News for August 28, 2026
Rescuers retrieve flood survivors caked in mud as death toll in Nepal-China border disaster climbs
KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — Rescuers on the Nepal-China border are pulling out flood survivors caked in dark brown mud while helicopters lift stranded people to safety. The neighboring countries raced Friday to respond to catastrophic flash floods that have killed nearly 600 people and left almost 2,500 missing. Rescue teams were put on high alert for more flooding from a new lake that formed high up on the Himalayan mountains after the initial floods on Wednesday. Experts warned that the lake, which was created after a glacier collapse that triggered the floods, was starting to overflow.
About 90 Americans unaccounted for after catastrophic floods hit Nepal and Tibet
McMINNVILLE, Tenn (AP) — U.S. officials report about 90 U.S. citizens remain unaccounted for after catastrophic flash floods hit a border area of China and Nepal. Wednesday’s flooding killed hundreds of people. The U.S. State Department says it is not aware of any U.S. deaths, but three Americans have been rescued. Many of the missing were on a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash in Tibet, a sacred site for Hindus and Buddhists. Indian spiritual guru Jaggi Vasudev, also known as Sadhguru, says 77 people from his Isha Foundation were at an immigration center in Tibet when the floods struck. The foundation said that 22 were Americans.
Trump used to say he saw a quick end to his Iran war, but 6 months later he claims he’s in no hurry
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran reaches the six-month mark. Trump claims the war has devastated Iran’s leadership, military and economy. This week, his administration has shifted its focus to increasing economic pressure rather than military action. Trump says he’s not in a hurry to bring Iran back to negotiations. Mediators like Qatar and Pakistan continue to seek diplomatic solutions. Analysts warn that Iran has shown resilience to international pressure, and it remains to be seen how far the U.S. will go with its new strategy.
Six months on, the Iran war has changed the Middle East, but not in the way its architects had hoped
The Iran war has changed the Middle East, but not in the ways that the United States and Israel had hoped. The war they launched six months ago has left the Islamic Republic with a more radical leadership bent on controlling the Strait of Hormuz and using it to extract concessions. Gulf nations have come to doubt decades-old American security guarantees. Israel has continued to rack up tactical victories while accelerating its international isolation and the erosion of support among the American public. There is no end in sight to the war and its impact on the global economy.
Washington chemical tank was called unfit for service before deadly failure, investigators find
An inspection contractor found a chemical tank at a Washington state paper mill was unfit for service 10 months before its fatal failure in May. The U.S. Chemical Safety Board released an investigation update Friday on the tank failure at the mill in Longview that killed 11 workers and injured several others. It was one of the deadliest U.S. workplace disasters in recent decades. The Chemical Safety Board found that Nippon Dynawave Packing Company continued to operate the tank without making repairs despite three inspections from an outside contractor that recommended them. The federal agency said it’s still determining what caused the failure. A company spokesperson says it won’t comment on findings or documents at this time because the investigation is ongoing.
Fed Chair Warsh signals rate hikes may be needed with inflation still elevated
JACKSON HOLE, Wyoming (AP) — Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh says inflation is still too high and suggested the central bank may have to raise interest rates in the coming months to bring it down, a clearer signal than he has sent before about his economic outlook. In his first high-profile speech at the Fed’s annual conference at Jackson Hole, Warsh acknowledged in prepared remarks that recent inflation reports show it has cooled a bit, but “they do not tell me that underlying trends have meaningfully improved.”
US stocks hold steady after expectations rise for the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates
NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. stock market is holding relatively steady, and expectations are building in the bond market for the Federal Reserve to hike interest rates soon to get the nation’s high inflation under control. The S&P 500 rose 0.3% Friday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 89 points, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.3%. The bond market had more of a reaction following Kevin Warsh’s first time speaking as chairman of the Fed at an annual economic symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Traders upped their bets for the Fed to hike its federal funds rate as soon as next month to put a lid on inflation.
She was a pain specialist to top athletes. Her opioid prescribing alarmed the DEA
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Joan Rubinger overcame a catastrophic biking accident that left her paralyzed to become an influential pain-relief specialist helping top-tier athletes get back on the field after acute and chronic injuries. Her website touts a client list that includes 169 NFL Pro Bowl selections, 29 NBA and WNBA champions and 15 Olympic medalists. Among some of her most notable patients: NBA All Stars Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration alleged in court filings, Rubinger doled out thousands of illegal prescriptions for highly addictive painkillers, a “covert and slinking” scheme the nurse practitioner likened to selling hamburgers at a fast-food restaurant.
UK warns against Israel removing it from Gaza ceasefire center, and other news in the Middle East
The U.K. government has warned against any attempt by Israel to remove British officials from the Gaza ceasefire coordination center after reports that Israel was considering expelling U.K. and other European officials. Meanwhile, an Israeli airstrike in Gaza killed three people as the county continues its attacks despite a fragile ceasefire. A United Nations shipping regulator says 19 seafarers have been killed and at least 6,000 remain stranded on hundreds of ships unable to leave the region since the Iran war began. Iran’s Foreign Ministry has also condemned a new round of U.S. economic measures against the country.
Russian drones batter Ukraine’s Kyiv region, hitting apartments and warehouses for a second day
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian forces have resumed drone attacks on Ukraine’s Kyiv region that hit numerous buildings and storage depots. The attacks were reported on Friday. Officials in the southern Kherson region warn of a tough winter with potential power outages and advise residents to relocate. Russian strikes aim to exhaust Ukraine’s air defenses and population. Ukraine’s economy is also affected with growth forecasts revised downward because of the attacks. Both countries continue aerial assaults meanwhile with Ukraine targeting Russian infrastructure in response.
