UN nuclear watchdog head is in Ukraine; unprecedented summer of politics

Hot Off The Wire

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The head of the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog is holding talks with senior officials in Ukraine after attacks were reported near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi was holding the talks on Tuesday. Grossi has highlighted the vulnerability of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure because of Russian attacks. He is making his 10th visit to Ukraine since the war began in February 2022.

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is pushing back against a new wave of pressure to reach a cease-fire deal in Gaza after hundreds of thousands of Israelis protested and went on strike. U.S. President Joe Biden says Netanyahu needs to do more after nearly 11 months of fighting.

LA CROSSE, Wis. (AP) — After a summer of historic tumult, the path to the presidency for both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump this fall is becoming much clearer. The Democratic vice president and the Republican former president will focus almost all of their remaining time and resources on a small collection of undecided voters in just seven states.

More than 10,000 workers at 25 U.S. hotels are on strike after choosing Labor Day weekend to amplify their demands for higher pay, fairer workloads and the reversal of COVID-era cuts.

KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — Congolese authorities say that an attempted jailbreak in the country's main prison left 129 people dead, including some who were shot and others who died in a stampede at the overcrowded facility.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. government has seized a plane used by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, citing violations of sanctions and export control laws. That's according to a Justice Department announcement Monday.

In other news:

• Summer 2024 featured an unprecedented series of events in a presidential campaign.
• Labor Day kicks off peak of presidential campaign season.
• Walz unharmed after some of the vehicles near the back of his motorcade crash in Milwaukee.
• Pope opens Asia odyssey with stop in Indonesia to rally Catholics, hail religious freedom tradition.
• At least 2 people shot at New York's West Indian American Day Parade, police say.
• Police say 4 people fatally shot on Chicago-area subway train.
• Mississippi bus crash kills 7 people and injures 37.
• Christa McAuliffe, still pioneering, is first woman with a statue on New Hampshire capitol grounds.
• Police says a man will face charges after storming into the press area at a Trump rally.
• Catholic diocese sues US government, worried some foreign-born priests might be forced to leave.
• Linda Deutsch, AP trial writer who had front row to courtroom history, dies at 80.
• ‘Deadpool’ tops charts yet again as 'Reagan' beats expectations on sluggish Labor Day weekend.
• Rapper Fatman Scoop dies at 53 after collapsing on stage in Connecticut.
• The Yankees and Orioles keep pace atop the AL East, the White Sox set another negative record, the Brewers continue to pour it on in the NL Central, the US Open moves into its second week, and Florida State goes from unbeaten in 2023 to winless in 2024. Correspondent Tom Mariam reports.
• San Francisco 49ers player Ricky Pearsall stable after shooting during attempted robbery, police say.
• Remembering Johnny Hockey Johnny Gaudreau and brother Matthew shined on and off the ice.
• Israel recovers the bodies of 6 hostages in Gaza, including Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin.
• UK says it's suspending some arms exports to Israel over the risk of breaking international law.
• Without X, many Brazilians say they feel disconnected from the world.

—The Associated Press

About this program

Host Terry Lipshetz is managing editor of the national newsroom for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the former producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate.