MOSCOW (AP) — A Russian court has sentenced a man convicted over a car bombing that seriously wounded nationalist writer Zakhar Prilepin to life in prison. Prosecutors said the May 2023 bombing in the Nizhny Novogorod region was conducted at the direction of Ukraine’s security services.

BEIRUT (AP) — Hezbollah’s acting leader has vowed to continue battling Israel and said the Lebanese militant group was prepared for a long fight even after much of its top command was wiped out, including its leader, Hassan Nasrallah. Israeli strikes have killed Nasrallah and six of his top commanders and officials in the last 10 days, and have hit what the military says are thousands of militant targets across large parts of Lebanon.

DirecTV is buying Dish and Sling, a deal it has sought to complete for years, as the company seeks to better compete against streaming services that have become dominant. DirecTV said Monday that it will acquire Dish TV and Sling TV from its owner EchoStar in a debt exchange transaction that includes a payment of $1, plus the assumption of debt.

A crisis is unfolding in Asheville as officials pledged to get more water, food and other supplies to flood-stricken areas that still lack power and cellular service days after Hurricane Helene left a trail of destruction across the U.S. Southeast. The death toll from the storm topped 90 people across several states. Authorities have struggled to get supplies to isolated areas. Massive rains brought by Helene left many people stranded or homeless around the region.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kris Kristofferson, a Rhodes scholar who became a superstar songwriter, singer and actor, has died. A family spokeswoman says Kristofferson died at his home in Hawaii on Saturday. He was 88.

In other news:

• Biden says he'll speak with Israeli leader, vowing all-out war in the Middle East must be avoided.
• US retailers brace for potential pain from a longshoremen's strike.
• Why Tuesday's vice presidential debate could matter more than history suggests.
• Gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson treated for burns received at appearance, campaign says.
• SpaceX launches rescue mission for 2 NASA astronauts who are stuck in space until next year.
• Titan implosion testimony paints a picture of reckless greed and explorer passion.
• Minnesota reports rare human death from rabies.
• October's 'ring of fire' solar eclipse will dazzle parts of South America and the Pacific.
• 'Megalopolis' flops, 'Wild Robot' soars at box office.
• Maggie Smith, scene-stealing actor famed for Harry Potter and 'Downton Abbey,' dies at 89.
• Sean 'Diddy' Combs faces new sex assault allegations in woman's lawsuit.
• Nail biters and blowouts in Week 4 of the NFL, MLB's National Leagues wild-card chase will be decided in overtime and the U.S wins another President's Cup.
• Pope wraps troubled visit to Belgium by praising victims and demanding abusers be judged.
• Russia invokes its nuclear capacity in a UN speech that's full of bile toward the West.
• China, at UN, warns against 'expansion of the battlefield' in the Ukraine war.

—The Associated Press

About this program

Host Terry Lipshetz is managing editor of the national newsroom for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the former producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate.