Death sentence commuted in final hours
Hours before a scheduled execution, the governor of Oklahoma commuted Julius Jones' death sentence. President Joe Biden said he's considering a diplomatic boycott of the Olympics. And tonight's the night: a partial lunar eclipse is happening.
👋 Hey! Laura here. Thanksgiving is a week away. Here's Thursday's news!
But first, they're counting their lucky feathers. 🦃 Meet Peanut Butter and Jelly, the turkeys Biden will pardon for Thanksgiving.
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Jones granted stay of execution
Gov. Kevin Stitt has spared the life of high-profile death row inmate Julius Jones. Following a recommendation from the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board, Stitt on Thursday granted clemency to Jones, reducing the inmate's sentence to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The 41-year-old has been incarcerated for nearly 20 years after being convicted for the fatal shooting of Paul Howell during a 1999 carjacking. He was sentenced to death at the age of 22 but has maintained his innocence throughout. As a condition of granting clemency, Stitt ordered that Jones shall never be eligible to apply for or be considered for a commutation, pardon, or parole for the rest of his life.
- Emotional Browns QB Baker Mayfield discusses Jones' planned execution.
Travis McMichael, who shot Ahmaud Arbery, says he wasn't under threat
The man seen on video fatally shooting Ahmaud Arbery acknowledged Thursday that Arbery did not threaten him during the chase and that he could've stopped following him before the fatal shooting. Travis McMichael also told prosecutors that he did not tell police some of the details about the pursuit that he shared in court on Wednesday. McMichael took the stand early Thursday for cross-examination after testifying for about three hours Wednesday during which he broke down while describing the final moments of his confrontation with Arbery on Feb. 23, 2020. He was the first of seven witnesses called by the defense and told the jury he wanted to share his "side of the story." The attorneys for McMichael's co-defendants, his father, Gregory, and neighbor William "Roddie" Bryan, did not present cases before the defense rested. Closing arguments are scheduled for Monday morning.
- Arbery was shot twice and mortally injured, medical examiner tells jury.
- Over 100 Black pastors gather outside courthouse to support Arbery's family.
What everyone's talking about
- Ann Arbor is the first U.S. city to require pads, tampons in public bathrooms.
- Private medics at Astroworld concert risked their lives to save others.
- Why is there a debate over whether transgender people should have rights?
- Kruger Rock Fire pilot went back for 'one more pass' before fatal crash.
- They went overseas together. They got home safely. Within months, four Wisconsin National Guardsmen took their own lives.
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Biden considering Winter Olympics diplomatic boycott
Biden said Thursday he is considering a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics, which would deliver a stinging rebuke to China over its alleged human rights abuses. It's "something we are considering," Biden said when asked about a U.S. diplomatic boycott of the Games, set for Beijing in February. Biden's comment comes just days after he and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a virtual summit aimed at reducing tensions between the two countries, which have flared over the COVID-19 pandemic, trade policies, Taiwan and other flashpoints. If Biden launches a diplomatic boycott, it would almost certainly roil the U.S.-China relationship anew, and it could increase pressure on other world leaders to skip the Games as well. While U.S. athletes would still compete in the Games, no members of the Biden administration would participate in traditional events, like the opening and closing ceremonies.
Nasty weather could make a mess of Thanksgiving travel
A potentially disruptive storm is in the forecast for early next week for portions of the central and eastern U.S., meteorologists warned. Though forecast details are still being worked out, the storm could lead to travel troubles for millions as they head out for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. And with travel for Thanksgiving expected to reach nearly pre-pandemic levels this year, heavy snow and rainstorms forecast for the Northeast and Midwest could disrupt air travel and create major traffic delays. The outlook is still expected to evolve, so make sure to keep an eye on the weather forecast if you're doing any traveling in the coming days.
Real quick
- Rittenhouse judge weighs mistrial; MSNBC banned from court.
- Judge dismisses convictions of two men in assassination of Malcolm X.
- Oldest living female U.S. WWII veteran Julia Kabance dies at 111.
- CVS plans to close 900 stores over the next few years. Here's why.
- Consumer Reports reveals 10 most reliable cars, trucks, SUVs of 2022.
- Man charged with hate crime, accused of beating gay man he targeted on Grindr.
🌘 Stay up late for a lunar eclipse
The longest partial lunar eclipse of this century and the longest in 580 years will grace the night sky late Thursday and early Friday morning across the entire country, weather permitting. According to NASA, the eclipse will be three hours and 28 minutes. A lunar eclipse happens when the sun, Earth, and a full moon form a near-perfect lineup in space. So how can you watch it? For U.S. East Coast observers, the partial eclipse begins a little after 2 a.m. Friday, reaching its maximum at 4 a.m.. For observers on the West Coast, that translates to beginning just after 11 p.m. Thursday, with a maximum at 1 a.m. Friday. You don't need any special glasses to see the partial lunar eclipse. Just wake up, or stay up, go outside and look up!
- Too cold outside to watch? NASA's got a live stream.
A break from the news
- 🍿 Grab the popcorn! Here's what to watch this weekend.
- 🛎 Freebies + upgrades: Best reasons to sign up for a hotel credit card.
- 🦃 How do you cook a turkey in the oven? What's a brine? All your Thanksgiving questions answered.
🗣 Let's play! Paste BN launched something really fun. It's a new and improved Crossword App! Check it out!
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