O.J. Simpson dead at 76
Infamous football star O.J. Simpson, whose murder trial riveted the nation in the '90s, has died at 76. House Speaker Mike Johnson will meet with Trump as he faces pressure from fellow Republicans. And how an inventive plea for help led to the rescue of three men stranded in the Pacific.
👋 Hey! Laura Davis here. Let's get you caught up on Thursday's news.
But first: Can you hear me now? 🗣️ NO! Why you shouldn't say "yes" when someone calls and asks if you can hear them.
Former football star O.J. Simpson dies
O.J. Simpson, the football star and actor whose life took a shocking turn when he was accused in a double homicide, died Wednesday of prostate cancer at the age of 76, his family announced. 👉 A look at O.J. Simpson's life.
First, a football star: A celebrated running back, Simpson won the 1968 Heisman Trophy while at the University of Southern California. He went on to star for the NFL's Buffalo Bills and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He capitalized on his athletic fame in Hollywood, becoming a successful actor and TV pitchman. But it all came crashing down when he was accused of murdering his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and Ron Goldman on June 12, 1994, in Los Angeles.
From Hertz ads to 'Naked Gun': Simpson's top moments off the field (and courtroom).
A stunning fall from grace: After the slayings, there was the televised low-speed car chase in 1994, with Simpson in a white Ford Bronco and police in pursuit as Los Angeles residents cheered from freeway overpasses.
That infamous Bronco chase and why we still talk about it.
“If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit": And then, there was the so-called "Trial of the Century" in 1995, when a host of high-powered figures emerged, including defense attorney Johnnie Cochran, who turned a bloody glove into one of the most memorable moments of the trial.
How the O.J. Simpson trial changed how TV covers news.
📸 More photos: See the key players of the OJ Simpson trial.
A controversial acquittal: Simpson was acquitted of murder during a televised trial that gripped America and divided the country largely along racial lines. But a jury in a civil trial found him liable for the killings, and he later served nine years in prison for his role in a botched armed robbery.
From the Heisman to a murder trial: A timeline of Simpson's life.
Is it too soon to talk about Simpson's troubled past?
Simpson's death is a reminder of America's lingering racial divide. | Opinion
Celebrities react to controversial athlete: Caitlyn Jenner posts 'good riddance.'
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Johnson, Trump to meet at Mar-a-Lago
On Friday, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., will hold a joint press conference with Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago, where they'll tout a bill aimed at preventing non-citizens from voting. (Worth noting: Non-citizens are already barred from voting in federal and state elections, and studies have shown such occurrences to be vanishingly rare.) But the event is also an effort to rally GOP lawmakers to "get on the team."
What's going on: The meeting will be the first public event with the two Republicans and comes at a critical moment for Johnson, who has drawn the ire of ultraconservatives in the House and faces an ouster threat. 🔎 Here's a closer look.
House GOP in chaos after conservatives, spurred by Trump, tank vote.
Will Trump go to prison if he's convicted in his NY hush money case?
An SOS call in palm fronds
United States Coast Guard and Navy teams this week rescued three men from a remote island in the Pacific Ocean after they were lost at sea for more than a week, federal officials said. The fishermen, who said their boat motor was damaged and their radio battery ran out of power, were stranded on uninhabited Pikelot Atoll, about 415 miles southeast of Guam. The Coast Guard said the castaways laid palm fronds on a beach to spell "HELP" before being rescued. 🛟 Here's how the rescue unfolded.
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Laura L. Davis is an Audience Editor at USA TODAY. Say hi: laura@usatoday.com. Support quality journalism like this? Subscribe to USA TODAY here.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: O.J. Simpson dies, 2024 election, stranded men rescued: Thursday's news
