• 104 dead as hard-hit areas in Texas face new flooding risks
    Jul 8 2025

    USA TODAY National Correspondent Rick Jervis reports from Texas on what he's seen in the aftermath of devastating flooding. Plus, Rick reported on how warnings for the flash flooding came with little time to act. And flood survivor Chrissy Eliashar tells us her story.

    President Donald Trump announces tariff hikes on 14 countries.

    USA TODAY Washington Bureau Chief Susan Page takes a look back on the assassination attempt of President Donald Trump as we near its one-year anniversary.

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    16 mins
  • Death toll climbs in Texas flooding, children still missing from all-girls camp
    Jul 7 2025

    Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Camp Mystic was "horrendously ravaged in ways unlike I’ve seen in any natural disaster."

    USA TODAY National Correspondent Dinah Voyles Pulver discusses how the NOAA budget spells out plans to reduce spending and abandon climate research, and the potential impact on hurricane forecasting.

    Elon Musk announces a new political party after slamming President Donald Trump's megabill.

    USA TODAY National Correspondent Trevor Hughes talks about the preparations underway for the 250th birthday of the United States.

    Mexico beats the United States in the Gold Cup Final.

    Hear about a baseball player's dream moment in this month's installment of Kind Time, from Humankind.

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    14 mins
  • Brain-computer interfaces: Unlocking the potential of man and machine
    Jul 6 2025

    It is the fodder of science fiction plots: implanting a device into the human brain... the blockbuster franchise “The Matrix” comes to mind. Here in the real world, though, it’s actually happening. While tiny computers have been implanted into less than 100 brains so far, their impact has been life-changing. Brain-computer interfaces, or BCIs, have done everything from allowing increased mobility to helping with speech. Could these devices become more mainstream and help the disabled do even more in the future? Dr. Iahn Cajigas, a neurosurgeon at the University of Pennsylvania who has studied brain-computer interfaces and worked with patients using them, joins USA TODAY’s The Excerpt to share his insights.

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    14 mins
  • At least 24 dead, over 20 children missing from summer camp in 'catastrophic' Texas flood
    Jul 5 2025

    The Kerr County Sheriff's Office in Texas said Friday flooding was catastrophic.

    President Donald Trump spoke with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy this week.

    USA TODAY National Correspondent Elizabeth Weise looks at the latest science around black holes.

    Chelsea and Fluminense advance in the FIFA Club World Cup.

    USA TODAY Books Reporter Clare Mulroy talks about some of the best comfort reads.

    Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com.


    Episode Transcript available here

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    14 mins
  • House passes Trump's megabill
    Jul 4 2025

    The House has sent Republicans' sweeping bill to President Donald Trump for his signature.

    The unemployment rate fell slightly in June. Plus, should you take a buyout?

    The Supreme Court will take up a major case on transgender athletes joining girls' teams.

    USA TODAY National Correspondent Elizabeth Weise talks about the dangers of fireworks.

    USA TODAY Movie Critic Brian Truitt gives us his top 10 films of the year.

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    14 mins
  • Chatbot therapy? Available 24/7 but users beware.
    Jul 3 2025

    AI chatbots are being used for mental health support — and it’s raising red flags. From offering bad advice to encouraging self-harm, some mental health chatbots are crossing dangerous lines. Vaile Wright, senior director of health care innovation for the American Psychological Association, joins The Excerpt to talk about what’s at stake—and how regulation could protect users.

    Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com.

    Episode transcript available here

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    10 mins
  • House clears key hurdle on tax megabill
    Jul 3 2025

    The House has cleared a hurdle on President Donald Trump's bill of legislative priorities.

    USA TODAY National Correspondent Marco della Cava puts Diddy's trial in context after a verdict.

    A federal judge has blocked President Trump's asylum ban at the U.S.-Mexico border.

    Kilmar Abrego Garcia experienced "severe beatings" and "psychological torture" at a prison in El Salvador, according to a new court filing.

    USA TODAY Youth Mental Health Reporting Fellow Rachel Hale discusses why LGBTQ+ youth are twice as likely to be homeless.

    Clayton Kershaw joins the 3,000 strikeout club.

    The U.S. men's soccer team advances to the Gold Cup Final to play Mexico.

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    Episode transcript available here

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    13 mins
  • Can shared public spaces bridge the American divide?
    Jul 2 2025

    Walls. We all navigate them whether they be the walls throughout our homes, neighborhoods, and the places we choose to frequent, or the internal walls that allow us to maintain our distance from others. To what extent is divisiveness baked into our infrastructure, politic, and psyche? Anand Pandian, Professor of Anthropology at Johns Hopkins University, joins USA TODAY’s The Excerpt to discuss his new book “Something Between Us.” In it, he explores the walls that divide us as a nation.

    Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email 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.

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    13 mins