🇺🇸Week of September 28

Russian jet-drones struck Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, hitting the National Academy of Sciences and causing a fire in the city center. The attacks also damaged apartments, offices, and a cultural landmark, and struck rail workers.12345

Attributed claim: The strikes killed at least 17 people, according to CNN, while other outlets reported tolls of 10, 7, 6, or at least one. The deadliest single attack hit the Academy of Sciences in Kyiv.63784

The attacks spilled over into Romanian and Moldovan territory, CNN reported. European leaders condemned Russia's deadly ballistic missile attack on Ukraine.69

The strikes came after Moscow rejected German calls to de-escalate, according to ABC News. The attack on the Academy of Sciences was part of a broader wave of Russian jet-drone strikes across Ukraine.83

Iran warned of a 'doomsday war' after President Donald Trump rejected a peace proposal. Iran said Trump must choose between war or diplomacy as talks resumed.123

On October 1, Trump said an agreement with Iran has 'been largely negotiated' and that the Strait of Hormuz will be opened. Al Jazeera reported that Iran has a 14-point proposal to end the war and raised the question of whether Trump will accept it.45

OpenAI has cancelled the release of its newest AI model, GPT-6.1 Astra, citing safety concerns. The company said the model did not meet its internal safety bar, with CNN reporting the phrase 'didn't quite meet the bar.' The cancellation was first reported by The Wall Street Journal and confirmed across multiple outlets.12345

The model was scheduled for an October launch, but failed safety tests, according to The Next Web. OpenAI has not announced a new release date for Astra. The company said it will continue to evaluate the model before any future rollout.612

Business Insider reported that OpenAI shelved Astra over fears it wouldn't stay in its lane, suggesting concerns about the model's ability to follow intended boundaries. The Washington Post also reported that OpenAI cancelled the launch citing safety issues. These accounts add detail to the company's stated safety rationale.78

The cancellation was reported by outlets across the political spectrum, including the centre-left Al Jazeera, BBC, CNN, The New York Times, Le Monde.fr, and The Washington Post, as well as the centre-right WSJ and mixed outlets The Next Web, Seeking Alpha, and Business Insider. Seeking Alpha noted that the cancellation was first reported by WSJ. No outlet disputed the fact of the cancellation or the safety rationale.1239846107

Tennessee is set to execute Christa Pike, the only woman on the state's death row, marking the first execution of a woman in Tennessee in more than 200 years. Governor Bill Lee denied Pike's clemency plea, clearing the way for the execution. Pike has said she is 'at peace' ahead of the scheduled lethal injection.1234

Demonstrators rallied against the execution, which is scheduled to take place in Tennessee. The case has drawn attention due to the rarity of executing a woman in the state and the length of time since the last such execution.56

Pike's case has been linked to the 'Satanic Panic' era, with media coverage describing her as a true-crime obsession. The Intercept reported that the truth behind her story is more haunting than the sensationalized narrative.7

Pike has claimed she is too damaged for death row, according to the BBC. Her mental state and the circumstances of her crime have been central to appeals for clemency, which were ultimately rejected by the governor.8

Justice Samuel Alito has recused himself from a major Supreme Court climate change case, according to multiple reports. The case is a climate lawsuit brought by Boulder, Colorado, and the recusal comes days before the case is scheduled to be heard. The development was reported by outlets including The New York Times, CNN, and CPR News.123

The case is a high-profile climate lawsuit, and Alito's recusal removes him from participation. The Supreme Court is set to hear the case next week, and Alito will not take part. The recusal was reported by CNBC and Politico, which described the case as a blockbuster.45

The Daily Beast framed the recusal as a bombshell blow to President Donald Trump, while Vox reported that Big Oil has an audacious request for the Supreme Court. The Daily Beast is left-leaning, and Vox is left-leaning. The New York Times, CNN, and CPR News are centre-left.12367