Mueller report, March Madness, Christchurch mosque reopens: 5 things to know this weekend
Content of Mueller's report submitted to attorney general remains unknown
The announcement followers of American politics have long been waiting for finally arrived Friday: the completion of the Mueller report. Special counsel Robert Mueller has finished his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and his office delivered a report that signals the end of the inquiry that has loomed over Donald Trump's presidency. Attorney General William Barr acknowledged receiving the report, but he didn’t offer the probe’s conclusions and what the report says remains a mystery to most, including the White House. The Justice Department said a summary could become public as soon as Saturday. Early reactions have been measured, but most appear to agree on one thing: the full report should be made public. Democrats, Republicans, social media users and the USA TODAY Editorial Board all have called for the report’s release.
March Madness: Sweet 16 berths up for grabs
The NCAA tournament's second round tips off Saturday with Sweet 16 berths on the line. What transpired on Friday finally put the "Madness" in March Madness. There were three major upsets — No. 13 UC Irvine over No. 4 Kansas State, No. 12 Oregon over No. 5 Wisconsin and No. 12 Liberty over No. 5 Mississippi State. Duke, meanwhile, rolled to a first-round win behind the highlight reel Zion Williamson. Despite Wisconsin's loss, the Big Ten has been dominant, winning seven of eight games so far. In the meantime, be sure to check how your bracket is faring against the competition.
Flooding still possible in Midwest, days after 'bomb cyclone'
Last week's "bomb cyclone" storm that hit the Midwest may be in the past, but the aftermath created a "slow-moving natural disaster" with damages due to flooding totaling at least $3 billion. Water draining downstream is causing the Missouri River to rise across northeastern Kansas and Missouri, AccuWeather said. The river's water levels are forecast to challenge the crest record of 31.63 feet in Kansas by the weekend. The flooding stems from a storm that hammered more than a dozen states with heavy snow and rain. Since much of the region was already saturated or the ground frozen, the stormwater could not be absorbed. The result has been the current damage and the Mississippi River possibly remaining above flood stage "into the first part of the summer," AccuWeather said.
New Zealand mosque reopens for first time since deadly shootings
Worshippers returned to a New Zealand mosque Saturday when it reopened for the first time since a terrorist killed dozens of people there last week. Hundreds of people stopped at the Al Noor mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand, to lay flowers or pray after police removed a cordon and those running the mosque decided to reopen. The gunman killed a total of 50 people at two mosques in Christchurch on March 15, in the nation’s worst terrorist attack. Earlier this week, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern declared a ban on military-style rifles, which includes assault rifles, high-capacity magazines and military-like semi-automatic rifles.
Dream big! It's Powerball time
Saturday night's Powerball jackpot has grown to an estimated $625 million, thanks to no one claiming the $550 million offered in Wednesday's drawing. The game is played in 44 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The likelihood of winning the jackpot is 1 in 292,201,338, according to the Powerball website. About 1 in every 24.87 Powerball tickets sold wins a prize, starting at $4. If you decide to play in a group, experts recommend doing so with people you know and trust.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mueller report, March Madness, Christchurch mosque reopens: 5 things to know this weekend
