Border, Trump, Biden, Texas wildfire, mental health, Navalny: Daily Briefing – USA TODAY
The U.S.-Mexico border is an early view of the likely election rematch between President Joe Biden and Donald Trump. Also in the news: As much as 10 feet of snow is forecast in Sierra Nevada region and a mental health crisis is fueling a post-pandemic spike in medication usage among Americans.
🙋🏼♀️ I’m Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. Get your free glasses for the solar eclipse.
Here is the news to know Friday.
During rivaling trips to Texas 325 miles apart, President Joe Biden and Donald Trump sparred in remarks aired within a half hour of each other. They both took walks along parts of the border in Texas. And they took turns blaming each other in an extraordinary clash over surging migration eight months from the 2024 presidential election.
Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide
Perhaps most memorably, Biden challenged Trump to get behind border legislation the former president helped kill.
Wildfires continued to roar across the Texas Panhandle, forcing widespread evacuations and causing two deaths as the Smokehouse Creek Fire became the largest in the state’s history. As of Thursday morning, 130 fires were burning across the state, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service. The Smokehouse Creek Fire had consumed 1 million acres, an area larger than the state of Rhode Island, and was just 3% contained by Thursday. Read more
What’s the weather today? Check your local forecast here.
Mourners began gathering in Moscow for the funeral of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny on Friday, despite concerns they could face a heavy-handed response or arrest by Russian police. Yulia Navalnaya, Navalny’s widow and heir to his political activism, said earlier in the week she was worried that Russian President Vladimir Putin would order the arrests of anyone who tried to attend her husband’s funeral. Navalny, 47, died two weeks ago in an Arctic penal colony. He had been jailed on politically motivated charges. Read more
A USA TODAY analysis of Medicaid data for the 60 most used psychiatric drugs showed a growing number of people sought mental health treatment and medication during the pandemic as it pushed people into isolation and dismantled support systems. The analysis also revealed a lingering effect of the pandemic: Mental health-related prescriptions rose further in 2022, up 12% from 2019, outpacing the less than 1% growth in overall prescriptions. Read the full investigation here.
They are leaders and entrepreneurs, activists and trailblazers in our communities. They are women who make a difference every day – in every state. Introducing USA TODAY’s 2024 Women of the Year, 60 women across the country using their voices and determination to push for change and equality, and even joy. They inspire us, influence us, and make us laugh. They include women such as director and actress Eva Longoria pushing for accurate portrayals of Latinos, and Nebraska’s Asheli Spivey improving the lives of Black moms. Meet USA TODAY’s 2024 Women of the Year.
Some of the fastest and fiercest athletes are gathered in Glasgow, Scotland, to compete in the World Athletics Championships. The best of the best of the best are vying for the top spots in their respective events ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
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Associated Press contributed reporting.