. >>> plus all the biggest moments from mtv's video music awards. they pulled out all the stops. a busy kickoff to your new week. "early today" starts right now >>> glad you could be with us this morning i'm frances rivera >> and i'm kendis gibson glad to be with you. hope you had a great weekend as we kick off a new week, the delta variant continues to turbocharge the covid pandemic there have now been more than 41 million infections and the death toll has surpassed 663,000 people but in some states things are looking up this morning. according to the cdc, more than 2/3 of the populations in massachusetts, vermont and connecticut have been vaccinated those states leading the country in vaccination rates >> classes are back in session today in new york city after 18 months of in-home learning the nation's largest school district is opening its doors. roughly 1 million public school students will be back in the classroom. nbc's morgan chesky is covering the latest on the outbreak for us >> reporter: growing backlash over president biden's vaccine mandate. at least 19 republican go

. >>> mtv music awards kicked off sunday night marking the 40th anniversary. holds the title of best new artist and song of the year in a song good for you. justin bieber and the rapper kilroy performed on the barclays center in new york accepting a major award for bieber as artist of the year. billy eilish accepted an award her impactful song "your power" was nominated because of the power. >> these award shows coming back and not a lot of masks and a lot of crowds as well. great to see it get back to normal. >>> college football fans avoided a cat-astrophe if you look below you can see the fans turning an american flag into a net for the cat. the cat lost its grip, they caught it. afterwards the fans gave the kitty its own simba moment. >> they said the cheers were louder. >>> right now at 4:30, coming down to the wire on the eve of the recall election, candidates are pulling out all the stops, including the president himself who is coming to california. it's going to be a very eventful day on the campaign trail and we'll break down where the governor stands

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gaetz the congressman has not been charged with any crime, and has repeatedly denied wrongdoing >>> the mtv movie and tv awards are back in full swing scarlett johansson accepted the iconic generation award before she got slimed by her husband colin jost in the process. sacha baron cohen accepted the comedic genius award reviving borat and ali g. plus chadwick bowesman was honored with best performance in a movie for "ma rainey's black bottom." "wandavision" made a sweep with four awards including best show. and netflix film "to all the boys always and forever" won best movie >>> a massive train derailment forced an evacuation of an iowa town a bridge collapsed and that caused 47 train cars carrying fertilizer to come off the tracks diesel fuel spark ed a huge fire that burned through the night. >>> let's take a look at our weather with janessa webb. hi, janessa. good morning >> hi, good morning. happy monday, everyone stormy conditions are making their way across the plains into texas. this afternoon, this just in from the national weather service. now a moderate risk for severe storms for

in third with just about 5.6 million and candyman and "jungle cruise" rounded out the top five >>> mtv kicked off the 2021 video music awards last night marking its 40th anniversary ♪ i want you to know that if i can't get close to you ♪ ♪ i'll settle for the ghost of you ♪ ♪ i miss you more than life ♪ >> justin bieber and rapper kid la'roi parked on the barclay center stage in brooklyn, new york and accepted a major win for artist of the year plus olivia rodrigo has been dominating the charts and now holds the title of best new artist as well as song of the year for her single "good for you. and doja cat outdid herself as official host of the show while doing a performance of two recently released songs. she took home the vma for best collaboration featuring the singer sza >> look at these performances. they look amazing. always a little past our bedtime, set a dvr and go back >> it is also a good test to see do i know any of these performers >> these artists, right? >> these artists i did this year at least >> all right one of the biggest nights in fashion that returns t

sneak peek from a film that is the culmination of ten years of work and one of the great -- >> the mtv movie and tv awards are back in full swing and slime. scarlett johansson accepted the iconic generation award getting slimed by her husband in the process. sasha borat cohen plus the late chadwick boseman was honored for best performance in a movie for ma rainey's black bottom "wandavision" won for best series and netflix all the boys always and forever won for best movie >> looked like a classic awards movie. bringing in the slime. >> and hopefully one of these days they'll all be in person. >>> kobe bryant was inducted into the basketball hall of fame after a powerful speech from vanessa bryant >> you did it. you're in the hall of fame now you're a true champ. you're not just an mvp you're an all-time great i'm so proud of you. i love you forever and always. kobe bryant. >> kobe's oldest daughter natalia put on the orange hall of fame jacket that kobe would have worn at the ceremony. the spurs legend tim duncan and former league mvp kevin garnett were also enshrined. and the hall an