Daily Briefing: The sun, the moon and the Earth
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This afternoon, a total eclipse of the sun will appear in the skies above the U.S., all the way from southern Texas to northern Maine. Also in the news: President Joe Biden is set to preview his final plan to bring student debt forgiveness to millions of Americans. Undefeated South Carolina claimed the women's NCAA tournament title.
🙋🏼♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. Tenniscore, Cowboy core and boyfriend blush: These are spring's biggest trends.
Here's the news to know Monday.
Why is the solar eclipse so special?
Millions will likely gaze into the sky on Monday for the rare experience to witness three celestial spheres − the sun, moon and Earth − line up (partially or fully depending on where you are viewing it).
The rare event − where the shadow of the moon plunges a narrow strip of land into darkness in the middle of the day − is an astronomical experience like no other that will be unusually accessible to millions of people.
When you should be ready with your glasses: The eclipse will begin in Mexico at about 11:07 a.m. PDT, Monday, April 8 before crossing into Texas at 1:27 p.m. CDT. It will end in Maine at 3:35 p.m. EDT. Even if you're not in the path of totality and won't see the full eclipse, you may still see a percentage of it (or catch our livestream!)
Why is this solar eclipse so special? This one will fall over more places in the U.S. than the total eclipse before and after it (and won't come back to the U.S. until 2044!).
That is — if the weather cooperates. The best spot for viewing the eclipse today is expected to be northern New England, specifically northern portions of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.
What will you see and when: To find out exactly when the eclipse will be happening in your area, you can search by USA TODAY's database by ZIP code for a viewing guide.
Gamecocks top Caitlin Clark for national title
South Carolina avenged its only loss of last season, beating Iowa 87-75 Sunday afternoon for the Gamecocks’ third national championship under Dawn Staley and topping a perfect 2023-24 season. South Carolina’s win also ends the brilliant college career of Caitlin Clark on a low note. The all-time leading scorer in the history of Division I basketball took her team to two Final Fours, a tremendous feat, but came up short in the national championship game each time. Read more
Hers's how Dawn Staley forged her championship legacy after a heartbreak of 1991.
Caitlin Clark forever changed the college game — and more importantly the view of women's sports.
Here are our predictions for the men's national championships of UConn v. Purdue.
More news to know now
GOP frontrunner Donald Trump is expected to announce his policy on abortion on Monday.
The U.S. is on alert for possible Iranian attacks on Israel and American facilities.
Election offices across the country need more support from Washington.
Jennifer Crumbley's lawyer seeks leniency ahead of her sentencing.
On today's The Excerpt podcast, what ballot measures on abortion access and recreational marijuana might mean for Democrats in Donald Trump's home state. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your smart speaker.
What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here.
Israel withdraws most offensive troops from Gaza
The Israeli military said Sunday it has withdrawn most ground troops from the Gaza Strip after completing a withering offensive in the southern city of Khan Younis, leaving just one brigade in the battered enclave six months after the war began. Meanwhile, Egypt said it is preparing to host a new round of talks aimed at reaching a cease-fire and hostage-release deal, which both Israel and Hamas said they would attend. Read more
Concern over Biden's stance on the Israel-Hamas war is rattling high-profile campaign donors.
World Central Kitchen founder José Andrés accused Israel of committing "war against humanity."
Biden promises student loan relief — again
More than 4 million student loan borrowers — many of whom have been paying their bills down for at least 20 years — could see their debt fully canceled under President Joe Biden's final plan to bring student debt forgiveness to millions, according to the White House. In addition, over 10 million borrowers could get relief of $5,000 or more. Though experts say the regulations aren’t expected to fully take effect until July of next year at the earliest, the Department of Education is considering taking actions to expedite parts of the plan, possibly bringing relief to some borrowers as soon as this fall. Read more
Here's why Biden may be in jeopardy of not making it onto Ohio's ballot in November.
Keep scrolling
2024 WNBA mock draft roundup: Where will NCAA Finals stars Caitlin Clark, Kamilla Cardoso end up?
Everything that happened on the "Curb Your Enthusiasm" finale.
Kate Winslet told USA TODAY everything about the season finale of HBO's "The Regime."
Does Amazon's cashless Just Walk Out technology rely on 1,000 workers in India?
Coral reefs are vital to the Maldives. This is how travelers can help restore them.
Crews begin removing containers from Dali cargo ship
Salvage crews will remove containers aboard the Dali cargo ship, which has been stuck in the Baltimore Harbor since it crashed into and collapsed the Francis Scott Key Bridge last month, marking a crucial step in the main channel's reopening. Efforts to take containers away the through this week will help safely move the Dali from the wreckage site and allow for safe access to then remove sections of the bridge across the ship’s bow, officials say. U.S. authorities hope to restore full port access by the end of May. Read more
Biden grieved in Baltimore over a major bridge collapse.
The body of a third worker, a Honduran father, was found by divers.
Photo of the day: CMT Music Awards 2024
One of the biggest nights in country music is back. The 2024 CMT Awards Sunday evening included Cody Johnson, Jelly Roll, Kelsea Ballerini, Lainey Wilson and Megan Moroney leading the pack with the most nominations with three nods each. First-time nominees included Hozier, Koe Wetzel, Tyler Childers and Zach Bryan. Here are all the photos from the night.
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. Support journalism like this – subscribe to USA TODAY here.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Eclipse, NCAA, South Carolina Gamecocks, Israel-Hamas war, student loan debt relief, Baltimore, CMT Music Awards: Daily Briefing
