King James aims to exact revenge on Curry and Co.
It’s put up or shut up time. Game 1 of the 2016 NBA Finals gets underway Thursday (9 p.m. ET, ABC) with the defending champion Golden State Warriors locking horns with the Cleveland Cavaliers in a rematch from last season’s Finals battle. The 73-win Warriors are led by NBA MVP Stephen Curry and sharpshooting extraordinaire Klay Thompson and hope to make Golden State the fifth NBA franchise to win back-to-back titles. For the Cavs, a healthy Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love will join superstar LeBron James in seeking to make amends for last year’s Finals disappointment.
Feds take on payday lenders
The payday loan industry could be in for a major overhaul after the Consumer Federal Protection Bureau proposes a new rule Thursday requiring the lenders to make sure borrowers would actually be able to pay off their debt. A 2014 CFPB study found that roughly 62% of payday loans — that can carry annual interest rates up to 390% — go to borrowers who can't pay down their debt and end up owing more than they initially borrowed. Industry representatives argue the rule would drive borrowers to pawnshops and even more costly lenders.
OPEC meets as oil hovers near $50 a barrel
While no big surprises are expected when ministers of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) gather Thursday, the meeting in Vienna could set the stage for action later this year.
With a recent rally in oil prices, the pressure on OPEC ministers to cut production has eased. Prices have held within a range of $45 to $50 a barrel over the past two weeks, a sharp improvement from the sub-$30 oil earlier this year. With no immediate crisis, the spotlight is expected to focus on Saudi Arabia’s new energy minister, Khalid al-Falih, who is appearing at his first meeting of the cartel.
Edibles can legally go on sale in Oregon
Brownies, cookies, soft drinks — all infused with marijuana — go on sale legally Thursday in Oregon for people ages 21 or older. The approval of edibles is the latest step in the state’s rollout of its recreational marijuana program. Unlike other states, Oregon has legalized marijuana in incremental stages: first setting guidelines on legal use and production, then allowing licensed medical dispensaries to sell a limited amount of pot products. Now customers in Oregon can purchase edible products with under 15 milligrams of THC.
Ohio serial killer who wrapped victims in garbage bags to be sentenced
Michael Madison, a suburban Cleveland man convicted of killing three women and wrapping them in garbage bags will learn Thursday whether or not he will be sentenced to death, as a jury recommended. Madison was convicted of aggravated murder and kidnapping in the killing 38-year-old Angela Deskins, 28-year-old Shetisha Sheeley and 18-year-old Shirellda Terry, whose bodies were found near the apartment building where he lived. Madison’s attorneys argued that he shouldn’t get a death sentence because of psychological damage caused by child abuse.
And the essentials:
Weather: A cold front is heading East, bringing showers and thunderstorms to parts of waterlogged Texas, the Gulf Coast and New England.
Stocks: U.S. stock futures were lower Thursday, while global shares were mixed amid uncertainty over the Japanese economy and the world outlook in general.
TV Tonight: Wondering what to watch tonight? TV critic Robert Bianco looks at Bones, the Roots finale and Beauty and the Beast,
Be inspired: Teen overcomes depression with help of horses
If you missed Wednesday's news, we’ve got you covered.
Need a break? Try playing some of our games.
You can subscribe to get the day's top news each weekday in your inbox.
Pop in those headphones and listen to the audio version below:
Contributing: The Associated Press
