A U.N. team of experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency left Monday on a urgent mission to inspect and safeguard the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant amid growing fears of a disaster. The plant, which is the largest in Europe, has been occupied by Russian forces since soon after the invasion of Ukraine in February, and it is in the middle of fighting, with both Russia and Ukraine accusing the other side of attacks on or near the plant. Ukraine has accused Russia of storing weapons at the plant and launching attacks from around it. IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi, who is heading the team, tweeted Monday, "The day has come" and that the team "is now on its way."
After weeks of crisis around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine, strikes continues to imperil the facility.
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) August 29, 2022
But in a potential sign of progress toward safeguards, an International Atomic Energy Agency team set out for Ukraine. https://t.co/HGN9OmM9WU pic.twitter.com/iegDzJtrVq
Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials said that military operations were underway to retake Russian-held areas in the south of the country, with CNN citing a source as saying Ukrainian forces had taken back four villages from Russian occupation near the city of Kherson, which is their main target.
➤DOJ CPOMPLETES REVIEW OF POTENTIALLY PRIVILEGED DOCUMENTS FROM MAR-A-LAGO: The Justice Department has completed its review of potentially privileged documents taken from former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate earlier this month when the FBI executed a search warrant seeking classified documents, according to a court filing yesterday, which said there were a, quote, "limited set of materials that potentially contain attorney-client privileged information." A judge's order over the weekend indicated she was inclined to grant Trump's request for a special master to oversee a review of documents to make sure any that might be protected by claims of legal privilege be set aside, but yesterday's filing seems to suggest a special master isn't required as the review has already been done. The judge had given the Justice Department an opportunity to respond and scheduled a hearing Thursday on the issue.
➤INDIANAPOLIS POLICE TRYING TO IDENTIFY SUSPECTS IN SHOOTING THAT LEFT DUTCH SOLDIER DEAD, TWO INJURED: Indianapolis police are working to identify those involved in a shooting early Saturday morning that left one Dutch soldier dead and two wounded while they were in the U.S. for training exercises at an Indiana military base. The three were shot after what police believe was a disturbance outside the downtown hotel where they were staying about 3:30 a.m. Saturday. One of them, 26-year-old Simmie Poetsema, died Sunday night, and the other two had what police described Monday as non-life threatening injuries.
➤JAN. 6TH RIOTER SENTENCED TO MORE THAN FOUR YEARS IN PRISON: A 40-year-old Maryland man affiliated with the far-right Proud Boys extremist group who was one of the rioters in the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol was sentenced to four years and seven months in prison yesterday. During the melee, Joshua Pruitt came face-to-face with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and his security detail. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis Loeb said in a court filing, "One look at Pruitt, and the leader of Senator Schumer’s security detail immediately saw the threat and hustled the 70-year-old senator down a hallway, having to change their evacuation route on a dime." Defense attorney Robert Jenkins Jr. said Pruitt saw the security detail, but didn't recognize Schumer, stating, "It’s not as though that Mr. Pruitt ran toward the detail or made any threatening posture toward them." Pruitt pled guilty in June to a felony charge of obstruction of an official proceeding, the joint session of Congress for certifying Joe Biden’s president victory over Donald Trump.
➤STUDY: 'ZOMBIE ICE' FROM GREENLAND WILL RAISE SEA LEVEL BY AT LEAST 10 INCHES: A new study out yesterday says that "zombie ice" from the huge Greenland ice sheet will eventually raise global sea levels by at least 10 inches, regardless of what actions are taken now on climate change. Zombie ice is ice that's still attached to thicker areas of ice, but is no longer being fed by those larger glaciers because the glaciers are getting less snow, and meanwhile the zombie ice is melting from climate change. Study co-author William Colgan of the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland said, "This ice has been consigned to the ocean, regardless of what climate [emissions] scenario we take now." That 10 inches of sea level rise is more than twice what scientists had previously predicted from the melting of Greenland’s ice sheet. The scientists don't know how long it will take for the zombie ice to melt, but Colgan said that it would probably be by the end of this century or at least by 2150.
➤HONDA AND LG ANNOUNCE DEAL TO BUILD $4.4 BILLION EV BATTERY FACTORY IN U.S.: Honda and Korean battery giant LG Energy Solution announced Monday that they are partnering to build a $4.4 billion factory in the U.S. to make batteries for electric vehicles. They said they plan to begin construction early next year, with the aim of having mass production at the site by the end of 2025, but didn't say where in the U.S. the factory will be built. The companies said they chose the U.S. because local production and a "timely" supply of batteries would best position them to succeed in the growing North American electric vehicle market. New electric vehicle tax credits encourage automakers to produce batteries in North America.
➤OREGON'S SWASTIKA MOUNTAIN IS GETTING A NAME CHANGE: It's a safe bet that most Americans don't know there's a mountain in Oregon with the very questionable name Swastika Mountain, but it's apparently not going to have that name for much longer. Oregon resident Joyce McClain learned about the name of the mountain near Eugene earlier this year after news that two hikers needed to be rescued from it. She filed paperwork with the Oregon Geographic Names Board to change the name, beginning the process for it to happen sometime next year. Swastika Mountain was given the name in the early 1900s, when the swastika was seen as a symbol of "good fortune" or "well-being," before Adolf Hitler used it as a Nazi symbol. KOMO News reports the peak is expected to be renamed Mount Halo, after late Chief Halito, who once led the Yoncalla Kalapuya tribe in the region.
🎄NEW DOLLY PARTON CHRISTMAS SPECIAL IN THE WORKS: E! News reports that a new Dolly Parton Christmas special was announced by NBC on Monday, titled Dolly Parton's Mountain Magic Christmas. The TV event will feature Parton in the lead role alongside Tom Everett Scott, Ana Gasteyer, and Angel Parker. Guest stars include Jimmy Fallon, Miley Cyrus, Willie Nelson, Billy Ray Cyrus, Jimmie Allen, and Zach Williams. Fallon took to Instagram on Monday (August 29th) to share behind-the-scenes snapshots. “I never need an excuse to go hang out with @dollyparton and eat some Tennessee BBQ, but this trip was extra special. I’m so excited to kick off the holidays at Dollywood for Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas - this holiday season on @nbc,” he captioned the post.
🎾SERENA WILLIAMS WINS OPENING MATCH AT U.S. OPEN: Serena Williams won her opening round match Monday before an adoring crowd on the first day of the U.S. Open, which is expected to be the final tournament of her career. Williams defeated Danka Kovinic of Montenegro in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3, in a packed Arthur Ashe Stadium at Flushing Meadows in New York, where 23,000-plus fans gave her a standing ovation. Her match in the second round is set to be a tougher battle for Williams, who will play second-seeded Anett Kontveit of Estonia on Wednesday.
⚾JUDGE HITS 50TH HOMER, ONE OF 10 WITH MULTIPLE 50-HR SEASONS: The New York Yankees' Aaron Judge hit his 50th home run of the season last night, launching the solo homer in the eighth inning of the Yankees' 4-3 loss to the Los Angeles Angels. Judge is now one of just 10 players in MLB history with multiple 50-homer seasons, after having 52 in his rookie season in 2017.
🏈COMMANDERS' ROBINSON HAS SURGERY AFTER SHOOTING: Washington Commanders rookie running back Brian Robinson Jr. revealed on social media yesterday that he'd undergone surgery a day after being shot Sunday in Washington, D.C., in what the NFL team called an attempted robbery or carjacking. The 23-year-old said the surgery went well and thanked people for their prayers. A police report said Robinson was shot in the leg by two suspects. Head coach Ron Rivera said after practice that doctors had been positive, and Robinson is "doing well," but there's no timeline for him to return to football.
⚾MLB PLAYERS' UNION TRYING TO UNIONIZE MINOR LEAGUERS: The MLB players' union is now trying to unionize minor leaguers after decades of being opposed to doing so. The Major League Baseball Players Association said Monday that it's circulating union authorization cards among minor league players to form a separate bargaining unit from the major leaguers. Union head Tony Clark said in a letter to player agents Sunday, "The working conditions facing these players have been nothing short of offensive. . . . minor league players have never had a seat at the bargaining table. It’s time for that to change.” Minor league players can earn as little as $400 a week.
🏈QB GAROPPOLO STAYING WITH 49ERS UNDER ONE-YEAR CONTRACT: Jimmy Garoppolo has agreed to terms to stay with the San Francisco 49ers under a restructured one-year contract that will make him the highest-paid NFL backup quarterback, according to media reports. ESPN reports Garoppolo, who will be the backup to Trey Lance, will earn a fully guaranteed base salary of $6.5 million, and the contract has no-trade and no-tag clauses, which will allow him to be a free agent in the next offseason.
➤DOJ CPOMPLETES REVIEW OF POTENTIALLY PRIVILEGED DOCUMENTS FROM MAR-A-LAGO: The Justice Department has completed its review of potentially privileged documents taken from former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate earlier this month when the FBI executed a search warrant seeking classified documents, according to a court filing yesterday, which said there were a, quote, "limited set of materials that potentially contain attorney-client privileged information." A judge's order over the weekend indicated she was inclined to grant Trump's request for a special master to oversee a review of documents to make sure any that might be protected by claims of legal privilege be set aside, but yesterday's filing seems to suggest a special master isn't required as the review has already been done. The judge had given the Justice Department an opportunity to respond and scheduled a hearing Thursday on the issue.
➤BIDEN TO GIVE PRIME-TIME SPEECH THURSDAY ON 'SOUL OF THE NATION,' WARN RIGHTS 'UNDER ATTACK'; President Biden will give a prime-time speech Thursday outside Independence Hall in Philadelphia where he will speak about the, quote, "continued battle for the soul of the nation," and warn that American's, quote, "rights and freedoms are still under attack," NBC News first reported yesterday, citing a White House official.
The "soul of the nation" argument was central to Biden's 2020 presidential run, and the official said the president believes it's still as vital as ever. Biden will speak about what he views as progress made during his time in office in protecting our democracy, but say that our rights and freedoms are still at risk, and that our democracy and standing in the world are at stake. The planned speech comes as Biden is increasing his travel plans ahead of the midterm elections.
Republican National Committee spokesperson Emma Vaughn told NBC News in response to news of Biden's speech: "Biden has pitted neighbors against each other, labeled half of Americans as fascist, and tarnished any idea of his promise of 'unity.'"
The "soul of the nation" argument was central to Biden's 2020 presidential run, and the official said the president believes it's still as vital as ever. Biden will speak about what he views as progress made during his time in office in protecting our democracy, but say that our rights and freedoms are still at risk, and that our democracy and standing in the world are at stake. The planned speech comes as Biden is increasing his travel plans ahead of the midterm elections.
Republican National Committee spokesperson Emma Vaughn told NBC News in response to news of Biden's speech: "Biden has pitted neighbors against each other, labeled half of Americans as fascist, and tarnished any idea of his promise of 'unity.'"
‘LESSONS LEARNED’: @joerogan offers advice to Americans outraged by COVID-19 restrictions infringing on their lives. https://t.co/h14TyFZ6gp pic.twitter.com/V5jihlO0yv
— Fox News (@FoxNews) August 30, 2022
➤OREGON SUPERMARKET EMPLOYEE KILLED IN SHOOTING TRIED TO DISARM GUNMAN: Police said Monday that a 66-year-old employee at a Bend, Oregon, Safeway supermarket where there was a shooting on Sunday evening attacked the gunman and tried to disarm him before being killed, likely preventing more deaths. Donald Ray Surrett Jr., who police hailed as a hero, was one of two people killed, along with 84-year-old customer Glenn Edward Bennett, and two others were injured. The 20-year-old shooter, Ethan Blair Miller, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Miller lived in an apartment complex behind the shopping center, and witnesses said he began shooting with an assault rifle as soon as he left the complex and continued as he went into the shopping center's parking lot and then into the Safeway. Three Molotov cocktails and a sawed-off shotgun were found in Miller's car. There were some reports that Miller had posted his plans online.
Police say a heroic act by a grocery store worker may have saved dozens of lives during a deadly shooting at an Oregon supermarket. Police say the alleged gunman started firing as he walked across a parking lot and into the store. @elwynlopez reports. https://t.co/mH6NNNC3IL pic.twitter.com/3ihlvZxGOr
— World News Tonight (@ABCWorldNews) August 30, 2022
➤INDIANAPOLIS POLICE TRYING TO IDENTIFY SUSPECTS IN SHOOTING THAT LEFT DUTCH SOLDIER DEAD, TWO INJURED: Indianapolis police are working to identify those involved in a shooting early Saturday morning that left one Dutch soldier dead and two wounded while they were in the U.S. for training exercises at an Indiana military base. The three were shot after what police believe was a disturbance outside the downtown hotel where they were staying about 3:30 a.m. Saturday. One of them, 26-year-old Simmie Poetsema, died Sunday night, and the other two had what police described Monday as non-life threatening injuries.
➤JAN. 6TH RIOTER SENTENCED TO MORE THAN FOUR YEARS IN PRISON: A 40-year-old Maryland man affiliated with the far-right Proud Boys extremist group who was one of the rioters in the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol was sentenced to four years and seven months in prison yesterday. During the melee, Joshua Pruitt came face-to-face with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and his security detail. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis Loeb said in a court filing, "One look at Pruitt, and the leader of Senator Schumer’s security detail immediately saw the threat and hustled the 70-year-old senator down a hallway, having to change their evacuation route on a dime." Defense attorney Robert Jenkins Jr. said Pruitt saw the security detail, but didn't recognize Schumer, stating, "It’s not as though that Mr. Pruitt ran toward the detail or made any threatening posture toward them." Pruitt pled guilty in June to a felony charge of obstruction of an official proceeding, the joint session of Congress for certifying Joe Biden’s president victory over Donald Trump.
US government can’t force Christian groups to perform abortions, gender reassignment surgery, court rules https://t.co/w92x32XqbD
— Fox News (@FoxNews) August 29, 2022
➤STUDY: 'ZOMBIE ICE' FROM GREENLAND WILL RAISE SEA LEVEL BY AT LEAST 10 INCHES: A new study out yesterday says that "zombie ice" from the huge Greenland ice sheet will eventually raise global sea levels by at least 10 inches, regardless of what actions are taken now on climate change. Zombie ice is ice that's still attached to thicker areas of ice, but is no longer being fed by those larger glaciers because the glaciers are getting less snow, and meanwhile the zombie ice is melting from climate change. Study co-author William Colgan of the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland said, "This ice has been consigned to the ocean, regardless of what climate [emissions] scenario we take now." That 10 inches of sea level rise is more than twice what scientists had previously predicted from the melting of Greenland’s ice sheet. The scientists don't know how long it will take for the zombie ice to melt, but Colgan said that it would probably be by the end of this century or at least by 2150.
➤HONDA AND LG ANNOUNCE DEAL TO BUILD $4.4 BILLION EV BATTERY FACTORY IN U.S.: Honda and Korean battery giant LG Energy Solution announced Monday that they are partnering to build a $4.4 billion factory in the U.S. to make batteries for electric vehicles. They said they plan to begin construction early next year, with the aim of having mass production at the site by the end of 2025, but didn't say where in the U.S. the factory will be built. The companies said they chose the U.S. because local production and a "timely" supply of batteries would best position them to succeed in the growing North American electric vehicle market. New electric vehicle tax credits encourage automakers to produce batteries in North America.
"Honestly still to this day I don't know what really I did...I literally spoke in a British accent to a doctor to prescribe my medication and three days later there was a SWAT team in my home...None of it made sense. https://t.co/tn4wF6o0oG
— ABC News (@ABC) August 30, 2022
➤OREGON'S SWASTIKA MOUNTAIN IS GETTING A NAME CHANGE: It's a safe bet that most Americans don't know there's a mountain in Oregon with the very questionable name Swastika Mountain, but it's apparently not going to have that name for much longer. Oregon resident Joyce McClain learned about the name of the mountain near Eugene earlier this year after news that two hikers needed to be rescued from it. She filed paperwork with the Oregon Geographic Names Board to change the name, beginning the process for it to happen sometime next year. Swastika Mountain was given the name in the early 1900s, when the swastika was seen as a symbol of "good fortune" or "well-being," before Adolf Hitler used it as a Nazi symbol. KOMO News reports the peak is expected to be renamed Mount Halo, after late Chief Halito, who once led the Yoncalla Kalapuya tribe in the region.
A little-known state law banning canned whipped cream sales to those under 21 is catching consumers by surprise. “I was so confused,” one shopper said. “... I’m 43 with gray hair.” https://t.co/9GnjrFnyus
— NBC News (@NBCNews) August 29, 2022
That winning feeling. #Serena pic.twitter.com/xJ4YUdi1Fj
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 30, 2022
🎾SERENA WILLIAMS WINS OPENING MATCH AT U.S. OPEN: Serena Williams won her opening round match Monday before an adoring crowd on the first day of the U.S. Open, which is expected to be the final tournament of her career. Williams defeated Danka Kovinic of Montenegro in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3, in a packed Arthur Ashe Stadium at Flushing Meadows in New York, where 23,000-plus fans gave her a standing ovation. Her match in the second round is set to be a tougher battle for Williams, who will play second-seeded Anett Kontveit of Estonia on Wednesday.
In other matches yesterday, Ukraine's unseeded Daria Snigur stunningly upset Number 7 Simona Halep 6-2, 0-6, 6-4 in her first appearance in a Grand Slam tournament and first time facing a top 20 player. Other winners included top-seeded men's player Daniil Medvedev, third-seeded Maria Sakkari, and 12th-ranked American Coco Gauff.“You are fearless. … Thank you for sharing your journey with every single one of us.”@BillieJeanKing showered #SerenaWilliams with love after her first-round win ❤️ pic.twitter.com/K7h47f2jLs
— ESPN (@espn) August 30, 2022
⚾JUDGE HITS 50TH HOMER, ONE OF 10 WITH MULTIPLE 50-HR SEASONS: The New York Yankees' Aaron Judge hit his 50th home run of the season last night, launching the solo homer in the eighth inning of the Yankees' 4-3 loss to the Los Angeles Angels. Judge is now one of just 10 players in MLB history with multiple 50-homer seasons, after having 52 in his rookie season in 2017.
🏈COMMANDERS' ROBINSON HAS SURGERY AFTER SHOOTING: Washington Commanders rookie running back Brian Robinson Jr. revealed on social media yesterday that he'd undergone surgery a day after being shot Sunday in Washington, D.C., in what the NFL team called an attempted robbery or carjacking. The 23-year-old said the surgery went well and thanked people for their prayers. A police report said Robinson was shot in the leg by two suspects. Head coach Ron Rivera said after practice that doctors had been positive, and Robinson is "doing well," but there's no timeline for him to return to football.
⚾MLB PLAYERS' UNION TRYING TO UNIONIZE MINOR LEAGUERS: The MLB players' union is now trying to unionize minor leaguers after decades of being opposed to doing so. The Major League Baseball Players Association said Monday that it's circulating union authorization cards among minor league players to form a separate bargaining unit from the major leaguers. Union head Tony Clark said in a letter to player agents Sunday, "The working conditions facing these players have been nothing short of offensive. . . . minor league players have never had a seat at the bargaining table. It’s time for that to change.” Minor league players can earn as little as $400 a week.
The woman who accused NFL punter Matt Araiza of rape says the claim she's looking for money makes her "sick." https://t.co/0Um39k4EuD
— CBS News (@CBSNews) August 30, 2022
🏈QB GAROPPOLO STAYING WITH 49ERS UNDER ONE-YEAR CONTRACT: Jimmy Garoppolo has agreed to terms to stay with the San Francisco 49ers under a restructured one-year contract that will make him the highest-paid NFL backup quarterback, according to media reports. ESPN reports Garoppolo, who will be the backup to Trey Lance, will earn a fully guaranteed base salary of $6.5 million, and the contract has no-trade and no-tag clauses, which will allow him to be a free agent in the next offseason.
Severe weather continues to sweep across the country as heavy rains bring floods to Mississippi, tornadoes touch down in the Twin Cities and fires burn in the West. https://t.co/6FqQCScEqX
— CBS News (@CBSNews) August 30, 2022
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