Happening Today: Death Penalty, Trump, NASA, Avocado Trees, ‘Infowars'

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Supreme Court Denies Request to Allow Execution

The U.S. Supreme Court spared the life of an Arkansas inmate minutes before his death warrant was set to expire, scuttling efforts to resume the death penalty after nearly 12 years in the state with a plan to carry out four double executions before its supply of a lethal injection drug expires. The court's decision to maintain the stay for Don Davis capped a chaotic day of legal wrangling in state and federal courts to clear the primary obstacles Arkansas faced to carrying out its first executions since 2005. Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who had set the multiple executions, said the state would to continue to push for the other lethal injections to be carried out. Two inmates are set to be put to death. The legal fighting had centered on a series of planned lethal injections that, if carried out, would mark the most inmates put to death by a state in such a short period since the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976. The state scheduled the executions to take place before its supply of midazolam, a lethal injection drug, expires at the end of April.

Pence Assures Japan America Is With Ally '100 Percent'

In a trip dominated by concerns about North Korea's nuclear intentions, Vice President Mike Pence assured Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe the United States is ready to work closely with its Asian allies in the region to achieve "a peaceable resolution and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula." "We appreciate the challenging times in which the people of Japan live with increasing provocations from across the Sea of Japan," Pence said after arriving from Seoul for talks with Abe. "We are with you 100 percent," the visiting vice president said. President Donald Trump earlier warned that North Korean President Jong Un has "gotta behave." At the outset of their meeting, Pence reiterated to Abe his statement in South Korea that the United States has run out of patience with Pyongyang's moves. "While all options are on the table," Pence said, "President Trump is determined to work closely with Japan, with South Korea, with all our allies in the region, and with China" to resolve the problem.

Trump Order Would Target High-Skilled Worker Visa Program

President Trump is planning to sign an executive order that seeks to make changes to a visa program that brings in high-skilled workers. Trump is heading to Kenosha, Wisconsin, where he plans to sign an order dubbed "Buy American and Hire American," said administration officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity despite the president's frequent criticism of the use of anonymous sources. The officials said the order, which Trump will sign at the headquarters of tool manufacturer Snap-on Inc., would direct the departments of Homeland Security, Justice, Labor and State to propose new rules to prevent immigration fraud and abuse. Those departments would also be asked to offer changes so that H-1B visas are awarded to the most-skilled or highest-paid applicants." The White House said the program is currently undercutting American workers by bringing in cheaper labor and that some tech companies are using it to hire large numbers of workers and drive down wages.

NASA Providing 1st Live 360-Degree View of Rocket Launch

Want the world's best, up-close view of a rocket launch without being right there at the pad? For the first time, cameras will provide live 360-degree video of a rocket heading toward space. NASA will provide the 360 stream Tuesday as an unmanned Atlas rocket blasts off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, with a capsule full of space station supplies. The stream will begin 10 minutes before the scheduled 11:11 a.m. liftoff and continue until the rocket is out of sight. The four fisheye-lens cameras are located at the periphery of the pad, about 300 feet from the rocket. A computer in a blast-proof box will stitch together the images for a full, in-the-round view. There will be about a minute lag time. It will be shown on NASA's YouTube channel.

More Beetles Carry Disease That Kills Avocado Trees, Researchers Say

University of Florida researchers say they've found more beetles that can carry a disease threatening avocado trees. The redbay ambrosia beetle, considered the main carrier of laurel wilt, is rare in avocado groves. But in a new study in the Journal of Economic Entomology, a plant pathology professor said scientists found three more beetles that can carry the tree-killing disease, bringing the total to nine. However, a UFL entomologist notes that just because beetles can carry the laurel wilt pathogen doesn't mean that they can transmit the disease to the trees. Economists at the university's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences say avocados have a $100 million-a-year impact in South Florida.

'Infowars' Host Is a Performance Artist, Lawyer Says

The right-wing radio host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones is a performance artist whose true personality is nothing like his on-air persona, according to a lawyer defending the "Infowars" broadcaster in a child custody battle. Attorney Randall Wilhite said at a pretrial hearing in Austin last week that evaluating Jones based on his on-air comments is like judging Jack Nicholson based on his role as the Joker in "Batman." But Kelly Jones described her ex-husband as "not a stable person," according to the Austin American-Statesman. She said he is threatening toward others, noting homophobic comments he's made about Democratic U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff and a challenge to fight actor Alec Baldwin. He broadcasts from home, she said, and that exposes their children to his incendiary behavior. Jury selection in the case has begun and Kelly Jones is seeking sole or joint custody of the children, ages 14, 12 and 9.

T.I. for Office? The Rapper Talks Tupac Shakur, Activism

Rapper T.I. has no plans to ever run for public office, but he said he wants to make a difference in underserved communities through activism and music. The Atlanta-based artist spoke about affecting positive change in his community while backstage at the Rock and Roll of Fame induction ceremony earlier this month in New York. The rapper performed in honor of the late Tupac Shakur after Snoop Dogg inducted him into the Rock Hall. Shakur was gunned down in 1996 in Las Vegas at the height of his career. If he were alive today, T.I. thinks he would be more than a musician. T.I. has been active in the community, focusing on youth programs for boys and girls, and feels his role continues to grow when it comes to providing help to those that need it most. As for running for political office himself, that's not something he sees in the cards.