Latest news with #NicoleFallert
USA Today
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Duhhh-nuh 🦈
Duhhh-nuh 🦈 Happy Friday!🙋🏼♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert. Today, Daily Briefing features a special guest! Let's close out the week with Friday's news: Even if you haven't seen it recently, you know 'Jaws' Hello! I'm Brian Truitt, USA TODAY movie critic and the guy behind the Watch Party newsletter. It's a big weekend for film lovers because Steven Spielberg's "Jaws" is turning 50, and from the infamous John Williams two-note musical theme to some gnarly shark attacks, it still holds up so many decades later. We're diving all in on that killer fish flick, with shark movie rankings, a look at the "Jaws" legacy and a rundown of the best summer blockbusters since 1975. 🦈 Here's why we never got over "Jaws." Should US go to war with Iran or support Israel from afar? President Donald Trump said there was a "substantial chance" of U.S. negotiations with Iran and that he would decide within two weeks whether diplomacy keeps America out of the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict. The possibility of direct U.S. involvement is a growing debate among elected leaders and American voters. Some in the Republican Party want limited involvement in the escalating conflict. Meanwhile, elected leaders from both parties are hoping to stop an all-out war. More news to know now What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here. Dodger Stadium becomes a ICE flashpoint The Los Angeles Dodgers say Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were denied entry to the stadium grounds – while ICE says the agency was "never there" and the Department of Homeland Security claims the masked agents were with Customs and Border Patrol. The Dodgers were supposed to make an announcement about their "plans for assistance to immigrant communities" but club president Stan Kasten said the organization would be delaying an announcement after the federal agents showed up. The delay comes after protesters showed up at Dodger Stadium. Mega rocket explodes another SpaceX setback In what the company called "a major anomaly," SpaceX's Starship exploded late Wednesday, shooting a massive fireball and giant debris into the Texas night sky. The explosion is not the first for SpaceX and comes on the heels of a string of set backs for the 400-foot rocket system this year. Founder Elon Musk said via social media no hazards are posed to residents in the communities surrounding Brownsville, and initial inspection suggest the incident "is the first time ever for this design." The last Starship explosion was less than a month ago. Today's talkers The longest day of 2025 is here Summer has not even officially begun. The summer solstice will occur Friday at 10:42 p.m. ET and will be both the longest day and shortest night of 2025 in the Northern Hemisphere, according to the National Weather Service. Meanwhile, the Southern Hemisphere will greet winter with its winter solstice. During the summer solstice, the tilt brings the Earth's northernmost point closer to the sun, resulting in more sunlight. The solstice itself only lasts moments, but is widely celebrated with festivals. Here's where you can snag solstice deals and free food to celebrate. Photo of the day: Celebrating freedom Americans across the country celebrated Juneteenth this week, commemorating the day the last group of enslaved African Americans were informed they were free.
USA Today
3 days ago
- Politics
- USA Today
Trump's dire message to Iran
Trump's dire message to Iran Good morning!🙋🏼♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert. Still not over that "Love Island" recoupling. Quick look at Tuesday's news: Trump urges everyone in Tehran to evacuate 'before it is too late' President Donald Trump urged residents of Tehran to evacuate immediately after telling the country it should have signed a nuclear deal with the United States when talks were on the table. More detail: Trump has said for days that Iran should make a nuclear deal with the U.S. But his message became more dire as he warned the Iranian capital's roughly 10 million residents to flee in the dead of night. Left the meeting: Trump returned to Washington from the Group of Seven summit Monday in Alberta, Canada, where he and other world leaders discussed the now dayslong air war between Israel and Iran. Trump returned to Washington from the Group of Seven summit Monday in Alberta, Canada, where he and other world leaders discussed the now dayslong air war between Israel and Iran. Sanders, Massie, Khanna and AOC joined forces to prevent U.S. strike on Iran: A number of prominent members of Congress said they will co-sponsor measures to block the U.S. from going to war with Iran. A number of prominent members of Congress said they will co-sponsor measures to block the U.S. from going to war with Iran. Did a pizza tracker predict this? Before Israel launched its top-secret attack on Iran, a viral social media account tracking pizza shop activity around the Pentagon predicted something was underway. What to know on Virginia's primary day Virginians head to the polls Tuesday in one of this year's banner election fights where President Trump's second-term policies are very much top of voters' minds. The most consequential of Tuesday's primary races center around who will be the next governor of Virginia, a state that has seen its share of the federal government workforce shrink at the hands of Trump and former DOGE leader Elon Musk. Whoever wins will make history as the first woman to be governor of Virginia. More news to know now What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here. Coinbase victims speak out as brazen hackers and a culture of silence collide 'They knew everything. My transaction history, my recent logins, even which tokens I'd moved and when. The shame is unbearable. I know the industry, the history of scams and had all the security measures in place.' ~FK, an experienced tech entrepreneur in Silicon Valley, is one of dozens of victims of a stunningly sophisticated account-draining scam — exploiting trust, technology and a massive data breach at Coinbase, the largest crypto exchange in the United States. Each victim told USA TODAY a nearly identical story of loss, heartbreak, and feeling ghosted by the company. A Religious Liberty Commission just met for the first time A small group of people walked out of Museum of the Bible's theater on Monday in protest of U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi's address at the inaugural meeting of President Donald Trump's Religious Liberty Commission. Bondi said religious liberty has 'come under attack' in the nation and mentioned the nearly two-dozen anti-abortion activists whom Trump pardoned in January. Some called Bondi's address "very extreme" and critics worried the commission lacked diversity of thought. But others expressed belief that the First Amendment doesn't prevent the government from promoting religion and that it can and should do so. Today's talkers Are you raising a relative? An estimated 2.4 million American kids are being raised by relatives, not their parents. Most 'kinship families,' or "grandfamilies," are formed suddenly, without planning. Grandmas, aunts, brothers and cousins take in young relatives amid crisis. Sometimes, government child welfare agencies take kids from parents if social workers decide they can't provide basic needs and safety. An update to federal law in 2018 re-emphasized that agencies should provide the same assistance to relatives that is given to strangers who foster or adopt. Kids taken into foster care have better outcomes when raised within their family. Yet not all relatives are offered help to do so. And those who seek aid could instead be deemed unfit to parent. Raising a relative? Or did you grow up with one? Reporter Jayme Fraser would like to talk. She wants to tell more stories of kinship families, their challenges and their joys. Contact her at jfraser@ or by text or Signal at (541) 362-1393. Photo of the day: The Razorbacks right-hand man Arkansas' Gage Woods went seven innings without allowing a baserunner against Murray State on Monday, throwing the first College World Series no-hitter since 1960. Out of 119 pitches, Wood would only take one back.
USA Today
11-06-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Has Trump overblown the threat of protests?
Has Trump overblown the threat of protests? Good morning!🙋🏼♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert. BRB, crying with Beyoncé's 7-year-old daughter Rumi. It's Wednesday. Here is the news: A curfew for parts of LA lifted early this morning. A major protestant congregation is calling for the end of same-sex marriage. Did you catch the strawberry moon?! Residents, local officials say Trump inflated LA situation President Donald Trump's deployment of thousands of troops to the nation's second-largest city has unleashed indignation and anger among residents and local officials who say the threat of immigration protests has been dramatically overblown by the White House. As LA tensions flare, anti-ICE protests crop up nationwide As protests in Los Angeles over the Trump administration's immigration crackdown enter their fifth day, demonstrations were reported in at least a dozen cities that included San Francisco, New York, Washington, Boston, Dallas, Chicago and Atlanta in recent days. Most have remained peaceful, but a few escalated into clashes with police. More news to know now What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here. Southern Baptists vote to seek repeal of historic same-sex marriage ruling The Southern Baptist Convention passed a resolution supporting a concerted effort to reverse Obergefell v. Hodges as the historic U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage approaches its 10-year anniversary. The June 10 vote by the nation's largest Protestant denomination represents a doubling down on issues of gender and sexuality as the predominant group of evangelical Christians signals the SBC's hopes of replicating the successful campaign to overturn Roe v. Wade. But whether the latest vote will move the needle on same-sex marriage, a right backed by a strong majority of Americans, remains to be seen. US and China reach export deal U.S. and Chinese officials in London, England, said Tuesday they agreed on a framework to get their trade truce back on track and remove some of China's export restrictions — offering a little sign of a durable resolution to longstanding trade tensions. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told reporters the framework deal puts "meat on the bones" of an agreement reached last month in Geneva to ease bilateral retaliatory tariffs that had reached crushing triple-digit levels. The Geneva deal had faltered over China's continued curbs on critical minerals exports. Today's talkers June welcomes a rare strawberry moon The strawberry moon reached its peak early Wednesday at 3:44 a.m. ET, NASA said. However, the moon dazzled backyard astronomers everywhere in the evening Tuesday, as the spectacle rose during dusk, according to LiveScience. The strawberry moon is set low sky, so revelers needed to access a location where to see the eastern horizon at a low angle. This moon is one of the lowest in the sky, and the moonlight reflects the Earth's atmosphere, giving it a yellow or orange tint. Here's how it got its "strawberry" name. Photo of the day: A headache for USMNT The U.S. men's national team had one of its worst performances in recent memory, coughing up four goals in a hapless, helpless first half en route to a 4-0 loss to Switzerland on Tuesday. Things went just about as badly as it sounds.
USA Today
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
WorldPride comes to the nation's capital
WorldPride comes to the nation's capital Good morning!🙋🏼♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert. I can't stop watching the "Wicked: For Good" trailer ✨ Get ready for Thursday with the news: At WorldPride, queer community vows to be heard 'The WorldPride stage is in front of the Capitol building at a time when they are trying to silence us, put us back in the closet, make us feel ashamed, take away so many of our freedoms, pull back DEI. And we are like: 'Oh no no no! We are going to the nation's capital; we are going to be louder than ever. You can't take this away from us. We are going to be ourselves.'' ~ Brooke Eden, a country singer/songwriter who will be performing in Washington, D.C., at WorldPride − a global festival that promotes LGBTQ+ visibility and awareness − at a historic juncture: When the queer community's rights are increasingly in hostile crosshairs. Trump launches Senate lobbying blitz for his tax bill President Donald Trump's second-term legislative agenda is on the line as the Senate gears up for a four-week sprint, during which they will seek to pass something that can also get through the House's narrow margins and onto the president's desk for signature into law. It won't be easy. As in the House, the Senate has fiscal conservatives who are concerned that the bill will add to the federal deficit and moderates who have problems with the potential impact on Medicaid health coverage. Deficit blues : Several senators have said they're worried about the massive price tag of the legislation. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has estimated that the bill would add more than $3 trillion to the federal debt over the next 10 years, adding to the country's already massive $36.2 trillion debt. : Several senators have said they're worried about the massive price tag of the legislation. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has estimated that the bill would add more than $3 trillion to the federal debt over the next 10 years, adding to the country's already massive $36.2 trillion debt. Musk is fanning the flames . The Tesla CEO argues the legislation's price tag undermines the work that he did leading the Department of Government Efficiency cost-cutting project. . The Tesla CEO argues the legislation's price tag undermines the work that he did leading the Department of Government Efficiency cost-cutting project. Meanwhile, American health care is on the line: New analysis shows about 11 million Americans would lose health insurance coverage under Trump's bill, and experts say the uninsured might delay care and accrue more medical debt. More news to know now What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here. Families scramble to find loved ones – and answers – after massive ICE raid in Florida Family members and friends of the more than 100 construction workers detained in what was deemed Florida's largest immigration raid this year say they are having trouble locating their loved ones. Some of the laborers were sent to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in Baker County, while some went to Miami's Krome Detention Center. Others were quickly flown to El Paso, Texas, and were still there awaiting removal as of June 3. And some are already in Mexico, just five days after being detained and bused away from their job site in Tallahassee. But others are still silent, and their friends and family are worried and waiting for a call. Trump bans Harvard from admitting new international students In an executive order issued Wednesday, President Trump declared that Harvard University's admission of international students represents a threat to the United States. In his new order, Trump listed a litany of grievances against the university, which he accuses of failing to protect Jewish students from pro-Palestinian protesters. He also noted that Harvard has long used race as a factor in admissions, which led the Supreme Court in 2023 to strike down race-based admissions policies nationwide. Trump's order applies to new students who would be arriving to study at Harvard, and asks Secretary of State Marco Rubio to consider whether to also revoke the visas of current international students Today's talkers Meet the million-dollar creators of the Bop house They fly on private jets to the Super Bowl, own Porsches and Lamborghinis and rack up $4,000 dinner bills on a night out. It's all in a month's work at the Bop House, a content creator mansion where eight Gen Z OnlyFans creators produce content for their combined following of nearly 90 million users across social media platforms. But teenagers, particularly young girls, who see TikToks showcasing the content creators' opulent lifestyle, may get the impression that being an OnlyFans star is aspirational. While creators in the Bop House spoke openly with USA TODAY about their hardships growing up — and say they're not trying to be anyone's role model. Photo of the day: Checked! The Edmonton Oilers started the 2025 Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday the same way they started their last run to a championship - by winning Game 1 in overtime. Check out the best moments of the final so far.
USA Today
03-06-2025
- Climate
- USA Today
Boulder is shaken
Boulder is shaken Good morning!🙋🏼♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert. "Holy (Freaking) Airball," I'm your Daily Briefing author. Quick look at Tuesday's news: A Colorado community reels after fiery attack Boulder, Colorado, residents remain on edge after a "targeted" terror attack by a man with a makeshift flamethrower and firebombs set 12 people aflame and fueled chaos on the streets. What happened: Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, is accused of attacking the weekly "Run for Their Lives" demonstration on Sunday with a makeshift flamethrower and fire bombs while shouting "Free Palestine." Soliman told investigators he planned the attack for a year . He said he wanted to kill all Zionist people and wished all of them were dead, according to an FBI affidavit released Monday. . He said he wanted to kill all Zionist people and wished all of them were dead, according to an FBI affidavit released Monday. "It took eight of us to get the fire out on her." A total of 12 people were burned in the incident. The victims, ages 52 to 88, suffered injuries ranging from serious to minor as local residents rushed to help them. A total of 12 people were burned in the incident. The victims, ages 52 to 88, suffered injuries ranging from serious to minor as local residents rushed to help them. One of the burn victims is a Holocaust survivor, a local rabbi said. The attack came less than two weeks after two Israeli Embassy staff members were brazenly shot to death in Washington, DC, amid a rise in antisemitism incidents across the United States. Canadian wildfires may be affecting your air Fallout from the over 100 wildfires currently blazing across Canada is again being felt by U.S. states. There were 181 active fires in Canada as of Monday, with 90 being classified as "out of control" and 62 as "under control," according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC). In the U.S., smoke from the fires has already been detected drifting through Montana, North Dakota and northern Minnesota. More states, ranging as far south as Florida and as far east and north as New York, may soon experience hazy or compromised air as well. Find out if your state may see smoke from the Canadian wildfires. More news to know now What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here. At the US-Mexico border, volunteers conduct a grim search Once a month, retiree Abbey Carpenter leads volunteers through a field of dunes near the border, searching for the remains of migrants. She has located 27 sites in southern New Mexico in under two years, artifacts of a wave of migration that has ebbed to a trickle. But the bones – femur, rib, jaw – take her breath away each time. In them, Carpenter, who taught English as a Second Language, sees the journeys made by her former students ‒ migrants who live and work in the United States and learned English in her classroom. Men in construction. Women in service industries. Another volunteer told USA TODAY: "Emotionally, it was more than I expected." Tourists run for their lives from erupting Mt. Etna Videos circulating online show people running as smoke from the side of Mount Etna, an active stratovolcano in Sicily, filled the air Monday. Europe's largest and most active volcano, Mount Etna, is located on the eastern coast of Sicily, Italy, in the province of Catania, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The active stratovolcano is known for its frequent and persistent eruptions, and volcanic activity in the region can range from explosive eruptions to lava flows and ash emissions, USGS says. See dramatic photos of the eruption spewing hot ash and lava. Today's talkers Bill Clinton reveals key White House details in murderous new political thriller "We had this just gut-wrenching conversation because in the beginning, we were excited – what would it be like to write a book that was from the point of view of the first gentleman, the first woman president's husband? It had all kinds of fascinating ramifications. But then something happened while we were doing it, and I realized we hadn't created anybody you could like." ~ Former President Bill Clinton to USA TODAY about his partnership with bestselling author James Patterson. USA TODAY books reporter Clare Mulroy met the pair to discuss their third novel, "The First Gentleman." Photo of the day: Dread in the dugout History was made in the NCAA baseball tournament. After losing to Louisville on Saturday and Wright State on Sunday, the Vanderbilt Commodores became the first No. 1 overall seed to be eliminated in the NCAA baseball regionals altogether since UCLA in 2015 and the first No. 1 seed under the current format to fail to at least reach its regional final. The weekend's upsets serve as a black eye for the SEC.
