Daily Briefing: 40 impactful moments that made the 'McPaper'

Today is Sept. 15, which means it's USA TODAY's birthday! "McPaper" – an insult USA TODAY has embraced over the years – turns 40 years old today. Also in the news: President Joe Biden said a tentative railway labor agreement has been reached, averting a potentially devastating strike. And Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has sent dozens of immigrants to Massachusetts.

👋 I'm Steve Coogan, filling in for Nicole Fallert for the next couple of days. Before we dive into the news, what do you think of Daily Briefing? Love it? Want to see different kinds of stories? If you'd like to share, we want to hear your thoughts here.

Here is Thursday's news:

🌅 Up first: Congratulations to Sofía Vergara's Golden Buzzer act the Mayyas, who were crowned this season's winner of "America's Got Talent." Read our recap.

USA TODAY turns 40

In 1982, USA TODAY introduced a brash new way to deliver the news – short, to the point, lots of entry points, color. Did that mark an inflection point for an industry that rejected us? Or did it, as some smartly think, serve as a template for the internet? Either way, what became apparent as we flipped through 480 months of news since the first edition in 1982, writes former executive editor David Colton, was how often USA TODAY made a difference. We've got 40 moments, chosen by dozens of current and former staffers, when USA TODAY made a difference to our readers, our nation or to our staff. Read more

• USA TODAY at 40: It's grown up, but it's still different

• USA TODAY's print edition has changed by design: Pages from our four decades show the newspaper's evolution.

• Video: "It was exciting to know that we were going to change the industry if we were successful."

Biden: Tentative railway labor deal reached, averting strike

President Joe Biden said Thursday a tentative railway labor agreement has been reached, averting a potentially devastating strike before the pivotal midterm elections. He said the tentative deal "will keep our critical rail system working and avoid disruption of our economy."  The agreement is "an important win for our economy and the American people," Biden said in a statement. Biden said the rail workers will get better pay, improved working conditions and "peace of mind around their health care costs: all hard-earned."  Read more

• Precautionary action: Amtrak canceled all long-distance trains ahead of potential shutdown

• What am I entitled to if my train is canceled? Amtrak and commuter railroads warn of potential service cuts

• Previous coverage: Pressure was mounting on Biden to avert strike

🛑 Can't read the story about the pressure on President Joe Biden? That's because it's a subscriber-only story. We try our best to make our journalism as accessible as possible, but we need your support to write important stories like these. You can subscribe here — we're even having a sale! 

Florida's DeSantis: 50 people flown to Massachusetts are 'illegal immigrants'

Local leaders say two planes that landed Wednesday on Massachusetts' Martha's Vineyard appear to be carrying Venezuelan nationals sent there by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who claims undocumented immigrants belong in progressive states. The immigrants were flown by a chartered aircraft from Florida, Texas, or both, officials said. A spokesperson for DeSantis confirmed to Fox News those on the planes are whom the governor called "illegal immigrants." The arrivals took locals by surprise. A receptionist discovered 50 people – men, women and children – standing in a parking lot Wednesday. "Venezuelan leaders are rightfully outraged," five Venezuelan-American groups said in a joint statement. They planned a news conference for Thursday in South Florida. Read more

• Free bus rides for migrants to Washington, New York and Chicago begin in Texas border town

• Operation Lone Star: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's migrant busing program costing Texas $12 million

• Venezuelans are a growing Latino group in the US: Can they recreate the Cuban American voter playbook?

More news to know now:

• "We're ready for an absolute blowup out here": The Mosquito Fire becomes California's largest blaze this year, scorching over 63,000 acres.

• Unexpected turn: Attorneys for Parkland gunman Nikolas Cruz abruptly rested their case, sparking a shouting match between the judge and defense lawyers.

• NBA 'definitely got this wrong': LeBron James and Chris Paul criticize Phoenix Suns and Mercury owner Robert Sarver's punishment.

• Updates from London:  Queen Elizabeth II's coffin has been placed in Westminster Hall where her remains will lie in state for four days.

• 👑 Royal news right in your inbox: Subscribe to Keep Calm and Carry On, a newsletter answering all of your questions about the royal family following Queen Elizabeth II's death.

• 🎧 On today's 5 Things podcast, education reporter Kayla Jimenez talks about changes to how colleges address sexual misconduct allegations. You can listen to the podcast every day on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on your smart speaker.

Putin, Zelenskyy court allies as Ukraine makes gains in war

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy are each courting major allies Thursday, seeking to prop up their efforts in a war whose fortunes have recently tilted toward Ukraine. Putin was hoping to further cement his ties with Chinese President Xi Jinping in an alliance seen as a potent counterweight to the West. The two were due to meet in Uzbekistan, a Russian official said. Zelenskyy will meet with European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen. On Wednesday, military experts across Russian TV admitted the Kremlin's defeat in the Kharkiv region as Ukrainian forces pressed a counteroffensive. Read more

• Video: Russian pullback reveals devastation in Ukraine villages

• Lights out: The Eiffel Tower is going dark earlier as Russia's war in Ukraine launches energy crisis

Just for subscribers:

• Turning point in Ukraine war? The morale of Russian troops, a continual issue since the early days of the war, continues to plummet.

• Survival of the Monarchy: This is why Queen Elizabeth II's funeral is more than just a ceremony.

• Cubans, Haitians are fleeing to US in historic numbers: These crises are fueling migration.

• "They should've helped me": Booking through platforms like Expedia has left some travelers stranded.

NFL's streaming era begins as Amazon Prime airs 'Thursday Night Football'

Streaming service Amazon Prime Video airs its first exclusive "Thursday Night Football" NFL broadcast with Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs hosting Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers in a key early-season AFC West matchup (8:15 p.m. ET). Amazon Prime memberships are needed to stream the broadcast through Prime Video. So, while NFL fans with Prime memberships will be able to seamlessly watch the game on their televisions or mobile devices, many others likely will quickly grow frustrated. Veteran broadcaster Al Michaels will handle the play-by-play. He'll be joined by Kirk Herbstreit as the color commentator. Read more

• Who in the NFL needs to rebound in Week 2? Looking at you, Packers, Broncos and Jalen Ramsey

• Week 2 NFL power rankings: Buffalo Bills take over No. 1 spot, AFC dominates top five

• Column from Jarrett Bell: Dak Prescott's injury is the final straw for Cowboys' playoff hopes. Yes, already.

A little something different

• "I'm not kidding. I'm not being overly dramatic": After losing a bet, Ryan Reynolds gets colonoscopy that reveals polyp. It might have saved his life.

• "I imagine it's painful loss for those who love him": Monica Lewinsky captured her thoughts about the death of Ken Starr.

• "When someone loses a medical device, it’s incredibly serious": Allegiant Airlines lost a woman's prosthetic leg.

• Emmys aftermath: 'Abbott Elementary' winner Sheryl Lee Ralph says Jimmy Kimmel's Emmy stunt during Quinta Brunson's speech showed "disrespect."

📸 Photo of the day: USA TODAY's first-ever edition 📸

Color photos. A full-page weather map. Snappy graphics. Expanded sports box scores. Forty years ago, editors elsewhere dismissed what USA TODAY was doing as mere glitz – until, that is, they quietly adopted them for their own papers. Here are the stories the first USA TODAY front page covered and what the page looked like.

Head here to see photos of every page from the first-ever edition on Sept. 15, 1982.

Steve Coogan is an audience editor at USA TODAY. Sign up for the email here.  Support journalism like this – subscribe to USA TODAY here.

Contributing: The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 40 impactful moments that made the 'McPaper': Daily Briefing