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Texas still accounts for more than half of all executions in the United States. But a strange thing is happening in the state that has executed more prisoners than any other since the U.S. Supreme Court revived the death penalty in 1976 after a brief hiatus. Texas prosecutors are less willing to seek, and juries are less willing to grant, capital punishment for aggravated murder. In 2006, only 15 Texas convicts were sentenced to death, down from 34 a decade earlier....

This time the entertainment was provided by actor Justin Bartha and Jill Martin during a segement of “A New York Minute.” Oh, and what a minute it was. The actor, best known for his role as Doug Billings in the Hangover trilogy, makes Martin a bit uncomfortable when he talks about Bradley Cooper. Martin tends to get a little flustered after that. Has Martin actually been asking about Cooper? Her guilty reaction will make you think twice....

Woods’ agent, Mark Steinberg, released a statement saying the 15-time major winner had sustained “multiple leg injuries,” adding that Woods was in surgery Tuesday afternoon. Woods is reportedly in “serious” condition at the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. MORE: Latest news, details on Tiger Woods after car crash The cause of the crash is being investigated. The Los Angeles Times reported that Woods was traveling “at a high rate of speed and lost control of the vehicle before crossing the center divider....

Steelers kicker Josh Scobee, already with two missed field-goal attempts to his name from Week 1 and a botched extra point in Week 2, missed on tries of 49 and 41 yards as the Steelers nursed a 20-17 lead late in the fourth quarter. Each miss gave the Ravens (1-3) new life, and with a third opportunity to avoid an 0-4 start they finally took advantage, marching down the field on a final-minute drive that ended when Tucker hit 42-yarder with 3 seconds remaining in regulation....

Since then, Upton has been Verlander’s biggest supporter. The 39-year-old pitcher, who missed nearly all of 2020 and then all of 2021 due to injury, has put together what will almost surely be a Cy Young-winning season in his 2022 return. He went 18-4 and had the best ERA and ERA+ in baseball this year, and is looking for his second career World Series title. The remarkable season is coming after a lot of travel, as he and Upton spent time in Italy and Mexico leading into the 2022 season....

World football’s governing body had launched an investigation into Juve’s conduct over the sale of the France international, who joined United in the summer of 2016 for a then-record transfer of around £89.5 million. Juve 16/1 to win CL with dabblebet It was alleged that Mino Raiola, who represents Pogba, could have breached third-party ownership rules, with a FIFA statement back in June 2017 confirming an investigation. It read: “We can confirm that disciplinary proceedings have been opened against Juventus FC....

With 14 games played of the current season, Napoli hold the advantage, lying top two points clear of second-placed Inter and four ahead of holders Juve. Insigne 8/5 to score v Juve Insigne’s form has been key to the southern Italians’ surge, as they dream of wresting the title off their rivals after six years of domination. “[Insigne] has a great technique and has recently learned to play with great flow....

Madrid must avoid CRexit The Colombia star has spent the last two seasons on loan in Turin and the Champions League finalists elected to sign him for his buyout fee of €20m on May 22. However, head coach Max Allegri is ready to swoop for both Douglas Costa of Bayern Munich and Fiorentina’s Federico Bernardeschi. To fund these deals, the 29-year-old Colombian could find himself sold, but Juventus will only allow him to leave for at least €30m....

The Argentina international joined the Serie A champions from Palermo in 2015 and has swiftly established himself as one of the most sought-after players in Europe. Juventus 8/15 v Lazio Barcelona were heavily linked with Dybala as a replacement for Neymar, but any speculation has failed to distract the 23-year-old, who has 10 goals in only seven league appearances this season. Dybala did miss a late penalty as Juve were forced to settle for a 2-2 draw at Atalanta last time out, but the club’s CEO Giuseppe Marotta says the forward will be going nowhere any time soon, with a fresh contract on the horizon....

Heynckes’ side moved four points clear atop the Bundesliga after a 3-1 victory in Der Klassiker on Saturday. FCB 15/2 to win CL Since the 72-year-old Heynckes returned to Bayern for his fourth stint, the German giants have won seven straight games. Kahn feels his former club’s meeting with Dortmund came at an ideal time, with Peter Bosz’s men dealing with “many problems”. “I think the Heynckes effect, meaning the signing of Jupp Heynckes as head coach, was very useful,” the former Germany goalkeeper told Omnisport, speaking at the Golden Foot Hublot Award in Monaco....

Kalezic, 47, heads to New Zealand after a coaching career mostly spent in Netherlands, although his most recent job was a brief stint with Al-Taawon in Saudi Arabia. Phoenix keep new coach secret He replaces Des Buckingham and Chris Greenacre, who shared coaching responsibilities for most of last season after Ernie Merrick quit in December. The Phoenix have also appointed the experienced Rado Vidosic as Kalezic’s assistant for “the 2017-18 season and beyond”, the club said....

“Too many moms are going through the same thing that I went through. And too many little boys and girls are going through (what my son) went through,” activist Deanna Branch said when introducing Harris, according to The Associated Press. Harris spoke to state government officials and community leaders, as well as union workers who are beginning to replace lead pipes in Milwaukee, the AP reported. About $15 billion was approved by Congress in the infrastructure bill to replace the lead pipes across the country, which is about a third of what the White House and other experts have said it will cost to fund the full replacement of lead pipes nationwide....

No Democrat VP candidate has campaigned in Texas since 1988. That’s probably because the VP candidate that year was a Texan—Lloyd Bentsen. Texas Democrats have asked Biden and Harris to spend more time and money in the Lone Star State as polls across the state indicate the race between Biden and President Donald Trump will be very tight. Meanwhile, high-ranking Republicans say Texas is not a “battleground state.” The announcement of Harris’ upcoming campaign visit was made through an email Sunday from Biden’s campaign to Democratic lawmakers in Texas....

The Jayhawks suffered their second straight defeat against a ranked opponent despite showing they could overcome an obstacle — getting to the free-throw line — that has plagued them all season. They tied a season high in attempting 23 free throws, making 17. In each of their previous five contests, Kansas shot 10 or fewer free throws. The Jayhawks rank 347th among 351 NCAA Division I teams in free-throw attempts per game, and just 133 of their 1,215 points this season, or 10....

Contact tracing staff will be reassigned to contact investigations, KSN-TV reported. This move came as the state had already begun to slow down its contact tracing programs. The department added most K-12 schools will likely end their contact tracing efforts as well. Starting February 1, Kansas residents infected with COVID-19 will be responsible for informing people they had been in contact with that they were exposed to the virus. According to the Associated Press, departments like the KDHE will only contact “high-risk settings” like daycares and schools regarding potential exposure, then the settings will be in charge of contacting people who had visited....

That’s not to say Florida won’t win again — that could very well happen — but Tuesday's game showcased two incredibly talented teams who are nowhere near their immense potential. They’re evolving before our eyes. The Gators who ran the 13th-ranked Jayhawks out of the gym in the first half weren’t the Gators we’ve seen this season. And not just in an observational, “oh, they look better, maybe they’re giving more of an effort” kind of way....

The vote is the first statewide referendum on abortion policy since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade in late June, eliminating constitutional protections for abortion. More than a dozen Republican-led states have moved to ban or further restrict abortion through other means since the bombshell decision. If approved, it could lead to sweeping restrictions or an outright abortion ban in a state that has become a destination for patients from nearby states that have enacted restrictions or bans....

Wenger drops hint over Arsenal future For many of England’s leading clubs, it has been a season of transition. The Italian manager has managed it with remarkable haste at Stamford Bridge, while in Manchester both Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho have toiled a little more than anticipated at City and United respectively, although the blue half of the city have come out on top, at least in terms of league standings....

Balenciaga has faced backlash over the past several days for images shown on its website that included toddlers holding the company’s teddy bear handbags. The stuffed toys appeared to be dressed in bondage gear, including fishnet shirts and studded leather harnesses and collars. A number of public figures spoke out against the images. West’s ex-wife Kim Kardashian, who is a Balenciaga brand ambassador, said that she was “disgusted” and “shaken” by the images and was “re-evaluating” her relationship with the company....

In a post on Instagram, West responded to his zealous critics in an Instagram story, writing, “The Black Lives Matter movement was a scam” and " Now It’s over, you’re welcome." In subsequent posts, he doubled down on his choice to feature the shirts and flippantly disregarding the wave of backlash. He captioned another post featuring one of the shirts with the words, “THEY DO.” Kanye West’s “White Lives Matter” stunt might very well be a soulless media stunt intended to drum up attention for his fashion line and incite controversy....