Hello, I'm Melissa Long at the CNN Center here in Atlanta on this Monday, December 17th. Here's a look at some of the stories that are happening Now In The News.
It is a snow day for children in, from Illinois into Maine, thanks to that major winter storm that dumped ice and snow from the Great Lakes into New England. At least eight traffic deaths are being blamed on the storm. The town of Peru and upstate New York got 18 inches of snow while parts of Indiana saw about 14 inches. Traffic at major airports is slowly getting back to normal today but over the weekend hundreds of flights had been cancelled in Boston, Chicago. Hundreds of thousands lost their electricity during the storm. In Pennsylvania more than 137, 000 homes and businesses were in the dark. The storm also knocked down trees and branches. In Brighton, Massachusetts the roof of a pharmacy caved in because of the weight of the snow and the ice.
New Jersey Governor John Corzine signed a bill today, banning the death penalty. The State Assembly in Senate approved it last week. New Jersey is the first state more than 40 years to get rid of capital punishment. The decision spares 8 men on New Jersey's death row. New Jersey hasn't executed anyone since 1963. The last states to ban the death penalty were Iowa and West Virginia in 1965.
Republican presidential candidate John McCain is picking up support from a former Democratic vice presidential nominee. Independent Senator Joe Lieberman is endorsing McCain. Lieberman says he supports the Republican because his approach to Iraq and his credentials on national security. By bringing Lieberman aboard, McCain is targeting independents who can vote in next month's New Hampshire Republican primary.
New developments in the case of a Saudi woman who was kidnapped and raped and sentenced to 200 lashes. Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah pardoned the 19-year-old rape victim who was also sentenced to 6 months in jail. She was convicted for being alone with a man who was not a relative. After weeks of international outrage, a Saudi newspaper says her conviction is being overruled in the interests of the people. The seven men who attacked her were sentenced to two and nine years in prison.
Singer Dan Fogelberg has lost his battle with cancer. His music helped define the soft rock era of the 70s and early 80s with hits including "Leader of the Band" and "Same Old Lang Syne". Fogelberg was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer in 2004. More popular albums included "Nether Lands" which included the song "Dancing Shoes" and "Phoenix" between one of his biggest hits "Longer". The singer-songwriter died at his home in Maine at the age of 56.
And those are the headlines for you at this hour. You're up-to-date. Do stay with CNN for more on these stories or other news of the day.Words&Expressions
death row: If someone is on death row, they are in the part of a prison which contains the cells for criminals who have been sentenced to death. (AM)