Daily Briefing: Biden heads to NATO

Only 11 of NATO's 31 countries are set to meet the alliance's current defense spending ambition of 2% of national gross domestic product this year. Also in the news: Before heading to a NATO summit in Lithuania this week, Biden is in London Monday to meet with King Charles to chat about climate policy and Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to discuss support for Ukraine.

🙋🏼‍♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author.  The Diet Coke discourse continues.

Now, here we go with Monday's news.

NATO will boost defense spending to help Ukraine, but how?

NATO leaders are set to make a new defense spending pledge at their summit in Lithuania this week as support for Ukraine eats into their military budgets. In Vilnius, the alliance will discuss making 2% GDP the minimum for defense spending.

NATO nations agreed in 2014 to aim to spend at least 2% of their annual gross domestic product on defense and take steps to meet the guideline within a decade. By the end of this year, the number of countries in the 31-nation alliance meeting that standard is expected to reach only 11.

• Biden and his counterparts are set to make 2% the least that nations should do and senators are urging Biden to push NATO nations to step up their defense spending at the summit.
• Biden's controversial decision to provide Ukraine with cluster bombs was denounced by some NATO allies on Saturday. The choice sparked controversy due to the weapon's increased risk of causing civilian casualties.

But first, Biden is off to Windsor Castle to have tea with King Charles

Before heading to Vilnius to meet with his NATO counterparts, Biden will have a royal visit Monday with King Charles at Windsor Castle, where he will enjoy a royal salute, a viewing of U.S.-related artifacts and a teatime. Biden and Charles will also use their get-together to bring attention to climate policy, hosting a forum on the issue. Before making his way to Windsor Castle, Biden will sit down with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in a session that the White House says will focus on a range of global issues. The two leaders differ on the use of cluster munitions, which Biden said the U.S. would provide to Ukraine but the U.K. opposes. Read more

• Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed claims by Donald Trump that he could end the war in 24 hours.

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

Flash flooding on the East Coast kills one

Heavy rain has spawned extreme flooding in New York’s Hudson Valley, killing at least one person and forcing road closures. The flooding Sunday night came as much of the rest of the Northeast U.S. prepares for a major storm. Orange County Executive Steven Neuhaus says rescue teams were attempting to retrieve the body of a woman in her 30s who drowned after being swept away while trying to evacuate her home. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for Orange County just after 9 p.m. Sunday. Read more

• Heat record after heat record will be broken in 2023.

Nine wounded in Cleveland mass shooting as police search for suspect

Police are searching for a suspect after a gunman opened fire on a crowd of people in Cleveland early Sunday, wounding nine before fleeing the scene. Investigators are looking for surveillance video from the many cameras in the Warehouse District, a popular night spot featuring trendy shops, restaurants, bars and nightclubs. Police Chief Wayne Drummond said seven men and two women ages 23 to 38 were struck, but no fatalities were immediately reported. Read more

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Novak Djokovic will be back at Centre Court

Novak Djokovic will be back at Centre Court on Monday to try to close out his fourth-round Wimbledon match against 17th-seeded Hubert Hurkacz. The seven-time champion was leading by two sets — 7-6 (6), 7-6 (6) — on Centre Court when play was suspended by the tournament's 11 p.m. curfew on Sunday night.  Djokovic's Wimbledon winning streak is at 31 matches and he's 5-0 head-to-head against Hurkacz. On the women's side, defending champion and No. 3 seed Elina Rybakina takes on 13th-seeded Beatriz Haddad Maia, who is in the fourth round at Wimbledon for the first time. Read more

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Photo of the day:  Stars hit pink carpet at 'Barbie' premiere

Stars descended on the Shrine Auditorium for the Los Angeles premiere of Greta Gerwig's "Barbie" on July 9. The venue was decked out in the iconic doll's signature palette of fuchsia and bubblegum pinks. Check out the Barbies and Kens who graced the pink carpet, starting with "Barbie" stars Margot Robbie, left, and Ryan Gosling.

Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at Paste BN, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com or follow along with her musings on Twitter. Support journalism like this – subscribe to Paste BN here.

Associated Press contributed reporting.