The Excerpt

As wildfires continue to erupt across greater Los Angeles, the urgency of the housing crisis is front and center for Angelinos. With thousands of homes gone, the various issues that have plagued the real estate industry since the '80s are just that much more urgent. Where will people live and at what cost? Peter Dreier, an urban and environmental policy professor at Occidental College, joins The Excerpt to discuss the worsening situation and what it means for the people who call L.A. home. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

An American Airlines passenger jet with 64 people aboard and a military helicopter collided Wednesday night. President Donald Trump orders his administration to begin preparations on a facility at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay to house up to 30,000 migrants detained for being in the U.S. without legal authorization. USA TODAY White House Reporter Zac Anderson gives some of his major takeaways after the first day of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s confirmation hearing. The Trump administration rescinds a freeze memo on federal grants. USA TODAY White House Correspondent Joey Garrison breaks down President Donald Trump's buyout offer for federal employees who don't wish to return to work at the office. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Fears about how AI will utterly transform our lives in the years ahead are rampant. From replacing us in our jobs, to posing an existential threat to humanity itself, there’s no end to the negative hype this technological revolution has fueled. But what if our fears are simply unfounded, part of a predictable short-sighted response of rejecting change like the Luddites did two centuries earlier when machines revolutionized the textile industry. In his new book "Superagency, What Could Possibly Go Right with Our AI Future" Linked-in Co-Founder Reid Hoffman argues that our fear-focused response to AI ignores the incredible promise this technological revolution holds. Reid joined The Excerpt to share his thoughts. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

USA TODAY Justice Department Correspondent Bart Jansen takes a look at what's next after a federal judge temporarily blocked a Trump administration policy that aimed to review grants and loans to ensure they complied with his priorities. Caroline Kennedy calls Robert F. Kennedy Jr. a predator ahead of his confirmation hearing. Trump orders the federal government not to fund or assist with gender transitions for youth. Humanity is at its closest yet to destroying itself, according to Tuesday's reset of the "Doomsday Clock." See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Justice Department has fired employees who worked on Donald Trump prosecutions under special counsel Jack Smith. USA TODAY Senior National Political Correspondent Sarah D. Wire takes a closer look at Kash Patel - Trump's pick to lead the FBI - and his role in Jan. 6 misinformation. Trump pledges sweeping tariffs on steel, semiconductors and other imports. Plus, Trump is ending DEI in the military and reinstating troops who refused COVID-19 vaccines. USA TODAY Money and Personal Finance Reporter Medora Lee explains how news over a Chinese startup's AI model rattled markets. 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 is holding off imposing tariffs and sanctions he threatened Sunday on Colombia after a spat over deportation flights. Trump floats a plan to move Palestinians to Egypt and Jordan. USA TODAY Reporter Andrea Riquier looks into whether we're facing an insurance crisis. It's been 80 years since the liberation of Auschwitz. USA TODAY National Correspondent Elizabeth Weise gives an explainer on the doomsday clock and what a Tuesday update might tell us about humanity. The Super Bowl matchup is set! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

While on the campaign trail, then presidential-candidate Donald Trump made illegal immigration his signature issue and also his scapegoat, routinely equating immigrants with criminals. On Day 1 of his presidency, Trump sought to make good on his campaign promises, signing a flurry of executive orders related to the southern border, illegal immigration and refugee admissions. What’s in all of this legislation and what kinds of impacts are we already seeing? USA TODAY National Reporter Lauren Villagran joins The Excerpt to share her reporting. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

USA TODAY White House and Pentagon Reporter Davis Winkie discusses how the military may be used for immigration purposes. The Senate votes to confirm Pete Hegseth as secretary of Defense. In his travels to disaster zones Friday, President Donald Trump again suggested abolishing FEMA. President Trump cancels Dr. Anthony Fauci's security detail. USA TODAY Managing Editor for Politics, Legal Affairs, and World News Holly Rosenkrantz gives us an inside peek at how her team covered this historic week for news, as part of a new weekly segment called Editor's Note. Pandas Bao Li and Qing Bao make their U.S. debut. Listen to our deep dive episode on panda diplomacy 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 is expanding the pool of federal law enforcement officers who can investigate and apprehend immigrants. Plus, a judge blocked Trump's birthright citizenship order. USA TODAY Chief Political Correspondent Phillip M. Bailey discusses Trump's threats of witholding federal funds amid Los Angeles fires, ahead of his trip there Friday. USA TODAY White House Correspondent Swapna Venugopal breaks down Trump's comments to the Davos World Economic Forum. Oscar nominations are out. Did your favorite get snubbed? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Deaths from fentanyl are falling. The promising news comes as the overdose antidote naloxone becomes more widely available. But are dropping death rates concealing other issues in the fight against this brutal form of addiction? Reuters Investigative Reporter Maurice Tamman joined The Excerpt to discuss what he's seeing on the ground where addiction and death are still the reality. 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 Will Carless discusses what's next for the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers after pardons this week. LA County's Hughes wildfire forces evacuations. USA TODAY Senior Reporter Jessica Guynn takes a closer look at President Trump's executive order on DEI. A quarter million LGBTQ+ youth and family members have moved to other states because of anti-LGBTQ politics or laws, a new report says. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Squirmy and Grubs are not your typical YouTube stars. One is them is able-bodied. The other is not. How they navigate the challenges that dichotomy presents is the point. So is how normal their lives as an interabled couple really are. The story of Hannah and Shane Burcaws’ relationship and others like it is captured in their new book, "Interabled: True Stories about Love and Disability." They joined The Excerpt to talk about what they hope abled couples understand about interabled love. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

USA TODAY Pentagon Correspondent Tom Vanden Brook discusses the allegations against President Donald Trump's pick for secretary of defense. A pastor told Donald Trump to 'have mercy' on migrants and transgender children at an inauguration prayer service. Wildfires prompt evacuations near San Diego. USA TODAY National Correspondent Elizabeth Weise discusses what a Trump executive order means for wind energy. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

USA TODAY Chief Political Correspondent Phillip M. Bailey gives some of the biggest takeaways from President Donald Trump's Inauguration Day. Trump's new meme coin soars. USA TODAY Justice Department Correspondent Bart Jansen breaks down Trump's executive orders surrounding January 6 pardons, and the southern border. Trump Monday also signed an order on TikTok and removed the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement, among other moves. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's Inauguration Day. Here's what to expect. Plus, USA TODAY White House Correspondent Joey Garrison discusses what Donald Trump plans as part of his first 100 executive actions in his second term. A ceasefire has begun between Israel and Hamas. What's next for TikTok? Trump proposes 50% U.S. ownership. Four teams remain in the NFL Playoffs, with next weekend's conference championship games now set. Santa Ana winds threaten again this week as fires continue to burn in Southern California. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As Donald Trump prepares to take office on January 20th, the cryptocurrency world awaits with bated breath. Not only has the president-elect promised to make America the “crypto capital of the planet,” he’s welcoming several devotees into his new administration. And as far as popularity goes, crypto has never had more fans. Bitcoin, by far the most popular among other cryptocurrencies, passed the $100,000 mark for the first time just last December. Could this be the year crypto goes mainstream, taking its place beside the US-backed dollar as the global currency to watch? Laura Shin, crypto journalist, and host of the Unchained podcast, joins The Excerpt to help us understand how a new Trump administration might impact the cryptocurrency market. (Note: This interview was recorded prior to the recent $TRUMP meme coin release.) 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 Chris Kenning discusses how refugees and advocates are preparing for a second term for President-elect Donald Trump. Protests are expected this weekend ahead of Trump's Monday inauguration. Crews make progress on Los Angeles-area fires. Plus, California fires are growing larger and more destructive in general. USA TODAY TV Reporter Erin Jensen tells us about her public search for Mr. Right. Nominate yourself or someone you know to win a dream date with her. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Friday that the Israeli cabinet will meet to give final approval for the truce, following newly reported Israeli strikes in Gaza. USA TODAY Congress Reporter Riley Beggin discusses the importance of the relationship between President-elect Donald Trump and Speaker Mike Johnson ahead of Trump's inauguration Monday. Firefighters are making progress against deadly Los Angeles-area wildfires. But strong winds could return next week. Filmmaker David Lynch has died at 78. USA TODAY Personal Finance Reporter Daniel de Visé breaks down the debate over the H-1B visa. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The brazen murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in broad daylight in midtown Manhattan last year has open the floodgates to an outpouring of anger and frustration with the health insurance industry. Across the country, whether it’s about skyrocketing financial costs or access to care, there seems to be a wide agreement that health insurance in America is broken. The question is how to fix it. How can policy incentivize the industry to be better stewards of the health of its members without fueling unsustainable costs or incentivizing waste? What solutions are on the table and how might they shape the future of healthcare in America? Here to help us dig into the details is Vivian Ho, the James A. Baker III Institute Chair in Health Economics at Rice University. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

USA TODAY World Affairs Correspondent Kim Hjelmgaard breaks down what a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas means for the conflict going forward. President Joe Biden says farewell to the nation. USA TODAY White House Reporter Zac Anderson recaps a busy day of Senate confirmation hearings. President-elect Donald Trump is considering issuing an executive order after he takes office to try to save TikTok in the U.S. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.