promoearn: Attorney general: Unseal Mar-a-Lago warrant

Thursday, August 11

"I personally approved the decision to seek a search warrant." Attorney General Merrick Garland says.

Attorney general: Unseal Mar-a-Lago warrant

Will Trump object to the DOJ's request? It's Thursday's news.

What was the FBI looking for at Mar-a-Lago? We may know soon, after the Justice Department moved to unseal the search warrant. National gas prices dropped to less than $4 for the first time in months. And there's a meteor shower tonight, but the full moon might cause some visibility issues.

👋 Hey! Laura Davis here. It's Thursday, and there's no shortage of news. So let's get to it!

But first, new species alert! 🤩 Scientists made an amazing discovery in the Gulf of Mexico: A nearly foot-long yellow isopod that thrives at the bottom of the sea. Meet the giant deep-sea isopod here.

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🌤 What's the weather up to in your neck of the woods? Check your forecast here.

Justice Department moves to unseal Mar-a-Lago warrant

Attorney General Merrick Garland said Thursday the Justice Department filed a motion to unseal the search warrant and property receipt from a search FBI agents conducted Monday at former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Florida.

👉 This story is developing. Check back here for the latest updates.

•	What Garland said: "I personally approved the decision to seek a search warrant in this matter" after making the required finding of "probable cause" that a crime had been committed.
•	Read the Justice Department's motion to unseal Mar-a-Lago search warrant.
•	Ball is in Trump's court: The former president and his lawyers did not initially say whether they would object to the warrant's release. They have refused to release their copies of the warrant and supplemental materials.

Trump denounced the investigation, complaining of a "witch hunt" against him. Since 2021, Trump has faced legal scrutiny in at least five independent federal and state inquiries that are both criminal and civil in nature.

•	Unprecedented: Donald Trump's scandals are unique, like his presidency.
•	Waiting for results from Mar-a-Lago search is maddening but needed. \| Opinion
•	The Mar-a-Lago search warrant is a hot topic for speculation. Here's what we really know.

Secret Service agents stand at the gate of Mar-a-Lago after the FBI issued warrants Aug. 8.

DAMON HIGGINS/USA TODAY NETWORK

Gas prices drop under $4 nationwide

What goes up, must come down. Usually. Months after gas prices reached all-time highs, drivers are feeling relief at the pump where the national average fell below $4 per gallon for the first time in five months. The average cost of a gallon of regular gasoline in the USA is $3.99, according to AAA – a major drop from when prices peaked at $5.01 in mid-June. Read more here.

•	Why are gas prices down? Andrew Gross from AAA cited three factors: the cost of oil, less demand for gas and the Biden administration's release of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
•	Will the trend continue? There is no clear answer since numerous factors can affect the cost of gas, including oil prices, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, inflation and fears of a recession. And don't forget about the weather – Gross said hurricane season could really "overturn the applecart" if big storms affect offshore oil production.

📸 Cruise down memory lane: Nostalgic gas price pics from the late '90s and early 2000s.

The national average for a gallon of gas is almost $4.

Morry Gash/AP

What everyone's talking about

•	Beto O'Rourke snaps with expletive at heckler over Uvalde shooting.
•	Kathy Hilton faces backlash after mistaking Lizzo for 'Precious.'
•	Monkeys killed in Brazil amid rising monkeypox fears; WHO condemns attacks.
•	Viral video wrongly blames titanium dioxide in tampon strings for host of medical problems.

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.

Officials search through rubble after Indiana house explosion

An Evansville, Indiana, neighborhood was in tatters after a house exploded Wednesday, killing three people and damaging dozens of homes. Officials were still investigating the cause of the blast but said it was accidental. Thursday, the Vanderburgh County Coroner's Office released the names of those who died: Charles "Charlie" Hite, 43; Martina Hite, 37; and Jessica Teague, 29. Fire Department officials said 11 of the 39 damaged homes were uninhabitable. Catch up on the latest updates.

📸 'Debris flying higher than the trees': Photos from the scene of Evansville house explosion.

An explosion in Evansville, Ind., killed at least three people.

Mike Fetscher/USA TODAY NETWORK

'Pregnant but unequal' in obstetrics health deserts

About 2 million rural women of childbearing age live in maternity care deserts at least 25 miles away from a labor and delivery unit. Rural hospitals and obstetric wards, already scarce, have shut down in record numbers. More people are dying in rural areas with pregnancy-related complications, statistics show. It's worse for women of color. To understand and illuminate the scope of the problem, USA TODAY visited and interviewed dozens of women and their families, community advocates and leaders, clinicians and experts about areas lacking care. Read the first part of the series here.

Chrisstine 'Chrissy' Daniels holds her daughter, TeSharria, 5, as she recalls the struggles she had during her pregnancy Wednesday, July 6, 2022. Daniels had high blood pressure throughout her pregnancy with Tesharria and suffered from headaches and severe swelling as she developed preeclampsia while going into labor at a now-shuttered Lake City hospital.

Alicia Devine, USA TODAY Network

Real quick

•	Maternal mortality rates: Data, charts and maps show the disparity.
•	Dozens injured after roller coaster crash at Legoland park in Germany.
•	Fight at GM's Chevy Bolt assembly plant results in death of 1 worker.
•	Tom Brady takes leave from Bucs while attending to personal matter.
•	Satellite images show damaged warplanes after Crimea explosions, despite Russian claims.
•	'Make my day': Texas governor challenges NYC mayor over migrant busing dispute.
•	Armed gunman tries to breach FBI's Cincinnati office, injured in police chase, standoff.

Moon vs. meteor shower

Grab a lawn chair and head somewhere dark. What NASA calls "the best meteor shower of the year" – the Perseids – will peak Thursday night. Bring your patience, too: The moon will be full, which can spoil the show. The Perseid meteor shower typically produces 50 to 100 meteors per hour, but NASA says the brilliance of the full moon will reduce that to 10-20 per hour at best. Thursday's full is known as a "sturgeon moon" and a "supermoon," reaching peak illumination at 9:36 p.m. EDT Thursday, the Old Farmer's Almanac says. More about the moon and meteor shower.

A meteor streaks across the sky during the annual Perseid meteor shower in Spruce Knob, W.Va.

Bill Ingalls/NASA via Getty Images

A break from the news

•	💌 Trust your gut – literally – when it comes to relationships. Here's why.
•	💰 Social Security: 3 things retirees should know about the 2023 COLA boost.

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Laura L. Davis is an Audience Editor at USA TODAY. Send her an email at laura@usatoday.com or follow along with her adventures – and misadventures – on Twitter. Support quality journalism like this? Subscribe to USA TODAY here.