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☆ I have fond memories of high school in America. I'm worried my daughter won't feel the same in Singapore.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Jason Erik Lundberg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

I live in Singapore and lecture in the creative writing and publishing graduate program at Nanyang Technological University, but have also taught at the high school, undergraduate, and community college levels. In 2007, my now-ex-wife (a Singaporean citizen) and I decided to move to Singapore from the US. For the most part, I enjoyed my classes, as well as my extra-curriculars, which in high school consisted of marching band, French club, and physics club. It's possible that, in the 30 years since graduating from high school, my memories have become rose-colored, but I do remember feeling like I had a good balance between my school life and my personal life. The author gets concerned about the amount of pressure put on his daughter by teachers.

Persons: Jason Erik Lundberg Organizations: Service, Nanyang Technological University, Business, Straits Times, Ministry of Education Locations: Singapore, Oklahoma, North Carolina

Severe thunderstorms and high winds in the Great Plains region on Saturday night injured residents, damaged homes and left more than 50,000 electricity customers in Oklahoma and Texas without power, the local authorities said, as more than two dozen tornadoes were reported overnight. More than 13 million people from Texas to Illinois were under tornado watches as of 2 a.m. local time, meaning that tornadoes could occur over the next few hours. The severe weather followed a day in which tornadoes tore through parts of Nebraska and Iowa and leveled dozens of homes on Friday. Thunderstorms were expected to move east into the Mississippi Valley on Sunday, and heavy rains were forecast in Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana, the National Weather Service said.

Organizations: National Weather Service Locations: Oklahoma, Texas, Illinois, Nebraska, Iowa, Mississippi, Texas , Arkansas, Louisiana

☆ Heat-Related E.R. Visits Rose in 2023, C.D.C. Study Finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Noah Weiland | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

What the Numbers Say: People in the South were especially affected by serious heat illness. The researchers used data on emergency room visits from an electronic surveillance program used by states and the federal government to detect the spread of diseases. They compiled the number of heat-related emergency room visits in different regions of the country and compared them to data from the previous five years. Nearly 120,000 heat-related emergency room visits were recorded in the surveillance program last year, with more than 90 percent of them occurring between May and September, the researchers found. Heat illness often occurs gradually over the course of hours, and it can cause major damage to the body’s organs.

Locations: Arkansas , Louisiana, New Mexico , Oklahoma, Texas

☆ Representing the U.S. and Critiquing It in a Psychedelic Rainbow
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-13 | by ( Jillian Steinhauer | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

There, they’ll climb atop and surround a large red sculpture composed of pedestals of different heights and perform. The jingle dress dance, which originated with the Ojibwe people of North America in the early 20th century, typically takes place at powwows. In Venice, it will inaugurate the exhibition in the United States Pavilion on April 20. “How do I relate to the United States?” mused Gibson, 52, who in conversation slips effortlessly between earnestness and flashes of playful, dry wit. “I have a complicated relationship with the United States,” he said.

Persons: Jeffrey Gibson, ” mused Gibson, Gibson, ” Organizations: United States Pavilion, Cherokee Locations: Venice, Oklahoma, Colorado, Italian, North America, powwows, United States, New York

☆ More Teams in March Madness? Say Goodbye to the Cinderella Stories.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-22 | by ( Billy Witz | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Greg Sankey, the commissioner of the Southeastern Conference, is the ultimate soft power player. Instead, he speaks opaquely, often requiring something like a college sports Kremlinologist to interpret his intentions. constitution and scoffing out of existence the possibility that the SEC would be shut out of the football playoff last season. Recently, he teamed up with the Big Ten commissioner, Tony Petitti, to leverage a deal that will award their conferences about 60 percent of the television revenue for the 12-team College Football Playoff that begins next year, leaving crumbs for everyone else. So, when Sankey told ESPN this month that it was time to rethink the N.C.A.A.

Persons: Greg Sankey, coauthoring, Tony Petitti, Sankey Organizations: Southeastern Conference, SEC, Big, Football, ESPN Locations: Oklahoma, Texas

☆ I witnessed the full power of an M777 howitzer, and the piercing 'boom' of the artillery cannon shook me to my core
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-16 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Business Insider recently traveled to Fort Sill, Oklahoma and saw US Army soldiers training on artillery. Our reporter witnessed soldiers firing the M777, a powerful howitzer that's been used in Ukraine, among other wars. AdvertisementA 155mm shell is loaded into the massive, almost 10,000-pound gun. AdvertisementUS Army soldiers fire the M777 howitzer at Fort Sill. Troy Mack, an artillery instructor at Fort Sill, said it's a "fun and exhilarating experience" to be able to shoot live rounds on the range.

Persons: —, Jake Epstein, Troy Mack, it's, Steven Downey Organizations: US Army, Service, Russia, Army, US, Business, Staff Locations: Fort Sill , Oklahoma, Ukraine, British, Afghanistan, Russia, Fort Sill

Oklahoma and Kentucky are also taking steps to clarify their abortion bans, though in both states the attorneys general, not physicians, are the ones dictating the terms. Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to abortion in 2022, states have been free to enact their own restrictions. “It’s not going to deal with hard calls,” said Greer Donley, an associate professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law who is an expert on abortion law. As some states mull how to clarify — without weakening — their abortion bans, abortion rights advocates in several states continue to challenge the bans with lawsuits. Frustrated with the board's inaction, Amy and Steven Bresnen, a couple who are lawyers and lobbyists, filed a petition in January asking it to clarify what circumstances qualify as medical exceptions to the state's abortion ban.

Persons: —, Kristi Noem, ”, Kelsey Pritchard, wasn't, Taylor Rehfeldt, anesthetist, It's, “ It’s, Greer Donley, “, Sen, Erin Tobin, ” Tobin, women's, Jonathan Skrmetti, Donley, “ That’s, Katie Cox's, Greg Abbott, Amy, Steven Bresnen Organizations: —, Republican, Dakota Legislature, Republican Gov, SBA Pro, U.S, Supreme, State Republican Rep, GOP, University of Pittsburgh School of Law, ” South, ” South Dakota Republican, Texas, Tennessee, Lone Star, Texas Medical Board, Texas Medical Locations: Tenn, U.S, “ South Dakota, South Dakota, Kelsey Pritchard . Oklahoma, Kentucky, Oklahoma, ”, ” South Dakota, mull, Tennessee, ” In Texas, Texas

☆ Kyrsten Sinema announces she is retiring from the Senate
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Manu Raju | Clare Foran | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, an Arizona independent, announced Tuesday she will retire at the end of her term this year, blaming growing partisanship and mudslinging in Washington for driving her decision to not run for reelection. “I believe in my approach, but it’s not what America wants right now,” Sinema said, in a video announcing her decision. Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego of Arizona and former Arizona Republican gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake are among the candidates who had been seeking to challenge Sinema. Sen. Steve Daines of Montana, who chairs the Senate GOP’s campaign arm, told CNN that Sinema’s decision not to run for reelection will help Lake’s candidacy. Senate Republicans initially demanded that any foreign aid package be passed along with border measures, but ultimately turned against the border deal and blocked it amid harsh criticism of the package from former President Donald Trump.

Persons: Sen, Kyrsten, “, ” Sinema, Ruben Gallego, Kari Lake, Sinema, Steve Daines, ” Daines, Jake Tapper, “ I’ve, I’ve, ”, Republican Sen, James Lankford of, Democratic Sen, Chris Murphy of, Donald Trump, Mike Johnson Organizations: America, Democratic, Arizona Republican, CNN, Senate, Democrats, Republicans, Democratic Party, Republican, Senate Republicans, The Locations: Arizona, Washington, Ruben Gallego of Arizona, Montana, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Chris Murphy of Connecticut, Ukraine, Israel

☆ Texas wildfires: Firefighters battling ‘monster’ blaze contend with winds and heat as residents grapple with lost homes
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-03 | by ( Dalia Faheid | Camila Bernal | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —The biggest inferno in Texas history is being fueled by winds and high temperatures as it rages Sunday, threatening to incinerate more buildings, cattle and livelihoods across the Texas Panhandle while residents sift through ashes of what used to be homes. The fire, which is just one of five blazes currently scorching the Texas Panhandle, has already killed two people and destroyed over 500 structures, state officials said Saturday. Texas A&M Forest Service spokesperson Jason Nedlo told CNN Saturday that the blaze could grow over the weekend due to the weather conditions. Because the Texas Panhandle had higher-than-average rainfall this winter, there is more grass – fuel – to burn. A “red flag” warning, which indicates critical fire weather conditions, remains in effect for Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle through midnight Sunday.

Persons: Jason Nedlo, Crews, Nedlo, Cindy Owen, Jennifer Mitchell, Owen’s, Joyce Blankenship, “, ”, Nathan Blankenship, could’ve, GoFundMe, Lokman Vural, Susan, Ronnie Johnson’s, ” Ronnie, “ We’ve, ” Susan, Greg Abbott, ” Abbott, it’s, Scott Olson, Sid Miller, It’s, ” Miller, CNN’s Omar Jimenez, We’ve, ” “, Miller Organizations: CNN, Texas Panhandle, National Weather Service, M Forest, Texas, M, Service, Texans, Connect, Services, Getty, Texas Gov, Agriculture Locations: Texas, Oklahoma, Moore County, Gray County, Oldham County, Hutchinson County, Pampa , Texas, Hemphill County, Fritch, Stinnett , Texas, Anadolu, Fritch , Texas

Yet large numbers of Americans believe the founders intended the U.S. to be a Christian nation, and many believe it should be one. The idea of a Christian America means different things to different people. Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Church of Dallas, said he doesn’t identify as a Christian nationalist, but does believe America was founded as a Christian nation. Six in 10 U.S. adults said the founders intended America to be a Christian nation, according to a 2022 Pew Research Center survey. About 45% said the U.S. should be a Christian nation.

Persons: Donald Trump, God, it’s, Trump, ”, Eric McDaniel, McDaniel, “, ” Trump, Mike Johnson, Thomas Jefferson, Johnson, Steve Bannon, Jerusalem ”, Charlie Kirk, Robert Jeffress, “ I’m, I’m, shouldn’t, John Jay —, —, ” Jeffress, doesn’t, ” Anthea Butler, Butler, John, Joe Biden, John Jay, Patrick Henry, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Jesus, George Washington Organizations: U.S, Republicans, Constitution, Pew Research Center, University of Texas, America, Republican, Washington Metropolitan Area, Vocal, Trump, Kentucky Republican, Baptist Church of, Supreme, University of Pennsylvania, Blacks, Native, John Fea, Messiah University, Democratic, Religion Research Institute, Fea, Lilly Endowment Inc, AP Locations: Independence, U.S, America, Washington, Jerusalem, ” Recent Texas , Oklahoma, Baptist Church of Dallas, Mechanicsburg , Pennsylvania, Brookings

☆ Target is limiting self-checkout hours in some stores as the retailer continues to battle missing inventory
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Dominick Reuter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read previewTarget’s self-checkout reckoning continues as the retailer is cutting the hours of operation for self-service lanes at some of its stores. The move does not yet include all of the company’s nearly 2,000 locations, but employees told Business Insider that store staffing levels and sales volumes are key factors in the decision. In particular, Target is aiming to keep the percentage of overall store sales through self-checkout below a certain threshold, the workers said. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers.

Persons: — Organizations: Service, Business, Target, BI, Workers, Walmart, Kroger Locations: Illinois, Oklahoma, Michigan

☆ Sen. Chris Murphy, who helped broker the failed border security package, says it's 'worrying' that Mitch McConnell couldn't deliver more votes: 'No one is in charge over there'
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-10 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Sen. Chris Murphy said in an interview that "no one" is leading Senate Republicans. "You can't make policy if no one is in charge," Murphy told Politico Magazine. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . "I just think it's really worrying that the leader of the Republican Party can't deliver more than four votes." But despite the setback, Murphy told the magazine he remained a "hopeless optimist" regarding the upper chamber.

Persons: Sen, Chris Murphy, Murphy, —, Chris Murphy of, GOP Sen, James Lankford of, Independent Sen, Kyrsten, Mitch McConnell's, That's, — Sens, Susan Collins of, Lisa Murkowski, Mitt Romney, Lankford —, McConnell, Donald Trump's, … Organizations: Republicans, Politico Magazine, Democratic, Service, Republican, GOP, Independent, Senate, Democrats, — Locations: Chris Murphy of Connecticut, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Arizona, Susan Collins of Maine, Alaska, Utah

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — “Beer For My Horses” singer-songwriter Toby Keith has died. “The money to be made was unbelievable,” Keith told The Associated Press in 1996. “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” his breakout hit, was played 3 million times on radio stations, making it the most played country song of the 1990s. “They were trying to get me to compromise, and I was living a miserable existence,” Keith told the AP. “I always felt like that the songwriting was the most important part of this whole industry,” Keith told the crowd of fellow singers and writers.

Persons: NORMAN, Okla, Toby Keith, Keith, “, ”, Beer, Willie Nelson, ” Keith, I’ve, I’m, ” ‘, Harold Shedd, Shedd, “ Should’ve, Shania Twain, That’s, “ I’ve, Bobby Braddock, “ They’re, He’s, George W, Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, We’ll, Singer, Steve Earle, Natalie Maines, Maines, Saddam Hussein, FUTK, Ethan Hawke, Kris Kristofferson, Hawke, Vince Gill, Scott Borchetta, Trace Adkins, Joe Nichols, Josh Thompson, Clay Walker, Phil Vassar Organizations: Associated Press, Oklahoma City Drillers, United States Football League, Mercury Records, Alabama, AP, DreamWorks Records, Academy of Country, “ Billboard, Arts, “, Universal Music Group, DreamWorks, Universal, Songwriters Hall of Fame, BMI Locations: Oklahoma, Texas, Nashville, Mercury, Oklahoma City

Utah became the latest state to regulate bathroom access for transgender people after Republican Gov. Opponents noted not all states allow people to change their birth certificates and that many trans people don’t want to have surgery. West Virginia’s Legislature is considering a transgender bathroom bill for students this year. “Nobody I know cares if a transgender woman comes into their bathroom, uses it for its intended purpose and walks out,” Birkeland said. Equality Utah, a nonprofit organization that advocates for LGBTQ+ rights, advocated for the amendment but still opposed the bill.

Persons: Spencer Cox, ” Cox, Tennessee —, Kera Birkeland, ” Birkeland Organizations: Republican Gov, West, Republican, American Civil Liberties Union of Utah, Senate, Equality Locations: Utah, — Alabama, Arkansas, Florida , Idaho , Iowa , Kansas , Kentucky, North Dakota , Oklahoma, Tennessee, West Virginia’s, Salt Lake County, Equality Utah

☆ Congressional Republicans want to kill a bipartisan border bill to give Trump an edge in the election
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Madison Hall | Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Senate Republicans and Democrats have attempted to negotiate border-related legislation for weeks. Trump is pushing his supporters in Congress to kill the bill to gain an upper hand in the election. No public text has been released despite months of negotiations, even senators have complained that they are receiving few details from the discussions between Sen. James Lankford, an Oklahoma Republican, and Senate Democrats. "Using a one-time spending package to enact these unrelated permanent policy changes sets a dangerous precedent and risks assistance to our international partners," 11 Senate Democrats said in a statement about the talks. House Speaker Mike Johnson said it's "absurd" to suggest he would kill the talks to help Trump.

Persons: Trump, —, Donald Trump's, Sen, James Lankford, Lankford, Mike Johnson, Johnson, Biden, we're, Manu Raju's, GOP Sen, Ted Cruz of, Donald Trump, Alejandro Mayorkas Alex Wong, Alejandro, impeaching, William Belknap, Dan Goldman Organizations: Republicans, Democrats, Service, Congressional, Oklahoma Republican, Russia, GOP, Oklahoma GOP, Biden Administration, Homeland, House Republicans, Homeland Security, New, New York Democrat Locations: Las Vegas, Oklahoma, Ukraine, United States, Ted Cruz of Texas, Mexico, New York

2 Kansas State matched its best ranking ever after a chaotic week that saw nearly half of the AP Top 25 lose at least one game. The Gamecocks received all 35 first-place votes Monday in the latest Associated Press women's basketball poll after their 76-70 road victory over then-No. Political Cartoons View All 253 ImagesStanford and North Carolina State followed Iowa in the poll. ___Get poll alerts and updates on AP Top 25 basketball throughout the season. Sign up here AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball

Persons: Dawn Staley's, Ayoka Lee, Caitlin Clark, Jackie Stiles, Kelsey Mitchell, Kelsey Plum's, Brown, ___ Organizations: Kansas State, Gamecocks, Associated Press, LSU, Wildcats, Oklahoma, Hawkeyes, Northwestern, Stanford, North Carolina State, UCLA, Washington, Washington State ., UConn, Notre Dame, Huskies, TIGERS Princeton, Tigers, Princeton, Yale, Florida State, Seminoles, Duke, BEAVERS Oregon State, The Beavers, Buffaloes, Oregon, AP, womens Locations: Carolina, Texas . Iowa, Iowa, Colorado, Oregon, Utah, Washington State, Washington State . Ohio, Indiana, Texas, Oklahoma, UCLA , Indiana, Rhode Island, Colorado and Utah

Wisconsin rode a slew of losses by top-10 teams, and wins over Minnesota and Michigan State, to climb seven spots to No. Wisconsin moved up seven spots, New Mexico moved up six and Duke, Marquette and Texas Tech all advanced five spots. Their gain came in part at the expense of Oklahoma, which tumbled 12 spots to No. CONFERENCE WATCHThe Big East, Big Ten, ACC, Big 12 and SEC each have a top-five team — in fact, each had two in the top 10. But the Big 12 still leads the overall Top 25 count with eight ranked teams after the Horned Frogs returned to the poll this week.

Persons: Xavier, Danny Hurley, Hurley, we're, Zach Edey, Duke, Lamont Paris, ___ Organizations: UConn, Purdue, Huskies, Boilermakers, Cougars, NCAA, Rutgers, Big, Heels, Wake, Florida State, BYU, Kansas State, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, That's, Minnesota, Michigan State, Badgers, South, Iowa State, Kansas, The Cyclones, Creighton, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Auburn, Mississippi State, Utah State, Baylor, Florida, Alabama, TCU, Duke, Dayton, Flyers, Richmond, Crimson Tide, Memphis, UAB, Colorado State, Gamecocks, Kentucky, CONFERENCE, Big Ten, ACC, SEC, AP Locations: North Carolina, Houston, Tennessee, Wake Forest, Florida, Wisconsin, Kansas, Marquette and Kentucky, South Carolina, Arizona, Creighton , Illinois, Alabama, Mississippi, Baylor . New Mexico, Nevada, North Texas, Dayton, Texas, New Mexico, Marquette, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Carolina, Missouri

ATMORE, Ala. (AP) — Alabama's first-ever use of nitrogen gas for an execution could gain traction among other states and change how the death penalty is carried out in the United States, much like lethal injection did more than 40 years ago, according to experts on capital punishment. Oklahoma and Mississippi already have laws authorizing the use of nitrogen gas for executions, and some other states, including Nebraska, have introduced measures this year to add it as an option. “This is a chapter in a long-running story in the United States,” Sarat said. A majority of states, 29, have either abolished the death penalty or paused executions, and there were just 24 executions carried out in five U.S. states in 2023, according to Washington, D.C.-based Death Penalty Information Center. “More states have abolished the death penalty since 2007 than in any other comparable 17-year period in American history,” Sarat noted.

Persons: — Alabama's, Steve Marshall, Kenneth Eugene Smith, ” Marshall, ”, Steven Harpe, Smith, gurney, John Q, Hamm, ” Hamm, Harpe, Justin Farris, ” Farris, “, Austin Sarat, ” Sarat, Clayton Lockett, Lockett, ” Ryan Kiesel, ” Kiesel, ” ___ Murphy Organizations: Alabama, Amherst College, Washington , D.C, American Civil Liberties Union Locations: Ala, United States, “ Alabama, Alabama, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Nebraska, Europe, U.S, Washington ,, Oklahoma City

☆ What we know about Alabama execution of Kenneth Smith by nitrogen gas
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Elizabeth Wolfe | Dakin Andone | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Alabama inmate Kenneth Smith was put to death Thursday night by nitrogen hypoxia, marking the nation’s first known execution to be carried out using that method. The execution process began at 7:53 p.m. CT Thursday, and Smith was pronounced dead at 8:25 p.m., according to Alabama Department of Corrections officials. Smith made a lengthy statement in front of the witnesses before the execution started, according to the pool reporters. A new method of capital punishmentAhead of Smith’s execution, a tense debate unfolded about whether America’s wholly new execution method is humane and whether the procedure would cause undue pain. The family has forgiven everyone involved in the killing, including Smith, Michael Sennett said at a news conference Thursday night.

Persons: Kenneth Smith, Smith, United Nations –, William C, John Hamm, gurney, “, writhed, Hamm, ” Hamm, Jeff Hood, who’d, ” Smith, gurney ”, Hood, ”, ’, Elizabeth Sennett's, Elizabeth Sennett, Sennett, Charles Sennett, Michael, ” Elizabeth Sennett’s, What’s, ” Chuck Sennett, “ He’s, Michael Sennett, CNN’s Devan Cole, Christina Maxouris, Isabel Rosales, Lauren Mascarenhas, Jamiel Lynch Organizations: CNN, United Nations, Holman Correctional, Alabama Department of Corrections, “ Locations: Alabama, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Atmore, Alta

☆ Inside the Trust Women abortion clinic in Wichita, Kansas, which saw a spike in out-of-state patients after Roe was overturned
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Maiya Focht | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +18 min

I met Kattie in the waiting room of the Trust Women abortion clinic. Finally, she looked north and found Trust Women in Wichita, Kansas, where I first met her on a drizzly November day. How Trust Women went from a catchphrase to a clinicTrust Women sits near a main road in Wichita, Kansas. 'Screw Texas'Kiernan, the director of nursing at Trust Women, has tattoos of plants that have been historically used as birth control. That has meant clinics like Trust Women receive a large number of out-of-state travelers, especially from southern neighbors like Oklahoma and Texas.

Persons: —, Kattie, she'd, Focht, Maiya, George Tiller, Tiller, Zack Gingrich, Gingrich, Gaylord, Roe, Wade, Kiernan, Texas, Dobbs, they're, I'm, telemedicine, Madison, Stormi, Kate Cox, Brittany Watts, Jennifer Kerns, Rachel O'Leary Carmona, Women's, Gaylor, Kerns, It's, O'Leary Carmona Organizations: Service, Business, Gaylord, Trust, Jackson, Health Organization, Trust Women, Texas Supreme, Centers for Disease Control, Women, University of California, OB Locations: Houston , Texas, Wichita , Kansas, Women's, Kansas, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, State, Dobbs, Texas, Madison, Kansans, Texas . Wichita, Houston, Wichita, Kentucky, Ohio, San Francisco, UCSF, Kattie

☆ Alabama Prepares to Carry Out First Execution by Nitrogen Asphyxiation
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +5 min

By Jonathan Allen(Reuters) - Alabama plans to carry out the first known judicial execution of a prisoner using asphyxiation with nitrogen gas on Thursday evening, a closely watched new method the state hopes to advance as a viable, simpler alternative to lethal injections. Kenneth Smith, convicted of a 1988 murder-for-hire, is a rare prisoner who has already survived one execution attempt. In November 2022, Alabama officials aborted his execution by lethal injection after struggling for hours to insert an intravenous line's needle in his body. A canister of pure nitrogen will be attached to the mask, intended to deprive him of inhaling any oxygen. Jeff Hood, spiritual adviser to Smith, who will be at Smith's side, had to sign a form acknowledging the risk that the execution method poses to others.

Persons: Jonathan Allen, Kenneth Smith, Smith, gurney, Jeff Hood, Maya Foa, Foa, Elizabeth Sennett, Charles Sennett, Mama, Diane Craft Organizations: Reuters, United Nations, 11th Circuit U.S, Appeals, U.S, Supreme, Besides Alabama, Holman Correctional Facility Locations: Alabama, U.S, Besides, Oklahoma, Mississippi, New York

☆ Nitrogen gas execution: How it works
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Lauren Mascarenhas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

“And so the only real question is: Is execution with nitrogen gas cruel?”Why nitrogen gas? Only three states – Alabama, Oklahoma and Mississippi – have approved the use of nitrogen gas for capital punishment, and experts say there is no real blueprint for the execution method. However, doctors say that they cannot pinpoint if or when a person will lose consciousness when exposed to high concentrations of nitrogen gas. Because the circumstances of Smith’s planned execution are so specific and unique, it’s hard to draw comparisons to instances where nitrogen gas played a role in accidental or suicide deaths, Groner said. If the mask is not secured tightly enough, oxygen could leak in, prolonging the death, experts say.

Persons: Kenneth Smith, Smith, Smith’s, Dr, Joel Zivot, Zivot, Jonathan Groner, Groner, ”, ” Groner, “, There’s, shouldn’t, someone’s, Clayton Lockett, gurney Organizations: CNN, US, Supreme, Emory University, Ohio State University College of Medicine, United, Corrections Locations: Alabama, – Alabama, Oklahoma, Mississippi, United Nations

☆ With a Mask and Nitrogen Tank, Alabama Pioneers Execution Method
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

By Jonathan Allen(Reuters) - If federal courts give the green light, Alabama plans on Thursday to pioneer the first new method of judicial execution since lethal injections were introduced in 1982. "If this execution is successful then we're going to see nitrogen hypoxia take off across the country," said Rev. Smith is scheduled to be the first prisoner subjected to the method, which Alabama refers to as 'nitrogen hypoxia,' on Thursday evening at Alabama's Holman Correctional Facility. Alabama Solicitor General Edmund LaCour told federal judges last week that the state has since developed "the most painless and humane method of execution known to man." This is the first time he has had to sign a form acknowledging the risk that an execution method poses to others in the execution chamber.

Persons: Jonathan Allen, Jeff Hood, Kenneth Smith, Elizabeth Sennett, Smith, Kenny, Hood, Edmund LaCour, We're, Stéphanie Boucher, Paul Thomasch, Diane Craft Organizations: Reuters, Alabama Department, Corrections, Alabama's Holman Correctional Facility, 11th Circuit U.S, Alabama, Veterinary Medical Association, Worth, Allegro Industries, Allegro's, Walter Surface Technologies Locations: Alabama, . Oklahoma, Mississippi, New York, South Carolina, Allegro's Canada

☆ Kenneth Smith: US Supreme Court declines to halt execution of Alabama inmate set to be the first to die by nitrogen gas
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Dakin Andone | Devan Cole | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Smith is due to be executed during a 30-hour window starting Thursday for his part in a 1988 murder for hire. The state 14 months ago aborted an effort to execute him by lethal injection because officials could not set an intravenous line before the execution warrant expired. Smith and his attorneys last week asked the Supreme Court to pause the execution so they could argue trying to execute Smith a second time would amount to cruel and unusual punishment, violating the Eighth and 14th amendments. In response, the state said the evidence Smith had been vomiting was largely from his own self-reporting. Smith’s execution would mark only the second time in US history that a state would attempt to execute an inmate a second time after initially failing, they said.

Persons: Kenneth Smith, Smith, Smith “, Smith’s, “, Mr, ”, Elizabeth Sennett, ” “, Dr, Joel Zivot, ” Smith, Sennett, Charles Sennett, he’d Organizations: CNN, Circuit, Appeals, of Corrections, Supreme, United Nations, UN, Human, Emory University Locations: Alabama, Oklahoma, Mississippi, ” Alabama

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama is preparing to use a new method of execution: nitrogen gas. The state maintains that nitrogen gas will cause unconsciousness quickly but critics have likened the never-used method of execution to human experimentation. In 2018, Alabama became the third state — along with Oklahoma and Mississippi — to authorize the use of nitrogen gas to execute prisoners. If the Alabama execution goes forward, other states may seek to start to using nitrogen gas. If the execution is blocked by the court or botched, it could halt or slow the pursuit of nitrogen gas as an alternative execution method.

Persons: Kenneth Eugene Smith, Smith, —, gurney, general’s, Walter LaGrand, Prosecutors, Elizabeth Sennett Organizations: NIOSH, United Nations Human Rights, Veterinary Medical Association, WHO, Alabama, U.S, Supreme, Circuit Locations: MONTGOMERY, Ala, Alabama, Oklahoma, Mississippi, United States, U.S, Arizona

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