GOP Rejects Two Resolutions Affirming Support For U.S. Intelligence Community

At a joint news conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday in Helsinki, Trump refused to condemn Russia’s efforts to manipulate the 2016 presidential election, as detailed by his own intelligence agencies several times. Instead, he cast doubt on those assessments and in his comments gave credence to Putin’s denial of the interference. After his performance sparked bipartisan criticism, Trump struggled to clarify his position several times this week.

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  Trump says people at ‘higher ends of intelligence’ loved his Putin press conference

  The Independent
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  White House struggles to contain political outcry over Trump-Putin summit

  Reuters

CEO Gives Own Car To Young Employee Who Set Out On Foot For Job 20 Miles Away

Walter Carr of Birmingham, Alabama, found himself in quite the predicament last week. A couple of hours into his trek, Carr stopped in a bank parking lot to take a break because his legs hurt. As he rested, a police car drove up, and an officer, identified as Mark Knighten, asked Carr if he was OK.

Best Bites Summer Entertaining: Pina colada cookie cups

What screams tropical vacation getaway more than a pina colada? Pina colada cookie cups! Check out the recipe on this episode of Best Bites!Ingredients:COOKIE CUPS3/4 cups (168g) salted butter, room temperature1 cup (207g) sugar1 large egg, room temperature

Russian warship ‘carrying £100 billion in gold’ discovered off South Korea

A South Korean salvage team has discovered the wreck of a Russian warship that was sunk in a naval battle 113 years ago and is believed to still contain a trove of gold bullion and coins worth 150 trillion won, or £100 billion. The Russian Imperial Navy cruiser Dmitrii Donskoi was discovered at a depth of more than 1,400 feet about one mile off the South Korean island of Ulleungdo. A joint team made up of experts from South Korea, Britain and Canada discovered the wreck on Sunday and used two manned submersibles to capture footage of the vessel, with the company behind the discovery promising to use a percentage of the money to fund the construction of a railway line linking Russia and South Korea through North Korea.

Girl With Disability Gang-Raped By 22 Men For 7 Months In India, Police Say

Police quickly rounded up 18 of the 22 men, including an elevator operator, gardener, housekeeper, electrician, security guards and plumbers in and around the apartment complex where the girl’s family lives in Purasawalkam, according to the Times Of India. There are conflicting reports about the girl’s age. Times of India reported the victim is 12, while other outlets gave her age as 11. The girl told police that an elevator operator named Ravi Kumar, 66, first sexually assaulted her when she arrived home from school before she entered her family’s apartment.

Flags, flowers greet first Ethiopia-Eritrea flight in 20 years

By Aaron Maasho ASMARA (Reuters) - The first commercial flight from Ethiopia to Eritrea in 20 years landed safely in Asmara on Wednesday to be greeted by dancers waving flags and flowers, cementing a stunning rapprochement that has ended a generation of hostility in a matter of days. As Ethiopian Airways [ETHA.UL] flight ET 0312 made the momentous switch from Ethiopian to Eritrean airspace, chief executive Tewolde GebreMariam took to the on-board intercom to remind the 315 passengers they were part of history. Families separated from loved ones since the start of a brutal 1998-2000 border war sat next to dignitaries on the flight, one of two that took off from Ethiopia on Wednesday morning.

Two children left with bite marks off Fire Island after 'first New York shark attacks' in 70 years

Two children have been bitten while swimming in waters off New York state's Fire Island in what are thought to be the state’s first shark attacks for 70 years. A 12-year-old girl suffered bite marks “consistent with a large fish” while swimming at Sailors Haven beach and a 13-year-old boy on a bodyboard was taken to taken to hospital following an incident at nearby Atlantique beach, 50 miles east of Manhattan. Less than a dozen such shark bites on people had previously been documented in New York state, with the last one coming in 1948, officials said.

White House tries to clean up another Trump statement on Russia

President Trump said on Wednesday that Russia is not currently targeting U.S. elections, contradicting his own director of national intelligence’s warning that the Kremlin is planning another cyberattack on the United States. Before a Cabinet meeting at the White House, Trump was asked by a reporter if Moscow is “still targeting the United States” and its elections. At a separate press briefing more than two hours later, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders claimed the president “was saying ‘no’ to answering questions” — and not responding to the question itself.

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  State Dept. doesn’t issue statement on anniversary of MH17 downing

  The Hill
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  Nuclear Nuances: How to Negotiate with North Korea

  The National Interest

Pat McGrath Labs Topples Kylie Jenner, Becomes Billion-Dollar Company

Pat McGrath’s cosmetic company, Pat McGrath Labs, has reached an estimated valuation of $1 billion, outpacing the figure for Kylie Jenner’s Kylie Cosmetics.WWD reported the value of McGrath’s business. Forbes recently estimated Jenner’s company is worth

Anonymous Donor Pays Tuition For Medical School's Entire Inaugural Class

“Student debt is the number one deterrent for students when applying to medical school,” she told local outlet ABC 13. “This generous gift will allow such students an opportunity to attend and ultimately lead the future medical workforce.

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  Anonymous $3 million gift to fund tuition for UH med school's first class

  Houston Chronicle
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  Anonymous donor gifts UH $3M, pays entire tuition for medical students

  KHOU

Mexico's president-elect rebuffed by Zapatista rebels

Mexico's leftist President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has been enjoying a honeymoon of sorts even with conservative businessmen, but was rebuffed by the Zapatista rebels. The leftist Zapatistas issued a statement Tuesday denying they have had any contact with Lopez Obrador's team and saying they don't want any. The Zapatista leadership taunted Lopez Obrador, noting his aides made an error in saying Pope Francis would participate in their planned forums on bringing peace to violence-wracked Mexico.

Rescued Thai football boys pray at Buddhist temple as they begin first day back home

The Thai football boys and their coach began their first day back home with their families since they were rescued from a flooded cave with a trip to a Buddhist temple on Thursday to pray for protection from misfortunes. The remaining member of the Wild Boars football team - Adul Sargon - is not a Buddhist and did not attend the ceremony, meant to extend one's life and protect it from dangers. "We weren't sure if it was for real," 14-year-old Adul said.

Egyptian Officials Open Black Sarcophagus, Find 3 Skeletons Inside

After approximately 2,000 years sitting untouched, a black sarcophagus recently unearthed in Egypt has been opened ― and it wasn’t pretty. Authorities in Alexandria removed the massive granite lid on Thursday to reveal the skeletal remains of three people amid sewage water that had leaked in, the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities announced. Mostafa Waziry, the head of the Supreme Council for Antiquities, had some reassuring words in response to media rumors of bad luck. “The sarcophagus has been opened, but we have not been hit by a curse,” he said, according to the Guardian.

Brazilian police arrest 'Dr. Bumbum' after patient dies

Police arrested celebrity plastic surgeon Denis Cesar Barros Furtado on Thursday, five days after he went on the run following the death of a patient he gave injections to enlarge her buttocks. Known as "Dr. Bumbum" — Brazilian slang for backside, Furtado was arrested at an office complex in Rio de Janeiro's Barra de Tijuca neighborhood. Police also arrested his mother, Maria de Fatima Barros, who worked with him.

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  Dr Bumbum: Brazilian plastic surgeon arrested in Rio after patient dies from failed buttock enlargement

  The Independent
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  Brazil's 'Dr. Butt' plastic surgeon arrested after patient death:...

  feeds.reuters.com

California high court orders proposal to split up state removed from November ballot

The California Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the November ballot purged of an initiative that seeks to split California into three states, citing significant questions raised about the proposal's validity. State election officials certified last month that supporters of the so-called Cal3 measure, also known as Proposition 9, had collected enough signatures to qualify it for the ballot in the country's most populous state. An environmental group, the Planning and Conservation League, challenged the measure in court, arguing it posed a "revision" of the state constitution - as opposed to an amendment - that is too sweeping to be legally subjected to the direct consent of the voters.

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  California's Supreme Court thinks the people of my state are irrelevant – We can't even vote on a breakup

  Fox News
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  Court blocks measure asking voters to split California in 3

  Associated Press

Philippines issues new order to expel Australian nun

The Philippines issued on Thursday a fresh deportation order for an elderly Australian nun who angered President Rodrigo Duterte, as her lawyers pledged to block her expulsion. Sister Patricia Fox, 71, has been accused of illegally engaging in political activism as the government cracks down on foreign critics on its soil. "We find Fox Patricia Anne, Australian national, in violation of the limitations and conditions of (the Philippines immigration law) and order her deportation to Australia," said the government order shown to AFP by her lawyers.

Trump blames Putin summit backlash on 'Trump Derangement Syndrome!'

Facing continued backlash over his comments at his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and his attempt to clarify them, President Trump on Wednesday accused his critics of being “haters” who wanted to see his diplomatic efforts fail. “Some people HATE the fact that I got along well with President Putin of Russia,” Trump tweeted. The tweet mirrored comments by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who expressed support for Trump’s embrace of Putin while dismissing his many critics.

Shark Attacks On 2 Children At Long Island Beaches Draw Investigation

A state investigation has been launched into separate shark attacks on two children at beaches on New York’s Long Island. A boy and a girl were attacked about the same time late Wednesday morning at two Fire Island beaches about four miles apart. A shark tooth was recovered from the leg of the 13-year-old boy, who was boogie-boarding off Atlantique beach when the attack occurred.

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  Two Kids Bitten in Possible Shark Attack Off New York's Fire Island: 'It Was Pretty Surreal'

  People
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  Here are the most dangerous places in America for shark attacks

  ABC News

Multiple Papa John's Employees Describe Sexual Harassment, Nepotism

Papa John’s founder John Schnatter resigned last week as chairman over his use of a racial slur, but that incident may have just scratched the surface of the company’s problems. According to an explosive Forbes report published on Thursday, the pizza giant also fosters a toxic workplace culture that includes sexual harassment, nepotism and spying on employees. Several female Papa John’s employees described enduring a pattern of sexist and other inappropriate remarks from male colleagues.

CDC Reports Widespread Salmonella Outbreak From Eating Turkey

Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site. Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site. Ninety people across 26 states have been sickened and 40 hospitalized since last November

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  CDC Says Raw Turkey Linked to Salmonella in 26 States — What to Know

  Inverse
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  More people sick in outbreak linked to McDonald's salads

  CNN

Spiky Utah dinosaur had more than 'a face only a mother could love'

With its head and snout covered in bony armor shaped like cones and pyramids, a spiky tank-like dinosaur unearthed in southern Utah was not just another pretty face. Scientists on Thursday announced the discovery of fossils of a dinosaur named Akainacephalus johnsoni that lived 76 million years ago during the Cretaceous Period. It was a member of a dinosaur group called ankylosaurs, among the most heavily armored animals ever on Earth - and for good reason, considering the predators around at the time.

At least 13 die when duck boat capsizes in Missouri lake

At least 13 people, including children, died after a boat carrying tourists capsized and sank on a lake during a thunderstorm in a country music mecca in southwest Missouri, authorities said Friday. Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Jason Pace said four people remain missing Friday after the Ride the Ducks boat sank on Table Rock Lake in Branson Thursday evening. Two adults are in critical condition and the others were treated for minor injuries, Brandei Clifton said.

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  Duck Boat Capsizes In Missouri, Killing 11 People, Some Of Them Children

  CBS Philadelphia
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  Children among dead after Missouri 'duck boat' sinks in rough waters

  UPI

Store Owner Charged After Shooting Beer Thief on Surveillance Camera

Officials with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said that at 11:40 p.m. on Tuesday, 43-year-old Rennie Defoe Jr. walked into the Shell gas station, picked up three 18-packs of Nature Ice beer and walked out of the store without paying. The store’s co-owner, 22-year-old Mehedeum Hasan, was caught on surveillance footage chasing Defote outside of the store with a gun in his hand while Defoe carried the beer to his car.

Trump Wonders Why U.S. Should Always Have To Defend NATO Allies

President Donald Trump on Tuesday once again threw cold water on NATO, an intergovernmental military alliance between the U.S. and 28 other countries. Trump expressed skepticism over the decades-old defense pact, which obligates member countries to defend any other member country that comes under attack, during an interview with Fox News’ Tucker Carlson. When Carlson asked why the U.S. should protect a country like Montenegro, which joined NATO last year, Trump said he has asked himself the same question.