News Wrap: Putin says Prigozhin was a talented person who ‘made serious mistakes in life

Geoff Bennett:

In today's headlines: Investigators are combing through the wreckage of a private jet that crashed outside Moscow yesterday. Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Wagner mercenary group, is presumed dead, along with several of his top lieutenants. Rescuers found all 10 bodies of those aboard. An investigation is under way to determine what caused the crash.

Meantime, Russian President Vladimir Putin offered his first public acknowledgment of Prigozhin's presumed death.

Vladimir Putin, Russian President (through interpreter):

I knew Yevgeny Prigozhin for a very long time, since the early 1990s. He was a man with a complicated fate, and he made serious mistakes in life. He achieved the results he needed both for himself and, when I asked him, for the common cause, as in these last months. He was a talented person, a talented businessman.

Geoff Bennett:

A Pentagon spokesman said so far there's no evidence to suggest that a surface-to-air missile brought down the plane. But he offered no further details.

A Russian court has ruled that American journalist Evan Gershkovich must remain in jail until at least November 30. The Wall Street Journal reporter was seen going into court earlier today, but journalists were not allowed to enter. He was detained on a reporting trip in March and charged with espionage, even though Russian authorities haven't provided any evidence. The U.S. government says he's been wrongfully detained.

In the Dominican Republic, Tropical Storm Franklin claimed the lives of two people after unleashing heavy floods and landslides. Residents in Santo Domingo trudged through waist-deep water just to get to their homes. Trash and other debris rushed down rivers swollen by the floods. The storm is now heading north and could strike Bermuda early next week.

Maui County sued the Hawaiian Electric company today over the wildfires that ravaged Lahaina. They claim the utility failed to shut off power amid fierce winds and dry conditions.

The lawsuit comes as fire recovery efforts in the town entered a new phase with new equipment. Crews are using excavators and heavy machinery to dig through the disaster zone in Lahaina to help with the search and recovery process. At least 115 people are confirmed dead.

A wildfire in Northeastern Greece has been declared the European Union's largest blaze on record. Over 100 fires are burning across the country, including one nearing the suburbs of Athens. Twenty people have died over the last week, and 60 firefighters have been injured. Harsh winds and a hot, dry summer have stoked the flames there and throughout Southern Europe.

Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant began releasing treated radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean today. The government says it's an essential step in cleaning the facility after nuclear meltdowns caused by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. The release operation is expected to last about 30 years. Officials say they tested the water to ensure it's diluted to safe levels.

Junichi Matsumoto, TEPCO Executive (through interpreter):

When this operation finished, to check the water has been properly diluted, we took samples from underwater piping. We will analyze and measure the concentration level, and compare it with the level we have calculated.

Geoff Bennett:

As we have reported, not everyone is convinced the water will be safe. Today, China announced a total ban on Japanese seafood.

The release has also sparked protests inside Japan and in neighboring countries. Demonstrators worry about the toll it could take on the environment and human health.

Park Jong-Kwon, South Korean Environmental Activist (through interpreter):

I am furious about Japan's announcement of water release. I'm even more angry about our president, who has been silent about this. I will reduce the amount of fish I eat, but I'm more worried about letting our children eat seafood.

Geoff Bennett:

The U.N.'s nuclear watchdog approved the Fukushima water release plan last month. It expects the impact on health and the environment to be — quote — "negligible."

The five-nation bloc of developing economies known as BRICS invited six new countries to join today, including Saudi Arabia and Iran. Its current members are Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. The expansion announcement came during a summit in Johannesburg. The president of South Africa, who currently chairs the bloc, addressed concerns that the group is turning against the West.

Cyril Ramaphosa, South African President:

We reiterate our commitment to inclusive multilateralism and upholding international law, including the purposes and principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter.

Geoff Bennett:

The bloc was formed in 2009 to represent emerging economies in global affairs. It currently represents more than a quarter of the world's GDP, which will increase once the new members join.

And stocks tumbled on Wall Street today. The Dow Jones industrial average lost 373 points to close that 34099. The Nasdaq fell 257 points. The S&P 500 was down 60.

Still to come on the "NewsHour": we look at what's behind the dramatic rise in maternal mortality among Black women in the U.S.; a special legislative session in Tennessee becomes contentious over gun measures; and a clinical psychologist gives her Brief But Spectacular take on remaking identity.