October 4, 2026 5:04 am
BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro, an ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, and Brazil’s veteran President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will face off in a runoff for the top job of Latin America’s powerhouse economy. The country’s electoral court in Brasilia said neither the 80-year-old incumbent, seeking his fourth non-consecutive term, nor the 45-year-old son of former President Jair Bolsonaro would garner a majority in Sunday’s first round of voting. The runoff election will be held on Oct. 25. The next presidential term begins Jan. 5.
October 4, 2026 5:07 am
Christa Pike remains unconscious and on a ventilator in a Tennessee hospital after a failed execution attempt. Her lawyer, Stephen Ferrell, said Sunday that her prognosis might not be known for days. Pike, now 50, was sentenced to death for a 1995 murder. Tennessee officials gave her two doses of a lethal injection drug Wednesday night, but it didn’t kill her. Her lawyers said her arms were burned and blistered from the drugs. Pike’s medical decisions are being made by someone with her power of attorney, whose identity remains undisclosed.
October 4, 2026 3:41 am
Pennsylvania is beautiful in the fall as the leaves turn red, orange, and yellow. In Washington County, peak color can be seen from the third week of October until the end of the month. Dave Planinsek, a forester with the Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry, says recent heavy rainfall can have both positive and negative impacts on the leaves. Some trees get fungal leaf spot diseases, which causes brown spots on the leaves and less vibrant color. Other trees, like oak, take advantage of the rain and produce bright, colorful leaves. Planinsek explains that sunny days and cool nights help to produce bright fall colors. Planinsek says Southern Somerset County is the best area to view fall color now. Weekly fall foliage reports can be found here.
October 4, 2026 5:57 am
LOUISVILLE, Colo. (AP) — Colorado’s Boulder County is one of dozens of governments around the United States suing oil and gas companies to help pay for damage caused by disasters linked to climate change. The county’s case is part of a wave of climate change litigation across the United States and the world, with billions of dollars at stake. On Monday, the first day of the Supreme Court’s new term, the justices will hear the Boulder case that could decide the fate of others like it. Energy companies say climate change is a global issue and not suited for state courts.
October 4, 2026 5:59 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — An AP-NORC poll finds that voters are deeply dissatisfied with President Donald Trump and his Republican Party heading into the Nov. 3 elections. The Democratic Party has built an advantage on pressing issues such as the cost of living and healthcare. But the survey also points to a bigger problem for both political parties. It finds that few registered voters think either Republicans or Democrats are able to solve important problems or help Americans like them. That undercurrent of cynicism about either party’s ability to change things will be a challenge for both the Democrats and the Republicans, no matter which party controls Congress.
October 4, 2026 6:03 am
The head of Tennessee’s prison system is resigning after the failed execution of Christa Pike. The announcement was made Saturday by Gov. Bill Lee, who calls the circumstances a “difficult moment.” Tennessee Department of Correction Commissioner Frank Strada says stepping aside is in the best interests of the state as a review looks at why Pike’s execution failed Wednesday. Pike’s lawyers say she was placed on a ventilator and was unconscious in a hospital. The lawyers say medical staff were trying to clear two doses of a drug that the state uses to execute prisoners.
October 4, 2026 6:09 am
Intense public outcry over a woman’s account of being gang-raped at Cornell University has prompted New York’s governor to angrily yank control of the investigation away from the local prosecutor who didn’t initially see what happened as a crime. Now, the task of unraveling the case will fall to New York Attorney General Letitia James, who was appointed as a special prosecutor this week. James is a Democrat best known for tangling with President Donald Trump. She suggested at a news conference Friday that her investigation wouldn’t be rushed. She described it as a monthslong process, with no predetermined outcome.
October 4, 2026 6:02 am
America’s multibillion-dollar market for impairing hemp products faces potential elimination before the end of the year. The products include everything from THC seltzers to smokable cannabis flowers. Congress voted to close the loophole in federal law that has allowed the industry to flourish, but the hemp THC ban doesn’t take effect until Dec. 11. Advocates for the industry and some lawmakers in Washington are fighting to save it. They say it should be regulated rather than banned. Proposals include better age verification for purchases and limits on potency.
October 4, 2026 6:05 am
CAIRO (AP) — The United Arab Emirates says the co-pilot on a FlyDubai flight that nearly crashed with 182 people on board attacked the captain with the cockpit’s crash ax in a “terrorist attack.” Earlier Saturday, the co-pilot was identified as an Omani national named Hamam al-Hammami by three people with knowledge of the situation, including a Gulf and a Western diplomat. The Gulf diplomat said investigations are underway to determine whether he acted alone or has connections to extremist groups. Two other people familiar with the matter said the co-pilot had been barred from flying by Oman over concerns he had adopted extremist views.
October 4, 2026 6:10 am
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian attacks in Ukraine have killed at least six people and damaged Kyiv’s Northern Bridge, causing traffic disruptions for a third day. This is part of Moscow’s ongoing efforts to disrupt life in the Ukrainian capital. Russia’s Foreign Ministry said it would continue “mass retaliatory strikes” on Kyiv and other cities, urging foreign nationals and diplomats to leave. Kyiv Mayor Vitalii Klitschko said the bridge strike damaged the road surface and trolleybus cables. Moldova has expressed concern over the war’s spillover, with President Maia Sandu condemning Russia’s actions. Fighting along the front line remains deadlocked.
