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[h=4]5 things you need to know Thursday[/h]The biggest and most buzzworthy news to start your morning.
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Serena Williams, right, defeated Maria Sharapova in the singles final match at the Australian Open in January.(Photo: Mal Fairclough, AFP/Getty Images)
1. World's two most famous female tennis players face off
Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams — the two most famous women's tennis players in the world — meet Thursday in the Wimbledon semifinals for a shot at the championship. But what should be the fiercest rivalry in women's sports is rather a series of cringe-inducing numbers: Williams has won 16 consecutive matches against Sharapova in a streak that includes their most recent encounter on Centre Court, a 6-0, 6-1 Williams pummeling for Olympic gold in 2012. At least one person thinks Sharapova can conjure up the same magic she found on this very court when she stunned Williams in the 2004 final.
2. S.C. House votes to take down Confederate flag
After a long and contentious day of debate, the South Carolina House on Thursday passed a bill that would remove the Confederate battle flag and flagpole from a memorial on the Capitol grounds. The bill, approved earlier this week by the state Senate, now goes to Republican Gov. Nikki Haley, who has said she would sign it. "Today, as the Senate did before them, the House of Representatives has served the State of South Carolina and her people with great dignity," Haley wrote on Facebook. "... It is a new day in South Carolina, a day we can all be proud of, a day that truly brings us all together as we continue to heal, as one people and one state." The flag could come down in a matter of days.
3. It's deadline day for Greece's reform proposal
To get more bailout money, Greece must propose a package of tax increases, pension cuts and other economic reforms to European creditors by Thursday. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras told European Parliament members that the debt-racked country will meet the deadline with "credible reform" proposals. If not, Greece could face bankruptcy and likely get ousted from the euro currency.
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USA TODAY economics reporter Paul Davidson sits down with Shannon Rae Green to discuss what Greece leaving the Eurozone could mean for both Greeks and Americans. Paul Davidson, Shannon Rae Green, Jasper Colt, USA TODAY
4. Court sentences AC/DC drummer for "threatening to kill"
A New Zealand judge sentenced AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd to eight months of home detention on Thursday after the musician pleaded guilty to threatening to kill a man who used to work for him, along with possession of methamphetamine and marijuana. The 61-year-old Australian-born drummer had faced up to seven years in prison on the threatening to kill charge, but his lawyer had argued for the conviction to be set aside. His bandmate Angus Young recently told USA TODAY that Rudd had been acting erratically leading up to his November arrest, missing promotional video and photo shoots with the rest of the band as it gears up for a 2015 tour. The band started the "Rock or Bust" tour in May with a substitute drummer.
5. NBA free agents, listen up! It's signing day
The moratorium on free agents signing with NBA teams ended at midnight Thursday. And while most of the verbal agreements will be finalized without any drama, one decision that remained a mystery until the last hours was the future home of All-Star center DeAndre Jordan. After spending his first seven seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers, the NBA's leading rebounder from last year agreed to an $80 million contract with the Dallas Mavericks last week. But the Texas native started having second thoughts, convincing Clippers coach Doc Rivers, owner Steve Ballmer and players to drop everything and visit Jordan at his home in Houston. It worked, and Jordan ended up rebuffing the Mavericks and staying with the Clippers.
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USA TODAY Sports' Larry Berger reports on the latest free agency news.
And, the essentials:
Weather: Thursday calls for more thunderstorms from the Great Plains to the Ohio Valley, lingering showers and thunderstorms in the Northeast, and evening thunderstorms in the Mid-Atlantic.
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The national weather forecast for Thursday, July 9 calls for more thunderstorms from the Great Plains to the Ohio Valley, lingering showers and thunderstorms in the Northeast, and evening thunderstorms in the Mid-Atlantic. VPC
Stocks: U.S. stock futures were higher, while Asian stock markets rebounded.
TV Tonight: Wondering what to watch tonight? TV critic Robert Bianco looks at Dates, Lip Sync Battle and Rectify.
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Contributing: Associated Press
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