Welcome to the Daily Briefing. Start the day with these reads:
Nicole Fallert here. Watching every episode of “Gilmore Girls” before it leaves Netflix. Here’s the news to know on Thursday, including why Americans feel they can’t move homes.
The findings are sobering in the “State of the Nation’s Housing” report, produced every year by Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies. Only 1.1 million new households were formed in 2025 – a number roughly in line with the depths of the Great Recession over a decade ago – as student debt, a weaker job market, and anemic consumer sentiment make Americans wary of striking out on their own.
Take a look
An aerial photo taken by a passenger of a commercial plane descending into Washington, DC, this week shows the algae-ridden Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, the damaged White House South Lawn following the UFC Freedom 250 fight and a covering on the National Mall, where someone wrote “8647.”
US Open
The U.S. Open is set to tee off at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, New York, with first-round action Thursday. American Scottie Scheffler is the heavy pre-tournament favorite to capture the only major trophy he hasn’t won as a professional.
Have feedback on the Daily Briefing? Shoot Nicole an email at NFallert@usatoday.com.