World News Highlights: Netanyahu invites Flydubai pilot Smit Machchhar for Israeli Independence Day
Christa Pike survived the execution attempt after two doses of the lethal injection drug pentobarbital were administered.
by Mashkoora Khan, Utsav Basu · The Indian Express · JoinTennessee Department of Correction Commissioner Frank Strada has resigned days after the state’s failed execution of death row inmate Christa Pike, who remains in critical condition following the botched lethal injection.
Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on Saturday visited flydubai pilot Captain Smit Machchhar and praised him for his courage, sense of responsibility and commitment to protecting human life.
Story continues below this ad
Meanwhile, according to latest reports, the co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073 attempted to carry out a “terrorist” attack during the flight, the United Arab Emirates prosecutor general said on Saturday, according to the state news agency WAM. The co-pilot attacked the pilot inside the cockpit with an axe and attempted to take control of the aircraft, the prosecutor general said. Investigations are ongoing to determine the circumstances of the incident, the motives and any related connections, as well as to examine physical and digital evidence, he added.
Meanwhile, Five Indian nationals aboard a Kuwait-flagged tanker were safely shifted ashore after the vessel was struck by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, the Embassy of India in Oman said. In a post on X on Friday (local time), the Embassy said it had coordinated the rescue of the five Indian nationals aboard the tanker MT Kazimah III after the vessel was hit by a projectile in the region.
Saudi Arabia says a Houthi projectile hit a school in Najran and caused damage. The Saudi-led coalition also says it destroyed three missiles launched by the group. The US has urged member states to enforce reimposed so-called “snapback” UN sanctions on Iran as Washington issues new measures against individuals and entities allegedly aiding Hamas’s financing network.
What happened on the flydubai flight: The co-pilot, an Omani national, stabbed Captain Smit Machchhar on Wednesday morning. Passengers and crew heard noises, rushed into the cockpit and overpowered him. During the struggle, the Boeing 737 dropped nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds. A second pair of flydubai pilots on board then landed the plane safely at Tabuk in Saudi Arabia. More than 172 passengers and crew were on the flight.
Story continues below this ad
Key world developments
- Saudi Arabia says a Houthi projectile struck a school in Najran and caused damage.
- The Saudi-led coalition says it destroyed three missiles launched by the Houthis.
- UKMTO says a tanker was hit by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, causing a small fire.
- Iraq will allow 40 Iranian flights a day to and from Najaf international airport. Mahan Air, which is under US sanctions, is excluded.
- Saudi Civil Defence says debris from an intercepted ballistic missile fell in the southern Asir region. A resident was injured and a prayer room was damaged.
Follow the latest world news and major international developments here, including the latest on the US-Iran war and talks over the Strait of Hormuz. This live blog is a rolling curation of the day’s key global stories, with updates added as events unfold and the news agenda changes. The headline, introduction and Top Developments section will be refreshed throughout the day to reflect the stories that matter most at that moment.
Live Updates
Oct 3, 2026 10:36 PM IST
Latvia PM's United List ahead in election, exit poll shows
Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs' centrist United List looked set to win Saturday's election for parliament, as widely expected, but must build a coalition with other parties to stay in power, an exit poll showed.
Security concerns and cost of living issues have dominated the election agenda in Latvia, a NATO and European Union member state which borders Russia and is home to a significant Russian-speaking minority. Reuters
Oct 3, 2026 09:53 PM IST
Ukraine will hit Russian refineries in response to Moscow's 'new doctrine' of airstrikes
Ukraine will double down on attacking Russian oil refineries in response to a new policy of airstrikes by Moscow designed to force people to abandon Kyiv and other cities, but will not target civilians, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
Ukrainian intelligence has obtained documents showing that Russian leader Vladimir Putin had issued a "new doctrine" of military attacks on a much broader range of civilian targets ahead of this winter, Zelenskyy said.
"We saw documents and we know that they allow them attack infrastructure ... logistics ... roads, schools, hospitals, to pressure people to leave the capital, leave different cities," Zelenskyy said. "This is the goal of the operation."
Driving the shift in policy, Zelenskyy said, was Putin's desire to appear strong at a time when his military was losing ground in a key frontline region and sustaining higher levels of casualties. Reuters
Oct 3, 2026 09:27 PM IST
Tennessee prisons chief Frank Strada resigns after failed Christa Pike execution
Tennessee Department of Correction Commissioner Frank Strada has resigned days after the state’s failed execution of death row inmate Christa Pike, who remains in critical condition following the botched lethal injection.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee announced Strada’s resignation on Saturday, October 3, saying the commissioner will step down later this month. The resignation comes as the state faces scrutiny over the September 30 execution attempt and an independent review into what went wrong.
“Commissioner Strada has served with integrity, and I appreciate his willingness to put the interests of Tennesseans first during this difficult moment,” Lee said in a statement.
“I have accepted his decision to step down and am grateful for his commitment to ensuring a smooth leadership transition. I thank Commissioner Strada for his dedicated service to Tennessee and pray God’s blessings over him in the days ahead,” the governor added.
Pike survived the execution attempt after two doses of the lethal injection drug pentobarbital were administered. She lost consciousness but continued breathing and was later taken to a hospital, where she remains unconscious and on a ventilator, according to her attorneys.
Oct 3, 2026 09:15 PM IST
Ukrainian shelling damaged external power supply equipment at Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, management says
Ukrainian shelling over recent weeks has damaged external power supply equipment at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine, with electricity currently being provided by emergency sources, the plant management said on Saturday.
The situation was under control and was being monitored by the plant's staff, management said in a statement.
The plant, Europe's largest with six reactors, produces no electricity but needs power supplied by two external links to keep nuclear fuel cool.
Russia seized the plant in the first weeks of the war that began in 2022, and both Moscow and Kyiv have since regularly accused the other of military action that compromises nuclear safety. Reuters
Oct 3, 2026 08:20 PM IST
Gold mine collapse kills 5 miners in northern Afghanistan
A gold mine collapse has killed five miners in Afghanistan’s northern Takhar province, local authorities said Saturday.The mine is located in the Shah Mastan area of the province’s Chah Ab district, said Qari Naqibullah Masroor, spokesman for Takhar police command. He gave no other details. The spokesman said that 10 miners were rescued earlier this week after being trapped for two days in another gold mine in the Samti area of the same district. The exact circumstances of how they became trapped were not immediately clear.Mine collapses are frequent in Afghanistan, a country rich in raw materials, including iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, gold, coal and precious stones. AP
Oct 3, 2026 07:57 PM IST
US Coast Guard searching for missing jet carrying 6 people bound for Boston
A private jet has gone missing while traveling to Boston from Bermuda with six people on board, the US Coast Guard said on Saturday.
The Federal Aviation Administration notified the Coast Guard early Saturday that it had lost contact with the plane, a Gulfstream jet used as a medical transfer aircraft, a Coast Guard spokesperson said by email.
The Coast Guard said it has dispatched air and surface crews to search for the plane near Nantucket, an affluent island community south of mainland Massachusetts.
Weather conditions in Nantucket were clear as of Saturday morning according to Accuweather. Reuters
Oct 3, 2026 07:43 PM IST
France to step up Ebola funding in Congo amid resurgence fears, minister says
France will step up its support for efforts to eradicate Ebola in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Saturday during a visit to a region hit by the virus, warning that it could quickly resurge if vigilance waned.
Reuters
Oct 3, 2026 07:24 PM IST
Prosecutor says 2 Iranian men scouted a UK synagogue for a chlorine bomb plot
Two Iranian men conducted surveillance of a Manchester synagogue that was the site of a deadly attack a year ago as part of a plot to bomb it this year, a prosecutor said Saturday. Salam Ahmadyan, 36, and Rahman Salehi, 34, researched attacking the Heaton Park Congregation Synagogue in Manchester in northwest England and the Jewish Museum in nearby Cheetham Hill, the court was told. Ahmadyan and Salehi were arrested last month and charged Friday with engaging in conduct in preparation for terrorist acts.
Neither entered a plea during an appearance in Westminster Magistrates’ Court, where Judge Nina Tempia ordered them held until an Oct. 23 appearance at the Central Criminal Court in London.Prosecutor Mark Luckett said the duo were directed by a third person believed to be in Iran who coordinated plans and provided instructions on making a homemade chlorine bomb.The defendants were observed carrying out "a hostile reconnaissance within Manchester’s Jewish community," Luckett said. AP
Oct 3, 2026 07:08 PM IST
Russia pledges to continue massive strikes on Kyiv, urges foreign diplomats to leave city
Russia said on Saturday it would continue to carry out targeted retaliatory strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities and urged foreign nationals and diplomats to leave the capital.
In a statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that "in response to the Ukrainian Armed Forces' terrorist acts against the civilian population and civilian infrastructure of our country, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation are continuing to systematically carry out targeted strikes on military facilities in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities".
"The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs once again warns foreign nationals, including diplomatic mission staff, against staying in Ukraine or travelling to its territory.
"Responsibility for any adverse consequences lies entirely with those who ignore this warning," the ministry said.
Russia has recently escalated strikes on infrastructure in the Ukrainian capital, hitting a bridge across the Dnipro river in an air attack on Saturday. The intensifying campaign has upended life for the capital's 3 million residents ahead of the bitter winter months.Reuters
Oct 3, 2026 06:03 PM IST
Voters favor Democrats on key issues but lack faith in either party to solve problems: AP-NORC poll
Aaron Siever was never a single-party voter. But now, the 41-year-old from southwest Virginia is more frustrated than ever with the two political parties whose chief accomplishment, he says, is blaming each other for getting little done. “There’s so much turmoil,” said Siever, a former police officer who now guides Civil War battlefield tours.
“It really messes up chances of getting anything done. It gets really disgusting.”Voters are deeply dissatisfied with President Donald Trump and his Republican Party heading into the Nov. 3 midterm elections, according to an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll, and Democrats have built a clear advantage on pressing issues such as the cost of living and healthcare over just a few months.But the survey also points to a bigger problem for both parties: Few registered voters think either party is able to solve important problems or help Americans like them.
That undercurrent of cynicism will be a challenge for Democrats and the Republicans, no matter which party controls Congress. Frustration with Republicans is growing, but voters do not appear to think Democrats have a long-term solution to the country’s problems, either.Democrats have gained on key issues, survey showsVoters give Democrats the advantage when it comes to which party would be better to handle the cost of living, an issue that has proved to be a weak spot for Trump. The survey finds that 38% of registered voters say the Democrats would be better for costs, compared with 27% who say that about the Republicans. AP
Oct 3, 2026 05:53 PM IST
South Korea calls urgent meeting with financial industry leaders over security breaches, Yonhap reports
South Korean financial authorities have urgently summoned the heads of all financial industry associations and CEOs of financial firms including ones hit by security breaches for a meeting on October 4, Yonhap news agency reported on Saturday.
The move comes after the country's financial regulator held an emergency meeting with banks and other institutions on Friday after a spate of data breaches, including a cyberattack on Hana Bank. Reuters
Oct 3, 2026 05:42 PM IST
Sheikh Hamdan visits flydubai pilot Smit Machchhar, praises his courage and commitment to saving lives
Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on Saturday visited flydubai pilot Captain Smit Machchhar and praised him for his courage, sense of responsibility and commitment to protecting human life.
Sheikh Hamdan, who is also the UAE’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, paid tribute to Machchhar during the meeting.
In a social media post, Sheikh Hamdan said the pilot had displayed “the highest degrees of courage, responsibility and care for human life”.
https://platform.x.com/widgets.js
Oct 3, 2026 05:26 PM IST
Fire, smoke seen near Aramco facility in Riyadh, witness says
A large plume of smoke and fire was seen rising in the vicinity of an Aramco facility in Riyadh on Saturday, a witness told Reuters.
There was no immediate confirmation from Saudi authorities or Aramco about the fire. Reuters
https://platform.x.com/widgets.js
Oct 3, 2026 05:09 PM IST
Road crash kills 20 people in Nigeria's Plateau state
A multi-vehicle crash killed at least 20 people in Nigeria 's north-central state of Plateau, the road agency said Saturday.The crash involved four vehicles on Friday, and preliminary findings indicate brake failure was the likely cause, the Federal Road Safety Commission said.The crash occurred along the Hawan Kibo-Jos route, a major thoroughfare connecting Plateau to Abuja, the capital.Road accidents are frequent in Africa’s most populous country, in part due to poor road conditions and lax enforcement of traffic laws. AP
Oct 3, 2026 04:33 PM IST
Iran says it executed man convicted of firing military-grade weapon at cops during January protests
Iran has executed Siavash Jamshidi, a man convicted on multiple charges including firing a military-grade weapon at police officers during anti-government protests earlier this year.
Iran’s judiciary said Jamshidi was sentenced to death for moharebeh, or “waging war against God”, after being found guilty of brandishing and firing a firearm as well as conspiring against national security.
The case was linked to mass protests that peaked in January and were met with a heavy crackdown by Iranian authorities.
According to the judiciary’s Mizan Online website, Jamshidi was also convicted of several offences unrelated to the protests, including fraud, making threats, theft and the possession and carrying of an illegal military-grade weapon.
The judiciary said the death sentence was carried out after his conviction on the charges.
Oct 3, 2026 04:20 PM IST
Russia hits Liberian-flagged ship in Ukraine's Odesa port, kills one
Russia has attacked a Liberian-flagged cargo ship in one of Ukraine's Black Sea ports in the Odesa region, killing one person and injuring three, the Ukrainian sea ports administration said on Saturday.
It said in a statement on the Telegram app that 13 other crew members were evacuated to safety. As the war is in its fifth year, Russia effectively renewed its blockade of the Ukrainian Black Sea ports since the summer, disrupting trade routes, reducing grain and steel exports and dealing a heavy blow to the Ukrainian economy. Reuters
Oct 3, 2026 03:55 PM IST
Israeli strike kills five, including four women, in Gaza, health officials say
An Israeli airstrike killed at least five Palestinians, including four women, in an apartment building in Gaza City early on Saturday, health and civil defense service officials said.
Among the dead were a Christian mother and her daughter, medics said.
There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.
The strike destroyed the apartment building and started a fire.
"We were asleep and suddenly heard continuous strikes, and heavy explosions, the children woke up startled and started running and screaming," said eyewitness Ahmed Al-Dahdouh. Reuters
Oct 3, 2026 02:53 PM IST
Ethiopia government forces retake airport in Tigray's capital, sources say
Ethiopia's federal military has recaptured the main airport in the capital of the northern Tigray region, three sources said on Saturday, dealing a major setback to an opposition alliance in its stronghold.
Clashes pitting a rebel alliance led by Tigray's ruling party against the government and its allied forces broke out in northern Ethiopia last week, in the most serious escalation of violence since a 2020-2022 civil war.
The fighting has stoked fears that it could escalate into a wider regional conflict, potentially drawing in neighbouring countries in the Horn of Africa and the Gulf.
The federal government in Addis Ababa severed diplomatic ties with Eritrea this week, accusing it of supporting the rebel alliance alongside Sudan and Egypt. The three countries deny this. Reuters
Oct 3, 2026 01:15 PM IST
Captain Smit recovering well, says India mission in UAE
The Indian Embassy in the UAE on Friday said flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar is recovering well and remains under excellent medical care after the incident. The embassy said it is in touch with Smit’s family and local authorities and is extending support for his recovery. It also thanked the UAE government for the care being provided to him and said it joined well-wishers in praying for his good health.
Oct 3, 2026 11:54 AM IST
Flydubai co-pilot attacked pilot with axe, attempted 'terrorist' attack, UAE says
The co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073 attempted to carry out a "terrorist" attack during the flight, the United Arab Emirates prosecutor general said on Saturday, according to the state news agency WAM.
The co-pilot attacked the pilot inside the cockpit with an axe and attempted to take control of the aircraft, the prosecutor general said.
Investigations are ongoing to determine the circumstances of the incident, the motives and any related connections, as well as to examine physical and digital evidence, he added.
Oct 3, 2026 11:54 AM IST
France school protests spark violence, arrests; and India’s CJP movement comparison
For students protesting across France, the grievances are straightforward — overcrowded classrooms, too few teachers and schools in poor condition. Basic facilities are inadequate. In some cases, students say they are being asked to learn in conditions that they believe are simply not good enough.
Those grievances have now spilled onto the streets. What began in the Paris region has spread across France, with students blockading schools and clashing with police. Hundreds of schools have been disrupted or closed, and thousands of people have been arrested, news agencies reported. Read more
Oct 3, 2026 10:28 AM IST
Trump says US to send one-time $90 payment to 20 million seniors enrolled in Medicare
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.
Oct 3, 2026 10:21 AM IST
Death toll rises to five in Gaza City apartment attack
An Israeli airstrike killed at least five Palestinians in an apartment building in Gaza City early on Saturday, health and civil defense service officials said.
There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.
The US brokered a ceasefire in the territory last year but negotiators have not agreed on terms for Hamas to disarm and for Israel to withdraw its troops.
Israel, which says Hamas has been rearming and launching attacks in violation of an October ceasefire, has stepped up strikes on the group in recent weeks.
Oct 3, 2026 10:07 AM IST
Russia’s envoy to the IAEA rejects US call for Iran to abandon nuclear programme
Russia’s envoy to the IAEA, Mikhail Ulyanov, has rejected US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz’s call for Iran to abandon its nuclear programme.
“Iran is not obliged to abandon its nuclear programme. It is Iran’s inalienable right,” Ulyanov wrote on X.
He also accused the Trump administration of basing its position on “wrong assumptions” about non-proliferation norms and the work of the IAEA.
Oct 3, 2026 08:27 AM IST
Flydubai attack: Omani pilot identified, was flagged as a security risk in 2024
The pilot suspected of attacking India’s Captain Smit Machchhar on the Tel Aviv-bound flydubai flight FZ1073 on Wednesday has been identified as Hamam al-Hammami, according to CNN. While his Omani nationality had been confirmed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier, his name has come to the fore now. An Israeli official and Saudi state media have also confirmed his identity.
What’s shocking is the fact that al-Hammami secured a job as a commercial airlines pilot with flydubai despite allegedly being flagged as a security threat at Oman Air earlier. He was removed from flight training at Oman’s national airline last year after concerns over his extremist views. Read more
Oct 3, 2026 06:26 AM IST
Trump says US will soon fill its strategic oil stockpile
President Donald Trump said on Friday that the US would soon fill its strategic petroleum reserves.
"We're going to be filling up very shortly our strategic reserves, for nothing," Trump said at a rally in Mobile, Alabama. He offered no additional details.
Oct 3, 2026 06:01 AM IST
Nearly 200 people under observation after Irkutsk lab worker dies from plague
Health officials in Russia's Irkutsk region, in Siberia, have placed nearly 200 people under medical observation after a laboratory worker died of plague.
Oct 3, 2026 05:30 AM IST
Flydubai suspect indicated he intended to crash plane in Israel - ABC
The Omani co-pilot suspected of attacking the captain of a Flydubai flight bound for Israel indicated to investigators that his intention was to crash the aircraft in Israel, ABC News reported Friday, citing sources briefed on the investigation.
The suspect was transferred from Saudi Arabia to the United Arab Emirates on Thursday and is cooperating with authorities investigating the incident, according to the report.
ABC News also reported, citing senior intelligence and law enforcement officials, that the suspect had previously been suspended from flying by Oman Air after being identified as a security risk. While working as a co-pilot trainee in 2024, he was found to be in possession of extremist materials, the sources said.
Investigators are examining how he was subsequently permitted to fly for Flydubai and became the first officer on a flight bound for Israel.
Oct 3, 2026 05:30 AM IST
Kuwait crude production falls to 1.77 million bpd in September: Reuters
Kuwait's crude production dropped by about 200,000 barrels per day in September from the previous month to average 1.77 million bpd, a source with knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Friday.
The source asked not to be named since they were not authorised to speak on the subject.
A spokesperson for state oil company Kuwait Petroleum Corporation did not immediately reply to a Reuters request for comment.
Oct 3, 2026 05:02 AM IST
Crude oil tanker struck by projectile off Oman
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) says a crude oil tanker reports being struck by an unknown projectile on its port side four nautical miles east of Oman.
UKMTO said all crew members are safe, with no environmental impact reported at this time, and authorities are investigating.
Oct 3, 2026 04:58 AM IST
Pilot stabbing raises aviation security questions, further unsettles a region shaken by US-Iran war
A co-pilot's attack on the captain of a Tel Aviv-bound flight has thrown the region's travel industry into turmoil, the Associated Press reports. It has raised questions about aviation security and added to the strain on a Middle East already unsettled by the US-Iran war.
The co-pilot came close to crashing Wednesday's flydubai flight from Dubai and killing all 182 people on board. His motive is not publicly known, and a regional investigation is under way.
Oct 3, 2026 04:55 AM IST
Five Indian nationals evacuated to Oman after projectile attack on Kuwaiti tanker
Five Indian nationals have been safely brought ashore to Oman after their Kuwaiti-flagged oil tanker was hit by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, the Indian Embassy in Muscat has said.
In a statement, the Indian mission thanked the Omani authorities for their assistance.
The vessel, identified as the Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) MT Kazimah III, caught fire after being struck during transit. Indian diplomats in Oman worked with local authorities to coordinate the emergency rescue of the five crew members, all of whom were unharmed.
The strike on the MT Kazimah III, owned by the Kuwait Oil Tanker Company (KOTC), marks the second attack on a KOTC supertanker in less than a week, following a similar strike on the Al Funtas. The incident comes amid a sharp escalation in projectile and drone attacks targeting commercial vessels and oil tankers.
Oct 3, 2026 04:54 AM IST
Saudi Arabia says missile debris injures resident in Asir
Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defence says debris from an intercepted ballistic missile fell in Ahad Rafidah governorate in the southern Asir region, injuring a resident.
In a post on X, the agency said the falling debris also damaged a prayer room inside a building, as well as several vehicles.
Oct 3, 2026 04:52 AM IST
UK condemns Houthi attacks in Yemen’s Taiz
The United Kingdom has condemned what it called the latest Houthi attacks in Yemen’s Taiz and the threat they pose to civilians.
In a post on X, Stephen Doughty, the UK’s minister of state for the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan, said: “Houthi violence has reignited Yemen’s conflict, driving tragic loss of life, displacement and suffering.”
He said the UK “stands with the internationally recognised Government of Yemen to secure lasting peace”.
Oct 3, 2026 04:52 AM IST
Saudi Arabia says hostile Houthi projectile struck school in Najran, causing damage
Saudi Arabia's Civil Defence said on Friday that a hostile projectile fired by the Houthi terrorist militia struck a school in Najran, causing material damage.
Approved emergency procedures for such incidents were immediately implemented on site, the General Directorate of Civil Defence stated.
Oct 3, 2026 04:51 AM IST
Welcome to our live blog. We will bring you the latest news and updates from around the world as they happen.
Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram
Latest Comment
Post Comment
Read Comments