Here are today’stop stories.
Headlines
Death Row Inmate Survives Two Lethal Injection Attempts
Tennessee officials were unable to carry out the execution of Christa Pike by lethal injection Wednesday night, hours after the Supreme Court cleared the way for it, according to an emergency motion from her attorneys and accounts from media witnesses. Pike, who would have been the first woman executed in Tennessee in some 200 years, was taken to an off-site medical facility. The state Department of Correction said it followed every step of its approved execution protocol. See Details
Former “American Idol” contestant Caleb Flynn was found guilty of murdering his wife in their Ohio home in February, after he had told police a burglar broke in and killed her. Flynn broke down in tears as the verdict was read, and his defense attorney said he will challenge the conviction. Sentencing is set for October. Source
A pilot on a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was arrested after stabbing the other pilot in the cockpit in what Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described as an apparent attempt to crash the plane. Flight data shows the jet plunged about 17,400 feet in under two minutes before diverting to Saudi Arabia, and passengers have since returned safely to Israel. The airline has opened an investigation. Read More
Politics
Ohio Sen. Jon Husted now tops the latest ranking of the most vulnerable senators, facing a well-funded challenge from former Sen. Sherrod Brown. Maine’s Susan Collins holds the No. 2 spot, three Republican incumbents debut on the list, and a Democratic net gain of four seats for a Senate majority looks more plausible with less than five weeks to go. Read More
Senate Democrats on Wednesday blocked the Stop Insider Trading Act, a bill from vulnerable Nebraska Republican Pete Ricketts to bar lawmakers from buying new stocks of publicly traded companies. The 53-47 vote fell short of the 60 needed, with Democrats arguing the measure didn’t go far enough to crack down on corruption. Find out More
Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee sued former special counsel Jack Smith, alleging his investigation of President Trump unconstitutionally obtained her phone records as a member of Congress. The suit, filed in federal court in Tennessee, moves the fight over the scope of Smith’s probe into the courtroom. Source
U.S. News
President Trump and leaders of major artificial intelligence companies signed what was billed as a “morally binding” agreement to self-police AI development. At a Senate hearing later Wednesday, Sen. Richard Blumenthal blasted the voluntary pledge as worse than ineffectual, and Google unveiled a new Gemini model the same day. See Details
The Trump administration unveiled a redesigned U.S. passport on Wednesday. Officials also announced plans to modernize the application process with an online option. Source
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced in a speech to troops that the military will cut 20% of its admirals and generals. He also distributed a new field manual to service members containing transcripts of his own speeches and a pledge from President Trump to avoid unnecessary wars. Source
Business
U.S. stock futures were little changed early Thursday as markets head into the first trading day of the fourth quarter, with S&P 500 futures up about 0.1%. European markets opened October in the red, and the 30-year fixed mortgage rate has climbed to its highest level since 2023. Source
The economy grew at a 2.2% annualized rate in the second quarter, sharply revised up from 1.5%, even as consumer confidence sits at its lowest level in more than a decade. Business investment, driven heavily by AI and data center construction, grew about twice as fast as consumer spending. Find out More
Inflation stayed stubbornly elevated in August as the war-driven energy shock continued to lift prices, though annual data revisions show prices haven’t been rising as fast as previously thought. The September jobs report is due Friday, with economists expecting about 94,000 jobs added. Source
World News
The last U.S. troops have left Iraq, ending a 12-year mission against the Islamic State group, and President Trump hailed the departure on Wednesday. Iraqis marked the withdrawal with celebratory convoys in Baghdad as security was tightened around the capital. See Details
Pakistan carried out overnight airstrikes in two Afghan provinces, with Afghanistan saying nine women and children were killed and 11 civilians wounded. Pakistan said it struck militant hideouts and killed 22 militants; neither side’s claims could be independently verified. Read More
Britain’s MI5 issued an unprecedented alert warning that a Chinese organization has been funding academic research into AI and other technologies on behalf of Beijing’s state security service. The warning targets universities and researchers working in sensitive fields. See Details
Entertainment
Warner Bros. released a new ad for Tom Cruise’s “Digger” that pushes back on the film’s harsh reviews, urging moviegoers to decide for themselves. The spot pairs opposing critic quotes with a defiant, profane line from Cruise’s character. See Details
Jim Carrey has married his girlfriend, Min Ah, in a small private ceremony in Los Angeles. The couple made their public debut together at France’s César Awards in February. Source
Bradley Whitford said at his Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony that it may be time to bring back “The West Wing” as a limited series. Co-star Dulé Hill said the cast would return if creator Aaron Sorkin writes it. See Details
Sports
The Yankees swept the Red Sox out of the American League Wild Card Series and will face the Rays in the ALDS. Boston’s bats went cold throughout the series, with a 27-inning scoreless streak finally snapped by a Willson Contreras home run. Read More
Alec Bohm hit a go-ahead home run in the 10th inning as the Phillies beat the Braves 4-3 to force a decisive Game 3 in their NL Wild Card Series. Bryce Harper’s eighth-inning homer had tied the game. Source
NASCAR legend Richard Petty criticized the sport’s new Chase format, warning the title could be decided before the final races after Kyle Larson’s dominant Kansas win. Denny Hamlin pushed back, saying fans should relax with six races left. Source
The Vegas Golden Knights opened their season with a 5-2 home win over the Chicago Blackhawks at T-Mobile Arena. Trevor Connelly scored his first NHL goal and Noah Hanifin added his first of the season, while Patrick Kane scored for Chicago. Source
Off the Wall
A Kansas dog earned praise after leading a police officer to its injured owner. The officer found the leashed dog alone in the street and followed it home, where the owner had fallen in the garage; the owner is now recovering at home. Source
