Thursday, May 14, 2026

Murdaugh murder conviction overturned

Plus: Cuban prisoners in limbo amid U.S. talks and a NASCAR milestone ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌  ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ 
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The Short List

Wed May 13 2026

 

Phaedra Trethan National Correspondent

@wordsbyphaedra

๐Ÿ‘‹๐Ÿผ Hi there! I'm Phaedra Trethan, a Phillies fan who'd never cheer for a Washington National... except this one. ๐Ÿถ ๐Ÿฉท ⚾️

In Wednesday's news:

Alex Murdaugh's conviction in the murders of his wife and son was overturned. ⚖️
Cuban prisoners are stuck in limbo as the U.S. and the island nation reengage.
President Donald Trump arrived in China for high-stakes talks with President Xi Jinping.

But first: If you read this newsletter regularly, you're already a smart news consumer. ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿผ But in an increasingly fragmented landscape, strong media literacy is more important than ever. Here's why. ๐Ÿ—ž️ ๐Ÿ“บ ๐Ÿ“ฑ ๐Ÿ’ป

Murdaugh murder conviction overturned ⚖️

The murder conviction of a once-prominent South Carolina attorney was overturned, with the state's high court ruling that Richard "Alex" Murdaugh's 2023 trial was marred by the "improper" influence of a county clerk. Murdaugh, who was found guilty on two murder counts related to the deaths of his wife and son, had been serving two life sentences in a case that captured national attention.

Photos: A look back at the Murdaugh case. ๐Ÿ“ธ
Watch: What we know about the court's ruling. ๐Ÿ“บ
What's next for Alex Murdaugh?

News Alex Murdaugh Sentenced To Life In Prison

Alex Murdaugh sentenced to life in prison after conviction in double murder trial during his sentencing at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro on Friday, March 3, 2023 after he was found guilty on all four counts.

Andrew J. Whitaker, Pool via USA TODAY Network

Cuban prisoners in limbo

Maykel "Osorbo" Castillo Pรฉrez hunched inside Kilo 8, a maximum-security prison in Cuba, recounting the past few weeks. Five days after U.S. and Cuban officials held secret talks and delivered an ultimatum in Havana, two Cuban state security agents visited Castillo and another prisoner with an offer: Leave Cuba or stay in prison , an ultimatum brought on by U.S. demands to release political prisoners. Both agreed to be exiled. But both still remain behind bars.

Now, Castillo and at least a dozen other political prisoners languishing in Cuban prisons are at the center of high-stakes negotiations between U.S. and Cuban officials that could reshape future relations between the Cold War foes. 

Watch: The Trump administration's carrot-and-stick approach to Cuba

Luis Manuel & Maykel2.jpeg

Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, left, a Cuban activist and visual artist, and Maykel Castillo Perez, a Cuban rapper, are serving prison terms in Cuba after being arrested in 2021 during widespread protests. Their release is at the center of U.S.-Cuba negotiations.

Anyelo Troya

Real quick

The Senate confirmed Kevin Warsh as the next chair of the Federal Reserve. ๐Ÿ’ฒ
A notorious ICE detention center in Florida may soon close. ๐Ÿ”
Nancy Guthrie's mother is still missing, 100 days after she was last seen at her Arizona home.
A new study finds the world is seeing more rain but is also getting drier. What does that mean? ๐ŸŒง️

Trump in Beijing

President Trump arrived in Beijing on Wednesday and he brought some high-powered and deep-pocketed company with him. Trump will meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping to discuss a host of topics, from economic concerns to the war with Iran. He's joined by 12 CEOs from tech, finance, defense, transportation and communications.

Photos: China's red carpet welcome for President Trump.
Watch: Trump lands in Beijing ahead of talks with China's leader.
What to expect from the meeting between Trump and Xi.

Left turn into the history books ๐ŸŽ️

Katherine Legge's three-decade career in motorsports has seen her race Ferraris in Bahrain and Audis in Germany. Now the 45-year-old native of England is trying something few drivers (and no women) have done before: She'll attempt "The Double" — racing in the Indy 500 and Charlotte’s Coca-Cola 600 , a demanding test of endurance and skill — on May 24, she told USA TODAY in an exclusive interview. If Legge qualifies for both races, she'll be the sixth driver in the history of motorsports to try The Double, joining John Andretti, Robby Gordon, Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch and Kyle Larson.

2275494726

Katherine Legge, driver of the #78 e.l.f. Chevrolet, waves to fans as he walks onstage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Go Bowling at The Glen at Watkins Glen International on May 10, 2026 in Watkins Glen, New York.

Sean Gardner, Getty Images

A break from the news

A cosmetics company CEO left it all behind and now lives in a "tiny room" with "nothing in it." Here's why. ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿผ
Instagram debuted a new feature that might be familiar to Snapchat users. ๐Ÿ“ฑ
In Philadelphia, sports fans climb greased poles all the time, so what's the big deal, Naval Academy plebes? ๐Ÿ˜†

Phaedra Trethan is a national correspondent at USA TODAY. She'd love to hear from readers about The Short List, story ideas from across the nation and your favorite team mascot (for her, it's a tie between the Phillie Phanatic and Gritty.) Email her at ptrethan@usatoday.com.

FILE PHOTO: Kevin Warsh, U.S. President Donald Trump's nominee to be the next chair of the Federal Reserve, at the end of a Senate Banking Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 21, 2026. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo

The Senate confirmed former finance executive and former Federal Reserve Governor Kevin Warsh as the U.S. central bank’s new chair May 13.

The Justice Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation logos are displayed on the lobby floor of the FBI offices in Indianapolis.
 

Advocates condemn Trump administration's Wall Street Journal subpoenas

The newspaper called the Trump administration's actions "an attack on constitutionally protected newsgathering" and vowed to "vigorously oppose" it.

A test tube labelled "Hantavirus negative" is held in this illustration taken May 7, 2026. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
 

Cruise passengers are quarantining, but for how long? Hantavirus latest

All of the American cruise passengers who are quarantining in Nebraska are asymptomatic for hantavirus, officials said. Here's the latest.

President Donald Trump (left) and late-night TV host Jimmy Kimmel.
 

Jimmy Kimmel says Trump battles cost ABC 'billions,' seeks handouts

"I cost our company a lot of money this year," Jimmy Kimmel said in a blistering routine to advertisers, referencing his clashes with President Trump.

A New York exhibition shows around 3.5 million partially redacted Jeffrey Epstein files with a timeline and a memorial to victims.
 

Inside the New York exhibit of Epstein files

A New York exhibition shows around 3.5 million partially redacted Jeffrey Epstein files with a timeline and a memorial to victims.

Trophies are seen outside The Pittsburgh Ice Arena on April 10, 2026.
 

Bill would ban 'vulture investors' from youth sports

The bill, which would require private equity companies to divest from their youth-sports businesses, comes on the heels of a USA TODAY investigation.

Texas Democratic Senate candidate and Texas state Rep. James Talarico, Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa and Former President Barack Obama visit the Taco Joint on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in Austin, Texas.
 

Hinojosa within single digits of Abbott in Texas governor race

Former President Barack Obama visited Texas as polls show Democrat Gina Hinojosa within single digits of Gov. Greg Abbott in the governor's race.

A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter crew from Miami prepares to demonstrate how it uses a hoist to lift swimmers in distress from the ocean on June 9, 2021.
 

Plane crashes off Florida, 11 rescued

A plane from the Bahamas crashed off Florida's coast, leading to the ocean rescue of all 11 people on board.

Conan O'Brien attends the 98th Oscars at Dolby Theatre on March 15, 2026, in Hollywood.
 

Conan O'Brien sets Hollywood 'threequel' return as 2027 Oscars host

Conan O'Brien will return for the third time to host the 99th Oscars, ABC has announced. The Academy Awards will air March 14, 2027.

Byron Allen is pictured at the Vanity Fair Oscars party on March 2, 2025.
 

Who is Byron Allen? He's taking over BuzzFeed, Colbert's TV slot

Byron Allen's taking over more than just late-night. Here's what we know about Allen's latest acquisition.

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