Uvalde shooting victims, Southern Baptists' list, final 'Ellen' episode: 5 things to know Thursday

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Victims' families in Texas will soon be able to make funeral arrangements

Uvalde, Texas, Justice of the Peace Eulalio (Lalo) Diaz had the heart-wrenching job of identifying the 19 children and two adults who were gunned down in a classroom at Robb Elementary School Tuesday. Diaz told the El Paso Times of the USA TODAY Network that families waiting for news of their children provided DNA swabs to authorities to aid in the identification process. On Wednesday, Diaz told CNN that all of the victims' bodies would be released to their families by Thursday. "It's going to be tough when I have to type up 21 death certificates," Diaz told the El Paso Times. Gov. Greg Abbott said Wednesday the 18-year-old gunman sent social media messages about his intentions half an hour before the deadly rampage. Shortly after his revelation, Beto O'Rourke, who is running against Abbott in the state's governor race, confronted Abbott over "doing nothing" about gun violence, adding a chaotic element to an already difficult news conference.

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Southern Baptist Convention leaders to release list of accused ministers

Southern Baptist Convention leaders intend to publish a list of ministers accused of sexual misconduct on Thursday. The organization perpetuated a cycle of abuse for two decades by ignoring reports of sexual abuse and dismissing recommendations for reform, investigators found in a historic report released Sunday. The nearly 300-page document from the Guidepost Solutions investigative firm contains explosive details about how the nation's largest Protestant denomination responded to a growing sexual abuse crisis within its ranks. Since then, several top leaders have resigned and the body — under interim leadership — met on Tuesday to discuss the report. Thirty employees and an 86-member board of elected officials lead the executive committee, which manages denomination business when the SBC isn’t gathered at its annual meeting. Guidepost urges the SBC to establish an offender database, formally apologize to survivors, and clarify standards for churches and clergy, among its 17 recommendations.

US sets vote on new UN sanctions on North Korea

The United States called for a vote Thursday on a U.N. resolution that would impose tougher sanctions on North Korea for its recent launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles that can be used to deliver nuclear weapons. The U.S. mission to the United Nations has been working on the draft Security Council resolution for several months. But the measure faces opposition from North Korea's neighbors China and Russia, which both said at a council meeting on May 11 that they wanted to see new talks and not more punishment for the North. The United States, which holds the council presidency this month, announced plans for the vote Wednesday. Whether China and Russia will use their veto power to block the measure or abstain remains to be seen.

The 'Ellen DeGeneres Show' airs its final episode after 19 years

The final episode of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" airs Thursday and the once-groundbreaking comedian and host Ellen DeGeneres will move on after a run of 19 seasons. Debuting in September 2003, "Ellen" became a cultural mainstay on syndicated daytime TV. Over its life, the show has won 61 Daytime Emmy Awards and 17 People's Choice Awards. DeGeneres was known for her "be kind" mentality and tone, her frequent dancing and silly games with her guests and audience members and memorable celebrity gags and interviews. But the move to end the show doesn't come as a huge surprise considering its age and cost. The show's ratings have tumbled 43% this season, compared to last season. Also, in recent years, DeGeneres has had to publicly confront the allegations of a toxic workplace environment that exploded in 2020. She also has had to address her controversial friendship with former President George W. Bush and her defense of Kevin Hart after homophobic tweets and insensitive comments about quarantine and prison.

Driving on Memorial Day weekend? Better leave now

An even larger number of Americans than usual will be hitting the road this holiday weekend, experts say. "Even with a significant increase in gas prices, we expect a large jump in holiday driving compared to the last few years," Bob Pishue, an analyst for transportation data company INRIX, said in a release. INRIX also predicts that Thursday afternoon will the worst time to drive in many cities, including Atlanta, Chicago, New York and San Francisco. With that in mind, you should plan for extra driving time when mapping out your route, Pishue said. "Nationwide, you can expect about a 50% increase in normal travel time." he added.

Contributing: The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Uvalde victims, Southern Baptists' list: 5 things to know Thursday