Best views, weather, etc. How to test them 👓 SC, Ala. sites look back Betty Ford honored
NEWS
5 Things to Know

5 things you need to know Friday

Editors
USA TODAY

Vote could bar Russian athletes from Rio Olympics

The Christ the Redeemer statue is shown in this aerial view of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which will host the 2016 Olympic Games.

The world governing body of track and field is set to decide Friday whether Russia’s athletes can compete in the Rio Olympics in the wake of one of the biggest doping scandals in sports history. The International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) suspended the Russian track federation in November after a report concluding that Russia was running a state-sponsored doping program. On Friday, the IAAF could extend the ban, effectively preventing Russia’s track and field athletes from competing in Rio, or lift it to pave the way for their return to the Games. Lifting the ban would be seen as a betrayal by athletes and officials who have been clamoring for serious sanctions.

Slain singer Christina Grimmie to be laid to rest in hometown

A private funeral for slain singer Christina Grimmie will be held in her hometown of Medford, N.J., on Friday. The 22-year-old singer, who gained fame as a contestant on The Voice, was shot and killed a week ago at a fan-meeting session after a performance in Orlando. The gunman, identified as Kevin James Loibl, 27, fatally shot himself after he was tackled by Grimmie's brother. Grimmie started out as a YouTube phenomenon, then finished in third place on the sixth season of The Voice in 2014. She had been working on a new album before her death.

‘Dory' can be found in theaters

After nearly a decade, Ellen DeGeneres finally got her wish. Dory from Finding Nemo is back in the animated sequel, Finding Dory. This time, the colorful, but forgetful blue tang, played by DeGeneres, is on a quest to find her parents. The release of the film, which is projected to be a top Oscar contender, is well timed. Many in the LGBT community see DeGeneres' role as a powerful beacon of hope following Sunday's attack on a gay nightclub in Orlando. Catch an early look at this fish tale with USA TODAY’s review.

One-year anniversary of Charleston, S.C., massacre

It’s been one year since Dylann Roof allegedly shot and killed nine black parishioners inside the historically black Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, S.C.. The town is on high alert for Friday's memorial service at the College of Charleston’s TD Arena, with closed street closures and tight security expected, police confirmed. Commemorations for the victims began earlier this week when dozens of congregation members and others from the community gathered for Bible study at the same church where the massacre took place. Survivors and those affected by the massacre continue to heal: Here are some of their stories.

Families of the victims of a shooting at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, S.C., comfort one another during a memorial service on June 19, 2015.

Uber, Lyft threaten to leave Chicago

The City Council's Transportation Committee plans to vote on an ordinance Friday that would bolster regulation of drivers with the ride-hailing apps Uber and Lyft. The ordinance would require drivers using the app to get chauffeur’s licenses and undergo the same background check that taxi drivers in the city do. Uber and Lyft have responded with threats to leave the nation's third-largest city.

In this Jan. 4, 2013, file photo, Lyft passenger Christina Shatzen gets into a car driven by Nancy Tcheou, in San Francisco.  Ride-hailing apps Lyft and Uber are resisting a push by Chicago's city council that would require drivers using to the app to obtain a chauffeur's license.

And the essentials:

Weather: Friday will be a damp day for some of the East and West Coasts while broiling heat bakes portions of the central U.S.

Stocks: U.S. futures were higher Friday.

TV Tonight: Wondering what to watch this weekend? TV critic Robert Bianco looks at Orange is the New Black, Vicious and Endeavour.

Be inspired: Dancing dads went viral, but wait until you see the moms!

If you missed Thursday's news, we’ve got you covered.

Need a break? Try playing some of our games.

You can subscribe to get the day's top news each weekday in your inbox.

Pop in those headphones and listen to the audio version below:

Featured Weekly Ad