promoearn: End of the Iraq era

Monday, July 26

Iraqis inspect the site of an explosion in a market in the Shiite-majority Sadr City neighborhood, east of the capital Baghdad, on July 20. Iraqis mourned at least 36 people killed when a bomb ripped through the market in what Islamic State jihadists claimed was a suicide attack.

U.S. troops will leave Iraq by the end of the year. And organizers at the Tokyo Olympics are keeping an eye on the weather. It's Monday's news.

President Joe Biden announced the end of the combat mission in Iraq. Olympic organizers are keeping a close watch on the weather as a tropical storm approaches. And a fast-moving wildfire in California merged with another blaze.

It's Laura, and I've got a whole slew of news for Monday.

But first, ossu! 👋 That's Japanese slang for "What's up, dude?" One of the most challenging languages is on full display at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Check out these slang phrases – and learn what makes Japanese so unique.

The Short List is a snappy USA TODAY news roundup. Subscribe to the newsletter here or text messages here.

Biden announces end of combat operations in Iraq

There are about 2,500 troops still in Iraq, but President Joe Biden said Monday the United States will end its combat mission there by the end of the year. "We're not going to be, by the end of the year, in a combat zone," Biden said at the start of an Oval Office meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi. Biden said U.S. troops would continue to train and assist Iraqi forces as they battle the Islamic State, also known as ISIS. White House press secretary Jen Psaki, who described the efforts as "a change of mission" during a briefing, declined to say how many troops would remain in Iraq. America's military presence in Iraq became a flashpoint between the two allies after the Trump administration targeted Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani in a fatal drone strike in 2020.

Surfing switcharoo

Surf's up! Mother Nature's latest challenge to the first Olympic surfing competition means the finals are being condensed. Volatile weather and surf conditions are expected from a tropical storm by the name of Nepartak that's heading Japan's way and could affect several events. Waves have been few and far between for the Olympians competing in Tsurigasaki, but the impending storm is likely to provide better surf conditions Tuesday. The storm could stir up 7-foot-high waves, but high wind speeds could lead to overly choppy waters. The surf is expected to die down by Wednesday in Japan, so the surfing competition is taking advantage of the small but promising window to give athletes a competitive final. Both the men's and women's finals will be run back to back Tuesday morning, rather than running one final Tuesday and one Wednesday.

•	Must-see pics of Momiji Nishiya, the Tokyo Olympics' 13-year-old skateboarding gold medalist.
•	Better, faster, stronger: How Olympic records keep improving.
•	Who's got the most medals? Check out this list of medal totals by country.
•	The inside scoop on the Tokyo Olympics, texted right to you. Sign up for USA TODAY's Olympic texts, where we'll be your official guide to the Games.

A wave breaks at Tsurigasaki beach where surfers will compete at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in Ichinomiya, Japan.

The Associated Press

What everyone's talking about

•	See the photos: Princess Diana's niece Lady Kitty Spencer stuns in Victorian wedding gown.
•	What does ROC mean? Why Russia can't compete at the Tokyo Olympics, but its athletes can.
•	Unvaccinated snow leopard at the San Diego Zoo tests positive for the coronavirus.
•	What is ayahuasca, and why are celebrities praising it?
•	"Somebody's Husband": Issa Rae shares wedding photos in a post that made us giggle.

Vaccine or weekly coronavirus test?

In some places, workers face a choice. New York City will require teachers, police officers and the rest of its 340,000 city employees to get coronavirus vaccines by mid-September or face weekly testing, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Monday. California also unveiled a vaccine verification program Monday for all state and health care employees, which requires evidence of vaccination from employees by Aug. 2 or mandatory testing. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced an even stricter order, saying vaccines would be mandatory for its health care workers because of concerns about the delta variant.

Travel still restricted: The United States has no plans to lift travel restrictions at this point, given the rise of the delta variant, continuing to deny entry for people from the European Schengen area, United Kingdom and other countries.

👉 Here's the latest, including which countries are under travel restrictions.

Travelers check in at the American Airlines self-ticket counter at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport on July 2.

Nam Y. Huh/AP

'They swept it under the rug'

Little has changed in how the cheerleading industry handles sexual misconduct since a USA TODAY investigation last year revealed an array of problems. A case study is Cheer Extreme, a powerhouse gym that has won more than a thousand titles and has franchises in multiple states. In North Carolina, the company let a man facing felony charges for sexually abusing a 14-year-old boy teach lessons and practice at its gym, even after it was warned about the criminal case.

Gabriela Medford, 19, says she was at the house of a cheerleader friend during high school when she was sexually assaulted by Curtis Rucker, a Cheer Extreme coach. Gabriela went to the police, and Rucker was charged in 2018 with felony second-degree forcible sexual offense and misdemeanor sexual battery. He pleaded to a lesser charge of felony crime against nature. Gabriela's mother said that after the assault, she called the owner of Cheer Extreme and told them what Curtis had done, but they dismissed her concerns because he had not yet been arrested.

Travis Dove for USA TODAY

Real quick

•	College football shakeup begins as Texas, Oklahoma leave Big 12 Conference.
•	California home shooting leaves 5 dead, including sheriff's deputy.
•	Baby trapped under car that drove through storefront rescued by police, bystanders.
•	"Mental health is health. Period." Defense secretary decries stigma in message to troops.
•	At least 7 people killed after sandstorm causes 20-vehicle pileup in Utah.

Wild, wild Western wildfires

More homes burned and 10,000 others remained threatened Monday as a fast-growing Northern California wildfire merged with another blaze and swept through the Plumas County community of Indian Falls. A damage assessment of the town was not available early Monday. Firefighters carrying hand tools were forced to hike through rugged terrain where engines can't go, said Rick Carhart, spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The fire, which started burning less than two weeks ago, has consumed 300 square miles of forest, brush and homes. More than 5,000 firefighters are battling the combined blaze, and strike teams with engines were in nearby communities totaling just a few dozen residents, to save what homes they could as the fire intensified. The fire was among 86 large fires burning across 12 states, devouring more than 2,300 square miles of mostly forest and brush.

•	Photo gallery: Wildfires sweep across California, Western states.
•	Southwest monsoon rain brings drought relief – but also dangerous flooding.
•	A mother's tragic story: Finding a way to heal after fatal Oregon wildfire.

The Dixie Fire burns behind a bridge in Plumas County, Calif., on July 25.

Noah Berger/AP

A break from the news

•	🛌 Too hot to sleep? 10 bedding products to keep you cool all night long.
•	🇺🇸 Wear your Team USA pride with these 10 Olympic fashion picks.
•	💰 Haven't gotten your child tax credit payment? Here's what to do.

This is a compilation of stories from across the USA TODAY Network. Want this news roundup in your inbox every night? Sign up for The Short List newsletter here.