US and Russian presidents to meet

Good morning!🙋🏼‍♀️ I’m Nicole Fallert. We’re loving Taylor Swift’s social media secret.

Quick look at Friday’s news:

• The president meets Friday with his Russian counterpart in a bid to end the war in Ukraine.

• California voters will decide on a new process to draw voting maps.

• Flesh-eating bacteria and sharks likely weren’t on your beach agenda.

What’s at stake in Trump’s Alaska meeting with Putin?

One of the biggest diplomatic events of Donald Trump’s second term will unfold in Alaska on Friday. The president is set for a face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin — with an aim that has so far proved elusive, even as the White House says it’s just a “listening exercise.” Much of the discussion leading up to the summit has been about who won’t be there: Ukrainian President Volodoymyr Zelenskyy isn’t attending, which raises questions about how much can be achieved when one of the sides pivotal to any peace deal won’t be present. Trump played down expectations ahead of the meeting.

• Why is Alaska the “most strategic place” for the meeting?

• How many U.S. presidents (besides Trump) has Putin met?

California enters redistricting fight

California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Thursday that his state would hold a special election Nov. 4 to ask voters to approve a mid-decade redistricting plan.

Why this is happening: Newsom made the announcement after criticizing President Donald Trump and Texas Republicans for intending to redraw that state’s congressional map ahead of the 2026 elections to create more Republican-leaning congressional districts.

• National map fever: Redistricting efforts are also ongoing in Florida and Ohio that could benefit Republicans. Indiana and Missouri are also Republican-controlled states discussing redistricting.

• “DONALD ‘TACO’ TRUMP”: Newsom mocked Trump with an all-caps “TACO” acronym for “Trump Always Chickens Out,” a reference to Trump’s shifting tariff deadlines. Newsom’s post received more than 3.2 million views.

• Then numerous federal agents showed up nearby: Just as Newsom announced the special election in downtown Los Angeles, U.S. Border Patrol conducted immigration enforcement patrols in the area.

More news to know now

• Trump’s approval rating dipped again.

• When will Tropical Storm Erin strengthen into a hurricane?

• Education Department delays are hurting parenting college students.

• New blood pressure guidelines say cut back on these two things.

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

National Guard patrolling DC draw heckles, photo ops and little action

‘It’s a waste of time and the people’s money. They’re just standing there.’

~ Lela Leonard, a 38-year-old Pittsburgh native visiting family in the capital, is among D.C. residents and tourists turning a curious eye to National Guard troops scattered across the city. The soliders are baking in heat, rotating in and out with bevies of law enforcement from multiple agencies sweeping the area. Their military vehicles squeeze through congested traffic, as onlookers snap pictures of the troops. Some passerby share opinions directly: “Shame on you,” one woman yelled. “I’m sorry you have to do this.”

• Meanwhile, D.C.’s highest crime neighborhoods have yet to see Trump’s crackdown.

Sharks, flesh-eating bacteria haunt beach vacations

Flesh-eating animals and bacteria not on your beach bingo card?! Us, too. But don’t fear: It’s that time of year to be aware of local safety guidance warning beachgoers of infections and attack risks. Residents and visitors on the south end of Cape Cod are on alert after officials identified a person with a rare, flesh-eating bacterial infection in the area. Officials said the bacteria, known as Vibrio, could pose a risk to others in nearby coastal waters. Meanwhile, a massive great white shark was spotted lurking off the coast of Maine near popular beaches, prompting police in one coastal town to issue a warning. Swim safe: USA TODAY has the latest on the bacteria and shark warnings.

• From Hawaii to Florida, how many U.S. shark attacks have happened so far this year?

Today’s talkers

• The “And Just Like That” series finale was a major letdown.

• Keep whining, insecure men. Taylor Swift isn’t even thinking about you.

• “Love is Blind” star Stacy Snyder revealed her payout from a class-action lawsuit.

• What is task masking?

Still paying for summer camp? You’re not a lone.

It’s August, and for a kid that means winding down summer. But for some parents, the financial burden of summer child care is just getting started. A growing number of parents are taking on debt to cover the cost of summer child care, camps and other activities, a new study found. Two-thirds of parents who need summer child care say they struggle to afford it, and 62% of parents go into debt to cover summer child care, camps and activities. On top of that, child care loan requests dramatically increased this year. Here are some tips for parents already thinking about how to afford next year.

Photo of the day: No state does Little League baseball like Hawaii.

Forget the bat flips. It’s deep breathing, hugs and visualization for the 11- and 12-year-old boys from Honolulu playing under manager Gerald Oda. This year Oda has led the Honolulu team back to Williamsport, Pennsylvania, for the Little League World Series (LLWS) for the fourth time. Hawaii is the only state to have won four LLWS titles in the last two decades. Check out the best photos from Williamsport so far.

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.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Daily Briefing: US and Russian presidents to meet