USA TODAY

President Donald #Trump says he's "sort of made up my mind" on whether to take military action in #Venezuela, a move that would escalate an already tense situation after the United States spent two months striking alleged drug boats in the #Caribbean.

The #UnitedStates deployed F-35 aircraft, warships and a nuclear submarine to the region as part of a military buildup following two months of deadly strikes against boats off Venezuela.

Earlier this week, the Gerald Ford aircraft carrier strike group moved into the Latin America region - bringing with it more than 75 military aircraft and over 5,000 troops.

The U.S. refuses to recognize the legitimacy of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who has held office since Hugo Chavez's death in 2013, as the country's head of state.

The State Department is offering $50 million for information leading to his arrest or conviction, an amount they have repeatedly increased since 2020. www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2025/11/15/trump…

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USA TODAY

Michelle Obama said Americans don't want a woman to be president, and that's why they shouldn't look to her to run for the nation's highest office.

"As we saw in this past election, sadly, we ain’t ready," Obama said. "That’s why I’m like, don’t even look at me about running, because you all are lying. You’re not ready for a woman. You are not."

The former first lady and wife of President Barack Obama made the comments Nov. 14 in a conversation with Tracee Ellis Ross at the Brooklyn Academy of Music promoting her new book, "The Look."

"So don't waste my time," she continued. "We got a lot of growing up to do, and there are still, sadly, a lot of men who feel like they cannot be led by a woman, and we saw it. I think we still have growing to do in that regard."

Read more: www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/11/15/mi…

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USA TODAY

President Donald #Trump says he's asking the #DOJ and the #FBI to investigate Democrats linked to sex offender Jeffrey #Epstein, including former President #BillClinton, who he alleged "spent large portions of their life" with the disgraced financier.

"I will be asking A.G. Pam Bondi, and the Department of Justice, together with our great patriots at the FBI, to investigate Jeffrey Epstein’s involvement and relationship with Bill Clinton, Larry Summers, Reid Hoffman, J.P. Morgan Chase, and many other people and institutions, to determine what was going on with them, and him," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Bondi responded a few hours later that she asked Jay Clayton, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of #NewYork, to "take the lead" on the investigation.

Trump's call came after Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released emails obtained from Epstein's estate in which the late financier, who was friends with Trump for more than a decade, alleged the president "knew about the girls."

"I am the one able to take him down," Epstein wrote in another email. www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/11/14/tr…

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USA TODAY

Already a sensation in #Japan, when Pokémon launched in the #UnitedStates in August 1998, in Topeka, #Kansas, the franchise wasn’t just an idle pastime for children – it was a cultural and entertainment juggernaut that was about to go global.

Looking back, #Pokémon has never really been just a kid’s game or TV show. It’s always been bigger: a shared experience across generations and cultures.

Each game release is bigger and better-selling than the last, and with the franchise expanding into our phones with #PokémonGO and Pokémon TCG Pocket, collections no longer need a shoebox under your bed — they live in your pocket, accessible at any moment.

The mediums may have changed and expanded over time, but the thrill hasn’t. www.usatoday.com/story/graphics/2025/11/14/pokemon…

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USA TODAY

A six-figure salary doesn’t mean what it once did.

That’s the takeaway from a new Harris poll, which suggests a six-figure income in 2025 equates to survival, but not necessarily to success. One in three six-figure earners described themselves in the poll as financially distressed. Two in three said six-figure pay is not a sign of wealth.

The notion that high-salary workers are struggling rings counter-intuitive. Economic data shows high-income Americans increasingly power the economy, spending freely at a time when less affluent households are pinched.

A $100,000 income should put you firmly in the middle class, given that the median annual pay of America’s full-time workers is around $62,000.

Middle-class Americans may not be wealthy, but they have come to expect a measure of economic stability. www.usatoday.com/story/money/2025/11/14/americans-…

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USA TODAY

#Target said the company wants to make sure customers truly feel like guests who are appreciated.

The new policy requires employees who are within 10 feet of customers to smile, make eye contact, wave, and use friendly, approachable, and welcoming body language, the Minneapolis-based retailer told USA TODAY.

If staff members are within 4 feet of customers, they must personally greet the guests, smile, and initiate a warm, helpful interaction, Target said.

The requirements are part of a program called 10-4. The program is one way Target is trying to elevate the shopping experience, the company told USA TODAY.

The company did not say when the policy will go into effect, or whether employees will be reprimanded if they don’t abide by the policy. www.usatoday.com/story/grocery/2025/11/10/target-n…

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USA TODAY

Breaking: The Justice Department is joining a lawsuit against California Gov. Gavin Newsom over the redrawing of the state's congressional districts ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/11/13/do…

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USA TODAY

The longest government shutdown in U.S. history has come to an end after 43 days.

President Donald Trump signed legislation on Wednesday night that reopens the federal government and starts to resolve the mass chaos the shutdown created.

Trump's approval came after the House of Representatives voted 222-209 earlier in the evening on a funding package to turn the lights back on, moving past a political mess that has lasted for more than a month and left millions of Americans unable to travel or afford food.

After weeks without pay, hundreds of thousands of government workers will head back to work in the coming days. Under the terms of the funding package, federal employees will be compensated retroactively even though they have not been on the job. www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/11/12/lo…

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USA TODAY

Breaking: Accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein's emails mentioned Trump repeatedly, according to records House Democrats released. www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/11/12/tr…

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USA TODAY

Exclusive: 2028 LA Olympics full schedule is out with big change to put women first.

See the full schedule: www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2025/11/12/…

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