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| Good morning, Daily Briefing readers. After the distressing news of another mass shooting that killed at least nine people in San Jose, California, authorities are continuing their investigation as residents mourn the dead. |
| Steve and Jane are here with Thursday's news. |
| 🌎 New this morning: The president of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette promised to improve the school's response to sexual assault allegations, hours after a USA TODAY investigation revealed what he called " critical communication gaps that need to be addressed." |
| 💉 Achievement unlocked: Ten states have reached President Joe Biden's goal to vaccinate at least 70% of adults with at least one dose by July 4. Head here for the latest COVID-19 updates. |
| 🌎 "Left for dead": A Montana tribal councilwoman was badly beaten and hospitalized earlier this month, her family says. To this point, no one has been charged. |
| 🔵 "It's deplorable. It's sickening": Amazon is shutting down a Connecticut construction site again after an eighth noose was found there. |
| 🏀 "This (expletive) is getting out of hand": During the Wizards-76ers NBA playoffs game, an irate Russell Westbrook had to be restrained after he appeared to have popcorn dumped on him from the stands. |
| 🎤 Who were the stars under the masks? Fox's "The Masked Singer" declared Piglet as its Season 5 winner – and the former boy band member's kids are sure to be impressed! |
 | | Host Nick Cannon, left, stands next to Piglet, who won Season 5 of FOX's 'The Masked Singer.' | | FOX photo; USA TODAY graphic | |
| 🎧 On today's 5 Things podcast, listen for the latest from San Jose, California, after a deadly mass shooting. You can listen to the podcast every day on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on your smart speaker. |
| 📢Join us at 4:30 p.m. ET today on Twitter Spaces! We'll be talking about race, history and the story of Jimmie Lee Jackson, whose death changed America, with reporter Javonte Anderson. |
 | | Join USA TODAY on Twitter Spaces | | USA TODAY | |
| Here's what's happening today: |
Vigil planned after San Jose mass shooting leaves at least nine dead |
| Officials are continuing to gather information Thursday after a gunman opened fire at a light rail yard in San Jose, California, killing at least nine people. Police spokesman Russell Davis said the shooter, a rail yard employee who had a history of anger issues , according to those who knew him, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He said that other employees were among the victims. San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo said on Twitter that a vigil honoring the victims would take place at City Hall Plaza at 6 p.m. PT on Thursday. |
| Hours after the massacre, California Gov. Gavin Newsom held a press conference and, while his voice cracked at times, lamented the country's latest mass shooting. |
 | | California Gov. Gavin Newsom at a press conference on May 26, 2021 | | AFP photo via Getty Images; USA TODAY graphic | |
Capitol riot commission faces possible defeat in Senate |
| The proposed 9/11-style panel to study the U.S. Capitol riot on Jan. 6 could be scuttled in the Senate as early as Thursday. Democrats have been pressing for a bipartisan review of the attack, but Republicans worry that it will be used as a weapon against them in the 2022 elections. Democrats would need at least 10 Republicans to join them to overcome a potential GOP filibuster of legislation creating the commission, and even among the seven Republicans who voted to convict former President Donald Trump of inciting the insurrection, opinion is divided. |
Also new: Gun dealers can count on ATF to back off |
| Gun dealers are largely immune from serious punishment and enjoy layers of protection unavailable to most other industries, according to a review done by The Trace and USA TODAY that uncovered numerous violations from nearly 2,000 gun dealer inspections. |
| However, David Chipman, an agent turned activist nominated by President Joe Biden, could lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to a new era of cracking down on problem gun dealers. |
 | | In a rare look behind the scenes of gun shop regulation, The Trace and USA TODAY found ATF officials conciliatory and accommodating. | | Illustration: Andrea Brunty, USA TODAY Network, and Getty Images | |
Amid negotiations with GOP, Biden to tout infrastructure plan in Ohio |
| President Joe Biden will be in Cleveland on Thursday looking to reassure Americans that the economy is rebounding, and sell his infrastructure plan . His speech aims to counter a narrative pushed by Republicans, who have pointed to rising inflation as a sign he is moving the economy in the wrong direction with his big-spending measures. Biden's latest address comes as Senate Republicans plan to increase their offer to an infrastructure plan that totals nearly $1 trillion Thursday. The GOP already rejected Biden's slimmed-down $1.7 trillion plan last week. |
What else people are reading: |
| 🔵 "Heartbroken": "School of Rock" drummer Kevin Clark has died after getting hit by a car in Chicago. He was 32. Co-star Jack Black called it "devastating news." |
| 🔵 "What a great ride": Emily Wickersham confirmed that she is exiting the CBS drama 'NCIS' following the season finale that aired this week. |
| 🔵 A Black soldier forced to wear a chain as discipline will be able to reenter officer candidate school. It was recommended that disciplinary action be considered against the officials responsible. |
| 🔵 Moving on: "The Five" co-host Juan Williams said he's leaving the Fox News talk show. The liberal voice said his departure is related to the show's plans to go back to in-person studio appearances. |
| 🔵 Eric Carle, the beloved children's author and illustrator who wrote the classic "The Very Hungry Caterpillar," has died. He was 91. |
World forecast: Southwest drought to go on, Atlantic to see more dangerous hurricanes |
| A new World Meteorological Organization forecast released Thursday says large parts of land in the Northern Hemisphere will be 1.4 degrees warmer than recent decades and that the drought in the Southwest will continue. The meteorologists also predict a 90% chance that the world will set yet another record for the hottest year by the end of 2025 and the Atlantic will continue to brew more potentially dangerous hurricanes than it used to. The new report comes on the heels of California and the U.S. government announcing an agreement to open up the Pacific Coast's first commercial wind energy farms. |
Newsmakers in their own words: Karine Jean-Pierre makes history |
 | | Karine Jean-Pierre at the White House on May 26, 2021 | | Getty Images photo; USA TODAY graphic | |
| Karine Jean-Pierre became the first Black woman in decades to lead a press briefing at the White House on Wednesday. She also made history as the first openly gay spokeswoman to stand behind the podium and answer journalists' questions. |
The one with the 'Friends' who reunite for a new HBO Max special |
| The cast of "Friends" finally got back together in front of the camera for some reminiscing and a lot of fun. "Friends: The Reunion," the long-awaited, much-hyped reuniting of the six original cast members of the long-running NBC sitcom "Friends," hit HBO Max early Thursday morning. Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer, who starred in the hit series that ran from 1994-2004, gathered for a sweet and emotional unscripted reunion on the Warner Bros. lot earlier this spring. |
ICYMI: Some of our top stories published Wednesday |
| 🍟 The BTS Meal arrived at McDonald's restaurants and includes a 10-piece Chicken McNuggets and dipping sauces not previously offered in the U.S. |
| ⚖ John Warner, a longtime Virginia senator, one of the Senate's most influential military experts and an ex-husband of Elizabeth Taylor, has died at 94. |
| 🌊 A Montana woman who killed her ex-husband after she said he attempted to rape her has been cleared of homicide charges. |
📸 Photo of the day: The super flower blood moon wows sky gazers 📸 |
 | | A full moon is seen during totality of a total lunar eclipse as the moon enters Earth's shadow for a "Super Blood Moon" on May 26, 2021 in Chico, Calif. | | PATRICK T. FALLON, AFP via Getty Images | |
| Sky watchers in parts of the country witnessed one of the greatest sky spectacles of the year early Wednesday as a full moon, supermoon and lunar eclipse happened at the same time, creating the super flower blood moon. |
| Tap here to see more stunning photos from around the world. |
| Contributing: The Associated Press |
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