The podcast that broke the internet
👋 Hello! Rebecca Morin here. The vibes for Thursday: sunny, warm and newsy.
But first: A centuries-old helmet on another planet? 🌎 Nope, it's just a rock on the surface of Mars that looks to have a pointed peak and a flared "brim."
A new era ushered in
From a broken heart to one fully restored, Taylor Swift's upcoming era, "The Life of a Showgirl,' will be fun, pop and upbeat − at least according to Travis Kelce, the mega-popstar's boyfriend. Swift made her highly anticipated debut as a guest on Kelce's "New Heights" podcast Wednesday. As the episode began, the singer's website updated with an album cover of her submerged in bathwater in a bedazzled corset, along with an Oct. 3 release date for her new 12-track album.
When was the album made? Swift wrote, sang and produced "Showgirl" during the European leg of the Eras Tour, flying to Sweden to record. The album was produced by Swedish producers Max Martin and Shellback, along with Swift. The artwork represents the end of her nights on tour. 🎶 Highlights from Swift's interview.
Trump's gambit
It's like a game of chess. At least that's how President Donald Trump is describing his high-stakes, one-on-one meeting Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. In an interview with Fox News Radio on Thursday, Trump said he hopes the meeting with Russia's leader will lead to a second meeting with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy where the two sides can hammer out details for a peace deal. Trump will meet with Putin at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage. 👉 Trump said there's a '25% chance' the meeting could fail to advance peace talks.
Ukraine's defense: Zelenskyy visited London on Thursday – one day before the Trump-Putin summit – to shore up European support for efforts to prevent any agreement that would carve up Ukraine. 👉 Trump has said a deal could include what he called a land swap.
Real quick
A Biden-Trump feud
Just not the Biden and Trump you might be thinking of. First lady Melania Trump threatened Aug. 6 to sue Hunter Biden, the son of former President Joe Biden, for more than $1 billion if he doesn't retract the claim that she was introduced to her husband by convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Hunter Biden said Thursday that he had read the account in newspaper articles dating back to 2019. When asked during an interview whether he would like to apologize to the first lady for his comments, he said: 'F--- that. That's not going to happen.' 👉 What to know about Melania Trump's proposed legal action.
What's in your water?
More towns have 'forever chemicals' in their water systems, according to new data from the Environmental Protection Agency. A USA TODAY analysis of new test results the EPA released last week shows 839 water systems had yearly averages exceeding EPA limits for two types of forever chemicals. The latest data release showed some smaller communities had reported the most eye-popping concentrations in their drinking water. For example, in Nashville, North Carolina, a town of 6,000 east of Raleigh, the average of two samples taken last fall and this March was 86 times over the limit.
'Forever chemicals' risks: The chemicals, PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, increase the risk of certain types of cancer and other health problems. 👉 See which cities have 'forever chemicals.'
A break from the news
Rebecca Morin is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY. Got thoughts or feedback? Reach out to her at rdmorin@usatoday.com.
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CNBC
a few seconds ago
- CNBC
Europeans to back Zelenskyy in Washington as Trump presses Ukraine deal
European leaders will join Volodymyr Zelenskyy to meet Donald Trump in Washington, they said on Sunday, seeking to shore up Zelenskyy's position as the U.S. president presses Ukraine to accept a quick peace deal to end Europe's deadliest war in 80 years. Trump is leaning on Zelenskyy to strike an agreement after he met Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin in Alaska and emerged more aligned with Moscow on seeking a peace deal instead of a ceasefire first. Trump and Zelenskyy will meet on Monday. "If peace is not going to be possible here and this is just going to continue on as a war, people will continue to die by the thousands ... we may unfortunately wind up there, but we don't want to wind up there," Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in an interview with CBS. Trump on Sunday promised "BIG PROGRESS ON RUSSIA" in a social media post without specifying what this might be. Sources briefed on Moscow's thinking told Reuters the U.S. and Russian leaders have discussed proposals for Russia to relinquish tiny pockets of occupied Ukraine in exchange for Kyiv ceding a swathe of fortified land in the east and freezing the front lines elsewhere. Top Trump officials hinted the fate of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region - which incorporates Donetsk and Luhansk and which is already mostly under Russian control - was on the line, while some sort of defensive pact was also on the table. "We were able to win the following concession, that the United States could offer Article 5-like protection," Trump envoy Steve Witkoff told CNN on Sunday, suggesting this would be in lieu of Ukraine seeking NATO membership. He said it was "the first time we had ever heard the Russians agree to that." Article 5 of NATO's founding treaty enshrines the principle of collective defense, the notion that an attack on a single member is considered an attack on them all. That pledge may not be enough to sway leaders in Kyiv to sign over Donbas. Ukraine's borders were already meant to have been guaranteed when Ukraine surrendered a Soviet-era nuclear arsenal in 1994, and it proved to be little deterrent when Russia absorbed Crimea in 2014 and then launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. The war has now dragged on for 3-1/2 years and killed or wounded more than 1 million people. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosted a meeting of allies on Sunday to bolster Zelenskyy's hand, hoping in particular to lock down robust security guarantees for Ukraine that would include a U.S. role. The Europeans are keen to help Zelenskyy avoid a repeat of his last Oval Office meeting in February. That went disastrously, with Trump and Vice President JD Vance giving the Ukrainian leader a public dressing-down, accusing him of being ungrateful and disrespectful. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will also travel to Washington, as will Finland's President Alexander Stubb, whose access to Trump included rounds of golf in Florida earlier this year, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who is an admirer of many of Trump's policies. European leaders at the Sunday meeting projected unity, welcoming U.S. talk of a security guarantee but stressing no discussions over territory could take place without Kyiv's involvement and clear arrangements to safeguard the rest of Ukraine's land. Some called for an immediate ceasefire, something Trump originally said he was trying to secure during his summit with Putin. Trump later changed course and agreed with the Russians that peace negotiations could come without a ceasefire, an idea that was dismissed by some of Ukraine's European allies. "You cannot negotiate peace under falling bombs," Poland's foreign ministry said in a statement. A joint communique released by Britain, France and Germany after the meeting said their leaders were ready "to deploy a reassurance force once hostilities have ceased, and to help secure Ukraine's skies and seas and regenerate Ukraine's armed forces." Some European countries, led by Britain and France, have been working since last year on such a plan, but other countries in the region remain reluctant to become involved militarily, underlining how fraught peace discussions are even among Kyiv's allies. Zelenskyy said on social media platform X that there had been "clear support for Ukraine's independence and sovereignty" at the meeting. "Everyone agrees that borders must not be changed by force." He added that any prospective security guarantees "must really be very practical, delivering protection on land, in the air, and at sea, and must be developed with Europe's participation." Rubio said both Russia and Ukraine would need to make concessions to reach a peace deal and that security guarantees for Ukraine would be discussed on Monday. He also said there would have to be additional consequences for Russia if no deal was reached. "I'm not saying we're on the verge of a peace deal, but I am saying that we saw movement, enough movement to justify a follow-up meeting with Zelenskyy and the Europeans, enough movement for us to dedicate even more time to this," Rubio told broadcaster CBS. For his part, Putin briefed his close ally, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, about the Alaska talks, and also spoke with Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Trump said on Friday that Ukraine should make a deal to end the war because "Russia is a very big power, and they're not." After the Alaska summit, Trump phoned Zelenskyy and told him the Kremlin chief had offered to freeze most front lines if Ukraine ceded all of Donetsk, a source familiar with the matter said. Zelenskyy rejected the demand.
Newsweek
a few seconds ago
- Newsweek
Steve Witkoff Applauds 'Game-Changing' Security Guarantee for Ukraine
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said on Sunday that Russian President Vladimir Putin has indicated he is open to the U.S. agreeing a security guarantee with Ukraine resembling the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) Article 5 protection. "We were able to win the following concession: That the United States could offer Article 5-like protection, which is one of the real reasons why Ukraine wants to be in NATO," Witkoff told CNN's Jake Tapper, adding that it was "the first time we had ever heard the Russians agree to that." Newsweek reached out by submission form to the U.S. State Department on Sunday afternoon. Why It Matters President Donald Trump and Putin met on Friday in Alaska to discuss the war in ongoing war in Ukraine and what it would take for Russia to end its assault. Critics hit out at Trump for providing Putin with red-carpet treatment in exchange for seemingly little in the way of concessions, including a military fly-over, a gift to the Russian leader, and a joint ride in Trump's armored limousine. Putin is a wanted man with a warrant out for his arrest by the International Criminal Court (ICC), although neither the U.S. nor Russia are signatories to the Rome Statutes. The meeting ended without any agreement on a ceasefire or peace deal, but Trump officials have talked up possible concessions made by the Russians, although details did not start to surface until Sunday. U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff is seen at the White House on August 8 in Washington, D.C. U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff is seen at the White House on August 8 in Washington, To Know Following the Alaska summit, the only information to surface indicated that land swaps had been discussed, much to the frustration of Ukrainian supporters and allies. Trump told European leaders that he backed a plan in which Ukraine would cede territory it still controlled to Russia, The New York Times reported, citing two senior European officials. However, Witkoff on Sunday said the Russians had agreed to a "game-changing" concession, which would allow the U.S. to establish security guarantees modeled after NATO's Article 5 protections, which states that an attack against any member of NATO is an attack against all members of NATO—also known as the collective defense clause. "I don't know that we have the time now to go through all the different issues on these five regions," Witkoff said when asked if Ukraine would have to give up all of the Donbas region to Russia. He added: "The Russians made some concessions at the table with regard to all five of those regions. There is an important discussion to be had with regard to Donetsk and what would happen there. And that discussion is going to specifically be detailed on Monday when [Ukrainian] President [Volodymyr] Zelensky arrives with his delegation." One of Putin's fears is that Ukraine would become a member of NATO, expanding the U.S. and European footprint even more along the border of Russia. Witkoff said on Sunday that Russia had agreed to enact a law that it would not "go after any other European countries and violate their sovereignty. And there was plenty more." European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen applauded the move, saying that Europe was "ready to do its share" to contribute to the collective defense guarantee. Several European leaders will participate in a meeting between Trump and Zelensky this week, which will precede a possible trilateral meeting between Trump, Zelensky, and Putin. The trilateral meeting is still a far-off possibility, but Trump has set a soft deadline for the end of the month to arrange it. TAPPER: 'Is that what's on the table, that Ukraine has to agree to cede all of Donbas?' WITKOFF: 'I don't know that we have the time now to go through all the different issues on these five regions… The Russians made some concessions at the table with regard to all five of… — State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) August 17, 2025 What People Are Saying U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff during his appearance on CNN's State of the Union: "My view is that we are going to [do] a trilateral, and what we're trying to accomplish on Monday is get some consensus from President Zelensky and his team. We had some really good, specific, granular conversation on the plane ride home with President Zelensky about what he would be seeking, and we don't think there are any obstacles in that conversation that we heard, and so I'm hopeful that we have a productive meeting on Monday, we get to real consensus, we're able to come back to the Russians and push this peace deal forward, and get it done and stop the killing." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last week wrote on X: "On the day of negotiations, the Russians are killing as well. And that speaks volumes. Recently, weʼve discussed with the U.S. and Europeans what can truly work. Everyone needs a just end to the war. Ukraine is ready to work as productively as possible to bring the war to an end, and we count on a strong position from America. Everything will depend on this – the Russians factor in American strength. Make no mistake – strength." What Happens Next? Zelensky and some European leaders will meet with Trump on Monday to discuss his requirements for a peace deal in the aftermath of Trump's meeting with Putin. This article includes reporting by The Associated Press.
Time Magazine
a few seconds ago
- Time Magazine
State Department Halts Medical Visas For Palestinians
The State Department said it would stop issuing visas to Palestinians from Gaza, including to those coming to the United States for humanitarian and medical treatment, following a campaign by far-right political activist Laura Loomer. 'All visitor visas for individuals from Gaza are being stopped while we conduct a full and thorough review of the process and procedures used to issue a small number of temporary medical-humanitarian visas in recent days,' the U.S. State Department said in a statement on Saturday. The decision will impact several programs that have evacuated dozens of critically injured children from Gaza over the last 21 months, including amputees and severe burn victims. The announcement came just hours after a series of social media posts from Loomer criticizing the medical evacuations of Palestinian children to the U.S. In one post, she shared a video of a child amputee arriving in a wheelchair at Seattle airport for medical treatment, adding: 'The Trump administration needs to shut this abomination down ASAP.' Loomer, who once described herself as a 'proud Islamaphobe' and said 9/11 was an 'inside job,' made false claims in her posts and said she had sent her 'evidence' to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Hours later, the pause was announced. Rubio told "Face the Nation" on CBS on Sunday that the action came after "outreach from multiple congressional offices asking questions about it." But Loomer quickly took credit for the pause, posting: 'It's amazing how fast we can get results from the Trump administration.' The Palestinian Children Relief Fund (PCRF), a charity that organizes medical evacuations of children to the U.S., said the move will prevent them from providing 'lifesaving medical treatment' for 'critically ill children' from Gaza. 'Medical evacuations are a lifeline for the children of Gaza who would otherwise face unimaginable suffering or death due to the collapse of medical infrastructure in Gaza,' the PCRF said in a statement. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Gaza's health system has been in collapse, and there has been a 'relentless and systematic decimation of hospitals in Gaza.' The United Nations children's charity, UNICEF, said in July that more than 17,000 children have been killed and 33,000 injured in Gaza in the last 21 months. HEAL Palestine, another charity that organizes evacuations and which was specifically targeted by Loomer in her posts, said this month it has evacuated 63 injured children and 148 total evacuees to the U.S. to receive treatment. Earlier this month, it carried out the largest known evacuation of wounded children from Gaza to the U.S., which included 11 children and their families, most of them for treatment of amputations. HEAL Palestine made it clear on social media that the visas it uses to bring people to the U.S. for treatment were not for resettlement, but for lifesaving care, contrary to Loomer's claims. 'After their treatment is complete, the children and any accompanying family members return to the Middle East. This is a medical treatment program, not a refugee resettlement program,' HEAL Palestine said Saturday. The charity added that U.S. tax dollars do not fund the treatment provided to these children. Loomer, a conspiracy theorist with a history of using hate speech to gain attention, has acquired an outsized influence over the White House in President Donald Trump's second term. She has successfully lobbied to remove people from top government roles whom she considers disloyal to the president, including six from the National Security Council, a senior Customs and Border Protection official, and a Food and Drug Administration vaccine official. TIME has contacted the State Department for comment.
