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The Daily Briefing

YOUR MORNING NEWS ROUNDUP

Thu Jul 11 2024

Nicole Fallert | Newsletter Writer

@nicolefallert

Team USA is officially set for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Officials from President Joe Biden's campaign are meeting with Senate Democrats on Thursday to address skepticism about his candidacy. England is headed to the Euros finals against Spain.

🙋🏼‍♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. Would you try deep-fried bubblegum?

Sixteen or 60 years old, they're coming for the gold

The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee unveiled the full, final roster for its 2024 Olympic team, a group of nearly 600 athletes who will represent the United States across 31 different sports in Paris. Gymnast Simone Biles, swimmer Katie Ledecky and sprinter Noah Lyles are among the returning Olympians and presumptive gold-medal favorites who headline Team USA, which is expected to bring one of the largest delegations to the Paris Games. The team will feature athletes from 46 states and the District of Columbia, ranging in age from 16 to almost 60. And while it will include hundreds of first-time Olympians, it will also have a few six-timers, too. Read more

LeBron James #6 of the United States in an exhibition game ahead of the Paris Olympic Games on July 10, 2024.

Ethan Miller, Getty Images

Democrats are still in scramble mode

Democratic senators will meet Thursday with a handful of President Joe Biden's campaign officials as lawmakers determine how and whether to continue to support Biden's reelection bid.

It's not clear whether the meeting will be enough to stop the bleeding for Biden: Several senators have expressed more serious doubt about Biden's candidacy in recent days, and one has directly called for Biden to step aside.

•	Biden's closest allies on Capitol Hill are sending a message to their colleagues: The president is hearing concerns and showing Democrats he's capable of defeating his GOP rival.
•	Making the wrong decision could have lasting ramifications for the party and the country. With Biden at the top of the ballot, Democrats fear losing the House and Senate in the fall, and Trump would likely have additional Supreme Court nominees if he's reelected to a second term.
•	But the more airtime Democrats get, the better for Trump: The GOP frontrunner has seized on the collective stress to present an image of a united Republican front.

More news to know now

•	Israeli strikes hit a Gaza soccer game, killing dozens.
•	A suspect was found after three family members of a BBC journalist were killed.
•	The SCOTUS presidential immunity ruling could enable autocratic behavior.
•	AOC filed articles of impeachment against the Supreme Court's Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas.
•	It's game time! Play today's USA TODAY Crossword. Our expert Sally has the answers.

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

NATO heads home

On top of hosting this year's NATO Summit for 31 U.S. allies, President Joe Biden will participate in a press conference Thursday as the world continues to rigorously examine his competence and coherence since his botched debate performance. NATO allies close the summit marking the 75th anniversary of the alliance on Thursday after holding dialogues on a pledge by the alliance to continue to support Ukraine and an "irreversible" path to Kyiv's NATO membership. Read more

The Heads of State of NATO pose at the White House on July 10, 2024.

ROBERTO SCHMIDT, AFP via Getty Images

Republican majority on a Nevada county commission refuses to certify election

Three Republican commissioners in a key Nevada swing county have refused to certify an election recount, creating new turmoil in a community that since the 2020 election has been a hotbed for election skepticism, misinformation and vitriol against public officials. The members make up a majority of the Washoe County Commission, a five-member board in the Reno area that will be responsible for holding a similar vote after the Nov. 5 presidential election. Read more

Keep scrolling

•	How to help victims of Hurricane Beryl − and avoid getting scammed.
•	Here are the biggest revelations from Alec Baldwin's "Rust" trial so far.
•	Uruguay players and Colombia fans fought in the stands after the Copa America semifinal.
•	Stock up on style with the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale.
•	Airline lounges keep stepping it up.

Just a little extra time in space

A week-long trip into a 35-day and counting stay. The first astronauts to fly Boeing's troubled Starliner are definitely not "stranded" at the International Space Station, NASA said last month. But the space agency also has a clear timeframe for bringing them home. According to an update on Wednesday, Navy test pilots Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Sunita "Suni" Williams may stay at the International Space Station (ISS) until later in the summer. Scientists and engineers are working through testing to better understand and resolve issues that occurred during Starliner's launch and flight last month, including some misfiring thrusters and helium leaks. Read more

NASA's Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts (from top) Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams inside the vestibule between the forward port on the International Space Station's Harmony module and Boeing's Starliner spacecraft.

HANDOUT, NASA/AFP via Getty Images

Photo of the day: Ollie Watkins cinches England's Euros final

Ollie Watkins' goal in the 90th minute gave England a 2-1 win over the Netherlands, the late drama in Dortmund sending England to Sunday's final against Spain. England has never won the European championship, finishing runner-up in the last edition of the tournament.

England's forward #19 Ollie Watkins celebrates scoring a goal in the Euros semifinals against the Netherlands on July 10, 2024.

INA FASSBENDER, AFP via Getty Images

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.