Daily Briefing: Ear bandage mania

One presidential candidate is home sick today while another triumphs before supporters. Mourners grieve firefighter Corey Comperatore – the only person killed by a would-be Trump assassin who opened fire Saturday at a rally in Pennsylvania. College entrance exams are looking slimmer.

🙋🏼‍♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert , Daily Briefing author. "Sus" or "delulu" emojis are giving.

Biden in isolation, Trump at the center of the RNC

President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump will have very different Thursdays: Biden will be in isolation at his home in Delaware following a positive COVID-19 test. Meanwhile, Trump will take center stage at the Republican National Convention in Wisconsin, where he will formally accept his party’s nomination Thursday evening.

The timing of Biden's illness is not great. Biden was trying his best to show face and solidify support amid calls to end his reelection campaign. Now he's stuck at home amid continued disarray among Democrats about what comes next after his disastrous debate performance last month.

• Trump is a convicted felon, looking fortified and exonerated . The attempt on his life may give him the best chance at breaking free of his legal troubles, offering a kind of political parole from voters sympathetic to the bandage on his bullet-grazed ear (and donning "bandages" of their own).
• Americans met Trump's heir apparent : Last night, Trump's VP pick JD Vance introduced himself to voters, emphasizing his non-political background and humble roots. But the 39-year-old Ohio senator didn't mention his early criticism of Trump.
• Trump is more confident than ever. Former Trump adviser Peter Navarro took the RNC stage fresh from prison last night in a move that risks reminding independent voters about Trump's legal troubles. But it also demonstrates just how self-assured the Republican campaign is at the moment.

A hero, a firefighter, a Trump supporter

Corey Comperatore’s family is laying him to rest amid mounting political tensions after the assassination attempt at the Trump rally he attended, another trauma that has further inflamed one of America’s most divisive political moments. A visitation on Thursday held by family and friends to pay their respects to Comperatore is expected to draw large numbers to Freeport, a small town on the Allegheny River. The outpouring of support comes in a time of turmoil.

More news to know now

• Iran denied claims of a Trump assassination plot.
• Trump's would-be assassin had little time to prepare – and left little trace of a plot .
• Why won't George W. Bush talk publicly about Donald Trump ?
• Chuck Schumer warned Biden his candidacy hurts Democrats.
• Summer COVID levels are on the rise .
• Time to play to USA TODAY Crossword ! Click here for Sally's expert analysis .

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Severe storms devastate upstate New York

Another round of storms and heavy rain hit the East Coast on Wednesday after severe weather − including at least one confirmed tornado − wreaked devastation across the Midwest and East Coast and left at least three people dead. The storms could bring frequent lightning, heavy wind gusts and put the area at a slight risk of hail or tornadoes through Thursday morning, the National Weather Service warned. At the same time, wide swaths of the country could bake in excessive heat as a record-smashing heat wave continues. Read more

What's different about the ACT exam?

The ACT isn't going to look like the college admissions test you might have taken. The exam will ask fewer questions and last up to an hour less than the typical three-hours. In a departure from past year, reading passages will be shorter and the science-related section of the exam will be optional. The changes come a few months after the SAT, ACT’s main competitor, underwent a separate overhaul. Read more

Keep scrolling

• Gen Z is not ready to pay for college this year.
• Freedom Summer changed the nation 60 years ago .
• Tiger Woods is teeing off Thursday at the British Open.
• Caitlin Clark set a record for most assists in a WNBA game .
• Here are the Emmy nomination snubs and shocks .

Scientists are ready to meet and greet a massive asteroid

The European Space Agency announced a spacecraft called Ramses is prepared to "rendezvous" with an asteroid the size of a cruise ship that's expected to shoot just 19,900 miles past Earth in 2029. An object of the asteroid's size coming so near to Earth is exceptionally rare, scientists said, and likely won't happen again for another 5,000 to 10,000 years. Read more

Photo of the day: Accomplished at 14

At 14 years old, Cavan Sullivan became the youngest player in MLS history , and the youngest to debut in any major professional U.S. sports league.

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: Ear bandage mania