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Episode: Biden commutes death sentences, behemoth automaker merger, NYC subway fire death & more

Author: CNN
Duration: 00:06:27

Episode Shownotes

President Joe Biden is taking dozens of people off federal death row. We’re learning more details about the man accused of carrying out the deadly Christmas market attack in Germany. We'll tell you which huge automakers are merging. A man’s been arrested over the killing of a woman who was

set on fire while she was riding a New York City subway. Plus, time is running out to get your last-minute Christmas gifts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Full Transcript

00:00:01 Speaker_01
From CNN, I'm Fez Jamil with the 5 things you need to know for Monday, December 23rd. Most of the inmates on death row in federal prisons have had their sentences commuted this morning.

00:00:14 Speaker_01
President Joe Biden has announced that 37 people will no longer face the death penalty and instead will serve out life sentences behind bars.

00:00:23 Speaker_01
The remaining three people on federal death row have been found guilty of mass shootings or acts of terrorism.

00:00:29 Speaker_01
The three include one of two brothers responsible for the deadly Boston Marathon bombing in 2013, a white nationalist who massacred nine people at a historically black church in Charleston, South Carolina in 2015, and the man who killed 11 worshippers at Pittsburgh's Tree of Life Synagogue in 2018.

00:00:47 Speaker_01
The move comes as opponents of the death penalty are bracing for Donald Trump's return to the White House after a moratorium during the Biden administration, as the president-elect has promised to restart federal executions and work to expand the pool of federal crimes eligible for capital punishment.

00:01:07 Speaker_01
The investigation into the deadly Christmas market attack in Germany continues. Talib al-Abdul-Moshin is accused of killing five people and injuring more than 200 by ramming a car into a crowd in the city of Magdenburg.

00:01:21 Speaker_01
CNN's Matthew Chance has more from the scene of the attack.

00:01:25 Speaker_05
A 50-year-old man, a psychiatrist who was originally from Saudi Arabia. He is anti-Islam. He describes himself as an Islamophobe and has often posted on social media very aggressive messages against Islam.

00:01:39 Speaker_05
He called himself the most aggressive critic of Islam in history. He's been warning repeatedly on social media that Germany is trying to Islamize Europe, posting conspiracy theories.

00:01:49 Speaker_01
CNN has reached out to the German authorities for comments about the warning signs. Al-Abdul Moshin is being held in pretrial detention. Honda and Nissan announced merger plans today.

00:02:01 Speaker_01
The AP is reporting the two companies say they've signed a memorandum of understanding that would create the world's third largest automaker by sales.

00:02:10 Speaker_01
News about a possible merger surfaced earlier this month, as Japanese automakers have lagged behind their big rivals in electric vehicles, while also trying to cut costs and make up for lost time.

00:02:21 Speaker_01
Now, a merger could result in a behemoth worth more than $50 billion, and would include Nissan's alliance partners Mitsubishi Motors and French automaker Renault SA.

00:02:33 Speaker_01
A suspect has been arrested over the killing of a woman who had her clothes set on fire with a lighter on a New York City subway train yesterday.

00:02:42 Speaker_01
New York City's police commissioner says the suspect appeared calm when he approached the woman, who was motionless and possibly asleep.

00:02:49 Speaker_02
Officers who were on patrol on an upper level of that station smelled and saw smoke and went to investigate. What they saw was a person standing inside the train car, fully engulfed in flames.

00:03:04 Speaker_01
The suspect was caught eight hours later at another subway station. A police spokesperson told CNN that he is now in custody with charges pending and the investigation is still ongoing.

00:03:15 Speaker_01
An NYPD spokesperson says more details will be released later today. Coming up, a strike and cold weather has some last-minute shoppers worried.

00:03:30 Speaker_03
Hey, it's a former DK. It's Madeline Thompson. Hi there, it's Charlie Drever. It's Emily Williams. As the year winds down, we want to thank you for listening to 5 Things.

00:03:39 Speaker_04
Now get this, in 2024, CNN produced over 248,000 minutes and 4,000 hours of podcast content.

00:03:49 Speaker_03
And you listened to about 175 hours of five things alone. We're so grateful that you made us part of your required listening each week. We wish you a happy holidays.

00:04:00 Speaker_04
And here's to a great 2025.

00:04:06 Speaker_01
Okay, time is seriously running out for you to get your last-minute Christmas gifts, especially with colder temperatures potentially delaying shipping, carriers being overwhelmed with orders, and some items simply out of stock.

00:04:19 Speaker_01
On top of all that, thousands of Amazon drivers are still on strike in California, Georgia, Illinois, and New York. Logistics experts warn some shipments could be slightly delayed, but the company says customers will get their packages on time.

00:04:34 Speaker_01
What's going on is the union is calling for better wages and benefits, as well as wanting to be recognized as Amazon workers.

00:04:41 Speaker_00
Many of us, we don't have any Christmas presents under the trees this year because the wages, the hours that we get working for Amazon just simply aren't enough to get by in today's economy.

00:04:52 Speaker_01
That's all for now. We're running a different schedule over the holidays, so our next episode will be at 3 p.m. Eastern.