The Excerpt

Conservative activist and Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk was fatally shot at Utah Valley University yesterday. Poland's military said it shot down Russian drones. USA TODAY Deputy World Editor Dan Morrison discusses the fallout.A new federal lawsuit accuses FBI Director Kash Patel of illegally firing top bureau officials. USA TODAY Washington Bureau Chief Susan Page shares her perspective on how the world has changed in the 24 years following the 9-11 terrorist attack. Actress Polly Holliday, who played the iconic southern waitress Flo in the 1970s sitcom “Alice,” died yesterday at the age of 88. Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@USATODAY.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Accurately forecasting hurricanes has improved over the past few decades with the use of satellites, NOAA’s airborne Hurricane Hunters and numerical weather prediction models. But with warming waters and the potential for an increase in major hurricanes, every bit of data helps. That’s where sharks and their dorsal fins might come in. Researchers are studying sharks to see if they can gather and transmit useful data regarding ocean temperatures. Could sharks, long feared, be poised for an image makeover? Aaron Carlisle, a University of Delaware marine ecologist, who is leading the research initiative joins The Excerpt for a deep dive.Please let us know what you think of this episode by sending a note to podcasts@usatoday.com.Episode transcript available here.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A detailed analysis of the MAHA Commission's new guidelines for childhood health stresses the impact of ultra-processed foods. Immigration arrests ramp up as a major operation unfolds in Chicago. The podcast delves into the escalating conflict between Israel and Hamas, including a significant airstrike in Qatar. Tensions grow around a Supreme Court case concerning Donald Trump’s global tariffs, and listeners can also look forward to an exciting UFC event at the White House next summer.

A slew of documents about Jeffrey Epstein with purported messages from President Trump and President Bill Clinton have been released.USA TODAY Supreme Court Correspondent Maureen Groppe breaks down the Supreme Court’s decision to lift restrictions on LA immigration stops.The Department of Homeland Security says it’s launching Operation Midway Blitz in Chicago.President Donald Trump vows to protect prayer in schools.USA TODAY Wellness Reporter Rachel Hale tells reports that some parents are treating their kid’s depression with a controversial remedy.Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@USATODAY.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

USA Today Supreme Court Correspondent Maureen Groppe shares highlights from an exclusive interview with the Supreme Court justice.Hundreds of South Korean workers detained in Georgia are heading back to South Korea soon.USA TODAY Money Reporter Bailey Schulz breaks down data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showing American moms are leaving the workplace.A 15-year-old is the first millennial Catholic saint.A look at the big wins at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards. Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@USATODAY.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For Robert F Kennedy Jr, it was never going to be a smooth road as Secretary of Health and Human Services given the controversy surrounding his well-documented vaccine hesitancy. But his stewardship of the agency is now at a crisis point as the nearly 80-year-old CDC, or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reels from a series of worrying red flags. Is this cornerstone agency created to safekeep American public health crumbling? USA TODAY White House Correspondent Swapna Venugopal joins The Excerpt to share highlights from the hearing and talk about what this might mean for Americans' health.Please let us know what you think of this episode by sending a note to podcasts@usatoday.com.Episode transcript available here.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

USA TODAY Money Reporter Bailey Schulz breaks down the latest disappointing jobs report. President Donald Trump says Americans should take vaccines that are “not controversial.” USA TODAY National Security Reporter Cybele Mayes-Osterman tells us about the change in Army recruitment. President Donald Trump has changed the name of the Department of Defense. The Powerball jackpot hits its second-highest jackpot in history, at an estimated $1.8 billion. Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@USATODAY.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was grilled during an explosive hearing Thursday.USA TODAY National Correspondent Chris Kenning discusses what Medicaid cuts mean for parts of the Appalachian U.S.USA TODAY First Amendment Reporting Fellow BrieAnna Frank takes a look at how 'South Park' is satirizing President Donald Trump, and what the First Amendment has to say.Giorgio Armani has died at 91.The NFL is back!Please let us know what you think of this episode by sending a note to podcasts@usatoday.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Picture this, a powerful synthetic opioid that quietly morphs into one of the nation’s most lethal drug crises. A drug that can be slipped undetected into heroin, counterfeit pills...the nation’s bloodstream. You’ve seen and may have even been touched by the devastating impact of fentanyl. And now, a different class of ultrapotent synthetic opioids called nitazenes are following an eerily familiar path. Just how dangerous are these drugs and where are they coming from? Dr. Gregory McDonald, chair of the Department of Forensic Medicine and Pathology at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, joins USA TODAY’s The Excerpt to unpack those questions and more.Please let us know what you think of this episode by sending a note to podcasts@usatoday.com.Episode transcript available here.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

USA TODAY Domestic Security Correspondent Josh Meyer takes a look at Wednesday comments from Epstein victims, as they push for the release of more records.President Donald Trump responds to this week's military parade in China.USA TODAY National Immigration Reporter Lauren Villagran explains how the Trump administration plans to expand ICE detention into the notorious Angola prison.More than 1,000 HHS workers demand RFK Jr. resigns.A judge rules the Trump administration unlawfully cut Harvard's funding.Please let us know what you think of this episode by sending a note to podcasts@usatoday.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.