Alabama readies never-before-used execution method that some veterinarians won't even use for pets
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If Kenneth Eugene Smith is brought to the Alabama death chamber to face execution next week for his role in the 1988 murder-for-hire of a pastor's wife, the state plans to use an untested and untried method to end his life, suffocating him with a stream of nitrogen gas to be delivered through a face mask.
In a federal appeals court Friday, Smith's lawyers sought to block it, arguing that not only have Smith's constitutional rights been violated, but that he could be subjected to an agonizing death and that most of the details surrounding the state's new execution protocol "deserve more scrutiny."
The use of nitrogen gas will be a capital punishment first, even though it has not only been denounced by some medical professionals but also by veterinarians who oppose its use on animals. In 2020, the American Veterinary Medical Association advised against the use of nitrogen gas as a way to euthanize most mammals, calling it "distressing." One of the few uses of nitrogen gas in animal euthanasia is with chickens.
The founder of First Brands and his brother were indicted on fraud charges Thursday, the latest development in a legal saga involving the beleaguered auto parts company, which filed for bankruptcy in September. Edited by Aimee Picchi In:
Uber wants to capitalize on the emergence of self-driving cars — not by handing the wheel to AI-powered drivers, but rather by tapping the mountain of potentially valuable data the rideshare company could collect in the billions of trips it handles every year. Edited by Alain Sherter
As the Trump administration continues to prepare military options for strikes in Iran, U.S. allies in the Mideast, including Turkey, Oman and Qatar, are attempting to head off that possibility by brokering diplomatic talks, multiple regional officials told CBS News. Camilla Schick and Eleanor Watson contributed to this report.
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Washington — President Trump will sign an executive order Thursday afternoon to coordinate a federal government response to drug addiction and substance abuse. Jennifer Jacobs contributed to this report.
Some American citizens have begun carrying their passports in Minneapolis, fearful that they'll be mistaken for undocumented immigrants and detained amid a surge of federal agents to the city. In:
Another winter storm may be headed toward the East Coast of the United States this weekend, on the heels of a powerful and deadly system that blanketed huge swaths of the country in snow and ice. The effects of that original storm have lingered for many areas in its path, and will likely remain as repeated bouts of Arctic air plunge downward from Canada and drive temperatures below freezing. Nikki Nolan contributed to this report. In:
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Immigration may have been a political liability for Democrats in 2024. But two years later, it's shaping up to be a top issue they're relying on to galvanize support and mobilize their base.
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Washington — Senate Homeland Security Committee Democrats are calling on Secretary Kristi Noem to testify before the panel "without delay," following the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis this month.
Washington — Democrats on Capitol Hill are raising concerns with the FBI's search of an elections office in Fulton County, Georgia, and warning that the operation is an example of President Trump using federal law enforcement to intimidate voters and undermine democracy.