Plus, a nationwide mask mandate on public transportation starts today, and President Biden will meet with a group of Senate Republicans today hoping to reach a deal on a new COVID-19 relief bill.
The Minnesota Court of Appeals is deciding whether to reinstate a third-degree murder charge against Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer set to go on trial next week in the death of George Floyd. During a virtual hearing on Monday, a prosecutor from Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison's office argued that the district court judge presiding over Chauvin's case "abused his discretion" by dropping the charge. Chauvin, who did not attend Monday's hearing, is currently facing charges of second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the May 25 death of Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man.
The U.S. has hit a plateau in coronavirus cases and deaths that signal a "potential shift in the trajectory of the pandemic," the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned states on Monday not to loosen restrictions and get in front of the progress the country has made since it hit a monumental 300,000 cases a day in January, the worst point of the pandemic so far. Over the last week, the daily number of cases and deaths, on average, has risen by about 2% compared to the week prior, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said during a White House press briefing, to about 67,000 cases per day and 2,000 American lives lost to the virus each day. It's nearly a third of what the U.S. was seeing during its holiday surge, but still no better than what the U.S. saw during the summer peak.
A World Health Organization panel is now advising against the use of hydroxychloroquine, the controversial drug promoted heavily by the Trump administration, to treat patients infected with COVID-19. The international health agency announced Monday that a panel of experts for its guideline development group now "strongly advises" against use of the anti-inflammatory drug, often used to treat and prevent malaria, to prevent the novel coronavirus. The drug is no longer a research priority, and instead, resources should focus on other "more promising" drugs to prevent COVID-19, according to the press release.
The coalition, Survivor Corps, launched an online portal, gotcovid.org, Monday that directs people who recently tested positive for COVID-19 to hospitals, medical centers and other locations that offer monoclonal antibody treatment. Treatments developed by Regeneron and Eli Lilly, which have been authorized for emergency use by the Food and Drug Administration, have been shown to reduce hospitalizations and deaths among coronavirus patients if taken within the first 10 days of symptoms. Diana Berrent, Survivor Corps' founder, said in a statement that patients may not have the information about the treatments or where and how to get them before their symptoms exacerbate.
Democrats in the Senate were forced to abandon plans to increase the federal minimum wage in the face of concerns among their own ranks, united Republican opposition and because of a fast-approaching deadline cutting off time to carefully craft the measure under strict budgetary rules being used by the majority to pass COVID-19 relief without GOP support. Senate Budget Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden had hoped to win approval in the Senate of a "plan B" regarding the minimum wage -- a tax penalty for corporations that do not pay their workers at least $15 an hour -- this after the chamber's parliamentarian ruled a straight increase of the hourly minimum to $15 was out of bounds under the fast-track rules known as budget reconciliation.
The Senate Monday evening voted 64-33 to confirm Miguel Cardona to lead the U.S. Education Department as schools across the country attempt to return to safe, in-person instruction -- something the Biden administration has prioritized as part of its COVID-19 response plan. Coming into office, President Joe Biden said ensuring students and educators are able to return to the classroom safely was a top priority -- which included a goal to get a majority of K-8 students back to school in the first 100 days of his presidency. At his confirmation hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, Cardona reiterated this goal, and said he plans to address "inequities head on."
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Monday defended the Biden administration's handling of unaccompanied migrant children at the border against growing criticism, saying he hopes to give families separated under President Donald Trump the option to reunite in the U.S. while blaming the prior administration for having "gutted" the immigration system. "I learned that we did not have the facilities available or equipped to administer the humanitarian laws that our Congress passed years ago," Mayorkas said in his first appearance at a White House briefing. Trump's immigration approach largely focused on hardline enforcement and security measures including the appropriation of billions of dollars for a border wall, which Biden stopped.
A 15-year-old boy has been shot at his school in Arkansas, allegedly by a fellow student, police said. The shooting at Watson Chapel Junior High School in Pine Bluff took place around 10 a.m., police said. The teen, the only one hurt, was hospitalized in very serious condition.
Marvel Studios' "Avengers: Endgame" is the highest-grossing movie of all time, having made more than $2.79 billion at the global box office. Now, with the global COVID-19 pandemic, more than half of movie theaters in the U.S. are still shuttered, yet millions of cinema lovers are hungry for the moviegoing experience. Two lifelong movie fans who can't wait to get back to theaters are Joe and Anthony Russo, the sibling duo that directed 2014's "Captain America: The Winter Soldier," 2016's "Captain America: Civil War," 2018's "Avengers: Infinity War" and, of course, the aforementioned "Endgame."
“This must be a mistake,” Jodie Foster said after earning a Golden Globe for best supporting actress for “The Mauritanian,” a win no one had predicted, especially the actress. Welcome to the Golden Globes, the laughingstock of awards shows, where Sunday night’s telecast proved that the 87 voting members of the Hollywood Press Association were up to their old tricks. Full of technical snafus, the 78th annual gala was hosted by Amy Poehler in Los Angeles and Tina Fey in New York before a masked, socially-distanced audience of -- in Fey’s words -- “smoking-hot” first responders and essential workers so celebrities “could stay safely at home.”
Teachers in Los Angeles County will be able to sign up for a COVID-19 vaccine starting Monday, as part of a wave of essential workers who are newly eligible to get vaccinated. In addition to educators, child care and emergency service workers, law enforcement and food and agriculture workers are also newly eligible, which translates into roughly 1.2 million newly approved people in LA County.
Katy Perry, Post Malone and J Balvin all took the virtual stage Saturday to celebrate the grand occasion. According to a press release, Capitol Records will release "Pokémon 25: The Album" this fall and it will feature several surprise artists. The compilation album will include 14 songs from 11 different artists belonging to the Universal Music Group umbrella.
As Republicans in nearly every state push new voting restrictions in the aftermath of the 2020 election, the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday will hear a major case to decide how those new rules should be judged under federal civil rights law. State legislators in at least 43 states are considering more than 250 bills that would make it harder to vote, according to the Brennan Center for Justice, a nonpartisan voter advocacy group tracking the trend. Sponsors of the measures said they're necessary to prevent fraud; civil rights advocates claim they primarily suppress minority voters who overwhelmingly back Democratic candidates.
Minneapolis has scrapped plans to pay social media influencers to share information during the upcoming trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin for the death of George Floyd. In an email sent to city elected officials and obtained by ABC News, Minneapolis' Director of Communications Greta Bergstrom and Director of Neighborhood and Community Relations David Rubedor confirmed plans to cancel the initiative. "We would like to take a moment to address the recommendation to use social media 'influencers' as part of the Joint Information System information sharing strategies," the email stated.
"Grey's Anatomy" star Ellen Pompeo is flirting with a future without the long-running medical drama in her life. This weekend, the 51-year-old actress appeared on "CBS Sunday Morning", where the conversation gravitated toward her starring role as Dr. Meredith Grey and her future with the series. The show's pilot aired on March 27, 2005, on ABC, which makes it television's longest-running prime-time medical drama.
Hundreds of thousands of residents in the South are still dealing with the after effects of two devastating winter storms as cities struggle to provide drinking water. Residents in Jackson, Mississippi, are still under a boil water alert, and some residents still do not have running water after the back-to-back winter storms last month wreaked havoc on the city's water system. While significant progress was made Sunday on restoring pressure to the system, and water for flushing toilets was restored on Monday, the city's water system does not have a time table on when a full restoration will be complete, ABC Jackson affiliate WAPT reported.
If you wear glasses and happen to be a "Sesame Street" fan, there's a fresh new launch that's probably right up your alley. Pair Eyewear, a mission-driven direct-to-consumer, customizable eyewear brand, has collaborated with the children's television series to release limited-edition frames that feature Sesame Street's beloved characters. Whether you are an Ernie or Elmo lover, both kids and adults can get their hands on Pair Eyewear's latest and greatest.
"Wonder Woman" star Gal Gadot is pregnant with her third child, the Israeli-born actress announced Monday. "Here we go again," she wrote on social media alongside a photo of her family -- including husband Yaron Varsano and daughters Alma, 9, and Maya, who turns 4 later this month -- with their hands resting on her stomach. Gadot, who married Varsano in 2008, previously welcomed Alma in Nov. 2011 and Maya in March 2017, just months before the first "Wonder Woman" film was released.
Nail polish brand Sally Hansen has teamed up with mint brand Mentos for a super fresh collaboration. The two brands just launched an 8-piece nail polish collection including bright colors, pastels and, of course, glitter.
Jane Fonda has been known to make a powerful statement, and her latest look at the 2021 Golden Globe Awards spoke volumes. The legendary actress and activist attended this year's ceremony wearing a cream-toned suit paired with metallic Sarah Flint pointy-toe pumps that was equal parts sophisticated and chic. While Fonda most likely has access to the latest designer looks straight off the runway, she opted for a timeless ensemble that was pulled out of her own closet.
