Kamala Harris, COVID-19 stimulus checks, Simone Biles wins again: 5 things to know Monday
Kamala Harris visits Guatemala, her first trip abroad as VP
“It’s a huge problem. I’m not going to pretend it’s not,” Vice President Kamala Harris said of the growing number of unaccompanied children and other migrants at the southern border when it was announced in March that she would lead U.S. efforts to stem migration. On Monday, Harris will meet with leaders in Guatemala in her first international trip as vice president. The country links Mexico and Central America, from where many people make the trek north. Harris will meet with officials in Mexico on Tuesday.
- Harris tackles migration in high-profile visit to Guatemala and Mexico. Here’s what’s on the agenda.
Why one unaccompanied minor risked his life for a new start in the US
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The Olympics haven’t yet begun, but Simone Biles is already making history
There’s no question that Simone Biles is ready for Tokyo. The reigning world and Olympic champion on Sunday became the first woman to win seven U.S. national gymnastics titles. Biles is the GOAT — she hasn’t lost an all-around competition in eight years — so her historic win should come as no surprise. Biles finished a whopping 4.7 points ahead of Sunisa Lee, who was also second in 2019, the last time nationals were held. Next up are the Olympic trials, which are June 24-27 in St. Louis. The top two scorers there – Biles and someone else – automatically earn spots on the Tokyo team, and a selection committee will choose the remaining two.
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'Every weekend, it's the same thing': At least 3 dead, 6 injured in Florida graduation party shooting
Authorities on Monday are searching for answers following a shooting in Florida that left at least three people dead and six others injured on Sunday — the latest in a string of attacks in the Miami area. A graduation party had just ended at a strip mall parking lot near Miami-Dade College when one or more vehicles “pulled up and began to fire into the crowd,” said Miami-Dade police Director Alfredo "Freddie" Ramirez. Two of those killed were deceased at the scene, and another died at the hospital, Ramirez said. Two men also died when their car crashed into a wall at Miami Dade's College's Kendall campus while fleeing the scene. At least one gun was in the car, said Ramirez, but the exact connection to the shooting was unclear.
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COVID-19 stimulus checks arriving at schools: Will the money help kids?
School districts are poised to spend a windfall of federal money on more teachers, new textbooks and more as $81 billion from the latest federal coronavirus relief package flows into their coffers this week. By Monday, states must tell the Department of Education how they plan to spend the money. The remaining $41 billion of the $122 billion will be released after that. But some experts are unconvinced districts are tailoring their plans to heap intensive support on students who have been the most disengaged over the course of the pandemic. The department is encouraging states and districts to use their new funds to expand access to vaccines, such as by establishing vaccination sites at schools.
- Making up for lost learning time: More kids are heading to summer school this year
- 'A colony of the university?': Pandemic strains relations between colleges, cities
- How will COVID-19 end? Likely with a death rate Americans will 'accept'
'That ’70s Show' actor Danny Masterson's arraignment on 3 rape charges
Danny Masterson, the actor best known for "That '70s Show" and Netflix's "The Ranch," is expected to return to court on Monday for arraignment on rape charges. Three women have given emotional testimonies that Masterson raped them in separate incidents between 2001 and 2003. The forthcoming trial will represent the rare prosecution of a Hollywood figure in the #MeToo era despite dozens of investigations by police and the Los Angeles district attorney, most of which have ended without charges. Masterson has denied all allegations and charges against him since they first surfaced publicly in 2017. His attorney said Masterson had consensual sex with the women and that he would prove his client’s innocence. If convicted, the 45-year-old actor could face up to 45 years in prison.
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