Pelosi's passing the gavel
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Trailblazing Democrat Nancy Pelosi will step down from House leadership. Feet of lake-effect snow are expected to fall in New York. And the Leonid meteor shower could be extra-spectacular this year.
👋 Hello! Laura Davis here. Let's get to Thursday's news.
But first, confused about the FTX scandal? 🤔 Me too. Here's how the celebrity-endorsed crypto giant collapsed into chaos.
The Short List is a snappy USA TODAY news roundup. Subscribe to the newsletter here or text messages here.
Pelosi ends run as first female House speaker
Nancy Pelosi made history in 2007 when she became the first female speaker of the House and the highest-ranking woman in American political history. Now, the California congresswoman is stepping back from her role as leader of House Democrats. Along the way, she also made history for what she did on the job. “For me, the hour's come for a new generation to lead the Democratic caucus that I so deeply respect,” she said before a crowded House chamber Thursday. Pelosi will remain speaker until Jan. 3, when a new Congress is sworn in and Republicans will have the majority. The latest updates.
👉 A look at Pelosi's legacy: 'Troublemaker with a gavel' makes history.
Nancy Pelosi on her future: Still in the House, but staying out of the congressional kitchen.
Midterm elections have consequences. How Americans will feel them.
GOP House majority message to 'woke' companies: Get out of politics.
'Historic' lake-effect snowstorm blankets western New York
The snow has started. A blockbuster lake-effect snowstorm will bury parts of western New York with feet of snow, grind travel to a halt and possibly stamp new marks in the weather history books, AccuWeather forecasters said Thursday. The National Weather Service said the snow could paralyze the hardest-hit communities, including Buffalo, with periods of near-zero visibility. Keep reading for the frigid forecast.
What's the weather doing at your house? Check your local forecast here.
The Bills might host the Browns in a blizzard. Check out the NFL's most famous snow games.
What everyone's talking about
Her parents were secret swingers: The trauma of living a double life.
Soccer icons talk marriages to former coaches in wake of abuse report.
Taco Bell beefs up the menu: New Nacho Fries and a familiar item returns.
Live near a dam? It could be crumbling, threatening homes and lives.
Could meditation work as well as medication for anxiety? New study says yes.
The Short List is free, but several stories we link to are subscriber-only. Consider supporting our journalism and become a USA TODAY digital subscriber today.
Gabby Petito's family awarded $3 million in wrongful death lawsuit
A Florida judge Thursday awarded Gabby Petito’s family $3 million in a wrongful death lawsuit against the estate of Brian Laundrie. The lawsuit is separate from the negligence lawsuit filed by Petito’s parents against Laundrie’s parents. That case is expected to go to trial next August. Petito, 22, and her fiancé, Laundrie, 23, embarked on a cross-country van trip in early July 2021. Petito was later found dead from blunt force trauma near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. Laundrie returned to his parents' home in Florida before disappearing. His remains were found Oct. 20, 2021, in Myakkahatchee Creek Park.
Trial date set for lawsuit filed against parents of Brian Laundrie.
'Fed up': Gabby Petito's mother responds to Laundrie's notebook.
💫 A meteor shower worth staying up late for
Stargazers who venture out Thursday night through dawn Friday will get a treat: the peak of the Leonids meteor shower. The annual mid-November shower looks like it's coming from the constellation Leo the Lion (hence their name) in the east, but they should be visible all the way across the sky. And if meteor experts are correct, this year's show should be a good one: Onlookers could see 50 to 200 meteors an hour, AccuWeather said. So if you're headed out, bundle up and be patient. Some tips: Use a lounge chair or blanket so you don't have to crane your neck, get away from city or street lights, let your eyes adjust to the darkness, and plan to spend at least an hour outside. Here's the best time to catch the show.
Real quick
Americans will face record-high gas prices for Thanksgiving travel.
'Act like you're my mom': 10-year-old escapes potential kidnapping.
Texas shoppers, check your freezer: Tyson recalls 94,000 pounds of ground beef.
Toddler starves to death after father dies in New York apartment.
Rep. Madison Cawthorn empties offices before end of House term.
Customs agent killed, others wounded in shootout with smugglers aboard a boat.
Russian missiles, snow stagger Ukraine; Biden rejects Zelenskyy claim on missile strike in Poland. Ukraine live updates.
Is student loan forgiveness dead?
President Joe Biden’s plan for mass student loan forgiveness is at the mercy of federal judges, which means borrowers’ hopes for relief are also on hold. The legal delay comes at the same time as the end of a freeze on loan payments approaches, leaving borrowers with questions about whether they will be expected to resume payments in 2023 without wider debt relief. The Education Department and the White House would not say publicly what alternatives they were considering beyond using the president’s executive authority to cancel student loan debt. But there are only so many forms debt relief might take. As hope dwindles, here are Biden's remaining options.
Student debt relief: Biden asks appeals court to intervene, vows Supreme Court appeal.
A break from the news
🔍 How to protect your privacy while making calls and sending emails.
📺 Need a new TV? Score the best Amazon Black Friday deals.
☕ Red Cup Day is here: How to get your free Starbucks coffee cup.
Laura L. Davis is an Audience Editor at USA TODAY. Send her an email at laura@usatoday.com or follow along with her adventures – and misadventures – on Twitter. Support quality journalism like this? Subscribe to USA TODAY here.
This is a compilation of stories from across the USA TODAY Network. Want this news roundup in your inbox every night? Subscribe to the newsletter here or text messages here.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nancy Pelosi, student loan forgiveness, Buffalo, New York snow, Gabby Petito, Leonid meteor shower. It's Thursday's news.
