AP News in Brief at 6:04 a.m. EDT

His roughly hourlong speech before the U.N. General Assembly was both grievance-filled and self-congratulatory as he used the platform to applaud his second-term achievements and lament that some of his fellow world leaders' countries were “going to hell."

The address was the latest reminder for U.S. allies and foes that the United States — after a four-year interim under the more internationalist President Joe Biden — has returned to an unapologetically “America First” posture with an antagonistic view toward the United Nations. Trump also sharply criticized the global body for inaction, saying it was filled with “empty words” that “don’t solve wars.”

“What is the purpose of the United Nations?” Trump said. “The U.N. has such tremendous potential. I’ve always said it. It has such tremendous, tremendous potential. But it's not even coming close to living up to that potential.”

Afterward, Trump attempted to assuage fears from some diplomats by assuring the top U.N. leader that the U.S. remained “100%” supportive of the global body despite his earlier criticism.

Emotional Jimmy Kimmel says in late-night return he never intended to make light of Kirk's killing

NEW YORK (AP) — Jimmy Kimmel returned to late-night television Tuesday after a nearly weeklong suspension and, in an emotional monologue where he appeared close to tears, said that he wasn't trying to joke about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

“I have no illusions about changing anyone’s mind, but I do want to make something clear, because it’s important to me as a human and that is, you understand that it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man," Kimmel said. "I don’t think there’s anything funny about it.”

He added that he wasn't trying to blame any specific group "for the actions of what ... was obviously a deeply disturbed individual. That was really the opposite of the point I was trying to make.” He said he understood his remarks last week to some “felt either ill-timed or unclear or maybe both.”

But he made no apologies. And he criticized the ABC affiliates who took his show off the air. Two stations groups that represent about a quarter of ABC stations, Sinclair and Nexstar, ordered their outlets not to show Kimmel on Tuesday.

“That's not legal,” Kimmel said. “That's not American. It's un-American.”

Europe has a Russian drone problem. Here are ways it could be solved

VINSKI, Estonia (AP) — Estonia is extending a fence along its border with Russia and building anti-tank ditches and bunkers in preparation for a potential conflict with Moscow. But those defenses won’t guard against the threat it and its NATO allies face from Russian drones and electronic warfare.

From the Baltic to the Black Sea, countries bordering Russia, Belarus and Ukraine are facing the spillover from Moscow's war in Ukraine.

The incursion of about 20 Russian drones into Poland this month shone a spotlight on holes in NATO's air defenses, as multimillion-dollar jets had to be scrambled to respond to drones that cost thousands and that ended up crashing into the Polish countryside. Russia denied that it targeted Poland, but Polish officials suggested it was intentional.

Faced with a growing problem, some EU defense ministers will meet Friday to discuss creating a “drone wall."

NATO warned Russia on Tuesday that it would defend against any further breaches of its airspace after Estonia said Russian fighter jets violated it last week. But although the alliance knows how to identify threats from jets and missiles, dealing with drones is a greater challenge, officials said.

Many leaders back a UN call to address challenges together but Trump says `America First'

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — From France to South Korea, South Africa to Suriname, leaders gave strong support Tuesday to the U.N. chief’s call to work together to address global challenges – war, poverty and climate chaos. But U.S. President Donald Trump had other ideas and touted his “America First” agenda.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres opened the annual meeting of presidents, prime ministers and monarchs at the General Assembly with a plea to choose peace over war, law over lawlessness, and a future where nations come together rather than scramble for self-interests.

France’s President Emmanuel Macron warned that 80 years after the U.N. was founded on the ashes of World War II, “we’re isolating ourselves.”

“There’s more and more divisions, and that’s plagued the global order,” he said. “The world is breaking down, and that’s halting our collective capacity to resolve the major conflicts of our time and stopping us from addressing global challenges.”

But Macron said a complex world isn’t reason “to throw in the towel” on supporting the U.N.’s key principles of peace, justice, human rights and nations working together. Only respectful relations and cooperation among peers make it possible to fight against military proliferation, address climate change and have “a successful digital transformation,” he said.

Iran starts rebuilding missile sites hit by Israel, but experts say a key component is missing

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran has begun rebuilding missile-production sites targeted by Israel during its 12-day war in June, satellite images analyzed by The Associated Press show, but a key component is likely still missing — the large mixers needed to produce solid fuel for the weapons.

Reconstituting the missile program is crucial for the Islamic Republic, which believes another round of war with Israel may happen. The missiles are one of Iran’s few military deterrents after the war decimated its air defense systems — something that Tehran long has insisted will never be included in negotiations with the West.

Missile experts told AP that obtaining the mixers is a goal for Tehran, particularly as it prepares for possible United Nations sanctions to be reimposed on the country later this month. The sanctions would penalize any development of the missile program, among other measures. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is due to address the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday.

Known as planetary mixers, the machines feature blades that revolve around a central point, like orbiting planets, and offer better mixing action than other types of equipment. Iran could purchase them from China, where experts and U.S. officials say they've purchased missile fuel ingredients and other components in the past.

"If they’re able to reacquire some key things like planetary mixers, then that infrastructure is still there and ready to get rolling again,” said Sam Lair, a research associate at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies who studied Iranian missile sites.

Activist flotilla seeking to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza says drones attacked its boats

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Activists taking part in a flotilla seeking to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza said Wednesday that some of their boats were attacked by drones overnight while sailing south of Greece.

The Global Sumud Flotilla said it was attacked during the night by “unidentified drones and communications jamming.” It said that “at least 13 explosions" were heard on and around several flotilla boats, while drones or aircraft dropped “unidentified objects” on at least 10 boats.

No casualties were reported but there was damage to the vessels and “widespread obstruction in communications,” it added.

Activists posted a brief video on the flotilla’s social media account showing what appeared to be an explosion on or near one of the vessels. Greece’s coast guard did not report any distress calls.

There was no immediate response to questions regarding the attack from the Israeli military.

Typhoon Ragasa batters Hong Kong and south China after killing dozens in Taiwan and Philippines

SHENZHEN, China (AP) — Typhoon Ragasa, one of the strongest in years, whipped waves taller than lampposts onto Hong Kong promenades and turned seas rough on the southern Chinese coast on Wednesday after leaving deadly destruction in Taiwan and the Philippines.

In Taiwan, 15 people died in a flooded township, and 10 deaths were reported in the northern Philippines.

Nearly 1.9 million people were relocated across Guangdong province, the southern Chinese economic powerhouse. A weather station in Chuandao town recorded maximum gusts of 241 kph (about 150 mph) at noon, a high in Jiangmen city since record-keeping began. Huge waves battered Zhuhai city’s coastline and strong winds buffered trees under intense rain. Fallen branches were scattered on the streets.

State broadcaster CCTV said the typhoon made landfall along the coast of Hailing Island in Yangjiang city at about 5 p.m., packing maximum winds near the center of 144 kph (89 mph). It is forecast to keep moving west. Schools, factories and transportation services were initially suspended in about a dozen cities, but a few of them distant from the landfall location were preparing to resume work as winds weakened

The fierce winds, brought by Ragasa, once a super typhoon, woke Hong Kong residents in the early hours, and many went online to describe scenes like a kitchen ventilation fan being blown down and a crane swaying.

Ryan Routh is found guilty of trying to assassinate Trump at Florida golf course

FORT PIERCE, Fla. (AP) — After a two-week trial, a jury took just two hours Tuesday to convict Ryan Routh of trying to assassinate Donald Trump on a Florida golf course last year, a plot that was undone when a Secret Service agent spotted Routh and fired a shot that sent him running.

Chaos ensued in the courtroom shortly after Routh was found guilty on all counts by a federal jury of seven women and five men. Routh tried to stab himself in the neck with a pen and officers quickly dragged him out.

As he was removed, Routh’s daughter, Sara Routh, screamed: “Dad, I love you, don’t do anything. I’ll get you out. He didn’t hurt anybody.” She was escorted from the courtroom and later waited outside with her brother, Adam Routh.

The pen Routh used was flexible, a design to prevent people in custody from using it as a weapon, according to a person familiar with the matter who could not publicly disclose details and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. Routh did not puncture his skin or otherwise hurt himself, the person said.

After order was restored, Routh was brought before U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon. He was shackled and no longer in the jacket and tie he wore while representing himself at the trial.

Trump cancels White House meeting with Schumer and Jeffries despite risk of a government shutdown

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has abruptly canceled this week's planned meeting with congressional Democratic leaders, refusing to negotiate over their demands to shore up health care funds as part of a deal to prevent a potential looming federal government shutdown.

In a lengthy Tuesday social media post, Trump rejected the sit-down that the White House had agreed to a day before. It would have been the first time the Republican president met with the Democratic Party's leaders, Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, since his return to the White House.

“I have decided that no meeting with their Congressional Leaders could possibly be productive,” Trump wrote in the post.

The president complained the Democrats “are threatening to shut down the Government of the United States” unless the Republicans agree to more funding for health care for various groups of people he has criticized. Trump did not close the door on a future sit-down with the Democratic leaders, but he warned of a “long and brutal slog” ahead unless Democrats dropped their demands to salvage health care funds.

The stalemate over a funding deal — or even talks between the White House and Congress to strike a compromise — has quickly intensified the risk of federal closures, starting as soon as next week, ahead of the Oct. 1 deadline for the start of the government's new fiscal year.

A mother stranded in Gaza City says she and her daughters are 'waiting to die'

Explosions shake the walls of the dim basement in Gaza City where Noor Abu Hassira and her three daughters are sheltering. They can’t see much through a small, raised window. But if the sounds of buzzing drones and booming airstrikes are any indication, Israeli forces are getting closer.

Abu Hassira is staying behind despite Israeli warnings to evacuate. She has debilitating leg injuries from an airstrike that destroyed her home at the start of the war and, like many in the devastated territory, she cannot come up with the $2,000 she says it would cost to move to southern Gaza and pitch a tent in a displacement camp.

While most Palestinians in Gaza City have fled south at some point in the 23-month long war, Abu Hassira has been largely bedridden — except for the 11 times she's had to relocate within her city to keep safe from Israeli assaults. Her husband is in an Israeli prison, and she and her young girls — Jouri, Maria and Maha — are among the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians still in Gaza City, which before the war had a million residents.

“It feels like we’re just waiting to die, I don’t really care that much anymore,” Abu Hassira wrote over text.

Israel says its offensive is aimed at destroying Hamas and freeing hostages taken during the attack that started the war. It says it is taking steps to mitigate harm to civilians.