leaves some people “extremely exhausted”

Some companies may decide not to ship to the United States due to the fluid tariff situation. China’s G-Star Electronics Appliances, which once derived more than 60% of its revenue from orders from the United States, “has given up” on entering the U.S. market, its founder and CEO Jackie Ren told Reuters.

The threat of triple-digit tariff hikes on Chinese goods has left Ren “extremely exhausted” and he is seeking new customers outside the United States, he said.

Contributed by: Reuters

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

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Should people be concerned about violence?

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Should people be concerned about violence?

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Hundreds of thousands of No Kings Day demonstrators are expected to take to the streets, leading some to believe it will be the largest day of protest in modern U.S. history. Will historians remember this day as peaceful, or will the violence make it even more memorable?

Organizers say they are prepared to ensure that violence is avoided at today’s event, despite political rhetoric characterizing demonstrators as affiliated with terrorist groups.

This weekend’s demonstrations celebrate First Amendment rights and mark the second wave of “No Kings” protests against President Donald Trump’s administration. According to estimates, between 2 million and 4.8 million people took part in the first wave of nationwide demonstrations held on June 14.

“This protest is not a threat to national security, as ridiculously claimed,” said Robert Wiseman, co-director of Public Citizen, which is part of several groups coordinating the rally. “Protesting is a sign of our freedom. It’s what has made our country strong for 250 years.”

Protests are a hallmark of America, but history has shown that they are not always without violence, from the clashes of the 1960s demanding equality and an end to war to the nationwide riots of the 2010s and early 2020s denouncing police brutality.

But why do protests produce violence? Experts say multiple factors may be contributing, including a lack of organization, excessive law enforcement and clashes with counter-protesters, as well as deep-seated dissatisfaction with social conditions.

“Once they start getting violent, they move quickly,” said Brian Higgins, a former police chief and now an adjunct professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, part of the City University of New York. “It’s like arson to start a fire, and it’s very difficult to get the group back under control.”

Jacob Lewis, associate professor of international politics at Washington State University in Pullman, pointed to the mass violence that occurred during the 1992 Los Angeles riots. He said the unrest was sparked not only by anger over the acquittal of the police officer who hit black motorist Rodney King, but also by a lack of coordination and restraint by demonstrators.

“Demonstrations are most likely to escalate to violence at events where visible leadership and norms are not well communicated,” he said.

Organizers of this weekend’s demonstrations say public dissatisfaction and fear have soared since late spring, when the first wave of no-king rallies occurred. As the Trump administration curtails First Amendment rights, sends troops into Democratic-run cities, and pushes the boundaries of immigration enforcement, for many, what is at stake is not a single niche cause but the very foundations of democracy itself.

“People are saying, ‘We’ve never taken action before, but now we feel like we have to take action,'” said Lisa Gilbert, one of the event organizers and co-director of the advocacy group Public Citizen.

From Washington, D.C., New York and New Orleans to Boston and Bozeman, Montana, the number of planned events has reached 2,500, far exceeding the 1,800 held in June.

Leah Greenberg, co-founder of the progressive nonprofit Indivisible, cited House Speaker Mike Johnson’s comments, saying, “Republicans are blaming and slandering the millions of Americans who are peacefully protesting because they no longer have an excuse for their failures.” “For a whole week, he kept calling this a ‘Hate America’ rally. … He didn’t even say the name of the protest, because then the whole discussion would fall apart.”

Pent-up frustration can lead to violence

By notifying authorities that a protest is planned, organizers agree to abide by certain rules, Higgins said. In return, authorities ensure the ability of protesters to protest by announcing restricted areas and curbing clashes with counter-demonstrators.

“Following the rules helps everyone,” he said. “When you notify the government that you are going to protest, they tell you what kind of behavior is acceptable and then they also take some responsibility for your safety.”

But there are cases, such as the Rodney King riots, in which protesters overstepped their bounds.

“Sometimes, like in Vietnam, protesters surrendered police cars, but they didn’t think this was violence against people,” said Ralph Young, a history professor at Temple University in Philadelphia. “They were protesting that thousands of people are being killed every day. Usually violent protests don’t really succeed because they close people’s minds.”

Young said demonstrations aren’t usually sparked by that level of anger.

“Most protests don’t turn violent,” he says. “Usually when that happens, it’s when people get frustrated and they don’t feel like they’re being listened to at all. That’s when things start to get out of hand.”

Armed groups are another factor that causes protests to turn violent. A 2021 study found that armed protests are six times more likely to become violent than those without guns.

“Having a weapon increases your risk,” said Roubade Kisi, director of research and innovation for the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, which compiled the report for Everytown and the Gun Safety Assistance Fund.

Kishi, who is currently principal investigator at Princeton University in New Jersey for the Bridging the Divide Initiative, a bipartisan effort to track and reduce political violence in the United States, cited the unintentional shooting of protesters by an armed safety volunteer in Utah in June, when a man pointed a rifle at protesters.

Kishi said that of the approximately 1,500 no-king demonstrations held in June, only 15 were reported to involve armed groups, the highest number of such cases in a single day since June 2020.

The Utah incident showed how counter-protesters can also escalate tensions. According to Kishi, about 8% of June’s No Kings protests attracted counter-demonstrators, four times the number of normal protests.

Separately, vehicular ramming incidents have increased as well, with 12 incidents across all protests this year, compared to just one in 2024, she said.

Other risks include opportunistic bad actors and organized networks prone to violence, factors Kishi’s group has been keeping an eye on this weekend but has yet to detect. But she noted that Saturday’s protests will coincide with a “day of action” planned by the white supremacist group White Lives Matter.

“This overlap may increase the likelihood that protests will be targeted,” she said. “That’s what we’re monitoring.”

Fear and rumors are ‘just as harmful’ as threats

The 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago was held in the midst of the Vietnam War, with the country reeling from the recent assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy. Disgusted war demonstrators threw rocks and bottles at police and called them “pigs” to their faces, before the police finally attacked the crowd brandishing sticks, sparking bloody clashes.

“It was the police who started beating people,” Young said. “It was a tough response.”

In Washington state, Lewis said protests are likely to intensify if authorities act aggressively or have done so in the past.

“Demonstrators make snap decisions when they’re under pressure,” he said. “In places where there is a history of police repression of demonstrators, risk-tolerant demonstrators are more likely to show up, while risk-averse demonstrators are more likely to stay home, increasing the likelihood of conflict over time.”

Although current tensions are not as high as they were in 1968, Kishi said, the expansion of ICE and federal operations “clearly increases the potential for local flashpoints because police are becoming more aggressive. The potential for miscalculation and excessive use of force is increasing.”

Kishi said demonstrators should adopt de-escalation techniques when such threats arise. Additionally, participants should take precautions such as staying informed about free speech, maintaining spatial awareness, and relying on reliable sources of information, he said.

“Fear and rumors can be just as harmful as threats,” she says. “It is important not to incite panic or tension.”

But some worry that political rhetoric linking protesters to terrorist groups like Hamas could make aggressive law enforcement more likely.

“This is a tactic often used by authoritarian regimes to delegitimize protesters’ claims while implicitly justifying the use of force against them and increasing the likelihood of violent conflict,” Lewis said.

Indivisible’s Greenberg said such rhetoric is “sinister because it is part of a broader effort to create a licensing system to crack down on organized and peaceful opposition in this country.”

“These protests are peaceful, disciplined and based on solidarity,” she said. “That’s what they’re afraid of: our unity.”

Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani may have had the best game of all time. goat?

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Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani may have had the best game of all time. goat?

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  • Shohei Ohtani won NLCS MVP after his incredible performance in Game 4.
  • Otani pitched six innings in Game 4, pitching a shutout with 10 strikeouts and hitting three home runs.
  • The Dodgers advanced to the World Series for the fifth time in nine years.

LOS ANGELES — As the Los Angeles Dodgers circled each other Friday night, spraying champagne, guzzling beer and several taking turns sliding on wet tarps, no amount of late-night celebrations or amount of adult beverages could adequately describe what they had just witnessed.

They knew they were part of history. They knew they had never seen anything like this before. There was nothing like it in the history books. It seemed humanly impossible.

So how can you describe what Shohei Ohtani just did in front of a sold-out, enthusiastic crowd of 52,883 people who screamed and cheered so loudly that Dodger Stadium practically shook?

Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy said, “What we witnessed was the single greatest game by a baseball player in the history of baseball.”

Gushed Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez: “It was the greatest game ever played by a human being.”

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, “This was a performance like I’ve never seen before.” “Nobody’s ever seen anything like this. There’s a reason he’s the greatest player on the planet.”

There was not a single word in the clubhouse that exaggerated Ohtani’s performance.

In fact, Ohtani hit three home runs, struck out 10 batters, and became the first player in history to pitch six shutout innings.

Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman said, “Sometimes you have to check yourself and touch him and see if he’s just made of steel.” “It’s just unbelievable. On the biggest stage, he goes out there and does something like that.

“It will probably be remembered as the ‘Shohei Ohtani Game.'”

Ohtani’s night was very impressive, as he actually hit more home runs than the two hits he allowed. He struck out more batters in this series than the entire Milwaukee Brewers’ starting rotation combined. He was the 12th player to hit three home runs in a postseason game, joining Hall of Famer George Brett as the only players to do it from leadoff.

What is the best playoff performance in baseball history?

“I don’t think there’s any question about that,” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said. “Throughout the fourth inning, I texted the Slack thread and said, ‘This is the best four innings a major leaguer has played in postseason history. This is the best four innings ever played.'”

“Then he hit another home run. ‘That’s the best six innings ever. Seven innings.'” Without a doubt, it was his best postseason performance ever. ”

The only real debate that night was how far Ohtani’s second home run in the fourth inning sailed over the right field pavilion and landed in the picnic area.

“That was breathtaking for everyone,” Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts said.

It was measured at 469 feet.

“That was the furthest ball I’ve ever hit,” Muncy said. “I’ve played a lot of games here and I’ve never seen a ball go that far. I know Statcast said 460 feet, but I don’t care what Statcast says. Statcast is wrong. I know this stadium well. I know the dimensions. I know the depth of the seats. That ball won’t go less than 500 feet.”

Maybe even further.

“There’s only one person in the world and in the history of this game who can do that, and that’s him,” Dodgers utility man Enrique Hernandez said.

It doesn’t really matter. When this performance is remembered for generations to come, it will be a 600- or 700-foot home run.

Dodgers relief pitcher Anthony Banda said, “We sat in the bullpen and watched the balls come out, and we lost.” “We thought it left the stadium. It went over the open space on the roof of the pavilion. We didn’t even see it land. It was unbelievable.”

Otani started getting tired in the seventh inning, but allowed only one hit until the sixth inning. He walked the leadoff batter, allowed a single, was removed from the game only as a pitcher, and came off the mound with a roar that could be heard throughout Malibu.

Now, like any good entertainer, he decided to return to the stage for an encore. He hit a 98.9 mph fastball from Brewers closer Trevor Megill over the center field fence 427 feet away, leaving the crowd and teammates in awe.

Dodgers President Stan Kasten said, “I was in the office having to do something and I said something that was completely unprintable. So there you have it.”

“It’s kind of funny,” Muncy said. “There wasn’t a single person in the dugout who didn’t think he was going to hit a home run tonight. He hit his second one, and we’re all saying, ‘Isn’t this the greatest game anyone’s ever played?'” Everybody said at the same time, “He’s going to get another shot.” ”

The only time a pitcher hit three home runs in a baseball game was Jim Tobin of the Boston Braves in 1932, and that was in a regular season game.

Now off to the World Series, the Dodgers will face either the Toronto Blue Jays or Seattle Mariners for a chance to become the first National League team to win back-to-back World Series in 49 years.

“Before this season, they said the Dodgers were ruining baseball,” Roberts said as he held up the National League trophy on stage. “Let’s win four more games and really screw up baseball.”

Well, that story will have to wait.

This night was all about Ohtani.

Betts, standing in the clubhouse, still shaking his head in disbelief, said he didn’t have words to describe Ohtani, but he certainly knows what it’s like to be a teammate.

“We’re like the Chicago Bulls, and he’s Michael Jordan. One day I can tell my kids I got to play with Ohtani. There are no other words to describe what he’s doing.”

“Shohei is just Shohei.”

A once-in-a-lifetime talent put on a timeless show on Friday, perhaps paving the way for future generations.

“He’s put in unbelievable situations, but he rarely lets down. It’s unbelievable to be able to impact both sides of the game, and I think he’s trying to inspire a different generation that he can do that,” Dodgers pitching coach Mark Pryor said.

“It’s not always easy, but it’s great to see him paving the way.

“What a night.

“What a performance.”

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

Research shows that having more money in retirement can buy you more years. How to get more.

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Research shows that having more money in retirement can buy you more years. How to get more.

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Billy Joel famously sang, “Only the good die young,” but recent research shows that it’s actually the poor who die young.

According to a study by the National Council on Aging (NCOA) and the LeadingAge LTSS Center at the University of Massachusetts Boston, seniors who earn less than $20,000 a year die an average of nine years earlier than those who earn more than $120,000. The elderly middle-income earner, who earns about $60,000, died three years ago.

Experts say this is an ominous sign of the largest surge of Americans turning 65 in history, at a time when income inequality is widening and more seniors are falling into poverty. But with proper planning, financial advisors say that doesn’t have to be the case.

“You’re never ‘too young’ to start planning,” says Brian Davis, a San Diego-based financial advisor with Northwestern Mutual. “I have clients in their 20s who are talking about long-term planning.”

On the other hand, “it’s never too late,” he said.

Why are so many elderly people living in poverty?

Older adults are the only age group with an increase in poverty in 2024, according to Census Bureau data. This equates to more than 9.2 million older Americans.

Some experts say seniors have not only had to deal with rising inflation since the pandemic, but also higher care costs.

Long-term services and supports (LTSS) “remain one of the most significant and common economic shocks. More than half of adults aged 65 and older will need these services for less than two years, and 14% will need this care for five years or more,” the report says. “It costs more than $100,000 just to use a private room in a nursing home for one year.”

LTSS consists of personal assistant services, adult day care, home emergency response systems, homemaker services, institutional care, nursing homes, and assisted living.

A study by Genworth and CareScout that measured the cost of long-term care services found that they have little or no coverage under Medicare or traditional health insurance, and prices generally rise faster than inflation.

“We buy homes, send our kids to college, and even plan for retirement, but few Americans plan for the need for long-term care in the future,” said A. Lynn White, CEO of CareScout Insurance.

How can you avoid poverty as you get older?

  • No matter your age, talk to an advisor to create a customized plan.

“We’ll meet as soon as possible to ensure you have enough money for your retirement,” said Jessica Nino, a financial advisor at Edward Jones. “If you’re approaching 50, you’ll want to make the most of all the tools at your fingertips.”

She suggests contributing to a 401(k) for a company match, a Roth IRA for later tax-free withdrawals, and/or a 3x tax-advantaged Health Savings Account (HSA).

HSA contributions are made pre-tax, growth is tax deferred, and distributions are tax-free when used for qualified expenses. “It’s like a Roth IRA, but there are no upfront taxes,” she said.

  • Build emergency savings. Davis said the report found that 80% of U.S. households aged 60 and older are unable to withstand economic shocks such as divorce or poor health, making saving in cash and cash-like securities important. Experts say don’t let one setback derail the rest of your life.
  • Long-term service and support planning (LTSS). People should consider traditional long-term care insurance or a hybrid plan that allows them to put money into LTSS if needed or leave it to their heirs as a tax-free death benefit, the advisers said.

Note: If you buy a hybrid plan too early, you may end up paying a high premium, but if you buy it too late, it could be too expensive, Nino said. Ideally, buyers will be healthy and between the ages of 40 and 55, she says.

  • Hold a family meeting. And in many cases, adult children have become part of the sandwich generation, caught between supporting their own children and their parents at the same time. To prevent or facilitate that, parents and adult children should have an honest conversation about what kind of care mom and dad need and what resources are available, Nino says.

For example, decisions about the family home can be made in advance, she says. They can decide whether to sell the house and pay the capital gains while the parents are alive, sell the house and pay no capital gains when the parents die, rent out the house and use the money to pay for mom and dad’s living expenses, or let the children pay their own way and keep the house together as a family.

Medora Lee is USA TODAY’s money, markets and personal finance reporter. Please contact us at mjlee@usatoday.com. Subscribe to our free Daily Money newsletter for personal finance tips and business news every Monday through Friday morning.

RFK Jr. and MAHA are working on animal experiments. What do you think?

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RFK Jr. and MAHA are working on animal experiments. What do you think?

Experts say RFK Jr.’s move to oppose animal testing in drug trials could draw animal rights voters toward the Republican Party. But the Health Secretary has taken a firm stance against factory farms and slaughterhouses.

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  • Criticism of animal research (usually associated with the progressive left) has increased in recent years, with animal research being blamed for the slow pace of drug development.
  • The Food and Drug Administration is ramping up production of “organoids,” tiny lab-grown tissue models made from stem cells, for drug testing.
  • The move has won praise from groups such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr. added another issue to his “Make America Healthy” agenda: limiting reliance on animal research.

Criticism of animal research (usually associated with the progressive left) has increased in recent years due to the slow pace of drug development. At the same time, artificial intelligence, which is less dependent on animal test subjects, is becoming increasingly important in accelerating its development. Researchers are also creating increasingly realistic disease models in laboratory dishes, testing drugs in so-called organoids instead of in animals such as mice, rabbits and primates.

Now, as President Kennedy’s “Make America Great Again” agenda continues to eclipse Republican policy and some Democrats take up causes they have traditionally championed, several new efforts by the National Institutes of Health are making good on that promise.

more: What is Cheryl Hines’ latest role? The actress is RFK. Junior’s biggest defender hits the Kennedys

The move could be a consequential crossroads between a key faction of President Donald Trump’s MAGA movement and animal rights activists, who are usually unpopular with Republicans.

But Alfred Runte, an environmental historian and former director of the National Park Conservation Association, said Kennedy’s move could help bring more independents and liberals under the MAGA umbrella.

“He will give more people confidence in the government, which is what we lack,” Runte said. “Most animal rights activists tend to be on the left. If RFK can build a following from people who don’t want animal testing as much, it will certainly bring more liberals into the Republican Party.”

Runte said animal experiments in medicine often cannot accurately predict human outcomes. The Food and Drug Administration noted in September that “animal-based data are particularly inadequate at predicting drug success for multiple common diseases, including cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and inflammatory diseases.”

In late September, the NIH launched the nation’s first dedicated organoid development center to create small organisms grown from stem cells that mimic human organs to reduce reliance on animal testing.

more: Animal testing is no longer required for drug approval. But high-tech alternatives aren’t ready yet.

In December 2022, Congress repealed the requirement that all new drugs must be tested in two species, typically mice and “higher” mammals such as rabbits and primates, before human trials. The law, called the FDA Modernization Act 2.0, was the culmination of four decades of lobbying by animal rights activists.

Kennedy, a longtime vaccine skeptic who has promoted the baseless theory that vaccines cause autism, could tap into the so-called dog vaccine hesitancy, a confluence of animal rights support and anti-vaccination sentiment.

A 2023 study published in the journal Vaccines found that vaccine hesitancy in humans and pets is closely correlated and acts as a strong predictor of vaccination behavior. Researchers call this “vaccine spillover,” with more than 50% of dog owners surveyed expressing doubt that vaccines will prevent rabies and other pet diseases.

President Kennedy’s first “Make America Healthy Again” report, released in May, included a promise that the federal government would focus on “new technologies” to help reduce animal testing.

In late September, the NIH, which Kennedy now oversees, launched the government’s first dedicated organoid development center. With a total contract value of $87 million over the first three years, the Standardized Organoid Modeling Center will use and develop these cutting-edge technologies.

The NIH now also allows scientists to use grants to cover the costs of retiring or rehoming animals used in research without killing them. For years, the NIH has funded the retirement of chimpanzees used in experiments and helped house them in sanctuaries.

“No animal should ever be used in experiments. But this common-sense policy change finally recognizes that death is not the only option for animals who have experienced the worst that humanity has to offer,” Kathy Guillermo, executive vice president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, wrote in an email to USA TODAY.

PETA gives MAHA a thumbs up

PETA, the nation’s most famous and perhaps most hated animal rights group for trashing Paris Fashion Week and comparing the U.S. meat industry to serial killer (and cannibal) Jeffrey Dahmer, hailed the NIH’s recent action as a “historic move.”

“Make no mistake: this center will save countless animal lives while developing reproducible research methods that will produce positive results more quickly for human patients in need,” said PETA neuroscientist Dr. Emily Tournelle.

When President Kennedy first announced his intention to phase out animal testing, a Los Angeles-based animal rights group called the policy push “welcome but long overdue.”

“It is disgusting that medical research institutions that receive federal funding from HHS and the National Institutes of Health have been using animals as test subjects in gruesome medical experiments and tests, and torturing them for decades,” said Chris DeRose, founder and president of Last Chance for Animals.

“Regardless of politics, I’m grateful that the Trump administration, under Secretary Kennedy’s leadership, has finally put an end to this,” he said.

RFK avoids tougher health goals

RFK Jr. has targeted the food dye, ultra-processed food and pharmaceutical industries, but so far has not addressed issues affecting agribusiness, a Republican-backed industry.

But he was talking about these issues before taking office.

“America’s current agricultural policy is destroying America’s health at every level,” Kennedy said in an October 2024 video after dropping out of the presidential race as an independent and Trump supporter. “By tilting the playing field in favor of more chemicals, more herbicides, more pesticides, more concentrated single crops and feedlots, we are destroying the health of America’s soils and waters, and ultimately the health of our consumers.”

President Kennedy’s focus on animal testing, avoiding allegations of animal abuse and public health impacts associated with commercial animal farms and slaughterhouses, is similar to his approach to food additives.

more: RFK Jr.’s MAHA Movement is coming to a state near you

The longtime environmental lawyer has distanced himself from curbing the use of the herbicide glyphosate, which some studies have linked to cancer, but has pressured food producers to phase out some chemical food dyes from processed snacks, drawing the ire of influential figures in his support base, MAHA.

MAHA activist Zen Honeycutt called the disconnect “very disappointing.”

“The sections of this MAHA committee report on pesticides are clearly influenced by chemical companies,” she wrote on her blog, claiming that the report “panders to the interests of pesticide companies and favors pesticide farmers.” (The Environmental Protection Agency says glyphosate has low toxicity to humans and is approved for use in the United States, Canada, and the European Union.)

Reduce reliance on animal testing

The Standardized Organoid Modeling Center will be located at the Frederick National Cancer Institute in Maryland, about an hour’s drive from Washington, DC.

Organoids are small, laboratory-grown tissue models that reproduce the structure and function of human organs, providing what the NIH describes as an alternative to animal models.

“This groundbreaking effort will transform the way biomedical research is conducted through innovative approaches that advance human-based technologies,” said NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharyya.

Organoid models are typically developed in academic laboratories and have been used for many years to better understand how healthy human organs function and how those functions are altered by genetics and environmental factors.

Scientists say artificial intelligence and organoids won’t eliminate the need for animals in research, but they will reduce the number of animals needed to prove a drug’s safety and effectiveness.

The National Association for Biomedical Research said President Kennedy’s call to reduce or phase out animal testing overlooks a critical truth: there is currently no complete replacement for animal models.

“We all want better, faster ways to provide life-saving treatments to patients,” said NABR Chairman Matthew R. Bailey. “However, no AI model or simulation has yet demonstrated the ability to fully reproduce all the unknowns about many complete biological systems.”

In 2024, the USDA recorded 775,297 animals used in experiments, including 42,880 dogs, 12,004 cats, and 11,656 sheep.

The USDA’s numbers do not include the use of mice, rats, or fish, making exact numbers difficult to find because the Animal Welfare Act does not require reporting of mice, rats, birds, fish, or amphibians. According to Cruelty Free International, at least 14 million animals are used in experiments in the United States.

Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy is USA TODAY’s White House correspondent. You can follow her at X @SwapnaVenugopal.

Mariners vs. Blue Jays instant classic brings joy and pain to ALCS

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Mariners vs. Blue Jays instant classic brings joy and pain to ALCS

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The majesty and misery of baseball are almost always intertwined. And they became inseparable for an incredible eighth inning in an unforgettable Game 5 of the American League Championship Series.

For several minutes at T-Mobile Park, the fates of the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners rested first on a critical decision by their managers, then when Cal Lowry’s pop fly sailed into the left field stands, and finally when Eugenio Suarez’s grand slam settled into the right field stands, hanging in the air for a few fretful seconds.

A momentary commotion flipped the game from the Blue Jays’ victory column to the Mariners, who won 6-2 and pushed the Blue Jays to the brink they had never seen before. The team is one win away from winning the World Series for the first time in its nearly 50-year history.

And we brought the colorful characters front and center. Games 6 and 7 in Toronto could feature new stories and different heroes and goats. But this intense night was theirs.

Eugenio Suarez: Nice guy finishes in 1st place

He played for four franchises and was so beloved in Seattle that the Mariners had to bring him back this year, but that year felt more special than others, and adding a trade deadline punch to the club’s perennially popular lineup was certainly worth it.

And when Suarez opened the scoring in the second inning with a home run and ended it with Seranthony Dominguez’s 98 mph heater hitting the right-field seats, joy could be shared from Seattle to Arizona, Cincinnati to Detroit.

After Game 5, Mariners manager Dan Wilson expressed his gratitude to reporters, saying, “Geno is a good player, but even more than that, he’s a good person. I think that’s where Geno shines.” “You don’t know if he’s in a slump, you don’t know what he’s going through, because he’s always encouraging other players. He’s just a selfless player, and that’s why everyone in the clubhouse cheers so hard on Geno, because he just doesn’t think about himself for a second.

“I was able to hug Geno after the game and know how good what he did today made him feel. He’s a really great human being, a great leader, and a great ballplayer.”

A player who hit 49 home runs between Seattle and Arizona this season. Three franchises reached the postseason, but none made it to the World Series.

Considering he’s now virtually canonized in the Pacific Northwest, it would be appropriate for him and the Mariners to cross that threshold together.

“For me, it’s very special. Emotions are always high,” Suarez said after the match. “The crowd keeps us on the field and keeps us in the fight. They want us to do something good all day long. And I’ve been waiting for a game like this all my career. We got it today.”

“Today I did it in front of a crowd, in front of my family, my two daughters, my wife. This moment is so special. My emotions are so high right now. I’m so grateful.”

Cal Lowry: Big Game Damper

The MVP votes have already been counted, and we’ll find out next month whether Lowry beats Aaron Judge at the ballot box. Postseason performance is not taken into account, instead, legacy is burnished or diminished.

And Rory is on track to reach the platform in October, climbing further up the ranks.

The Seattles won three games in the ALCS, and the Lowries homered in two of those games, the first of which was the game-tying home run by Blue Jays ace Kevin Guzman in Game 1.

Second?

“It felt like Cal’s ball was in the air for about an hour,” Wilson said of Lowry’s ball in the air in the bottom of the eighth inning, when the Mariners were leading 2-1 and would have been just six outs from a sweep in Seattle and would not have been able to overcome the challenge of winning the pennant.

When the game ended, the score was tied 2-2 and the chaotic bottom of the eighth inning was just beginning, with Lowry further proving his greatness on a bigger stage.

No, he’s not just a guy with a funny nickname who somehow managed to hit 60 home runs from the catcher position and as a switch hitter. He has added a total of four bombs in 10 playoff games and is more consistently impactful than anyone in Seattle’s lineup.

Even if it was just a numbing consistency with no flash.

“I was there patiently waiting for my pitch, trying to make good contact when the game came and understanding that I didn’t need a home run, I didn’t need to try to hit the ball 500 feet,” Lowry told reporters in Seattle, with his usual matter-of-fact tone. “When you do something good, you usually get a rush of adrenaline at that moment.”

John Schneider: A little problem.

The Toronto Blue Jays manager’s steely spirit and steady demeanor helped him earn and hold onto his post through four seasons of great playoff success and disappointing underachievement.

But in the end you always end up pressing a button. Life was easy when the Blue Jays won Games 3 and 4 with 29 hits, but the losses in Games 1 and 5 were due to a player named Brendon Little carrying the ball.

He’s a decent left-handed reliever, a little better than you, who moves depending on the situation, but he’s also not the type to blow the doors off. This guy had 30 holds and a 3.03 ERA. He also walked nearly six batters per nine innings.

About that…

Manager Schneider thought that forcing the big dumper to bat right-handed for the first time in the series might serve as kryptonite, so he asked Little to protect a 2-1 lead in the eighth inning when Lowry came to bat.

He flew 348 feet in one swing, tying the score.

Ah, but Little had to face two more batters. As befits his season-long accomplishments, he gave up walks on both occasions.

Little threw 15 pitches. Ten of them were balls, and one went into the front row of the left field seats.

This brought Seranthony Dominguez into the game, trying to clear up the chaos with two on and no outs, and Seattle was on the verge of exploding. He hit Randy Arozarena with a pitch to load the bases, but Suarez was there and there was no place to put him.

Sure, the players executed, but Schneider’s machinations set the case in motion.

“Okay, dude,” he said in the postgame press conference. “Then you have to stay calm and throw strikes as well. That’s tough. No one feels worse than Little right now, and no one feels worse than (Dominguez).”

“Or me.”

Dodgers vs. Brewers Live Score, Ohtani Home Run, NLCS Game 4 Channel

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Dodgers vs. Brewers Live Score, Ohtani Home Run, NLCS Game 4 Channel

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LOS ANGELES — It was a night that will forever go down in Los Angeles Dodgers history.

There was also a perfect game from Sandy Koufax.

There was also a home run by Kirk Gibson.

And Thursday night saw one of the greatest postseason performances in baseball history against Shohei Ohtani.

The Greatest Show on Earth, and perhaps the greatest player to ever put on a uniform, Ohtani hit three home runs and pitched six impressive innings with 10 strikeouts.

He became the 12th player in history to hit three home runs in a postseason game and will go down in history as the first pitcher to hit multiple home runs in a postseason game.

If you can somehow believe it, Ohtani hit more home runs than he allowed (two) tonight in a performance in front of a sold-out crowd of 52,883 that literally shook Dodger Stadium.

The 31-year-old won the NLCS Most Valuable Player Award for his performance in Game 4.

And, oh yeah, the Dodgers are back in the World Series, too.

When the Dodgers defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 5-1 in the National League Championship Series, their first outright victory in a best-of-seven series since the 1963 World Series, all anyone could talk about was Ohtani and that 1,342-foot home run.

“I think Ohtani is a superhero,” Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas said.

Ohtani took the mound at 5:39 local time, walked leadoff batter Bryce Turan, and immediately struck out Jackson Chourio, Christian Yelich, and William Contreras, electrifying the capacity crowd.

He stepped up to the plate at 5:48 a.m. local time and smashed a ball from Brewers starter Jose Quintana, sending the ball flying 446 feet into the right-field pavilion.

Oh, he was just getting started.

Chorio continued to mow down the Brewers through the first six innings with his only hit, a double, but Ohtani came to bat at 6:57 p.m. with two outs in the fourth inning. When facing right-handed relief pitcher Chad Patrick, he witnessed a called first strike followed by three consecutive slurps.

Patrick tried to trick him by throwing an 89 mph cutter.

Ohtani put it into orbit and nearly landed in Pasadena.

Ohtani dropped his bat and watched all night as the ball soared and sailed over the right-field pavilion.

Ohtani had perfect command on the mound, allowing only a double until he started to tire in the seventh inning. He walked Yelich to start the seventh inning, Contreras followed with a single, and after 100 pitches, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts came out of the dugout and pulled him out.

The crowd quickly rose to its feet, the Dodgers infield surrounded Ohtani on the mound, and a roar could be heard in Malibu as Ohtani handed the ball to Roberts.

However, Ohtani left the game only as a pitcher.

He returned as a batter in the bottom of the seventh inning thanks to the Ohtani rule.

Brewers closer Trevor Megill got ahead of Ohtani and tried to throw a 98.9 mph fastball on a count of 1-and-2.

He became Otani’s third victim.

Ohtani smashed a fastball 427 feet over the center field fence, causing the crowd to scream in disbelief.

The Brewers had no choice but to sit back and watch in awe as Ohtani and the Dodgers defeated them in every phase of the game.

The Brewers, who led the National League in batting average, had just 14 hits in the entire series, hitting .113. They scored one goal in the first game, one goal in the second game, one goal in the third game, and one goal in the fourth game.

The Dodgers, who lost all six games in the regular season against the Brewers, completely dominated the contest, leading 35 of 36 times.

Los Angeles, which did not receive a first-round bye, will have a week off before opening the World Series against either the Seattle Mariners or Toronto Blue Jays on October 24th.

The Dodgers will be well rested. And was Ohtani (.103 in NLDS and NLCS) in a deep slump before Game 4? Well, that’s over.

“I think this is his chance to make his mark in this series,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before the game.

Oh, he’s done it before.

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

Blake Treinen pitched in the Dodgers’ eighth with a four-run lead. He gave up a lead-off double to Caleb Durbin and a walk to Andrew Monasterio, but the first out struck out Isaac Collins. Left-hander Anthony Banda appeared with runners on first and third base and grounded out Bryce Turan, giving the Brewers the lead. Banda allowed a single to Jackson Cholio, but grounded out Christian Yelich, ending the inning with a 5-1 lead.

After his night ended on the mound in the top of the seventh inning, Shohei Ohtani stepped up to bat in the bottom of the inning and hit his third home run of the night to center field against Brewers All-Star Trevor Megill.

The Dodgers lead 5-0 going into the 8th inning.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts removed Shohei Ohtani from the game in the seventh inning after pitching 87 pitches. Ohtani walked Christian Yelich to lead off the inning, then gave up a single to William Contreras, ending the night to rapturous applause.

Alex Bashear appeared on second base with no outs, Andrew Vaughn popped out to get one out, and Sal Frelich grounded out into a double play to end the threat.

Otani’s final lineup: 6+ innings, 2 hits, 0ER, 3 walks, 10 strikeouts

Shohei Ohtani is currently pitching six shutout innings with 10 strikeouts, allowing just one hit and hitting two home runs. Ohtani has thrown 87 pitches, but Dave Roberts may still choose to let him pitch one more time.

A completely surreal postseason performance from a two-way superstar on the verge of winning his fourth MVP award.

Ohtani finally allowed a hit on the mound in the fourth inning, but he missed the ball at the bottom of the frame and smashed his second 469-yard homer of the night into right-center field.

The Brewers struggled to get their offense going through the first three innings of the game. In the top of the third inning, Shohei Ohtani and the Dodgers defense quickly defeated the Brewers.

After giving up a walk to Blake Perkins in the first inning, Ohtani recorded his first out by striking out Joey Ortiz. After Bryce Turan lined out, the Dodgers created a double play, and Kiké Hernandez caught the ball in left field and threw a rocket toward Freddie Freeman, who was still at first base, to record Perkins’ three outs.

Shohei Ohtani pitched three no-hitter innings against the Brewers. He has four strikeouts so far.

Blake Perkins and Bryce Turan were the only two players on base for Milwaukee after being given a walk…and Perkins ran the Brewers out of the top of the third inning with a double.

LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani provided an early spark for the Dodgers, hitting a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning after a scoreless inning on the mound to give the Dodgers a 1-0 lead.

The Dodgers offense converted early momentum into a 3-0 lead with Mookie Betts and Will Smith scoring in the first inning.

LOS ANGELES — Enrique Hernandez and the Dodgers continue their “must-win” approach for a chance at a shutout in Friday’s National League game.

“I think we’re going into today like any other day in October like it’s a must-win game, because that’s how we feel,” Hernandez told reporters during pregame media availability.

Hernandez spent nine seasons with the Dodgers, including the last two World Series championships.

“I feel like we’ve been through a lot together as a group,” he said. “We’ve got guys that were here in 2020. We’ve got guys that were here last year. And then we’ve got some new players that we’ve brought in and we’re all committed to the mentality and the goals and the ultimate goal: winning a World Series.”

The Boston Red Sox became the first and only team in MLB history to come back from a 3-0 series deficit to win a best-of-seven series. The Red Sox defeated the New York Yankees in the 2004 American League Championship Series.

The Brewers need a win against the Dodgers tonight to start any potential upside.

— James H. Williams

  1. Shohei Otani (left) P
  2. Mookie Betts(R) SS
  3. Will Smith(R)C
  4. Freddie Freeman (left) 1B
  5. Tommy Edman(S) 2B
  6. Teoscar Hernandez (R) RF
  7. Max Muncy (L) 3B
  8. Enrique Hernandez (R) LF
  9. Andy Pages(R) CF
  1. Bryce Turan (L) 2B
  2. Jackson Chorio(R) LF
  3. Christian Yelich (L) DH
  4. William Contreras (R) C
  5. Jake Bowers (L) 1B
  6. Sal Frerich (left) RF
  7. Caleb Durbin(R) 3B
  8. Blake Perkins (S) CF
  9. Joey Ortiz (R) SS

LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani has struggled at the plate, but will be the starter for Game 4.

Dodgers infielder Muncy said, “I’m expecting incredible things.” “I expect him to pitch a great game, but what he does offensively is just a bonus at that point.”

“Shohei is one of those superheroes,” Rojas said. “I believe in his talent and believe he can do something really special in one swing. He’s going to create a lot of opportunities for us and pitching.” — Bob Nightengale

Luxury home prices are up more than 60% compared to 10 years ago

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Luxury home prices are up more than 60% compared to 10 years ago

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Everyone has a different idea of ​​luxury. Some may see it as a luxury product or high-end service, while others think of it as an occasional splurge, a unique experience, or wellness.

However, there is usually only one definition of luxury in the real estate industry. It is a very expensive and elaborate house. And what was considered expensive has changed dramatically over the past decade.

According to Realtor.com’s recent “What Is Luxury” report, the threshold for what was considered a luxury home was $796,622 in 2016. And nationally, $1 million home listings were just outside the top 5% of homes during this top period and were in the top 10% of homes pre-pandemic.

Celebrity real estate: Guy Fieri has sold one of his Florida homes. Here’s who bought it and how much they paid.

Now in 2025, the threshold for a luxury home will rise more than 60% to $1.3 million, putting it in the top 10% of the most expensive homes in America, according to the report. Similarly, the top 5% of homes sold nationwide start at $2 million, and the top 1% nationwide start at $5.4 million.

These prices are 2.9 times, 3.6 times, and 12.6 times more expensive, respectively, than the national median listing price of $430,000.

“The $1 million home is still an important benchmark, but it’s not the indicator of luxury housing that it once was across the country and in many markets,” said Daniel Hale, chief economist at Realtor.com. “With or without a seven-figure price tag, luxury often means exclusivity or relative status in the local market. In many areas, luxury homes can fetch many times the price of a typical home in the area. Moreover, with the dramatic rise in home prices, Realtor.com data shows how dramatically the definition of luxury has changed over the past decade.”

The historically expensive New York metropolitan area does not rank in the report’s top 10 percent of areas with the highest starting prices for properties. However, the number of million-dollar properties was the highest in the nation, accounting for 11,980 properties, or 33.7% of all properties in the area.

And here, the top 10% of the most expensive listings had a starting price of $2.89 million.

“Today, $1 million may not be the threshold it once was, but it remains psychologically significant, accounting for the top 13% of homes nationwide. It is also quite prevalent in some metropolitan areas, and has long been synonymous with high-end living,” the report said. “These ‘classic’ luxury markets consistently rank among the highest in terms of million-dollar listings, and entry-level luxury home prices in these markets also reflect that prestige. In these regions, luxury homes are the norm, not the outlier.”

Maddie McGay is a real estate reporter for NorthJersey.com and The Record, covering everything that’s worth celebrating about living in North Jersey. Find her on Instagram @maddiemcgay or X @maddiemcgayy and sign up for the North Jersey Living newsletter. Have a tip, trend, or great home she should know about? Email MMcGay@gannett.com.

Mega Millions jackpot reached $625 million for October 17th drawing

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Mega Millions jackpot reached 5 million for October 17th drawing

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The Mega Millions jackpot rose to $625 million for the Friday, October 17th drawing because no one matched all the winning numbers in the Tuesday, October 14th drawing.

If someone matches all six numbers, they have the option to pay $288.8 million in one-time cash.

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

The winning numbers for the Friday, October 17, 2025 Mega Millions drawing are:

Mega Millions winning numbers for 10/17/25

Winning numbers for Friday, October 17th: 9-21-27-48-56 And Gold Mega Ball: 10

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

Has anyone won at Mega Millions?

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

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

How to play Mega Millions

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

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

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

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

Where can I buy lottery tickets?

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

You can also order tickets online Jackpocket, USA TODAY Network’s official digital lottery delivery companythe following states and territories of the United States: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington, DC, and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to select your lottery games and numbers, place your order, view your tickets, and claim your winnings, all from your mobile phone or home computer.

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

This story has been updated with new information.

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

New movies available to stream now on Netflix, Amazon Prime, HBO Max, and Hulu

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New movies available to stream now on Netflix, Amazon Prime, HBO Max, and Hulu

Need to see a new movie? Stream these 10 movies for free at home with Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, and HBO Max.

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  • One of these movies is the one you should watch tonight.
  • This weekend’s selections include theatrical releases available for streaming, including Netflix’s “I Know What You Did Last Summer.”
  • There are also new original movies, like Hulu’s supernatural drama “Stay” and Netflix’s documentary “The Perfect Neighbor.”

Do you like movies? Live for TV? USA TODAY’s Watch Party newsletter has all of our best recommendations, delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up now and be one of the cool kids.

Did you miss seeing the sneaky Fisherman back on your screens? Well, to quote you, “We know what you’ll be streaming this weekend.”

“I Know What You Did Last Summer” is one of the must-see new movies on your favorite services like Netflix, Hulu, Peacock, and Amazon’s Prime Video. There are also several other films finally getting a domestic theatrical release, including Daniel Deadwyler’s action thriller, as well as a number of originals, including Hulu’s paranormal soap opera and Netflix’s harrowing true-crime documentary. There’s also one for those who can’t wait for the next Martin Scorsese jam.

Here are 10 hottest new movies (including one movie-centric documentary) that you can stream right now.

“40 acres”

In this post-apocalyptic thriller, ex-soldier Haley Freeman (Daniel Deadwyler) runs a large farm more than a decade after a fungal pandemic and civil war changed civilization. However, due to her son’s mistake, Hayley is forced to scramble to save her family when they are suddenly surrounded by a group of cannibal invaders.

Where to watch: Hulu

“Hiccup to Train Your Dragon”

One of the few live-action remakes that stay true to the anime original. Mason Thames plays a Viking teenager who befriends a dragon he supposedly hates in a revamped story that feels like a different experience than the first, with moments of wonder and awe, featuring characters fleshed out in new ways, both literally and figuratively.

Where to watch: peacock

“I know what you did last summer.”

Need some 1990s nostalgia? Original Last Summer stars Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. are returning for the slasher reboot. Their characters try to help when the Fisherman, a vicious menace brandishing a hook in the rain, returns to stalk yet another group of young men who have no respect for road safety.

Where to watch: Netflix

“John Candy: I ​​Like Me”

Directed by Colin Hanks and produced by Ryan Reynolds, the documentary uses archival material and interviews with family and A-list friends to explore Canadian comedian John Candy as a person and an icon. The film explores the early trauma that affected his entire life and even gives new context to Candy’s most memorable on-screen moments.

Where to watch: prime video

‘Mr. Scorsese”

Remember the Martin Scorsese meme? Because this is an absolute movie. In this five-part documentary about Scorsese’s career and influence on film, accompanied by friends such as Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio, Scorsese takes film lovers back to his roots and discusses how the battle between good and evil defines much of his work.

Where to watch: apple tv

“The Perfect Neighbor”

Told almost entirely through police body camera footage, the documentary centers on an increasingly hostile conflict between an elderly white woman and the parents of the mostly black children she reprimands, sparking a tragedy that rocks the neighborhood. This is a gripping, heartbreaking true story about how fear and prejudice can easily go too far.

Where to watch: Netflix

‘Stay’

Leaving home means ending the once-close-knit marriage between a troubled writer (Megalyn Echikunwoke) and a former MMA fighter (Mo McRae). But in this supernatural melodrama, moving on becomes a problem when a mysterious invisible force traps them into reliving their past traumas together.

Where to watch: Hulu

“material”

This outrageous Best Picture nominee totally works as a new favorite for the Halloween season. And if you haven’t seen this messy, monstrous body-horror spectacle yet, now is the time to witness the great Demi Moore as an aging celebrity who undergoes treatment to free her younger self (Margaret Qualley), but finds it turns out very badly.

Where to watch: HBO Max

“Twits”

The animated comedy, the first film adaptation of Roald Dahl’s gory epic, revolves around a hateful and mean couple (voiced by Margo Martindale and Johnny Vegas) who try to take over their town. Their power play is matched by kind-hearted enemies, including two young orphans and a crew of magical animals.

Where to watch: Netflix

“The Woman in Cabin 10”

Wanting a break from her usual grueling journalistic routine, Law (Keira Knightley) accepts an invitation to join a Puff charity production on a luxury yacht cruise. One night, she witnesses passengers being thrown overboard, but the next day everyone is accounted for and no one believes her. This twisty mystery thriller based on the novel by Ruth Ware.

Where to watch: Netflix

Big win between Mariners and Blue Jays puts Seattle on the verge of advancing to the World Series

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Big win between Mariners and Blue Jays puts Seattle on the verge of advancing to the World Series

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The Seattle Mariners were on the brink of elimination with six outs left and were on the verge of returning to Canada, but they fought back and produced two of the biggest swings in franchise history.

Game 5 of the American League Championship Series was tied in the bottom of the 8th inning on Cal Lowry’s go-ahead home run, and after three batters, Eugenio Suarez hit a grand slam into the opposing field, giving the Mariners a 6-2 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays at T-Mobile Park.

Suddenly, the Mariners have a 3-2 lead in this ALCS, two chances to win the ALCS’ first pennant, and advance to the first World Series in franchise history. The game will be played on October 6, 2019 at the Rogers Center in Toronto.

They never needed one more win to advance to the World Series. And if not for his heroics in the bottom of the eighth inning, that task would have been even more daunting.

The Mariners were on the verge of losing to Seattle with three games left, but Blue Jays manager John Schneider hit left-hander Brendon Little to start the game in the eighth inning and got the lead they needed.

Game 1 ended in a fiasco, allowing a run on a transfer pitch and giving up another run, but Schneider thought that by changing the direction of the switch-hitter Lowry, he could alleviate his great power.

Instead, Lowry earned the spot for the 64th time this season. Tie game. Mr. Bedlam’s reign at T-Mobile was just the beginning.

Facing two more batters, Little walked them both and right-hander Seranthony Dominguez was called for, but he hit Randy Arozarena with a pitch.

Acquired in a late-season trade, Suarez was beloved from his first stint with the Mariners, taking the lead with a homer in the second inning. He hit Dominguez’s 98 mph fastball straight to the right, and the Mariners advanced to the brink of a pennant.

Here’s how Game 5 will play out:

The Mariners didn’t end it with Cal Lowry’s game-tying homer in the 8th inning, with two walks and one batter hit, the bases loaded with no outs.

Eugenio Suarez, facing Seranthony Dominguez, hit an inverted grand slam to give the Mariners a 6-2 advantage. T-Mobile Park is at its best in Seattle.

It may go down as the biggest hit in Mariners history.

The Big Dumper wasn’t going to overwhelm the Seattle Mariners without playing them at home.

Lowry, a right-handed hitter for the first time in the American League Championship Series, hit a home run just over the fence into the left field seats in the bottom of the eighth inning in Game 5, tying the score at 2-1.

With six outs left and Toronto leading 3-2 in the ALCS and on the verge of heading back to Canada, Lowry was upset when the Blue Jays started Brendon Little in the eighth inning. In Seattle’s Game 1 win against Toronto, he rarely allowed the runner he took over to score, and Lowry was quick to punish him.

George Springer, one of the Toronto Blue Jays’ most powerful offensive weapons, left Game 5 of the American League Championship Series after being hit in the right knee by a pitch from Brian Wu.

Springer, who put the Blue Jays ahead with an RBI double in the fifth inning, doubled in pain shortly after Wu’s 95.6 mph sinker hit his knee.

Brian Wu’s first pitching since September was a disappointing result. And the Toronto Blue Jays weren’t exactly in a forgiving mood either.

Wu, the Mariners’ ace who had to recover from a chest injury late in the season, gave up a first-pitch double to Alejandro Kirk and an RBI single to Ernie Clement as the Blue Jays led 2-1 in the sixth inning of Game 5 of the ALCS.

Blue Jays starter Kevin Guzman has thrown 78 pitches and allowed just three hits through the first five innings, while the Mariners have already gone deep into the bullpen twice.

Dan Wilson moved aggressively to keep the Toronto Blue Jays from ambushing starting pitcher Bryce Miller. However, the move backfired and the Seattle Mariners had to put together four more innings from a shaky bullpen in a tied game.

The Mariners manager snagged Miller in the fifth inning, even though he pitched four shutout innings and threw just 56 pitches. However, top setup man Matt Blasch was unable to maintain his batting order, and with two outs, he allowed an RBI double to George Springer, leading to the bottom of the fifth inning tied at 1-1.

Miller faced one batter in the fifth inning, giving up a bloop single to Addison Berger, and Brash recorded two quick outs, but ran into trouble when the batting line turned over.

Springer narrowly missed a two-run homer and nearly gave the Blue Jays another big score after Nathan Rooks walked and brought in Vladimir Guerrero Jr. However, Guerrero, who was trailing 3-1 in the count, missed a nasty slider and was unable to catch up with a 96 mph sinker to end the inning.

The Seattle Mariners hit a solo home run in the second inning for the second consecutive game. Now, the hard part is getting it to stand.

In Game 5 of the ALCS, Eugenio Suarez hit a solo home run off Kevin Guzman to take the lead, and the series was decided 2-2.

This will be the Mariners’ last chance to win at home, having lost both games at T-Mobile Park. In Game 4, Josh Naylor hit a home run off Max Scherzer, but in the end, the Blue Jays’ batting lineup outmaneuvered the Mariners’ pitchers, giving Toronto an 8-2 victory.

So far, Bryce Miller has been up to the task with three strikeouts in two innings.

Vladimir Guerrero hit a two-out double in the top of the first inning, but Mariners starter Bryce Miller came back and struck out Alejandro Kirk to end the inning and strand runners in scoring position.

Seattle third baseman Eugenio Suarez made a nice over-the-shoulder catch early in the frame.

  1. George Springer (R) DH
  2. Nathan Rooks (left) LF
  3. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (R) 1B
  4. Alejandro Kirk (R) C
  5. Dalton Varsho (left) CF
  6. Ernie Clement(R) 3B
  7. Addison Berger (L) RF
  8. Isaiah Kinner Children(R) 2B
  9. Andres Jimenez (left) SS
  1. Julio Rodriguez (R) CF
  2. Cal Lowry (S) C
  3. Jorge Polanco (S) DH
  4. Josh Naylor (left) 1B
  5. Randy Arozarena (R) LF
  6. Eugenio Suarez (R) 3B
  7. JP Crawford (L) SS
  8. Dominic Canzone (L) RF
  9. Leo Rivas(S) 2B

“I think this is very representative of where we are during the season. The series is two out of three at the moment, and we’ve had success many times in two out of three series.”

“I think our guys know what it takes to compete from this position. That’s been kind of the key to our entire season, really, their resiliency, their ability to fight back, fight hard, fight from first to ninth innings. And that’s really going to be front and center these last few games. I’m comfortable and I think they’re comfortable in that environment.”

Toronto’s 41-year-old Max Scherzer won Game 4, and the three-time Cy Young Award winner looked just like himself, yelling at Blue Jays manager John Schneider to keep him in the game, much to the delight of third baseman Ernie Clement.

“I’ve been watching baseball for the last 15 years or whatever and I’ve watched it on TV. He’s so fired up, he wants to go out there and he wants to kick your ass,” Clement told reporters before Game 5.

“I couldn’t help but laugh. It was so funny because when he comes out, he flips a switch and goes back to being this fun-loving jokester. He seems to have two personalities. It’s hysterical. So I was really happy that he got the job done.”

What kind of car does Mark Zuckerberg drive every day?

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What kind of car does Mark Zuckerberg drive every day?

One of the richest people on the planet drives American luxury cars, not foreign supercars.

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  • Mark Zuckerberg praises some relatively affordable cars despite his multibillion-dollar net worth.
  • He revealed his daily driver for 2024 to the world through social media comments.
  • Mark Zuckerberg drives a General Motors American-made luxury car every day.

If you had millions of dollars in the bank, what would you drive?Last summer, Forbes published a list of the richest people in each state. Not surprisingly, Facebook co-founder and Metaplatform CEO Mark Zuckerberg is listed as the richest person in California as of July 2025.

According to Forbes, Mr. Zuckerberg’s current net worth is over $242 billion, making him the third richest person on the planet as of the publication of this article. So what is a multi-billionaire promoting? And is it a car that the average American can afford?

What does Mark Zuckerberg drive?

According to an article in the automotive magazine Auto Evolution, Mark Zuckerberg drives a Cadillac CT5 V-Blackwing every day. Zuckerberg revealed this information while introducing the Meta Ray-Ban feature, which records where drivers park their cars and tells them where their vehicle is located if they forget.

A social media user commented asking the CEO, “So what is Zack driving?” Mark replied, “These days it’s all about the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing.” The social media comments date back to 2024, but it is known that Zuckerberg drove the CT5-V Blackwing at least daily for a period of time before potentially switching to another vehicle.

The billionaire owns multiple cars and has the means to purchase any production car, including models from Rolls-Royce, Bugatti, and Pagani. What’s so great about the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing, and why is it so appealing to Meta Platform CEOs?

Purchasing a luxury car: What is the cheapest Cadillac you can buy in 2025?

Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing is America’s luxury car powerhouse

Cadillac is the luxury division of General Motors. The automaker is known for producing some high-impact luxury nameplates, including the Cadillac Escalade. Cadillac’s CT5 is a luxury midsize sedan with powerful engine options and a technology-rich cabin.

Pricing for the 2026 Cadillac CT5-V Series Blackwing starts at $99,095 for the stick shift version. Cadillac’s automatic model is priced at $105,370 before taxes and surcharges. The CT5-V Blackwing comes standard with a 6.2-liter supercharged V8 engine that produces 668 horsepower and 659 pound-feet of torque. The automatic transmission version accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in about 3.4 seconds.

Cadillac’s CT5-V Blackwing features standard performance front bucket seats and GM’s Super Cruise hands-free driver assistance system. According to Road and Track’s review, Super Cruise “feels like a real person is driving the car, rather than a machine designed to imitate a driver.”

Standard equipment for Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing

  • 33.0 inch LED display
  • Heated and ventilated front seats
  • Augmented reality head-up display
  • Wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto
  • HD surround vision camera

You don’t have to be a millionaire to enjoy Cadillac power and technology

If Mark Zuckerberg’s Daily Driver is out of your price range, don’t worry. Prices for the base model Cadillac CT5 sedan start at $50,095. Drivers can choose the twin-turbocharged V6 engine with Premium Luxury trim for $53,595. Cadillac CT5-V models start at $59,095.

The American luxury automaker offers some top-of-the-line performance models through its V-Series line, but car buyers can also choose a more affordable Cadillac or a more powerful engine option without breaking the bank. With great performance specs and standard technology, you don’t have to be one of the richest people in the world to drive a Cadillac.

A 25% tariff will be imposed on imported medium-sized and large-sized trucks and a 10% tariff on buses.

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A 25% tariff will be imposed on imported medium-sized and large-sized trucks and a 10% tariff on buses.

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President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Oct. 17 that imposes a 25% tariff on imported heavy-duty trucks and a 10% tariff on imported buses starting Nov. 1, something he has argued for months is to protect domestic manufacturers.

The program is designed to encourage automakers to produce in the United States by providing rebates on certain auto parts that must be imported, while creating high-wage jobs for Americans, senior administration officials said on a conference call.

President Trump originally set a deadline for the tariffs to take effect from September to October 1, but later delayed that by a month.

President Trump said the new tariffs on heavy trucks are meant to protect manufacturers from “unfair external competition” and that the measure will benefit many companies.

“Our nation’s major heavy-duty truck companies, including Peterbilt, Kenworth, Freightliner, and Mack Trucks, will be protected from the onslaught of outside interference,” Trump wrote in a Sept. 25 post on Truth Social. “We need truckers to be financially healthy and strong for a variety of reasons, but foremost for national security.”

Earlier, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce urged the department not to impose new truck tariffs, noting that the top five importing countries are Mexico, Canada, Japan, Germany, and Finland, “all of which are allies or close partners of the United States and do not pose a threat to U.S. national security.”

Mexico is the largest exporter of medium- and heavy-duty trucks to the United States. Imports of these large vehicles from Mexico have tripled since 2019, according to Reuters.

Contributed by: Reuters

Kim Kardashian shocked by reaction to Skims’ fake pubic hair thong

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Kim Kardashian shocked by reaction to Skims’ fake pubic hair thong

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Kim Kardashian knows how to turn heads, but even she was surprised by the reaction when her shapewear brand Skims released a thong with fake pubic hair.

After previously making a name for itself in the apparel industry with nipple bras and hip-enhancing padded shorts alongside standard outerwear, underwear and sportswear, Skims launched a faux-hair microstring thong this week.

“I’m shocked,” Kardashian told E! News at the Oct. 16 premiere of her new legal drama “All’s Fair.” “It got a lot of attention. We laughed and talked about it all day.”

The reality TV star promoted the G-string to her more than 350 million Instagram followers, writing: “How funny is this? We have different colors and hair. This is insane. Skim, baby.”

The product, which quickly sold out, comes in 12 faux hair and thong color variations, including both straight and curly textures. Currently, customers can join a waiting list on the website to make future purchases.

“With these iconic new panties, you can turn your carpet any color you want!” Skims wrote in an Oct. 15 announcement.

Skims is no stranger to bold, thought-provoking products and has previously caused controversy with its controversial face wrap product line.

The wrap features “collagen threads for ultra-soft support” and is targeted at customers going through elaborate morning undressing routines by keeping the face firm before “pulling” the chin. The campaign received immediate backlash and confusion, with doctors denying its effectiveness.

The company also teamed up with Nike last month to launch its first three major activewear collections and four seasonal collections, featuring pieces designed for everything from strength training and daily training to lounging and running errands.

The campaign, known as NikeSkims, featured Kardashian and athletes Serena Williams, Shakari Richardson, Jordan Childs and Chloe Kim.

Contributor: Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY

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