SPECIAL | Who should decide which books, if any, are banned?

High costs. Limited supply. No insurance coverage. All of these are motivating some patients to cook up unregulated “gray GLP-1” drugs at home. Health experts are worried. Why are people willing to risk injecting homemade drugs in an unregulated, non-sterile medical environment and what needs to change before access and safety improve? USA TODAY Wellness Reporter Nicole Fallert joins The Excerpt to share her reporting on this alarming trend.Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at [email protected]. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The federal government’s partial shutdown has reached its 15th day.President Donald Trump says Hamas will disarm or the U.S. will force them 'perhaps violently.'USA TODAY White House Correspondent Bart Jansen recaps the move to award the late Charlie Kirk the Medal of Freedom.The Supreme Court rejects Alex Jones' appeal of a $1.4 billion Sandy Hook judgment.USA TODAY Senior National Political Correspondent Sarah D. Wire tells us what to expect from this weekend's 'No Kings' protests.Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at [email protected]. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

USA TODAY Washington Bureau Chief Susan Page puts President Donald Trump's role in recent Israel-Hamas peace proceedings in context.USA TODAY Congressional Reporter Zach Schermele has the government shutdown latest, as the Education Department lays off roughly 20% of its workforce.The collapse of coral reefs has driven the world across its first climate tipping point.Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at [email protected]. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

All remaining living Israeli hostages have been released, while some 2,000 detained Palestinians are released. Plus, President Donald Trump speaks to Israel's Parliament.USA TODAY Money and Personal Finance Reporter Medora Lee takes a look at recessions on the state level.Little progress emerges toward getting out of a government shutdown.USA TODAY Domestic Security Correspondent Josh Meyer gives us some of the historical context behind the Insurrection Act.Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at [email protected]. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you spend any time on YouTube, and most of us do, then you’ve probably watched or at least heard of MrBeast. Last check, he had 444 million subscribers with videos that routinely get hundreds of millions of views. MrBeast is literally at the top of the YouTube food chain. But off platform, one of his ventures appears to have stalled out. In 2022, he announced a partnership with East Carolina University to offer a credentialing program to help teach students how to create captivating money-making content. So, what happened to it? USA TODAY Investigative Reporter Chris Quintana went looking for answers and joins USA TODAY’s The Excerpt to discuss.Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at [email protected]. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

USA TODAY National Correspondent Michael Collins tells us about one family's fight to bring hostage loved ones home.Gazans trek to their ruined homes, as Trump plans a visit to the Middle East amid a ceasefire.USA TODAY White House Correspondent Joey Garrison breaks down President Donald Trump's mass layoffs of federal workers.Trump announces an additional 100% tariff on China imports.19 people are unaccounted for after an explosion at an explosive manufacturing plant in Tennessee.The Las Vegas Aces are WNBA champions. Where do they rank among the all-time best teams?The Seattle Mariners win an epic extra innings game to make their first ALCS since 2001.It's National Coming Out Day.Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at [email protected]. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution.Israeli forces start pulling back from parts of Gaza.USA TODAY Breaking News Reporter Michael Loria has the latest from Chicago as President Donald Trump's National Guard deployments face legal tests.The Trump administration airs a video at U.S. airports blaming Democrats for the government shutdown.USA TODAY Senior Crime Reporter Amanda Lee Myers explains why a Texas court stopped Robert Roberson's execution over questions about shaken baby syndrome. Listen to or watch our conversation with the lead investigator from the case here.Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at [email protected]. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This is banned books week. It’s a week that highlights how a few loud voices have shaped what kinds of books are pulled from school and library shelves. Who gets the final word, not on which books should be read, but on access? And what’s been the impact on those caught in a fight they didn’t start – our teachers and librarians? USA TODAY Books Reporter Clare Mulroy joins USA TODAY’s The Excerpt to discuss the banning of books.Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at [email protected]. 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.

President Donald Trump says Israel and Hamas have agreed to implement the first phase of a White House peace plan aimed at ending Israel's onslaught in Gaza, and securing the release of hostages.USA TODAY Breaking News Reporter Michael Loria has the latest from Chicago, where residents say a Trump immigration blitz is upending daily life.A 29-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the Palisades Fire.USA TODAY Domestic Security Correspondent Josh Meyer breaks down the case against former FBI Director James Comey, after he pleaded not guilty to making false statements.Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at [email protected]. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’re nearly at the end of day eight of the government shutdown, the first time this has happened since 2018 when President Donald Trump was last in office. Hundreds of thousands of employees who have been deemed non-essential have been furloughed and there’s little movement in Washington toward an agreement that would get the wheels churning again. Some would argue that the gridlock in Washington was already a form of government shutdown with Congress deadlocked and not negotiating on many issues of substance as to how we run this country. Where are with the shutdown and what are the key takeaways so far? USA TODAY White House Reporter Bart Jansen joins The Excerpt to unpack the issues.Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at [email protected]. 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.