23 days ago
Spike Lee came out in support of Nolan Wells and his family. The filmmaker shared a "do the right thing" inspired image to support Wells amid his family's ongoing efforts to seek a federal investigation.
Spike Lee took to Instagram to share a post supporting Nolan Wells. He shared a photo of himself wearing a ring that reads "Nolan Wells." Lee's post was inspired by his 1989 film Do the Right Thing, which explores tension, injustice, and conflict. His post came as Nolan Wells' family continued calling for a federal investigation into the case amid racial tensions surrounding his death.
Following his post, the internet was quick to react, with many users coming up in support of Wells. One user said, "One of the best movies of all time. Thank you, Spike!" Another user wrote, "I'm Chip tha Ripper, and I approve this message ?." One user commented, "Another injustice and senseless loss. The fact that his family will never have true peace is horrific."
Another Instagram user said, "Nolan Wells was LOVED, but it hurts to think the people he called FRIENDS couldn't show him that same love. His name will never be forgotten. #????️."
Lee is not the only public figure to support Wells. The case also drew attention from Donald Trump. When a White House reporter asked Trump about Wells' family demanding a federal investigation, he said, "Well, we're looking at that. Yes, we are." (via The Guardian)
#support
Spike Lee took to Instagram to share a post supporting Nolan Wells. He shared a photo of himself wearing a ring that reads "Nolan Wells." Lee's post was inspired by his 1989 film Do the Right Thing, which explores tension, injustice, and conflict. His post came as Nolan Wells' family continued calling for a federal investigation into the case amid racial tensions surrounding his death.
Following his post, the internet was quick to react, with many users coming up in support of Wells. One user said, "One of the best movies of all time. Thank you, Spike!" Another user wrote, "I'm Chip tha Ripper, and I approve this message ?." One user commented, "Another injustice and senseless loss. The fact that his family will never have true peace is horrific."
Another Instagram user said, "Nolan Wells was LOVED, but it hurts to think the people he called FRIENDS couldn't show him that same love. His name will never be forgotten. #????️."
Lee is not the only public figure to support Wells. The case also drew attention from Donald Trump. When a White House reporter asked Trump about Wells' family demanding a federal investigation, he said, "Well, we're looking at that. Yes, we are." (via The Guardian)
#support
23 days ago
Christa Pike is "up and walking" in the hospital after surviving last week's failed attempt to execute her in Tennessee, a member of her legal team said Thursday.
Lawyer Stephen Ferrell told the BBC that he had learned she was moving around her hospital room, although he had not spoken to her.
"What's been described to me is that physically there's quite a bit going on, that her arms are very injured and she's not able to use them very much," he said. "She is up and walking for the first time today, but just around the room, not very far."
Ferrell described her mental state as "kind of good and bad," adding, "Good that she is fairly with it, but she's also somewhat foggy. She can lose her train of thought really easily and forgets where she's going."
He said he ****** umed Pike's situation would "keep improving," but added that "there could be some permanent damage. We don't know that yet."
#walking #around
Lawyer Stephen Ferrell told the BBC that he had learned she was moving around her hospital room, although he had not spoken to her.
"What's been described to me is that physically there's quite a bit going on, that her arms are very injured and she's not able to use them very much," he said. "She is up and walking for the first time today, but just around the room, not very far."
Ferrell described her mental state as "kind of good and bad," adding, "Good that she is fairly with it, but she's also somewhat foggy. She can lose her train of thought really easily and forgets where she's going."
He said he ****** umed Pike's situation would "keep improving," but added that "there could be some permanent damage. We don't know that yet."
#walking #around
23 days ago
Red carpet fashion does not always stop at an extraordinary dress. Some stars have taken transformation much further, using prosthetics, sculptural makeup and elaborate accessories to turn themselves into fantastical characters. From fairy inspired beauty to feline features and even a dramatic peacock transformation, these looks blurred the boundaries between fashion, makeup and performance art. Ariana Grande, Karol G, Doja Cat, Rita Ora and Heidi Klum have all experimented with this theatrical approach. Rather than simply complementing their outfits, the unusual additions became essential parts of the overall illusion.
At the 2024 Met Gala, Ariana Grande embraced an ethereal aesthetic in a custom Loewe creation. The look combined an iridescent corseted bodice with a flowing pleated skirt, but some of its most memorable details appeared around her eyes. Delicate three dimensional wings extended from her face, adding a fairy like quality that worked naturally with the event's Garden of Time theme.
Karol G also entered a fantasy world at the same Met Gala. Wearing a crystal covered Marc Jacobs gown, the Colombian singer added prosthetic elf ears that transformed the glamorous ensemble into something more otherworldly. A sparkling headpiece and green jewels enhanced the effect, creating an interpretation that seemed to belong in an enchanted forest.
Doja Cat took transformation even further at the 2023 Met Gala, where the evening celebrated the work of Karl Lagerfeld. She referenced Lagerfeld's famous cat Choupette with a custom Oscar de la Renta gown featuring a hood with cat ears and a feathered train. Prosthetic facial features completed the transformation, giving her a feline appearance while preserving the elegance expected from a major fashion event.
Rita Ora demonstrated how prosthetics could create drama from an otherwise restrained silhouette at the 2024 Fashion Awards in London. She wore a backless black Primark gown that revealed an extraordinary prosthetic structure running down her back. The sculpted spikes resembled a reptilian or prehistoric spine, turning the exposed skin itself into part of the fashion statement.
#prosthetic
At the 2024 Met Gala, Ariana Grande embraced an ethereal aesthetic in a custom Loewe creation. The look combined an iridescent corseted bodice with a flowing pleated skirt, but some of its most memorable details appeared around her eyes. Delicate three dimensional wings extended from her face, adding a fairy like quality that worked naturally with the event's Garden of Time theme.
Karol G also entered a fantasy world at the same Met Gala. Wearing a crystal covered Marc Jacobs gown, the Colombian singer added prosthetic elf ears that transformed the glamorous ensemble into something more otherworldly. A sparkling headpiece and green jewels enhanced the effect, creating an interpretation that seemed to belong in an enchanted forest.
Doja Cat took transformation even further at the 2023 Met Gala, where the evening celebrated the work of Karl Lagerfeld. She referenced Lagerfeld's famous cat Choupette with a custom Oscar de la Renta gown featuring a hood with cat ears and a feathered train. Prosthetic facial features completed the transformation, giving her a feline appearance while preserving the elegance expected from a major fashion event.
Rita Ora demonstrated how prosthetics could create drama from an otherwise restrained silhouette at the 2024 Fashion Awards in London. She wore a backless black Primark gown that revealed an extraordinary prosthetic structure running down her back. The sculpted spikes resembled a reptilian or prehistoric spine, turning the exposed skin itself into part of the fashion statement.
#prosthetic
24 days ago
HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) — A Texas man who fatally shot a convenience store clerk was put to death Wednesday evening, becoming the 30th person executed in the U.S. this year and the first since Tennessee's failed attempt to administer a lethal injection to Christa Pike a week ago.
Jamaal Howard, 46, was **** ounced dead at 8:03 p.m. after receiving a fatal dose of pentobarbital at the state prison in Huntsville. He was convicted of killing of Vickie Swartout, 42, in a 2000 store robbery caught on surveillance video.
Asked by the warden if he had a final statement, Howard apologized profusely to some members of his victim's family, who watched through a window just feet from the death chamber.
"I wish that you accept my apology and I wish for your forgiveness," he said, shortly before the injection got underway. "I'm sorry for what happened. I wish you can learn to forgive me one of these days."
He also thanked his friends and family and said he loved them, adding he was "in a good state of mind to find peace and the Lord, so I thank y'all." He concluded with: "Hey, enjoy life, and peace to y'all."
#howard
Jamaal Howard, 46, was **** ounced dead at 8:03 p.m. after receiving a fatal dose of pentobarbital at the state prison in Huntsville. He was convicted of killing of Vickie Swartout, 42, in a 2000 store robbery caught on surveillance video.
Asked by the warden if he had a final statement, Howard apologized profusely to some members of his victim's family, who watched through a window just feet from the death chamber.
"I wish that you accept my apology and I wish for your forgiveness," he said, shortly before the injection got underway. "I'm sorry for what happened. I wish you can learn to forgive me one of these days."
He also thanked his friends and family and said he loved them, adding he was "in a good state of mind to find peace and the Lord, so I thank y'all." He concluded with: "Hey, enjoy life, and peace to y'all."
#howard
24 days ago
Christa Pike is feeling "angry and confused" after waking up in the hospital in the wake of a failed execution attempt that left her with severe physical health challenges that put her on a "long road to recovery," her attorneys said on Wednesday.
Pike had been unconscious and in critical condition in the days after two doses of pentobarbital failed to end her life on Sept. 30, they said.
"On Monday night, it was our understanding that Christa was brain-dead and that life support would be removed the next day," Randy Spivey, a member of her legal team, said during a press conference Wednesday afternoon. "But on Tuesday, to the shock of everyone … Christa woke up and began talking."
Spivey said the effects of the pentobarbital have caused her to develop a blood clot, pneumonia and left her arms and hands "tremendously swollen," to the point where she's not currently able to use them. He added that Pike is still dealing with significant "cognitive confusion," but is "very aware" that the state had tried and failed to end her life.
The press conference came shortly after a hearing in which a judge granted Pike's attorneys' request to order the state to preserve all evidence connected to the execution, including medical equipment, communications related to the decision to call off the procedure or related to her emergency care and "anything that was in the actual room." The judge also ordered that any "barriers" that may prevent Pike from communicating with her attorneys while she's in the hospital be removed.
#attorneys #execution
Pike had been unconscious and in critical condition in the days after two doses of pentobarbital failed to end her life on Sept. 30, they said.
"On Monday night, it was our understanding that Christa was brain-dead and that life support would be removed the next day," Randy Spivey, a member of her legal team, said during a press conference Wednesday afternoon. "But on Tuesday, to the shock of everyone … Christa woke up and began talking."
Spivey said the effects of the pentobarbital have caused her to develop a blood clot, pneumonia and left her arms and hands "tremendously swollen," to the point where she's not currently able to use them. He added that Pike is still dealing with significant "cognitive confusion," but is "very aware" that the state had tried and failed to end her life.
The press conference came shortly after a hearing in which a judge granted Pike's attorneys' request to order the state to preserve all evidence connected to the execution, including medical equipment, communications related to the decision to call off the procedure or related to her emergency care and "anything that was in the actual room." The judge also ordered that any "barriers" that may prevent Pike from communicating with her attorneys while she's in the hospital be removed.
#attorneys #execution
24 days ago
What was the outcome of the 1947 Supreme Court case on second executions?
What legal argument do experts use to differentiate Pike's case from 1947?
Why do experts argue a second execution attempt would be unconstitutional?
Full Summary
With the astonishing news that Christa Pike is conscious, talking and making a "medically unprecedented" recovery following her botched execution, Tennessee is now facing a critical question: Will the state try to kill her again?
#second #execution #supreme #court
What legal argument do experts use to differentiate Pike's case from 1947?
Why do experts argue a second execution attempt would be unconstitutional?
Full Summary
With the astonishing news that Christa Pike is conscious, talking and making a "medically unprecedented" recovery following her botched execution, Tennessee is now facing a critical question: Will the state try to kill her again?
#second #execution #supreme #court
25 days ago
Christa Pike is conscious and speaking in the hospital after surviving Tennessee's attempt to execute her last week, her lawyers said Tuesday.
"Against all odds, Christa Pike is conscious, speaking, and continues to receive critical medical care. Despite the severe damage she endured to her arms, she is still handcuffed and shackled to the bed. Her recovery is medically unprecedented. Her prognosis remains unclear but, at a minimum, we expect a long recovery," her legal team wrote in a statement released to the media.
Pike had been unconscious and in critical condition in the days after two doses of pentobarbital failed to end her life on Wednesday, Sept. 30, according to her attorneys.
Dr. Joel Zivot, a medical expert who has consulted with Pike's legal team, told the **** ociated Press that the latest update "bodes well for a good recovery," but said that the full picture of her long-term health won't be clear for some time.
"She has recovered to a certain degree that she's able to be off a ventilator and able to speak, but in no way would I announce her free of further serious risk," he said. "There's still a lot of bad things that can happen here."
#recovery #speaking
"Against all odds, Christa Pike is conscious, speaking, and continues to receive critical medical care. Despite the severe damage she endured to her arms, she is still handcuffed and shackled to the bed. Her recovery is medically unprecedented. Her prognosis remains unclear but, at a minimum, we expect a long recovery," her legal team wrote in a statement released to the media.
Pike had been unconscious and in critical condition in the days after two doses of pentobarbital failed to end her life on Wednesday, Sept. 30, according to her attorneys.
Dr. Joel Zivot, a medical expert who has consulted with Pike's legal team, told the **** ociated Press that the latest update "bodes well for a good recovery," but said that the full picture of her long-term health won't be clear for some time.
"She has recovered to a certain degree that she's able to be off a ventilator and able to speak, but in no way would I announce her free of further serious risk," he said. "There's still a lot of bad things that can happen here."
#recovery #speaking
25 days ago
Nidal Malik Hasan, a former Army major who killed 13 people in a 2009 mass shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, will be executed by firing squad, the Pentagon announced Monday.
"Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has recommended — and President Donald J. Trump has approved — death by U.S. Army firing squad for convicted terrorist Nidal Malik Hasan, the jihadist who opened fire on unarmed American soldiers at Fort Hood in 2009," chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell wrote on X.
He added, "The Secretary of the Army will set the time and place of the execution. Judgement day for Hasan has finally come."
The U.S. military has not carried out an execution since 1961 and has not used a firing squad to execute a service member since World War II.
The announcement of Trump's approval came days after a failed attempt to execute Christa Pike by lethal injection. The failed execution prompted Tennessee's governor to halt further executions this year and order a third-party review.
#firing #squad #nidal #fort
"Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has recommended — and President Donald J. Trump has approved — death by U.S. Army firing squad for convicted terrorist Nidal Malik Hasan, the jihadist who opened fire on unarmed American soldiers at Fort Hood in 2009," chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell wrote on X.
He added, "The Secretary of the Army will set the time and place of the execution. Judgement day for Hasan has finally come."
The U.S. military has not carried out an execution since 1961 and has not used a firing squad to execute a service member since World War II.
The announcement of Trump's approval came days after a failed attempt to execute Christa Pike by lethal injection. The failed execution prompted Tennessee's governor to halt further executions this year and order a third-party review.
#firing #squad #nidal #fort
25 days ago
Why did John Thune say there's no path forward for the bill?
What safety concerns did Roger Wicker raise about the bill?
Why was Christa Pike’s execution halted in Tennessee?
Full Summary
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said in an Oct. 5 interview that "there’s no clear path forward" for legislation that would make daylight saving time permanent.
#john #path #bill #Roger
What safety concerns did Roger Wicker raise about the bill?
Why was Christa Pike’s execution halted in Tennessee?
Full Summary
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said in an Oct. 5 interview that "there’s no clear path forward" for legislation that would make daylight saving time permanent.
#john #path #bill #Roger
25 days ago
Updated on: October 5, 2026 / 7:40 PM EDT / CBS News
Christa Pike, the death row inmate who last week survived Tennessee's attempt to execute her, remained hospitalized on a ventilator Monday, according to her attorney.
He said it was still unclear whether Pike would regain consciousness but urged the state to "take death off the table" by commuting her sentence, renewing an earlier request that the governor denied before her botched lethal injection.
"The least that could happen now is that we at least take death off the table and start looking for what the future could be for her," attorney Steve Ferrell, of the Federal Defender Services of Eastern Tennessee, told "CBS Mornings."
Ferrell added that he and the rest of Pike's legal team were "certainly willing to discuss that with the governor, with whoever could make that decision."
#pike #take #table #updated
Christa Pike, the death row inmate who last week survived Tennessee's attempt to execute her, remained hospitalized on a ventilator Monday, according to her attorney.
He said it was still unclear whether Pike would regain consciousness but urged the state to "take death off the table" by commuting her sentence, renewing an earlier request that the governor denied before her botched lethal injection.
"The least that could happen now is that we at least take death off the table and start looking for what the future could be for her," attorney Steve Ferrell, of the Federal Defender Services of Eastern Tennessee, told "CBS Mornings."
Ferrell added that he and the rest of Pike's legal team were "certainly willing to discuss that with the governor, with whoever could make that decision."
#pike #take #table #updated
26 days ago
John Leguizamo, the veteran stage and screen actor and leading activist for Latino representation in Hollywood, who is currently garnering career-best notices and Oscar buzz for his portrayal of Eumaeus in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, is our guest on this episode of The Hollywood Reporter's Awards Chatter podcast, which was recorded in front of an audience of students at Chapman University.
Over the course of 42 years in the business, Leguizamo has worked with everyone. He has been directed by Brian De Palma, Spike Lee, Baz Luhrmann and Jon Favreau multiple times, as well as by Mike Nichols, George A. Romero, Ridley Scott, Todd Haynes, M. Night Shyamalan, Ava DuVernay and Christopher Nolan. And he has shared the screen with the likes of Sean Penn, Harrison Ford, Al Pacino, Leonardo DiCaprio, Wesley Snipes, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Robert De Niro, Keanu Reeves, Nicole Kidman, Kevin Hart, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler and Matt Damon.
In the movies, he has starred in blockbuster studio franchises (Ice Age and John Wick), revered indies (Poison and Chef) and cult classics (Super Mario Bros. and To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar). On TV, he has been on hit network shows (ER) and acclaimed limited series (Waco and When They See Us). And on the stage, he has written and starred in six acclaimed one-man shows. Between them all, he has accumulated an Emmy Award and a special Tony Award, as well as Golden Globe and Critics Choice award nominations.
More from The Hollywood Reporter
Universal Becomes First Studio to Cross $5B at 2026 Global Box Office
Charlize Theron Says 'The Odyssey' Just Gave Hollywood a Much-Needed Reminder
#hollywood
Over the course of 42 years in the business, Leguizamo has worked with everyone. He has been directed by Brian De Palma, Spike Lee, Baz Luhrmann and Jon Favreau multiple times, as well as by Mike Nichols, George A. Romero, Ridley Scott, Todd Haynes, M. Night Shyamalan, Ava DuVernay and Christopher Nolan. And he has shared the screen with the likes of Sean Penn, Harrison Ford, Al Pacino, Leonardo DiCaprio, Wesley Snipes, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Robert De Niro, Keanu Reeves, Nicole Kidman, Kevin Hart, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler and Matt Damon.
In the movies, he has starred in blockbuster studio franchises (Ice Age and John Wick), revered indies (Poison and Chef) and cult classics (Super Mario Bros. and To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar). On TV, he has been on hit network shows (ER) and acclaimed limited series (Waco and When They See Us). And on the stage, he has written and starred in six acclaimed one-man shows. Between them all, he has accumulated an Emmy Award and a special Tony Award, as well as Golden Globe and Critics Choice award nominations.
More from The Hollywood Reporter
Universal Becomes First Studio to Cross $5B at 2026 Global Box Office
Charlize Theron Says 'The Odyssey' Just Gave Hollywood a Much-Needed Reminder
#hollywood
26 days ago
Hasan Piker came to the defense of children's entertainer Ms. Rachel after Fox News warned parents against her content, blasting the network for finding "two people who don't want children to be slaughtered" unacceptable.
The drama started on Fox News' "The Big Weekend Show," when contributor Tomi Lahren weighed in on Ms. Rachel (also known as Rachel Anne Accurso)'s past collaborations with left-wing figures, including New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
"I'd also say this person here on your screen is Hasan Piker in overalls and a stupid headband," Lahren noted during the conversation. "So, if that's what you want your kids to be watching, if that's what you want to be forming their ideas and their world view on, by all means."
As Lahren went on, she took aim at Ms. Rachel's appearance, adding, "There she looks age appropriate in that one photo."
"Listen, you can be a leftie and you can be like, a kids' educator, right? And you can be like, 'I'm a Democrat,' whatever," she continued. "But when you go so far as to advocate for things like Hamas, Palestine and you cloud people's judgement on what exactly a genocide is and who's to blame and you talk about Israel then you are not a children's educator anymore. You're a political activist. Like I said, Hasan Piker in a headband and overalls. So, parents, if that's what you want, I guess keep watching Ms. Rachel."
#rachel #piker #headband #kids
The drama started on Fox News' "The Big Weekend Show," when contributor Tomi Lahren weighed in on Ms. Rachel (also known as Rachel Anne Accurso)'s past collaborations with left-wing figures, including New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
"I'd also say this person here on your screen is Hasan Piker in overalls and a stupid headband," Lahren noted during the conversation. "So, if that's what you want your kids to be watching, if that's what you want to be forming their ideas and their world view on, by all means."
As Lahren went on, she took aim at Ms. Rachel's appearance, adding, "There she looks age appropriate in that one photo."
"Listen, you can be a leftie and you can be like, a kids' educator, right? And you can be like, 'I'm a Democrat,' whatever," she continued. "But when you go so far as to advocate for things like Hamas, Palestine and you cloud people's judgement on what exactly a genocide is and who's to blame and you talk about Israel then you are not a children's educator anymore. You're a political activist. Like I said, Hasan Piker in a headband and overalls. So, parents, if that's what you want, I guess keep watching Ms. Rachel."
#rachel #piker #headband #kids
27 days ago
PUBLISHED
OCT 03, 2026 AT 07:38 PM EDT
Tennessee officials are still investigating why death row inmate Christa Pike survived an execution attempt after receiving two doses of pentobarbital, a drug intended to render a person unconscious and ultimately cause death.
While the immediate focus has been on what went wrong inside the execution chamber, experts say Pike's case has also renewed scrutiny of a problem that has been building for more than a decade: how states obtain lethal injection drugs after pharmaceutical companies moved aggressively to keep their products from being used in executions. Despite those efforts, pentobarbital remains the primary execution drug used by many death-penalty states, making questions about sourcing, testing and oversight especially significant.
The issue has reshaped how many states carry out executions, forcing them to change drug protocols, seek alternative suppliers and adopt increasingly secretive procurement practices.
#pentobarbital #executions #published #tennessee
OCT 03, 2026 AT 07:38 PM EDT
Tennessee officials are still investigating why death row inmate Christa Pike survived an execution attempt after receiving two doses of pentobarbital, a drug intended to render a person unconscious and ultimately cause death.
While the immediate focus has been on what went wrong inside the execution chamber, experts say Pike's case has also renewed scrutiny of a problem that has been building for more than a decade: how states obtain lethal injection drugs after pharmaceutical companies moved aggressively to keep their products from being used in executions. Despite those efforts, pentobarbital remains the primary execution drug used by many death-penalty states, making questions about sourcing, testing and oversight especially significant.
The issue has reshaped how many states carry out executions, forcing them to change drug protocols, seek alternative suppliers and adopt increasingly secretive procurement practices.
#pentobarbital #executions #published #tennessee
28 days ago
What type of jet is missing off Nantucket?
Where was the missing jet traveling from and to?
What was the outcome of Christa Pike's botched execution?
Full Summary
The U.S. Coast Guard is searching off the coast of Nantucket for a missing jet carrying six people after it went missing the morning of Oct. 3.
#full #guard #type #outcome
Where was the missing jet traveling from and to?
What was the outcome of Christa Pike's botched execution?
Full Summary
The U.S. Coast Guard is searching off the coast of Nantucket for a missing jet carrying six people after it went missing the morning of Oct. 3.
#full #guard #type #outcome
28 days ago
The failed execution of Christa Pike in Tennessee on Wednesday has added new fuel to the longstanding debate over the death penalty in the United States. It has also drawn new scrutiny to the question of whether lethal injection, the nation's primary method of execution for the past 40 years, is truly a "more humane" alternative to other ways of putting someone to death.
Pike was given a death sentence in 1996 after being convicted of killing her classmate, Colleen Slemmer, in an attack she carried out with her then boyfriend. After 30 years on death row, and a last-minute legal battle that temporarily delayed her execution, Pike was scheduled to be put to death on Wednesday night.
However, the two doses of pentobarbital she was given proved not to be fatal. According to witnesses, Pike remained alive and snored loudly for 40 minutes after the drugs were administered. Eventually, the execution was called off and she was taken to the hospital for treatment.
Pike's attorney Randy Spivey reported Thursday afternoon that she was in critical condition and receiving "life-saving care." She was unconscious and placed on a ventilator in the hospital, according to a filing by her legal team on Friday.
Spivey admonished the state for going forward with lethal injection despite his warnings ahead of time that a blood-clotting disorder called thrombocytosis "would cause her to suffer an agonizing death." Pike's attorneys had asked the courts to permit her to die by hanging, but the request was denied.
#pike #years #given
Pike was given a death sentence in 1996 after being convicted of killing her classmate, Colleen Slemmer, in an attack she carried out with her then boyfriend. After 30 years on death row, and a last-minute legal battle that temporarily delayed her execution, Pike was scheduled to be put to death on Wednesday night.
However, the two doses of pentobarbital she was given proved not to be fatal. According to witnesses, Pike remained alive and snored loudly for 40 minutes after the drugs were administered. Eventually, the execution was called off and she was taken to the hospital for treatment.
Pike's attorney Randy Spivey reported Thursday afternoon that she was in critical condition and receiving "life-saving care." She was unconscious and placed on a ventilator in the hospital, according to a filing by her legal team on Friday.
Spivey admonished the state for going forward with lethal injection despite his warnings ahead of time that a blood-clotting disorder called thrombocytosis "would cause her to suffer an agonizing death." Pike's attorneys had asked the courts to permit her to die by hanging, but the request was denied.
#pike #years #given
28 days ago
By Kanishka Singh
WASHINGTON, Oct 2 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said the US government will send a one-time $90 payment to more than 20 million Americans enrolled in Medicare, a health insurance program for the elderly, to help offset the cost of their monthly medical insurance premiums.
Trump said on social media late on Friday the payments will come from the Medicare Improvement Fund, which he said was given $2 billion by Congress to improve the Medicare fee-for-service program.
The announcement is the latest in a series of financial promises the Republican leader has made to voters heading into the November midterm elections where control of Congress is at stake.
Trump's Republican Party currently has a narrow majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives but his approval rating has been low over his handling of the high cost of living for Americans during the US-Israeli war on Iran that has spiked oil and gas prices.
#americans #insurance #program #singh
WASHINGTON, Oct 2 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said the US government will send a one-time $90 payment to more than 20 million Americans enrolled in Medicare, a health insurance program for the elderly, to help offset the cost of their monthly medical insurance premiums.
Trump said on social media late on Friday the payments will come from the Medicare Improvement Fund, which he said was given $2 billion by Congress to improve the Medicare fee-for-service program.
The announcement is the latest in a series of financial promises the Republican leader has made to voters heading into the November midterm elections where control of Congress is at stake.
Trump's Republican Party currently has a narrow majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives but his approval rating has been low over his handling of the high cost of living for Americans during the US-Israeli war on Iran that has spiked oil and gas prices.
#americans #insurance #program #singh
28 days ago
Correction: An earlier version of this story mistakenly said the emergency court hearing request was granted by a judge.
An Oct. 2 emergency court filing seeks to preserve all evidence related to Tennessee's failed execution of Christa Pike, arguing the state botched the lethal injection procedure.
A judge was considering the request shortly after it was filed. While an unsigned document for the hearing was filed in the court system, no date or time was immediately listed.
Pike was set to be executed by the Tennessee Department of Correction on Sept. 30, but survived two doses of pentobarbital. The document, filed in Davidson County Chancery Court on Oct. 2, revealed more details about Pike's condition. It said she is intubated, on a ventilator and unconscious, and that both her arms were swollen, burned and blistered. As of the night of Oct. 1, Pike was still in critical condition at a Nashville-area hospital, the motion said.
"Hospital staff are working to save Ms. Pike's life and to clear the pentobarbital from her system," the Oct. 2 motion stated.
#pike #correction #hospital #hearing
An Oct. 2 emergency court filing seeks to preserve all evidence related to Tennessee's failed execution of Christa Pike, arguing the state botched the lethal injection procedure.
A judge was considering the request shortly after it was filed. While an unsigned document for the hearing was filed in the court system, no date or time was immediately listed.
Pike was set to be executed by the Tennessee Department of Correction on Sept. 30, but survived two doses of pentobarbital. The document, filed in Davidson County Chancery Court on Oct. 2, revealed more details about Pike's condition. It said she is intubated, on a ventilator and unconscious, and that both her arms were swollen, burned and blistered. As of the night of Oct. 1, Pike was still in critical condition at a Nashville-area hospital, the motion said.
"Hospital staff are working to save Ms. Pike's life and to clear the pentobarbital from her system," the Oct. 2 motion stated.
#pike #correction #hospital #hearing
29 days ago
The mother of the woman killed by Christa Pike said she was left without justice after Tennessee's failed attempt to carry out the execution, criticizing the state's handling of a procedure that left the death row prisoner hospitalized in critical condition.
"I didn't get justice for my daughter," May Martinez, whose daughter Colleen Slemmer was killed in 1995, told the ******* ociated Press on Thursday.
Martinez traveled to Nashville to witness the execution Wednesday. Instead, she watched as officials administered two doses of the state's execution drug pentobarbital without killing Pike.
"I watched the whole thing. She was awake," she said. "She was moving her head, moving her feet. She was trying to sit up. Didn't work the first time they gave her a shot. It didn't work the second time, so she's in the hospital and alive."
The inmate is receiving life-saving medical care, according to her legal team, who have asked Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee to commute her sentence.
#execution #left
"I didn't get justice for my daughter," May Martinez, whose daughter Colleen Slemmer was killed in 1995, told the ******* ociated Press on Thursday.
Martinez traveled to Nashville to witness the execution Wednesday. Instead, she watched as officials administered two doses of the state's execution drug pentobarbital without killing Pike.
"I watched the whole thing. She was awake," she said. "She was moving her head, moving her feet. She was trying to sit up. Didn't work the first time they gave her a shot. It didn't work the second time, so she's in the hospital and alive."
The inmate is receiving life-saving medical care, according to her legal team, who have asked Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee to commute her sentence.
#execution #left
30 days ago
The New York Yankees kicked off the MLB playoffs with a dominant Wild Card sweep of the rival Boston Red Sox, but it wasn't all rainbows and ***** erflies in Yankee Stadium during Game 2.
Video has gone viral of Spike Lee losing his cool during a heated altercation with a fan while dining in the Legends Suite before the first pitch.
According to the New York Post, the famed director was kicking it with fans and taking selfies when "one person asking for a selfie requested Lee say "F–k Palestine," which caused the 69-year-old to get up and seek out security, becoming angry with the individual, who was indeed kicked out."
Lee, who was decked out in Yankees gear for the big game, nor the team, have commented on the incident.
MORE: MLB fans trolling Red Sox for hilariously ironic playoff shirts
#york #wild #card #stadium
Video has gone viral of Spike Lee losing his cool during a heated altercation with a fan while dining in the Legends Suite before the first pitch.
According to the New York Post, the famed director was kicking it with fans and taking selfies when "one person asking for a selfie requested Lee say "F–k Palestine," which caused the 69-year-old to get up and seek out security, becoming angry with the individual, who was indeed kicked out."
Lee, who was decked out in Yankees gear for the big game, nor the team, have commented on the incident.
MORE: MLB fans trolling Red Sox for hilariously ironic playoff shirts
#york #wild #card #stadium
30 days ago
The lethal drug administered in Tennessee's failed attempt to execute Christa Pike has been used in multiple states that carry out the death penalty and by the U.S. government after President Donald Trump resumed federal executions during his first term.
Pike, 50, remained alive after two doses of pentobarbital were administered Wednesday, according to her attorneys and media witnesses. One of her lawyers said Thursday that she was being treated at a hospital.
Tennessee officials haven't explained yet what went wrong during the execution.
Republican Gov. Bill Lee ordered a third-party review to determine what happened and said another scheduled execution in Tennessee will not take place this year.
Pentobarbital is a barbiturate, a class of drugs that depresses the central nervous system.
#pike #administered #execution #wednesday
Pike, 50, remained alive after two doses of pentobarbital were administered Wednesday, according to her attorneys and media witnesses. One of her lawyers said Thursday that she was being treated at a hospital.
Tennessee officials haven't explained yet what went wrong during the execution.
Republican Gov. Bill Lee ordered a third-party review to determine what happened and said another scheduled execution in Tennessee will not take place this year.
Pentobarbital is a barbiturate, a class of drugs that depresses the central nervous system.
#pike #administered #execution #wednesday
1 month ago
Tennessee's only female death row inmate has been taken to the hospital after surviving two doses of lethal injection drugs, her lawyers said.
Christa Pike, 50, was alive and snoring loudly after being given two doses of pentobarbital, her attorneys said.
Pike had been scheduled for execution 10 a.m. Wednesday for a killing she committed at age 18. She would have been the first woman executed in Tennessee in more than 200 years.
An appeals court stopped the lethal injection just an hour before it was to start. The U.S. Supreme Court overturned that stay shortly after.
Media witnesses said officials raised the curtains to the execution chamber at 7:27 p.m., showing Pike strapped to a gurney. "I'm going to leave this world the way I spent most of my life, and that is in love," she said in her "last" words.
#doses #christa
Christa Pike, 50, was alive and snoring loudly after being given two doses of pentobarbital, her attorneys said.
Pike had been scheduled for execution 10 a.m. Wednesday for a killing she committed at age 18. She would have been the first woman executed in Tennessee in more than 200 years.
An appeals court stopped the lethal injection just an hour before it was to start. The U.S. Supreme Court overturned that stay shortly after.
Media witnesses said officials raised the curtains to the execution chamber at 7:27 p.m., showing Pike strapped to a gurney. "I'm going to leave this world the way I spent most of my life, and that is in love," she said in her "last" words.
#doses #christa
1 month ago
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee governor ordered an outside investigation and halted executions late Wednesday, hours after an inmate survived a lethal injection attempt.
Tennessee officials were unable to put Christa Gail Pike to death for a 1995 murder after administering two doses of a lethal drug. A death penalty expert said it was an unprecedented failure.
Gov. Bill Lee said in a statement that he has ordered "a comprehensive, third-party review to determine exactly what occurred" and that scheduled executions will not be carried out this year.
"Carrying out a lawfully imposed sentence is among the State's most serious responsibilities, and the people of Tennessee expect it to be done in a manner that is not only legal and constitutional, but is effective," he said.
Tennessee only has one other execution scheduled this year.
#tennessee #death #year
Tennessee officials were unable to put Christa Gail Pike to death for a 1995 murder after administering two doses of a lethal drug. A death penalty expert said it was an unprecedented failure.
Gov. Bill Lee said in a statement that he has ordered "a comprehensive, third-party review to determine exactly what occurred" and that scheduled executions will not be carried out this year.
"Carrying out a lawfully imposed sentence is among the State's most serious responsibilities, and the people of Tennessee expect it to be done in a manner that is not only legal and constitutional, but is effective," he said.
Tennessee only has one other execution scheduled this year.
#tennessee #death #year
1 month ago
How many women have been executed in the U.S. in the last 50 years?
What legal arguments did Pike's attorneys use for clemency?
What specific allegations did the report find credible against Dale Caldwell?
Full Summary
Christa Pike, Tennessee's only female death row inmate, has lost her final appeal after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to intervene in her imminent execution.
#full #court
What legal arguments did Pike's attorneys use for clemency?
What specific allegations did the report find credible against Dale Caldwell?
Full Summary
Christa Pike, Tennessee's only female death row inmate, has lost her final appeal after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to intervene in her imminent execution.
#full #court
1 month ago
On September 9, 2026, Signet Jewelers Limited (NYSE:SIG) reported second-quarter net profit of more than $52 million, reversing a net loss of over $9 million a year earlier, with adjusted earnings per share of $2.19 beating ***** yst estimates of $1.72 by a wide margin. It sent shares up as much as 24% in trading.
The parent of Kay Jewelers, Zales, and Jared also raised its full-year profit guidance for the second time this fiscal year. It also extended its consumer credit partnership with Bread Financial through 2035, a deal it said includes new profit-sharing terms expected to make more than $1 billion in incremental value over time.
Signet Jewelers Limited (NYSE:SIG) is showing demand improvement across its core jewelry brands. Same-store sales increased 2.2% in the second quarter, beating Wall Street's 1.9% expectation. Management reported positive comparable sales across all three months of the quarter. Performance also improved across Kay, Zales, Jared, and Blue Nile. It shows the recovery extends beyond a single brand or temporary sales spike.
Margin expansion is allowing Signet to make substantially stronger earnings despite limited revenue growth. Adjusted operating margin expanded 140 basis points to 7%, while adjusted EPS reached $2.19, well above ***** ysts' $1.74 estimate. Stronger bridal and timepiece sales, tighter inventory management, and operating improvements helped Signet expand profitability. Redesigned Kay and Jared websites provide additional opportunities to back up digital sales.
Signet's higher earnings outlook and shareholder returns solidify the investment case. The company raised full-year adjusted EPS guidance to $10.45-$12.15 versus $9.20-$11.00 and plans a $125 million accelerated share repurchase program. Signet also extended its consumer-credit partnership with Bread Financial through 2035. It added improved technology and data ***** ytics while supporting customer financing and marketing capabilities over the long term.
#adjusted #jewelers #limited
The parent of Kay Jewelers, Zales, and Jared also raised its full-year profit guidance for the second time this fiscal year. It also extended its consumer credit partnership with Bread Financial through 2035, a deal it said includes new profit-sharing terms expected to make more than $1 billion in incremental value over time.
Signet Jewelers Limited (NYSE:SIG) is showing demand improvement across its core jewelry brands. Same-store sales increased 2.2% in the second quarter, beating Wall Street's 1.9% expectation. Management reported positive comparable sales across all three months of the quarter. Performance also improved across Kay, Zales, Jared, and Blue Nile. It shows the recovery extends beyond a single brand or temporary sales spike.
Margin expansion is allowing Signet to make substantially stronger earnings despite limited revenue growth. Adjusted operating margin expanded 140 basis points to 7%, while adjusted EPS reached $2.19, well above ***** ysts' $1.74 estimate. Stronger bridal and timepiece sales, tighter inventory management, and operating improvements helped Signet expand profitability. Redesigned Kay and Jared websites provide additional opportunities to back up digital sales.
Signet's higher earnings outlook and shareholder returns solidify the investment case. The company raised full-year adjusted EPS guidance to $10.45-$12.15 versus $9.20-$11.00 and plans a $125 million accelerated share repurchase program. Signet also extended its consumer-credit partnership with Bread Financial through 2035. It added improved technology and data ***** ytics while supporting customer financing and marketing capabilities over the long term.
#adjusted #jewelers #limited
1 month ago
Americans have paid about $97 billion more for fuel since the Iran war started in late February, roughly $740 extra per household, according to CNN. President Trump says prices will come down after the midterms. The CEO of Chevron just said publicly he does not see how that happens quickly.
Mike Wirth, Chevron's chairman and chief executive, spoke at a University of Texas at Austin energy conference on September 11. He told the audience that the mechanisms that helped absorb the oil supply shock earlier in the conflict have largely been used up, and that prices are more likely to rise than fall over the next few months.
When the U.S.-Iran conflict began, the oil market had several ways to handle the disruption. Countries could release crude from strategic reserves. Commercial inventories could be drawn down. The U.S. eased restrictions on sanctioned crude stored on vessels at sea. Those measures helped limit the initial price spike.
"Those have largely now played out," Wirth said. The energy system no longer has the buffers it had when the war began.
The loss of flexibility became more acute after attacks knocked out a major Saudi crude pipeline that had been bypassing the Strait of Hormuz. That single disruption put an estimated 2.5 million barrels of oil per day in limbo, tightening a market that was already running short on supply.
#crude #prices #energy #conflict
Mike Wirth, Chevron's chairman and chief executive, spoke at a University of Texas at Austin energy conference on September 11. He told the audience that the mechanisms that helped absorb the oil supply shock earlier in the conflict have largely been used up, and that prices are more likely to rise than fall over the next few months.
When the U.S.-Iran conflict began, the oil market had several ways to handle the disruption. Countries could release crude from strategic reserves. Commercial inventories could be drawn down. The U.S. eased restrictions on sanctioned crude stored on vessels at sea. Those measures helped limit the initial price spike.
"Those have largely now played out," Wirth said. The energy system no longer has the buffers it had when the war began.
The loss of flexibility became more acute after attacks knocked out a major Saudi crude pipeline that had been bypassing the Strait of Hormuz. That single disruption put an estimated 2.5 million barrels of oil per day in limbo, tightening a market that was already running short on supply.
#crude #prices #energy #conflict
1 month ago
When developers hand governance to residents at build-out, HOA fees spike as homeowners absorb true amenity costs and cover reserve underfunding through special ****** sments.
HOA fee increases in post-transition communities routinely outpace the 2027 Social Security COLA of roughly 3%, squeezing retirees on fixed incomes.
Demand the reserve study, CC&Rs, and community development district bond balance before signing. If the sales office stalls, the pitch was rehearsed, not substantiated.
Two retirees, same $1 million, same 4% rule, buy one finished with $1.4 million, the other hit $0 in 12 years. Our free reader guide explains the flaw that separated them, and the income-first method built to avoid it.
Readers in their late fifties and early sixties ask weekly: Can I retire to a Margaritaville community, and what will it cost over twenty or thirty years? The brochure sells one version, while the sales center sells another. The real question a retiree should ask is what happens once marketing wears off and the structural issue the sales presentation almost never covers emerges.
#retirees #community #years #sells
HOA fee increases in post-transition communities routinely outpace the 2027 Social Security COLA of roughly 3%, squeezing retirees on fixed incomes.
Demand the reserve study, CC&Rs, and community development district bond balance before signing. If the sales office stalls, the pitch was rehearsed, not substantiated.
Two retirees, same $1 million, same 4% rule, buy one finished with $1.4 million, the other hit $0 in 12 years. Our free reader guide explains the flaw that separated them, and the income-first method built to avoid it.
Readers in their late fifties and early sixties ask weekly: Can I retire to a Margaritaville community, and what will it cost over twenty or thirty years? The brochure sells one version, while the sales center sells another. The real question a retiree should ask is what happens once marketing wears off and the structural issue the sales presentation almost never covers emerges.
#retirees #community #years #sells
1 month ago
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One hyperscaler's backup plan is another company's "generational growth opportunity."
On Thursday, shares of backup power supply company Generac spiked 18.34% after it agreed to supply some $2.4 billion worth of generators to Amazon's vast data center empire over the next two years. Generac is just the latest in a growing list of unlikely beneficiaries of AI's energy gridlock.
Sign up for The Daily Upside at no cost for premium ***** ysis on all your favorite stocks.
READ ALSO: 'Outlook Cloudy': Fed Rate Hike Pits Bulls Against Bears Over Year-End Rally Odds and SEC Greenlights Tokenized Stocks After Clarity Act Fails in Senate
#upside #backup #thursday
One hyperscaler's backup plan is another company's "generational growth opportunity."
On Thursday, shares of backup power supply company Generac spiked 18.34% after it agreed to supply some $2.4 billion worth of generators to Amazon's vast data center empire over the next two years. Generac is just the latest in a growing list of unlikely beneficiaries of AI's energy gridlock.
Sign up for The Daily Upside at no cost for premium ***** ysis on all your favorite stocks.
READ ALSO: 'Outlook Cloudy': Fed Rate Hike Pits Bulls Against Bears Over Year-End Rally Odds and SEC Greenlights Tokenized Stocks After Clarity Act Fails in Senate
#upside #backup #thursday
1 month ago
Oil markets appear to have reached the inflection point that many ***** ysts had predicted weeks ago as the Middle East conflict re-escalated with no diplomatic push in sight and global inventories continue to slump.
Oil prices are back above $100 per barrel, lifting diesel and gasoline prices, including in the United States.
The Trump Administration is looking to downplay the price spikes it sees as only temporary. Prices would "drop like a rock" when the Iran war ends, U.S. President Donald Trump said, but he appears to have acknowledged that there may be no respite before the mid-term elections in early November.
Meanwhile, the record-high diesel prices and the highest gasoline prices for this time of year on record could do damage to the economy and consumer spending.
On Tuesday evening, the U.S. average diesel price hit $6.301 per gallon while gasoline prices jumped to an average of $4.355 per gallon, according to GasBuddy data.
#prices #Trump #price #record
Oil prices are back above $100 per barrel, lifting diesel and gasoline prices, including in the United States.
The Trump Administration is looking to downplay the price spikes it sees as only temporary. Prices would "drop like a rock" when the Iran war ends, U.S. President Donald Trump said, but he appears to have acknowledged that there may be no respite before the mid-term elections in early November.
Meanwhile, the record-high diesel prices and the highest gasoline prices for this time of year on record could do damage to the economy and consumer spending.
On Tuesday evening, the U.S. average diesel price hit $6.301 per gallon while gasoline prices jumped to an average of $4.355 per gallon, according to GasBuddy data.
#prices #Trump #price #record
1 month ago
With aviation often a prohibitively costly industry for individual players without major backing, several smaller and charter carriers did not survive the spike in jet fuel prices that came at the start of 2026 following the U.S.-Israeli strike on Iran.
Major recent news in this ***** e includes the collapse of Spirit Airlines and the bankruptcy filing of Latvian flag carrier AirBaltic. Smaller carriers that shut down in 2026 include Mexican holiday airline Magnicharters, Finnish charter airline Jetflite, and most recently in September 2026, French charter carrier AirAiles.
And in Colorado, charter broker and indirect air carrier OneFlight International is reportedly pausing all flights for 30 days as a long string of financial problems catches up with it.
The company does not own any aircraft but functions as a broker, organizing chartered flights by private jet and jet card subscriptions.
A jet card is a membership in which customers book flight hours on a private plane at fixed rates. Along with fractional ownership, it is one of two main ways that passengers who fly private book their flights.
#carrier #card
Major recent news in this ***** e includes the collapse of Spirit Airlines and the bankruptcy filing of Latvian flag carrier AirBaltic. Smaller carriers that shut down in 2026 include Mexican holiday airline Magnicharters, Finnish charter airline Jetflite, and most recently in September 2026, French charter carrier AirAiles.
And in Colorado, charter broker and indirect air carrier OneFlight International is reportedly pausing all flights for 30 days as a long string of financial problems catches up with it.
The company does not own any aircraft but functions as a broker, organizing chartered flights by private jet and jet card subscriptions.
A jet card is a membership in which customers book flight hours on a private plane at fixed rates. Along with fractional ownership, it is one of two main ways that passengers who fly private book their flights.
#carrier #card
1 month ago
Nearly 600 people have died in crashes since 2024 with trucks operated by companies that had never been subjected to a roadside safety inspection.
By John Kelly and Steve Reilly
Published September 17, 2026
A truck operated by Next Level Express Inc. slammed into an SUV parked on the shoulder of the New Jersey Turnpike last December, killing two parents and their daughter on the way home from a family gathering. A second daughter survived.
In the decade before the crash, none of the company's trucks or drivers had been subjected to a single roadside inspection.
It's a pattern repeating hundreds of times a year.
#john
By John Kelly and Steve Reilly
Published September 17, 2026
A truck operated by Next Level Express Inc. slammed into an SUV parked on the shoulder of the New Jersey Turnpike last December, killing two parents and their daughter on the way home from a family gathering. A second daughter survived.
In the decade before the crash, none of the company's trucks or drivers had been subjected to a single roadside inspection.
It's a pattern repeating hundreds of times a year.
#john
