Photo: Science Photo Library RF
1 Netanyahu Says It's Too Early To Determine Motive In Airplane Stabbing
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says investigators still do not know why a FlyDubai co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain and caused the passenger jet to plunge thousands of feet during a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. The trouble began about two hours into yesterday's flight when officials say the co-pilot attacked the captain inside the cockpit. Flight data showed the plane dropped about 17-thousand feet, climbed roughly 5-thousand feet, then fell another 7-thousand feet before stabilizing. Despite being wounded, the captain managed to fight back and unlock the cockpit door. Passengers and crew members then rushed inside and subdued the co-pilot, and two off-duty pilots who happened to be aboard took control and safely landed the plane in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. All 174 people aboard survived, and most passengers later continued to Israel on another aircraft. Netanyahu said the co-pilot appeared to be trying to interfere with the controls rather than fly the plane. He said that could point to a suicide attempt, but stressed that investigators do not yet know the motive.
2 Tennessee's Attempt To Execute Woman On Death Row Fails
Tennessee officials were unable to carry out the execution of Christa Pike last night after she remained conscious following two doses of the lethal injection drug pentobarbital. Pike, 50, had been set to become the first woman executed in Tennessee in more than 200 years. Media witnesses said Pike was still awake and audibly snoring more than 40 minutes after the final dose. A federal appeals court briefly paused the execution, but the U.S. Supreme Court allowed it to continue. Tennessee officials had not announced what would happen next following the failed execution attempt.
3 Last US Troops Make "Orderly Departure" From Iraq
The U.S. military has completed its withdrawal from Iraq, ending a 12-year mission that began when American forces returned in 2014 to fight ISIS. About 2,500 U.S. troops had remained in Iraq for years, helping prevent the extremist group from rebuilding. The withdrawal agreement was negotiated under the Biden administration in 2024 and continued under President Donald Trump. U.S. Central Command says Iraqi forces will now take the lead on security, but American officials say questions remain about whether ISIS could return and how much influence Iran-backed groups may gain inside Iraq.