August 29, 2022

UKRAINE | Today is day 187 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:

• Rafael Grossi, head of the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency, said this morning that an inspection mission from his organization is traveling to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant today. Russia and Ukraine have each blamed the other for recent damage to the plant. [more]
• A British Defense Ministry intelligence report released yesterday suggests that last week's decree from Russian President Vladimir Putin to boost the size of Russia's military "is unlikely to make substantive progress toward increasing Russia's combat power in Ukraine." [more]
• The U.K.'s Financial Times newspaper cites unnamed sources as saying European Union member states are preparing to suspend a 2007 visa facilitation agreement with Russia over the Ukraine war when EU foreign ministers meet this week in Prague. [more]

SPACE | The first test flight of the NASA Artemis program's Space Launch System rocket is scheduled to launch later this morning from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The rocket will send an unmanned Orion crew capsule around the moon as a systems test in preparation for a planned two-person moon landing by the end of 2025. Reports say NASA engineers are dealing with several technical issues of the launch system this morning, but that the launch is still expected to take place. [more]

U.S. GUN VIOLENCE | Several multiple-victim shooting incidents were reported in the U.S. over the weekend, including the following: In Detroit, Michigan, four people were shot, three fatally, by a gunman who police suggest shot randomly in the city over a period of more than two hours. [more] In Houston, Texas, a man evicted from an apartment building shot five other tenants, three fatally. [more] In Bend, Oregon, two people were shot dead by a gunman at a local supermarket. [more] And in New York City, one person was killed, and four others wounded, Saturday when a gunman opened fire at the Coney Island boardwalk. [more]

PAKISTAN | Officials in Pakistan said yesterday that more than 1,000 people have died, and more than 300,000 homes have been destroyed, in the country's widespread flooding since mid-June. Reports say the U.N. will launch an international appeal for aid for Pakistani flood victims tomorrow in Islamabad. [more]

MISSISSIPPI | Following days of heavy rain, the Pearl River is expected to crest at major flood levels near Jackson, Mississippi, tomorrow. City officials have urged residents of flood-prone areas in the city to evacuate, and say they estimate that the flooding could impact 100-150 homes. [more]

INDIANAPOLIS | Three Dutch soldiers who had been training at an Indianapolis-area military training center were shot in downtown Indianapolis on Saturday following what police say was an altercation outside the soldiers' hotel. One of the soldiers has died from his wounds. [more]

IRAQ | Influential Shi'ite Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr said today that he is withdrawing from politics and closing his political offices due to lack of reform progress by other Shi'ite political leaders. Al-Sadr's announcement has raised concerns that his supporters will escalate their protests, which have been ongoing since the end of July. [more]

CHINA | Officials in China say more than 100,000 people in the country's southwestern Sichuan province and Chungking municipality have been evacuated due to flood risks brought on by sustained heavy rains in the drought-stricken region. [more]

EUROPEAN UNION | In a speech yesterday at Prague's Charles University, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced his support of expanding the European Union to include Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia. [more]

ELECTRIC VEHICLES | South Korean battery maker LG and Japanese automaker Honda today announced a $4.4 billion joint venture to build a plant in the U.S. to produce batteries for Honda electric vehicles in the North American market. [more]

GOLF | Rory McIlroy shot a final round 4-under-par 66 yesterday to win the PGA Tour Championship and claim his third FedEx Cup title. [more]

LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL | Hawaii beat Curacao, 13-3, yesterday to win the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. [more]

SPORTS MEMORABILIA | A mint-condition 1952 Mickey Mantle baseball card was sold at auction for $12.6 million yesterday, setting the record for the most ever paid for a piece of sports memorabilia, according to reports. [more]

ENTERTAINMENT | Taylor Swift won the Video of the Year award at last night's MTV Video Music Awards for "All Too Well (10 Minute Version)." Bad Bunny was named Artist of the Year, and the Song of the Year award went to Billie Eilish for "Happier Than Ever." [full list of nominees and winners] [more]

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE | "The Invitation" topped the North America box office over the weekend with an estimated $7 million in receipts, followed by "Bullet Train," and "Beast." [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck the U.S. Gulf Coast and devastated the area, especially New Orleans, which experienced catastrophic flooding after its levees were breached the following day. [more history]