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The Daily Briefing

YOUR MORNING NEWS ROUNDUP

Thu Mar 30 2023

Nicole Fallert | Newsletter Writer

'We're not gonna fix it'

First Lady of the United States Jill Biden and Nashville Fire Department Chief William Swann attend a candlelight vigil to mourn and honor the lives of the victims, survivors and families of The Covenant School on March 29, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Why lawmakers see no chance of major gun law changes after Nashville.

Mourners gathered to honored the six victims of a shooting at a Nashville elementary school as lawmakers are at odds over what actions to take on gun control. Also in the news: An American journalist has been arrested for espionage by Russian authorities and the latest in "Creed III" actor Jonathan Major's arrest.

🙋🏼‍♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. A popular, but noxious, piping fix is sickening people. And it's throughout America's sewers.

Now, here we go with Thursday's news.

Vigil occurs with gun control debate in the backdrop

Hundreds of mourners, including first lady Jill Biden, gathered Wednesday night for a citywide vigil to grieve for the three children and three adults who were killed at the Covenant School in Nashville earlier this week.

The vigil occurred as lawmakers from both parties said the prospects for major gun control legislation advancing in a divided Congress are slim even as President Joe Biden said he has exhausted what he can do to address gun violence through executive action.

•	A shouting match between lawmakers on gun control in Capitol Hill is another sign of how far apart Congress is on gun control and shows why any movement on legislation is unlikely.
•	House Republicans in Tennessee remain opposed to tighter gun regulations. "We're not going to fix it," U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., told reporters Monday. "Criminals are going to be criminals."
•	Mourners applauded the Nashville police officers who were hailed as heroes for their swift response to the deadly shooting at the Christian elementary school in Green Hills.

Russia arrests Wall Street Journal reporter for espionage

Russia's top security agency says a reporter for the Wall Street Journal has been arrested on espionage charges. Authorities said Thursday that Evan Gershkovich was detained in the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg while allegedly trying to obtain classified information. Gershkovich is the first reporter for an American news outlet to be arrested on espionage charges in Russia since the Cold War. His arrest comes amid the bitter tensions between Moscow and Washington over the fighting in Ukraine. Read more

More news to know now

•	Two Army helicopters crashed during training in Kentucky.
•	North Carolina rolled back gun permit measure days after the deadly Nashville school shooting.
•	Virginia police took an armed woman into custody after a 36-hour standoff.
•	One of the country's strictest anti-trans bills has become law in Kentucky.
•	On today's 5 Things podcast, Dr. Lee Wilke talks about whether a vaccine for cancer is on the way. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your smart speaker.

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

Taiwan's president begins US visit

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen is expected to meet with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., during an upcoming tour of the Americas, prompting Chinese threats amid tense relations between Washington and Beijing. China threatened "resolute countermeasures" over the planned meeting between Tsai and McCarthy in Los Angeles. Tsai framed her 10-day trip as an attempt to show Taiwan's commitment to democratic values on a global level. Tsai is expected to also transit through New York. Her two U.S. stops are the most closely watched visits on her tour. Read more

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen arrives at the boarding gate of the international airport in Taoyuan on March 29, 2023.

SAM YEH, AFP via Getty Images

Is this California's wettest winter ever?

A colossal amount of rain and snow has fallen on California over the past few months from a dozen atmospheric rivers: more than 78 trillion gallons of water and counting. It's not the wettest year the Golden State has ever seen, but it is a massive amount of water in a state that has been beset by drought for several years. The precipitation didn't fall evenly across the state, but if it did, it would have covered all of California with about 30 inches of water. Read more

Just for subscribers:

•	Can Americans talk about guns? These students in Austin and Knoxville showed how to do it.
•	Kroger aims to be America's grocery store. The Biden administration may have other ideas.
•	He suffered for years while his abuser became a priest. Then he called police.
•	Trans male fencer Bobbie Hirsch is ''making history'' at Wayne State University.

These articles are for USA TODAY subscribers. You can sign up here.

What to know about Jonathan Majors' arrest

Jonathan Majors' arrest is still a developing story, but that hasn't stopped the internet from jumping to conclusions. Majors, the 33-year-old "Creed III" star, was arrested over the weekend after an alleged domestic violence incident with a 30-year-old woman. The public response has been swift and severe. There were those who pointed the finger at the alleged victim, quickly attempting to discredit a woman who claimed to be a victim of domestic abuse, and those who labeled Majors as guilty, regardless of the murky details and the fact that Black men historically face more frequent and harsher punishments than their white counterparts. Read more

•	The Gwyneth Paltrow ski trial has our attention. It's strange, juicy and exactly what the internet wanted.

Jonathan Majors attends the 2023 Vanity Fair Oscar Party on March 12, 2023 in Beverly Hills, California.

Amy Sussman, Getty Images

One more thing

•	Prince Harry blamed the royal family for a delay in a tabloid privacy suit.
•	Who's Rob Lowe's ''Unstable'' Netflix tech titan based on?
•	The NCAA's strategy of pursuing federal NIL legislation has some challenges.
•	''Dungeons & Dragon'' review: You don't need to be a fantasy gamer to revel in ''Honor Among Thieves.''
•	It's Yankees v. Giants tonight for MLB Opening Day. Here's what to look for.

Photo of the day: King Charles III to speak to German parliament

Britain's King Charles III will become the first monarch to speak before Germany's parliament on Thursday. Charles is on his first foreign trip since becoming king. The three-day visit has a decidedly political purpose. The British government is trying to mend frayed ties with its continental partners following the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union. Read more

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz welcomes Britain's King Charles III at the chancellery in Berlin, Thursday, March 30, 2023.

Matthias Schrader, AP

Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, 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 USA TODAY here.

Associated Press contributed reporting.