5 things to know for June 27: Debate day, Supreme Court, Bolivia coup attempt, Midwest flooding, Cell phone ban
Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.
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1. Debate day
President Joe Biden and his predecessor, Donald Trump, are set to make history on CNN today as they meet for their first 2024 debate. The debate, set to start at 9 p.m. ET on CNN, is the first between a sitting president and a former president. The topics slated for discussion over 90 minutes will center around issues most important to American voters — from immigration and taxes to foreign affairs and abortion. But that’s just where moderators Jake Tapper and Dana Bash will begin. Where the candidates go from there, especially in Trump’s case, is the wild card. Analysts anticipate Biden is prepared to confront Trump about his criminal conviction, denial of the election results that led to the events of January 6, 2021, and other grievances that could spark contentious riffs.
2. Supreme Court
Against the backdrop of the highly anticipated CNN debate, the Supreme Court could rule on Trump’s criminal immunity in the coming hours. The case questions whether the former president may claim immunity from federal election subversion charges. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court also appears poised to side with the Biden administration and allow abortions in medical emergencies in Idaho, Bloomberg reports, citing a document that was inadvertently posted on the court’s website in an astonishing breach of protocol. The unsigned opinion showed that three conservatives — Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett — sided with the court’s three liberals to block the state from enforcing the ban in certain emergency situations.
3. Bolivia coup attempt
An attempted coup in Bolivia failed Wednesday after President Luis Arce called on the public to mobilize in defense of democracy. In response, soldiers and armored military vehicles withdrew from surrounding government buildings in La Paz. Former army chief Gen. Juan José Zuniga, who led the coup attempt, was detained shortly after he was seen storming into the presidential palace hallway. Bolivia has a long history of political instability, including military coups, and the failed takeover comes as the landlocked South American country of about 12 million people struggles with a spiraling economic crisis that has sparked street protests.
4. Midwest flooding
At least two people are dead after days of severe storms and catastrophic flooding in the Upper Midwest inundated homes and forced evacuations. The latest bout of intense rainfall put pressure on the Rapidan Dam near Mankato, Minnesota, prompting alerts about its “imminent” collapse. Assessment and response efforts are underway as the area has seen significant damage and loss of infrastructure and property. As a result of the partial failure and raging waters, the river has swallowed a home, a power substation and power poles, a steel shipping container, county equipment and more, said Blue Earth County Administrator Robert Meyer.
5. Cell phone ban
A growing list of school districts in the US are moving to ban cell phones from classrooms as educators voice frustrations about students’ device usage. New York City Public Schools — the nation’s largest district with around 1 million students — could formally announce a cell phone ban as early as January. Phone usage during the school day has not only become a distraction, but an addiction, David Banks, the chancellor of New York City Public Schools, said in an interview. New York’s decision comes on the heels of the Los Angeles Unified School District cell phone ban announced last week. Roughly 72% of high school teachers in the US said cell phone distraction is “a major problem in the classroom,” according to a recent report by the Pew Research Center.
BREAKFAST BROWSE
Highlights from the 2024 NBA DraftThe NBA Draft’s two days of action began on Wednesday with several French nationals making history in the American-based league.
Panda express: China sends two pandas to the San Diego ZooTwo giant pandas are heading to San Diego in China’s first new loan to the US in more than 20 years.
Fire breaks out on the world’s largest cruise shipThe crew on board the Icon of the Seas tackled a small fire this week while the gigantic vessel was berthed in a port in Mexico.
Marilyn Monroe’s former home saved from demolitionThe Los Angeles City Council unanimously voted to preserve Marilyn Monroe’s Brentwood home, where the star lived and died, as a Historic-Cultural Monument. It comes nearly a year after the new homeowners filed a request to have it demolished.
Elvis Presley’s actual blue suede shoes are up for auctionFans have the opportunity to step into the King’s very own blue suede shoes as they go up for sale this week. Here’s how much they could fetch at auction.
IN MEMORIAM
Bill Cobbs, a veteran Hollywood actor known for roles in “Demolition Man” and “Air Bud,” died peacefully at his California home on Tuesday, Cobb’s brother shared on social media. He was 90. With a career spanning five decades, Cobbs had nearly 200 film and TV credits, and appeared in many beloved titles, including the Oscar-nominated 1996 classic “That Thing You Do!”
TODAY’S NUMBER
$843 millionThat’s how much SpaceX will receive from NASA to build a disposable vehicle that will eventually drag the International Space Station out of orbit. NASA has stressed that the station has been invaluable for research since it launched in 2000, but it will likely be retired by the end of this decade due to its aging hardware.
TODAY’S QUOTE
“The Justice Department will hold accountable all those who engage in violent drug trafficking, regardless of how powerful they are or what position they hold.”
— Attorney General Merrick Garland, issuing a statement Wednesday after former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernandez was sentenced to 45 years in prison on drug trafficking charges. Prosecutors accused Hernandez of conspiring with drug cartels to facilitate the importation of over 400 tons of cocaine into the US. Hernandez denied the charges and insisted he was “wrongly and unjustly accused.”
TODAY’S WEATHER
Check your local forecast here>>>
AND FINALLY ...
Museums, murals and wine: Why Richmond is America’s best townRichmond, Virginia, ranked No. 1 on CNN’s list of America’s Best Towns to Visit thanks to its impressive arts scene and vibrant cultural hubs. In this video, CNN’s Victor Blackwell tours the city’s museums and murals.
Us Americans will be tuning in tonight to watch the 9 p.m. ET debate on CNN between President Joe Biden and his predecessor, Donald Trump, discussing topics most important to us voters. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court may rule on Trump's criminal immunity and possible bailout of the International Space Station from NASA could cost as much as $843 million.
