Good morning, NewsNation! There’s a lot happening Friday. Let’s catch up:
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Solo news conference: Thursday evening, President Joe Biden faced his first solo news conference since November. The news conference, where Biden took questions from the White House press corps, followed a week of speculation about his fitness to serve. Takeaways >
‘I’ve got to finish this job’: As faith in Biden’s ability has faltered among some fellow Democrats after his widely criticized debate performance, Biden repeatedly said, “I’ve got to finish this job” at Thursday’s news conference. The president pointed out that he recognized he should dial back his work schedule. “I’ve always had an inclination, whether it’s playing sports or doing politics, just to keep going, not stop,” Biden said. “I just gotta pace myself a little more.” He also acknowledged that it may not matter how many exams he takes when it comes to easing public fears about his health. Full breakdown >
VP Harris: The news conference ended with Biden being asked whether he would step aside in favor of Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee if he saw polling showing she had a better chance of beating former President Donald Trump. “No, unless they come back and said there’s no way you can win,” Biden said, later whispering: “No poll’s saying that.” Read more >
Name flubs: What may be considered Biden’s biggest slip-up in the news conference came when he called Harris “Vice President Trump,” when saying he selected her as vice president because he believed she could beat Trump. Before the news conference, Biden messed up a significant name at the NATO summit. “Ladies and gentlemen, President Putin,” Biden said as he was introducing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The error prompted gasps, and Biden told Zelenskyy: “President Putin? You’re going to beat President Putin.” Take a closer look >
Dems call for Biden to drop out: Three more House Democrats called on Biden to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race after the news conference. Democratic Reps. Jim Himes of Connecticut, Scott Peters of California and Eric Sorensen of Illinois said Biden should step aside minutes after he concluded his news conference, arguing he is not the strongest candidate to defeat Trump. They join 13 other House Democrats and one Senate Democrat, Peter Welch of Vermont, who have urged the president to step aside. Biden told DNC delegates they’re “free to do whatever they want” when it comes to choosing another candidate. The latest >
NATO summit: The news conference closed out the NATO summit in Washington, where the president hosted foreign leaders. Biden reiterated the U.S. remains committed to checking Russian and Chinese aggression worldwide. When asked if he has a strategy to “disrupt the partnership” between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Biden responded: “Yes, I do, but I’m not prepared to talk about the detail of it in public.” And when discussing negotiations for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, Biden said Israel has been “less than cooperative” about getting aid into Gaza. Full report >
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Trump conviction: Lawyers for former President Donald Trump are pressing a New York judge to overturn his hush money conviction and dismiss the case. The 52-page brief, made public Thursday, insists the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office improperly brought in evidence protected by presidential immunity. The latest >
Background: A New York jury convicted Trump in May on all 34 counts of falsifying business records with an intent to unlawfully influence the 2016 election by disguising reimbursements to his then-fixer, Michael Cohen. Last week, the Supreme Court determined core presidential powers are immune from criminal prosecution. Read more >
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Alec Baldwin trial: The lead detective who investigated the deadly shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film “Rust” is set to take the stand Friday at Alec Baldwin ‘s involuntary manslaughter trial in New Mexico. “Rust” armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed’s attorney said they have been informed prosecutors will try to call her to testify. If she is called, she is expected to assert her Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination since she has an appeal of conviction pending. The latest >
‘Rust’ shooting: Baldwin has pleaded not guilty in the 2021 shooting during a rehearsal for the western movie. On the set at Bonanza Creek Ranch in New Mexico, a revolver went off while Baldwin was pointing it at Hutchins. The shooting killed her and injured director Joel Souza. What to know about the trial >
Watch: Keep up with Baldwin’s trial by watching it live every day with NewsNation. Stream here >
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Missing: A 14-year-old girl from Ogden, Utah, went missing in Mexico while visiting family nearly two weeks ago, and now the FBI and her family are asking for help. Elizabeth “Ely” Gonzalez was visiting her grandmother in Mexico City when investigators believe she was manipulated by an adult into getting in a taxi June 30. She has not been seen since. An FBI special agent said the agency is working “day and night” with their partners in Mexico City to locate her. The latest >
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Rent money: While New York City is still the most expensive rental market in the country, the fastest-growing rents are in places you might not expect. New data from Zillow shows rents are up 7.8% in Hartford, Connecticut, over the past year, more than any other major market. Cleveland (7.2%), Louisville, Kentucky (6.8%) and Providence, Rhode Island (6.3%) have also seen rents increase faster than the national average (3.5%). Milwaukee (5.7%) rounds out the top five. Take a closer look >
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Diddy probe: Embattled music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs has reportedly hired a high-profile criminal defense attorney amid a possible federal sex trafficking probe and 10th civil suit filed against him since November. Combs has hired Marc Agnifilo, who has represented “Pharma Bro” Martin Shkreli, former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng and NXIVM cult leader Keith Raniere, Business Insider reported. What we know >
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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! Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack holds an “Investing in America” town hall. The Wimbledon Tennis Championships continue. The sun is expected to set Friday in perfect alignment with Manhattan’s street grid to create “Manhattanhenge.” Friday marks two years since the release of the first images of the James Webb space telescope.
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The chief of a small Texas town says border authorities are now finding stolen plates from his area being used in smuggling situations, including those taken from city council members. Full border report >
A Louisiana sheriff says a 1-year-old “miracle baby” survived two days before a truck driver discovered him crawling by a highway the day after his 4-year-old brother was found dead and his mother was arrested in Mississippi. The latest >
A homeowner remains shaken after burglars smashed their way into a Hollywood Hills home in a brazen multimillion-dollar heist. Video >
One of Snoop Dogg’s staff members is among the judges at an Ohio cannabis festival. Read more >
The Arkansas secretary of state rejected an effort Wednesday for an abortion-rights ballot measure that would ensure access to the procedure up to 18 weeks in the state. What to know >
A North Carolina teen was expelled from school for singing at a venue that sold alcohol, she told NewsNation. Watch >
Bill Belichick, who guided the New England Patriots to six Super Bowl titles over more than two decades, will join “Inside the NFL” as a studio analyst for the upcoming season. Read more >
A Utah man is celebrating two accomplishments: The grand opening of his record store and a submission to the Guinness Book of World Records for visiting the most record stores in a day. How he got here >
A decades-old fashion trend is hitting police departments and sheriff’s offices across Colorado: Many departments are allowing cowboy hats as part of the uniform. Why they’re making a comeback >
While serving a life sentence in Arizona, convicted murderer Jodi Arias is selling her artwork online with the help of her family. Full report >
A second arrest has been made in Georgia in an ongoing fraud investigation involving Navy Federal Credit Union. The investigation >
Grenades found in a carry-on bag prompted the evacuation of a Hawaii airport Tuesday. Read more >
Violet Affleck, the eldest daughter of actors Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner, recently spoke out at a Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors meeting against face mask bans. What happened >
A Missouri couple is celebrating nearly eight decades of marriage. Their love story >
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A teenager took a leap of faith by jumping from a personal watercraft to stop a runaway boat on Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire after the boat’s captain was knocked overboard. Brady Procon, 17, explained that he was sitting on his back porch with his family when they noticed a boat tearing up the lake in a no-wake zone. Nearby, a sailing lesson was being conducted with kids in the open water. After realizing no one was on the runaway boat, Procon and his father jumped into action. Read more >
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This NewsNation email is written by Caitlyn Shelton and NewsNation staff.
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