The health secretary says Americans shouldn't take medical advice from him. What's next after the Menendez brothers are eligible for parole? And see the best look on the Cannes red carpet. |
RFK Jr. grilled over vaccine stance, HHS cuts |
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was met with protesters chanting "RFK kills people with AIDS" and faced tough questioning over his vaccine stance and support for cuts to top health agencies during a marathon day of hearings with House lawmakers and senators on Capitol Hill. Kennedy, nearly four months into the job, also defended President Donald Trump's proposed cuts to programs and staff at the Department of Health and Human Services, including the National Institutes of Health and the CDC. 👉 Highlights from Kennedy Jr.'s hearings. |
Tension over vaccine stance: During a House Appropriations Committee hearing on Wednesday, Kennedy avoided a direct answer about vaccines, saying his opinions are "irrelevant." The HHS secretary has long questioned vaccine effectiveness and promoted debunked claims linking certain vaccines to autism. Kennedy told lawmakers, "I don't think people should be taking medical advice from me." 👉 What Kennedy has said about vaccines. | Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, testifies in front of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee in Washington, D.C., on May 15, 2025. Jack Gruber, USA TODAY |
Overdoses see largest one-year decline ever recorded |
During the COVID-19 pandemic, it wasn't just the virus wreaking havoc on the nation — drug overdoses rose too. But the number of Americans who died from overdoses involving drugs like fentanyl and meth dropped by 27% last year, falling to a level not seen since before the pandemic, according to the CDC. Experts attribute the decrease to several factors, including broader access to the opioid antidote naloxone, $50 billion in funding for drug treatment and youth prevention from national opioid settlements, and a crackdown on drugs smuggled through Canada and Mexico. 👉 What to know about the drop in overdose deaths. |
One step closer to freedom? |
The Menendez brothers are now eligible for parole after a Los Angeles judge ruled to resentence them following decades in prison for the shotgun murders of their parents at their Beverly Hills, California, home in 1989. Lyle Menendez, 57, and Erik Menendez, 54, were originally sentenced to life without parole in 1996. But Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic reduced their sentences to 50 years to life, making them eligible for parole under California law. |
What happens next? The siblings will go before the state's parole board, which will recommend whether they are suitable for release. California Gov. Gavin Newsom will accept or reject the parole board's recommendation if it signs off on their resentencing. 👉 Why the case gained renewed attention. | Erik (L) and Lyle (R) Menendez conversing in the courtroom during a hearing in Los Angeles, Calif. on Feb. 2, 1995. KIM KULISH, AFP via Getty Images |
Who walked the red carpet? Cannes, the famous international film festival in the south of France, is underway – and is causing a stir with its new dress code rules. The festival announced the new dress code on Tuesday that prohibits "voluminous outfits," particularly if they have "a large train," as well as nudity. Halle Berry, who is serving on the competition jury, revealed she had to switch out her preplanned outfit by celebrity designer and couturier Gaurav Gupta because "it's too big of a train." 👗 What Berry said about the new rule. | Halle Berry, jury member of the 78th Cannes Film Festival, walks on the red carpet during arrivals for the screening of the film "Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning" at the 78th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, on Wednesday. Manon Cruz, REUTERS |
Rebecca Morin is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY. Got thoughts or feedback? Reach out to her at rdmorin@usatoday.com. | | Cassie testified again about the alleged sexual, physical and psychological abuse she endured at the hands of former partner Sean "Diddy" Combs. | | Feds file smuggling charge against Petrova after Judge Christina Reiss questioned a CBP officer's authority to strip her of her student visa. | | | | Twitch streamer Hasan Piker says he was stopped and interrogated by U.S. Customs agents about his political beliefs. | | | | Has "Mission: Impossible" reached its endgame? If so, Tom Cruise goes out in style – diving into a sub, hanging off a biplane – in "Final Reckoning." | | | | The NFL is releasing the entire 2025 schedule on Wednesday. Here are all the rumored matchups leaked ahead of the official release. | | | | The multi-hyphenate mogul has made living the high life his brand. Now prosecutors aim to seize much of it under federal asset forfeiture laws. | | | | Karmelo Anthony, an 18-year-old Texas teen charged in the murder of a fellow track athlete, is reportedly set to receive his high school diploma. | | | | The popular children's content creator says that her actions come from empathy, not antisemitism: "It should be controversial to not say anything." | | | | Flooding was reported in several states, including Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia, from a massive storm system. | | | | Get to know the real history behind the Tony-nominated "Operation Mincemeat," about how MI5 agents used a corpse to change the course of World War II. | | | | | Brighten your day with one of our games. | | | | |
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