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Happening Today: Kirstjen Nielsen, Mick Mulvaney, E. Coli, Telemedicine, ACM Awards, Solange

What to Know

  • Kirstjen Nielsen resigned amid Trump's growing frustration and bitterness over the number of Central American families crossing the border
  • Health officials are investigating an E. coli outbreak that has sickened 72 people across five states, federal health agencies said
  • Grammy-winning duo Dan + Shay solidified themselves as the hottest group in country music with multiple wins at the ACM Awards

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Homeland Security Sec. Kirstjen Nielsen Resigns Amid Border Turmoil

Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen resigned amid President Trump's growing frustration and bitterness over the number of Central American families crossing the southern border. Trump announced in a tweet that U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan would be taking over as acting head of the department. McAleenan is a longtime border official who is well-respected by members of Congress and within the administration. The decision to name a top immigration officer to the post reflects Trump's priority for the sprawling department founded to combat terrorism following the Sept. 11 attacks. Though Trump aides were eyeing a staff shake-up at Homeland Security and had already withdrawn the nomination for another key immigration post, the development was unexpected. Nielsen traveled to the U.S.-Mexico border on Friday with Trump to participate in a roundtable with border officers and local law enforcement.

Chief of Staff Says Dems Will 'Never' See Trump Tax Returns

Democrats will "never" see President Trump's tax returns, said White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, as a new front opened in the confrontation between the administration and Congress. Mulvaney accused Democrats of engaging in a "political stunt" and wanting "attention" after the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Richard Neal, asked the IRS to provide six years of Trump's personal tax returns and the returns for some of his businesses. Last week, Massachusetts Democrat Neal, one of only three congressional officials authorized to request tax returns, requested Trump's personal and business returns in a letter to IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig. He asked for returns covering 2013 through 2018. He also asked for the documents in seven days, setting an April 10 deadline. An obscure 1924 statute includes no exceptions to Neal's authority to ask the Treasury Department for returns and says the department "shall furnish" them when requested.

E. Coli Outbreak Sickens 72 People in 5 States, CDC Says

Health officials are investigating an E. coli outbreak that has sickened 72 people across five states, federal health agencies said. The reported cases were in Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement announcing the outbreak. Eight people have been hospitalized, the CDC added. The agency is working with the Food and Drug Administration and Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service to investigate the outbreak. They have not yet pinpointed a specific food, grocery store or restaurant chain that’s responsible for the infections. As a result, the CDC is not recommending people avoid a particular food. E. coli O103 is the particular strain involved in the cases, which were reported between March 2 and March 29, the CDC said. The people infected range between the ages of 1 to 74, with 17 being the median age. Symptoms of E. coli include severe stomach cramps, vomiting and diarrhea, according to the CDC.

Telemedicine Tied to More Antibiotics for Kids, Study Finds

Sniffling, sore-throated kids seen via telemedicine visits were far more likely to be prescribed antibiotics than those who went to a doctor's office or clinic, according to a new study. Many of those prescriptions disregarded medical guidelines, raising the risk they could cause side effects or contribute to the rise of antibiotic-resistant germs. "I understand the desire for care that's more convenient and timely," said the study's lead author, Dr. Kristin Ray of the University of Pittsburgh. "But we want to make sure that we don't sacrifice quality or safety or effectiveness in the process." The study was being published in the journal Pediatrics. Ray and her colleagues looked at more than 340,000 insured children who had acute respiratory illness medical visits in 2015 and 2016.

Keith Urban, Kacey Musgraves, Dan + Shay Win at ACM Awards

Grammy-winning duo Dan + Shay solidified themselves as the hottest group in country music with multiple wins at the Academy of Country Music Awards, where Keith Urban was named entertainer of the year and Kacey Musgraves won three honors. Urban won the top prize with his ninth nomination for the award, besting Chris Stapleton, Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney and Jason Aldean, who held the title the last three years. Urban also won entertainer of the year at the Country Music Association Awards in November — his first time winning the prize since 2005. No women were nominated for the top ACM honor. Musgraves was the sole woman up for album of the year. She won twice when "Golden Hour" picked up top album — as an artist and co-producer of the project. She was also named female artist of the year. Other categories didn't feature many female nominees: Bebe Rexha was the only woman competing for song of the year with "Meant to Be," while Maddie & Tae was the sole female act up for duo of the year. But both honors, along with single of the year, went to Dan + Shay.

Solange Pulls Out of Coachella Due to Production Delays

Solange is no longer performing at Coachella. The festival's official Twitter account posted the news, writing: "Due to major production delays, Solange will unfortunately no longer be performing at this year's festival." The announcement comes a week before the two-weekend festival in Southern California is set to begin. Performers at the popular event, from April 12 to April 14 and from April 19 to April 21, include Ariana Grande, Childish Gambino, Tame Impala and Janelle Monae. Last year, Solange's big sister Beyonce headlined Coachella, giving a historical performance. Other performers this year include 1975, DJ Snake, Diplo, Solange and Weezer.

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