Good morning, NewsNation! Thank you for getting the latest news across America from the Your Morning newsletter. For more fact-biased, unbiased news coverage 24/7 – download the NewsNation app here.
|
|
|
Record travel: Whether you’re taking to the skies or roads to celebrate Independence Day, this July 4th week is expected to be the busiest ever when it comes to travel. AAA projects more than 70 million travelers will head 50 miles or more from home over the holiday travel period, marking a 5% increase compared to 2023 and an 8% jump from 2019. 60.6 million people are expected to travel by car over Independence Day week, and 5.74 million people will fly to their July 4th destinations. Full breakdown >
Why could there be record numbers? Clint Henderson, managing editor of the travel website The Points Guy, told NewsNation it comes down to prices. “The last few summers have been super, super expensive,” he said, later adding: “And now, prices have stabilized and, in some cases, even dropped.” Watch the interview >
Hit the road: With the majority of travelers hopping in the car, the Biden administration touted its latest effort to reduce gas prices ahead of the July 4 travel blitz. The Department of Energy’s Office of Petroleum Reserves will release about 42 million gallons of gasoline from a Northeast reserve to drive down prices at the pump. The latest >
Taking to the skies: Airports are expected to be packed for the holiday, and AAA recommends arriving two hours early, reserving parking ahead of time and traveling with a carry-on versus a checked bag. Nervous ahead of your flight? There are now tools to help see the expected risk of turbulence >
Hot, hot, hot: The National Weather Service is warning of “significant heat” on the July Fourth holiday. The “early July heat wave” is expected in the Southern Plains, Gulf Coast, Southeast and Mid-Atlantic Coast, Central Valley of California and Mojave Desert of California and Nevada, the NWS said Monday. What to know >
|
|
|
2024 election: President Joe Biden will speak to Democratic governors Wednesday evening as concerns swirl over his debate performance. A White House source told NewsNation these governors have been strong allies to Biden, “and we look forward to their continued partnership.” As he sparred with former President Donald Trump at last week’s presidential debate, Biden’s halting delivery and repeated verbal stumbles fueled speculation that at age 81, he is not able to lead for another four years. Biden has repeatedly said he has no intention of dropping out of the 2024 election. Details >
White House briefing: At the first White House briefing since the debate, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre reiterated what officials had said before: that Biden had a cold Thursday night and did not take medication for it. Asked directly if Biden has Alzheimer’s, dementia or any other disease that could cause memory lapses, Jean-Pierre said no. “We understand the concerns. We get it. The president did not have a great night,” Jean-Pierre said. She added that the White House medical team said a cognitive test was not warranted in this case. Read more >
Biden’s health: Some Democratic lawmakers aren’t buying it. Rep. Lloyd Doggett of Texas was the first current Democratic lawmaker to publicly call for Biden to step down, saying he failed during the debate to “effectively defend his many accomplishments.” The latest >
|
|
|
Family’s frustration: Nearly two weeks after Chicago resident Taylor Casey went missing from a Bahamas yoga retreat, her family says investigators have not shared any new information about her case. “No news, no information about, you know, where Taylor is or where Taylor could have could have been. Nothing,” Casey’s mother, Colette Seymore, told NewsNation. Casey’s family, including her mother, returned to Chicago after traveling to the Bahamas following Casey’s disappearance, but Seymore says there have been no updates since then. Watch the interview >
Missing: Casey has not been seen since the evening of June 19, when she disappeared from a yoga retreat at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat, where she was taking classes to become a yoga instructor. Efforts to find Casey intensified last week with K-9s joining the search. Local police have also started using drone technology to search for signs on the western end of Paradise Island. Details >
|
|
|
Beryl: Hurricane Beryl roared toward Jamaica on Wednesday after the powerful Category 4 storm killed at least six people and caused significant damage in the southeast Caribbean. Beryl is expected to bring life-threatening winds and storm surge to Jamaica, where officials have warned residents in some areas to prepare for evacuation. While there’s always a chance the storm could turn north, it’s highly unlikely Hurricane Beryl will hit the U.S. The latest >
|
|
|
9/11 Justice: A group of families of 9/11 victims are calling out President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump for not talking more about a video allegedly showing a Saudi official “casing” sites across Washington, D.C., as the terror attacks were being planned. Advocates for 9/11 victims think the video could be indisputable proof the Saudi government was complicit or at least knew about the planning of the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. “We’re no longer searching for words of ‘you’re in our thoughts and prayers.’ We’re no longer looking to be coddled or comforted. We stand here pissed off,” Brett Eagleson, president of 9/11 Justice, said. “And our government has failed to bring us accountability, closure and justice.” Read more >
The video: 9/11 Families United sent NewsNation the video after a judge released it by court order. The video totals around an hour, and at times, shows a group of men, believed to have ties to the Saudi government and allegedly the same people caught on video in the U.S. with multiple 9/11 hijackers before the attack, pointing out landmarks like the White House, the Washington Monument and the Capitol building. The Capitol building, in particular, appeared to be a focus with the group. The latest >
|
|
|
We’re keeping an eye on these topics today. Make sure you tune in to our latest coverage and share your thoughts with us on social media!
-
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation annual summit.
-
The U.S. Department of Labor releases the Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report.
|
|
|
A new study found that someone making Florida’s minimum wage would need to work 98 hours a week to afford a one-bedroom home, and 117 hours a week for a two-bedroom. The research >
A surrogacy escrow company in Texas is accused of stealing millions from couples. Why the FBI is asking people with information to come forward >
A new Illinois law requires social media influencer parents to set up a trust fund for their child if they earn income from their child’s likeness. Details >
A Missouri mother living under Section 8 Housing says St. Louis officials told her she has to live with a house infested with bats. Full report >
A Tennessee woman is dead after police say she was attacked by two dogs early Monday morning. The latest >
Three teens have been arrested after a woman was shot and killed in the French Quarter over the weekend. The investigation >
The “rare sight” of glowing worms are lighting up a community in Colorado. Photos >
A “ghost ship” washed up on a Florida Panhandle beach in June. What to know >
“Happy Hour” is now legal in Indiana for the first time in decades. Details >
|
|
|
KEEP UP WITH THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL
|
Sign up for our Decision Desk ’24 Campaign View newsletter to get the latest analysis and political reporting leading up to the 2024 election. Subscribe Now >
|
|
|
Wallace “Wally” Gagnon is a father, grandfather, great-grandfather, Korean War veteran, former amateur boxer and avid golfer. It’s safe to say the 94-year-old has experienced it all. But his favorite way to pass the time is visiting his extended family — the neighborhood dogs. Read more >
Find a good news story each day in NewsNation’s Your Morning newsletter! Subscribe >
|
|
|
This NewsNation email is written by Caitlyn Shelton and NewsNation staff.
|
|
|
|