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The Short List

Thu Aug 13 2026

Phaedra Trethan | National Correspondent

@wordsbyphaedra

👋🏼 Hello there! I'm Phaedra Trethan . We may never know who won Wednesday's $1 billion Powerball jackpot, but since I'm still at work this morning, you know it wasn't me. 🤷🏻‍♀️

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In Thursday's news:

•	Flock cameras have drawn scrutiny from privacy advocates. How the company is trying to address the tech's potential misuse ‒ and the public's concerns. 👀
•	Immigration and Customs Enforcement plans to buy thousands of electric gloves for its officers and agents. What are they and what do civil rights groups say about their potential use? 🧤
•	Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth's pledge about testosterone testing for U.S. service members ‒ and a Fox News host's crass joke about it ‒ have people talking about the hormone. We separate myth from fact. 💪🏼

But first: Where were you on Sept. 11, 2001? We want to hear your story. Here's how you can share it.

Flock camera flak 👀

Law enforcement agencies across the U.S. are using Flock cameras , which read license plates and can be used to track cars' movements. But critics across the political spectrum are pushing back on the increasingly ubiquitous technology, and reports of officers misusing it to stalk or harass others are fueling protests and even acts of vandalism.

Flock Safety, the company behind the cameras, is addressing the controversy , rolling out new measures it says will prevent the misuse of the cameras and hold those who do exploit the tech for personal gain accountable.

•	Gun rights supports are celebrating a lapse in firearms laws.

Anti Flock Surveillance Protesters Including Kristopher Weiss Front Gather Outside Columbus City Hall Before Councilmember

Anti-Flock surveillance protesters gather outside Columbus City Hall before a council hearing on the city's Flock Safety license plate-reading cameras on Aug. 10, 2026.

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch, USA TODAY Network

ICE's new plan 🧤

They look like ordinary gloves any law enforcement officer might wear ‒ but these gloves can deliver an electric shock similar to Tasers when in direct contact with skin. The Department of Homeland Security says ICE plans to spend $10 million to $20 million next year to buy the battery-powered gloves, allowing agents to use them for enforcement operations. We took a look at the technology, how it works and why civil rights advocates are raising the alarm.

•	Communities in Southern California are taking their fight against ICE to court. ⚖️

Real quick

•	A federal judge dismissed a Trump administration lawsuit against Harvard University over allegations that the institution ignored widespread antisemitism. 👎🏻
•	Luigi Mangione, accused of killing UnitedHealth CEO Brian Thompson in 2024, will appear in court tomorrow and reportedly may change his plea. ⚖️
•	A former reporter for a small-town Kansas newspaper settled a lawsuit after the paper's offices and the publishers' home were raided by police. 🗞️
•	Strong storms brought heavy rains and flooding to parts of the Midwest. ⛈️

(Mis)understanding masculinity

Is testosterone level the measure of a man? In July, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the military would begin testing members' testosterone levels to "optimize performance" on the battlefield. Shortly after, a Fox News host made a crass (some say offensive) remark about how boosting their hormone levels might affect male service members ‒ and the women in regions where they're stationed.

But while some celebrated the news, others called out the move as gender-affirming care. Still others are worried that increased testosterone levels could impact men's sexual desires and even lead to sexual violence, a long-reported issue in the military. Experts say these concerns are largely unfounded, but the conversation is bringing to light misconceptions about testosterone and masculinity.

•	A well-known news anchor opened up about hormones and menopause.

A Bourdain biopic 🍳 🎬

Anthony Bourdain was loved for his authenticity: The famed chef, writer and TV host of "No Reservations" and "Parts Unknown" never shied away from telling it like it was, whether "it" took him to five-star restaurants or street vendors, around family tables in exotic locales or dive bars in rural America. He was also open about his struggles with depression, drug addiction and alcoholism ‒ and how his time on the road left him feeling alone and isolated from his loved ones.

Now a new biopic, drawn from Bourdain's own writing, interviews and recollections from those who were close to him, is casting an eye on his early life , and on the dark side of a man who was known for his empathy and openness.

•	Two famous chefs reveal Bourdain's advice to them. 🧑🏽‍🍳

Dominic Sessa, left, plays celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain in the new movie "Tony."

Seacia Pavao/A24; Larry French/Getty Images

A break from the news

•	Note to Hellmann's: No one who's actually from Philly calls it a "Philly cheesesteak." That said, I can confirm it is the best sandwich in the country. 🥇
•	This couple got married by a California river. A celebrity float-by/photo bomb made their day even more memorable. 💍
•	Even if you didn't win a billion bucks in the Powerball drawing, it's still fun to dream about what you could buy if you did. 💭

Phaedra Trethan is a national correspondent at USA TODAY. I’d love to hear from readers about The Short List, story ideas from across the nation and what you'd do with a billion bucks. (I'd get a house at the Shore, help out my friends and family, travel, open a bookstore and maybe quit my job to be a full-time novelist. Just don't tell my editors about that last part.) Email her at ptrethan@usatoday.com.