While you were sleeping, we compiled the biggest stories of the day in one place. Each story has a quick and easy summary, so you're prepared for whatever the day brings. Just click on the links if you want to know more!
1. Supreme Court to tackle prayer in schools
The Supreme Court will tackle a dispute between public school officials and a former high school football coach who wanted to kneel and pray on the field after games.
The case involves Joseph Kennedy, a former football coach at Bremerton in Washington, who for years would kneel at the center of the field following games and lead students in prayer. The school district eventually learned what he was doing and asked him to stop.
Kennedy's lawyers say the Constitution's freedom of speech and freedom of religion guarantees allow him to pray on the field, with students free to join. But the school district says Kennedy's religious speech interfered with students' own religious freedom rights, could have the effect of pressuring students to pray and opened the district itself to lawsuits.
2. Biden names new Ukraine ambassador after officials meet with Zelenskyy
After a secrecy-shrouded visit to Ukraine's capital, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says Russia is failing in its war aims and “Ukraine is succeeding.”
The trip by Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was the highest-level American visit to Kyiv since Russia invaded in late February. Blinken and Austin told Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy and his advisers the U.S. would provide more than $300 million in foreign military financing and had approved a $165 million sale of ammunition.
President Joe Biden on Monday named Bridget Brink, who currently represents the United States in Slovakia, as the new U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, the White House said in a statement.
3. Florida coronavirus numbers mostly trending down
Florida's coronavirus deaths are among the lowest since the pandemic though cases are more than double in four weeks, the first-time positivity rate is back above the target 5%, but hospitalizations are up more than 200 from a record-keeping low 11 days ago.
The Florida State Health Department published its third bi-weekly data Friday after switching to weekly reports from daily ones on June 4. The bi-weekly reports generally include data only for the past week though the state's new cases and positivity rates show both weeks.
The death count stands at 73,830, which is an increase of 292 for two weeks (146 week) after 511 two weeks ago, 1,167 four weeks ago.
4. France's Macron wins but far-right gains
French President Emmanuel Macron has comfortably won reelection to a second term. Macron's far-right rival, Marine Le Pen, has conceded defeat but she raised her game in this runoff, with her best-ever showing.
The French presidential race has been overshadowed by the war in Ukraine and a surge in French support for extremist ideas. Macron is the first French leader in 20 years to win reelection.
Macron still faces a battle to keep his parliamentary majority in France's legislative election in June.
5. Generous WPTV viewer donates $10,000 to veteran fearing homelessness
A generous WPTV viewer saw the story about a disabled veteran who was fearing homelessness and stepped in to help, donating enough money to the veteran to cover her recent rent increase.
Laura Guilmain, a disabled veteran and single mother, had her rent is skyrocketing from $2,100 a month to $3,200 and her Housing and Urban Development voucher through a program for homeless veterans won't cover it.
Guilmain and her daughter, Karson, are hoping to stay in their Palm Beach Gardens home because they don't have a car and it's less than 2 miles away from the Veterans Affairs hospital and Karson's high school.
Today's Forecast
Highs in the 80s over next 7 days
Get your complete hour-by-hour forecast here.
First Alert Traffic
Mobile users click here.
On This Day In History
On April 25, 1950, the Boston Celtics make Chuck Cooper, an All-American forward from Duquesne University, the first African American picked in NBA draft. With the selection, the first pick in the second round, Cooper breaks the NBA’s color barrier.
Remember, you can join Mike Trim and Ashleigh Walters every weekday on WPTV NewsChannel 5 beginning at 4:30 a.m. And you can always watch the latest news from WPTV anytime on your favorite streaming device. Just search for "WPTV."
