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CNN Headlines: Israel: Pilot Stabbing Was "Attempted Terrorist Attack"; Cornell Agrees To Independent Investigation Into Handling Of Sexual Assault Allegations; DOJ Alleges Judicial Misconduct By Minnesota Judges. Aired 5-5:30a ET
Aired October 01, 2026 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[05:00:23]
BEN SMITH, CNN ANCHOR: Chaos in the cockpit. The copilot on a FlyDubai flight to Israel allegedly stabbed the pilot. Israel now calling this an attempted terrorist attack. We're following the latest developments for you.
Plus, new developments in the alleged gang rape at Cornell University. What's been revealed in the six-page sworn statement from the accuser?
And the Democratic California gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton faced off last night in a CNN debate just weeks before the midterms. How they sparred on affordability, artificial intelligence and immigration.
Good morning, everyone. I'm Brad Smith. This is CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS. Glad that you're with us this morning.
Let's get this started.
We begin with the latest developments from that attack aboard a FlyDubai flight. Now, this morning, Israeli authorities say that they are investigating the incident as an attempted terror attack, but no motive has been confirmed. Passengers rushed the cockpit and subdued the copilot, who allegedly stabbed the pilot. The airline says that the on duty crew was able to regain control of the plane and land in Saudi Arabia.
Here's what Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told CNN about the attack.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: The reserve pilots, who were in the passenger area, came in, stabilized the airplane, was difficult because it was in a nosedive. It was just dropping. Those pilots managed to prevent a 9/11 disaster.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: The prime minister met with passengers who eventually landed at Ben-Gurion airport in Israel. Some still in their bloody clothes. He says authorities are questioning the copilot, who has not been publicly identified. He also says that there's no indication Israel had any advance warning of the attack.
CNN's Reid Binion has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
REID BINION, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Celebrations at Israel's Ben-Gurion Airport Wednesday as passengers arrived after what Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said was an apparent attempt by a pilot to crash a plane after stabbing the other pilot. It happened about two hours after FlyDubai flight number FZ-1073 took off from Dubai, bound for Tel Aviv. The plane made a sharp turn north and quickly lost altitude.
This simulation shows roughly what it may have looked like as the jet dropped thousands of feet in under two minutes. Passengers described a chaotic scene as the plane nosedived.
PASSENGER: Everyone was screaming. There were children crying like a death in front of our eyes moment.
BINION (voice-over): Other passengers charging into the cockpit and fighting the attacker. Later in Tel Aviv, there was a heroes welcome for those passengers, including one who recounted how he put the alleged attacker in a chokehold and dragged him from the cockpit with other passengers, then grabbing the controls to stabilize the plane.
The airline confirmed that reserve pilots who were in the passenger area managed to regain control of the plane. It was diverted to an airport in Saudi Arabia, landing safely with a damaged rudder. Passengers later returned to Israel, greeted by Netanyahu, who also hailed as a hero the pilot, who, despite being stabbed, fought back to prevent disaster.
NETANYAHU: Indian pilot the Israeli passenger and his colleagues and those pilots managed to prevent a 9/11 disaster.
BINION (voice-over): I'm Reid Binion reporting.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SMITH: Thank you, Reid.
My colleague Erin Burnett spoke to Adam Polo, a passenger who was on that flight, along with his wife and two young children. And here's how he described the chaos inside that plane
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ADAM POLO, PASSENGER ON DIVERTED FLYDUBAI FLIGHT: So it was like the craziest rollercoaster that you ever did, but like multiplied by thousand. And this is how it felt. And it, it just didn't feel right. It felt like something really wrong is happening here.
(END VIDEO CLIP) SMITH: And we'll have more for you on this developing story. In our next half hour, we'll go to Jerusalem for the latest on the investigation.
Now to the newly reopened investigation into the 2024 sexual assault case at Cornell University. New York Governor Kathy Hochul calls the developing story deeply disturbing, adding this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. KATHY HOCHUL (D), NEW YORK: I want answers. I want to know what happened. And that's why I've called for an independent investigation by Cornell University. Outside counsel hired to ask those questions and more.
And I just spoke to the university president. They have agreed. They understand the importance of this. So we're looking forward to their announcement in fairly short order that this will be occurring.
[05:05:00]
As a mom who dropped her daughter off at college not that long ago, parents deserve to know that the institution that they leave their children at will protect them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: The governor went on to call for better laws to combat sexual assault on campus. Meanwhile, what the case is, Jane Doe told investigators back in 2024 is prompting some fresh questions.
CNN's Jason Carroll explains why a statement that she gave to university police is now under scrutiny.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): More details emerging about what Jane Doe alleges happened to her at the Chi Phi fraternity house in 2024. CNN obtained the six-page statement she gave to Cornell police two years ago, saying she consented to some sexual acts but repeatedly refused others, including a foursome proposed by one of their fraternity brothers.
The 20-year-old then says it got to the point where it, quote, "had become extremely uncomfortable with how this night was turning out. So, my thought was if I do ketamine again, maybe I will pass out. My thought was that if I passed out and these men had sex with me, then they could be charged with rape."
In the six-page statement, she said, "Two Chi Phi members were asking me to have sex so many times that I finally gave in. To me, that felt like coercion."
Also telling Cornell police, "I remember being totally disgusted at the situation, and I felt tired and intoxicated. I would say it was the most intoxicated I have ever been in my life. I felt like I was unable to make any decisions because of how intoxicated I was."
This month, Jane Doe filed a civil lawsuit against Cornell University and seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity. That lawsuit also included a screenshot of Snapchat messages between the fraternity members on the night of the alleged incident, inviting others to join in.
The district attorney's office facing criticism by some on campus who questioned why charges were not filed in 2024. Despite the disturbing details, the Tompkins County D.A. says he is bound by New York law.
MATTHEW VAN HOUTEN, DISTRICT ATTORNEY, TOMPKINS COUNTY, NY: The voluntary intoxication of someone is not a basis to claim or to prove that they are incapacitated to the point that they cannot consent to sexual contact. So as much as I'm emotionally repulsed and morally repulsed by the events, I can't prosecute cases based on emotion or based upon moral standards or moral repulsion.
CARROLL (voice-over): The D.A. later pointed out while he did receive Jane Doe's six-page statement, he says his office did not receive a separate transcript of Jane Doe's interview with campus police. Quote, "We never received it and still don't have it. It was not part of what Cornell provided to us. We got the six-page statement and nothing more except for the Snapchat video."
In that transcript exclusively obtained by WCBS, the young woman told police, "I can say with 100 percent confidence I was raped." That comment does not appear in her six-page statement to Cornell police.
Well, a spokesperson for the university tells CNN that Cornell police shared a, quote, "lengthy investigative report with the D.A.'s office. And if there are any further questions about that report, that needs to be addressed with the D.A.
Many on and off campus have called for more transparency in the investigation.
Though it is not required, Ithaca's mayor says campus police should still have alerted Ithaca police about their initial investigation.
MAYOR ROBERT CANTELMO (D), ITHACA, NY: Our officers are specially trained to respond to the level of trauma-informed care that is often required when dealing with a survivor. Why not work with the municipal police department to try and help find justice?
CARROLL (voice-over): Jason Carroll, CNN, Ithaca, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SMITH: Jason Carroll, thank you for that report.
Now to Mark O'Mara, the criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor. Here's what he says this new information could mean for the investigation
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MARK O'MARA, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY & FORMER PROSECUTOR: Why didn't Cornell police give that to the D.A. to begin with? You have to wonder if they were whitewashing their investigation, because that word, that sentence itself is extraordinarily telling. It is, in effect, a challenge, a request by someone to acknowledge that she was raped. And I'm very troubled that it was left out of the report.
Look, the D.A. has his own concerns with the voluntary intoxication. We may talk about that, but the idea that they would leave some information out in a case like this, where the facts are so concerning. Seven men on one underage or 20-year-old woman, that I'm very troubled by the fact that they decided not to forward that. And the D.A. looked at it, probably stuck with some of the concerns that the statute requires him to prove.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[05:10:02]
SMITH: And if you or anyone you know is struggling after a sexual assault, you are not alone. Free, confidential, 24/7 support is online@rainn.org. With two N's, or in the U.S., you can text "Hope" to 64673. Or you can call 800-656-HOPE.
New this morning, a Tennessee death row inmate is in the hospital right now after two attempts to execute her on Wednesday failed. Fifty-year-old Christa Pike was given two doses of a lethal drug, but neither killed her. The state's governor, Bill Lee, ordered an investigation and has paused another execution scheduled for this year.
Catherine Sweeney, of Tennessee's WPLN, was one of the media witnesses. And listen to how she described what happened.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CATHERINE SWEENEY, MEDIA WITNESS TO EXECUTION: They went through two rounds and she was still breathing at the end. It was very ragged. She lifted her head up and was looking around at one point. She said that -- she said that there was a spot that was burning and hurting and asked if that was normal. None of -- none of it was normal. I covered all the executions last year, and most of the ones this year, we haven't seen anything like it. It went really poorly.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: Pike would have been the first woman executed in Tennessee in at least 200 years. She was convicted in the 1995 killing of a teenage classmate. Her attorney told CNN he does not know Pike's current condition.
The Justice Department is ramping up its fight with federal judges in Minnesota. Attorney General Todd Blanche says the DOJ is filing a judicial misconduct complaint against nearly all of the states federal judges. This comes after six judges spoke to "The New York Times" about the government's handling of immigration cases. Those judges spoke about issues like staffing shortages and failure to comply with court orders. Blanche also wants the judges to recuse themselves from cases involving the Department of Homeland Security.
We'll continue to track any developments there.
We've got lots more to come on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS, checks are going out to those who say they were overcharged for health care through the Affordable Care Act. What you need to know.
Plus, spending on hobbies, travel and other things we enjoy is up. But for some people, the fun is costing too much. How to rein it in, straight ahead.
Stay with us. You're watching CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS.
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[05:17:04]
SMITH: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was in Virginia Wednesday, laying out what he called his "State of the Force" address. And he used that moment to roll out a major new Pentagon push, one centered on A.I., robotics and autonomous weapons.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PETE HEGSETH, DEFENSE SECRETARY: Today, at my direction, we are announcing the creation of autonomous warfare command, or Auto War Com, a new four-star combatant command with service like authorities built to scale autonomous and robotic capabilities across the joint force in the fastest peacetime shift in modern military history.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: Hegseth also signed off on sweeping cuts, slashing positions reserved for generals and admirals by at least 20 percent across the military. He framed it as accountability, saying the changes are long overdue.
We turn now to the race to rein in A.I. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is moving to investigate some of the biggest A.I. companies as concerns grow about safety and control. "Reuters" reports the probe includes firms like OpenAI and Anthropic. It would be the first major U.S. investigation into so-called rogue A.I. agents, and it follows a string of incidents that have raised new fears about these systems moving beyond human control.
Lots to track there. Still to come on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS, a sneak peek of the new pandas getting used to their new digs in Atlanta. We've got more coming up on the other side of the break there.
Plus, get ready for gator belts and patty melts. Waffle House teams up with Outkast. More on this southern collab, straight ahead. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[05:23:14]
SMITH: This might be a new one for you. Have you ever heard of fun inflation? It is the rising cost of fun activities.
And with prices going up, how do you spend smarter without having FOMO? Fear of missing out.
Our Maribel Aber has some tips on how to have fun without blowing your budget.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARIBEL ABER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Maribel Aber here at the Nasdaq Market Site.
Funflation is real, but its not stopping Americans from shelling out money for a good time. Bank of America says spending on hobbies jumped nearly eight percent in August from a year earlier, more than double the pace of overall transaction growth, according to B of A's car data.
So who's spending the most? Older millennials lead the pack, followed by baby boomers and Gen X. For younger Gen Z consumers, traditional hobby spending has slowed, but spending on video games jumped about 20 percent year over year in August.
So how do you manage inflation and still maintain some balance? Fidelity recommends the 60-30-10 guideline for monthly budgeting. Put 60 percent of your take home pay toward essentials like housing, food and bills.
Take 30 percent for fun, like hobbies, dinners, and movies, and save 10 percent for near-term goals and emergencies.
That 30 percent earmark for fun can stretch even further with a little creative thinking. Many attractions like zoos, museums, and state parks have free admission days, so check their calendars. Online libraries have more than books. You can borrow movies and board games, or even get discounts on local events and check your credit card rewards. They can add up faster than you realize, and you might have deals waiting.
Bottom line savvy planning, smarter spending, same great memories. Your money matters.
SMITH: All right. Here's something that is sure to make you smile this morning.
[05:25:00]
A giant panda. This is Fu Shuang, who arrived alongside Ping Ping to the zoo in Atlanta from China earlier this week.
You can see bears to be adjusting nicely to his new home. Just chillin', eating a snack, looking like most of us at home.
Straight ahead on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS, safe at home. After a harrowing ordeal in the sky, passengers of that FlyDubai flight returned to Israel. The sweeping investigation, now underway in what Israeli officials are calling a terrorist attack.
And the investigation widens into the alleged gang rape of a former student at Cornell University. Questions over what exactly the alleged victim told Cornell police. We've got that coming your way here on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS.
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