1. Accused Georgia cop killer died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police chief says. Minquell Kennedy Lembrick is accused of shooting Jody Smith of the Georgia Southwestern State University police and Nicholas Ryan Smarr of the Americus Police Department Wednesday. [Read more]

2. Georgia State agrees to hire Shawn Elliott as football coach. Elliott worked with Panthers athletic director Charlie Cobb when both were at Appalachian State. Elliott has been a position coach or coordinator at South Carolina since 2010. [Read more] 

3. Murderer awaiting execution begs for forgiveness. "Although Georgia may take my life, the Lord will save my soul." So said William Sallie Tuesday when he was asked to record his final statement before the state executed him for the 1990 murder of his father-in-law. [Read more]

4. Two critically injured after fall from Midtown balcony. The incident happened in the 1100 block of Howell Mill Road, Atlanta police spokeswoman Elizabeth Espy said early Thursday. [Read more] 

5. Duo accused of tying up and murdering DeKalb grandpa, his girlfriend. When DeKalb County police arrived, Samuel White Jr., a grandfather of three, and his girlfriend were tied up, hands and feet behind their backs. [Read more]

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The 2026 FIFA World Cup will expand to 48 teams, marking the first expansion of the field since 1998. (Jason Getz/AJC)

Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com

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Ja’Quon Stembridge, shown here in July at the Henry County Republican Party monthly meeting, recently stepped from his position with the Georgia GOP. (Jenni Girtman for the AJC)

Credit: Jenni Girtman