♪ 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

and women's ncaa basketball tournaments. and those shrinking and those moving to elite status godzilla and the new week. "early today" starts right now good monday morning, i'm frances rivera >> and i'm phillip mena. it has been ten months since the death of george floyd and opening statements will begin in the trial of ex-minneapolis police officer derek chauvin floyd's death brought about a racial reckoning in this country. >> on the eve, the vigil was held in floyd's honor. members of his family were joined by civil rights leaders reverend al sharpton calls the vigil a pivotal moment >> let us be clear it is not just chauvin on trial. the united states' ability to deal with police accountability is on trial. >> opening statements will begin before a jury of 12 people, plus

two alternates the jury is made up of nine women and six men. they range in their ages from 20s to 60s. >> later in the broadcast, we're live in minneapolis where jay gray is standing by with a preview what we can expect the mass shootings in atlanta and boulder are reigniting the gun control bill on capitol hill. nbc's tracie potts joining us with the latest. tracie, there could be room for negotiation here >> could be, frances, at least one democrat thinks he's got the path to 60 votes which is what it's going to take for the president to get something on his desk, and that path, he believes, will be with background checks where congress begins to debate various parts of the gun laws. this maybe an area where they find some common ground. >> i'm not interested in getting 50 votes in the senate i'm interested in getting 60 votes.

that's what is required to pass a piece of legislation today so i've been instructed by senator schumer to work over the next several weeks, and willing republicans to try to get a bill that expands background checks that can pass. that can get votes from both sides. don't count us out >> place where we ought to be able to get that done is requiring brack ground checks on commercial sales that's where my know senator manchin is and there are republican senators who are interested. >> it's been decorates since congress has been able to get something significant done on gun laws in fact, president biden said yesterday he was in congress the last time they passed again, and he's ready to get on the phone with republicans to try to find that compromise >> common ground, imagine that thank you, tracie. a major backup continues in one of the world's most vital waterways but there is

encouraging news, the giant container ship has been refloated and is being secured signaling that the vital trade route could soon be open for the latest we turn to nbc's alial ruz zi live in tehran. ali, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, phillip, the colossal container ship is still stuck in the suez canal but this morning finally there's movement after the ship was partially refloated. the suez an cal said the ever given was successfully re-floated and that the stern of the ship was 334 feet from the shoreline. now, the canal authority said the ship, which is the size of a skyscraper was about 80% free now. dredgers worked over the weekend to dislodge the vessel, while 14 tugboats were conducting pulling maneuvers from three differento

considering what a crucial waterway the suez canal is about 12% of global trade. 1 million barrels of oil pass through the canal each day the stranded vessel was holding up an estimated $9.5 billion of trade along the waterway every day. now canal authorities say that the maneuvers are due to resume again today, when the tide brings the water let me back up, with the hope that this will be the final push to get the ship fully floated and unblock the waterway >> that is a consequential traffic jam. thanks and covid-19 cases increase along with vaccinations. 93 million americans have gotten one dose of a covid-19 vaccine 15% of the population has been fully vaccinated

new infection rates were up and covid deaths remain steady as of today, 30 million people have been infected and 550,000 have died. this latest data comes as president joe biden receives high marks on his top priorities according to a new abc news/ipsos poll, on his handles of the coronavirus pandemic, it lands at 15%, while 17 and 57% of americans disapprove of his approach on both issues nbc's cori coffin has the latest from miami good morning, cori >> reporter: frances, good morning, it would appear that nighttime partygoers got the messages but spring breakers overall not staying home the tsa reporting record travel, up 400% from last year experts believe we could break that record this weekend dr. fauci spoke to cbs news

news >> it's not completely the variants what we're likely to see is spring break and pulling back on the mitigation you that see now. several states have done that. i believe it's premature, margaret i've said many times to you, that when you're coming down from a big peak, and you reach a point and start to flat toe, once you stay at that plateau, you're really in danger of the surge coming up. and unfortunately, that's what we're starting to see. >> reporter: we are seeing a rise in cases in morning half the states in this country and in fact, most states, some of which are seeing a sharp rise of 30% or more frances, the question is will this translate into a fourth wave epidemiologists say by the time we can identify that we'll already be in it >> thank you hundreds march in los angeles, protesting anti-asian

violence >> stop asian hate >> dozens of rallies over the weekend, protesters were calling for justice in the wake of the atlanta spa shootings. while authorities are investigating the motives the suspects claim that the shootings were not ashlly motivated. over six were of asian descent. colorado community came together to honor the shooting victims. reporter kelly rankin with our kfa affiliate has more >> we are a small community here >> reporter: 30 minute it's outside of boulder, a small community is hurting >> i can't imagine being alone at this time >> reporter: it's times like this that people came together to pay respect to a neighbor a

police officer heather gunter is the wife a police officer she said officer eric talley lived that this community. >> in a world where there's not a lot of love we just provide that for each other. ♪ >> reporter: supporting one another in song and prayer a moment to give comfort to first responders who answered that call for help >> i just want to say thank you from the bottom of our heart for the support you've shown us. >> reporter: a moment to remember the ten lives lost. >> kevin mahoney 61 >> reporter: ten families. >> lynn murray, 62 >> reporter: forever changed after a trip to the grocery store. but a small community is there to remind them that they are not alone. >> it's really, really important that we don't let that hate divide all of us >> reporter: and our thanks to kelly rankky for that report

a state of in which has been declared in nashville after days of deadly flooding at least four people have been killed as rising waters have swept away cars and swamped homes nashville was hit by over 7 inches of rain in just 48 hours. it's the second highest two-day total rainfall the city has ever recorded the flood ricks continue this morning. several rivers are expected to crest today including the cumberland river which runs right through nashville. straddy one dead and another missing after the iowa state rowing team was involved in a boating accident the team was practicing at a local lake when the boat capsized a total of five students were in that boat. three of the five were rescued and the dive team recovered the body of one of the students and spent sunday searching for the other missing student. authorities suspendedthe searc late sunday night and expected to continue this morning

let's take a look at weather with nbc meteorologist janessa webb janessa, good morning. >> good morning. good morning, everyone we have a rough weekend with the severe weekend and the water running through. higher terrain in northern new england, the entire system will continue to push offshore. the big weather story today on the east coast to the northeast will be wind warnings and advisories where we'll see wind gusts from new york city to boston up to 60 miles per hour also, another storm for the pacific northwest will cause wet conditions for the rockies also wind warnings in place across the upperfront. cool today across the great lakes.

only in the lower vs biggings today, 71, but snow headed that way. we'll take a look at the week ahead, guys. >> thank you pope francis completed holy week as leading palm sunday services the pope addressed the small audience and he warned that the devil is taking advantage of this crisis to sow distress and desperation. the vatican has purchased dozens of the pfizer vaccine and will help the poorest get vaccinated throughout holy week when we return, the u.s. men's soccer team goes for the gold izpn iement >> and the road to the elite eight. the biggest bracket in the sweet 16 its vinegar powered deep clean dissolves hard water buildup and releases trapped residues and odors like detoxifying your clothes.

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there is alex reese, he would force overtime alabama loses in over98, 88-78 creighton lost to gonzaga, looking to be the first since '76 to win the championship undefeated 83 to 65, three wins away from a perfect season still, not in washington, d.c., but in indiana, the usc trojans will be the first team looking to knock off gonzaga oregon state will be the highest seed ever to reach the final four >> and in the women's, the terrapins, with say defensive battle down the stretch. texas kept maryland at bay. 64-61. and south carolina and georgia

tech matchup south carolina takes it 76-65. and south carolina will clash for a spot on the final four and baylor will kick off elite action tonight against the uconn huskies. all new at 9:00, and the u.s. olympic men's team didnot wind their game against honduras they haven't made it since 2008. it started early and ended up losing 2-1 that ends the men's olympic games hopes yet again. still to come, a global shortage selling at car production all around the world. and a box office monster godzilla versus kong daughter: slurping

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that's cool. this may have blown our senses out the window, but this 82-year-old from tulsa did not keep her from wearing they are sunday best. dr. laverne wimblely dressed up for 52 virtual church services in a row >> what made you say, you know what, i need to look my sunday best >> i did not want to get out of the habit of dressing because i didn't want to maybe become like a ragamuffin, i just wanted to keep my spirits up >> beautiful so who are you wearing >> dr. wembley says that she told kendis, she hopes more congregants will follow suit it's easy to not behind zoom but she did it. >> she looks great up next, janessa's got

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demand higher than ever. >> let's toss it back to nbc meteorologist janessa webb with a look at the weather. janessa. >> hey, good morning let's get your monday going. the start of your week, these winds, they're not playing across the east coast. wind advisories and warnings continue to be in place, but a ton more sunshine behind that front that caused that severe weather. so things are going to try out for memphis and the central plains and some rocky snow that will push out of the area all week long, we're under a different pattern across the pacific northwest. it will not be an equal opportunity to see sunshine for the east coast a lot of rein that starts to enter wednesday, thursday, and even friday afternoon. but the west coast, into thee y really want to be because of warm highs and we're going to see a ton of sunshine going in to start your weekend. dry across the south, cool conditions for the east. guys >> janessa, thank you. coming up on "early today,"

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that's why always absorbs faster. all eyes on minneapolis today as opening statements kick off in the trial of ex-officer derek chauvin. our jay gray is in minneapolis with the latest. and, jay, tell us what we can expect today >> reporter: yeah, frances, i think there will be emotion in the courtroom today. i think there will be a lot of tension outside the courtroom. look, george floyd eight death really sparked a national movement, a demand for social justice and equality a lot gathering for the trial say what happens inside this courthouse will tell them how far they've come and how far they still have to go. windows are boarded up

streets blocked off. the number of police and national guard troops growing around the courthouse. security that will continue to build through the trial. >> that presence will reach capacity at a graduated scale, as we get closer into the verdict and deliberations. that capacity, as you know, is about 2,000 national guard and 1,100 law enforcement partners >> reporter: there were protests this weekend and crowds outside the courthouse are expected to grow as the high-profile case unfolds. >> we're going to stand until that verdict if we don't get what we want and george don't get it >> reporter: george floyd's family joined supporters at a vigil sunday night >> there's a time for change, and that change is now there's only one race. and it's the human race. >> reporter: inside the courtroom, the judge expected to take care of some legal house

keeping matters will seating the jury that will ultimately determine derek chauvin's fate the legal observers point out it's not only the former minnesota police officer on trial here >> it's difficult also not also to face more broadly the fact that the nation is watching, because it's also about the fundamental integrity of the system >> reporter: what will likely be an intense and at times emotional case is expected to last two to four week. yeah and, look, the defense does have the option of waiting for its opening statement until after the prosecution presents their entire case. we'll find out later today if that's what they plan to do. the judge said he does expect testimony to begin today f frances, phillip >> all of that being watched closely, jay, thank you. today, it's time to remember 2.5 million americans who served our country dunk the controversial vietnam war.

here's in photos of the friends and families who fought in that torturous bloody conflict. to all vietnam veterans, we see you, we remember you and most importantly, we thank you. >> especially on this day which is it not as comn asmo

now at 4:30, returning to the classroom. the bay area students resuming in-person learning in a matter of hours and the safety measures being taken due to the pandemic. plus -- >> return to office environment will be particularly important -- >> the bay area businesses returning to the office as they kick off a new work week and the pro sports teams bringing back fans as restrictions start to ease. when asians folks are under attack, what do we do? >> marching to make a difference. rallies held across the bay area to denounce hate crimes on