The Excerpt

If you’re the type of person who might enjoy five daily reminders about the certainty of death sent to your phone, you might like to know there’s an app for that. It may sound ghoulish, but the goal is to find happiness by living truthfully with the inevitability of dying. Death is, after all, our shared and unavoidable final chapter in life. Organizations like The Conversation Project encourage meaningful conversations with loved ones and caregivers about personal wishes regarding end-of-life care. What is the path to acceptance and easing into the reality of dying and death? Best-selling author Alua Arthur, a death doula, attorney, and founder of Going with Grace, joins The Excerpt to discuss the death positive movement. 

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USA TODAY Washington Bureau Chief Susan Page relays a new USA TODAY/Suffolk poll.

The Justice Department charges six leaders of Hamas with the Oct. 7th attack on Israel.

The Supreme Court rejects Oklahoma’s request to receive federal money for reproductive health care without providing referrals for abortion to those who request it.

Former President Donald Trump loses his bid to move his hush money case to federal court and avoid a New York criminal sentencing.

USA TODAY Consumer Travel Reporter Kathleen Wong talks about naturist camping.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under growing pressure to get a cease-fire deal done.

President Joe Biden boosted Vice President Kamala Harris to union workers on Labor Day.

With COVID-19 relief gone, teachers are losing their jobs.

USA TODAY Money and Personal Finance Reporter Medora Lee discusses how early access to your pay may soon be classified as a loan.

The Klamath River flows freely after the last dam comes down.

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Mass protests and strikes hit Israel after the the bodies of several hostages were recovered.

USA TODAY National Correspondent Chris Kenning tells the story of an interpreter who fled Afghanistan, and how many who aided U.S. troops remain at risk.

The final sprint to November is here!

USA TODAY Reporter Andrea Riquier discusses whether the starter home is still part of the American dream.

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The discovery of the fossilized jaw and skull of a pliosaur, a giant prehistoric marine reptile, has set enthusiasts on fire. What might these new bones teach us about how this ancient creature lived? One man with a front row seat to it all was legendary paleontologist Steve Etches, a plumber-turned-scientist who has been collecting fossils, from what’s known as the Jurassic Coast in southern England, for over 40 years. Steve joins The Excerpt to share the extraordinary story of finding and collecting this rare fossil, currently on display at the Etches Collection Museum of Jurassic Marine Life.

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Former President Donald Trump says he will vote against a ballot amendment in Florida that would overturn the state's six-week abortion ban.

USA TODAY Senior National Political Correspondent Sarah D. Wire discusses what's at stake over felon voting in Nebraska.

There's a new turn to the Adnan Syed case in Maryland.

USA TODAY Senior Data Editor Doug Caruso explains why dam breaches are a national concern in the wake of the Rapidan Dam breach earlier this summer in Minnesota. Officials announced this week the dam will be removed, according to The Minnesota Star Tribune.

The college football season kicks off in earnest.

The Paralympics continue this weekend.

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Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz sat down with CNN Thursday.

Former President Donald Trump says he wants IVF treatment fully covered, and indicates he'll vote to overturn Florida's six-week abortion ban.

WHO announces pauses in Gaza fighting for polio vaccinations.

USA TODAY Breaking News Reporter Jeanine Santucci has the latest on the astronauts stuck in space months longer than anticipated.

USA TODAY Personal Finance Reporter Daniel de Visé looks at why the number of uninsured motorists is on the rise.

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Use the word sociopath in conversation, and you're bound to see some raised eyebrows, or worse. The word itself has become less of a mental diagnosis and more of an insult you hurl at someone. But what does it really mean to be a sociopath? Dr. Patric Gagne offers a definition from both a clinical and a personal perspective. Her new book is called "Sociopath: A Memoir," Gagne's first-hand account of how she came to terms with her own sociopathy, shedding light on an often demonized and misunderstood mental condition. This episode originally aired on April 3, 2024.

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USA TODAY Trump Campaign Reporter Zac Anderson explains what happened with former President Donald Trump at Arlington National Cemetery this week.

Telegram's CEO has been charged in France.

The Supreme Court rejects the Biden administration’s request to allow a student debt relief plan to remain in effect while its legality is challenged by Republican-led states. USA TODAY Supreme Court Correspondent Maureen Groppe discusses.

Two foreigners have been charged with 'swatting' U.S. officials.

Here's what to know about sloth fever.

An estimated 2.9 billion records, including Social Security numbers, may be affected after a National Public Data breach.

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Ascension to the role of President of the United States, arguably the most powerful job in the world, has to be a heady experience. But what happens when the term runs out? Stepping down from the American presidency is clearly a sizable career pivot. How do these leaders decide what’s next and what can we learn about identity and self-fulfillment from the choices they made? Bestselling author Jared Cohen joins The Excerpt to talk about “Life After Power," his new book about how seven presidents moved into the final chapter of their lives. This episode originally aired on February 14, 2024.

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