promoearn: Get a boost

Tuesday, March 29

The Food and Drug Administration has authorized another booster dose of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for people age 50 and up.

Another COVID-19 shot for some adults. Russia-Ukraine talks. And where are Trump's texts? It's Tuesday's news.

The Food and Drug Administration OK'd a second COVID-19 booster for people 50 years old or older. Ukraine and Russia began talks today in Turkey. What is — or isn't — in former President Donald Trump's phone logs?

👋 It's Nicole, bringing you all the news you need to know Tuesday!

But first, how stressed are you? A new report suggests the state where you live might have to do with how much you worry. Louisiana had the highest stress rates, while Utah had the lowest.

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Some adults could get a fourth shot

The Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday that people ages 50 and up are eligible to get a second booster shot of the COVID-19 vaccine at least four months after their first booster. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has to approve the additional booster dose before it becomes available, and it's not yet clear how soon that may happen. FDA officials said analysis of recent data shows a second booster of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines improves protection against severe COVID-19, although some experts question the necessity of a fourth dose. Whether or not to get another booster shot is up to individuals and should be calculated based on age, health status and the state of the pandemic, experts said.

•	The BA.2 strain is gaining ground in the U.S., but kids under 5 still don't have shots.
•	A cruise was forced to dock over the weekend due to a cluster of COVID-19 cases.

Ending Russia's deadly invasion?

Russia and Ukraine commenced face-to-face talks Tuesday as the United Nations pushed for a cease-fire in Russia's deadly invasion. The talks occurred in the Turkish presidential office in Istanbul and lasted more than three hours, Russian media reported. Russian officials said Tuesday that the Russian military had "drastically" cut back activity near the Ukraine capital of Kyiv as talks entered the "practical" stage. The reductions in military actions were meant to foster trust and further negotiations, Russian officials said, while the Ukrainian delegation presented a new system of security guarantees. Russia's chief negotiator said a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksyy could occur as soon as a framework for a peace deal is established.

•	U.S. troops in Europe have nearly doubled to about 100,000.
•	'It simply does not exist anymore': Ukrainian port city Mariupol is 85% destroyed.

👉More news: Tuesday's latest updates.

A man stands inside a building in front of a wall damaged from shrapnel following a Russian attack on the previous night, in the residential area of Mikolaiv, Ukraine, on Tuesday.

Petros Giannakouris, AP

What everyone's talking about

•	Travis Scott allegedly violated a gag order in Astroworld lawsuits.
•	Queen Elizabeth II's first public outing since her COVID-19 diagnosis.
•	Spam texts from their own number are plaguing some Verizon customers.
•	The NCAA Final Four will promise coaching heavyweights and a historic rivalry.
•	Actor Ezra Miller was arrested in Hawaii on suspicion of agitating karaoke singers.

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.

What's (not) in Trump's phone log

The special House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol received former President Donald Trump's phone log from that day – but the records show a gap of more than seven hours, according to reports. The lag in phone activity specifically occurs during the period of time during which the Capitol was ambushed, leaving the committee with no documentation of the former president's calls during the attack. The National Archives provided the records to the committee earlier this year, and the investigators are determining whether Trump used burner phones or aides' phones amid the attack. A spokesperson for the former president said he had "nothing to do with the records."

•	Texts stir debate over whether Justice Thomas should recuse himself from cases involving Jan. 6.

The select House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the US Capitol received Former President Donald Trump's phone records, which show a gap of over seven hours.

The Associated Press

I-81 still closed after deadly crash

Part of a highway in Pennsylvania remained closed Tuesday as cleanup efforts continued following a deadly pileup. More than 50 vehicles were involved in the crash on Interstate 81 Monday that killed at least three people and injured dozens more about 100 miles northwest of Philadelphia. One local official told USA TODAY the collision was "probably the most significant" crash on I-81 in "years." Police said the cause of the crash was unclear, but the highway was already covered in snow when a snow squall, or sudden heavy snowfall, came through and hampered visibility. As road conditions rapidly worsened, the blockage sent cars and trailers spinning out of control. Three tractor trailers caught fire and at least two other small fires were reported. Flames and snowy conditions made it difficult for emergency personnel to reach the scene.

•	Wild weather is set to hit the central, southern and eastern U.S. this week.

Emergency vehicles work at the scene of a multi-vehicle accident on Interstate 81 in Foster Township, Pa.

David McKeown, AP

Real quick

•	A reparations task force in California will vote on compensation for Black citizens.
•	What's in our blood? 'Forever chemicals' our bodies can't process.
•	Biden's 2023 budget proposal includes billions to fight climate change.
•	Raucous behavior: 'There are no words' for Florida spring breakers.
•	Change is coming to NFL overtimes for the playoffs.

Biden's promise to borrowers

President Joe Biden has yet to act on a key campaign promise to cancel at least $10,000 of each American's student debt. But it's not clear whether a bill to forgive student loans would pass Congress as Democrats are working with thin margins in the House and a split Senate. The Biden administration has given some relief by extending the freeze on student loan repayments through May 1. The White House has indicated another extension is likely, but progressive advocates say even that is not enough to overhaul the vast burden of debt so many Americans bear. Pressure on Biden to forgive student loans is expected to mount ahead of the midterm elections in November.

•	Since 2020, 41 million borrowers have had the chance to imagine forgiveness.

Student loan borrowers and the Too Much Talent Band thank President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for extending the student loan pause and now demand that they cancel student debt at a gathering outside The White House on Jan. 13, 2022 in Washington, D.C.

Paul Morigi, Getty Images for We, The 45 Mill

A break from the news

•	A dog rescue mission took Los Angeles firefighters nearly two hours.
•	Getting an RV? Here's what to know.
•	What to say if a co-worker outs you.
•	Where to avoid crowds in Costa Rica during your vacation.

This is a compilation of stories from across the USA TODAY Network. Want this news roundup in your inbox every night? Sign up for The Short List newsletter here.