The Short List

Thu Jun 27 2024

Laura L. Davis | Audience Editor

@lauradavis

The debate stage battle between Biden and Trump is here. The Supreme Court tossed out an opioid settlement worth billions for states and victims. And two asteroids will be passing by Earth soon.

👋Hey there! Laura Davis here. And it looks like I've got plans this weekend! How about you? Whatever you do, I hope it's a good one! 🌻Now, let's get to Thursday's news.

But first: Call 988 for help. ☎️ A 988 crisis lifeline for LGBTQ+ youths launched a year ago. It's been swamped.

Let's get ready to rumble

It's fight night. Former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden will face off on Thursday night during the first presidential debate of the 2024 race for the White House.

What they're up to: As the showdown approached, Biden spent time meeting with advisers at the Camp David retreat, while Trump rallied his supporters at campaign stops in pivotal swing states.

What's to come: The two will each attack their rival's record on issues ranging from reproductive rights to the southern border to inflation on Thursday night. But they'll also make their own pitches about how they would lead the nation for the next four years. 🗣️ Follow along with our live updates.

📺 Tune in to the CNN Presidential Debate Simulcast on our YouTube channel.

•	More ways to watch the 2024 'CNN Presidential Debate' tonight.

The stage set for the first 2024 debate between U.S. President Joe Biden and former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., June 26, 2024, in this handout picture.

John Nowak/CNN, via REUTERS

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Opioid settlement thrown out

The Supreme Court on Thursday tossed out a high-profile pharmaceutical settlement worth billions of dollars over a technical question on bankruptcy law. The upended settlement with the Sackler family, which made its fortune selling the drug that fueled an epidemic, will have sweeping implications for states that intended to use settlement money for drug treatment programs. The Sacklers had agreed to pay victims $6 billion in exchange for being shielded from future lawsuits. 👉 Keep reading.

•	Two mothers, two deaths, two views of failed $6 billion settlement.

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Real quick

•	*'Hey....'* Why do parents send such ominous text messages?
•	'The Bear' Season 3 review: Is it too self-important?
•	Microplastics are showing up everywhere. Including penises.
•	Graceland foreclosure investigation turned over to federal officials.
•	Watch: Giant sinkhole opens up in the middle of a soccer field.
•	Jimmy Kimmel spills about a party at Paul McCartney's house with Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.

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No end in sight for historic Midwest flooding

Strong storms with powerful winds that have brought historic flooding to the Midwest will continue their assault across the region deep into next month, AccuWeather forecasters warn.

What's happening: Flood waters are receding in some rivers across battered areas of Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota and Nebraska. But additional storms, including quick-hitting powerful derechos, will push already record-high river levels to new extremes for at least the next couple of weeks. 🌦️ See the full forecast.

•	Wildfires rage across three states, evacuations, searches continue.
•	Wax Abraham Lincoln sculpture melts when wild heat hits D.C.
•	Storm tracker: Tropical Storm Beryl could develop this weekend.

Cleanup is underway on Thursday after a powerful thunderstorm rolled though Hawthorne, N.J.

Tariq Zehawi/NorthJersey.com, Tariq Zehawi/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

Make sure you wave to the asteroids zooming by

If you're a serious skywatcher, you might know this Sunday is officially Asteroid Day. If you're not, well, now you know too! And the stars have aligned for two space rocks to pass near Earth just days before. The first, the eloquently named asteroid 415029 (2011 UL21), is the size of Mount Everest and passes by us today. The second, dubbed 2024 MK, will pass very close to Earth on Saturday – and if you've got a small telescope and clear skies, you might be able to spot it. Here's what to know.

A break from the news

•	🧊 Is ice the right way to treat a sunburn? Here's what experts say.
•	😎 Essential items to keep cool outdoors this summer.
•	👀 Stay vigilant: From fake rentals to theft, scammers are targeting cars.

Laura L. Davis is an Audience Editor at USA TODAY. Say hi: laura@usatoday.com. Support quality journalism like this? Subscribe to USA TODAY here.