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Israel strikes Hezbollah site in Lebanon; both sides claim victory


Israel and Hezbollah are both claiming victories after their biggest exchange of fire yet. And two NASA astronauts stuck aboard the International Space Station will have to stay there a few more months. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Monday, Aug. 26, 2024.

Israel strikes Hezbollah site in Lebanon; both sides claim victory

There are new concerns over the war in the Middle East expanding into a larger conflict after Israel and Hezbollah militants in Lebanon had their biggest exchange of fire since the conflict broke out in the region ten months ago. Both sides are claiming victories.

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On Sunday, Aug. 25, Israel launched what it described as “a preemptive strike” against a major attack that Hezbollah was planning to launch on Israeli soil. Israel said 100 of its military planes successfully took out thousands of “rocket launcher barrels,” and six Hezbollah fighters were killed.

Hours later, Israel’s missile defense system intercepted 300 rockets and drones launched by Hezbollah toward Israel. The Israel Defense Forces said one navy officer was killed after being hit by shrapnel when the Iron Dome was intercepting the drones. 

In a televised address, Hezbollah’s leader called this a victory for their side, saying the attack was in retaliation for the recent assassination of one of its founders. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said this attack “will not be the final word.”

ISIS claims responsibility for deadly Germany stabbing attack

ISIS has now claimed responsibility for a deadly stabbing attack in Germany that happened during a festival Friday night, Aug. 23. A 26-year-old man from Syria has been arrested in connection with the attack. 

Police said the man turned himself in for the knife attack that left three people dead, and eight others injured. Officials say the man has “radical Islamist beliefs” and “wanted to kill as many people as possible.”

ISIS said in a statement Saturday, Aug. 24, the man is “a soldier for the Islamic state” who was “targeting Christians” in his attack. 

The festival was commemorating the 650th anniversary of the western German city of Solingen.

Harris, Trump campaigns to focus on battleground states this week

On the campaign trail, the 2024 candidates are focusing on battleground states this week. Vice President Kamala Harris will be launching a bus tour in southern Georgia and former President Donald Trump will hit multiple swing states. 

On Monday, Aug. 26, Trump is set to address the National Guard Association’s conference in Detroit. He’s also slated to hold a rally in Michigan, a town hall in Wisconsin, and a rally in Pennsylvania. 

This comes after both campaigns had big weeks last week. 

Harris officially accepted her party’s nomination for president at the Democratic National Convention on Thursday, Aug. 22. The Harris campaign said they’ve raised $540 million in only a month since it launched. 

And Trump got the endorsement of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Friday, after the third-party candidate suspended his bid for president. 

Polls taken before Kennedy’s endorsement show the race remains close, especially in the seven battleground states.

Republicans have sharpened their criticism on the lack of press events held by Harris.

While she hasn’t yet done a sit-down interview with the media since emerging as a presidential candidate, that will soon change. She is expected to sit down with her running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to record their first joint interview next week.

NASA astronauts to stay on ISS until February

Two NASA astronauts who have been stuck on the International Space Station since June will have to stay there a few more months. On Saturday, the space agency decided it’s not safe enough for Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to return to Earth in Boeing’s Starliner. 

Concerns linger over multiple helium leaks and degraded thrusters. Instead, Wilmore and Williams will wait until February when SpaceX already has a mission to the ISS planned and will pick them up.

“Spaceflight is risky even at its safest,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “And so, the decision to keep Butch and Suni aboard the International Space Station and bring the Boeing Starliner home uncrewed is a result of a commitment to safety.” 

The decision means two of the four astronauts who were supposed to go to the ISS in February for the SpaceX mission will have to give up their seats so NASA’s astronauts can finally come home. They were originally only supposed to stay on the ISS for about a week. 

Meanwhile, SpaceX is getting ready for a high-stakes mission Tuesday, Aug. 27. Private astronauts on the Polaris mission are set to attempt the first-ever commercial spacewalk.

Long Labor Day weekend travel expected to break records

We’re just days away from the unofficial end of summer and this Labor Day travel weekend is gearing up to be a busy one. The TSA predicts it will be the busiest Labor Day travel period on record

The agency expects more than 17 million passengers to fly between this Thursday, Aug. 29 and next Wednesday, Sept. 4. 

AAA predicts the roads won’t be any less crowded, as gas prices are lower than last year. 

If you are hitting the road, AAA said expect the heaviest traffic in the afternoon and early evening hours of Thursday and Friday, Aug. 30. For those traveling on Saturday, Aug. 31, AAA suggests departing in the afternoon for smoother traffic. 

If you’re returning home on Sunday, Sept. 1, or Labor Day, Sept. 2, AAA said it’s best to leave as early as possible to avoid heavy afternoon traffic.

Babe Ruth’s 1932 ‘called shot’ jersey sells for record $24.12M

Almost a century after Babe Ruth called his shot during the 1932 World Series he’s made history again. More specifically, his jersey has. 

The jersey worn by the New York Yankees slugger when he hit the home run to center field sold at auction for a record $24.12 million on Saturday.

Ruth’s famous “called shot” came as the Yankees and Chicago Cubs faced off in game three of the world series at Chicago’s Wrigley Field on October 1, 1932. In the fifth inning, Ruth made a pointing gesture while at bat and then hit the home run off Cubs pitcher Charlie Root, ultimately leading to the Yankees winning the World Series

The jersey is now the most expensive sports memorabilia ever sold at auction, according to MLB.com.

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THERE ARE CONCERNS THIS MORNING OF THE WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST EXPANDING INTO A LARGER CONFLICT — 

AFTER ISRAEL AND HEZBOLLAH MILITANTS IN LEBANON — HAD THEIR BIGGEST EXCHANGE OF FIRE SINCE THE CONFLICT BROKE OUT IN THE REGION TEN MONTHS AGO. 

BOTH SIDES ARE CLAIMING VICTORIES. 

ON SUNDAY — ISRAEL LAUNCHED WHAT IT DESCRIBED AS “A PRE-EMPTIVE STRIKE” AGAINST A MAJOR ATTACK THAT HEZBOLLAH WAS PLANNING TO LAUNCH ON ISRAELI SOIL — 

ISRAEL SAYING 100 OF ITS MILITARY PLANES SUCCESSFULLY TOOK OUT **THOUSANDS OF “ROCKET LAUNCHER BARRELS” — 

AND IN THE PROCESS OF TAKING OUT SOME OF ITS ARSENAL — SIX HEZBOLLAH FIGHTERS WERE KILLED. 

HOURS LATER — ISRAEL’S MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM INTERCEPTED 300 ROCKETS AND DRONES LAUNCHED BY HEZBOLLAH TOWARD ISRAEL. 

ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES SAY ONE NAVY OFFICER WAS KILLED AFTER BEING HIT BY SHRAPNEL WHEN AN IRON DOME WAS INTERCEPTING THE DRONES. 

HEZBOLLAH’S LEADER IN A TELEVISED ADDRESS –  CALLED THIS A VICTORY FOR THEIR SIDE — 

SAYING THE ATTACK WAS IN RETALIATION FOR THE RECENT ASSASSINATION OF ONE OF ITS FOUNDERS. 

NETANYAHU SAYS THIS ATTACK “WILL NOT BE THE FINAL WORD.”

ISIS HAS NOW CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY FOR A DEADLY STABBING ATTACK IN GERMANY THAT HAPPENED FRIDAY NIGHT DURING A FESTIVAL. 

A 26 YEAR OLD MAN FROM SYRIA HAS BEEN ARRESTED — 

AFTER HE TURNED HIMSELF INTO POLICE — SAYING HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE KNIFE ATTACK THAT LEFT THREE PEOPLE DEAD AND EIGHT OTHERS INJURED. 

OFFICIALS SAY THE MAN HAS “RADICAL ISLAMIST BELIEFS” AND “WANTED TO KILL AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE.” 

ISIS SAID IN A STATEMENT SATURDAY THE MAN IS “A SOLDIER FOR THE ISLAMIC STATE” WHO WAS “TARGETING CHRISTIANS” IN HIS ATTACK. 

THE FESTIVAL WAS COMMEMORATING THE 650TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE WESTERN GERMAN CITY OF “SOLINGEN”.

ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL —  

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS WILL BE LAUNCHING A BUS TOUR IN SOUTHERN GEORGIA THIS WEEK. 

AND FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP WILL FIRST ADDRESS “THE NATIONAL GUARD ASSOCIATION’S CONFERENCE” IN DETROIT ON MONDAY. 

THIS WEEK HE’S SLATED TO HOLD A MICHIGAN RALLY, A TOWN HALL IN WISCONSIN, AND A RALLY IN PENNSYLVANIA. 

THIS COMES AFTER BOTH CAMPAIGNS HAD BIG WEEKS LAST WEEK. 

HARRIS OFFICIALLY ACCEPTED HER PARTY’S NOMINATION FOR PRESIDENT AT THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION THAT RALLIED ITS BASE. 

THE HARRIS CAMPAIGN SAYING THEY’VE RAISED 540 MILLION DOLLARS IN ONLY A MONTH SINCE IT LAUNCHED. 

AND TRUMP — RECEIVING THE ENDORSEMENT OF RFK JUNIOR LAST WEEK AFTER THE THIRD PARTY CANDIDATE SUSPENDED HIS BID FOR PRESIDENT. 

POLLS TAKEN BEFORE KENNEDY’S ENDORSEMENT SHOW THE RACE REMAINS CLOSE — ESPECIALLY IN THE 7 BATTLEGROUND STATES. 

REPUBLICANS HAVE SHARPENED THEIR CRITICISM ON THE LACK OF PRESS EVENTS HELD BY HARRIS. 

WHILE SHE HASN’T YET DONE A SIT DOWN INTERVIEW WITH THE MEDIA SINCE EMERGING AS A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE — 

THAT WILL SOON CHANGE. 

SHE IS EXPECTED TO SIT DOWN WITH HER RUNNING MATE TIM WALZ “TO TAPE THEIR FIRST JOINT INTERVIEW” NEXT WEEK.

TWO NASA ASTRONAUTS WHO HAVE BEEN STUCK ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION SINCE JUNE… WILL HAVE TO STAY THERE A FEW MORE MONTHS. 

ON SATURDAY — THE SPACE AGENCY DECIDED IT’S *NOT* SAFE ENOUGH FOR BUTCH WILMORE AND SUNI WILLIAMS TO RETURN TO EARTH IN BOEING’S STARLINER. 

CONCERNS LINGER OVER MULTIPLE HELIUM LEAKS AND DEGRADED THRUSTERS. 

INSTEAD… THEY’LL WAIT UNTIL FEBRUARY — WHEN SPACE-X ALREADY HAS A MISSION TO THE I-S-S PLANNED AND WILL PICK THEM UP. 

BILL NELSON | NASA ADMINISTRATOR 

“Spaceflight is risky even, and it’s safest. And so the decision to keep Butch and Suni aboard the International Space Station and bring the Boeing Starliner home uncrewed is a result of a commitment to safety.” 

THE DECISION MEANS TWO OF THE FOUR ASTRONAUTS WHO WERE SUPPOSED TO GO TO THE I-S-S IN FEBRUARY FOR THE SPACE-X MISSION WILL HAVE TO GIVE UP THEIR SEATS SO NASA’S ASTRONAUTS CAN FINALLY COME HOME. 

THEY WERE ORIGINALLY ONLY SUPPOSED TO STAY ON THE I-S-S FOR ABOUT A WEEK. 

MEANWHILE — SPACE-X IS GETTING READY FOR A HIGH-STAKES MISSION TUESDAY. 

PRIVATE ASTRONAUTS THE POLARIS MISSION ARE SET TO ATTEMPT THE FIRST-EVER COMMERCIAL SPACEWALK.

WE’RE JUST DAYS AWAY FROM THE UNOFFICIAL END OF SUMMER — AND THIS LABOR DAY TRAVEL WEEKEND IS GEARING UP TO BE A BUSY ONE. 

THE TSA PREDICTS IT WILL BE THE BUSIEST LABOR DAY TRAVEL PERIOD ON RECORD, WITH MORE THAN 17 MILLION PASSENGERS EXPECTED TO FLY BETWEEN THIS THURSDAY AND NEXT WEDNESDAY. 

TRIPLE A THE ROADS WON’T BE ANY LESS CROWDED, AS GAS PRICES ARE LOWER THAN LAST YEAR. 

IF YOU ARE HITTING THE ROAD — EXPECT THE HEAVIEST TRAFFIC IN THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS OF THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. —  FOR THOSE TRAVELING ON SATURDAY, TRIPLE A SUGGESTS HITTING THE ROAD IN THE AFTERNOON FOR SMOOTHER TRAFFIC. 

IF YOU’RE RETURNING HOME ON SUNDAY OR LABOR DAY — TRIPLE A SAYS IT’S BEST TO LEAVE AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE TO AVOID HEAVY AFTERNOON TRAFFIC. 

FINALLY THIS MORNING — ALMOST A CENTURY AFTER BABE RUTH CALLED HIS SHOT DURING THE 19-32 WORLD SERIES… HE’S MAKING HISTORY AGAIN — WELL, AT LEAST HIS JERSEY IS. 

THE JERSEY WORN BY THE NEW YORK YANKEES SLUGGER WHEN HE HIT THE HOME RUN TO CENTER FIELD SOLD AT AUCTION FOR A RECORD 24 POINT 12 MILLION DOLLARS SATURDAY. 

RUTH’S FAMOUS “CALLED SHOT” CAME AS THE YANKEES AND CHICAGO CUBS FACED OFF IN GAME THREE OF THE WORLD SERIES AT CHICAGO’S WRIGLEY FIELD ON OCTOBER 1-ST, 19-32. 

IN THE FIFTH INNING — RUTH MADE A POINTING GESTURE WHILE AT BAT AND THEN HIT THE HOME RUN OFF CUBS PITCHER CHARLIE ROOT… ULTIMATELY LEADING TO THE YANKEES WINNING THE WORLD SERIES. 

THAT MAKES IT THE MOST EXPENSIVE SPORTS MEMORABILIA EVER SOLD AT AUCTION — ACCORDING TO M-L-B-DOT-COM.