Friday morning news: August 28, 2026

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Asia flooding » The death toll continues to climb from catastrophic flooding in Asia. More than 390 people are confirmed dead. Another 14-hundred are missing.

A wall of mud and rock swept down valleys along the Nepal-China border this week

Scientists believe a glacier collapsed and sent ice and rock into a river.

Gopal Sedain is with Tribhuvan University hospital in Kathmandu.

SEDAIN: All the bridges have been washed away and because of the high velocity of flooding it's like a flash flood so people could not protect themselves

Nepal's army has rescued more than 100 people by helicopter. Rescuers found bodies hundreds of miles downstream.

One woman in Nepal said her husband is among the missing.

AUDIO: [Speaking Nepali]

She said, “All I want is that my husband comes back to me safely in one piece. I don't want anything else.”

Among the missing are more than 500 foreigners, many of them pilgrims headed for a mountain in Tibet. The State Department says 90 Americans are unaccounted for.

UN Secretary General António Guterres told reporters Thursday:

GUTERRES: I extend my deepest condolences to families of the victims and express my solidarity with all those affected. The United Nations is mobilizing supplies and humanitarian teams.

But the danger isn't over. The debris dammed a river, and China warns the new lake behind it could give way within days. Nepal has moved people back from the banks.

Russia-Ukraine » Meanwhile in Ukraine:

SOUND: [Firefighters in Ukraine]

Firefighters battled flames after an overnight strike on the city of Sumy. That attack was one of several Russian missile and drone strikes on several cities across Ukraine Thursday.

Ukraine says two people were killed and more than a dozen were injured.

Meanwhile President Trump on Thursday sought to downplay rumors that Russian leader Vladimir Putin was plotting a military move against NATO.

TRUMP: I've had good talks with him. He's not going to be attacking a NATO territory.

Trump's comments came as questions continue to swirl around why CIA Director John Ratcliffe secretly met with Russian intelligence officials in Moscow on Tuesday. Trump previously said the visit was routine, but it's been widely reported that Ratcliffe was there to warn Russia against such an attack.

FBI takes down network of Chinese hackers » The FBI has taken down a network of Chinese hackers that used Americans’ routers and smart devices to hide cyberattacks on the U.S. government.

WORLD’s Harrison Watters has more from Washington.

HARRISON WATTERS: The Justice Department on Wednesday seized control of websites for two hacking platforms called “QScan” and “QTRouter.” Here’s Brett Leatherwood with the FBI’s Cyber Division:

LEATHERWOOD: For nearly a decade, QTFY has exploited software vulnerabilities to launch cyberattacks against U.S. government agencies, power companies, telcos, and major hospital systems.

WATTERS: Agencies that were hacked include NASA, the Federal Reserve, and the Department of Energy. The FBI says China installed malware on thousands of home routers and smart devices like security cameras worldwide and then funnelled cyberattacks through them to cover their tracks.

The company behind the network of remote controlled devices called a botnet makes hacking services for the Chinese government.

The DOJ said the hacking platforms have been disabled, but no word on how much damage was done.

The White House has also declared a national emergency for the U.S. power grid, calling on the government to root out components made by foreign adversaries.

Reporting for WORLD, I’m Harrison Watters in Washington.

DOJ Puerto Rico drug arrests » Federal agents made sweeping arrests throughout western Puerto Rico this week.

The Justice Department has arrested 70 suspects … with 11 still at large. The alleged gang members are accused of running fentanyl, cocaine, and other drugs.

Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the bust in San Juan.

BLANCHE: Taking the fight to the cartels with unprecedented force and efficiency makes clear that we, along with our international partners, have zero tolerance for criminal activity.

WATTERS: He also announced more than 20 arrests in Ecuador, working with police there against two gangs the U.S. calls terrorist organizations. Agents seized a ton of cocaine and destroyed multiple hidden airstrips.

Haiti gangs hold more than 50 hostages » Gangs in Haiti are holding more than 50 hostages and threatening to kill them.

Gunmen seized them Sunday when they overran the mountain town of Kenscoff.

At least 47 people were killed, including five children. The gunmen shot 22 of them inside a church compound.

The gang posted video of the captives, warning it will kill them if police keep pressing in.

Haiti's prime minister says the government will take the town back.

Peter Cullen obituary » Peter Cullen has died.

Even if that name doesn’t ring a bell, there’s a good chance you’ve heard his voice:

CLIP (Transformers):  I am Optimus Prime, and I send this message to any surviving Autobots taking refuge among the stars.

He was the voice behind the Autobots leader in Transformers cartoons and movies.

Cullen's career spanned decades, starting with “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” and including roles in “The Smurfs” and “G.I. Joe.” He also voiced Eeyore in many “Winnie the Pooh” cartoons.

CLIP (Winnie the Pooh):  Might be more popular but part of me's a lot colder. Wonder if anyone's even gonna notice

Peter Cullen was 85 years old.

I'm Kent Covington.

Coming up: Looney Tunes’ Wile E. Coyote makes his way to the big screen. We’ll have a review. Plus, your Listener Feedback for August.

This is The World and Everything in It.

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