i believe in my heart of hea hearts that george floyd would have achieved something rare that most black families never achieve in america, and that is full justice >> speaking out on the eve of the derek chauvin murder trial in the death of george floyd, a vigil was held in minneapolis overnight. right now we're just hours from opening statements coming off a weekend that saw deadly flooding and dozens of rescues in tennessee and elsewhere. we're tracking the storms. rooms to negotiate

that's the hope on capitol hill as democrats and some republicans say there could be a way to find common ground on new gun legislation that focuses on background checks. the u.s. men's soccer team misses the olympics again, the longest drought in 50 years. plus, all the whiles from the men's and women's ncaa championships. is the giant ship stuck in the suez canal one step closer to being freed "early today" starts right now. >> good monday morning i'm frances rivera >> and i'm phillip mena. today opening statements will begin in the trial of the ex-minneapolis police officer derek chauvin. floyd's death brough reckoning y with millions marching for justice.held in floyd's honor. members of his family weres leaders. reverend a trial a pivotal mome.

>> let us be clear it's not just chauvin on trial the united states' ability to deal with police accountability is on trial. >> for the latest on what we can expect, here is shaq brewster. >> reporter: good morning, phillip. later today we'll see the prosecution begin to lay out their case against the ex-minneapolis police department police officer derek chauvin accused of killing george floyd. we expect things to pick up about 9:00 this morning. that's when the judge will come in he'll make some comments and then bring in the jury panel that is expected to hear the case of the jury panel, we know eight are women, the others are men. eight identify as white, four black and two self identified as mixed race once they're sworn in, the prosecution will take over and deliver the opening statements and in talking to legal expert here is in minneapolis, we're warned and they warn us not to think this will be that "law & order" dramatic and emotional moment instead they say this will be a

road map, a preview of what is to come and the evidence that will be laid out before the jury that's all expected to happen later this morning in the trial of derek chauvin. >> all right, shaq, thank you. let's turn now to the deadly flooding emergency still unfolding in nashville the mayor declaring a local state of emergency overnight in an effort to get federal help for the city at least four people have been killed by rising floodwater, and more than 130 water rescues have been conducted more than 7 inches of rain fell in just 48 hours that's the second highest two-day total ever recorded for nashville. some surrounding areas have also been swamped by torrential rain nascar was forced to postpone their dirt race after the track and campgrounds were completely flooded. hundreds of fans were forced to evacuate to higher ground. >> see what we could have been in had they not come down there and had us move, you know. it was like good thing we're alive. >> tennessee is still facing a serious flooding threat this

morning. several rivers are expected to crest including the cumberland river which runs through nashville. one college student is dead and another missing after iowa state's rowing team was involved in a boating accident. according to the university, members of the crew club were practicing at a local lake when their boat capsized sunday morning. a total of five students were on the boat three of the five involved were rescued from the water they were treated at a hospital. a dive team recovered the body of one of the students and spent sunday searching for the other missing student. authorities suspended their search late last night that search is expected to continue this morning. there is encouraging news out of egypt where a major backup continues in one of the world's most vital waterways the suez canal authority says ever given, the giant container ship has been refloated and is being secured after almost a week of blocking the suez canal, which could signal that the e could soon reopen fl

for the very latest, we turn to ali arouzi. >> good morning. the colossal ever given container is still stuck in the canal, but finally this morning there seems to be some movement after the ship was partially refloated. the suez canal authority said in a statement that the ever given has successfully floated after the ship responded to pulling and towing manufactures, and that the stone of the ship, which is about 334 meters, feet from the shore now now both the canal authorities and the maritime logistic company said the ship, which is the size of a skyscraper, is about 80% free dredges worked over the weekend, frances, to dislodge the vessel while 14 tugboats were conducting a pulling maneuver from three different directions to get the boat moving now it's hardly surprising suc e to free this ship considering

what a crucial waterway the suez canal. about 12% of global trade, around one million barrels of oil and 8% of liquefied natural gas pass through the canal every day. they're expected to get things moving when the tide raise as little later today >> hopefully that progress will be made in the next few hours. ali, thank you the nation continues to be in a delicate position as covid cases increase alongside vaccinations and this has medical experts especially worried at least 93 million americans have gotten one dose of the covid vaccine. and just over 15% of the population has been fully vaccinated but while that news is encouraging, new infection rates are up and covid deaths remain steady as of today, more than 30 million people have been infected, and just over 550,000 people have died this latest data comes as president joe biden is receiving high marks on his top

priorities, the pandemic and recovery according to a new poll and his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, president biden's approval lands at 72%, with only 28% disapproving of his response 60% of respondents approve of biden's economic repair plan meanwhile, on the topics of gun violence and immigration, 57% of americans disapprove of his approach on both issues. the mass shootings in atlanta and boulder are re-igniting the gun control debit on capitol hill once again. lawmakers could find common ground of a stricter background check bill nbc's tracie potts joins us with the latest tracie, there could be some room for negotiation here >> reporter: well, it's possible, frances. this is something that has eluded lawmakers for decades now. democrats and republicans polar opposite when it comes to dealing with gun laws. but now at least one senator thinks he may see the path to 60 votes on gun legislation and as you noted, that issue

could be background checks >> i'm not interested in getting 50 votes in the senate i'm interested in getting 60 votes. that is what is required to pass a piece of legislation today and so i've been instructed by senator schumer to work over the next several weeks with democrats and willing republicans to get a bill that can pass don't count us out >> the place we ought to be able to get that done is requiring background checks on commercial sales. there are republican senators who are interested >> commercial sales you noted, he said, not private sales that's where many republicans are drawing the line meantime, president biden in a brief back and forth with the press yesterday said he is confident about this and he is willing to start working the

phones with republicans to try to find a compromise we'll see if there is any movement on gun legislation this week >> even if common ground, it will be progress all right, tracie, thank you then there were eight. the road to the final four is paved after an elite weekend of sweet 16 basketball. ucla was part of the first four, but there they are, still playing. they were leading alabama until alex reece nailed a huge buzzer beater to force overtime but that's about as good as it got for 'bama. in overtime, the bruins put on a clinic the crimson tide season is over. ucla moves on, 88-78 gonzaga is looking to become the first team since 1976 to win the championship undefeated. and they are halfway there after a sweet victory over creighton drew timme led the zags with 22 points they cruise by the blue jays just three wins left that's all that separates gonzaga from perfection. the usc trojans look to be

the first team to knock off gonzaga this weekend oregon state will try to become the highest seeded men's team ever to reach the final 4. two seed maryland had all they could handle take on texas. the longhorns stormed back it was a defensive battle down the stretch, but texas kept maryland at bay. the longhorns battle and pull off the upset, 64-61 top seed south carolina had some trouble shaking off georgia tech early in their sweet 16 matchup. it was a four-point game at the half, but sc came out firing in the third quarter. the yellowjackets couldn't sting late south carolina takes it 76-65. south carolina and texas will clash for a spot in the final four and the only school to field a men and women elite team don't calm ate comeback. team usa came up short again nets bid to return to the olympics the americans' problem started

in halftime where juan carlos lands the first goal of the game and then early in the second half, it was luis balma. honduras would win the game, 2-1. and that would end the americans' olympic hopes team usa has not been to the olympic games since weight that is disappointing. so many of us got drench over the weekend let's see who is drying out. hi, janessa, good morning. >> good morning. good morning, everyone better days are definitely ahead across the east coast. i know it was a tough weekend with over 155 wind reports we do have an exiting storm system behind the front we're watching a little bit of snow hopefully this is going to start to push out by mid afternoon high wind warnings and advisories are going the stay in place for northern new england they're starting to expire for d.c. where we continue to see wind gusts up to 50 to 60 miles per hour and then we watch our next storm

system across the pacific northwest where we could see wind gusts up to 75 milef your . wind concerns for wyoming all the way into the upper midwest duluth only 41 we'll take a look at some red flag warnings coming up, guys. >> all right, janessa, thank you. talk to you in a bit in today's ground breaker, william j. walker is the first black man to serve as the house sergeant at arms nancy pelosi appointed him to the role on friday walker is the demanding general of the d.c. national guard with nearly four decades of military experience he takes over for paul d. irving who resigned in the wake of the deadly insurrection at the u.s. capitol in january still to come, littlelittles

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so, do it with cascade. the surprising way to save water. stop asian hate! stop asian hate! >> hundreds marched in los angeles, protesting anti-asian violence dozens of rallies were held across the country this weekend. protesters calling for justice in the wake of the atlanta spa shootings. authorities are still investigating the motive the suspect has claimed the shootings were not racially motivated. however, six of the eight victims were of asian descent. now to the growing surge in the migrants crossing the u.s. southern border. today we're learning more about the life-and-death decisions of families seeking safety here, including one mother now talking about her young daughter who drowned on her harrowing journey. antonia hylton reports from texas. antonia, good morning. >> good morning, phillip

the humanitarian side of the challenges here continues to be the focus on the border here in mcallen. and people are still talking about the story this past week of a 9-year-old girl from guatemala who died while crossing with her mother and small brother, overtaken by the current in the river and found dead by customs and border protection and then this weekend i spent time in mission, texas, at a waterfront community where i met people who witnessed an adult male migrant who washed up dead in their backyards here on the border people are really seeing the human toll of the political debate we're seeing around the country on the issue of immigration take a listen. >> our crisis is not necessarily at the border. yes, this is where we are seeing the consequences of what's happening. the real crisis is outside our border and requires a real significant effort to get to the root causes of migration because if we don't do that, this will never end.

we'll keep talking about this. >> phillip, lawyers and advocates tell me so long as the conditions in their home countries remain perilous, people are going to feel that they have no other choice but to try to make to it the united states >> that's important for people to remember that antonia, thank you. still to come, a long way from old town road rapper lil nas x sparks controversy with his satanic sneakers that include a drop of real blood and bald truth prince william is crowned for a new honor. one wash, stains are gone. daughter: slurping don't pay for water. pay for clean. it's got to be tide. ordinary tissues burn when theo blows. so dad bought puffs plus lotion, and rescued his nose. with up to 50% more lotion puffs bring soothing softness and relief. a nose in need deserves puffs indeed. this is kansas. and this is country crock. we start with farm-grown ingredients,

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in a report from the sun he is described as sexy various blog, articles and web pages the duke of cambridge beat out dwayne "the rock" johnson if that surprises you, also jason stratham fast and furious star statam landed in length place while michael jordan rounded out the top five so here is the thing look who they are. look what they do. that in itself i think adds to it >> rich and successful might have something to do with it >> maybe a little bit. >> i think it's pretty true through life you can get away with a lot through that money and you're successful all right. singer lil nas x is sparking controversy with new sneakers being released today they're called the satan shoes and inside they contain actual human blood in the soles the old towne road artist

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that's why always absorbs faster. in today's top story, the violent crackdown against protesters in myanmar continues to escalate. pro-democracy demonstrators return to the streets after what is believed to be the bloodiest day since last month's military coupe. the news in myanmar now reports at least 14 people were killed saturday but nbc news has not independently verified the number president biden described the violence as absolutely outrageous pope francis marked the start of holy week by leading palm sunday services as this pandemic enters its second year. the pope addressed the small audience, and he warned that the devil is taking advantage of

this crisis to sow distrust and desperation. the vatican says it has purchased 1200 doses of the vaccine and will help the poorest get vaccinated throughout the week. according to springfield authority, austin blake stewart pulled down his mask and kissed a 1 1/2-year-old girl on the lips she was in a shopping cart and the mother had glanced away for a brief moment parents alerted police who found the suspect in the street underneath a blanket he is charged with physical harassment and disorderly conduct. the city of dallas commemorated a portion of a street in honor of botham john the city unveiled botham john over the weekend at a dedication ceremony he was shot and killed by a dallas police officer in his own home in 2018 the stretch of road runs right in front of the apartments where jean lived as well as the dallas police headquarters. something we haven't seen in

a while, a sold out rock concert. >> wow >> 5,000 people gathered in spain over the weekend for a government-approved show in a trial that could revive the live music industry attendees had to take a rapid covid test before entering as well as wearing their mask social distancing was not required but delayed entry time. it could be the first step in bringing back live shows any form look how responsible everybody is with their masks right there. >> you know, you're responsible, you get to have those things, i guess. >> hopefully we're on that track. >> we can only hope. today's vietnam war veterans day. it is a ti to remember the 2.5 million brave americans who served our country during the controversial vietnam war. and here is some photos of the "early today" team's family and friends who fought in the bloody conflict to all vietnam veterans, we see you, we remember you, and most importantly we thank you 150,000 americans died in that

war. >> this is one of the days where it's not so common it's veteran's day, but vietnam veterans day glad to be able to single them out and say thank you. >> two million were drafted into service and they served us well. >> thanks for waking up with us. i'

♪ we kick off a new week with the identifications of the nation focused on a courtroom in minneapolis where a former mreefr goes on trial in the murder of george floyd opening statements are just hours away we have a floater. breaking overnight, the blocking ship blocking the suez canal have been successfully floated and deadly flooding, 12 people had to be rescued at least four have died the big moments in the men's