Boris Johnson quarantines as England lifts COVID restrictions
Good morning, Daily Briefing readers! Welcome to Monday. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is self-isolating – on the same day that England lifts its coronavirus restrictions – after his health minister tested positive for COVID-19. Meanwhile, almost 20,000 firefighters are battling more than 80 fires raging in the western United States.
It's Jane, with Monday's news.
💰 Boomers on target: How much of a cut to social security benefits can you expect based on your age?
🏀 LeBron James chimed in after a photo of him courtside with a tequila bottle under his seat made the rounds on Twitter.
🎸 The fierce debate over Bruce Springsteen's "Thunder Road" lyrics, and the movement of Mary's dress in the classic song, is officially over.
🏌🏼♂️ "California Kid" Collin Morikawa overcame Louis Oosthuizen and held off Jordan Spieth to make history and win the British Open.
🎧 On today's 5 Things podcast, hear how the Biden administration is going after vaccine misinformation. You can listen to the podcast every day on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on your smart speaker.
Here's what's happening today:
England lifts lockdown restrictions amid rising COVID-19 cases
COVID-19 lockdown rules ease in England on Monday despite a recent spike in cases due to the delta variant. The mandates will be replaced by a recommendation that people wear masks in crowded places and on public transport, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said last week. Johnson will spend 10 days self-isolating after contact with a confirmed coronavirus case, his office said Sunday. Meanwhile, in the U.S., a doubling of COVID-19 cases in the last two weeks suggests the nation has entered a fourth wave of the pandemic. Instead of the virus raging through entire communities, it's expected to target the unvaccinated, including children, and if rates are high enough, also the most vulnerable of the vaccinated: the elderly and the immunocompromised.
Britney Spears’ conservatorship battle continues
The Britney Spears’ conservatorship battle continues Monday with Judge Brenda Penny conducting a conference call with attorneys from both sides. The discussion will cover potential security for the temporary conservator who oversees Spears’ medical care. Last week was a major week for the pop star’s ongoing effort to be freed from the 13-year conservatorship, under which she has little control over her finances or life decisions. Penny granted Spears' request to hire Mathew Rosengart, a former federal prosecutor, to represent her. In an Instagram post Saturday, Spears vowed not to perform “on any stages anytime soon” as long as her father Jamie Spears remains in control of her conservatorship. “This conservatorship killed my dreams,” Spears wrote.
Flood destruction continues to mount in Europe; more than 180 dead
Western Europe is still reeling in the wake of devastating flooding that has taken more than 180 lives in Belgium and Germany. German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday pledged quick financial aid and a renewed focus on curbing climate change in a visit to the hard-hit village of Schuld, which she described as a "surreal, ghostly situation." Although the rain has stopped in the worst-affected areas of Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands, downpours have persisted elsewhere in western and central Europe.
What else people are reading:
🔵 The pilot of a hot air balloon in Vermont died after he was tangled in the gear underneath the basket and fell to his death, according to state authorities.
🔵 Fact check – The claim: An image shows Olivia Rodrigo and Joe Biden at a White House press briefing. Our rating: Altered.
🔵 Taking inspiration from Texas Democrats, Sen. Lindsey Graham said he would leave Washington to block Democrats from passing a key priority of President Joe Biden.
🔵 'So disappointed': Coco Gauff said she would withdraw from the Tokyo Olympics just days before the start of the Games after testing positive for COVID-19.
🏅 Text with us at the Tokyo Olympics: Subscribe to USA TODAY’s Olympic texts, where we’ll be your official guide to the Games.
Dozens of wildfires rage across dry West
Firefighters on Monday are continuing to battle more than 80 major fires raging across the hot, drought-stricken West, fire officials said. Wildfires burning Sunday in 13 states torched more than 1,800 square miles from Alaska to California and Minnesota to New Mexico. Almost 20,000 firefighters were working to keep the blazes at bay. One of the fires, the Bootleg Fire in southern Oregon, consumed more than 476 square miles – and destroyed at least 67 homes, as of Sunday. The blaze, which was 22% contained, forced 2,000 people to evacuate and threatened 5,000 buildings.
ICYMI: Some of our top stories Sunday
🔴 Saturday night's game between the San Diego Padres and Washington Nationals was suspended after a shooting outside Nationals Park, the team announced.
⛪️ 'I dare you to deny me Communion’: Prominent Democrats push the idea that Catholicism requires adaptation, writes Theresa Olohan for USA TODAY Opinion.
🏀 LeBron James’ agent, Rich Paul, is dating singer Adele, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said following Saturday's Game 5 of the NBA Finals between Milwaukee and Phoenix.
⚾️ The Yankees' first win over Red Sox was marred by a fan throwing a baseball at Boston's Alex Verdugo.
Biden administration takes aim at COVID-19 vaccine misinformation
Social media and tech platforms are feeling the heat from the Biden administration for what officials say is their inaction on stopping misinformation about COVID-19 and vaccines. President Joe Biden set the tone Friday when he said, "They're killing people," when asked what his message is to platforms like Facebook on COVID-19 misinformation. On Sunday, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy told "Fox News Sunday" that "misinformation is still spreading like wildfire in our country aided and abetted by technology platforms."
📸 The best photos from the 2021 British Open
Twenty-four-year-old Californian Collin Morikawa closed with a bogey-free, 4-under 66 at the Royal St. George's Golf Club in Sandwich, southern England, and won the British Open in his debut Sunday, becoming the first player to capture two different majors on the first attempt. He won the PGA Championship 11 months ago. Check out our gallery of photos from the event.
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Contributing: Associated Press