Thursday, October 8th

What happened

Israelis marked the third anniversary of the Hamas-led October 7 attack, when attackers killed about 1,200 people in Israel and took 251 hostages, triggering the war in Gaza. Commemorations took place at the Nova festival site and attacked communities, while protests demanded an independent inquiry into security failures and government accountability. All hostages, living and dead, had been returned, making this the first anniversary since their return. The October 27 election is the first since the attacks, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected blame while defending his leadership. More than 74,000 Palestinians have been killed, Gaza health authorities say. Israel still controls more than half of Gaza.

What happened

The World Health Organization asked Russia for more details about a Siberian lab worker’s fatal pneumonia, including reports of a second employee with pneumonia. The United States also formally sought fuller disclosure through a diplomatic démarche, saying it needed the information to judge risk under international health rules. Darya Shipilova, a 28-year-old Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute employee, died after hospitalization with severe pneumonia. Reports alleged a broken test tube exposed her to plague bacteria; Russian health authorities deny any lab accident and say tests found no work-linked pathogen. Russia says no regional plague cases were registered and no epidemic risk remains. The cause is unresolved.

What happened

Christa Pike regained consciousness and began speaking Tuesday, nearly a week after Tennessee tried to execute her with two doses of pentobarbital. A judge ordered the state to preserve drugs, needles, IV equipment, recordings, logs and communications from the attempt, and to answer hospital-visit requests from Pike’s lawyers within two hours. During the execution, staff struggled to establish IV access and used more than seven needles. Pike’s lawyers allege the lines were misplaced or her veins failed, while the state has not given a definitive explanation. Pike was sentenced to death for killing classmate Colleen Slemmer in 1995, when Pike was 18. Whether Tennessee can try again remains unresolved.