Good morning!🙋🏼♀️ I’m Nicole Fallert,Happy first day of spring! 💐🌷
A high-stakes election for a Wisconsin state Supreme Court seat is seen as a referendum on Republican President Donald Trump and DOGE’s Elon Musk, who is leading the effort to fire thousands of federal workers, cut foreign aid and target their opponents for retribution.
Why it matters: The April 1 contest will determine the ideological direction of the state’s high court at a time when it is considering issues such as abortion, union rights and redistricting.
President Donald Trump is set to sign a long-anticipated executive order Thursday that seeks to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education, delivering on a signature campaign promise to try to dismantle the agency, according to senior Trump administration officials. Trump’s order, which is almost certain to invite legal challenges from the left, sets up a new test for the bounds of presidential authority after the Trump administration’s efforts to shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development were blocked this week by a federal district judge in Maryland. But eliminating ED in its entirety would require action from Congress.
What’s the weather today? Check your local forecast here.
As many college students and faculty get ready to enjoy spring break, others are feeling trapped within U.S. borders. If they leave, they could risk deportation. Advisories from schools to students and other community members on visas or permanent residency status urge them to postpone personal international travel for spring break, following a handful of students across these universities who recently had their visa status revoked. In losing their visas, these students could also forfeit the degrees they’ve been working so hard for.
A college student thought his texts and some nude photos were going to a girl. But the recipient was really a predator who was now blackmailing him, threatening to release the sensitive photos to his family and friends. He frantically Googled “sextortion help” and came across a company that purported it could help take down the photos. He signed up and agreed to pay $1,500 for the service. The company pushed back, saying it has thousands of satisfied customers. Read this student’s story in USA TODAY’s exclusive investigation into a surge in financial sextortion and its mental health impact on teenage boys.
First Four games continue Thursday in the women’s NCAA Tournament, with No. 11 seed Columbia vs. No. 11 seed Washington and High Point facing William & Mary. The First Four hasn’t always been a part of March Madness, but the play-in games give lower seeds a chance to earn their way into the first round of the tournament. In last night’s play-ins, Iowa State rallied from a 13-point halftime deficit to beat Princeton 68-65 behind dynamic duo Audi Crooks and Addy Brown’s stellar performances. Southern then took down UC San Diego with relative ease. Read USA TODAY Sports’ recap of last night.
Fans gathered at Barnes & Noble Union Square in New York City this week for the midnight release party of “Sunrise on the Reaping,” the latest installment by Suzanne Collins in her “Hunger Games” series. For fans old and new, the debut is an excuse to revisit Panem’s revolution.
Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com.
