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Scientists are concerned that future global warming predictions may have been underestimated. Planet-heating methane has been discovered seeping out of cracks in the Antarctic sea floor. A team of scientists is setting out to see how many cracks there are, so we can get a better understanding of how fast the climate will change and how they work. Methane seeps are relatively common globally, but previously there was only one confirmed active seep in the Antarctic, when now there seems to be over 40.

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Scientists discovered something alarming seeping out from beneath the ocean around Antarctica | CNN

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Planet-heating methane is escaping from cracks in the Antarctic seabed, with new seeps being discovered at an “astonishing rate,” raising fears that future global warming predictions may have been underestimated.

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Gaza Ceasefire. The ceasefire happened after a long time of violence and attacks. Gaza City is destroyed, and some of the Israeli military have been moved out of the Gaza Strip. This is the first step of the ceasefire; hopefully, more to come, so the people of Gaza can stop suffering. U.S troops will monitor the Gaza Strip over the next steps of the ceasefire.

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Israel-Gaza live updates: Ceasefire in effect as IDF repositions

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U.S. Central Command is establishing a coordination center in Israel to support and monitor the ceasefire agreement, a U.S. official said.

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Judge temporarily blocks National Guard deployment in Illinois amid Chicago, Portland hearings

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President Trump's attempt to send troops into Democratic-led cities faced a severe legal test on Thursday, resulting in a judge, whose name is Judge April Perry, in Chicago, temporarily blocking deployment. Any deployment of U.S National Guard troops into Illinois is prohibited. This ruling will be in effect for 14 days. The U.S. Department of Justice filed a notice of appeal to Perry’s ruling late Thursday evening. The dueling hearings on Thursday set the stage for one of the most high-profile legal battles since Trump took office. Local governments turn to the courts to stop what some judges have described as a blurring of the line between military and civilian rule. In the end, Judge Perry determined that there is no credible evidence that there is a danger of rebellion in Illinois, and also no evidence that the president is unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the U.S.

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21 year old Denise Amber Lee was taken from her home and murdered but her final acts changed 911 forever. lee was a wife, mother, and friend. she had a loving husband, Nathan, and two children, noah and adam. her kidnapper, Michael King, had sexually assaulted her, shot, and buried her 4 feet deep. her husband had reported her missing hours after king had kidnapped her and she was found in the woods dead. a crucal error was made on the polices behalf because a witness had SEEN lee in the trunk of kings car and repoted it but the 911 operator who took the call had WRITTEN IT ON A PIECE OF PAPER INSTEAD OF PUTTING IT IN THE SYSTEM. this error caused police to be HOURS too late and unfortunately she could not be saved. the operator responible for this error was fired almost imedatly and king was put on death row.

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A 21-year-old Florida mother was taking care of her two sons when she suddenly vanished from their home in 2008. Denise Amber Lee's story ended in tragedy, but her quick-thinking proved vital in helping police catch the man who killed her.

That Jan. 17, Denise's husband, Nathan Lee, returned to their North Port home after work around 3:30 p.m. to find their children Noah and Adam, who were 2 years old and six months old at the time, alone and placed in the same crib.

Unable to locate Denise, Nathan dialed 911 to report her missing. The call went to the Sarasota County 911 call center, triggering a massive search.
A new "20/20" episode, "Life on the Line" airing Friday, Oct. 10, at 9 p.m. ET on ABC and streaming the next day on Hulu. You can also get more behind-the-scenes of each week's episode by listening to "20/20: The After Show" weekly series right on your 20/20 podcast feed on Mondays, hosted by "20/20" co-anchor Deborah Roberts.
The search for Denise quickly kicked into high gear. Denise's father, Rick Goff, was a sergeant with the nearby Charlotte County Sheriff's Office and joined in the effort to find her.

An early clue came when a neighbor said she saw an unusual green Camaro pull into the Lees' driveway, only one hour before Nathan arrived home.

However, the search took a dark turn when local police got another 911 call -- from Denise herself, bravely placed using her abductor's cell phone. She secretly communicated with the 911 operator while speaking to her captor.

"Please let me go. Please let me go. I just want to see my family again," Denise is heard saying on the recorded call heard in Friday's episode of "20/20." "My name is Denise. I'm married to a beautiful husband and I just want to see my kids again."

In an exclusive new interview with "20/20" co-anchor Deborah Roberts, Chris Morales, the lead detective on the case, said that this call from Denise confirmed their fears.

"When that 911 call came in, we absolutely knew that she was abducted," Morales said.

Investigators traced the number to an unemployed plumber, Michael King, who was going through foreclosure and owned a green Camaro. He had no relation to her at all, but when police searched King's house, they found a hair tie belonging to Denise and duct tape with long brown hair stuck to it which authorities suspected came from Denise.

Another call from an eyewitness offered crucial real-time details about the abduction.

Jane Kowalski, who was driving down a highway in the area that evening, called 911 to report seeing a Camaro with a person that she thought was a child screaming and banging on the window in the back seat.

"I looked over and I see the guy, it's clear as day," Kowalski said in the call. "There's the little window in the back and the hand's coming up and just hitting that window."

The call was routed to Charlotte County 911 dispatch, which is distinct from the neighboring Sarasota County 911 dispatch team where Denise's 911 call was received.

Kowalski's call was not immediately dispatched to the police searching for Denise. The information from the call was initially written on a piece a paper instead of being entered into the system, according to the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office, which investigated the incident.

"It was a major screw-up. When I say major, I mean it could have saved her life," Goff, Denise's father, told "20/20."

The Charlotte County Sheriff's Office maintained that dispatching the call properly would not have made a difference in locating Denise.

"The assumption is that Charlotte County screwed up and could have saved this girl's life," Charlotte County Sheriff John Davenport said at a news conference in 2008. "I'm telling you that until the facts come out here, that's the wrong assumption to make."

The internal investigation into the call found that procedure had been violated by the call not being dispatched immediately, and two dispatchers associated with the call were temporarily suspended, given remedial training and six months of probation.

Approximately five hours after Denise was reported missing, police found King when the Florida Highway Patrol pulled him over in the green Camaro. He was soaking wet and in possession of a gas can and a dirty shovel. A heart-shaped ring belonging to Denise was also eventually found in King's car.

Two days later, police found Denise's body in nearby woods. She had been sexually assaulted, shot and buried in a grave four feet deep.

"I was a big baby when that happened, I can tell you. Being kicked in the groin or something because it's like, I'm not so tough after that. She was my firstborn baby girl," Goff said.

King was then charged with murder in the first degree, kidnapping, and sexual battery. His defense team argued he was innocent, pointing to the fact that the murder weapon was never recovered.

Meanwhile, prosecutors presented forensic evidence that linked King to Denise from her hair and personal belongings that were found in his home and Camaro.

King was convicted by a jury in less than two hours on all counts and sentenced to death in September 2009.

Denise's family has since dedicated their lives to bringing awareness to the 911 system.

Her sister Amanda became a 911 dispatcher and has remained in the industry. Nathan started the Denise Amber Lee Foundation and travels all over the country sharing Denise's story with 911 emergency workers, hoping to prevent what happened in Denise's case from ever happening again.

In her name, Denise's family also helped pass the Denise Amber Lee Act, establishing new statewide standards for 911 operator and dispatcher training that requires them to undergo more than 200 hours of training.

Denise's now-teenage children, Noah and Adam, also shared their mother's story with ABC News' Roberts as part of their first television interview in this week's "20/20," as a way to honor her life.

"We're a part of her, and I feel like people hearing from us can see how important she was, how amazing she was, and see how big of a hole that is left because she's not here," Adam said.

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How a woman's desperate final acts changed 911 forever in Florida

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Denise Amber Lee was kidnapped and murdered in 2008, and the 911 calls associated with her disappearance sparked nationwide reforms.

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On Friday in Manila, Philippines, two offshore earthquakes hit the same region, leaving ruins. The first earthquake struck at a magnitude of 7.4, killing 5 people, knocking down schools and a hospital, and evacuating Manila. When the second one hit at a magnitude of 6.9, the town had already been evacuated, so luckily, the people had been prepared and were in a safe area. But the second earthquake had caused multiple problems to buildings, including substantial damage to an international airport in Davao City. This whole day of earthquakes is happening after another earthquake that happened on September 30th, killing a substantial 74 people.

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7.6-magnitude earthquake strikes offshore from southern Philippines

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An offshore earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 hit off a southern Philippine province Friday morning, seismologists said

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In a low income area of Chicago, the residents of an apartment complex here are taken off their daily lives to their doors being blown off the hinges, as they're hit by flash-bangs being thrown into their apartments-- Every single resident of this complex had their apartments raided while ICE and other immigration enforcement officers raided that complex. The use of this kind of military-like or SWAT equipment is justifiable in situations where a SWAT team might be deployed there for an active situation, however this raid and others like it around Chicago weren't that kind of situation. These complexes were mostly normal people just living their lives, but with that of a few undocumented people and gang members.

Finding and arresting those undocumented criminals or undocumented people taking advantage of the U.S. is likely necessary, but this kind of force is just unbelievable. The majority of those residents, who weren't illegal or undocumented, are now left traumatized from being on the receiving end of a breaching charge, flash-bang, and rifle barrels, and also left without a place to live, after the complex was left virtually uninhabitable.

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US immigration enforcement using military hardware and tactics on civilians

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Agencies like Ice are way ahead of Donald Trump, who wants the military to treat cities like ‘training grounds’

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Kilmar Garcia was wrongly deported and is now in court with the attorney who tried to deport him. Government witnesses look toward removing Garcia from the US. This takes place in Maryland, and they are looking to put him back into his home country of Eswatini. The Salvadoran national's attorneys have argued that if there are no current plans for his imminent removal, Abrego Garcia should be released from detention. He was brought to the US in June and was caught smuggling many substances. Garcia's criminal trial in Tennessee charges is scheduled for Jan. 27. He was detained and held in Pennsylvania.

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Attorneys for Kilmar Abrego Garcia return to court as his deportation saga continues

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Attorneys for Kilmar Abrego Garcia will be in court in Maryland on Friday for an evidentiary hearing about his possible removal from the United States.

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Donald Trump announced that Israel and Gaza "signed off" on the first phase of the peace plan. All hostages will return to their families in Gaza. Even the 27 dead will go to the families that lost their loved ones. Trump said, "the first steps toward a strong, durable, and everlasting peace." They will have American troops monitoring the ceasefire deal. More than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners will be released. 1,700 were just innocent people in the Gaza Strip, not involved with any attacks. Gaza is going to be slowly redone with the support of Arab.

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Israel-Gaza live updates: Ceasefire in effect as IDF repositions

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U.S. Central Command is establishing a coordination center in Israel to support and monitor the ceasefire agreement, a U.S. official said.

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Trump's attempt to send troops into Democratic-led cities faced at test when a judge temporally blocked deployment. The judge April Perry entered a TRO enjoining the deployment of National Guard troops from any U.S. state into Illinois. This will last for 14 days. The Department of Justice filed a notice of appeal to Perry’s ruling late Thursday evening. The dueling hearings on Thursday set the stage for one of the most high-profile legal battles since Trump took office, as local governments turn to the courts to stop what some judges have described as a blurring of the line between military and civilian rule. In the decision, Perry determined that there is "no credible evidence that there is a danger of rebellion in Illinois" and no evidence that the president is unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the U.S.

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In two courthouses in different parts of the country, President Donald Trump's attempt to send troops into Democratic-led cities faced a critical legal test on Thursday, with a judge in Chicago temporarily blocking deployment.

District Judge April Perry entered a TRO enjoining the deployment of National Guard troops from any U.S. state into Illinois. This ruling will be in effect for 14 days.

The U.S. Department of Justice filed a notice of appeal to Perry's ruling late Thursday evening.

Meanwhile, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals helda heated, hour-long oral argument on whether to lift a lower court's order blocking the deployment of troops into Portland.

The dueling hearings on Thursday set the stage for one of the most high-profile legal battles since Trump took office, as local governments turn to the courts to stop what some judges have described as a blurring of the line between military and civilian rule.

Chicago

In the decision, Perry determined that there is "no credible evidence that there is a danger of rebellion in Illinois" and no evidence that the president is unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the U.S.

She said that the deployment of the national guard to Illinois "is likely to lead to civil unrest" requiring a response from local and state law enforcement.

Referencing what she called the "provocative nature of ICE enforcement activity" in Illinois, she said, "I find allowing the national guard to deploy will only add fuel to the fire that they started."

Before Judge Perry's decision, a lawyer for the Department of Justice, Eric Hamilton, countered that the Chicago area is experiencing "brazen hostility" to federal law enforcement officers, a "tragic lawlessness" in the city that is manifesting in hostile and violent acts against the Department of Homeland Security and ICE personnel.

Hamilton listed as examples "agitators" that had brought guns to federal facilities, and who have thrown rocks, bottles, tear gas and fireworks at federal agents, and who have blocked and impeded immigration enforcement, including by surrounding ICE agents and ramming their vehicles into law enforcement vehicles.

All of which has shown, Hamilton argued, that in Illinois there is an "unprecedented" and "blatant disregard for law and order."

People shout slogans while protesting the arrival of the Texas National Guard and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents during a demonstration in downtown Chicago, Illinois, on October 8, 2025. Chicago, the third-largest in the country, has become the latest flashpoint in a crackdown by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents that has sparked allegations of rights abuses and myriad lawsuits.

Octavio Jones/AFP via Getty Images

Judge Perry questioned Hamilton extensively over the scope of the Guard's deployments and responsibilities and asked what the limits were to their authority, scope and mission. Hamilton described a limited mission to protect federal personnel and property but, under repeated questioning from Perry, Hamilton declined to rule out an expansion of the mission if events were to warrant it.

Describing a "dynamic situation" on the ground in and around Chicago, Hamilton said, "the response is going to be tailored to whatever the needs are" at the moment.

If the mission changes, Hamilton said, the plaintiffs would be able to return to court to issue a renewed challenge.

Wells, the attorney for Illinois, contended that the situation on the ground, particularly outside the ICE facility in Broadview, had calmed substantially since the local government and police force had instituted restrictions on protest hours and since the Illinois State Police began providing protection at the facility.

Portland

As the Chicago hearing took place, a three-judge panel on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments about whether to lift a lower court's order blocking the deployment of 200 federalized members of the Oregon National Guard into Portland.

On Wednesday, the Ninth Circuit issued an administrative stay of that order to preserve the status quo as the lawsuit moves through the court.

Oregon argued that the deployment of troops is "part of a nationwide campaign to assimilate the military into civilian law enforcement" and is based on "inaccurate information" about the conditions in Portland.

"Defendants' nearly limitless conception [of the law] would give the President discretion to repeat this experiment in response to other ordinary, nonviolent acts of civil disobedience across our Nation. The public interest is served by a judicial order preserving the rule of law in the face of unprecedented and unlawful Executive action that threatens grave and irreparable damage to our State and the Nation," lawyers for the state said in a recent filing.

A federal judge on Sunday expanded her order to bar any state's National Guard from entering Portland after concluding that the Trump administration was attempting to work around her temporary restraining order by using troops from other states.

That second order has not been formally appealed yet, although the broader issue may arise during the hearing as the Trump administration challenges judicial limits on the president's authority to deploy the National Guard.

"Congress did not impose these limits on the President's authority to federalize the Guard, nor did it authorize the federal courts to second-guess the President's judgment about when and where to call up the Guard to reinforce the regular forces in response to sustained and widespread violent resistance to federal law enforcement," lawyers for the Trump administration wrote in a filing earlier this week.

In an amicus brief filed on Thursday, a group of former secretaries of the Army and Navy, retired four-star admirals and generals, encouraged Judge Perry to express caution about the broader use of the National Guard in domestic operations.

"Domestic deployments that fail to adhere to [the Posse Comitatus Act] threaten the Guard's core national security and disaster relief missions; place deployed personnel in fraught situations for which they lack specific training, thus posing safety concerns for servicemembers and the public alike; and risk inappropriately politicizing the military, creating additional risks to recruitment, retention, morale, and cohesion of the force," lawyers for the former military leaders wrote.

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Judge temporarily blocks National Guard deployment in Illinois amid Chicago, Portland hearings

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In two courthouses on opposite sides of the country, Donald Trump's attempt to send troops into Democratic-led cities faced a critical legal test on Thursday.

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In Kyiv, Ukraine a Russian drone and missile strike was launched. Fragments of these drones had fallen into the city and hit parts of the city. The images are the result of the attack. In a building with block flats more than 20 people were pulled out of the building and the 6th and 7th floors had erupted into flames. President Zelenskyy stated that Russia's goal had been to damage their thermal power plants. The 3 previous winters, because of bombing, Ukrainian citizens were left without heating. The temperatures are freezing in Ukraine and without heating the citizens will suffer. Ukraine stepped up their attack on Russia after this incident. They hit a power station in hopes of pushing up prices of fuel in Russia.

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‘Massive’ Russian attack on Ukraine capital causes widespread blackout

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At least 20 injured after hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles target energy infrastructure in Kyiv

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The Sheriff's office down in Metro Phoenix spent millions of dollars on a case that had racially profiled a man named Joe Arpaio's and was trying to immigrate him. A report also released that Maricopa's Sheriff's office were using millions of dollars for personal tasks that were not needed, ABC news also stated that they were doing inappropriate spending such as $2.8 mil for camera licenses, $1.5 mil for renovations, $1.3 mil to buy 42 vehicles, and $11k for golf carts to bring workers to the headquarters from the parking lot. Since this news has released the Sheriff's office has been getting a lot of backlash from people since the main races that have been getting stopped were Hispanic's and African Americans.

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Sheriff’s office misused millions meant to remedy racial profiling, report reveals

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The sheriff’s office for metro Phoenix has spent millions of dollars budgeted for compliance costs in a racial profiling case over Joe Arpaio’s immigration crackdowns on things that had little or nothing to do with a court-ordered overhaul of the agency

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Two extremely strong earthquakes had struck the same spot in the southern Philippines in just a couple hours apart. The first earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.4- killed five people at morning time. The second one had only a slightly smaller magnitude, that being 6.9. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had said the potential damage was being assessed, and when it was safe to do so. During this, at least five people were killed- including the two who had passed from a heart attack. The first earthquake had set off a landslide, killing some and injuring others. Several buildings had sustained heavy damage, and a witness saw power lines swaying and witnessed the electricity shut off. This area had dealt with the horror of earthquakes before, but this was by far the strongest and the most devastating.

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7.6-magnitude earthquake strikes offshore from southern Philippines

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An offshore earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 hit off a southern Philippine province Friday morning, seismologists said

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There is now a ceasefire in Gaza, Israeli troops are now width-drawling but they will still be present in various parts of Gaza, both sides are setting their hostages free, Israel is aware that Hamas might not know where or might not be able to get to the 28 deceased hostages Netanyahu added: “We will bring the deceased hostages to burial in Israel. We will work to locate all of them as soon as possible, and we will fulfill this as a sacred duty of mutual responsibility.” there are still 20 something people alive according to Israeli intelligence

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Jessie Yeung, Lex Harvey, Catherine Nicholls, Char Reck, Tal Shalev

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Live updates: Israel says ceasefire in effect as troops withdraw from parts of Gaza | CNN

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The Israeli military said that a ceasefire was now in effect in Gaza, as its forces pull back in accordance with the deal approved by the government overnight. Follow for live news updates.

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Current player 4-10 finals in the NBA, Lebron James reportedly is out for the start of the 25-26 NBA season from sciatica (Nerve pain) on the right side of his body. In the article it says "Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James will miss the start of the regular season due to sciatica on his right side, the team announced Thursday." Also it states "Los Angeles says James will be evaluated for a return in three to four weeks, potentially putting James in line to take the court as early as Oct. 29 against the Minnesota Timberwolves or Oct. 31 against the Memphis Grizzlies."

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Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James will miss start of NBA season

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The team said James has sciatica on his right side and will be evaluated for a return in three to four weeks.

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A 23 year old Philadelphia woman named Kada Scott has been missing for nearly a week, and police are saying she was being harassed by an unknown individual before disappearing. She arrived at work on the day she went missing, but left prior to the completion of her shift. It is said that typically her shift is from 10 pm to 6 am. The police have said that there is no cell phone activity, such as posting on social media, and calls or texts to family and friends. Kada's mother says, " I just need her to come home and be safe. That's what I fear, she's not safe."

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A 23-year-old Philadelphia woman has now been missing for nearly a week, with police saying she was being harassed by an unknown individual before disappearing.

Kada Scott was last seen by her mother on Saturday evening when she was leaving for work at a nearby nursing home, police said.

Scott arrived at work but left "prior to her shift's completion," and has not been seen since, John Craig, captain of the Philadelphia Police Department, said during a press conference on Wednesday. It was not clear what time Scott left work, but officials said her shift typically was from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

"This is completely out of character," Craig said during the press conference.

She was reported missing to police on Sunday, with law enforcement saying they have "some concern, more so than usual" regarding her disappearance due to worrying phone calls she was receiving.

"In the days leading up to her disappearance, Ms. Scott related to her family and friends that an unknown individual or person had been harassing her via phone," Craig said.

Craig said officials have not identified the person who was allegedly harassing Scott, but are continuing to investigate "very thoroughly."

Officials in Philadelphia are searching for Kada Scott, a 23-year-old woman who has been missing for nearly a week.

Philadelphia Police Department

Police are canvassing the neighborhood for video, interviewing friends and family and looking at Scott's cellphone data -- including taking a "deep dive" of her social media -- in their efforts to locate Scott. Officials are also speaking to Scott's co-workers at the nursing home, Craig said.

"We have no cellphone activity or social media activity, and she has not reached out to family or friends," Craig said.

Officials were able to recover Scott's vehicle, which was located in the parking lot of the nursing home where she worked, Craig said.

Scott, who officials described as a "very bright, energetic woman," is 5 feet, 6 inches tall, weighing 120 pounds and has brown eyes and black hair, police said.

"I just need her to come home and be safe. That's what I fear -- she's not safe," Scott's mother, Kim Matthews, told Philadelphia ABC station WPVI.

Scott's name has also been entered into the National Crime Information Center database, Craig said.

Anyone who has information on Scott's whereabouts is urged to call 215-686-3353, police said.

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Missing 23-year-old Philadelphia woman was harassed by unidentified individual before disappearing: Police

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Officials in Philadelphia are searching for a 23-year-old woman who has been missing for nearly a week, according to the Philadelphia Police Department.

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Roy Lee Ward raped and murdered a 15 year old girl back in 2001. He was convicted of the crimes in 2002 and was sentenced to death. He was staying at the Indiana State Prison when he had his last meal from Texas Corral. He was then executed with spiritual advisors and attorneys watching. And one of his advisors said that right before the execution did he really think deeply about his actions.

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CHICAGO -- CHICAGO (AP) - An Indiana man convicted in the 2001 rape and murder of a teenage girl was executed by injection early Friday in the state's third execution since resuming capital punishment last year.

Roy Lee Ward, 53, was put to death at the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City. Indiana Department of Correction said in a statement that the process started shortly after midnight and Ward was pronounced dead at 12:33 a.m.

Ward's last meal was from Texas Corral and included a hamburger. His last words reported by Indiana Department of Correction were "Brian is going to read them," but it was unclear when exactly he made the statement.

He was convicted in the rape and murder of 15-year-old Stacy Payne. Authorities said Ward attacked the girl with a knife and dumbbell in her family's home near Dale, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) east of Evansville. The crime rocked the small community of roughly 1,500 people.

Ward had exhausted his legal options after more than two decades. His attorney, Joanna Green, said days before the execution that Ward was "very remorseful" about the crime."

Ward's execution came amid questions about Indiana's handling of the powerful sedative pentobarbital. Last year state officials ended a 15-year pause on executions, saying they'd been able to obtain drugs used in lethal injections that had been unavailable for years.

The Indiana Department of Correction said it had obtained "enough pentobarbital to follow the required protocol" for Ward's execution. Ward's attorneys had raised concerns about the use of the drug and how the state stored it, including temperature issues.

Among 27 states with death penalty laws, Indiana is one of two that bar media witnesses to executions. Ward's witness list included attorneys and spiritual advisers.

His case trailed through the courts for more than 20 years.

Ward was convicted of the crimes in 2002 and sentenced to death. But after the Indiana Supreme Court overturned the conviction and ordered a new trial, he pleaded guilty in 2007. A decade later, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case. In 2019, he sued Indiana seeking to stop all pending executions.

Last month, the Indiana Supreme Court declined to stay the execution and Gov. Mike Braun rejected Ward's clemency bid.

The victim's family members said they were ready for justice to be carried out, remembering Payne as an honor student and cheerleader with an influence beyond her short life.

"Now our family gatherings are no longer whole, holidays still empty. Birthdays are sad reminders of what we lost," her mother Julie Wininger told the parole board last month. "Our family has endured emotional devastation."

Ward skipped the parole board interview for his clemency bid, saying he didn't want to force the victim's family to travel to the prison and that he couldn't always say what he meant. Attorneys say Ward was recently diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, which affected his ability to communicate.

One of his spiritual advisers, Deacon Brian Nosbusch, said ahead of the execution that Ward thought deeply about his actions.

"He knows he did it," Nosbusch said. "He knows it was horrendous."

___

Golden reported from Seattle.

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Man convicted of killing a 15-year-old girl in 2001 is executed in Indiana

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Indiana officials have executed a man convicted in the 2001 rape and murder of a teenage girl

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When Ann Walter looked outside her rural Texas home, she didn't know what to think about the bulky object slowly drifting across the sky. Then she saw what had landed in her neighbors wheat field, it was a boxy piece of science equipment that was very large. It had many NASA stickers on it and when she called the police about it they told her that NASA indeed was missing a piece of their equipment. Ann said that it was truly so huge with a 30 ft parachute. She got a call from one of the NASA facility's and they told her they launch their parachute's more than 20 miles into the atmosphere to conduct scientific experiments. In all she said it was a really cool experience for her and her family and they were able to capture a few pictures of it.

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She saw a car-sized object over a Texas farm and found wayward hunk of NASA equipment

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A West Texas woman saw something unusual on a recent morning, a massive parachute drifting slowly across the sky

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An April 11, 2025, review by an investigator in the office of Lafourche Parish District Attorney Kristine Russell The report provided to this office says Louisiana State Police has several inconsistencies which were used to base their opinion and conclusion of the crash. ABC News obtained the district attorney's report on Thursday. We cannot comment on the District Attorney's investigation, as we were not part of that process a spokesperson for the Louisiana State Police told ABC News on Thursday. Louisiana State Police stands by the findings of its crash investigation, which relied on Troopers' specialized training, eyewitness accounts, video evidence, and physical evidence to determine contributing factors. Those findings were forwarded to the Lafourche Parish District Attorney's Office." Lacy, who was a star player for Louisiana State University before declaring for the NFL draft in 2024, was arrested in January and charged with negligent homicide in connection with the Dec. 17, 2024, crash that led to the death of 78-year-old Herman Hall.

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Prosecutor’s report disputed police claims about fatal crash that led to Kyren Lacy’s arrest

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Prosecutors who investigated the fatal crash that led to charges against Kyren Lacy found that the Louisiana State Police probe had “several inconsistencies.”

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Maria Corina Machado, a Venezuelan politician, won a Nobel Peace Prize. Machado is a 58-year-old woman who has been in hiding since she was believed to have beaten the country's president, Nicolas Maduro. One of her last moments was seen in Caracas, where she said she was convinced Maduro's days in office were over after he was defeated. For the past year, Machado has stayed in power and has retained the support of the army. When she got the news that she won a Nobel Peace Prize, she said, "I can't believe it! My God!" She also said, "I am just one person, I certainly don't deserve this." People describe her as "one of the most extraordinary examples of civilian courage in Latin America."

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Venezuelan politician María Corina Machado wins Nobel peace prize

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Opponent of Maduro regime receives award and praise for keeping ‘flame of democracy burning’

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Government ID photos of about 70,000 customers got exposed after a data breach. For context, to verify that you're of age, platforms often request for a form of ID verification, often an official one too. This however is very invasive of privacy, because a government ID basically tells everything about you, including your full name, and a photo of you. This largely affected people who made appeals for when they got accused of being underaged, and people in the UK, which the country now requires ID verification for child safety reasons as of the new law passed back in July. It's important to be aware of the potential implications of social media companies asking for ID verification, as data breaches are one of the most common attacks.

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Hack of age verification firm may have exposed 70,000 Discord users’ ID photos

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Names, email addresses and other contact details of users from around the world could also have been taken