I hope you’re doing well!🙋🏼♀️ I’m Nicole Fallato. The trailer for The Devil Wears Prada 2 took a long time.
Let’s take a quick look at Thursday’s news.
Shutdown has finished. That’s not the case with health care battles.
The government reopened Thursday after President Donald Trump signed legislation Wednesday night ending a 43-day shutdown and beginning to resolve the massive disruption caused by the shutdown.
What is happening now? Hundreds of thousands of government workers are set to return to work in the coming days after weeks without pay. Closed preschools and food benefit programs will reopen, as will federal institutions and national landmarks. Critical government data will begin to circulate again.
- Which House Democrats voted for Republicans? Nearly all Democrats opposed the Senate-passed funding package, saying it doesn’t do enough to address rising health care costs. Six Democratic members of Congress (all moderates) voted in support.
- Who benefits from this high-stakes political gamble? House Speaker Mike Johnson called the shutdown “pointless,” and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Democrats’ fight to extend the Obamacare tax credit is far from over.
- Will my flight be back on time? Although the shutdown is over, experts and airlines warn that travelers should prepare for further disruption to flights throughout this week.
Democrats say more emails against Epstein are coming soon.
House Democrats plan to release more documents about Jeffrey Epstein following the bombshell release of an email about the disgraced financier and accused sex trafficker in which President Trump wrote that he “spent hours at my house” with one of his victims.
More about Epstein from USA TODAY:
- Epstein’s emails claim that Trump “knew about the girls.”
- The House is scheduled to vote next week on a bill that would force the Justice Department to release all Epstein files.
- Adelita Grijalva was sworn in to the House of Representatives after a seven-week delay, securing a vote on the Epstein file.
More news you need to know right now
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Detainees may be released from ICE custody
Hundreds of immigration enforcement agents from Illinois could be released, a federal judge said Wednesday, saying, “It seems highly unlikely that they are drug traffickers, gang members, or the worst of the worst that ICE claims they are.” The judge’s ruling could set the stage for the release of many people detained during an immigration crackdown in Chicago.
Penny “dies” at 232 years old
The penny, America’s iconic one-cent coin, beloved by millions of Americans for its copper surface and folk symbolism before falling into coin purse obscurity, died on November 12, 2025. On Wednesday afternoon, the U.S. Mint officially stamped what will be the last penny in circulation in this country in a ceremony celebrating the icon as a symbol of the nation’s spirit. Decades of inflation took a toll on this humble coin.
today’s speaker
LA 2028 takes a big step towards equality
There are still more than two and a half years until the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, but organizers have made an important statement on equality. The 100m track final will be held for women instead of men, marking the start of the first night of Olympic medal competition. The men’s 100 final is traditionally run first and is held the following night. Following the move, U.S. Olympic gold and silver medalist Shakari Richardson said the road to LA28 “looks like it’s going to be something special.” USA TODAY Sports first reported the 2028 Olympic competition schedule.
Photo of the day: Back to the Upside Down
USA TODAY spoke with Stranger Things stars Millie Bobby Brown, Noah Schnapp, Finn Wolfhard and Gaten Matarazzo at the final Season 5 premiere about how they are wrapping up this period of their lives.
Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer for USA TODAY. Sign up for emails here. Want to send a note to Nicole? Email NFallert@usatoday.com.
