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Biden visits Buffalo after shooting, Ukraine's rescue effort, more key primaries: 5 things to know Tuesday

Editors
·5 min read

Biden to call shooting 'terrorism,' push gun reform in visit to Buffalo

President Joe Biden is set to visit Buffalo, New York, Tuesday to meet and grieve with family members of the 10 victims killed Saturday during a mass shooting at a supermarket that police say was racially motivated. Many of the victims, ranging from 32 to 86, were Black and were either shopping or working at a supermarket in one of Buffalo's highest concentrated African American neighborhoods. The slain included a civil rights advocate, a deacon and a heroic security guard. Biden and first lady Jill Biden will first visit a memorial for the shooting victims before meeting with families, first responders and law enforcement officials at a community center. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre read aloud the victims' names and stories at a press briefing Monday, saying their lives were "senselessly taken in this horrific shooting." She said Biden will also use the trip to call on Congress to act on gun reform, renewing efforts that have stalled in the evenly-split Senate.

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Ukraine mounts effort to rescue last fighters at Azovstal steel mill

Efforts were underway Tuesday to rescue the last of the defenders inside the sprawling Azovstal steel plant in the ruined city of Mariupol after Ukrainian officials said the fighters had "completed their mission" and there was no way to free the plant by military means. The Ukrainian military avoided using the term "surrender" to describe the effort to pull out of the plant to save as many lives as possible. Officials planned to keep trying to save an unknown number of fighters who stayed behind. It was unclear if soldiers evacuated to Russian-controlled areas would be considered prisoners of war. Deputy Defense Minister Anna Malyar said 53 seriously wounded fighters were taken to a hospital in Novoazovsk, east of Mariupol. An additional 211 fighters were evacuated to Olenivka through a humanitarian corridor. "The work to bring the guys home continues, and it requires delicacy and time," said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The steel mill has for weeks symbolized Ukraine's final holdout in Mariupol.

Key races in Pennsylvania, North Carolina highlight busy primary day

The busiest primary day of the year so far arrives Tuesday – with elections in five states being held. In Pennsylvania, Mehmet Oz, the surgeon-turned-talk show host, hopes to win the Republican nomination for the Senate with the help of a Donald Trump endorsement. Many conservatives criticized the former president's endorsement, saying Oz has voiced liberal views in the past on items like abortion and gun control. Polls show a tightening race between Oz and conservative commentator Kathy Barnette with David McCormick, once the owner of the world's largest hedge fund, still in striking distance. Lt. Gov. John Fetterman is heavily favored to win Pennsylvania's Democratic nomination for the Senate, but a complication has arisen: A stroke landed him in the hospital over the weekend. In North Carolina, embattled incumbent Rep. Madison Cawthorn, R-N.C., faces a challenge from State Sen. Chuck Edwards and a number of other opponents.

Mixed weather expected after severe storms in Northeast

A slightly cooler, more refreshing air mass will build in Tuesday, following Monday's severe storms across the Northeast region, forecasters say. Followed by the cooler weather, significant heat will build in to round out the workweek, according to the Capital Weather Gang. This week will also bring a heat wave that is forecast to scorch much of the southern tier of the nation for the next several days. According to the National Weather Service, widespread temperature records are forecast to be tied or broken in the southern Plains and lower Mississippi Valley through the midweek before parts of the Southeast get in on the potentially record-breaking action late this week. High temperatures will be in the 90s and 100s for consecutive days across much of Texas.

NBA draft lottery to determine No. 1 pick ahead of Game 1 of East finals

It'll be another busy day in the National Basketball Association Tuesday as the draft lottery will determine the No. 1 pick in this summer's draft (8 p.m. ET, ESPN) ahead of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals between the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN). The Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic and Detroit Pistons share the top odds of winning the lottery - a 14% chance - and the No. 1 pick for the June 23 event. The New Orleans Pelicans are the lone playoff team with a chance to get the top choice as they have the Los Angeles Lakers' pick, as long as it lands in the top 10 after the 2019 trade that sent Anthony Davis west. Later, Miami will host Boston in a rematch of the 2020 East finals that saw Miami win in six games in the restart bubble. Both teams are dealing with injuries as the Heat will be without Kyle Lowry, who is out with a hamstring injury. The Celtics have listed Marcus Smart as questionable after he suffered a foot injury in the team's Game 7 win over the Milwaukee Bucks Sunday.

Contributing: The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Biden visits Buffalo, more key primaries: 5 things to know Tuesday