An influenza (flu) virus is shown. (Getty Images stock photo)
(NEW YORK) — San Francisco health officials this week reported the city’s first flu death of the 2026-27 flu season.
The person was an adult, according to the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH), but no other information was provided.
“This sad news reminds us that respiratory viruses such as flu and COVID should be taken very seriously, especially for people who are at higher risk of getting sick,” Dr. Susan Philip, San Francisco health officer, said in a statement on Thursday. “With fall festivities approaching, we want people to stay healthy and do all the fun and joyful things they want to do. Vaccines help make this happen.”
Data from the California Department of Public Health shows 26 individuals have died so far from flu statewide this season. It’s unclear if this total includes the San Francisco patient.
The deaths have occurred relatively early in the respiratory virus season. According to the official Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tabulation, flu season doesn’t start for another two weeks.
Current levels of respiratory virus activity nationally are listed as “very low,” according to CDC data.
Although flu circulates year-round, cases typically increase in the fall and winter months. The CDC advises that people get their flu vaccine before the end of October.
Everyone over the age of 6 months is currently eligible for a flu vaccine. Older adults — over 65 years old — may be eligible for a higher dose version.
The shots are available at most pharmacies and doctors’ offices. The flu vaccine is often free of charge, with most health insurance covering the shot.
The SFDPH also recommends staying up to date with COVID and RSV vaccines in line with recommendations from the state’s health department.
The updated 2026-27 COVID vaccine is recommended for:
Those ages 6 to 23 months and ages 65 and older
Those ages 2 to 18 with risk factors or never vaccinated against COVID-19
Those ages 19 to 64 with risk factors
Anyone who is planning pregnancy, pregnant or postpartum
Anyone in close contact with others with risk factors, including healthcare workers
The RSV vaccine is recommended for:
Previously unvaccinated adults ages 75 and older, and ages 50 to 74 with risk factors
Previously unvaccinated pregnant people 32 to 36 weeks gestation
Infants younger than 8 months whose mother did not receive a vaccine while pregnant and high-risk children ages 8 to 19 months are eligible to receive an injectable monoclonal antibody shot to protect against RSV.
President Donald Trump looks to the press as he disembarks from Marine One at the White House on Oct. 2, 2026, in Washington, D.C. President Trump kicked off a 32-day campaign blitz ahead of the midterm elections in Texas and Oklahoma. (Finn Gomez/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump warned Republicans that Texas and Michigan are among the states the party is “worried about” ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, while speaking to voters in Oklahoma on Thursday.
Fresh off an event in Texas, Trump told a crowd in the reliably Republican state that he was not concerned about Oklahoma but that Republicans needed to turn out voters in other states.
“I feel a little foolish, you know. I’m saying, ‘go out and vote, go out and vote.’ You’re gonna, they’re gonna win in the last half, but still go out and vote,” Trump said. “But we’re not worried about them. We’re worried about Michigan. We’re worried about Texas. We’re worried about a few states.”
Trump later said Republicans need to get the word out about the midterms, citing what he described as 35 to 40 races that the party is concerned about.
“But we have to get the word out because we have to win in those 35. Maybe you could even say 40 places, 40 races,” Trump said. “You have many, you have hundreds of races, but it’s all about 40.”
Trump also again urged supporters to imagine that he himself was on the ballot.
“So you have to pretend I’m on the ticket and turn out for a midterm victory that’s really too big to rig,” Trump said.
Trump sought to rally Republicans by attacking Democrats over inflation and immigration, repeating claims about the number and backgrounds of migrants who entered the country during the Biden administration.
Trump has repeatedly made claims about millions of migrants entering the U.S. from prisons and mental institutions, but those claims have been disputed and are not supported by evidence showing that foreign governments emptied prisons or institutions and sent those people to the United States.
The president also said his administration was running the country well but criticized Republicans for what he called poor “public relations.”
The fraternity house at the center of a rape allegation stands on the campus of Cornell University on September 30, 2026, in Ithaca, New York. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — One of the Cornell fraternity brothers who allegedly attacked Jane Doe appeared to show remorse days later, writing to her in a text message that was showed to ABC News, “I just wanted to apologize for how things went down the other night.”
She responded, “At the end of the day non [sic] of the sexual stuff was illegal and honestly I really liked being with u.”
Nearly two weeks later, Jane Doe’s view appeared to change, according to the text exchange: “Let’s be clear that 90% of what happened that night was not consensual,” Jane Doe wrote. “All i remember after that was you giving me ket[amine].”
She said it made her feel “like a sex doll/worker.”
Days after those text messages Jane Doe went to campus police. Authorities memorialized her first report: “A female undergraduate student reported that she was recently raped by 8-10 men at the Chi Phi fraternity house.”
Those new details were included in the lengthy confidential investigative report compiled by Cornell and reviewed by ABC News. Newly obtained videos from that probe show the bedroom in the fraternity house where Jane Doe alleged she was gang raped. It was left strewn with garbage, leftover food and discarded furniture after Cornell University suspended the Chi Phi chapter.
On the bedroom floor, there is a composite photo of every member of a sorority class, a fentanyl test, beer cans and liquor bottles littering the space.
ABC News has also obtained an extended version of the Snapchat group chat shared among more than 50 fraternity brothers during the alleged assault.
The frat brother who invited Jane Doe to the house that night sent a photo to the chat that appears to show her in the bedroom.
Another asked, “Are you guys at least naked??”
He replied, “Boys come whip it out.”
On Thursday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said she issued an executive order to appoint Attorney General Letitia James as a special prosecutor for the alleged gang rape that took place in 2024.
“Newly released information continues to raise serious questions about the investigation conducted by the Cornell Police Department and the decision by the Tompkins County District Attorney not to prosecute an alleged sexual assault on Cornell University’s campus,” Hochul said in a statement.
USA, New York, Finger Lakes Region, Ithaca, Cornell University, elevated view of McFaddin Hall, summer (Walter Bibikow/Getty Images)
An upstate New York prosecutor this week reopened an investigation into a 2024 incident at Cornell University in which a former undergraduate student filed a lawsuit alleging she was drugged and raped by seven men at the Chi Phi fraternity house.
Here is a timeline of key events in the case based on ABC News reporting, police documents, official statements from Cornell and the Tompkins County District Attorney’s Office, and a lawsuit filed by the alleged victim, identified only as Jane Doe.
August 2022 –Jane Doe begins her freshman year at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.
Oct. 18, 2024 – An individual overdoses on ketamine “on or about October 18, 2024” at the Chi Phi fraternity house, according to a heavily redacted report obtained by ABC News that was prepared by Cornell University from a series of hearings the university held in 2025 as part of its internal investigation of Jane Doe’s allegations.
Oct. 19-20, 2024 – Jane Doe alleges she was drugged and “gang raped” by seven men during a party at the Chi Phi fraternity house to which she was invited by one of the men she has accused of assaulting her, according to Jane Doe’s lawsuit. She arrived at the party, according to investigation documents, already intoxicated after consuming alcohol at her sorority house and at two bars.
In a later statement to police, Jane Doe, who was 20 at the time, said she was carded when she entered the bars, and one of the establishments marked her hand with an X indicating she was under 21, and the other gave her an under-21 wristband to wear. However, she says she was able to purchase a drink at one of the bars and only briefly stayed at the other, but made no mention of ordering alcohol there. Neither bar has issued a statement.
Jane Doe says she continued drinking alcohol once arriving at the Chi Phi fraternity house and accepted drugs before agreeing to participate in a sexual threesome and subsequently losing consciousness. One of the drugs Jane Doe alleges she was forced to ingest is ketamine.
Oct. 20, 2024 – In the early morning hours, one of the fraternity members allegedly messages the fraternity’s Snapchat group to claim there was “free” sex upstairs.
Oct. 23, 2024 – Jane Doe exchanges text messages with the man who invited her to the Chi Phi fraternity house party, later identified in her civil lawsuit as Male No. 1. Apparently referring to rumors spreading about the sexual activity that occurred at the fraternity, she writes, “My reputation is destroyed and I’m utterly ashamed.” In the same exchange, she also texts, “everyone needs to grow up because sexuality and sex and [stuff] is changing and stuff like this is going to become more common. i’m also really open minded tho. i love u king.”
Oct. 30, 2024 – In another text message, Jane Doe writes to Male No. 1 that she was “uninvited” to a Chi Phi event. “i know this was going to happen. the woman will always get the short end of the stick,” she writes. “yall aren’t my friends. yall are covering your a****.”
Nov. 7, 2024 – In a text message to Jane Doe obtained by ABC News, Male No. 1 writes he is concerned he is “being labeled an assaulter.” Jane Doe replies in part “I haven’t said anything” and in the same text exchange also says, “i know there are rumors i was gang banged.”
Nov. 8, 2024 – Jane Doe writes to Male No. 1 in a text message, “i think i’m done talking to you. i know you lied.” That same day, she files a report with the Cornell University police, telling them about the alleged sexual incident that occurred at the Chi Phi fraternity house between her and members of the fraternity. Also that same day, the university places the Chi Phi fraternity chapter on temporary suspension for alleged violations of the student code of conduct and issues temporary suspensions to several students involved in the incident.
Nov. 14, 2024 –Jane Doe makes a formal statement to Cornell campus police, who ask the Tompkins County District Attorney’s Office to review it and determine whether a crime had been committed. Prosecutors decide not to file charges.
Nov. 26, 2024 –Cornell Interim President Michael Kotlikoff issues a statement describing “serious and deeply disturbing allegations of drug abuse and sexual violence at the Chi Phi fraternity house.” The statement says campus police “continues to pursue its criminal investigation” and the university’s “Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards and the Office of Institutional Equity and Title IX have been diligently reviewing all reported information regarding the many allegations that have been received pertaining to events at the fraternity.”
The statement further says that the Chi Phi fraternity “remains under a temporary suspension order that was issued on November 8, 2024, for alleged violations of the Student Code of Conduct. In addition, late last week, interim measures in the form of temporary suspensions were issued for a number of students to protect the immediate physical health and safety of all students.”
In a statement, Cornell says the Chi Phi fraternity was closed in 2024 and “remains barred from campus.”
Trey Robb, the interim executive director of Chi Phi Fraternity, says in a statement that all the accused members were kicked out of the Cornell chapter within three days of Jane Doe filing her police report in 2024.
Jan. 14, 2025 –Cornell commences a Title IX investigation in response to Jane Doe’s formal complaint filed with the university’s Title IX coordinator, according to Jane Doe’s lawsuit.
Feb. 6, 2025 – Kolikoff and Cornell Provost Kavita Bala announce the establishment of the Presidential Task Force on Campus Sexual Assault, “to focus on addressing and preventing sexual assault on campus – a serious and persistent problem, both nationally and here on our campus.” The announcement says the task force will deliver a report that summer “that outlines evidence-based strategies for addressing sexual assault at Cornell, including a timeline for implementation, metrics for success, and a plan to institutionalize this work.”
May 2 to May 29, 2025 – Cornell’s Title IX Office conducts at least 12 hearings on Jane Doe’s allegations, conducting 50 interviews with 32 witnesses, including the men Jane Doe alleges assaulted her. According to a heavily redacted report of the hearings obtained by ABC News, Jane Doe describes her night at a fraternity house surrounded by multiple men: “I felt like bait,” she says. ‘I felt like lions around me. It just was a totally debilitating place to be in.”
Nov. 4, 2025 – Cornell releases the results of the 2025 Cornell Survey of Sexual Assault and Related Misconduct (SARM), showing 35% of undergraduate women and 8% of undergraduate men reported experiencing nonconsensual sexual contact involving force or incapacitation since attending Cornell.
Sept. 16, 2026 – Jane Doe files a civil lawsuit against Cornell, the Chi Phi chapter, her Delta Delta Delta sorority, and others, including the seven men she alleges drugged and raped her at the Chi Phi fraternity house.
Sept. 21, 2026 –The Cornell Daily Sun, the student newspaper, publishes an editorial condemning the university’s handling of the incident. “Cornell has failed to protect its students,” the editorial says, in part.
Sept. 27, 2026 – Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten issues a statement saying that after speaking with Jane Doe and her attorney, he is reopening the investigation. Van Houten further said that in her sworn statement to Cornell police, Jane Doe did not allege she was drugged against her will or gang raped. “On the contrary, Jane Doe’s statement described her participation in drug use and sexual conduct as voluntary, conscious, and consensual,” says Van Houten, who releases a summary of Jane Doe’s initial police statement.
Sept. 28, 2026 – Lawyers for two of the seven men accused in the case, Scott Kretzschmar and Scott Norris, issue statements denying their clients were involved in the alleged sexual assault.
The same day, the Ithaca Police Department issues a statement saying that the sexual assault alleged by Jane Doe “was not reported to the Ithaca Police Department,” which “learned of these allegations recently through the media.”
Responding to questions about why the university didn’t bring in the Ithaca police to investigate the allegations, Cornell issues a statement saying, “The Cornell University Police Department is a unit of the university, and its officers are special deputy sheriffs pursuant to NY Educational Law 5709 whose duties include the enforcement of law and order on Cornell property. This incident occurred in Cornell’s jurisdiction.”
Sept. 29, 2026 –New York Gov. Kathy Hochul calls for an outside investigation into Cornell University’s campus culture and its response to Jane Doe’s allegations. In an interview with ABC News that same day, Van Houten defends his office’s 2024 decision not to bring charges in the case while at the same time describing the allegations as “morally disturbing.”
Later that day, Hochul says Cornell University agrees to initiate an independent investigation, and the university issues a statement saying, “Cornell shares Governor Hochul’s commitment to addressing campus culture issues, which affect universities across the nation and New York. We are committed to continuing to work with state officials to advance student safety and wellbeing.”
ABC News obtains the full statement Jane Doe gave to Cornell police in October 2024. In parts of the statement not included in Van Houten’s summary, Jane Doe told officers that the incident at the Chi Phi fraternity house “felt like coercion.”
That same day, an attorney for Gillio Lopes, a third man accused in the alleged rape, issued a statement denying the allegations against his client.
Oct. 1, 2026 – Hochul on Thursday said she issued an executive order to appoint Attorney General Letitia James as a special prosecutor for the alleged “gang rape” that took place at a Cornell fraternity in 2024.
“Newly released information continues to raise serious questions about the investigation conducted by the Cornell Police Department and the decision by the Tompkins County District Attorney not to prosecute an alleged sexual assault on Cornell University’s campus,” Hochul said in a statement.
“This has, in turn, undercut my faith, and the public’s faith, in the District Attorney’s ability to effectively investigate and prosecute the case at this time,” Hochul added.
In a statement, James said she is “ready to lead a process New Yorkers can trust, guided by the facts and the law.”
New York State Attorney General Letitia James speaks during a press conference regarding legislation on artificial intelligence on September 21, 2026 in New York City. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
New York Governor Kathy Hochul on Thursday said she issued an executive order to appoint Attorney General Letitia James as a special prosecutor for the alleged “gang rape” that took place at a Cornell fraternity in 2024.
“Newly released information continues to raise serious questions about the investigation conducted by the Cornell Police Department and the decision by the Tompkins County District Attorney not to prosecute an alleged sexual assault on Cornell University’s campus,” Hochul said in a statement.
“This has, in turn, undercut my faith, and the public’s faith, in the District Attorney’s ability to effectively investigate and prosecute the case at this time,” Hochul added.
In a statement, James said she is “ready to lead a process New Yorkers can trust, guided by the facts and the law.”
“Every New Yorker deserves to know that when they report a crime, it will be investigated fully and fairly. The Governor has entrusted my office with this investigation, and we do not take that responsibility lightly,” James said.
The appointment of James as special prosecutor comes five days after Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten said he would reopen the investigation into the former student’s allegations.
Late last month, the former student, listed as Jane Doe, filed a civil lawsuit alleging that she was drugged, assaulted and “gang raped” by seven former and current members of the Chi Phi fraternity at Cornell.
Van Houten said in a statement on Sunday that his office was considering whether to bring criminal charges related to the incident, though he said the allegations in the civil complaint are “dramatically different” than the woman’s statement to police two years ago.
In an interview with ABC News, Van Houten acknowledged that he relied on the investigation conducted by Cornell Police and said his office didn’t “independently investigate” the allegations.
On Wednesday, Cornell University agreed to initiate an independent investigation into how the Ivy League school handled the allegations, Hochul told ABC News.
Hochul called for the outside review, saying the allegations raised “serious questions about Cornell campus culture” and whether the university is doing all it can to protect students.
“Cornell shares Governor Hochul’s commitment to addressing campus culture issues, which affect universities across the nation and New York. We are committed to continuing to work with state officials to advance student safety and wellbeing,” a Cornell spokesperson said in a statement provided to ABC News.
President Donald Trump speaks during a Hispanic Heritage Month event in the East Room of the White House, Sept. 30, 2026, in Washington. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
A federal judge on Thursday ordered a U.S. attorney from Western Washington who was fired by President Donald Trump in July to immediately be reinstated to the position, and is barring the Justice Department from again attempting to replace him.
The ruling from U.S. District judge Stanley Bastian is the latest escalation in the Trump administration’s battle with the judiciary over DOJ efforts to install U.S. attorneys around the country without Senate confirmation.
Federal judges appointed Rogoff to the post that oversees federal prosecutions in Seattle in July, and he was fired by President Trump through an email roughly an hour later.
Rogoff then filed suit citing similar cases around the country where the Trump administration had unsuccessfully sought to install attorneys and extend their service indefinitely, which judges appointed by both parties have ruled clearly violates the appointment statute.
The Justice Department said it disagrees with the decision and plans to appeal and seek a stay.
Judge Bastian ruled from the bench in Thursday’s proceeding granting Rogoff’s request for a preliminary injunction — and further enjoined Attorney General Todd Blanche and the Executive Office of the President from taking any further moves to effectuate his termination.
FlyDubai captain Smit Machchhar recounted the harrowing moments when he was attacked by his co-pilot during a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv Wednesday, telling Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he knew he had to act to save the passengers aboard the plane.
Machchhar spoke with Modi in Hindi in a video call released Friday by the prime minister’s office.
Machchhar, who was seriously injured in the attack, said he realized he was not only fighting to save his own life but also the lives of everyone on the plane.
“When I was lying on the floor, I could feel that the aircraft was plunging and I said to myself while I was getting beaten, ‘This is the last push, Smit, do it, the door is right there,’” Machchhar said.
“Somehow, I opened the door, and everyone came in and everyone else had an equal role in the rescue,” he said. “I was trying to save myself, but I also knew that I can’t let anyone die.”
The flight plunged thousands of feet during the incident before Machchhar, who has been flying for 17 years and had been a captain for 11 years, managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew members to intervene. The plane was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where it made an emergency landing.
“I was fighting for my life in that moment,” Machchhar said, describing the attack. “It was a moment when I thought, because I had fallen on the floor, I was wounded and fell down.”
He said his experience as a pilot helped him understand what was happening even while he was injured.
“Even if I shut my eyes, I can tell what is happening inside a plane,” he said.
During the call, Modi asked Machchhar how he was feeling.
“I am fine and everything is all right,” Machchhar replied.
“The entire country is praying for you,” Modi told him.
Modi praised Machchhar for his courage, patience and presence of mind, saying he had made a split-second decision that saved the lives of many people.
“You took a decision in a fraction of second and saved the lives of so many people,” Modi said. “Today, the whole country can say this with pride: We Indians are not killers, we are life savers.”
Modi also praised Machchhar for thinking about the passengers despite being seriously injured himself.
“And the biggest thing is you enhanced the honor of 1.4 billion Indians and that is why I am feeling proud from my heart,” Modi said.
Machchhar told Modi that he was his “biggest idol” and said he was proud that the prime minister had called him.
Machchhar has been recovering after receiving initial treatment in Tabuk and being transferred to Abu Dhabi for continued medical care.
Modi said prayers had been offered for Machchhar’s recovery at temples and other holy places across India.
“Yesterday, prayers and chants were offered in all the temples and holy places, wishing for your long life, and we all are praying for your good health,” Modi said. “You are going to be in good health very soon and India is very eager to welcome you.”
ABC News’ Victoria Beaule contributed to this report.
Former Olympian David Hearn outside DC Superior Court in Washington, DC, July 9, 2026. (Daniel Heuer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Former U.S. Olympian David Hearn says he is “relieved” after a Washington, D.C. judge permanently dismissed the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool vandalism case against him, ending the possibility that prosecutors could recharge him.
Hearn was indicted this summer and prosecutors alleged that he ripped a piece of the lining from the pool while he was out on a bike ride.
The charges were rolled out in a press conference where U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro said Hearn “forcefully and violently” vandalized the pool and that they had proof “beyond a reasonable doubt.”
President Donald Trump had insisted the damage to the pool, a key renovation project of his, was the work of vandals, but Pirro later said that evidence surfaced that renovations to the pool had caused the damage. Hearn had faced up to 10 years in prison in connection with the case.
Speaking exclusively to “Good Morning America,” Hearn called Thursday’s ruling “a victory for democracy.”
“I’m relieved,” Hearn said. “If it can happen to me, it can happen to anybody. Anybody in this country.”
Asked what he meant, Hearn said people could be “targeted and unfairly accused of something they didn’t do.”
“Nobody should feel they’re immune from this kind of abuse of power,” he said.
Hearn said he believes Pirro and Trump owe him an apology.
“Do you think the president should apologize to you?” Hearn was asked.
“Yes,” Hearn said.
“Do you think he will?”
“You know, if pigs fly, maybe,” Hearn said.
Just six weeks after Hearn’s arrest, Pirro dropped the charges, President Trump subsequently criticized Pirro over the decision, saying she “choked.”
The Justice Department wanted to preserve the possibility of bringing the case again, but In his ruling Thursday, Judge Todd Edelman dismissed the case with prejudice, meaning Hearn cannot be charged again over the same allegations.
Edelman also addressed Trump’s public comments about the case, writing that despite there being no evidence of a crime, the president’s public pressure created “a risk that Mr. Hearn will be prosecuted nonetheless.”
Hearn said the experience has shaken him and that the past few months have been “difficult” while thanking those who rallied around him during the case.
He and his attorney, Norm Eisen, are also considering whether to pursue legal action against Trump or the administration.
Eisen told ABC News that they are “actively” considering their options and that “nothing is off the table.”
ABC News spoke with Dr Shota Musaev, an Israeli dentist who was sat in row 13 on that Fly Dubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. (ABC News)
In a flash, Israeli dentist Dr. Shota Musaev went from being another passenger aboard FlyDubai Flight 1073 to a quick-thinking hero who helped save the life of the jet’s captain after he was attacked inside the cabin.
Musaev told ABC News on Thursday that when he and a group of passengers rushed to the cockpit after Capt. Smit Machchhar was attacked, he did not hesitate to do something.
“I think, how [can] I help this situation for all [the passengers for all plane. How I can help,” he told ABC News in an interview at his home in Tel Aviv. “And I see one pilot on the floor, with … blood.”
An unidentified co-pilot allegedly attacked Machchhar with a knife and took the plane into a nose dive in an attempt to crash the plane during its flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, Israeli officials said.
Another passenger, Yaniv Hayun was able to drag the suspect from the cockpit, took control of the plane and leveled it before a third pilot took over and flew the jet to Saudi Arabia, according to other passengers.
After the plane was leveled, Musaev said he saw the suspect and, with another passenger, tied the suspect’s hands up with headphones. The dentist said the suspect, who is now in custody , said little other than that he was from Oman and then told him “Kill me, kill me, please.”
“Once he had been subdued, caught, he didn’t resist,” Musaev said.
The dentist said he quickly turned his attention to Capt. Machchhar, who was bleeding from wounds to his head, neck and hands. Musaev said he began applying pressure to the wounds to stop the bleeding.
“Everything will be good,” Musaev said he told the pilot as he treated him. “He said to me, ‘Help me, please. Help me, please. I don’t want to die here.'”
The plane landed in Saudi Arabia, where the passengers were given medical treatment. The whole ordeal lasted around 40 minutes, Musaev said.
He said on Thursday he was still only understanding what they had been through. “Do you understand we were five to ten seconds from dying?” he said, choking up.
Captain Machchhar was treated at a local hospital in Saudi Arabia and has now been transferred to another hospital in the United Arab Emirates, according to the Indian consulate in Dubai.
“He was speaking openly, smiling and laughing, which was a great relief for us and, above all, for his family,” the Indian ambassador said in a statement Thursday.
The co-pilot is in custody in Abu Dhabi, according to officials from Saudi Arabia
Musaev said he hoped to reunite with the captain one day and express his gratitude for saving him and his fellow passengers despite his injuries.
“We’ll say thank you very much for all,” he said, adding that it was a collective effort in handling the situation.
A jobs report on Friday will provide a key gauge of economic health as the United States weathers a surge of inflation set off by the Iran war seven months ago.
The fresh data is set to arrive weeks after the Federal Reserve imposed its first interest rate hike in three years. The move aims to dial back price increases, but it risks an eventual slowdown in hiring as borrowing costs weigh on businesses.
The economy has shown signs of strain in recent months, including a bond selloff that threatens to raise consumer borrowing costs and a resurgence in oil and gasoline prices.
Consumer sentiment dropped last month close to the lowest level ever recorded in the 74-year history of the University of Michigan’s survey.
Despite these headwinds, the labor market has proven sturdy so far this year — and such growth is expected to have continued in September.
Economists expect U.S. employers to have added 84,000 jobs in September, which would mark solid performance but a slowdown from 162,000 jobs added in August.
The U.S. added an average of about 80,000 jobs per month over the first eight months of this year, financial services firm Raymond James found in an analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data. That pace exceeded Raymond James’ expectations of 70,000 jobs added each month over that period.
The Iran war drove up gasoline prices and catapulted inflation to a three-year high. Inflation eased over the summer, but continued fighting has kept prices increases well above pre-war levels.
The annual inflation rate stands at 3.4% as of August, the most recent month on record, putting inflation more than a percentage point above the Fed’s target rate of 2%.
The combination of elevated inflation and a resilient labor market prompted the Fed to raise interest rates a quarter of a percentage point last month.
Investors peg the chances of another rate increase in October at one in three, meaning borrowing costs could rise further within weeks, according to CME Group’s FedWatch Tool, a measure of market sentiment.
“The plain fact is that inflation is too high and has been for too long,” Fed Chair Kevin Warsh said at a press conference in Washington, D.C., last month.
An increase to the benchmark interest rate raises borrowing costs for consumers and businesses, which in theory should slash inflation by slowing the economy and eating away at demand.
The policy risks a downshift in hiring and an uptick in the unemployment rate, though such fallout typically takes hold after a lag time lasting several months.
By some measures, the economy remains robust.
Gross domestic product grew over three months ending in June, defying fear of a downturn triggered by the Iran war. Consumer spending, which accounts for about two-thirds of U.S. economic activity, rose 0.6% in August from July, the largest monthly increase since March 2025, government data on Wednesday showed.
