Tennessee halts executions after failed lethal injection for Christa Pike
Christa Pike, the only woman on Tennessee's death row, was scheduled to die by lethal injection this week in what would have been the state's first execution of a woman in 200 years. The U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for the procedure after a lower court had temporarily paused it, and Governor Bill Lee had denied her clemency request. Pike, 50, was convicted of the 1995 torture-murder of classmate Colleen Slemmer in Knoxville.
The execution attempt failed. After receiving two doses of the lethal drug, Pike remained alive and, according to her attorneys, was snoring roughly 40 minutes later. She survived the double dose and was taken to a hospital in critical condition. In a final statement before the procedure, she had said she was 'ready to be free.'
Lee called the episode 'deeply disturbing,' ordered an independent inquiry and suspended further executions while the state reviews what went wrong. Her lawyer, Randy Spivey, is now representing a client who survived two lethal injections.
New York attorney general named special prosecutor in Cornell rape case
A Cornell University student, identified in court filings as Jane Doe, alleges she was gang‑raped by seven fraternity members in 2024 and says the university failed to protect her or respond adequately. Her attorney says she told police, “I was raped,” and that a photograph of her was shared with a group on the night of the alleged assault.
Governor Kathy Hochul appointed state Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor to take over the case, saying she had lost faith in the local district attorney's handling of it. Hochul said the woman had been “failed” by the system and pledged to ensure the facts are brought to light.
Documents obtained in the case show Jane Doe wrote that she felt 'like bait,' and her attorney has pushed back against suggestions that her police statement was ambiguous. The investigation is ongoing.
Flydubai captain describes fight to stop co-pilot attack
Captain Smit Machchhar, the pilot of a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, was stabbed by his co-pilot midair and is recovering in an Abu Dhabi hospital. In a video call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he recounted the assault, which authorities have described as an apparent attempt to crash the aircraft.
Machchhar said he was 'fighting for my life' but believed that if he did not get up, the passengers would die. As the plane began a steep descent, he made what he called a 'last push' to open the cockpit door so others could enter and help subdue the attacker. He credited his faith and his duty to the passengers for giving him the strength to act.
Ann Widdecombe murder suspect charged with terror plot against Farage
Joshua Kerry, 28, of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, who is already accused of murdering former lawmaker Ann Widdecombe, has been charged with engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts, including a plot targeting Reform UK leader Nigel Farage. The Crown Prosecution Service laid the additional charge on Friday, and counter-terror police said it followed a 'hugely intensive and complex investigation.'
Two Iranian men charged over alleged Manchester Jewish community terror plot
Rahman Salehi, 35, and Salam Ahmadyan, 36, both Iranian nationals, have been charged with preparing to commit an act of terrorism, or assisting another to do so, in connection with an alleged plot targeting Manchester's Jewish community ahead of Yom Kippur. The pair were arrested on 20 September in the Northern Quarter area of the city on the eve of the holy day.
North Korea fires ballistic missile after rejecting Seoul mine claim
North Korea fired a ballistic missile from the Wonsan area toward the East Sea at about 6:30 a.m. Saturday, South Korean and Japanese officials said. The launch came a day after Pyongyang rejected Seoul's accusation that North Korean mines had wounded South Korean soldiers in the Demilitarized Zone, and after Kim Yo-jong, sister of leader Kim Jong-un, denounced the South's claim.
G7 agrees to coordinated release of diesel reserves
The Group of Seven said in a joint statement that its members would carry out a coordinated release of 100 million barrels of diesel reserves, to begin immediately. President Donald Trump, who had pressed European allies to release stockpiles, said Europe had agreed to release a 'massive amount' of diesel.
Trump had threatened to ban diesel exports in an effort to lower U.S. prices before the November elections, an issue that has damaged his standing at home.
Gypsy Rose Blanchard's partner Ken Urker found dead at 34
Kenan 'Ken' Urker, 34, the on-and-off partner of Gypsy Rose Blanchard and father of her daughter, was found dead inside his Louisiana home on his 34th birthday on Thursday. Deputies conducting a welfare check found him unresponsive, and the Lafourche Parish sheriff's office described the death as an apparent drug overdose.
Republican super PAC pulls funding from North Carolina Senate race
The Senate Leadership Fund, the main Republican super PAC focused on Senate races, is pulling future advertising spending from North Carolina candidate Michael Whatley and redirecting resources to other contests, including Kansas. The move reflects Republican concern that Whatley cannot win the seat in a state Donald Trump carried three times, and signals the party is triaging resources as its midterm outlook dims.
Ethiopia and Eritrea sever diplomatic ties amid northern conflict
Ethiopia and Eritrea broke diplomatic relations on Thursday, each accusing the other of stoking internal conflicts. The rupture comes as Ethiopian forces battle rebel fighters across the country's northern region, and analysts have warned that the unrest could spill into neighboring states and further destabilize war-torn Sudan.
Manchester City appeals guilty verdict in financial breach case
Manchester City has lodged an appeal after an independent commission found the club guilty of multiple breaches of English football's financial regulations in a long-running case that dates to 2018. The Football Association said the verdict has 'significant implications for the game's integrity' and confirmed it has the power to charge the club and individuals once the appeal process ends.
Federal judge halts border wall construction in Texas Big Bend
A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from expanding border-wall and security infrastructure across the Big Bend region of West Texas, including through Big Bend National Park. The plan, which called for roads and vehicle barriers across the popular park, drew fierce local opposition and protests, and the ruling is a setback to the administration's broader goal of building hundreds of miles of barriers.