Get '5 Things' in your inbox
A river that flows with five different colors? Take a trip to Colombia to view the country’s “liquid rainbow.” Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and Out the Door. (You can also get “5 Things You Need to Know Today” delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up here.)
1. Politics
Justin Amash is the first GOP member of Congress to say that President Trump engaged in impeachable conduct. Will others in the party soon follow? Don’t count on it. Amash, a libertarian from Michigan, caused a commotion over the weekend when he tweeted he believed – after reading special counsel Robert Mueller’s report – that the report established “multiple examples” of Trump committing obstruction of justice. Democrats were thrilled and will use Amash’s statements to pile on the pressure on his fellow Republicans. But it doesn’t seem like Amash’s viewpoint will snowball into something bigger within the GOP. Even Utah Sen. Mitt Romney, who has blasted Trump over the Mueller report, said he wouldn’t support Amash’s call for impeachment.
2. India election
The world’s biggest election is over, and it looks like Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will win a second term. Most exit polls show Modi’s political party and coalition winning a clear majority. Official results from the election will be released Thursday. The exit polls suggest voters still supported Modi despite a worsening jobs outlook, a drop in farmers’ wages and a rise in far-right Hindu nationalism. About 900 million people participated in the election, which took several weeks to complete and required the use of one million polling stations.
3. Morehouse College
Graduating seniors at Morehouse College were already in a good mood. They were graduating from college, after all. Then their commencement speaker really made their day: He promised to pay off their student loans. This unbelievable act of generosity came from billionaire investor Robert F. Smith, who told the grads at the historically black college in Atlanta that he was “going to put a little fuel in your bus.” The total amount covers 396 students and is worth tens of millions of dollars. Morehouse President David A. Thomas said Smith’s gift will enable the graduates to have more capital to do things like start businesses and support their families. Rising student loan debt is cited by many as one of the factors contributing to income inequality in America.
4. Texas kidnapping
Two people are being hailed as heroes after they helped police find an 8-year-old girl who was snatched off a street in Fort Worth. Salem Sabatka was walking with her mother Saturday night when a car came up and a man grabbed her and took off. An Amber Alert with pictures of Salem and a description of the vehicle, a Ford Five Hundred, flooded social media. Two people, who were not identified by police, went looking for the vehicle and later found it in a hotel parking lot. They called police, who eventually found Salem, unharmed in a room. A 51-year-old man was charged with aggravated kidnapping. Salem, after being checked out at a hospital, was reunited with her family.
5. Weather
States in the nation’s heartland have been pounded by crappy weather the past couple of weeks. Well, they won’t get a break at the start of this week either, it seems. The National Weather Service says a “potent” storm system could bring thunderstorms, hail, damaging winds, flooding and even tornadoes to Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Louisiana today. And the severe weather threat extends into tomorrow for parts of Texas, so officials urge residents to have a “safe plan in place.” All this comes on top of a weekend of wicked weather which saw at least 38 tornadoes reported since Friday in Kansas, Nebraska and Texas.
BREAKFAST BROWSE
‘Game’ over
“Game of Thrones” ended its epic eight-year run last night with a finale full of surprises. And if you’re worried about how to live a post-“Thrones” life, counselors are here to help.
Royal portraits
First there were the baby Archie photos. Then came the Harry and Meghan behind-the-scenes wedding pics. Now William and Kate have put out some cute family photos.
Same old song?
The Netherlands won the Eurovision Song Contest over the weekend in Tel Aviv, Israel, but not without some controversy.
Rain, rain go away
Check out the Italian island that will refund your hotel room if it happens to rain during your stay.
HAPPENING LATER
Historic day
Lori Lightfoot, a former assistant US attorney, will be sworn in as Chicago’s mayor later this morning. She’ll be the city’s first African American lesbian mayor.
TODAY’S QUOTE
“We spent too much time debating.”
Apple CEO Tim Cook, telling Tulane University graduates that his generation failed on climate change
TODAY’S NUMBER
$500,000
The value of the donation that Oprah Winfrey made to a New Jersey high school’s after-school program.
TODAY’S WEATHER
AND FINALLY
Pink or blue?
These gender reveals just get more creative. In this one, kids crack eggs to find out the gender of their new baby sibling. (Click to view)