promoearn: 'Darkest days': Will Capitol riot get a 9/11-style commission?

Wednesday, May 19

Angry supporters of President Donald Trump scale the west wall of the the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021.

'Darkest days': Will Capitol riot get a 9/11-style commission?

The House weighs two key votes, President Biden is facing mounting pressure on Gaza and more news to start your Wednesday.

Welcome to Wednesday, Daily Briefing readers. Happy Hump Day! On Capitol Hill, the House could complete two key votes related to the Jan. 6 insurrection that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi described as "one of the darkest days in our history." Meanwhile, the pressure is mounting on President Joe Biden to intervene in the conflict in Gaza.

Steve and Jane are here with Wednesday's news.

⚖ The New York Attorney General's office is investigating former President Donald Trump and his company for potential criminality. It could lead to charges if investigators uncover wrongdoing.

🔴 New this morning: A study from the Stanford University School of Medicine found health care providers may be overcounting the number of children hospitalized for COVID-19.

⚓️ Biden is set to deliver his first commencement address as commander in chief when he speaks to graduates of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.

🎤 Demi Lovato is non-binary and is using the pronouns they/them, the singer announced in a heartfelt video post.

🔴 From the world of sports: Sabrina Ionescu of the New York Liberty made WNBA history in just her sixth career game. In Seattle, Detroit Tigers pitcher Spencer Turnbull threw Major League Baseball's fifth no-hitter of the 2021 season.

🎧On today's 5 Things podcast, listen for the latest on Biden and Gaza. You can listen to the podcast every day on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on your smart speaker.

Here's what's happening today:

House could complete two key votes related to Capitol insurrection

The House is poised to vote on a 9/11-style commission for the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, a first step toward creating an independent, bipartisan panel that would investigate the siege and try to prevent it from happening again. Despite the objections of Republican leader Kevin McCarthy , the House is expected to approve the measure Wednesday. But the commission will be a more difficult sell in the Senate. The House could also vote on a $1.9 billion spending bill to reimburse authorities who responded to the riot and to increase security against future attacks.

Pressure on Biden mounts as conflict in Gaza continues

As violence in Gaza continues Wednesday, the pressure on President Joe Biden from lawmakers also continues to mount. On Tuesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi joined other Democrats in calling for a cease-fire in the region, ratcheting up the pressure on the Biden administration to intervene more forcefully. Earlier this week, Biden expressed his support for a cease-fire but has not insisted on one publicly. Israeli airstrikes killed at least six people across the Gaza Strip and destroyed the home of a large extended family early Wednesday. The military said it widened its strikes on militant targets to the south amid continuing rocket fire from the Hamas-ruled territory.

'I survived COVID... but my nightmare was far from over'

Arizona State Rep. Lorenzo Sierra on his COVID-19 ordeal

USA TODAY

Arizona State Rep. Lorenzo Sierra wrote about surviving COVID-19 in this moving opinion article. "COVID-19 has ushered in a mental and emotional health crisis, especially in minority communities like the one I live in and represent," he said.

What else people are reading:

🔴 Kobe Bryant's widow, Vanessa Bryant, has been accused of conducting a fishing expedition that is taking first responders away from their jobs and subjecting them to harassment.

⛈ 'What more can you do to us?': The National Weather Service said over 30 million people are threatened by flooding across the south-central U.S.

🌎 A Massachusetts medical examiner's office ruled that Mikayla Miller, a Black teenager whose body was found near her home last month, died by suicide.

👶🏽 Naomi Campbell is a mom! The supermodel, 50, announced that she welcomed her first child, sharing a photo of herself holding the new baby's feet.

📺 'I can't believe it': After a surprising reveal, Blake Shelton is the coach who as an edge going into the finale of NBC's "The Voice."

🐢 Darwin's Arch, a famous natural rock formation off the coast of the Galapagos Islands, collapsed this week, and Ecuadorian officials blame erosion.

🔴 After hanging out underground for 17 years, a new brood of periodical cicadas has arrived in people's backyards in some states. Here's what you need to know.

🔵 Actor Charles Grodin, who brought his droll delivery to films such as "Midnight Run" with Robert De Niro and the "Beethoven" family dog movies, has died at the age of 86.

Charles Grodin in 2010

WireImage photo; USA TODAY graphic

Opening arguments to start in trial of man accused of murdering Mollie Tibbetts

Opening arguments will begin Wednesday in the trial of the man accused of murdering Mollie Tibbetts . The University of Iowa student, 20, went out for a jog in July 2018 in her hometown of Brooklyn, Iowa, and never came back. Her body was discovered about a month later. Cristhian Bahena Rivera, 26, is accused of stabbing her to death. Rivera, a Mexican national and farm laborer, is suspected of entering the country illegally. His arrest inflamed anger over illegal immigration, with then-President Donald Trump accusing him of exploiting lax immigration laws. Legal experts say ensuring a fair trial for Rivera will be difficult, the Associated Press reported.

Newsmakers in their own words: How Pink kept busy during quarantine

Pink in 2019

AFP/Getty Images photo; USA TODAY graphic

Pink, who contracted COVID-19 last year, told USA TODAY she kept busy during lockdown. One project included her new documentary, "Pink: All I Know So Far," streaming Friday on Amazon Prime.

Warriors-Lakers highlights NBA's play-in tournament action

In what could be considered the most intriguing matchup in the short history of the NBA's play-in tournament, fans will get a treat as LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the seventh-seeded Los Angeles Lakers host NBA scoring champion and MVP candidate Steph Curry and the No. 8 seed Golden State Warriors Wednesday night (10 p.m. ET, ESPN) as part of the Western Conference seeding games. The winner will advance to face the No. 2 seed Phoenix Suns. In the early game, the No. 10 seed San Antonio Spurs will travel to face the ninth-seeded Memphis Grizzlies (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN) with the winner moving on to Friday's game.

Lollapalooza to announce 2021 return lineup

Lollapalooza, the massive Chicago music festival, is set to announce its 2021 lineup Wednesday morning after the COVID-19 pandemic shut down live events in 2020. The festival typically welcomes 100,000 daily attendees to see more than 170 acts perform across eight stages. The event will return with full capacity to Grant Park downtown July 29 to Aug. 1. All festival-goers will need to be fully vaccinated or provide proof of negative COVID-19 test results within 24 hours of attending Lollapalooza each day.

ICYMI: Some of our top stories published Tuesday

🔵 The sheriff's deputies who shot and killed Andrew Brown Jr., an unarmed Black man in North Carolina, will not be criminally charged, a prosecutor said.

⚾ New York Mets outfielder Kevin Pillar, who was hit in the face by a 95 mph fastball, suffered multiple nasal fractures and will meet with a facial specialist.

⚖ Former President Barack Obama said the time his daughters' Malia and Sasha spent in White House "shut down their interest in public service."

📺 'What a disaster': Dax Shepard, who has been open about his recent drug relapse, also looked back on his infamous drunken interview with Conan O'Brien.