National

The annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, a tradition that dates back nearly a century, took place on Thursday under mostly sunny skies.

The big picture: The 96th annual parade featured "16 giant balloons, 28 floats, 40 novelty and heritage inflatables, 12 marching bands, 10 performance groups, 700 clowns and one Santa Claus," per AP.

Singer Paula Abdul also joined the procession of characters for the first time. 

Other performers included indie pop band Fitz and the Tantrums, singer Gloria Estefan, actor Mario Lopez and reggae star Ziggy Marley, AP reported.

The Macy's inflation team works on giant balloons as they prepare ahead of the 96th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. Photo: Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

People line up to attend the parade. Photo: Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

People cheering in the street with confetti 

Dancers cut the ribbon at the start of parade. Photo: Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images

A Santa Claus balloon appears in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

Santa Claus takes part in the parade. Photo: Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images

People watch a gigantic Yoda balloon during the Thanksgiving parade

A Yoda balloon passes above spectators as they watch the parade. Photo: Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images

A Pikachu is seen riding a Poké Ball sleigh balloon. Photo: Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images

A balloon minion holds a banana. Photo: Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images

Spectators watch the parade. Photo: Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images

Paula Abdul waves to spectators. Photo: CG Images/Getty Images

In photos: Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

Throngs of spectators filled the streets of New York City for the annual tradition.

Thanksgiving

The annual Macy&#x27;s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, a tradition that dates back nearly a century, took place on Thursday under mostly sunny skies.The big picture: The 96th annual parade featured &quot;16 giant balloons, 28 floats, 40 novelty and heritage inflatables, 12 marching bands, 10 performance groups, 700 clowns and one Santa Claus,&quot; per <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="AP" data-vars-click-url="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-travel-new-york-holidays-42cba0f30c23da62d7e8b8d24773923b" data-vars-content-id="86ba2b92-b0de-4b82-b165-e71669585b6b" data-vars-headline="In photos: Macy&#x27;s Thanksgiving Day Parade" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-travel-new-york-holidays-42cba0f30c23da62d7e8b8d24773923b" target="_blank">AP</a>.

After a record economic expansion, the coronavirus pandemic sent the U.S. economy into a recession as unemployment soared to staggering heights. The country now faces urgent questions about how much stimulus is needed for reeling consumers and businesses, and what a recovery might look like.

Economy & Business

Two Shelby County Sheriff's deputies have been suspended for five days without pay for their involvement in the death of Tyre Nichols, the Shelby County Sheriff's Office (SCSO) said Wednesday.

Driving the news: Patrol deputies Jeremy Watkins and Johntavious Bowers were suspended after an internal investigation found they violated several regulations, including radio communication procedures and mobile video recording system procedures, among others, the SCSO said in a statement.

“Because I had concerns about two deputies who appeared on the scene following the physical confrontation between police and Tyre Nichols, I ordered this internal investigation,” said Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner, Jr. 

Both suspensions became effective on February 15.

The big picture: Watkins and Bowers are the latest officers disciplined for their involvement in the death of Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man​ who died days after he was fatally beaten by officers during a traffic stop on Jan. 7.

Five former Memphis Police Department officers have been charged with second-degree murder and other crimes over the death of Nichols.

Last month, the Memphis Police Department said it has so far relieved a total of seven officers, who were involved in the traffic stop, as part of its ongoing investigation into Nichols' death.

Go deeper: VP Harris at Tyre Nichols' funeral: He "should have been safe"

2 deputies suspended for their involvement in Tyre Nichols' death

Signs are placed on the steps of Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church on the morning of Tyre Nichols' funeral on February 1 in Memphis, Tennessee.  Photo by Lucy Garrett/Getty Images

Tyre Nichols

Two Shelby County Sheriff&#x27;s deputies have been suspended for five days without pay for their involvement in the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="death of Tyre Nichols" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/01/30/tyre-nichols-memphis-police-beating" data-vars-content-id="95464659-d331-4c0e-9f50-353a5a6f6932" data-vars-headline="2 deputies suspended for their involvement in Tyre Nichols&#x27; death" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/01/30/tyre-nichols-memphis-police-beating" target="_self">death of Tyre Nichols</a>, the Shelby County Sheriff&#x27;s Office (SCSO) said Wednesday.Driving the news: Patrol deputies Jeremy Watkins and Johntavious Bowers were suspended after an internal investigation found they violated several regulations, including radio communication procedures and mobile video recording system procedures, among others, the SCSO said in a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="statement" data-vars-click-url="https://twitter.com/ShelbyTNSheriff/status/1626032773512278017/photo/1" data-vars-content-id="95464659-d331-4c0e-9f50-353a5a6f6932" data-vars-headline="2 deputies suspended for their involvement in Tyre Nichols&#x27; death" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://twitter.com/ShelbyTNSheriff/status/1626032773512278017/photo/1" target="_blank">statement</a>.

President Biden has made the COVID-19 crisis and a post-Trump return to national unity and traditional democratic ideals his top priorities. From vaccinations to stimulus to schools, Biden is seeking bipartisan compromise while showing a willingness to use executive authority and bare Democratic majorities in the U.S. House and Senate to implement his policies. Republican leaders are navigating deep party divisions over if and how to move beyond former President Trump.

Politics & Policy

The Pentagon on Tuesday rescinded its COVID-19 vaccine mandate, but is giving commanders some discretion in the deployment of unvaccinated troops, according to a memo from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin obtained by AP.

Why it matters: The move could help the Pentagon boost enrollment numbers while not having to remove troops for not complying.

Context: Congress used its annual defense policy bill last month to scrap the mandate a year after it was instated, with some Republican governors and members of Congress arguing it's unfair to force troops to decide between getting the vaccine and potentially being expelled from the military.

What they're saying: “The Department will continue to promote and encourage COVID-19 vaccination for all service members,” Austin said, per the memo.

“Vaccination enhances operational readiness and protects the force.”

Of note: Commanders will have some discretion to decide whether to deploy troops who are not vaccinated, "including when vaccination is required for travel to, or entry into, a foreign nation," the memo states.

Background: In August 2021, Austin announced that all troops were required to get the coronavirus vaccine or face potential expulsion.

He doubled down last month, saying the policy should be maintained because it has kept people healthy.

By the numbers: More than 11,500 members of the Army, Army National Guard and Army Reserve refused to get vaccinated against COVID-19 as of last month.

But 97% of the Army's active personnel has received the vaccine.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional details throughout. 

Pentagon drops COVID vaccination mandate

The move is set to help the Pentagon boost enrollment numbers, while not having to remove troops for not complying.

A U.S. Air Force sergeant receives a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at Osan Air Base in Dec. 2020 in South Korea. Photo: United States Forces Korea via Getty Images

COVID-19

Health

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Monday warned Sweden that it shouldn't expect Turkey's support for its NATO membership after far-right protesters burned a Quran outside the Turkish embassy in Stockholm over the weekend, AP reports.

Driving the news: “It is clear that those who allowed such vileness to take place in front of our embassy can no longer expect any charity from us regarding their NATO membership application,” Erdoğan said in his first comments since the Stram Kurs-led protests.

Erdoğan said Sweden must have calculated the consequences of permitting the demonstration, calling it an insult to everyone, especially to Muslims.

Of note: Erdogan criticized Sweden for allowing demonstrators to wave flags of various Kurdish groups, including the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK.

The PKK has waged a decades-long insurgency against Turkey, AP writes.

Turkey, the U.S. and the EU consider the PKK a terrorist group, but its symbols aren’t banned in Sweden."

What they're saying: Erdoğan warned Sweden that if the country won't show respect to NATO-member Turkey or Muslims, “they won’t see any support from us on the NATO issue.”

"If you love members of terrorist organizations and enemies of Islam so much and protect them, then we advise you to seek their support for your countries' security," he said, per Reuters.

Tobias Billstrom, Swedish Foreign Minister, declined to comment on Erdoğan's remarks, until he understood "exactly what had been said," per Reuters.

The big picture: Sweden and Finland in May formally submitted their applications to join NATO, opening the door to the alliance's ninth expansion since 1949.

But Erdoğan soon after lodged an objection, claiming the Nordic countries were home to Kurdish "terrorist organizations." 

Turkey signed a joint memorandum in June saying that it would not oppose Sweden and Finland's bid to join NATO if the two countries confirmed the PKK as a terror group and committed to preventing its activities, AP writes. 

Go deeper: Turkey lifts objection to Sweden and Finland's NATO membership

Erdoğan says Turkey won't support Sweden's NATO bid after anti-Islam protests

If Sweden won't show respect to Turkey or Muslims, “they won’t see any support from us on the NATO issue.”

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses a press conference during the Meeting of the European Political Community on October 6, 2022 in Prague, Czech Repulic.  (Photo by Michal Cizek / AFP) (Photo by MICHAL CIZEK/AFP via Getty Images)

NATO

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Monday warned Sweden that it shouldn&#x27;t expect Turkey&#x27;s support for its <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="NATO membership" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/06/28/turkey-sweden-finland-nato-objections" data-vars-content-id="def530df-128c-4ef7-ad13-fc720d4054af" data-vars-headline="Erdoğan says Turkey won&#x27;t support Sweden&#x27;s NATO bid after anti-Islam protests" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/06/28/turkey-sweden-finland-nato-objections" target="_self">NATO membership</a> after far-right protesters burned a Quran outside the Turkish embassy in Stockholm over the weekend, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="AP reports" data-vars-click-url="https://apnews.com/article/nato-politics-turkey-government-recep-tayyip-erdogan-f9a568da05914a4143a033e74067b6f4" data-vars-content-id="def530df-128c-4ef7-ad13-fc720d4054af" data-vars-headline="Erdoğan says Turkey won&#x27;t support Sweden&#x27;s NATO bid after anti-Islam protests" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://apnews.com/article/nato-politics-turkey-government-recep-tayyip-erdogan-f9a568da05914a4143a033e74067b6f4" target="_blank">AP reports</a>.Driving the news: “It is clear that those who allowed such vileness to take place in front of our embassy can no longer expect any charity from us regarding their NATO membership application,” Erdoğan said in his first comments since the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Stram Kurs" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/04/18/sweden-unrest-far-right-group-quran-burning-plans" data-vars-content-id="def530df-128c-4ef7-ad13-fc720d4054af" data-vars-headline="Erdoğan says Turkey won&#x27;t support Sweden&#x27;s NATO bid after anti-Islam protests" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/04/18/sweden-unrest-far-right-group-quran-burning-plans" target="_self">Stram Kurs</a>-led protests.

China is becoming the most formidable rival America has faced, and the risk of confrontation with Russia, North Korea or Iran still looms. Authoritarians are rising, the chaotic Afghanistan exit revealed the limits of U.S. power, and the pandemic, climate change and other critical challenges continue to pose grave threats.

World

The Treasury Department on Saturday said it would allow Chevron to resume pumping oil from Venezuela oil fields. 

Why it matters: The license, granted by the Treasury Department, would allow the California-based oil company to pump Venezuelan oil for the first time in years in joint ventures with Venezuela's national oil company Petróleos de Venezuela (PdVSA.)

It also signals an opening for other oil companies to resume their business in the South American country, two years after the Trump administration cracked down on companies’ activities there in an effort to put pressure and oust the Maduro government, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and the Unitary Platform, an opposition coalition, reached an agreement to implement a humanitarian program and continue negotiations to hold free and fair elections within the country. 

Details: The license prohibits PdVSA from receiving profits from Chevron’s oil sales and the U.S. and it does not authorize other activity with PdVSA, the U.S. Treasury said in a statement.

Other Venezuela-related sanctions and restrictions imposed by the United States remain in place.

What they're saying: "The announcements by the Unitary Platform and the Maduro regime are important steps in the right direction to restore democracy in the country," the Treasury Department said.

"The United States welcomes and supports the reopening of negotiations between the Unitary Platform and the Maduro regime, as part of our longstanding policy to support the peaceful restoration of democracy, free and fair elections, and respect for the rights and freedoms of Venezuelans."

“This action is not being taken in response to energy prices, this is a limited license. As we have said in the past, this is about the regime taking the steps needed to support the restoration of democracy in Venezuela," a Biden administration official said in a separate statement to Axios. 

Our thought bubble via Axios' Andrew Freedman: This move, while tied to political developments in Venezuela, could keep gas prices lower by adding more oil to the global market.

Flashback: U.S. officials had previously offered to ease some sanctions on Venezuela to encourage peaceful negotiations between the opposition and the Maduro regime.

Biden officials in March made a rare trip to Venezuela to meet with the Maduro regime to discuss the release of U.S. detainees and urge them to continue negotiations, which have been suspended for months.

Go deeper: U.S. to ease some economic sanctions on Venezuela

Editor's note: This story has been updated to include a second statement from the Biden administration.

U.S. gives Chevron go ahead to pump oil in Venezuela again

The license signals an opening for other oil companies to resume their business in Venezuela.

Sign at entrance to global headquarters of petroleum company Chevron in San Ramon, California, October 22, 2019. Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images

Big Oil

The Treasury Department on Saturday said it would allow Chevron to resume pumping oil from <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Venezuela" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/05/17/us-sanctions-venezuela-nicolas-maduro" data-vars-content-id="fc4c9310-eb6e-4f2f-808d-bc27b9616ed8" data-vars-headline="U.S. gives Chevron go ahead to pump oil in Venezuela again" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/05/17/us-sanctions-venezuela-nicolas-maduro" target="_self">Venezuela</a> oil fields. Why it matters: The license, granted by the Treasury Department, would allow the California-based oil company to pump Venezuelan oil for the first time in years in joint ventures with Venezuela&#x27;s national oil company Petróleos de Venezuela (PdVSA.)

Ominous forecasts about the impact of climate change serve as the backdrop for the world — led by U.S. lawmakers and companies — to debate big action on the problem, which could upend energy systems and our way of life.

Laura Martinez

Stories

2 deputies suspended for their involvement in Tyre Nichols' death

Erdoğan says Turkey won't support Sweden's NATO bid after anti-Islam protests

Pentagon drops COVID vaccination mandate

U.S. gives Chevron go ahead to pump oil in Venezuela again

In photos: Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade