It’s allergy season and that means sneezing, coughing and itchy eyes for many. If you’ve wondered if your allergies are getting worse, you’re not alone. New research shows that pollen season is getting longer and more intense. But why? Lew Ziska, associate professor at Columbia University and a co-author of a new study on pollen, joins The Excerpt to share the science behind an intensifying allergy season.

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USA TODAY Money Editor Charisse Jones takes a look at the market response to President Donald Trump's move pausing reciprocal tariffs for most countries.

A jailed U.S. citizen has been released in a prisoner swap with Russia.

USA TODAY National Immigration Reporter Lauren Villagran discusses how tourists detained by ICE are revealing shocking detention conditions.

International tourists are turning away from the U.S. as a travel destination.

The Masters golf tournament tees off.

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Microsoft says it has created a new state of matter to power quantum computers - one that’s neither liquid, solid nor gas. It’s the latest major announcement in the race to achieve a new level of computing power, one that’s exponentially faster by several magnitudes than traditional computers. This historic achievement will transform the development of new drug treatments, data encryption and artificial intelligence. How is Microsoft advancing the science of quantum computing? Chetan Nayak, a technical fellow in quantum hardware at Microsoft and co-author of the study that first presented Microsoft’s research in the scientific journal Nature, joins The Excerpt to talk about both the science and the progress. Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to [email protected]

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President Donald Trump's latest tariffs take effect Wednesday.

USA TODAY Justice Department Correspondent Aysha Bagchi discusses the Supreme Court's move to halt the reinstatement of fired federal employees.

Trump signs an executive order aimed at reviving the U.S. coal industry.

Health Secretary RFK Jr. is going after fluoride in tap water.

USA TODAY National Correspondent Trevor Hughes says President Trump has cancelled hundreds of student visas.

Texas surpasses 500 measles cases since January.

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He terrorized women. He slipped through the cracks. But one detective refused to give up. Untested, an exclusive true crime podcast series from WITNESS and USA TODAY, brings listeners along on this detective’s quest to bring a serial sex offender to justice. Coming in April.

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A Supreme Court ruling will allow the Trump administration to resume the deportation of certain immigrants.

The U.S. stock market had a turbulent day after President Trump's newly imposed tariffs went into effect over the weekend.

USA TODAY Congress Reporter Savannah Kuchar explains the impact the stock market and newly imposed tariffs have on President Donald Trump’s approval ratings.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court placed a hold on the return of a Maryland father mistakenly deported to El Salvador. 

USA TODAY White House Reporter Zac Anderson talks about how some Trump allies are sounding off in the tariff debate. 

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faces backlash after publicly supporting the MMR vaccine. 

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People are passionate about their views, and we'll continue to bring you that pulse from readers and listeners like you. Today you’ll hear from Senior Voices Editor Casey Blake about how her team envisioned Forum, a place for people to share their opinions on topics in the news. If you'd like to weigh in on a different topic, you can find more questions at usatoday.com/forum. And if your submission is selected for print, we might invite you to add your voice to a future special bonus episode like this one. Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to [email protected].

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What's next for the market response to tariffs?

USA TODAY Justice Department Correspondent Aysha Bagchi discusses why Trump's moves to punish law firms are causing alarm.

The Justice Department has suspended a lawyer who criticized the Trump administration in the deportation case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia.

USA TODAY Senior National Political Correspondent Sarah D. Wire talks about the potential implications of cuts for local libraries.

In our latest edition of 'Kind Time,' An MTA agent spreads kindness on the New York City subway.

UConn defeats South Carolina for the women's college basketball championship.

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Among the nation's nearly 14 million estimated unauthorized immigrants, more than two million didn't sneak over the border or overstay a visa but rather took what was once a legal pathway to the United States endorsed by President Joe Biden. The problem with that? Well, Biden isn’t president anymore, Donald Trump is. And so, what was legal just a few months ago, could easily be illegal tomorrow. The question is, what happens to people who made reasonable plans for staying in the US but suddenly find themselves illegal virtually overnight? What about their families, their kids, their employers? USA TODAY Immigration and Border Reporter Lauren Villagran joins The Excerpt to share her reporting on this developing story.

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USA TODAY White House Correspondent Michael Collins discusses a judge's decision to order a deported man sent back to the United States.

Stocks plunge again. And China retaliates.

States are suing the National Institutes of Health over ending life-saving medical research grants that Trump officials say were "DEI studies."

USA TODAY National Correspondent Dinah Voyles Pulver explains how the military is taking an abrupt turn after decades of climate change research.

Trump extends the decision on TikTok for another 75 days.

It's Final Four weekend! How's your bracket doing?

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