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The Daily Briefing

YOUR MORNING NEWS ROUNDUP

Fri Jun 20 2025

Nicole Fallert | Newsletter Writer

@nicolefallert

Happy Friday!🙋🏼‍♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert. Today, Daily Briefing features a special guest!

Let's close out the week with Friday's news:

•	A classic fishy film is celebrating 50 years.
•	The White House says Iran "has all it needs" to produce a nuclear weapon.
•	Dodgers Stadium is in the crosshairs of immigration standoffs.

Even if you haven't seen it recently, you know 'Jaws'

Hello! I'm Brian Truitt, USA TODAY movie critic and the guy behind the Watch Party newsletter. It's a big weekend for film lovers because Steven Spielberg's "Jaws" is turning 50, and from the infamous John Williams two-note musical theme to some gnarly shark attacks, it still holds up so many decades later. We're diving all in on that killer fish flick, with shark movie rankings, a look at the "Jaws" legacy and a rundown of the best summer blockbusters since 1975. 🦈 Here's why we never got over "Jaws."

•	"Jaws," visualized: See the real locations of Amity's terror
•	From "Jaws" to "The Meg," we rank the 10 best shark movies of all time
•	Sign up for Watch Party and get the best TV and movie recommendations delivered right to your inbox!

Making of "Jaws": Steven Spielberg and Bruce the shark. Contributed by Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Should US go to war with Iran or support Israel from afar?

President Donald Trump said there was a "substantial chance" of U.S. negotiations with Iran and that he would decide within two weeks whether diplomacy keeps America out of the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict.

The possibility of direct U.S. involvement is a growing debate among elected leaders and American voters. Some in the Republican Party want limited involvement in the escalating conflict. Meanwhile, elected leaders from both parties are hoping to stop an all-out war.

•	Congress is the only branch of government that has the power to declare war. A bipartisan resolution was introduced to block U.S. involvement in the conflict without Congressional approval.
•	Iran's supreme leader warned of "irreparable damage" if America joined Israel's air war.
•	Who is Iran's Supreme Leader? Like Trump, he controls a real-estate empire.
•	Should the U.S. get involved? Let USA TODAY know by taking our poll. USA TODAY may use your responses in an upcoming column.

Soroka Medical Center, the city's general hospital, following a missile strike from Iran on Israel, in Beersheba, Israel, on Thursday.

Amir Cohen, REUTERS

More news to know now

•	This summer will bring killer heat. Here are some surprising ways to stay safe.
•	Photos show the impact of Hurricane Erick after landfall.
•	An ICE raid on track workers sent shockwaves around horse racing.
•	"Razor blade throat'": What to know about the new COVID-19 variant.
•	We now know the best U.S. airline.

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

Dodger Stadium becomes a ICE flashpoint

The Los Angeles Dodgers say Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were denied entry to the stadium grounds – while ICE says the agency was "never there" and the Department of Homeland Security claims the masked agents were with Customs and Border Patrol. The Dodgers were supposed to make an announcement about their "plans for assistance to immigrant communities" but club president Stan Kasten said the organization would be delaying an announcement after the federal agents showed up. The simmering dispute comes as protesters showed up at Dodger Stadium on Thursday to decry Dodgers' silence amidst immigration raids and unrest in Los Angeles.

Protester Al Aguilar holds a sign outside Gate A of Dodger Stadium.

Jill Connelly, Reuters

Mega rocket explodes another SpaceX setback

In what the company called "a major anomaly," SpaceX's Starship exploded late Wednesday, shooting a massive fireball and giant debris into the Texas night sky. The explosion is not the first for SpaceX and comes on the heels of a string of set backs for the 400-foot rocket system this year. Founder Elon Musk said via social media no hazards are posed to residents in the communities surrounding Brownsville, and initial inspection suggest the incident "is the first time ever for this design." The last Starship explosion was less than a month ago.

The moment Elon Musk's SpaceX Starship 36 exploded during testing in Brownsville, Texas, on Thursday.

TheRocketFuture via X

Today's talkers

•	Bobby Flay paid tribute to Food Network's Anne Burrell.
•	Why is Carol Kaye "declining" her 2025 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction invite?
•	The NBA Finals heads to a Game 7 with history on the line.
•	The sequel to "28 Years Later" shows a "compassionate" side of horror.
•	How much are kids' allowances these days?

The longest day of 2025 is here

Summer has not yet officially begun. The summer solstice will occur Friday at 10:42 p.m. ET and will be both the longest day and shortest night of 2025 in the Northern Hemisphere, according to the National Weather Service. Meanwhile, the Southern Hemisphere will greet winter with its winter solstice. During the summer solstice, the tilt brings the Earth's northernmost point closer to the sun, resulting in more sunlight. The solstice itself only lasts moments, but is widely celebrated as summer kicks off.

•	Here's where you can snag solstice deals and free food to celebrate.

Photo of the day: Celebrating freedom

Americans across the country celebrated Juneteenth this week, commemorating the day the last group of enslaved African Americans were informed they were free.

People cheer during the Broadway Celebrates Juneteenth concert at Times Square in New York City, U.S., June 19, 2025. REUTERS/Angelina Katsanis

Angelina Katsanis, REUTERS

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.