According to reporting by BBC News, authorities in the US state of Texas have carried out an execution, marking the country's first since the botched lethal injections involving inmate Christa Pike.

The execution proceeded despite legal challenges raised on behalf of inmate Jamaal Howard. His legal team had formally asked a judge to pause the scheduled execution in light of the issues surrounding Pike's case.

However, the legal efforts to halt the procedure were unsuccessful, allowing the state to move forward with Howard's execution.

The full original report on this development can be found on BBC News.