The Excerpt

USA TODAY's Women of the Year recognizes women who are making a significant difference in their communities and across the country. A paralympian, tv host and astronaut are just a few of the honorees who describe in their own words what motivates them most on this bonus episode of the Excerpt. We hope you find their stories as inspiring as we do. To learn more about all of the women honored this year, you can visit womenoftheyear.usatoday.com. 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.

Speaker Johnson suggests Zelenskyy may need to resign to salvage the Ukraine-Russia peace process. Plus, European leaders agree to draw up a Ukraine peace plan. Detroit Free Press Automotive Reporter Jamie L. LaReau discusses why it's so complicated for automakers to turn on a dime amid tariff concerns. USA TODAY Senior Reporter Jessica Guynn discusses how the latest rollback on DEI is reversing gains for Black workers. 'Anora' wins big at the Oscars. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Infant mortality is rising faster than expected in states with strict abortion limits or bans. Two new studies in the medical journal JAMA reveal how restricted access to abortion can lead to higher deaths, especially for women of color. Suzanne Bell, one of the authors of the study and an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University, joins The Excerpt to explain the correlation between abortion bans and increased infant mortality. 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 explains the “unprecedented” meeting between the world leaders. President Zelenskyy later declined the opportunity to apologize to President Trump during an appearance on Fox News. The Education Department offers employees $25K to quit or retire by Monday. Hundreds of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) employees were fired this week. Some Americans are opting to raise their own chickens amid the rising price of eggs. The investigation into the death of actor Gene Hackman revealed he may have been dead for 10 days before his body was found. USA TODAY Managing Editor for Life and Entertainment Laura Trujillo shares some of what we can expect at the 97th Academy Awards. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A federal judge in Northern California has blocked the Trump administration’s mass firing of probationary federal employees. Plus, USA TODAY Democracy Reporter Erin Mansfield discusses how President Donald Trump tried to remove officials tasked with protecting federal workers' jobs. A search warrant reveals the deaths of actor Gene Hackman, his wife and dog in their New Mexico home are being considered “suspicious.” President Donald Trump met with U.K. Prime Minister Sir Kier Starmer at the White House yesterday, where he was presented with a letter and an invitation from King Charles III. A new Pentagon policy will ban troops from serving in a gender identity other than the one assigned at birth. USA TODAY Personal Finance Reporter Daniel de Visé explains why many Americans are tired of cost-cutting tips. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As bird flu, also known as H5N1, continues to spread across the country, experts are concerned about the potential for undetected transfer and mutations. A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, suggests that Americans may even be walking around with bird flu and not know it. Are we ready for a bird flu pandemic? USA TODAY Health Reporter Adrianna Rodriguez joins The Excerpt to share her reporting and tell us what she’s hearing from health officials. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

USA TODAY Congressional Correspondent Riley Beggin takes a closer look at this week's passed House Republican budget bill, and what might be next from Senate Republicans. The Supreme Court pauses a judge's order requiring the Trump administration to pay foreign aid contractors. A child has died in the Texas measles outbreak, marking the first U.S. measles death since 2015. President Trump will impose 25% tariffs on the European Union. USA TODAY White House Correspondent Joey Garrison discusses what's next as the Trump administration shifts to a new phase of large-scale cuts to the federal workforce. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is in celebration of Black History Month. For more than ninety years, the Apollo Theater, a cultural landmark in Harlem, has shaped the trajectory of entertainment in America. The list of icons is long. From Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday to Quincy Jones, Chris Rock and Stevie Wonder, it is a place of legends including those yet to be discovered. Some of today’s brightest music stars like Grammy winning jazz artist Samara Joy and Grammy winner H.E.R. seem destined for the Apollo Walk of Fame. In 1958, Dionne Warwick and her gospel group won Amateur Night at the Apollo. And just last year, she was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Legendary artist Dionne Warwick joins us on The Excerpt to discuss the legacy of the Apollo Theater and how it is still shaping our culture today. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The U.S. and Ukraine have agreed on the terms of a draft minerals deal. House Republicans advance a plan for President Donald Trump's legislative agenda. USA TODAY National Correspondent Trevor Hughes discusses how expanded ICE raids are causing problems for some schools. A federal judge blocks President Donald Trump’s refugee program suspension. Democratic senators met to discuss the consequences of President Donald Trump’s efforts to eliminate the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. USA TODAY Editor Karen Weintraub explains how a measles outbreak is spreading in rural parts of Texas. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The U.N. Security Council has adopted a neutral U.S. stance on the war in Ukraine. A judge blocks ICE enforcement actions at houses of worship. USA TODAY Supreme Court Correspondent Maureen Groppe discusses what might be at stake at the high court in a case surrounding 'reverse discrimination' claims. A judge blocks Elon Musk's DOGE from Education Department personnel information. Plus, the federal Office of Personnel Management notified workers they could ignore Elon Musk's latest DOGE directive. USA TODAY Youth Mental Health Reporting Fellow Rachel Hale talks about sexual exploitation and its impact on American teens. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he would step down if Ukraine can join NATO, while blasting President Donald Trump's mineral pitch. USA TODAY National Correspondent Dinah Voyles Pulver takes a look at some of the impact from USAID domestically. Pope Francis attended Mass Sunday but remains in critical condition. USA TODAY Money Reporter Bailey Schulz examines why we're seeing more generations living together under one roof. 'Conclave' wins big at the Screen Actors Guild Awards. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It has been one month since President Donald Trump took the oath of office and was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States. In that time, he has issued more than 70 executive orders and has bypassed Congress on issues related to citizenship, the disbursement of appropriated funds, and the overall downsizing of the federal government. What happens when one of the three branches of government overreaches and seizes power and authority from another? Critics of the president are calling it a constitutional crisis. Is that true and what does a constitutional crisis really mean? USA TODAY Justice Department Correspondent Bart Jansen joins us on The Excerpt to share his insights. 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 shakes up leadership at the Pentagon. USA TODAY Network Florida State Watchdog Reporter Ana Goñi-Lessan discusses recent ramped up efforts by ICE in northern parts of Florida to track down immigrants who have entered the country illegally. A judge indefinitely delays New York City Mayor Eric Adams' corruption trial. The Supreme Court declines President Trump's emergency bid to immediately fire the head of a government ethics watchdog agency. Plus, a judge blocks President Donald Trump's ban on DEI for federal agencies and contractors. Maine governor Janet Mills and President Trump clashed in a tense exchange at the White House over the president's threat to withhold federal funds from states that allow transgender athletes to play in girls and women sports. USA TODAY Politics and Washington Managing Editor Holly Rosenkrantz takes us behind the scenes at how her team is covering some of the latest news out of Washington and beyond. 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 Reporter Zac Anderson discusses how some of Trump's job cuts have hit Forest Service workers who help fight fires. New York Governor Kathy Hochul won't oust Mayor Eric Adams but vows stricter oversight. More than half a million Haitian refugees lose protected status. Researchers say Trump cuts to basic science and medical studies will hurt everyone. USA TODAY Personal Finance Reporter Daniel de Visé looks at the future of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and what its shutdown might mean for Americans. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With an aging baby boomer population, the demand for family caregivers in the U.S. has never been higher. While traditionally, most family caregiving has fallen to women, men are now increasingly joining their ranks. Although both sexes face a financial, emotional and physical toll, men are still the primary breadwinners in most opposite sex families, and in that aspect, face unique challenges. How can we as a society better support them? Jason Resendez, president and CEO of the National Alliance for Caregiving, joins The Excerpt to dig into these issues. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tensions continue between President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. USA TODAY Justice Department Correspondent Bart Jansen discusses a lawsuit over Trump's anti-diversity and transgender orders. A judge holds off on deciding whether to drop a corruption case surrounding New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Hamas has handed over the bodies of the youngest Gaza hostages taken from Israel. USA TODAY Congress and Campaigns Reporter Savannah Kuchar talks through new 'sex-based definitions' from the federal government. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

50 years ago, a Canadian comedian named Lorne Michaels kicked off the first season of what would rapidly become a cultural institution. That show is SNL, aka Saturday Night Live, a mainstay of late-night entertainment. It’s also the longest-running, most Emmy-nominated, and highest-rated weekly late-night show in television history. How has Michaels done it? Ten years ago, Susan Morrison, articles editor at The New Yorker, rolled up her sleeves to find out. Susan is the author of the newly released title “Lorne: The Man Who Invented Saturday Night Live,” the definitive biography of SNL executive producer Lorne Michaels, and joins The Excerpt to share her insights. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The U.S. and Russia met Tuesday on Ukraine ceasefire negotiations, while Ukraine and other European nations were shut out of the talks. USA TODAY Democracy Reporter Erin Mansfield discusses a complaint filed by lawyers, arguing President Donald Trump's mass firing of probationary employees was illegal and not performance-based. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is scrambling to rehire fired employees who play a key role in the agency's response to bird flu. Plus, a judge won't block Elon Musk's records access because states couldn't show 'irreparable harm.' USA TODAY Money and Personal Finance Reporter Medora Lee talks about the possibility of IRS staffing cuts and what that might mean for taxpayers. Episode Transcript available here Also available at art19.com/shows/5-Things See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A regional jet flipped upside down upon arrival at Canada's Toronto Pearson Airport on Monday. USA TODAY National Correspondent Terry Collins discusses this week's protests against President Donald Trump and Elon Musk. Pope Francis remains in the hospital as doctors treat an infection. El Paso Times Border and Immigration Reporter Jeff Abbott breaks down a lawsuit over the elimination of ICE's sensitive locations policy. As sports betting skyrockets, more Americans search for addiction help, according to a new study. Episode Transcript available here Also available at art19.com/shows/5-Things See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Des Moines Register Agriculture, Environment and Energy Reporter Donnelle Eller discusses how President Donald Trump's spending freeze has stuck Iowa farmers with millions in bills for conservation work. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives in Saudi Arabia ahead of Russia talks to end the war in Ukraine. Plus, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says he is willing to send peacekeeping troops to Ukraine after the war. A judge blocks mass layoffs at the consumer protection agency targeted by Trump. USA TODAY National Correspondent Elizabeth Weise explains why a futuristic-looking solar energy plant is doomed. It's President's Day! And Monday is Random Acts of Kindness Day. Episode Transcript available here Also available at art19.com/shows/5-Things See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.