Officials say workers have stopped highly radioactive water from leaking into the ocean from the stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant's No. 2 reactor. Concerns now center on a buildup of hydrogen inside reactor No. 1.

Bestselling author Sarah Vowell takes on the story of the Americanization of Hawaii.

Monitor readers share their favorite book picks.

AP - Talks appear to be intensifying on Capitol Hill on reaching a deal on long-overdue legislation to finance the government through the end of September — and avoid a government shutdown. Whether a shutdown can be avoided in three days' time is another matter.

AP - Heavy arms fire rang out Wednesday near the home of the country's strongman who remained holed up in a subterranean bunker, as forces backing his rival assaulted the residence to try to force him out, diplomats and witnesses said.

AP - Workers stopped a highly radioactive leak into the Pacific off Japan's flooded nuclear complex Wednesday, but with the plant far from stabilized, engineers prepared an injection of nitrogen to deter any new hydrogen explosions.