Christa Pike says she is 'recovering' after botched execution in new statement

Pope Leo XIV has become the first pontiff to vote in a U.S. election. The Vatican confirmed Friday that the American-born pope submitted a mail-in ballot in his native Chicago ahead of November's midterm elections, citing his longstanding belief in civic participation. The pope, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost , "has exercised his right to vote as a United States citizen, whenever he was eligible to do so," the Holy See press office said. "The Holy Father expresses his belief in the right and the duty of citizens to participate in democratic processes," the Vatican said in a statement.

The November 2026 midterm elections are just four days away. Candidates in key races — and President Trump — are making their closing arguments to voters.

Immigrants at Texas detention facility, protesting against harsh conditions, say they face threats of force-feeding Members of Congress sent a scathing letter to federal immigration officials this week demanding answers about conditions inside a Texas immigration jail, as detained immigrants on a prolonged hunger strike claim officials are retaliating against them and threatening them with force-feeding. A group of seven congressional Democrats sent the letter earlier this week to Markwayne Mullin, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) secretary,…

In the placid LA suburb of Burbank, residents spend months – and thousands of dollars – turning their homes into Disney-style attractions. Why does it go so hard for Halloween – and is it becoming too popular for its own good? Every night, starting in mid-September, Diego Linares puts on a serial killer costume and stands in his front yard for three hours. The 40-year-old alternates outfits: some nights he’s Michael Myers, the masked murderer from the Halloween films. Other nights he’s Jason Voorhees, from the Friday the 13th franchise. His family’s…