Daily Briefing: Sweden closer to joining NATO

Turkey's support for Sweden's NATO membership sends a powerful message about unity ahead of the alliance's summit that begins Tuesday in Lithuania. Also in the news: Iowa's legislature is taking up a marathon special session with the intent to pass a six-week abortion ban and Northwestern University has fired its football coach over hazing allegations.

🙋🏼‍♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. It's 7/11. Here's how to get free sandwiches and free Slurpees today.

Now, here we go with uesday's news.

Turkey's new tone on Sweden's NATO bid brings relief as summit begins

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is withdrawing his country's longstanding opposition to Sweden's NATO bid, paving the way for the Nordic country to join the military alliance as its members arrive in Lithuania for a key summit.

Erdogan's sudden change of heart came as a surprise not only because Turkey had objected to Sweden's membership since last year, claiming the Swedes were sympathetic to Kurdish militants Ankara considers a threat to national security, but also because he demanded acceptance into the European Union in exchange for signing off on Sweden's NATO membership.

• The decision certainly eases tensions and is a step toward the unity that Western leaders have been eager to demonstrate in the face of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

• NATO allies haven't reached a decision about Ukraine's membership bid and the focus now is on helping the country fend off Russia's invasion.

• President Joe Biden is scheduled to meet separately on Tuesday with the leaders of Turkey and Sweden.

Keep reading: What you missed from Biden’s visit with King Charles III.

Iowa legislature will take up 6-week abortion ban in special session

Iowa’s Legislature convenes Tuesday in a special session focused exclusively on abortion restrictions. Republican lawmakers intend to push through a new ban on abortion after roughly six weeks of pregnancy. The day will be a marathon of committee hearings and floor debates in both chambers, with votes likely to extend late into the night. Anti-abortion activists and some lawmakers have been clamoring for a special session since the Iowa Supreme Court deadlocked 3-3 in a major abortion case last month. Read more

• Are birth moms happy with their adoption choice? New study explores their experiences.

• Donald Trump attacks Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds for her neutrality.

• The Marines are without a confirmed leader for the first time in a century as Tuberville continues protest.

More news to know now

• A Marine is in custody after a missing 14-year-old girl was found in California barracks.

• A New York City man faces murder and attempted murder charges in a scooter shooting spree.

• Ex-USA gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar was stabbed in prison. Here's what we know.

• Searches are underway for homicide suspects who escaped custody in Montana and Pennsylvania.

• On today's 5 Things podcast, whether President Joe Biden's backup plan on student loan forgiveness will hold up to legal scrutiny. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your smart speaker.

What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here.

Relentless storms flood Northeast, Vermont hit hard

Rescue teams and local officials across Vermont braced for more rain and flooding Tuesday after heavy rains washed out roads and forced evacuations in the Northeast. One person in New York's Hudson Valley drowned as she was trying to leave her home during flash flooding. By Monday night, state water rescue teams performed more than 50 rescues in multiple communities as flood waters inundated roadways and homes. The slow-moving storm moved northward Monday after hitting parts of New York and Connecticut on Sunday. Read more

• A landslide destroyed luxury homes in a Southern California neighborhood.

Amazon Prime Day 2023 is finally here!

Shoppers rejoice! Amazon Prime Day is back with a boatload of savings on everything you need for the summer and beyond. You can update your meal prep with something special for your kitchen or revamp your closet with some fresh fashion. Whatever you need, an Amazon Prime account gets you some of the best deals of the year and we've got them all right here for you to shop. Shop 200+ Amazon deals to shop on Apple, Keurig and more.

• Stay stylish with Amazon fashion Prime Day deals on sandals, slippers, sunnies and more.

• 10 Amazon Prime Day device deals on Amazon Fire Sticks, Echo Dot speakers and Ring cameras.

• Sleep tight with these competing Prime Day 2023 mattress sales at Casper, Awara and more.

Just for subscribers:

• A man's heart one of few to improve with left ventricular assist device.

• ''Small miracles'' and a long recovery: After skydiving accident, this man is walking again.

• After his son's suicide, an Oregon father wants others to know about tick-borne illness.

• More young adults are not religious, but Christianity still dominant religion in US.

These articles are for USA TODAY subscribers. You can sign up here. 

Northwestern University fires football coach amid hazing scandal

Northwestern University head football coach Pat Fitzgerald was fired on Monday after several former players revealed details of hazing within the football program, and days after an independent investigation confirmed hazing activities were "widespread among football players." University president Michael Schill said the details of the investigation would remain confidential, but revealed that 11 current or former players told investigators hazing had been ongoing. While he said some players didn't think the hazing was harmful, he said others "viewed it as causing significant harm with long-term consequences." Read more

Quick hits

• Jonah Hill, those alleged text messages and when ''therapy speak'' turns into something else.

• Elton John marked ''52 years of pure joy'' with his final tour performance.

• Ed Sheeran's Pittsburgh concert had 17 hospitalizations for ''heat-related issues.''

• ''Jack Ryan'' Season 4: How to watch the final 2 episodes of the series.

• ''Secrets of Playboy'' returns: The shocking allegations so far.

Photo of the day: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. wins Home Run Derby

Just as his dad did in 2007, Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. powered his way through T-Mobile Park to win the 2023 Home Run Derby. Guerrero Jr. knocked 25 home runs in the final round against Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Randy Arozarena’s 23 to win the event. It also marked a first in derby history, as Guerrero Sr. and Guerrero Jr. became the first father-son duo to win a Home Run Derby title. Read more

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: NATO, Sweden, Ukraine, Russia, Biden, Iowa, abortion, flooding, Northwestern football, MLB All-Star: Daily Briefing