Daily Briefing: Biden in Northern Ireland to 'keep the peace'

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President Joe Biden is in Northern Ireland to mark the 25th anniversary of the agreement that helped achieve peace. Republican Sen. Tim Scott took a major step toward his speculated bit for the White House next year. The late Karl Lagerfeld is Vogue magazine's May cover star.

👋 It's Jane Onyanga-Omara and Steve Coogan, Daily Briefing authors. People on TikTok are now "mewing." Medical experts aren't buying it.

Now, here's Wednesday's news

Biden to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement

President Joe Biden will look to navigate political turmoil that hangs over fragile peace in Northern Ireland as he celebrates the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement in a speech from Belfast Wednesday. Biden kicks off a four-day trip in the United Kingdom and Ireland with remarks commemorating a widely heralded accord that ended three decades of civil war in Northern Ireland known as "The Troubles." But the Northern Ireland government hasn't operated for more than a year amid a political impasse between its two major parties. As he set off for Belfast, Biden on Tuesday said a priority of his trip to Northern Ireland was to "keep the peace." Read more

President Joe Biden gestures before he walked over to talk with reporters before boarding Air Force One, Tuesday, April 11, 2023, at Andrews Air Force Base, Md.
President Joe Biden gestures before he walked over to talk with reporters before boarding Air Force One, Tuesday, April 11, 2023, at Andrews Air Force Base, Md.

Louisville shooting: Body camera video shows officers fired at in gunman's 'ambush'

Body camera video from the first two police officers who responded to the mass shooting at a Louisville bank shows them getting fired at right away in "an ambush'' by the gunman who killed five people Monday. The footage also shows the tense moments as officers Corey Galloway and Nickolas Wilt – both of whom were wounded – try to ascertain the attacker's position as they take gunfire from an AK-15 rifle. The shooter, who police identified as a bank employee Connor Sturgeon, died in an exchange of gunfire with police, investigators said. Mayor Craig Greenberg urged federal and state lawmakers to give Louisville the "autonomy to deal with our unique gun violence," which he described as an epidemic. Read more 

A memorial for Joshua Barrick is on display, late Monday, April 10, 2023, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Louisville, Ky. A Louisville bank employee opened fire at the bank Monday morning, killing Barrick and four others.
A memorial for Joshua Barrick is on display, late Monday, April 10, 2023, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Louisville, Ky. A Louisville bank employee opened fire at the bank Monday morning, killing Barrick and four others.

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Anti-abortion group urges federal appeals court to uphold suspension of mifepristone approval

Early Wednesday, the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, which is challenging the Food and Drug Administration's 2000 approval of a common abortion pill called mifepristone, asked the Louisiana-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit to uphold a lower court's pause on the drug's approval while the underlying questions are decided. It's the latest development in a case that has captured nationwide attention since a controversial ruling last week jeopardized mifepristone's approval. The Biden administration already has appealed U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk's decision that would effectively revoke the FDA approval of the drug. A three-judge panel of the 5th Circuit is expected to decide by the end of the week whether to extend the stay of Kacsmaryk's ruling. Read more

GOP Sen. Tim Scott takes next step in bid for White House

Republican Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina took a major step toward his speculated 2024 White House bid on Wednesday by announcing a new exploratory committee. In a 3-minute video, Scott spotlighted his upbringing and beliefs. He pledged to "never back down in defense of the conservative values that make America exceptional." If elected, Scott, the only Black Republican in the Senate, would make history as the country's first Black GOP president. "I know America is a land of opportunity, not a land of oppression," he said in the announcement video. Scott has been tinkering with the needed campaign infrastructure for months as the Republican primary field takes shape. Read more

Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C. speaks during the Republican Party of Polk County Lincoln Dinner, Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023, in West Des Moines, Iowa.
Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C. speaks during the Republican Party of Polk County Lincoln Dinner, Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023, in West Des Moines, Iowa.

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Lakers, Hawks grab playoff spots as NBA play-in tournament begins

The NBA's play-in tournament began Tuesday night and the Atlanta Hawks and Los Angeles Lakers became the first two teams to move on to the playoffs. In the Eastern Conference, Trae Young and the Hawks went into Miami and beat the Heat 116-105 to secure the No. 7 seed. They will face the No. 2 seeded Boston Celtics in a best-of-7 series. In the Western Conference, LeBron James and the Lakers needed overtime, but defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 108-102 at home after being down by as many as 15 points in the second half. The Lakers take on the No. 2 seeded Memphis Grizzlies next. The Heat and Timberwolves get another chance to earn playoff spots with home games Friday.  Read more

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James celebrates Dennis Schröder's late 3-pointer against the Minnesota Timberwolves during their NBA play-in matchup on Tuesday night. The Lakers won in overtime to secure the No. 7 seed in the West.
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James celebrates Dennis Schröder's late 3-pointer against the Minnesota Timberwolves during their NBA play-in matchup on Tuesday night. The Lakers won in overtime to secure the No. 7 seed in the West.

One more thing

Photo of the day: Vogue honors Karl Lagerfeld on cover ahead of Met Gala

Karl Lagerfeld is the star of Vogue magazine's May cover. The fashion bible's latest cover shoot, which took place at Paris’ Grand Palais, comes in the lead up to the 2023 Met Gala. The theme for this year's biggest night in fashion is: "In Honor of Karl."

The German-born couturier worked for decades simultaneously as creative director of many fashion houses including Chanel, Fendi and Chloé in addition to helming his eponymous international fashion label. He died in 2019 at 85.

Click here to see photos of stars including Naomi Campbell and Gigi Hadid in the Vogue issue featuring 10 models the late designer "loved most."

Vogue May cover
Vogue May cover

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Contributing: The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Biden in Northern Ireland, Tim Scott, Karl Lagerfeld: Daily Briefing