Daily Briefing: Misery in Houston
Dangerous heat descended on the Houston area after a deadly storm caused billions of dollars worth of damage and left hundreds of thousands without power in Texas. The death of Iran's president has put the succession of the nation in question. Former President Donald Trump's New York hush money trial continues.
🙋🏼♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. What makes that "Bridgerton" carriage scene so special?
Texans suffer without electricity amid heat
Hundreds of thousands of Texans swelter in unrelenting heat and humidity Monday as a fleet of utility workers try to restore full electricity after a derecho and tornadoes slammed the Houston area, leaving seven dead.
On top of billions of dollars of damage to the city's utilities, Houston residents are expected to feel intense heat across the region through the first half of the week.
Thousands of workers are scrambling to restore power in the Houston area early this week while affected residents seek relief at city cooling centers.
As many as eight tornadoes, with three each in Kansas and Oklahoma and two in Colorado, dotted the nation by Sunday at midnight (and invited twister tourists to tornado alley).
"Intense summer-like heat" will continue across the Central U.S. from southern Texas into the southern High Plains on Monday and Tuesday, with possibly record-breaking temperatures soaring into the triple digits.
Who will lead Iran next?
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and other officials were killed in a helicopter crash in mountainous terrain near the Azerbaijan border, officials and state media announced Monday. The death of Iran's president is not expected to upend Iran's domestic or foreign politics. But it does come at a time of raised international tensions and it is likely to increase speculation over who will eventually replace Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Raisi was viewed as a possible successor to the 85-year-old cleric.
More news to know now
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Virginia's governor vetoed a bill that would protect access to contraception.
On today's The Excerpt podcast, Americans are getting more therapy than ever - and spending more. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your smart speaker.
What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here.
Will Trump speak in court?
For weeks, Donald Trump has sat silently in a New York courtroom while former employees and associates have testified in his criminal hush money trial. On Monday, the former U.S. president might seize the chance to tell his side of the story. Inside the chamber, Trump has sat at the defendant's table listening to Daniels tell her account of their time together in lurid detail. Other witnesses have discussed efforts to bury unflattering stories at a time Trump faced multiple accusations of sexual misbehavior. The first former president to stand criminal trial, Trump has not yet made it clear whether he will testify.
As summer arrives, campus protests taper off
Pro-Palestinian protests that roiled college campuses this spring have begun to abate in recent weeks, raising questions about what comes next. As summer break approached, leaders at some schools struck deals with student protesters while others resorted to calling on law enforcement to forcibly remove activists from campus. While students depart from campus or graduate, the schools have a unique opportunity to prepare for future protests — and reflect on their demands. Read more
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Simone Biles is a lock for Paris Olympics. But who's going to join her?
Abi Carter took the "American Idol" crown.
Taylor Swift paused her acoustic set of her Stockholm Eras Tour show to check on fans.
Who's in the 2024 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue?
The Timberwolves ousted reigning champion Nuggets from the NBA playoffs with a record rally.
Xander Schauffele perseveres to claim first career major
Xander Schauffele held off charges Sunday by Viktor Hovland, who was also seeking his first major title, and Bryson DeChambeau to win the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky with a record-setting score of 21-under par. He didn’t have the cleanest final hole at Valhalla, but it brought him a major. His tee shot was crushed down the left side of the fairway, but it got perilously close to a fairway bunker. Read more
Photo of the day: All the glam at Cannes
The glam (and edgy fashion) of Cannes is back! See the biggest names in Hollywood walk the famed red carpet at the 77th Cannes International Film Festival in the South of France.
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.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Houston weather, Iran president, Taylor Swift, NBA, campus protests, Xander Schauffele, Cannes: Daily Briefing
