All of these *venchive wounds were survivable except for the one on the top of the head and one through the brain.

The Attorney General Eric Holder says he's putting the full weight of the Justice Department into investigating the killing of Brown. NPR's Carrie Johnson reports Holder will travel to the area later this week to confer with investigators and community leaders.

The Attorney General plans to meet with FBI agents and civil rights investigators. They're looking into the actions of a Ferguson police officer who shot and killed 18-year-old Michael Brown. Eric Holder asks for patience as the civil right probe advances and he criticizes the selective release of sensitive information about the victim by local authorities. Holder says he is committed to preserving the integrity of the federal investigation in order to restore trust between police and protesters, not just in Ferguson, but beyond. Carrie Johnson, NPR news, Washington.

 

 

A temporary truce between Israel and Palestinian militants has been extended for 24 hours. For now fighting in Gaza has not resumed. NPR's Michele Kelemen reports the UN is calling for a more durable and lasting cease-fire.

UN Middle East Envoy Robert Serry tells the Security Council that the world can't leave Gaza in the condition that was before the latest outbreak of fighting.

Gaza urgently needs houses, hospitals and schools, not rockets, tunnels and conflict. We expect Hamas and all other factions to act responsibly in this regard and refrain from any actions that run counter to this agenda.

Israel Ambassador says, as he put it, for once, he agrees with the UN envoy. But the Ambassador didn't respond to other parts of the UN message that Israel and the Palestinians need to reach a durable solution that allows construction material and supplies to be brought into Gaza. Michele Kelemen, NPR news, Washington.

 

 

President Obama says Iraqi and Kurdish military forces with the help of US air strikes have retaken control of a strategically important dam near Mosul.

If that dam was breached, it could have proven catastrophic, with floods that would have threatened the lives of thousands of civilians and endanger our embassy compound in Baghdad.

Obama is calling on Iraqi leaders to complete formation of a unity government.

 

 

Stocks were higher on Wall Street today. The Dow Industrials closed up 175 points to 16,838. The NASDAQ composite was up 43. The S&P 500 index rose 16 points.

 

 

This is NPR.

 

 

Ukraine's government says dozens of civilians trying to flee the war-torn eastern part of that country were killed today when their convoy was shelled. Ukraine is blaming pro-Russian rebels for the attack, but they have denied any responsibility. A spokesman for Ukraine's military says the convoy was flying white flags and was clearly marked as civilians.

 

 

New York's Metropolitan Opera has reached tentative contract agreement with the unions representing its orchestra and chorus. Jeff London reports the deal, which must still be ratified for the * file, was announced by the federal mediators who call the talks difficult and highly complex. 

Both sides had braced for a work stoppage which could have delay the MET season opening in September but with less than an hour to go before contract expired at midnight. A reprieve was announced. Alan Gordon, President of the Union that represents the MET singers and dancers, said he was glad the company agreed to extend talks but added,

Both sides *are tremendously fell apart on the guts of the contract. That's gonna be difficult to close that gap.

Talks are said to resume today and go through the weekend. For NPR news, I am Jeff London, in New York.

 

 

The UN's Chief Nuclear Inspector says Iran is finally beginning to answer questions about suspicions the country has worked secretly to develop nuclear weapons, but he declined to say whether he was satisfied with the answers so far. The IAEA investigation into Iran's nuclear program has made little progress since it began seven years ago. The US and other western nations believe Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons' capability.