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A week of wild, dangerous weather

Wind, snow ... tornadoes? Millions are under threat of severe weather. The U.S. men's team has kept their World Cup dreams alive. And some good news about a very dejected-looking kitty named Fishtopher.

👋 Hello! Laura Davis here. It's Giving Tuesday! Here's how you can participate. Let's get to the news.

🐟But first, how about some never-before-seen specimens? Several previously unknown deep-sea fish were discovered in the Indian Ocean off Australia's coast. Among the findings was a blind eel with transparent, gelatinous skin – the pictures are creepy and amazing.

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Forecast brings winter storm warnings, threat of tornadoes 

Get ready for a week of wild, dangerous weather. A surly front threatened to drive severe thunderstorms and tornadoes across the south-central U.S. on Tuesday – while what AccuWeather called an "atmospheric fire hose" was forecast to hammer the West. 

A quick update:

  • Threat of tornadoes: A "significant, severe weather event is expected to unfold" late Tuesday into Wednesday, carrying the chance of hail the size of tennis balls, the National Weather Service office in Jackson, Mississippi, warned. "Strong tornadoes, some possibly significant & long-tracked, are likely."

  • Heavy winds, snow: The storm will bring a blast of high winds as colder air sweeps from the Midwest to the Northeast, AccuWeather said. High winds and heavy snow could trigger power outages and travel delays.

👉 The full forecast: Long-track tornadoes may be in store for the South; 125M in Midwest, Northeast in path of severe winds. Here's the latest.

A mother snow monkey holds her baby while hunkering down with other snow monkeys during a snowstorm Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022, at the Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley, Minn.
A mother snow monkey holds her baby while hunkering down with other snow monkeys during a snowstorm Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022, at the Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley, Minn.

🌤 What's the weather doing at your house? Check your local forecast.

USMNT advances to World Cup knockout rounds

The U.S. men's national team edged past Iran 1-0 on Tuesday at the World Cup in Qatar, securing a must-have win to advance out of the group stage and into the tournament's knockout rounds. Christian Pulisic's goal in the 38th minute proved decisive as the U.S. survived several dangerous chances from Iran in the closing minutes. As the second-place finisher in Group B, the USMNT next play Group A winner the Netherlands on Saturday in the round of 16. Follow our coverage.

How many migrant workers died for Qatar's World Cup? Qatar admits to a handful of deaths among migrants working on World Cup projects. But human rights groups say more than 6,500 reportedly died to make the games possible. As teams enter the second week of play, activists are calling attention to the true human toll of the controversial tournament.

USMNT forward Christian Pulisic scores a goal against Iran during the first half.
USMNT forward Christian Pulisic scores a goal against Iran during the first half.

What everyone's talking about

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Senate to vote on bill protecting gay marriage rights

The Senate on Tuesday is expected to pass a bill that would enshrine same-sex marriage rights into law, legislation viewed as a long-awaited endorsement of gay unions by the federal government.

Get caught up:

  • The Respect for Marriage Act would guarantee federal recognition of any marriage between two people if the union was valid in the state where they married. 

  • If passed by the Senate, it would move to the House, which approved a similar bill earlier this year with nearly 50 Republicans in support. A vote in the House could take place as early as next Tuesday.

  • The bill was drafted in response to the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade this summer and Justice Clarence Thomas expressed interest in next reconsidering same-sex and interracial marriage rights.

👉 Follow along: Respect for Marriage Act up for Senate vote.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., joined from left by Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., and Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., speaks to reporters before a vote on legislation to protect same-sex and interracial marriages, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., joined from left by Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., and Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., speaks to reporters before a vote on legislation to protect same-sex and interracial marriages, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022.

Their daughter was kidnapped 51 years ago. They finally found her.

A Texas family has reunited with their daughter whom they say was kidnapped 51 years ago – and she was in the same city they live in. Jeffrie Highsmith and Alta Apantenco were living in Fort Worth when their 22-month-old child, Melissa Highsmith, was abducted in August 1971 by a babysitter, the family said. The family eventually submitted a DNA case to 23andme, a genetic analysis company. That's when a breakthrough happened. Melissa Highsmith saw her parents this week for the first time in more than 50 years. Here's how they made the connection.

Melissa Highsmith with her mother, Alta Apantenco, and her father, Jeffrie Highsmith.
Melissa Highsmith with her mother, Alta Apantenco, and her father, Jeffrie Highsmith.

Real quick

🔍 Stolen health data: More than 40 million Americans' medical records have been stolen or exposed so far this year because of security vulnerabilities in electronic health care systems – and it's getting worse. Has your provider been breached? Find out here.

'FISHTOPHER HAS LEFT THE BUILDING.' 😻

A "very sad and depressed" cat who found himself at a New Jersey adoption center now has a forever home. You might chalk the feline's good luck up to that – coupled with his Petfinder profile, which may be one of the most depressing posts anyone has ever read. The shelter said Fishtopher had been homeless for over a month. After a tweet sharing his dejected-looking photo went viral, Fishtopher's luck changed fast. As the shelter received "hundreds of inquiries," Laura Folts, 22, and her partner, Tanner Callahan, 24, drove two hours to meet the kitty. It was a match – Fishtopher was officially adopted.

A 5-year-old "sad and depressed" cat named Fistopoher who found himself at a New Jersey adoption center now has a forever home after a social media post sharing his picture and profile went viral on Thanksgiving.
A 5-year-old "sad and depressed" cat named Fistopoher who found himself at a New Jersey adoption center now has a forever home after a social media post sharing his picture and profile went viral on Thanksgiving.

A break from the news

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.

This is a compilation of stories from across the USA TODAY Network. Want this news roundup in your inbox every night? Subscribe to the newsletter here or text messages here.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The Short List: World Cup, severe weather, tornadoes, Respect for Marriage Act, Fishtopher adopted. Tuesday's news.