Biles is back
Happy Monday, Daily Briefing readers! It's official: Star gymnast Simone Biles will compete at the Tokyo Olympics again. USA Gymnastics announced Biles will take part in the balance beam final. Back in the United States, million of Americans could be facing evictions, after the federal moratorium on them expired this weekend.
It's Julius, with Monday's news.
🥇 New this morning: The new mixed gender Olympic events are promoting gender equity — and they're a hit in Tokyo.
🚧 After delays, Senators unveiled the nearly $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill.
🔵 The man who sparked Trump's first impeachmenttells his story. And he has some advice on how to handle a political firestorm.
🔵 Dr. Anthony Fauci says "things are going to get worse" as the number of COVID-19 infections in the U.S. surges.
🎧 On today's 5 Things podcast, hear how millions of Americans are affected by the end of the federal eviction moratorium. You can listen to the podcast every day on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on your smart speaker.
Here's what's happening today:
Team USA gets a boost as Simone Biles returns to competition
Simone Biles will give it another go at the Tokyo Olympics, as USA Gymnastics announced that she will return to compete in the women's balance beam final, scheduled for Tuesday at 4:50 a.m. ET. It will be Biles' first competition since she withdrew from the women’s team final July 27, citing concerns for her mental health and physical safety. The announcement of Biles' return came shortly before teammate Jade Carey won a gold medal in the women's floor exercise final. Elsewhere at the Olympics, the U.S. women's soccer team was dealt a stunning 1-0 loss to Canada, and Team USA will look to claim gold medals in the women's long jump, scheduled for Monday at 9:50 p.m. ET, and the men's 400-meter hurdles, scheduled for 11:20 p.m. ET.
📲 Want behind-the-scenes access to the Tokyo Olympics? Sign up for USA TODAY’s Olympic texts for exclusive access to the Games and athletes chasing gold.
Evictions loom after moratorium expires
Millions of Americans are facing evictions Monday after the federal freeze on evictions expired Saturday. Landlords successfully challenged the moratorium in court, arguing they also had bills to pay and suggesting that tenants could access nearly $47 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rent. But advocates for tenants said the distribution of the money had been too slow to be able to pay landlords on time. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who were behind on their rents. As recently as July 5, roughly 3.6 million people in the U.S. said they face eviction in the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey.
What else people are reading:
🔵 Sen. Susan Collins slams Jan. 6 panel: Lawmaker calls it "partisan," while Rep. Adam Kinzinger says Trump may not need to testify.
🤝 More than a win: An American runner who was tripped at Olympics shows the ultimate act of sportsmanship.
🔴 Jay Pickett, "General Hospital" star, died while filming a movie in Idaho. He was 60.
🥓 Could you live without bacon? Bacon may disappear in California as new rules take effect.
The West faces thunderstorms, as wildfires burn
Western states under siege from numerous wildfires may face a new threat Monday as thunderstorms head their way, raising the possibility of flash flooding. The National Weather Service said the storms are expected to hit the interior western states, particularly the area from the Great Basin to the Rockies. However, the downpours haven’t reached Oregon or California yet, where two of the country’s largest wildfires burn — although not as wildly as in previous days. In Oregon, containment of the Bootleg Fire, the nation’s largest at more than 640 square miles, increased from 56% to 74% on Sunday.
NBA stars test out free agency
Monday marks the beginning of the NBA free agency process, a drama-filled time period of signings and trades that shake up the basketball landscape on an annual basis. However, this year's free agency season will operate a bit differently than normal. Starting at 6 p.m. ET Monday, free agents and teams can begin negotiations, but players won't be able to put pen to paper on any new contracts until Friday, when teams are officially allowed to sign new players. Some of the biggest names on the market include Kawhi Leonard, Chris Paul, Kyle Lowry, Lonzo Ball, Mike Conley and John Collins.
DaBaby faces fallout for homophobic remarks
Rapper DaBaby is taking the consequences of recent homophobic remarks he made. The six-time Grammy-nominated artist, 29, came under fire for derogatory remarks referencing HIV/AIDS made during a show in Miami last Sunday. Days later, he made similar remarks after releasing his NSFW song and music video "Giving What It's Supposed to Give." On Sunday, the Lollapalooza music festival dropped him from his scheduled set in Chicago. His comments, and subsequent apology, have been met with backlash from fellow musicians, including Madonna, Questlove, Elton John and Dua Lipa.
ICYMI: Some of our top stories published over the weekend
🔵 The American fencer under investigation for sexual misconduct confronted teammates who wore face masks in an apparent protest of his inclusion on the team.
🔵 She got vaccinated the day her fiance tested positive for COVID-19. It was too late for him.
🔵 TikTok star Anthony Barajas died from wounds suffered in a shooting at a movie theater in California.
📸 Photo of the Day: Young Thug takes the stage at Lollapalooza📸
Young Thug performed as the closing act of Lollapalooza in Chicago. He took the time slot after the music festival dropped DaBaby from its lineup Sunday. Head here for more sights from Lollapalooza.
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