promoearn: 🇺🇸 Honoring all who have served

Thursday, November 11

Honor guards carry the U.S. flag from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial before a Veterans Day event in Washington to honor those who have served in the armed forces.

A 22-year-old woman is the ninth person to die in the deadly incident at Travis Scott's Astroworld. It's Thursday's news.

President Joe Biden honored the military for Veterans Day. A ninth victim died in the tragedy at Astroworld. And critters such as seahorses and seals are returning to live in the River Thames.

👋 Hello! It's Laura. Nothing rhymes with Thursday, so here's the news.

But first, veterans, we salute you! 🇺🇸 It's Veterans Day. Check out some great photos of Americans honoring those who served in the armed forces.

The Short List is a snappy USA TODAY news roundup. Subscribe to the newsletter here or text messages here.

Racism along this historic Maryland route was rampant. Then students helped ignite change. The latest installment of "Seven Days of 1961" looks back at Nov. 11, 1961, when hundreds of students drew attention to segregated restaurants along a popular travel route.

Honoring those who served

To our veterans: Thank you for your service on Veterans Day – and every day.

President Joe Biden honored those who have served in the U.S. military in a Veterans Day speech Thursday at Arlington National Cemetery. "Our veterans represent the best of America," the president said. "You are the very spine of America. Not just the backbone, you're the spine of this country. And all of us – all of us – owe you." The White House announced new actions Thursday to allow veterans to make medical claims on certain lung and respiratory effects they may have experienced because of exposure to contaminants and environmental hazards, including those who were exposed to Agent Orange.

•	Why women veterans say Americans make them 'feel invisible.'
•	Is 'Happy Veterans Day' or 'Thank you for your service' OK? Vets explain.
•	Biden announces effort to ID veterans' health issues caused by toxic air.
•	The first Veterans Day: Lasting images of World War I celebrations.

Ninth person dies in Astroworld concert tragedy

The tragedy at Travis Scott's Astroworld Festival claimed the life of a ninth victim . The death of Bharti Shahani, 22, a college student, brings the toll to nine. Scores of other attendees were injured and at least one was hospitalized after a crowd surge pushed concertgoers toward the stage. Shahani, a computer science major, attended the show with her sister, Namrata, and her cousin, Mohit Bellani, who described the crowd surge as a "sinkhole." In a statement Thursday, Scott's team said the rapper is "distraught" by the tragedy and will work on providing aid to families who lost loved ones "as soon as possible."

•	'This is when it all got real': Firefighter log reveals deadly moments.
•	Travis Scott's lawyer slams 'finger-pointing' over Astroworld tragedy.
•	A minute-by-minute, visual account of how chaos unfolded at Astroworld.

A memorial to those who died at the Astroworld Festival lines a fence outside NGR Park on Nov. 9 in Houston. Nine people were killed and dozens injured in a crowd surge during a Travis Scott concert at the music festival. Several lawsuits have been filed against Scott, and authorities are investigating what happened. Scott, a Houston-native rapper, launched the festival in 2018.

Brandon Bell/Getty Images

What everyone's talking about

•	Why is everything so expensive? It's complicated.
•	Olympian Suni Lee says she was pepper-sprayed in racist attack.
•	Seasonal affective disorder is here. Know the symptoms and how to cope.
•	Working remotely after COVID-19? Almost half of US workers would take a pay cut for it.
•	Elon Musk follows through on his promise, sells $1.1B in Tesla stock. Was he playing the market?

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.

Defense rests in Rittenhouse trial

A day after emotional testimony and a call for a mistrial in Kyle Rittenhouse's murder trial, his defense attorneys rested Thursday after building their self-defense case by calling a use-of-force expert, media commentator and police officer to the stand. Jurors heard from John Black, an expert in use of force from Oregon, who said about one minute and 20 seconds passed from the time of Rittenhouse's first shot to his final shot. Rittenhouse, 18, is charged with killing two men and injuring a third during chaotic protests in this city south of Milwaukee after a white police officer shot Jacob Blake, a Black man, in August 2020. Catch up on the latest from the trial.

•	Tears, yelling, calls for a mistrial: What the dramatic day in court could mean.
•	Opinion: Rittenhouse deserves an award for his melodramatic performance on the witness stand.

Kyle Rittenhouse, center, and his lawyers Corey Chirafisi and Natalie Wisco look on after a break in proceedings in his trial at the Kenosha County Courthouse in Kenosha, Wis., on Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021. Rittenhouse is accused of killing two people and wounding a third during a protest over police brutality in Kenosha, last year. (Mark Hertzberg/Pool Photo via AP) ORG XMIT: WIPO303

Mark Hertzberg, AP

COVID-19 cases on the rise ... again

New coronavirus infections are rising again in most states for the first time in two months , and deaths are increasing in about half of the states. In the week ending Wednesday, case counts were higher in 29 states than they were the week before. A month ago, cases were rising in 12 states. The states reporting increased infections are primarily in the North, which had fared far better in the late summer as the delta variant clobbered the South. The highly contagious delta variant began dominating even after vaccines, which are most effective at preventing severe disease and death, became widely available to all adults. Health officials encourage booster shots and authorized a vaccine for children.

•	Teachers are tired. Staff stretched thin, schools cancel classes.
•	22 million babies missed measles vaccines during the pandemic. Why the CDC says that's a big problem.

Logan Hute, 9, steps up to receive his COVID-19 vaccine from medical assistant Mary Rojas at Native Health Central clinic in Phoenix on Nov. 5, 2021.

Rob Schumacher/The Republic

Real quick

•	Appeals court temporarily blocks access to Trump's records in Jan. 6 probe.
•	Boeing agrees to settle with Ethiopia 737 Max crash victims.
•	S.C. dad gets 28 years in jail for leaving daughter to die in a burning car.
•	Brooklyn TV crew helps save teen and dog trapped under car after a crash.
•	A Florida woman was told her granddaughter was in legal trouble. She got scammed for $700,000.

Seals, seahorses, birds return to River Thames

After almost 65 years, the River Thames is making a comeback. Declared "biologically dead" in 1957 because of years of pollution, the 205-mile-long river is again home to seals, seahorses and certain kinds of birds, according to the 2021 State of the Thames Report . After years of conservation efforts, the river is home to myriad "wildlife as diverse as London itself" and has seen an increase in bird and seal populations, the report said. Despite positive moves toward wildlife and water quality, the report revealed climate change's effect on the river, and the agency hopes to revisit the report within five to ten years.

Extinction Rebellion activists set afloat an environmental message grown on a carpet of living grass, telling governments to act in the lead-up to the COP26 climate change summit, on the River Thames on June 25 in central London.

DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP via Getty Images

A break from the news

•	🦃 Turkey time: 12 gorgeous Thanksgiving decorations you can order online.
•	🍿 Grab the popcorn! What to watch this weekend, including 'Belfast,' 'Red Notice,' new 'Home Alone.'
•	🗣 Let's play! USA TODAY launched something really fun. It's a new and improved Crossword App! Check it out!

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