The Taliban said they discussed normalizing relations between Afghanistan and the United States in a meeting with Trump administration officials Saturday.

The White House did not issue a statement describing the meeting or immediately respond to a request for comment. The Taliban statement said the regime's foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, met with President Donald Trump's special envoy for hostage response, Adam Boehler, and with another U.S. envoy, Zalmay Khalilzad,.

The Taliban released photographs from their talks.

RELATED STORY | Families of Americans held by Taliban upset by lack of deal for their release

Comprehensive discussions were held on ways to develop bilateral relations between the two countries, issues related to citizens, and investment opportunities in Afghanistan, the statement said.

The statement added that the U.S. delegation also expressed condolences over the devastating earthquake in eastern Afghanistan late last month.

The meeting came after the Taliban released U.S. citizen George Glezmann, who was abducted while traveling through Afghanistan as a tourist. He was the third detainee freed by the Taliban since Trump took office. It also came after the Taliban sharply criticizedTrump's new travel ban that bars Afghans from entering the United States.

President Donald Trumps tariff policy, immigration crackdowns and sweeping tax and spending law are expected to increase jobless rates and inflation and lower overall growth this year before they improve next year, according to a new report from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

The CBO on Friday released new economic projections for the next three years, updating the outlook it originally released in January, before Trump's inauguration.

The latest figures, which compare fourth quarter changes, show the unemployment rate, inflation and overall growth are expected to be worse this year than initially projected, while the economic picture is expected to steady in subsequent years.

The CBO outlooks attempt to set expectations for the economy in order to help choices made by congressional and executive branch policymakers. It does not forecast economic downturns or recessions, with its estimates generally reverting back to an expected average over time.

But Fridays outlook showed the degree to which Trumps choices are altering the path of the U.S. economy, suggesting that growth has been hampered in the near term by choices that have yet to show the promised upside of more jobs and lower budget deficits.

Kush Desai, a White House spokesperson, told The Associated Press, Americans heard similar doom-and-gloom forecasts during President Trumps first term, when the Presidents economic agenda unleashed historic job, wage, and economic growth and the first decline in wealth inequality in decades.

These same policies of tax cuts, tariffs, deregulation, and energy abundance are set to deliver and prove the forecasters wrong again in President Trumps second term, he said.

Overall, the CBO expects real GDP growth to decrease from 2.5% in 2024 to 1.4% this year, a downgrade from the initial projection of 1.9%. The CBO attributes the projected decline to a slowdown in consumer spending stemming from new tariffs and a decrease in immigration, which would also impact consumer spending.

The tariffs raise prices for consumer goods and services, thereby eroding the purchasing power of households; they also increase costs for businesses that use imported and import-competing inputs in production, the report says.

However, GDP is set to grow to 2.2% in 2026, which is higher than the CBO's January prediction of 1.8%. GDP would then level off to 1.8% in 2027 and 2028, the CBO says in its latest report.

Additionally, unemployment is expected to hit 4.5% in 2025, higher than the 4.3% initially expected, according to the CBO. The jobless rate is expected to reach 4.2% in 2026 slightly lower than the 4.4% originally anticipated and even out at 4.4% in 2027 and 2028.

And inflation is now expected to hit 3.1% for the rest of 2025, according to the CBO, up from its 2.2% projection in January. Inflation would then lower to 2.4% in 2026, higher than the initial expectation of 2.1%, before leveling off at 2% the next two years.

The CBO on Wednesday issued a report that shows Trumps plans for mass deportations and other hard-line immigration measures will result in roughly 320,000 people removed from the United States over the next ten years.

Coupled with a lower fertility rate in the U.S., the reduction in immigration means that the CBOs projection of the U.S. population will be 4.5 million people lower by 2035 than the nonpartisan office had projected in January.

Experienced prosecutors and defense attorneys say President Donald Trump and Gov. Spencer Cox may have hurt their own case if they truly believe the man accused of murdering Charlie Kirk should receive the death penalty.

Cox brought up the topic for the first time on Wednesday, long before 22-year-old suspect Tyler Robinson was identified or arrested.

"To whoever did this, we will find you," Cox said. "We will try you, and we will hold you accountable to the furthest extent of the law. I just want to remind people that we still have the death penalty in the state of Utah."

On Thursday, he doubled down.

"We are going to catch this person," Cox said. "We are working with our attorneys, getting affidavits, so we can pursue the death penalty in this case, and that will happen."

On Friday, the governor took control of the press conference to announce Robinson's arrest.

"There is one person responsible for what happened here, and that person is now in custody," Cox said.

RELATED STORY | What we know about Tyler Robinson, the suspect in killing of Charlie Kirk

President Trump made similar comments before and after Robinson's arrest.

"He's going to be found guilty, I would imagine, and I hope he gets the death penalty," the president said on Friday.

The Scripps News Group spoke with multiple prosecutors and defense attorneys with experience working death penalty cases to gain their insight on how these comments could affect courtroom proceedings.

Fred Metos has worked as a defense attorney for the past 47 years.

"When someone is charged with a crime in this country, they're presumed innocent," said Metos. "This is more than just the 'cart ahead of the horse.' You've got a situation where the governor has basically got him convicted."

Metos said he believes comments by politicians are problematic because defense attorneys will use their words to gain a legal advantage.

"It makes it difficult for everybody," Metos said. "When a politician starts commenting on a pending criminal case, hes putting his foot in his mouth."

Utah Attorney General Derek Brown has not confirmed whether prosecutors will seek the death penalty.

"At this point, we're making that determination," he said.

Prosecutors routinely avoid discussing the merits of a case with the media to avoid breaking rules intended to ensure a fair trial. In some cases, prosecutors have been disciplined by the Utah Office of Professional Conduct.

Attorneys interviewed by the Scripps News Group on Friday were also confused to learn that the Utah Governor's Office decided to publish booking photos of the suspect.

Mugshots have been considered "protected records" in Utah since 2021.

Lawmakers say they made the change to ensure defendants get the right to a fair trial.

Some took no issue with the governor making an exception for Robinson. Others felt it was a double standard. Metos referred to it as a "disturbing" detail that he believes will be used by defense attorneys.

"Its something that adds to the circus," Metos said. "This case is already being treated differently, and this individual is not getting the protections that everyone else does."

Prosecutors intend to file charges against Robinson on Tuesday.

This article was written by Adam Herbets for the Scripps News Group in Salt Lake City.

There's bipartisan support in Congress for extending tax credits that have made health insurance more affordable for millions of people since the COVID-19pandemic. But the credits are in danger of expiring as Republicans and Democrats clash over how to do it.

Democrats are threatening to vote to shut down the government at the end of the month if Republicans don't extend the subsidies, which were first put in place in 2021 and extended a year later when they controlled Congress and the White House. The tax credits, which are slated to expire at the end of the year, go to low- and middle-income people who purchase health insurance through the Affordable Care Act.

Some Republicans who have opposed the health care law since it was enacted under President Barack Obama are suddenly open to keeping the tax credits. They acknowledge that many of their constituents could see steep hikes in coverage if the subsidies are allowed to lapse.

Still, the two sides are far apart. Republicans are divided, with many firmly opposed. GOP leaders in the House and Senate have been open but noncommittal on the extension, and many of those Republicans who say they support it argue that the tax credits should be reworked potentially opening up a new health care debate that could take months to resolve.

RELATED STORY | Mayors, doctor groups sue over Trump's efforts to restrict Obamacare enrollment

Democrats would be unlikely to agree to any changes in the subsidies, increasing the chances of a standoff and mounting uncertainty for health insurers, hospitals, state governments and the people who receive them.

In just a few weeks, unless Congress acts, millions of Americans will start getting letters in the mail telling them their health insurance costs are about to go through the roof hundreds of dollars, thousands in some cases, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said this past week.

Millions of Americans could face higher health insurance rates

Enrollment in ACA plans has surged to a record 24 million people, in large part due to the billions of dollars in subsidies that have lowered costs for many people. The expanded subsidies allowed some lower-income enrollees to access health plans with no premiums and capped the amount higher earners pay for premiums to 8.5% of their income. It also expanded eligibility for middle-class earners.

With expiration now just a few months away, some of those people have already gotten notices that their premiums the monthly fee paid for insurance coverage are poised to spike next year. Insurers have sent out notices in nearly every state, with some proposing premium increases of as much as 50 percent.

Lawmakers are facing pressure to act from some of the countrys biggest industries, including the insurers that cover people on the marketplace and hospital executives who say theyre already going to be squeezed by the Medicaid cuts in President Donald Trumps big, beautiful" tax bill.

Theres broad awareness that theres a real spike and premiums coming right around the corner, both Republicans and Democrats, said David Merritt, senior vice president of external affairs at Blue Cross Blue Shield. Its certainly lining up for Congress to have an opportunity to head off this problem.

Companies have said theyll need to raise premiums without the subsidies because healthier and younger people are more likely to opt out of coverage when it gets more expensive, leaving insurers to cover older and sicker patients.

In Iowa last month, the states insurance commissioner weighed increases ranging from 3% to 37% against a stream of angry public comments. One woman who runs a garden center in Cedar Falls, Iowa, said she was considering dropping health insurance altogether.

I am already living as frugally as I possibly can while working as hard as I possibly can, putting in as many hours as I am allowed to at my job, never missing a day of work, the woman, LuAnn, wrote in a public comment published to the commissioners website.

Tug-of-war over Obamacare spending plays out on the Hill

On Capitol Hill, the issue has become entangled in a larger fight over government funding as a shutdown looms at the end of the month. Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries have said Democrats will not vote to keep the government open unless an extension of the health care tax credits is part of the deal. Republicans have said that they want more time to look at the subsidies and potentially scale them back. They will also have to wait for a signal from Trump, who has not yet weighed in.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Justices preserve key part of Obamacare coverage requirements

Jeffries said this past week that we will not support a partisan Republican spending bill that continues to rip away health care from the American people.

Republican leaders are eyeing a potential stopgap bill that would keep the government open for a few weeks and are unlikely, for now, to include the extension. But GOP leaders in both the House and Senate are also under pressure from some members who worry that premium increases will be a political liability before the midterm elections.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has said he wants to see a proposal from Democrats on how to extend the subsidies since they are pushing the issue. Maybe there is something we can do in the middle as a solution," he said in a Punchbowl News interview on Thursday, adding that his members are divided on the issue.

Still, Thune has ruled out quick action, even as he noted that premium notices will go out soon. He has said a short-term spending measure to fund the government for several weeks while Congress finishes its budget bills is not likely to include an extension of the benefits,

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has said that many of his members would oppose an extension, but has not ruled it out.

In recent days, 15 House Republicans in competitive political districts introduced legislation to extend the tax credits for one year. While the enhanced premium tax credit created during the pandemic was meant to be temporary, we should not let it expire without a plan in place, said Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-Va., who led the effort with Rep. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y.

Middle-class and small business owners, like the ones who dot Kiggan's coastal Virginia district, will be especially vulnerable to big health insurance hikes if the subsidies are not extended.

Several Senate Republicans also said they'd favor an extension. Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley said that if Congress doesn't act, some premiums will "skyrocket, and not by a little bit. Were looking at massive increases. People will not be able to afford it.

Texas Sen. John Cornyn said he thinks Congress should scale back the subsidies for the highest income people who receive them. I think we all know that access to health care is important and we take it very seriously, he said.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, who has jurisdiction over the tax credits, said he's working with his colleagues to figure out if there is a solution. There are a lot of ideas being thrown out there," Crapo said. "I'm trying to find a solution, I'm not telling you what the solution is.

Others were firmly against it. It's costing us billions of dollars, said Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis.

Open enrollment begins Nov. 1 and people will begin to see real sticker shock, as ACA plan prices are posted next month, said Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis.

Timing is important, Baldwin said.

Erika Kirk, widow of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, made her first public comments on Friday after he was shot and killed on Wednesday.

"He was the perfect father. He was the perfect husband," Erika Kirk said. "My husband laid down his life for me, for our nation, for our children."

"The evildoers responsible for my husband's assassination have no idea what they've done," she said. "They killed Charlie because he preached a message of patriotism, faith, and God's merciful love."

Kirk pledged to continue Charlie's work touring campuses to speak with American students, and said the podcast and show he had started would go on.

"The movement my husband build will not die. It won't. I refuse to let that happen," she said. "It will become stronger, bolder, louder and greater than ever. My husband's mission will not end. Not even for a moment."

RELATED STORY | Who was Charlie Kirk? What we know about the conservative political influencer

Charlie Kirk, a 31-year-old conservative activist closely aligned with President Trump, was killed during a speaking event at Utah Valley University.

Kirk was the founder of Turning Point USA, a right-wing political nonprofit organization that advocates for conservative politics on high school and college campuses across the U.S. making him a major figure and voice within the young conservative movement, with millions of followers across his various social media platforms.

He was at the university on Wednesday to kick off his "The American Comeback Tour," where he engaged students through political debates under tents branded with phrases like "Prove Me Wrong."

Kirk was about 20 minutes into his speaking event when a single shot hit him in the neck, according to officials.

RELATED STORY | What we know about Tyler Robinson, the suspect arrested in killing of Charlie Kirk

Tyler Robinson, the suspect in the killing of Kirk, was arrested late Thursday night, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox confirmed at a news conference on Friday ending a 33-hour manhunt. Robinson was arrested in St George, Utah, which is about 250 miles from Utah Valley University, the site of Wednesday's assassination.

Cox's announcement came hours after President Donald Trump said in an interview with Fox News that a suspect was placed in custody.

Later on Friday, Robinson was initially charged with aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, and obstruction of justice. Formal charges against Robinson are expected as early as next week.

A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer fatally shot a suspect who tried to evade arrest Friday in a Chicago suburb by driving his car at officers and dragging one of them, officials said.

The shooting just outside the city follows days of threats by the Trump administration to surge immigration enforcement in the nations third-largest city and less than a week into an operation labeled Midway Blitz by federal officials targeting the so-called sanctuary policies in Chicago and Illinois.

The Department of Homeland Security said in a news release that the officer was trying to arrest a man with a history of reckless driving who had entered the country illegally, but he refused officers' orders and instead drove his car at them. An ICE officer who was hit and dragged by the car felt his life was threatened and opened fire, the department said.

ICE said both the officer and the driver from the shooting in the majority Hispanic suburb of Franklin Park, about 18 miles (29 kilometers) west of Chicago, were taken to a local hospital, where the suspect was pronounced dead.

We are praying for the speedy recovery of our law enforcement officer. He followed his training, used appropriate force, and properly enforced the law to protect the public and law enforcement, Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said he is aware of the shooting and demanded a full, factual accounting of whats happened today to ensure transparency and accountability.

Video from the scene shows police tape and traffic cones blocking off parts of the street where a large food distribution truck and gray car can be seen from a distance. Multiple law enforcement vehicles were surrounding the area.

RELATED STORY | Trump admin to ramp up immigration arrests in Chicago despite pushback from local leaders

Amid the Trump administrations immigration crackdown in Los Angeles earlier this summer, at least two people died while attempting to evade ICE a farmworker who fell from a greenhouse roof during a raid and a man struck by an SUV while running from agents outside a Home Depot store.

At a Friday news conference, immigration advocates and local officials argued that the Chicago area shooting represents how militarized immigration enforcement harms communities and demanded transparency and accountability from ICE agents involved in the shooting.

They were flanked by about two dozen protesters who chanted and banged on drums while holding a banner declaring, End Detention, Welcome Immigrants."

"The Trump deportation machine is out of control and operating with no transparency or accountability and leading to senseless harm to our communities," said Lawrence Benito, executive director of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights.

Illinois Rep. Norma Hernandez called the shooting a tragedy and decried ICE officials' attempts to blame the man who died.

These tactics have led to the loss of life of one of our community members," Hernandez said. "He is not the first and he will unfortunately not be the last.

Chicagoans, meanwhile, have been preparing for weekend Mexican Independence Day celebrations that include parades, festivals, street parties and car caravans, despite the potential immigration crackdown.

McLaughlin said viral social media videos and activists encouraging illegal aliens to resist law enforcement have made the work of ICE officers more dangerous.

Local officials, advocates and teachers have launched citywide efforts in the past few weeks to inform people of their rights when confronted by ICE agents. On Friday, many denied encouraging people who have entered the country illegally to resist law enforcement.

We do not tell people to resist, said Jessica Vsquez, the Cook County commissioner for the 8th District, who emphasized community groups that have shared legal resources and mutual aid.

FDA officials are expected to claim a connection between the COVID vaccine and pediatric deaths when they brief a CDC vaccine recommendation panel next week.

According to reporting from multiple outlets citing anonymous sources, officials with the Food And Drug Administration will present data that they allege connects COVID vaccination with the deaths of at least 25 children.

Scripps News has not yet independently verified the reporting.

Officials will show the data to the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which is preparing to develop new recommendations for COVID vaccine protocols at a meeting next week.

The CDC's vaccine recommendations will come as states, health providers and insurers all seek guidance ahead of the U.S. flu season. Some states do not allow pharmacists to administer the vaccine without the panels approval.

The information concerning child deaths is said to be drawn from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, a federal reporting tool for tracking side effects associated with vaccines. Doctors, patients, pharmacists and even bystanders who see reports of side effects may submit reports.

But experts warn that reports sent through the tool cannot be immediately verified for their accuracy, since such a verification requires further investigation by health experts.

FDA Commissioner Marty Makary told CNN last week that the agency would investigate reports that children had died after receiving a COVID vaccine. Makary characterized it as an "intense investigation" but did not make clear at the time when the reports were received or when the investigations began.

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who oversees the FDA and the CDC as the Secretary of Health and Human Services, has told Scripps News the FDA, CDC and other health agencies had made unanimous decisions to change vaccine recommendations. Other health experts dispute this claim.

RELATED STORY | RFK Jr. in interview with Scripps News: Trusting the experts is not science

In an interview with Scripps News, Kennedy questioned the effectiveness of mRNA vaccines despite overwhelming scientific research. He also warned against virus mutations and dosage control issues.

"You can't control the amount of antigen that everybody is getting," he said. "When you give a vaccine, you want to know exactly how much antigen is because some people react very, very badly and can get very, very badly injured."

At just 20 years old, Miss Kentucky Ariana Rodriguez made history at this year's Miss America pageant, becoming the first former foster youth to earn a spot in the top 11.

"I left everything out there on the stage, and I was really proud of myself for even making it that far, honestly," Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez grew up in the foster care system and was homeless by age 16, living out of her car. Despite these hardships, she found her voice and purpose during her senior year of high school when she founded the Lucky Ones Foundation, dedicated to amplifying the voices of youth who have experienced the foster care system and educating the public about the challenges they face.

"So I was really thankful to have represented foster youth in the state of Kentucky in that way, because I just truly never thought that it would be possible," Rodriguez said.

Her favorite memory from the competition came right after her name was called for the top 11.

"I remember going up to Miss Mississippi, who was also in the foster care system, and just hugging her after we won. We'd both been in foster care, and so it was really interesting to see that two girls who statistically were not supposed to be in the room, were in the room together," Rodriguez said.

Between the intense competition schedule, Rodriguez recalls the much-needed rest breaks.

"So, we really napped as much as we could, got in that sleep whenever we could, but I remember a whole bunch of the girls were like under our big vanity mirrors, getting ready, like just napping," she said.

Rodriguez also formed lasting friendships during the competition.

"I met two other girls who have experience within the foster care system. So, overall, even though I didn't walk away with a crown, it was an incredible experience, and I walked away with truly the best friends that a girl could ask for," she said.

Rodriguez plans to continue her reign as Miss Kentucky and will also serve as a spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture. She hopes to continue inspiring anyone who wants to accomplish their dreams.

"I just kept telling myself, you know, you will not be another statistic. Just take it one day at a time, and eventually you'll look back on your life and be so happy that you took that chance," Rodriguez said.

This story was originally published by Lauren Minor with the Scripps News Group in Lexington, Kentucky.

At just 20 years old, Miss Kentucky Ariana Rodriguez made history at this year's Miss America pageant, becoming the first former foster youth to earn a spot in the top 11.

"I left everything out there on the stage, and I was really proud of myself for even making it that far, honestly," Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez grew up in the foster care system and was homeless by age 16, living out of her car. Despite these hardships, she found her voice and purpose during her senior year of high school when she founded the Lucky Ones Foundation, dedicated to amplifying the voices of youth who have experienced the foster care system and educating the public about the challenges they face.

"So I was really thankful to have represented foster youth in the state of Kentucky in that way, because I just truly never thought that it would be possible," Rodriguez said.

Her favorite memory from the competition came right after her name was called for the top 11.

"I remember going up to Miss Mississippi, who was also in the foster care system, and just hugging her after we won. We'd both been in foster care, and so it was really interesting to see that two girls who statistically were not supposed to be in the room, were in the room together," Rodriguez said.

Between the intense competition schedule, Rodriguez recalls the much-needed rest breaks.

"So, we really napped as much as we could, got in that sleep whenever we could, but I remember a whole bunch of the girls were like under our big vanity mirrors, getting ready, like just napping," she said.

Rodriguez also formed lasting friendships during the competition.

"I met two other girls who have experience within the foster care system. So, overall, even though I didn't walk away with a crown, it was an incredible experience, and I walked away with truly the best friends that a girl could ask for," she said.

Rodriguez plans to continue her reign as Miss Kentucky and will also serve as a spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture. She hopes to continue inspiring anyone who wants to accomplish their dreams.

"I just kept telling myself, you know, you will not be another statistic. Just take it one day at a time, and eventually you'll look back on your life and be so happy that you took that chance," Rodriguez said.

This story was originally published by Lauren Minor with the Scripps News Group in Lexington, Kentucky.

Bad Bunny fans in the U.S. will have to travel if they want to see the musician live in his upcoming tour.

The Puerto Rican performer said in a recent interview that he didn't include cities in the United States for tour stops out of fear that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement could target the venues.

People from the U.S. could come here to see the show. Latinos and Puerto Ricans of the United States could also travel here, or to any part of the world, he told i-D magazine. But there was the issue that ICE could be outside [my concert venue]. And its something that we were talking about and very concerned about.

Bad Bunny has been critical of ICE operations that have intensified under the Trump administration.

The concert tour kicked off with a two-month residency in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Titled "I Don't Want to Leave Here," the residency includes 30 international concerts, ending on Sept.14.

His world tour will start in November in the Dominican Republic, touring Latin America, Europe, Asia and Oceania, and ending in Brussels.

The performer had urged fans in the U.S. to come to Puerto Rico during his residency.

As an "unincorporated territory" of the United States, ICE can and does operate in Puerto Rico. Citizens of Puerto Rico are U.S. citizens and have U.S. passports, but cannot vote in presidential elections.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

A professor at Texas A&M University was fired and others were removed from their positions after a video surfaced in which a student confronted the instructor over her teaching of issues related to gender identity in a class on children's literature.

The firing of Melissa McCoul, a senior lecturer in the English department with over a decade of teaching experience, came after political pressure from Republican lawmakers, including Gov. Greg Abbott, who had called for her termination.

The incident prompted Glenn Hegar, the chancellor of the Texas A&M University System, to order an audit of courses at all 12 schools in the system.

"It is unacceptable for A&M System faculty to push a personal political agenda," Hegar said in a statement on Monday. "We have been tasked with training the next generation of teachers and childcare professionals. That responsibility should prioritize protecting children not engaging in indoctrination."

In an email, McCoul referred all questions to her attorney, Amanda Reichek. Reichek said in a statement that McCoul has appealed her termination and "is exploring further legal action."

"Dr. McCoul was fired in derogation of her constitutional rights and the academic freedom that was once the hallmark of higher education in Texas," Reichek said.

Texas A&M University President Mark A. Welsh III said in a statement Tuesday he directed the campus provost to fire McCoul after learning the instructor had continued teaching content in a children's literature course "that did not align with any reasonable expectation of standard curriculum for the course."

Welsh said the issue had been raised earlier this summer and he had "made it clear to our academic leadership that course content must match catalog descriptions for each and every one of our course sections." Welsh said he learned on Monday that this was not taking place.

"This isn't about academic freedom; it's about academic responsibility," Welsh said.

In her statement, Reichek pushed back on Welsh's claims that McCoul's teaching did not match the course description.

"Professor McCoul's course content was entirely consistent with the catalog and course description, and she was never instructed to change her course content in any way, shape, or form," Reichek said. "In fact, Dr. McCoul taught this course and others like it for many years, successfully and without challenge."

Welsh also ordered the removal of the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and the head of the English Department from their administrative positions.

The actions by Texas A&M were criticized by faculty and writers' groups.

"We are witnessing the death of academic freedom in Texas, the remaking of universities as tools of authoritarianism that suppress free thought," Jonathan Friedman, Sy Syms Managing Director of U.S. Free Expression Programs at PEN America, said in a statement.

The Texas chapter of the American Association of University Professors said what happened at Texas A&M University should concern every Texan.

"Not only has the integrity of academic freedom come under fire, but the due process rights of a faculty member have been trampled at the urging of state politicians + the governor himself," the group said in a statement.

The controversy began on Monday after Republican state Rep. Brian Harrison posted a video, audio recordings and other materials on a thread on the social media site X. Harrison called for the professor and Welsh to be fired for "DEI and LGBTQ indoctrination."

In one video, a female student and the professor can be heard arguing over gender identity being taught in a children's literature class. The student and professor are not shown and it's unclear when the video was taken.

"This also very much goes against not only myself but a lot of people's religious beliefs. And so I am not going to participate in this because it's not legal and I don't want to promote something that is against our president's laws as well as against my religious beliefs," the student could be heard saying in the video.

"If you are uncomfortable in this class you do have the right to leave. What we are doing is not illegal," the professor said.

In her back-and-forth with the professor, the student mentioned an executive order that President Donald Trump signed earlier this year in which he said "it is the policy of the United States to recognize two sexes, male and female."

A Texas law took effect on Sept. 1 that forbids Texas K-12 schools from teaching about sexual orientation or gender identity. The law does not apply to universities and other institutions of higher education.

Texas A&M is located in College Station, about 95 miles (153 kilometers) northwest of Houston.

Black lawmakers are calling for an investigation into a series of threats made against historically Black colleges and universities across the country.

The Congressional Black Caucus asked the Department of Justice and FBI to "swiftly" investigate the threats that disrupted campuses nationwide.

At least six HBCUs, including Alabama State University, Hampton University and Virginia State University, canceled classes and locked down campuses after receiving threats Thursday.

Rep. Yvette Clarke of New York, chair of the caucus, called the threats "vile" and a "chilling reminder" of racism and extremism that continues to target Black communities.

The FBI called the threats "hoaxes" but added that it takes the threats "very seriously."

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

President Donald Trump said Friday he'll send the National Guard to address crime concerns in Memphis with support from the mayor and Tennessee's governor, making it his latest expansion of military forces into American cities that has tested the limits of presidential power and drawn sharp criticism from local leaders.

Speaking on Fox News, Trump said "the mayor is happy" and "the governor is happy" about the pending deployment. The city is "deeply troubled," he said, adding, "we're going to fix that just like we did Washington," where he's sent the National Guard and surged federal law enforcement.

Memphis is a majority-Black city and has a Democratic mayor, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Republican Gov. Bill Lee confirmed Friday that he was working with the Trump administration to deploy National Guard troops to Memphis as part of a new crime-fighting mission.

The governor said he planned to speak with the president on Friday to work out details of the mission and was working with Trump's team to determine the most effective roles for the Tennessee National Guard, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Memphis Police Department and other law enforcement agencies.

Trump on Friday said he decided to send troops into Memphis after Union Pacific's CEO Jim Vena, who used to regularly visit the city when he served on the board of FedEx, urged him earlier this week to address crime in the city.

Since sending the National Guard to Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., Trump has openly mused about sending troops to some of the nation's most Democratic cities including Chicago and Baltimore even as data shows most violent crime in those places and around the country has declined in recent years.

Trump has also suggested he could send troops to New Orleans, another Democratic-run city in a Republican-leaning state.

Crime is down, but troops may be coming

The president's announcement came just days after Memphis police reported decreases across all major crime categories in the first eight months of 2025 compared to the same period in previous years. Overall crime hit a 25-year low, while murder hit a six-year low, police said.

Asked Friday if city and state officials had requested a National Guard deployment -- or had formally signed off on it -- the White House didn't answer. It also didn't offer a possible timeline or say whether federal law enforcement would be surged in connection with a guard deployment to Memphis, as happened when troops were deployed to Washington.

Trump said Friday that he "would have preferred going to Chicago," where local politicians have fiercely resisted his plans, but suggested the city was too "hostile" with "professional agitators."

Officials in Tennessee appear divided

Republican state Sen. Brent Taylor, who backs the Memphis troop deployment, said Friday the National Guard could provide "administrative and logistical support" to law enforcement and allow local officers to focus on policework. Republican U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn also voiced her approval.

The Democratic mayor of Shelby County, which includes the city of Memphis, criticized Trump's proposal. "Mr. President, no one here is 'happy,'" said Mayor Lee Harris. "Not happy at all with occupation, armored vehicles, semi-automatic weapons, and military personnel in fatigues."

Republican Gov. Bill Lee said Wednesday that an ongoing FBI operation alongside state and local law enforcement had already made "hundreds of arrests targeting the most violent offenders." He also said there are record levels of Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers in Shelby County, including a newly announced additional 50 troopers.

"We are actively discussing the next phase of our strategy to accelerate the positive momentum that's already underway, and nothing is off the table," Lee said in the statement.

On Thursday, Memphis Mayor Paul Young said he learned earlier this week that the governor and Trump were considering the deployment in Memphis.

"I am committed to working to ensure any efforts strengthen our community and build on our progress," Young's statement said. What the city needs most, he said, is money for intervention and crime prevention, as well as more officers on patrol and support for bolstering the police department's investigations.

Some Republicans, including Taylor, the state senator, have asked the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to audit the Memphis Police Department's crime reporting.

Trump's broader National Guard strategy

Trump first deployed troops to Los Angeles in early June over Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom's objections by putting the California National Guard under federal jurisdiction, known as Title 10, to protect federal property from protests over immigration raids. The guard later helped protect officers during immigration arrests.

Alongside 4,000 guard members, 700 active duty Marines were also sent, and California sued over the intervention.

In Washington, D.C., where the president directly commands the National Guard, Trump has used troops for everything from armed patrols to trash cleanup without any legal issues.

RELATED STORY | Trump renews National Guard threat to Chicago, citing weekend killings

Chicago is on edge

Trump's comments underscored his shift away from threats to send troops into Chicago. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Mayor Brandon Johnson, both Democrats, vowed legal action to block any such move.

Pritzker, a potential 2028 presidential contender, has said a federal intervention is not justified or wanted in Chicago. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi this week accused state leaders of being uncooperative.

"We want Chicago to ask us for the help and they're not going to do that," she told reporters after an unrelated event near Chicago where federal agents seized vaping products.

Even without National Guard troops, residents in Chicago are expecting more federal immigration enforcement. The Department of Homeland Security launched a new operation this week, with federal officials confirming 13 people with prior criminal arrests had been detained. However, it's still unclear what role that operation would play more broadly.

Tyler Robinson, the suspect in the killing of Charlie Kirk, was arrested late Thursday night, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox confirmed at a news conference on Friday ending a 33-hour manhunt. Robinson was arrested in St George, Utah, which is about 250 miles from Utah Valley University, the site of Wednesday's assassination.

Cox's announcement came hours after President Donald Trump said in an interview with Fox News that a suspect was placed in custody.

Later on Friday, Robinson was initially charged with aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, and obstruction of justice. Final charges could come in the coming days.

According to a statement from Utah State University, Tyler James Robinson attended the school for one semester in 2021.

State records said Robinson was a registered voter but was not affiliated with a political party.

The family of Robinson, a 22-year-old Utah man, told officials that he has become "more political in recent years," Cox said. Cox said that Robinson opposed Kirk's political views.

"A family member referenced a recent incident in which Robinson came to dinner prior to Sept. 10 and, in the conversation with another family member, mentioned that Charlie Kirk was coming to UVU," Cox said. "They talked about why they didn't like him and the viewpoints that he had."

In that same conversation, the other family member reportedly said that they believed Kirk was "full of hate" and "spreading hate," according to Cox.

RELATED STORY | Who was Charlie Kirk? What we know about the conservative political influencer

Cox said that ammunition casings found at the crime scene included messages engraved that said, "Hey Fascist! Catch!" and "If you read this, you are Gay, LMAO."

Cox said Robinson's roommate showed investigators messages that he had reportedly sent on the Discord app discussing the need to retrieve a rifle from a drop point.

Officials said that a member of Robinson's family reached out to a family friend, who then contacted the Washington County Sheriff's Office and said that Robinson had confessed or implied he had killed Kirk.

Law enforcement found surveillance video from the day of the shooting that they said showed Robinson arriving at the Utah Valley University campus in a gray Dodge Challenger around 8:20 a.m., wearing a plain maroon shirt, light-colored shorts, a black hat with a white logo and light-colored shoes.

When investigators encountered Robinson in person in Washington County in the early morning hours of Sept. 12, he was wearing similar clothing to that of the surveillance images from the morning of the shooting.

Cox said he does not anticipate anyone else will be charged, and law enforcement believed that Robinson acted alone.

President Trump said he hopes the shooter gets the death penalty. He indicated in the interview that there was help from a minister who works with law enforcement, who knows a U.S. Marshall, and they took it from there.

"Somebody very close to him said, 'That's him,'" President Trump said. "And essentially went to the father, who went to a U.S. Marshal, who is fantastic and the person was involved with law enforcement, but was a person of faith, a minister. And brought him to a U.S. Marshal, who is fantastic, and the father convinced the son that this is it."

RELATED STORY | Charlie Kirk's casket flown home to Arizona aboard Air Force Two

On Thursday, officials released photos of a "person of interest," depicting a young adult male wearing a hat, sunglasses and a T-shirt with an American Flag and an eagle on it.

Later that night, the FBI released video footage showing what they believed to be the suspect running across the top of a building at the school before jumping to the ground.

As of Thursday evening, the FBI had received over 7,000 tips related to the case. Officials said the volume of tips outnumbered those involving the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013.

Kirk, a 31-year-old conservative activist closely aligned with President Trump, was killed on Wednesday during a speaking event at Utah Valley University. He is survived by his wife, Erika, and two young children.

Kirk was the founder of Turning Point USA (TPUSA), a right-wing political nonprofit organization that advocates for conservative politics on high school and college campuses across the U.S. making him a major figure and voice within the young conservative movement, with millions of followers across his various social media platforms.

He was at the university on Wednesday to kick off his "The American Comeback Tour," where he engaged students through political debates under tents branded with phrases like "Prove Me Wrong."

Kirk was about 20 minutes into his speaking event when a single shot hit him in the neck, according to officials. FBI Director Kash Patel said agents were on the scene within 16 minutes.

The United States Naval Academy in Maryland was on lockdown Thursday as law enforcement responded to reports of threats made to the military school, officials said.

The academy in Annapolis was working with local law enforcement to respond to the reports of threats, Lt. Naweed Lemar, the spokesperson for the base that hosts the academy, said in a statement.

The base is on lockdown out of an abundance of caution, he said. "This is a developing situation and we will provide updates as they become available.

Police were near Bancroft Hall, which houses midshipmen in its more than 1,600 dorm rooms. It is considered the biggest single college dormitory in the world, according to the school's website.

Senate Republicans took the first steps to change the chambers rules on Thursday, moving to make it easier to confirm groups of President Donald Trumps nominees after last-minute negotiations with Democrats fell apart.

Senate Majority Leader John Thunes move is the latest salvo after a dozen years of gradual changes by both parties to weaken the filibuster and make the nominations process more partisan. He has said the Democrats obstruction is unsustainable as they have drawn out the confirmation process and infuriated Trump as many positions in his administration have remained unfilled.

The Senate on Thursday evening moved forward on the proposed rule change with a 45-53 party line vote. The new rules would allow the Senate to move some of Trumps nominees in groups of 48 at a time.

Republicans had delayed the votes for almost five hours on Thursday afternoon as a bipartisan group of senators tried to work out a deal that could be beneficial to both parties. But they cut those talks short amid an impasse as Democrats asked for more time to negotiate.

How much time is enough? Thune, R-S.D., angrily asked Democrats as he moved to resume votes. He said that the deal was based on a Democratic proposal when President Joe Biden was in office and that the two parties had already been negotiating for weeks.

Weve got to fix this, Thune said. Its time to vote.

RELATED STORY | Senate GOP eyes rule change to fast-track Trump nominee confirmations

Having abandoned the bipartisan talks, Republicans advanced their original plan to hold several procedural votes that allow them to change the Senate rules for confirming presidential nominees. As part of the vote series, they will ask to appeal the chair, or change the rules, which takes a simple majority vote.

Republicans will have to go through additional procedural steps next week for the process to be complete. And if all goes according to their plan, the first tranche of Trump's nominees undersecretaries and staff positions for various agencies across the government as well as several ambassadors could be confirmed as soon as next Thursday.

The rules change effort comes as both parties have obstructed the others nominees for years, and as both Republicans and Democrats have advocated speeding the process when they are in the majority. The Republican rules change stops short of speeding up votes on high-level Cabinet officials and lifetime judicial appointments.

Republicans have been pushing the rules change since early August, when the Senate left for a monthlong recess after a breakdown in bipartisan negotiations over the confirmation process and Trump told Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer to GO TO HELL! on social media.

Democrats have blocked more nominees than ever before as they have struggled to find ways to oppose Trump and the GOP-dominated Congress, and as their voters have pushed them to fight Republicans at every turn. Its the first time in recent history that the minority party hasnt allowed at least some quick confirmations.

Schumer has said Democrats are delaying the nominations because Trumps nominees are historically bad.

If you dont debate nominees, if you dont vote on individual nominees, if theres not some degree of sunlight, what will stop Donald Trump from nominating even worse individuals than weve seen to date, knowing this chamber will rubber stamp anything he wishes? Schumer said Monday.

Still, Democrats continued talks with Republicans into Thursday afternoon as Republicans delayed their votes. The two sides discussed a compromise that would have limited the groups of nominees to 15 and shortened the length of debate.

But in the end, they were not able to agree. Democratic Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii said they were achingly close to a deal.

But I am afraid my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have run out of patience, he added.

The Senate is stuck, said Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford, a Republican who led the negotiations. The challenge is this body has just broken down trust.

Schumer has told Republicans that they will come to regret their action echoing a similar warning from GOP Leader Mitch McConnell to then-Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., in 2013, when Democrats changed Senate rules for executive branch and lower court judicial nominees to remove the 60-vote threshold for confirmations. At the time, Republicans were blocking President Barack Obamas picks.

Republicans took the Senate majority a year later, and McConnell eventually did the same for Supreme Court nominees in 2017 as Democrats tried to block Trumps nomination of Justice Neil Gorsuch.

I say to my Republican colleagues, think carefully before taking this step, Schumer said.

Multiple historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) were put on lockdown and canceled classes on Thursday due to campus threats.

Alabama State University, Hampton University, Virginia State University, Southern University and A&M College and Bethune-Cookman University all cited potential threats made against their respective campuses.

Some of the lockdowns were later lifted with restrictions put in place as law enforcement investigated the grounds.

"Due to a potential threat, Virginia State University is currently on lockdown," the school said in an email to students and staff around 8:30 a.m. ET, according to the Scripps News Group in Richmond. "All students who are on campus should remain indoors, and those off campus should not come to campus at this time. All classes have been canceled, and all VSU employees are instructed to work remotely."

A seemingly similar threat was made against Hampton University in Virginia around the same time on Thursday. The school decided to cancel classes for the remainder of the day and for Sept. 12.

No injuries were reported as a result of the campus threats.

The Trump administration has asked an appeals court to remove Lisa Cook from the Federal Reserves board of governors by Monday, before the central banks next vote on interest rates.

Trump sought to fire Cook Aug. 25, but a federal judge ruled late Tuesday that the removal was illegal and reinstated her to the Feds board. Trump has accused Cook of mortgage fraud because she appeared to claim two properties as primary residences in July 2021, before she joined the board. Such claims can lead to a lower mortgage rate and smaller down payment than if one of them was declared as a rental property or second home. Cook has denied the charges.

On Tuesday, U.S. District Court Judge Jia Cobb ruled that the administration had not satisfied a requirement that Fed governors can only be fired for cause, which she said was limited to misconduct while in office. Cook did not join the Feds board until 2022.

RELATED STORY | Federal Reserve Gov. Lisa Cook sues Trump administration over attempt to fire her

In their emergency appeal, Trumps lawyers argued that even if the conduct occurred before her time as governor, her alleged actions indisputably calls into question Cooks trustworthiness and whether she can be a responsible steward of the interest rates and economy.

They asked an appeals court to issue an emergency decision reversing the lower court by Monday. The Fed begins its next meeting Tuesday, and will announce a decision on interest rates on Wednesday. The central bank is almost certain to reduce its benchmark rate at that meeting by a quarter-point, to about 4.1%.

The fatal shooting of conservative activist and influencer Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University on Wednesday is renewing calls to address a rise in political violence across the United States.

Recent years have seen similar high-profile incidents from the assassination attempt on then-presidential candidate Donald Trump to the hammer attack on Paul Pelosi, the killing of a Minnesota lawmaker, and the shootings of U.S. Reps. Steve Scalise and Gabby Giffords.

FROM THE ARCHIVES | Scripps News Investigates: A surge of political violence in America

Troy Williams, executive director of Equality Utah, said Wednesday's assassination of Charlie Kirk left his community reeling.

"We all feel deep grief and sorrow for what happened yesterday," he told Scripps News. "The political violence that we witnessed was evil and it is imperative that Americans, regardless of our political backgrounds, that we emphatically denounce violence in all of its forms."

Williams urged Americans to reject division and search for common ground.

"America, we got to rise up and we have to be better than this," he said. "We have to transcend these political divisions because the simple truth is that we have people that we love on all sides of the political conflict."

IN RELATED NEWS | Politicians who've experienced violence directly react to Charlie Kirk shooting

Williams emphasized that overcoming divisions is the essence of American pluralism.

"We have to find a way to transcend," he added. "That's what American pluralism is all about. When it's at its healthiest, we're working through conflicts, we're coming together across divides. But at our worst, we're picking up a gun to resolve those conflicts."

Williams said he has been making personal outreach to people across the political spectrum.

"I've been reaching out to my conservative friends and just extending love to them, compassion, seeing the humanity of each other," he added. "This isn't a moment to take political point, cheap political shots. We need to actually reach out to each other and connect across our humanity if we're ever going to solve these problems."

Watch Scripps News' full interview with Troy Williams, executive director of Equality Utah, in the video player above.