Las Notis is a daily news column that gets you up to speed on the political, media + other going ons in Latin America and the diaspora—all in one quick digest.
Here’s your glimpse at what’s going on today:
- Eight people are dead after shootings at three spas in Atlanta. Police have arrested Robert Aaron Long, a 21-year-old white man, following a manhunt. While authorities say they are still looking into the motives behind the shooting, six of the victims were Asian, leading many to point out that incidents targeting Asian-Americans have been on the rise, with nearly 3,800 hate incidents in the past year. [NYT]
- As the House prepares to vote on several immigration measures this week, the Biden administration is saying that it expects more apprehensions at the border this year than at any point in the past two decades. Biden has asked for patience while handling a surge at the border, which he’s said is a result of Trump-era policies, but immigration activists have urged him to act faster and more humanely. [NYT]
- Both landlords and renters are rushing to apply for rental assistance through COVID-19 relief measures. Although a CDC order currently prevents evictions, loopholes are present and the order is expiring soon. Roughly 10 million Americans are behind on rent payments. [NPR]
- Moderna is the latest drug company to begin to test their vaccine on children ages 6 months to under 12. Through the trial, children will be tracked for a year to examine any potential side effects. Over 6,000 children are expected to participate. [NYT]
- An Honduran accountant testified in court on Tuesday saying he left his home country because he felt his life was in danger after he witnessed two meetings in which an alleged drug trafficker paid bribes to now-President Juan Orlando Hernández in 2013. The drug trafficker has said he bribed Hernández to avoid jail time. [AP]
- A 14-year-old Venezuelan teen named Samuel Andrés Mendoza is gaining viral attention on Twitter after announcing on the social media platform that he would sell his drawings for $1 to help his mother with their financial needs. Mendoza has since received a scholarship to study drawing at a school run by Venezuelan artist Oscar Olivares. [AP]
