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Wednesday was the second scheduled execution in the United States this year for a Texas man convicted of choking and assaulting a pastor in the Dallas region in his own church during a heist. For the 2011 murder of Rev. Clint Dobson, 28, who was beaten, strangled, and smothered with a plastic bag inside NorthPointe Baptist Church in Arlington, Steven Lawayne Nelson received a condemnation. Despite being badly assaulted and left for dead, Dobson's secretary managed to survive. Nelson, 37, will be given a fatal injection at the state prison in Huntsville on Wednesday night. In addition to being the first of four death row inmates planned in Texas over the next three months, Nelson would be the first Texas death row inmate executed after Robert Roberson's Oct. 17, 2024, execution date was pos...

Republican state legislators and governors are racing to openly support or emulate some of the most notable moves made by President Donald Trump since taking office. In recent weeks, elected Republican politicians have gathered in state legislatures throughout the nation to push measures that would support Trump's plans for mass deportations, some of which are named after or expressly mention the president. Furthermore, at least eleven states' governors and lawmakers have tried to establish their own versions of the Department of Government Efficiency, the external advisory body that Trump appointed tech billionaire Elon Musk to lead in order to identify ways to reduce federal spending. The actions taken at the beginning of Trump's second term, which are mostly concentrated in areas that a...

Keeping the six young graduate assistants on staff in line was one of Mike Holmgren's duties as Brigham Young University's assistant football coach in 1982. He soon came to appreciate one in particular, Andy Reid, a 24-year-old Southern California offensive tackle who had previously played for BYU. Reid was a terrific listener, took a lot of notes, and was loved by Holmgren, who was ten years older, because of his combination of football curiosity and self-effacement. According to Holmgren, we became buddies. He would visit my home for lunch. He assisted me in setting up a playground for my children in the backyard. It was a lot of fun, and they were young at the time. The traits that Holmgren saw in Reid during his first year of coaching have helped Reid develop a much larger case to be ...

On Tuesday, the USPS announced that all incoming packages from Hong Kong and China will be temporarily suspended. According to an advisory placed on the agency's website, the change is effective immediately and will be in force until further notice. According to the USPS, letters and large envelopes—known as "flats"—sent from Hong Kong and China would not be affected. More from CNBC Nissan and Honda shares rise as report says automakers may call off merger talks Google removes pledge to not use AI for weapons, surveillance Amid tariff worries, Chipotle CEO says about 50% of the chain s avocados are sourced from Mexico The decision follows the signing of executive orders by President Donald Trump on Saturday that imposed tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China. ...

Iran's TehranEven if several recent U.S. choices came from a guy Iranian spies have allegedly been scheming to kill, Iran's government appears to be applauding them. Iranian state media have praised President Donald Trump's efforts to freeze foreign aid expenditure and restructure, if not abolish, the U.S. Agency for International Development. According to the reports, the rulings will stop funding for pro-democracy activists and opponents of the nation's Shiite theocracy, as well as other people who are sponsored by programs run by the U.S. government to foster democracy around the world. Meanwhile, Iranian officials seem to be indicating that they are awaiting word from Trump over his desire to engage in negotiations regarding Tehran's quickly developing nuclear program. The future of a ...

Washington In an effort to preserve distinctive landscapes and cultural assets, federal officials will examine and perhaps alter the borders of national monuments established by past presidents as part of the Trump administration's drive to increase American energy output. Conservation organizations fearing that President Donald Trump could reduce or remove monuments created by his predecessors, notably Democrat Joe Biden, are alarmed by the assessment outlined in a Monday directive from incoming Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. Burgum ordered agency representatives until February 18 to present preparations for carrying out his directive. Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments in Utah, where state authorities opposed their establishment, are among the most endangered ...

Two U.S. defense sources told NBC News Tuesday that the Defense Department is creating plans to remove all U.S. forces from Syria. Pentagon officials started creating preparations for a complete departure in 30, 60, or 90 days after President Donald Trump and his advisers recently showed interest in removing American forces from Syria, according to the individuals. According to U.S. defense officials, Mike Waltz, Trump's new national security advisor, met with senior U.S. military personnel and received briefings on the Middle East at U.S. Central Command headquarters in Tampa, Florida, on Friday. According to a White House official, Waltz's visit and the briefing did not address the possibility of a drawdown in U.S. soldiers in Syria. The White House official noted that Jordan's King Abdu...

According to a CIA spokeswoman, the Trump administration's most recent attempt to restructure and reduce the size of the federal government is the CIA's offer of "buyouts" to its employees. Similar to postponed resignation offers made to employees at other federal agencies, this offer consists of eight months of pay and benefits. However, some CIA workers, such as those in charge of high-priority duties, will not be qualified for the offer. The spokeswoman stated that Director [John] Ratcliffe is acting quickly to guarantee that the CIA workforce responds to the Administration's national security interests. Ratcliffe pledged at his confirmation hearing to avoid using loyalty tests to hire or fire CIA employees and to keep politics out of intelligence-related decisions. According to the CIA...

Nearly all direct hires worldwide will be placed on administrative leave this week, the U.S. Agency for International Development announced Tuesday evening. Following days of criticism by members of the Trump administration, including President Donald Trump, the organization's website announced the relocation. According to the notification, all USAID direct hire employees worldwide would be placed on administrative leave starting soon before midnight on Friday, with the exception of those assigned to mission-critical tasks, core leadership, and specially designated programs. Go here to watch live broadcast. By 3 p.m., those who are anticipated to continue working will be informed. "The government is working on a plan to return workers who are not in the country back to the United States if...

President Donald Trump's announcement Tuesday night that the United States will occupy the Gaza Strip sparked outrage and anxiety on both sides of the aisle. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., described the plan as problematic and stated that he does not believe his constituents would be enthusiastic about the idea of deploying American troops to take over Gaza. "We'll see what the Arab world has to say, but that would be problematic on a lot of different levels," Graham stated. Sen. Tim Kaine, a Democrat from Virginia, denounced the plan as insane and crazy, claiming that the US military's presence in the area is a surefire way to cause conflict. Kaine, a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, stated, "I don't know where this came from, but I can tell you... that would not get many expressi...