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| We've made it through another work week, Daily Briefing readers! Well done and Happy Friday! Speaking of milestones, President Joe Biden reaches one of his own today – his 100th full day in office. Also, after an interesting first round, Day 2 of the NFL draft will take place in Cleveland this evening. |
| Steve and Jane are here with Friday's news. |
| 🌎 At least 44 people were killed and about 150 were injured in a stampede at a Jewish religious gathering during celebrations of the holiday of Lag BaOmer at Mount Meron in northern Israel. |
| ⚖ Former Vice President Mike Pence returned to public life, speaking to a conservative crowd in South Carolina. He praised Donald Trump's administration, bashed President Joe Biden's first 100 days in office and said nothing about the Jan. 6 insurrection that put his life in danger. |
| ⚖ Speaking on Fox News, former President Donald Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani called the FBI raid on his Manhattan apartment and law offices "unjustified," and denied any wrongdoing related to his dealings in Ukraine. |
| 📺 Former "19 Kids and Counting" star Josh Duggar has been arrested, according to government records. The arrest came five days after his wife Anna announced that she is pregnant with their seventh child. No other details about his charges currently are available. |
| 🎥 Anne Buydens Douglas, a producer and widow of legendary actor Kirk Douglas, died at age 102. Her death comes after Kirk – known for "Spartacus" and other iconic films – died in 2020. He was 103. The couple was married for more than 65 years. |
| New this morning: The green economic boom that promises many Americans entry to the middle class isn't benefiting Native Americans and others equally, education journalist Alia Wong reports. |
| 📰 Have you been keeping up with all this week's biggest news? Test your knowledge with our weekly quiz! |
| 🎧 On today's 5 Things podcast, listen for a reflection on Biden's first 100 days in office. You can listen to the podcast every day on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on your smart speaker. |
| Here's what's happening today: |
Joe Biden marks 100 days as president |
| Traditionally used as a benchmark of progress for a new president, Joe Biden will complete his 100th day in office Friday. His administration has had to grapple with a pandemic, mass shootings, tensions between law enforcement and communities of color, and an increase of unaccompanied young migrants and families at the border. Biden has, so far, proved to be bolder in policy, more partisan in politics and more disciplined in pronouncements than the chatty centrist just about every politician in town thought they knew, Susan Page writes. |
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NFL draft to resume with Day 2 after an action-packed first round |
| The NFL draft will resume Friday evening (ABC, ESPN and NFL Network, 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT) with the second and third rounds. There's still plenty of impressive talent available for teams on Day 2 , including Georgia linebacker Azeez Ojulari, Alabama defensive lineman Christian Barmore and LSU wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. Thursday night's first round provided its fair share of excitement as after the Jacksonville Jaguars selected Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence No. 1 overall, the San Francisco 49ers sent shockwaves through the event by selecting Trey Lance No. 3 overall. From there, the Chicago Bears selected Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields with the 11th pick after making a major trade with the New York Giants and Alabama quarterback Mac Jones fell to the New England Patriots at No. 15. |
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 | | Quarterback Trevor Lawrence | | USA TODAY graphic | |
COVID-19 crisis continues to overwhelm India |
| COVID-19 cases are growing exponentially in India . As this new wave sweeps the nation of more than 1 billion, hospitals are running out of oxygen tanks and room to house patients. And the COVID-19 death count keeps climbing, to the point where authorities are holding mass cremations. India recorded 379,308 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. That same day, 3,645 COVID-related deaths were also recorded. India now holds the second-highest COVID-19 case count in the world — more than 18 million — since the pandemic started, with the U.S. in the top spot with more than 32 million confirmed cases since last year. |
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Newsmakers in their own words: Kamala Harris on racism in America |
 | | Vice President Kamala Harris in Baltimore on Thursday, April 19, 2021 | | AP photo; USA TODAY graphic | |
| South Carolina Republican Sen. Tim Scott, in a rebuttal following Biden's first address to Congress Wednesday, said: "America is not a racist country." Kamala Harris, the country's first Black and first Indian American vice president, disagreed with some – but not all – of Scott's points. |
| Harris praised President Joe Biden's comments on race and domestic terrorism in his first joint address to Congress. She applauded Biden for "having the ability and the courage to speak the truth" about the country's history with racism. |
What else people are reading: |
| 🔵 Protests continued Thursday, hours after the names of seven deputies involved in the fatal shooting of Andrew Brown Jr. in North Carolina last week were released. Protesters want video of the incident made public. Among the chants heard in the streets: "Release the tapes — the whole tapes." |
| 🟢 Democratic lawmakers in Washington are clamoring for a fourth round of stimulus checks to help Americans who are still struggling during the coronavirus pandemic. Such a move could lift over 7 million people out of poverty, according to a recent analysis. |
| 🔵 South Dakota Republican Gov. Kristi Noem told a crowd she has directed her office to file a lawsuit against the National Parks Service after the agency rejected permits to hold the fireworks display at Mt. Rushmore on July 4th. |
| 🟣 Five people have been arrested and charged in the shooting Lady Gaga's dogwalker and stealing two of her French bulldogs in February. Three of the suspects have been charged with attempted murder and robbery. |
| 🟣 Bill Goodykoontz of the Arizona Republic explained why President Joe Biden's first speech to both of houses of Congress marked a turning point for TV news. |
Oprah sits down with Elliot Page |
| In his first on-camera interview since coming out as transgender in a social media post last December, Elliot Page got real with Oprah Winfrey on "The Oprah Conversation," talking about the "crucial" moment when he came out, how he felt "unwell" after the success of "Juno" (a 2007 movie that earned him an Oscar nomination) and how his transition is bringing him "tears of joy." Winfrey said she first came to know Page when he was promoting "Juno," which Page described as an "intense time." The interview premieres Friday on Apple TV+. |
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 | | Elliot Page sits down with Oprah Winfrey | | Photo courtesy of Apple; USA TODAY graphic | |
Disneyland reopening after more than a year |
| The "Happiest Place on Earth" — Disneyland — and companion park California Adventure open Friday for the first time in 412 days, the longest closure for Disneyland in its 65 years . Safety measures to fight the coronavirus will be in place of course, including face mask requirements, temperature checks and distancing — and no character hugs. Perhaps the most anticipated attraction for the reopening is the reimagined Snow White's Enchanted Wish in Fantasyland with new scenes throughout the ride. |
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Aaron Rodgers news shocks the NFL and Packers fans |
| Green Bay Packers star quarterback Aaron Rodgers shocked the NFL world Thursday when reports, including one from the the USA TODAY Network, surfaced that the future Hall of Famer has told members of the organization he does not want to return to the team. For what it's worth, general manager Brian Gutekunst said both before Thursday's first round of the draft and after that the Packers have no intention of trading Rodgers. |
 | | Packers fans were hearing a lot about QB Aaron Rodgers at Thursday's NFL draft in Cleveland. | | Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports | |
| Despite that, responses have ranged from determining potential destinations if Rodgers were to get traded to Packers fans expressing disbelief. "I'm embarrassed," Tessa Schneider said at the draft in Cleveland. "Everyone keeps yelling at me." |
ICYMI: Some of our top stories published Thursday |
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