War with Iran is so last week. Let's talk nukes

Trump's ready to negotiate with Iran. Are they? 

The 2015 Iran nuclear deal was a "waste of paper," President Donald Trump said Monday, and he's ready to talk about a new one. Refresher: Trump pulled out of the Iran deal in May, even though it was signed by the U.S. and five other world powers and required Tehran to curb its nuclear program in exchange for reduced sanctions. The problem: The deal did not fully eliminate Iran's ability to enrich uranium; the prohibitions expire after 15 years; and the agreement does little to curb Iran's influence in sectarian conflicts in the region. Supporters said the deal was the best option to slow Iran's path to a nuclear weapon. Fast forward to last week: Trump and Iran's leader sent angry tweets threatening war and consequences. Monday: Trump said he would "meet with Iran if they wanted to meet; I don't know if they're ready." Trump made the offer to Iran while defending other high-profile meetings he has held, including this month's much-criticized with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

‘Duck Boats are death traps for passengers’

A lawsuit was filed by relatives of two of the nine family members killed when a duck boat sank in a lake near Branson, Missouri. The suit blames the July 19 tragedy on "decades of unacceptable, greed-driven and willful ignorance of safety by the Duck Boat industry." The estates of Irvin Coleman, 76, and 2-year-old Maxwell Coleman-Ly seek $100 million in damages against the owners of Ride the Ducks Branson. The Coleman family from Indianapolis were among 17 people who died in the accident. The sinking has raised numerous safety concerns:

• Officials have warned about dangers from duck boats for two decades
• One person's survival story: "I didn't know how to get out"
• Would wearing life jackets have made the deadly duck boat accident even worse?
• Timeline: A history of fatalities on duck boats

Tesla surfboards. They're a thing. But...

It's a Tesla you might be able to afford. A $1,500 Tesla surfboard. Not a drill! A board with the "same high-quality matte and gloss finishes used on all our cars." Well, it already sold out. Offered on Saturday, the limited-edition surfboard sold out by Sunday. Gimmick? Unusual merch offering? Who knows? But if you're curious, they are already on eBay, going for $2,000 to $5,000. Kind of makes you wish you would have bought that flamethrower.

Tragic consequences of deadly California wildfire

At least six people dead. Hundreds of homes destroyed. 150 square miles burned. More than 30,000 evacuated. The deadly Northern California wildfire near Redding has sprawled over a swath of land seven times the size of Manhattan and firefighters struggle to contain it. Almost 3,400 fire personnel were battling the flames, some on 36-hour rotations, with 17 helicopters, 334 fire engines, 68 bulldozers and 59 fire crews. And there was no end in sight to the blazing heat blamed for "firenadoes" – twisting, whirlwinds of flame and ash – as temperatures exceeded 100 degrees the past few days.

When you are old enough to make news for NOT retiring 

Just days before Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy officially retires from the bench, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wants it known that she intends to cement her stay on the court "at least five more years." (Hey, she says she's "feeling fine.") By the time she hopes to hang up her robe, she'll be 90. But for the "Notorious RBG," who was nominated nearly 25 years ago by President Bill Clinton, it's no biggie – former Justice John Paul Stevens retired at that age. This also means Ginsburg would retire either during a new administration or during President Donald Trump's second term.

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This is a compilation of stories from across USA TODAY, brought to you by Emily Brown, David Carrig, Alex Connor and Patty Michalski. The four of us will be out of the office tomorrow riding our Tesla surfboards with the Notorious RBG. Don't worry, you'll still get your Short List. 

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