Kevin Henderson, a Defense Department civilian employee, said his neck surgery could be pushed back because of the government shutdown.
Dawson and his family celebrate with the winning pumpkin.

It's Friday, Jr.! I'm Nicole Fallert. How spicy can Skittles get?!

Quick look at Thursday's news:

  • Some 30 news outlets returned press credentials at the Pentagon.
  • Military families are in paycheck limbo.
  • Angel Reese lit up the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.

Journalists refuse to sign new Pentagon policy

Dozens of journalists who cover the U.S. Department of Defense vacated their offices in the Pentagon and returned their credentials Wednesday as new restrictions on press access took effect.

What happened: The Department of Defense had set a Tuesday deadline for news outlets to either sign a new Pentagon access policy or lose access to press credentials and Pentagon workspaces.

  • What the policy says: It requires journalists to acknowledge new rules on press access, including that they could be branded security risks and have their Pentagon press badges revoked if they ask department employees to disclose classified and some types of unclassified information.
  • The Pentagon press area was quiet yesterday. At least 30 news organizations declined to sign the new policy, citing a threat to press freedoms and their ability to conduct independent newsgathering on the world's most powerful military.
  • More on press in America: Indiana University ordered its student paper to stop printing. Editors say it's censorship.

A swastika was spotted in a congressman's office

A Republican congressman from Ohio has denounced the display of an American flag altered to reveal a swastika inside his Washington, D.C. office, calling it a "vile and deeply inappropriate symbol" that is now under investigation by the U.S. Capitol Police.

  • Meanwhile, the Young Republican National Federation called for the immediate resignations of leaders in the organization exposed in a Politico story to have sent racist, antisemitic and other derogatory text messages to one another in a private chat.

More news to know now

  • Diane Keaton's cause of death was released by her family.
  • Trump says he's considering strikes on land to combat Venezuelan drug cartels.
  • A controversial handgun crackdown is coming to California.
  • The U.S. passport hit its lowest point ever.

What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here.

Shutdown leaves military families in limbo

The government is still shut down. And the political stalemate in Washington has left military families grappling with difficult financial decisions and wondering how they can make ends meet if an unresolved congressional disagreement deprives them of pay. Yesterday morning, some active duty military members told USA TODAY their checks had come through. Others said they were still confused about the status of their pay.

‘No Kings’ protests could draw historic turnout

'The anger level is way higher ... It's not just policies we don't like … but it's also actual chipping away at democracy, at foundational rights and prerogatives that we all expect. … People are saying 'I've never been moved to action before, but now I feel like I have to.'”

~ Public Citizen copresident Lisa Gilbert, one of the organizers of Saturday's "No Kings" protests. Organizers are expecting an unmatched flood of people for what they believe will be the largest single day of protest in modern American history.

Today's talkers

  • Kim Kardashian got real about co-parenting with Ye.
  • Do you get a "second wind" at bedtime?
  • Your protein powder could contain lead.
  • The pope trolled a Chicago Cubs fan.

Angel Reese knew 'she's that girl'

WNBA superstar Angel Reese walked her first-ever Victoria's Secret Fashion Show runway on Wednesday. The Chicago Sky forward got her "wings" as she modeled the lingerie house's stylings, joining the ranks of VS Angels like Gigi Hadid and Ashley Graham. Reese chatted to USA TODAY backstage as she glammed for the catwalk.

  • See all the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show looks, from Karol G to Bella Hadid.

Photo of the day: A pretty big pumpkin!

Brandon Dawson won Half Moon Bay’s 52nd annual pumpkin weigh-off with a 2,346-pound gourd and took home over $21,000.

Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Daily Briefing: Pentagon journalists pack up

Reporting by Nicole Fallert, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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