President Trump plans to sign an order aiming to dismantle the Education Department. No changes in interest rates, for now. And a Hollywood director has been arrested for allegedly defrauding Netflix out of millions. |
👋 How's it going? Rebecca Morin here. Let's get rolling to Wednesday's news. |
But first: Talk about flipping out. 🐬 The capsule carrying the stranded Starliner astronauts splashed down to an enthusiastic welcome Tuesday − from a pod of dolphins. |
Trump to sign order seeking to eliminate Education Department |
President Donald Trump is expected on Thursday to sign a long-anticipated executive order that seeks to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education, a signature campaign promise. The order, which has been in the works for weeks and will be signed after the agency's workforce was basically cut in half, will be signed at a White House ceremony attended by several Republican governors and state education commissioners. |
What does the order do? Education Secretary Linda McMahon will take "all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return education authority to the States," according to a summary of the order. Federal funding for special-needs students under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Title I funding for low-income schools and federal student loan payments will remain unchanged under the order. The federal government has no control over school curriculum. 👉 What to know about the order. | A protester sits near U.S. Department of Education headquarters in Washington, D.C. on March 12, 2025. Nathan Howard, REUTERS |
What the JFK documents reveal |
So what really happened that day in 1963 when President John F. Kennedy was shot in Dallas? The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration on Tuesday night released about 63,000 pages across more than 2,100 PDF files about the assassination – meaning many historians and experts are still sifting through the new trove of information. But temper your expectations, conspiracy buffs: Much of the information has already been released by prior administrations in at least partially redacted, or blacked out, form to protect names of CIA assets and other sensitive information. | Documents related to the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy are displayed after they were released following an order from U.S. President Donald Trump, in Washington D.C., March 18, 2025. Carlos Barria, REUTERS |
No change to interest rates |
The Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged following its March meeting, instead waiting for "greater clarity" on how the economy will react to Trump's recent tariffs and possible rise in inflation. The benchmark federal funds rate is parked at a range of 4.25% to 4.5%, where it has sat since December. Fed Chair Jerome Powell said two cuts are forecasted for 2025, but that "it's really hard to know how this is going to work out." 👉 Follow today's updates. |
What it means: The unchanged rates mean that Americans will continue to benefit from cheaper borrowing costs on credit cards, some mortgages and other loans compared to a year ago. Powell, however, said the tariffs already are partly fueling higher inflation. 👉 What else to expect from the unchanged rate. |
Hollywood director allegedly defrauds Netflix |
Netflix paid a Hollywood director millions for a new TV show. Instead, he allegedly bought five Rolls-Royces and a Ferrari. Carl Rinsch – director of the 2013 box office flop "47 Ronin," starring Keanu Reeves – was arrested and charged with defrauding Netflix out of $11 million in connection with a streaming show that was never completed. According to the indictment, Rinsch transferred money meant to bankroll a sci-fi program called "White Horse" to his personal accounts and used it to speculate on risky investments and pay for personal expenses. 🎬 How Rinsch allegedly mismanaged the money. | Carl Erik Rinsch attends the New Directors' Showcase in Los Angeles on Sept. 23, 2015. John Sciulli |
Rebecca Morin is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY. Got thoughts or feedback? Reach out to her at rdmorin@usatoday.com. | | | | Mothers aligned with RFK Jr.'s anti-fluoride stance are coining themselves as 'fluoride-free mamas.' What is fluoride, and is it safe? | | | | Adam Strom, fired as coach of the women's basketball team at Haskell Indian Nations University under DOGE, stayed as a volunteer. His team rallied. | | | | It's a phenomenon experienced by the families of missing people when a body is never found, experts say: grief without certainty. | | | | The Trump administration's approach to HIV/AIDS policy is undergoing a broad shift. | | | | Donald Trump's anti-DEI order prompted a regulatory change that means government contracts no longer need to include a prohibition on segregation. | | | | A Connecticut woman who identified herself as the biological mother of Kimberly Sullivan's stepson has reportedly spoken out about the case. | | | | Former child star Mara Wilson, who came up alongside Michelle Trachtenberg in the '90s, mourned the late actress in an essay published Tuesday. | | | | International students are scared of losing their visas if they leave the U.S. following deportation efforts by the Trump administration. | | | | The 2019 winner of "RuPaul's Drag Race UK," who died in January, had experienced cardiac arrest following ketamine use, The Vivienne's family said. | | | | The Starliner and Crew-9 astronauts will now remain in crew quarters at the Johnson Space Center in Houston for a few days to recover. | | | | | | | Brighten your day with one of our games. | | | | | |
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