Daily Briefing: 'The state of the union is strong'
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President Joe Biden called on Americans to look to "the future" and not return to the politics of his predecessor in a State of the Union address. Also in the news: International Women's Day calls for global efforts to support progress in gender equality. Should dogs be allowed to win Oscars?
🙋🏼♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. Don't forget to spring your clocks forward this weekend!
Here is the news to know Friday.
A high-energy election year State of the Union address
President Joe Biden delivered a combative State of the Union address Thursday, targeting Donald Trump and launching a general election already guaranteed to be brutal. In the president's annual report to Congress, a defiant Biden declared that Americans now face a choice between democracy and despotism.
The president addressed a sweeping range of issues facing the nation and the world, from providing aid for Ukraine to expanding abortion rights. Overall, Biden told Americans from coast to coast that "The state of our union is strong and getting stronger.”
Biden repeatedly hit former President Donald Trump, whom he only referred to as his "predecessor."
Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., delivered the Republican response, slamming the president's handling of the economy, the southern border, crime and foreign policy, calling him a "dithering and diminished leader."
Biden embraced strong rhetoric about the Southern border, igniting a heated confrontation with Republicans involving the death of 22-year-old Georgia nursing student Laken Riley and referred to the Venezuelan man accused of killing her as an “illegal.”
Related: Read the full text of Biden's 2024 speech.
International Women's Day comes amid global crisis and celebrations
Friday marks International Women's Day, an annual opportunity to celebrate the impact and influence of women on their communities around the world, and their predecessors who paved the way to progress. This year's IWD comes against a complex backdrop in the U.S., where American women's health, work and political power have been a major focus ahead of the 2024 presidential campaign. At last night's State of the Union, President Joe Biden warned not to underestimate women's ability to change America, saying: "those bragging about overturning Roe v. Wade have no clue about the power of women in America. They found out though when reproductive freedom was on the ballot and won in 2022, 2023, and they will find out again, in 2024." Read more
Biden made an historic SOTU statement in support of transgender Americans: "I have your back!"
Abortion provider Dr. Caitlin Bernard was a guest at Biden's speech.
Meet USA TODAY's 2024 Women of the Year honorees.
Beyoncé graces cover of Apple Music's new playlist in honor of IWD.
More news to know now
A U.S. Army Sgt. was accused of selling secrets to China.
Fed Chair Powell says interest rate cuts won’t start until inflation approaches this level.
Houston's police chief apologized for not investigating 264K incident reports.
J.K. Rowling's "dehumanizing" misgendering post was reported to U.K. police.
On today's The Excerpt podcast, what two companies can tell us about the changing economy. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your smart speaker.
What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here.
An emergency port on the Gaza coast would stem a hunger crisis
The U.S. is launching an emergency mission to establish a port on the Gaza coast that can receive large shipments of humanitarian aid, President Joe Biden announced in last night's State of the Union address. A "temporary pier in the Mediterranean on the Gaza coast" would accept ships carrying food, water, medicine and temporary shelters, increasing the region's intake ability of humanitarian resources. U.S. military personnel will assist from vessels offshore, but the operation is not expected to involve American troops on the ground in Gaza, he said. Read more
As the Israel-Hamas war hits five months, a humanitarian crisis rages as bombardment continues.
These graphics explain how the U.S. is air-dropping aid into war-torn Gaza.
Is time running out for TikTok?
New legislation could be the most significant threat yet to TikTok, a wildly popular Chinese-owned app. A bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced the legislation this week that would give the app's owner ByteDance six months to sell off TikTok or face a ban in the United States. In a statement, TikTok decried the bill as an attack on the First Amendment and would "deprive 5 million small businesses of a platform they rely on to grow and create jobs." Read more
Angry TikTok users flooded lawmakers with phone calls, urging them not to support the bill.
College students love Sidechat. Colleges, not so much.
Keep scrolling
Akira Toriyama, legendary Japanese manga artist and Dragon Ball creator, has died at 68.
Rape survivor Brenda Tracy will sue Michigan State and Mel Tucker for $75 million.
Eli Lilly slammed Hollywood's Ozempic obsession ahead of the Oscars.
Could it soon be illegal to let go of a balloon?
They had a loving marriage and their sex life was great. Here's why they opened up to new partners.
The 2024 cicada invasion: Here's how to save your trees and shrubs from damage.
These are nine creative ways to celebrate Ramadan with kids.
Pups, 'Poor Things' and Paul Giamatti: Here's your 2024 Oscars guide
The annual Academy Awards will unfold Sunday at Los Angeles' Dolby Theatre, drawing Hollywood's most glam (and talented) denizens to battle for the film industry's top awards. Jimmy Kimmel is back as host of the show, which will include a performance by Ryan Gosling of "I'm Just Ken," his signature song from the "Barbie" movie. The field of nominees is crowded with talent from a dynamic range of performances, including Emma Stone for Best Actress in "Poor Things" and "The Holdovers" star Paul Giamatti up against "Oppenheimer" star Cillian Murphy for Best Actor. Read our rundown of on the nominations, host and how to tune in.
Behind the scenes at the Oscars: What really happens on Hollywood's biggest night?
Is it time to give Oscars to dogs?
USA TODAY's Oscars predictions: Who will win Sunday – and who should.
Chlöe and Halle Bailey, Zendaya, and more stars stepped out for the Essence Black Women In Hollywood Awards.
Photo of the day: The first US woman to sail solo around the world
In a sea of male competitors, Cole Brauer is the only woman in an around-the-world solo sailing competition that's quickly coming to a close. The 29-year-old from Long Island, New York, crossed the finish line of her 130-day voyage on Thursday in A Coruna, Spain. Read her story.
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 or follow along with her musings on Twitter. Support journalism like this – subscribe to USA TODAY here.
Associated Press contributed reporting.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: State of the Union, Biden, Trump, International Women's Day, abortion, IVF, TikTok, Oscars, Israel, Gaza: Daily Briefing
