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New Trump communications chief Scaramucci apologizes ‘for the 50th time’ for past insults

At Friday’s press briefing, the White House’s new communications chief apologized for his harsh statements about Trump during the campaign.

Why Spicer's Resignation Is Bad News for Reince Priebus

NBC’s Kristen Welker reports on how Sean Spicer’s resignation will affect White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus.

Ex-CIA Director Hayden: Russia election meddling was ‘most successful covert operation in history’

Michael Hayden, former head of the NSA and CIA, called Russia’s interference in the 2016 election the “most successful covert influence operation in history.”

The Latest: Mayor says chief nominee is relationship builder

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Latest on the resignation of Minneapolis' police chief amid the investigation into the fatal shooting of an Australian woman by an officer (all times local):

Surreal! Salvador Dali's moustache remains intact, embalmer reveals after exhumation

Salvador Dalí’s famous moustache remains in a perfect state, witnesses to the surrealist artist’s exhumation for DNA testing have revealed. Narcís Bardalet, Dalí’s embalmer, said that upon opening his crypt, the body was found to be exactly as it was when it was interred 28 years ago.  The handlebars of his moustache were still “marking (the time of) 10 past 10” as he wished, he said. Workers bring a casket to the Dali Theatre Museum  Credit: Manu Fernandez/AP “His moustache remains intact, marking 10 past 10, as he desired,” Mr Bardalet told local television. “It’s a miracle. Dalí will be with us for a long time”. The Spanish master was raised from his tomb in his hometown of Figueres late on Thursday night in a highly controversial operation to settle a paternity claim from a TV fortune teller that she is his secret lovechild. Pilar Abel poses for the media upon her arrival to the Toxicology National Institute to undergo a DNA test, in Madrid earlier this month Credit: EFE via EPA Pilar Abel, 61, also from Figueres, has for more than a decade been fighting to prove she is Dalí’s daughter, claiming to have learned from her mother and grandmother at the age of eight that she was the product of an affair with the married artist.  Despite being dismissed by many as a fraud, Ms Abel in June won a court order to exhume Dalí’s body, a Madrid judge ruling there was no other way to settle the claim. Salvador Dalí’s moustache was an iconic trademark of his appearance Credit: AFP/Getty The artist’s two tibias have been extracted as well as nails and teeth, and will now be taken to Madrid for testing before being replaced to preserve the integrity of the body, Lluís Peñuelas, secretary of the Gala-Salvador Dalí Foundation, said. Just 15 people were present at the exhumation  Credit: LLUIS GENE/AFP/Getty He stressed that the Foundation, which administers Dalí’s estate, regards the exhumation as “completely inappropriate” and Ms Abel’s claim as "baseless".  The exhumation was far from simple. Cranes were installed to lift the one and a half ton tombstone from Dalí’s crypt, which lies beneath the stage in the artist’s self-designed Theatre-Museum. Workers take scaffolding inside the Theatre-Museum Dali to be used in the exhumation  Credit: LLUIS GENE/AFP The operation took place under the cover of night, with media banned and tarpaulins placed over the top of the building to prevent drones spying from overhead.  Just 15 people were present and all phones and cameras were prohibited to prevent images leaking out.  The exhumation took place at the Theatre-Museum Dali in Figueras Credit: LLUIS GENE/AFP/Getty Marta Felip, the mayor of Figueres, said it was “grotesque” that the fortune teller’s claim had been taken so far. She said the results would be known in the first week of September, and said that if Ms Abel was found not to be the artist’s daughter, the Foundation and the local government would be seeking to recover their considerable costs. Tourists visit the tomb of Salvador Dali at the Theatre-Museum Dali following the exhumation  Credit: LLUIS GENE/AFP But if Ms Abel is proved right, she could be entitled to a 25 percent share of Dalí's considerable estate. That will open up another legal battle with the Foundation and the Spanish state, to which he left his works.  "The question of tracing any inheritance will be a difficult one," Michael Mylonas QC of London barristers' chambers Serjeants’ Inn told The Telegraph, suggesting that the Foundation "must be feeling some heat". Ms Abel told the Telegraph that she was unconcerned by the criticisms, and dismissed the Dalí Foundation’s questioning of the court order as “pathetic”. “I am very happy because at last it’s going to come to light, and this means a lot, it doesn’t matter to me what the Foundation says,” she said.  She insisted that she was not motivated by any potential inheritance but by a desire to know who she was. “It’s about my identity, and nothing else,” said Ms Abel, adding that the first thing she would do if the test came out positive was change her name. But then, she acknowledged, “probably I am going to ask for what is mine”. The fortune teller, who for eight years hosted a tarot card reading show on local television, claimed that the visionary Dalí was the source of her powers. “I have had this gift since I was little, and where else can it come from? It can’t be from anyone else but him.” Ms Abel said she believed the artist knew she was his child, relating an encounter told to her by her mother Antonia, who has given her blessing to the paternity suit. Her mother was pushing her in a pram when the pair ran into Dalí; he allegedly patted her head and remarked “So this is my daughter Pilar, eh?”. Ms Abel had crossed paths with him again as a teenager, and the pair had exchanged “looks that were more than looks”, she said. Shrugging off suggestions of an unseemly spectacle, the fortune teller said she was happy to have put Dalí back in the news. “It is what I wanted, to lift him up again. He deserves it. A great genius, a great person, and a great painter.”

Ohio treasurer and Senate candidate takes on Anti-Defamation League over far-right ‘witch hunt’

Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel, a candidate in next year’s Republican Senate primary, sided Thursday with two prominent right-wing nationalist commentators over the Anti-Defamation League, which put them on a watch list of what it called “alt-lite” figures.

USS Fitzgerald crash that killed seven American sailors 'was navy's own fault'

A deadly crash between a US warship and a Philippine cargo vessel is believed to have been the fault of the US navy, according to CNN citing preliminary investigations into the incident which claimed the lives of seven American sailors. The network said that two officials from the Department of Defence said that there were multiple errors by the crew of the USS Fitzgerald that led to the collision in June. The crash between the Fitzgerald, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, and the ACX Crystal on 17 June claimed the lives of seven US sailors.

Trump Issues Statement On Sean Spicer Resignation

Deputy White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders reads a statement from President Trump change from Sean Spicer to Anthony Scaramucci.

After Woman’s Mysterious Death At Mexico Resort, Tourists Report Similar Incidents

Twenty-year-old Abbey Conner died after drowning in chest-high water at a luxury Mexican resort this year.

Abbas freezes Israel contact over holy site dispute

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said Friday he was freezing contacts with Israel over new security measures at a highly sensitive Jerusalem holy site, after deadly clashes erupted earlier in the day. Abbas said in a speech that the freeze would stay in place until Israel lifted the measures at the Haram al-Sharif mosque compound, which Jews refer to as the Temple Mount. "I, on behalf of the Palestinian leadership, announce... a freeze of all contacts with the occupation state on all levels until Israel commits to cancelling all the measures against our Palestinian people in general and Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa mosque in particular," Abbas said to applause from Palestinian officials.

Detained student's mother: China police want "ransom"

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — The mother of an American college student arrested in central China following an altercation with a taxi driver five weeks earlier said police are demanding the equivalent of a $7,400 "ransom" for his release.

OJ Simpson wins parole after he tells hearing in Nevada: 'I've basically lived a conflict-free life'

OJ Simpson, 70, granted parole Former NFL star expected to be free in October Simpson was convicted in 2008 of armed robbery He has served nine years of his 33 year sentence Tearful Simpson tells of missing family occasions "I thought I was a good guy who got along with anybody" Simpson's daughter Arnelle: "We just want him home Social media reacts to decision OJ Simpson last night shed tears of joy as he was granted parole by a panel in Nevada, having served almost nine years for armed robbery. Simpson, 70, struggled to compose himself as the four-person panel delivered their verdict, before looking up to smile at his daughter Arnelle and friend Bruce Fromong – who both spoke to defend the fallen sports star. He is set to walk free in October, cutting short the 33-year sentence imposed for the robbery at a Las Vegas hotel. He and five accomplices stormed a hotel room to seize memorabilia items which Simpson said belonged to him. He was convicted in 2008 exactly 13 years after he was cleared of killing Nicole Brown Simpson, his former wife and her friend Ron Goldman. At the hearing,  which took place at the Lovelock Correctional Facility, a medium security prison in the Nevada desert he told the board he had basically lived a conflict-free life". Simpson appeared as inmate No. 1027820, dressed in blue jeans and a blue button-down shirt, in a stark hearing room. Displaying contrition, Simpson told the hearing:  "I've done it as well and as respectfully as anybody can. I think if you talk to the wardens they'll tell you. Confident but emotional OJ Simpson testifies in bid for new trial 01:24 "I've not complained for nine years. All I've done is try to be helpful… and that's the life I've tried to live because I want to get back to my kids and family." Simpson's daughter, Arnelle, 48, pleaded with the board to release him. "We just want him home". Simpson's case was helped by Mr  Fromong, one of the robbery victims, who pleaded on Simpson's behalf."I don’t feel he is a threat to anyone out there. He is a good man. I know he does a lot for other people. I feel that nine and a half, to 33 years, is way too long.  OJ Simpson, in Nevada "And I feel that it is time to give him a second chance. It’s time for him to go home to his family and his friends. This is a good man who made a mistake." Mr Fromong turned to Simpson, sitting behind him in his denim prison shirt and jeans, wiping away tears. “I mean that, buddy,” he added. Simpson told the panel he is planning to reunite with his two youngest children, Sydney and Justin, in Florida. "I could easily stay in Nevada but I don't think you guys want me here," he said, laughing. 9:58PM OJ Simpson "can never walk away from the popular belief that he's as guilty as Hell" The Telegraph's Tim Stanley believes that OJ will never escape the stigma surrounding the deaths of  his former wife, Nicole Brown, and her friend, Ron Goldman. "It’s hard to recall the hero worship of OJ Simpson in the Seventies or the way the trial transformed his reputation in the black community - for a brief moment, he had his own pivotal, if contested, role in the civil rights movement. But the glory faded. What is left is the brutal sense of justice deferred but won. OJ can never walk away from the popular belief that he was as guilty as Hell." Read more here 9:28PM Simpson faces huge financial claims  Simpson  is likely to remain shackled to a multimillion-dollar wrongful death civil judgment stemming from the 1994 killing of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman, Reuters reports Their families should be able to stake their claim to at least a portion of Simpson's future earnings, whether he writes a book, appears on a reality television show or sells autographs, legal experts said. Simpson was acquitted of the murders two decades ago during the so-called "trial of the century," though his reputation - built atop a Hall of Fame football career as well as years as a popular pitchman and actor - suffered permanent damage. Nicole Brown Simpson Despite the not guilty verdict, a civil court jury found him liable for the deaths and awarded $33.5 million in damages to the victims' families. That judgment, which was renewed in court two years ago for another decade and enlarged to about $58 million, remains largely unpaid. And David Cook, a longtime attorney for the Goldman family, said he would not abandon efforts to collect. "The good news for Mr. Simpson is he's probably going to get out on October 1," Mr Cook told Reuters before the parole decision. "And the bad news is I'm good for another 10 years ... ready to pick up where we last left off." In most states, creditors can seek wage garnishment to recoup some of what they are owed from a debtor's income. In Florida, the state where Simpson said he planned to live if granted parole, the garnishment is limited to 25 percent. 8:59PM Simpson going to Florida  Simpson is planning to go to Florida, but he remains the responsibility of the Nevada department of parole, said Shawn Arruti, Nevada Division of Parole and Probation. Florida, which can undertake "courtesy supervision" is free to impose its conditions in addition to those already demanded by Nevada. 8:53PM Simpson will transfer to another institution before parole release Warden Isidro Baca, Nevade Department of Corrections,  explains: "He will move to one of the other institutions which does releases. It would be for a short time. He would then transport out. Al the release planning is done at Lovelock." Simpson will know ahead of time when he will be released - but the date will not be made public. 8:06PM OJ due to walk free in October Despite being granted parole, OJ Simpson will remain in prison until October. He broke down in tears after the four strong Nevada Board of Parole Commissioners voted unanimously to free the former NFL star  and actor. 7:58PM OJ gets parole "It was a serious crime, you deserved to be sent to prison'" says Nevada Parole Commissioner, Tony Corda. "You have complied with the rules of the prison and you have programmed in an acceptable manner. You are a low risk offender according to our guidelines and you have community support." The other three commissioners concur, 7:43PM OJ's conduct in court 'disgraceful and appalling' Jeffrey Toobin, CNN's legal analyst and author of  "The Run of His Life: The People v OJ Simpson", is not convinced OJ's show of contrition. Even his apology, Toobin says, was a justification for what happened in the hotel room. He questions questions how he can reconcile his claim to have led a "conflict-free life" and being a wife beater. 7:33PM Jean Casarez CNN correspondent recalls evidence in the original case Ms Casarez says that OJ was in charge of events in the Las Vegas hotel room. He could see a gun was being pointed at Bruce Fromong. OJ was convicted of kidnapping, robbery and conspiracy. 7:23PM Parole Board has gone into recess Connie Bisbee, the board chairwoman says it will retire to consider its decision. 7:19PM Everybody makes mistakes, OJ made his Mr Fromong says he asked for a sentence of one to three years. The penalty was far too long. This is a good man, he made a mistake. If he called me tomorrow to say I am getting out would you pick me up. I would be there 7:14PM Bruce Fromong , robbery victim giving evidence I want to make this clear: OJ never pulled a gun on me. There was a coward in that room, a man named McClinton – he held a gun on me. Not OJ. After I had testified in court, OJ passed me in the corridor. I said I was sorry I did not take the opportunity to call him. And he said: ‘Bruce, I cannot tell you how sorry I am.’ He put his hand out, and I shook it. We all make mistakes. OJ made his. By all accounts he has been a model inmate. During the trial I recommended he serve one to three years. I have known OJ for a long time. I don’t feel he is a threat to anyone out there. He is a good man. I know he does a lot for other people. I feel that nine and a half, to 33 years, is way too long. And I feel that it is time to give him a second chance. It’s time for him to go home to his family and his friends. This is a good man who made a mistake. And if he called me tomorrow and said: ‘Bruce, I’m getting out – will you pick me up?’ I would be there. I mean that buddy. 7:11PM Bruce Fromong speaks Bruce Fromong, the victim of the robbery, is speaking. He describes himself as a friend of Simpson. He was misguided, by himself and Tom Riccio. He thought there would be thousands of photos. His wife's wedding ring. Thomas Riccio had never met me. He went down, got OJ, and I started to tell him that that wasn't there. But when OJ got there he was already worked up - he had people with him hollering and screaming. There were a lot of people in that small room. A lot of things happened very quickly. Unfortunately, if OJ said: 'We need to talk a minute' none of this would have happened. 7:08PM OJ summing up statements I'm not making excuses. I will honour what the jury said. I will be no problem. I've done my time. OJ Simpson in 1968, aged 32 I just want to get back to my family and friends - and believe it or not, I do have some real friends! I did my time and I want to get back to my family. I made my peace with Bryan many years ago. I am sorry it happened. I am sorry to Nevada. I thought it was worth it, but it wasn't worth it. 7:02PM Simpson's lawyer summing up Malcolm LaVergne is explaining the circumstances of the theft. Mr Simpson couldn't care less about some signed football. But these were intimate family photos that were taken from him - literally stolen. With his mother, with other celebrities. They probably have no value to other people. But they are valuable to Mr Simpson.   6:59PM Malcolm LaVergne reads out letter in support Mr LaVergne, Simpson's lawyer, reads out a letter in support of the former sports star. The letter is from a teacher. I want to tell you how much I enjoy teaching the inmates. OJ Simpson with his lawyer, Malcolm LaVergne Mr LaVergne says Simpson is "in a position of power" and used that for good. He uses that clout to obtain funding for books and education in this prison. Some of those men, as Mr Simpson said, really are going to get out and have a better life as a result of his efforts. Frankly if I was in his position, I'd use that clout to say: 'Get me out of jail'. But he doesn't do that.   6:52PM Arnelle Simpson tearful in court OJ's eldest daughter chokes back tears. As a family, we know he is not the perfect man. But the last nine years he has been the perfect inmate, and made the best of the situation, which is truly amazing to me. The choices he made nine years ago were clearly inappropriate. As a family, we were all together nine years ago to celebrate a wedding. My father took the wrong approach. He did not make the right decision that day, but his intentions were not.... He made the wrong decisions at the wrong time. As a family we stay strong, and I am grateful to God for giving us the strength to stay strong no matter what. And a lot of that is because of him. On behalf of my family: we just want him to come home. We really do. I know in my heart he is humbled by the situation. This has been hard, really hard. There is no right or wrong way to handle this. But I know he is remorseful. He is truly remorseful. We want him home so we can move forward as a family. 6:48PM OJ Simpson's daughter Arnelle to testify OJ Simpson's eldest daughter, Arnelle, 48, is now speaking on her father's behalf. As you know I am here on behalf of my family for the purpose of expressing what we believe is the true character of my father. No one really knows what we have been through in the last nine years. 6:42PM OJ: "I'm a pretty straight shooter" Simpson is asked if he can stand parole conditions. He replies, with perhaps not the best choice of phrase: "I'm a pretty straight shooter." OJ Simpson in Nevada on Thursday He says he has no concerns about dealing with the public, if free. 6:40PM OJ is asked why it is better to be in the community rather than prison I have four kids. My reputation has always been that I am open to the public; I'm open to everyone. I am at a time in my life that I want to be with my family. I have had countless media requests, but I am not interested. I have done my times as well and as respectfully as anyone here. I have not complained for nine years. All I have done is tried to be helpful, to tell people in here to bide their time and not do anything to aggravate their situation. 6:36PM OJ: "I was a pretty good guy" Simpson, 70, gets a touch tearful as he tells of missing family occasions, and says he thought of himself as "a good guy" - although he admits he had "fidelity issues".  If I had made a better judgement back then none of this would have happened. I am not making excuses. But I should never have allowed these alleged security guys to get involved. 6:27PM OJ took "alternatives to violence" class OJ says he took a class in conflict resolution while in prison. I've been asked many times to mediate, to stop guys punching each other. A guy came to me and said: 'OJ, I understand you are a Baptist.' I am a better person. 6:25PM "I'm in jail for taking property which was legally declared mine" OJ is spelling out why he should be released. He says that the property which he was sentenced for stealing was legally declared his. I'm in jail for taking property which was legally declared mine. 6:24PM Going over what happened in 2008 OJ is currently explaining what happened in Vegas in 2008.  A parole commissioner began by asking Simpson what he was thinking at the time of the robbery of sports memorabilia at a Las Vegas hotel. After the question Simpson took a deep breath and said it could be a lengthy response. He said he wasn't interested at first in memorabilia but saw that some of the items two collectors were selling belonged to him. 6:21PM OJ pictured in 2013 OJ Simpson in 2013 6:16PM "We have that you are 90 years old" Bisbee had Simpson's age wrong - but about two decades. We're happy to confirm The Juice is 70-years-old, not 90. That got the first laugh of the hearing. 6:14PM Just like 1995 Turned on the tv and thought it was 1995 all over again. #OJSimpsonParole— Brant Weems (@weembra) July 20, 2017 6:11PM And again...  OJ Simpson 6:09PM Here he is... thinner and grayer than when he was last seen four years ago Simpson has just sat down for the video conference from the prison near Lovelock, Nevada. He's currently being questioned.  The Juice laughed as the parole commissioner told him that he was getting the same hearing as anyone else would. He chuckled after the comment from Connie Bisbee, chairwoman of the Nevada Board of Parole Commissioners, and said, "Thank you, ma'am." OJ Simpson at his parole hearing.  6:06PM Media frenzy Simpson's friends and family have entered a hearing room in the Nevada prison. There is heavy security around the prison, according to reporters. Authorities set up a checkpoint on a single road leading to Lovelock Correctional Center to screen vehicles. The parking lot is filled with network media satellite trucks and tents set up to shade reporters from intense sun. Dozens of reporters also have set up outside the parole board building in Carson City. 6:02PM It seems like the whole of the US will be watching RT if you're sitting by the TV watching the #OJSimpsonParole hearing like... pic.twitter.com/rdNhdwDlrH— GetNThaGame™ (@_GetNThaGame) July 20, 2017 5:52PM Who makes the final decision? Simpson needs four votes to win parole. If he's successful he'd be released from prison in October. A decision should come within 30 minutes unless the four members are not in unanimous agreement. In that case, two other parole board members will be asked to weigh in. Three votes would get him another hearing in six months. 5:50PM Will OJ speak during the hearing? Yes. The Juice will appear via video link where four parole board commissioners will question him and hear testimony from others via livestream from a hearing room in Carson City, Nevada. The hearing is expected to last 45 to 60 minutes. 5:47PM Life on the inside Nevada's Lovelock Correctional Center where OJ has been serving his sentence. Credit: AP 5:44PM What's happening at the moment? We're just minutes away from the parole hearing beginning. Simpson's supporters have apparently arrived at the Lovelock Correctional Center in Nevada where the incarcerated former football star will ask a parole board for his freedom via video link. They include Simpson's attorney, Malcolm LaVergne, daughter Arnelle Simpson, sister Shirley Baker and close friend Tom Scotto. 5:39PM The moment The Juice was found not guilty of murder in 1995 The moment OJ Simpson was found not guilty of murder 01:27 5:37PM Civil action Brown’s family never accepted the not guilty verdict and brought a case against Simpson for wrongful death. In 1997, he was found liable in civil court for the deaths and ordered to pay $33.5 million to survivors including his children and the Goldman family. The Goldmans believe Simpson got away with murder in Los Angeles and some legal observers said that the sentence handed down in Las Vegas was not simply about the robbery. A Goldman family spokesman said Ron Goldman's father and sister, Fred and Kim, will not be part of Simpson's parole hearing, but feel apprehensive about "how this will change their lives again should Simpson be released". 5:30PM Here's a reminder of the famous glove moment OJ Simpson looks at a new pair of Aris extra-large gloves that prosecutors had him put on during his double-murder trial in Los Angeles in 1995. Credit: AFP 5:27PM Trial of the century broadcast live on television Brown and her friend Ronald Goldman were found dead outside her home in 1994. They had been stabbed to death. Simpson was questioned and later ordered to turn himself into police. However, he fled and the ensuing low-speed police chase – during which a convoy of vehicles followed Simpson in a white Ford Bronco down Interstate 404 – was broadcast live on television. It set the scene for an extraordinary court case which gripped America. Some 100 million viewers were watching when a jury finally found Simpson not guilty of the killings at the end of an eight-month trial in October 1995. Although the prosecution had an overwhelming amount of DNA evidence, the defence was able to argue that mistakes made by investigators may have contaminated the crime scene. Simpson was also unable to fit his hand inside one glove found at the scene and another found near his home. 5:25PM From sporting star to claims of domestic violence Simpson was an American football star who broke records during his prime playing as a running back for the Buffalo Bills and the San Francisco 49ers in the 1970s. That success meant he was in demand after retiring, becoming a familiar figure on television as well as acting in films. His sporting achievements saw him inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985. By then he had met and married his second wife, Nicole Brown. They had two children together before she filed for divorce in 1992 after he was investigated a number of times for domestic violence. OJ Simpson and Nicole Brown Simpson pictured in 1993.  Credit: AP 5:21PM Why is he in prison? Simpson’s final downfall came in 2008, 13 years to the day after he was acquitted of murdering his ex-wife. The star was convicted of kidnapping, armed robbery and 10 other charges for assembling a gang of five men a year earlier for help seizing game balls, plaques and photos from a hotel and casino complex in Las Vegas.  Simpson always insisted he was merely reclaiming mementos that had been stolen from him. He was sentenced to spend 33 years in prison with a possibility of parole after nine years – a stiff sentence his supporters said was payback for the not guilty verdict in the murder trial. 5:10PM Will he get parole? Stay tuned to find out. We will bring you all the action as it happens.  By most accounts, Simpson has a clean prison record and a good chance of release. At today's hearing, he is expected to reiterate that he has stayed out of trouble, coaches in the prison gym where he works and counsels other inmates. 5:05PM Parole hearing of the century Simpson is serving his sentence at the Simpson Lovelock Correctional Centre in Nevada, where he is known as inmate 1027820.  In 2013, his good behaviour in prison helped win him parole for the less serious convictions. That leaves the Nevada Parole Board of Commissioners to consider the more serious offences of assault with a deadly weapon and four weapons charges. All of this is happening in less than an hour's time. 5:03PM Here's a reminder of the key moments in OJ's life OJ timeline

'No more woe is me': Senator McCain vows quick return to Washington

By Richard Cowan and David Schwartz WASHINGTON/PHOENIX, Ariz. (Reuters) - U.S. Senator John McCain promised on Thursday he would return rapidly to Washington despite his newly diagnosed brain cancer, flashing the fighting spirit that has defined him since he was held in captivity as a Navy pilot during the Vietnam War. McCain, a veteran senator and former Republican presidential candidate known as a strong and sometimes fiercely independent voice on defense and security issues, was found to have an aggressive form of brain tumor, glioblastoma, after surgery last week for a blood clot above his left eye. The news, issued by his office late on Wednesday, drew a wave of support from across the political spectrum, and raised questions about how long McCain would be absent from the Senate, where Republicans have a narrow majority and are eager to notch up some legislative successes for President Donald Trump.

Man Fatally Stabs Dog That Sided With Girlfriend in Arguments: Cops

Cops in Florida say Mike Lado was angry the dog, Blue, showed favoritism toward his live-in girlfriend.

NY Times reporter criticized for penning 'attack on white women' in essay about racism

An African-American New York Times reporter is being criticized for his essay about the potentially racist challenges he faces from white women while navigating the city's sidewalks, notes The Hill.

The many indignities of Sean Spicer

White House press secretary Sean Spicer resigned his post Friday after six months and one half day on the job, surviving almost weekly predictions of his imminent departure at the hands of one or another of the president’s aides and advisers. The final indignity appeared to be Trump’s hiring of Anthony Scaramucci as the new White House communications director, which became public shortly before.

Visa issues take spotlight after Burundi teens exit event

WASHINGTON (AP) — The big controversy leading up to the FIRST Global international robotics competition in Washington was whether a team of girls from Afghanistan would be able to participate, after their initial visa applications were denied.

Qatar emir ready for Gulf crisis talks with conditions

Qatar's ruler said Friday that the Gulf emirate is ready for talks to resolve a diplomatic crisis with a Saudi-led bloc so long as his country's sovereignty is respected. "We are open to dialogue to resolve the outstanding problems," so long as Qatar's "sovereignty is respected," Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani said in his first public comments since Saudi Arabia and its allies severed ties with the gas-rich emirate. "Any settlement of the crisis must be based on two principles," he said in a televised speech.

Chester Bennington's Wife's Twitter Account May Have Been Hacked

A series of disturbing tweets were posted Friday on Talinda Ann Bentley's official account, concerning social media users of an apparent hack.

Teenagers who filmed and laughed as disabled man drowned had no legal duty to save him, experts say

Teenagers who laughed while filming a disabled man as he drowned instead of rescuing him had no legal obligation to help, according to experts. Police are pursuing misdemeanour charges against the five minors, aged between 14 and 16, for failing to report the death of Jamie Dunn. As the 31-year-old drowned in a Florida pond on 9 July, the five teenagers mocked, laughed at and recorded him dying before posting the video online.

US 'closely tracking' as Chinese navy in the Baltics for war games with Russia

Chinese warships will join Vladimir Putin’s navy in the Baltic Sea on Friday ahead of war games which are being watched closely by Western powers. The drills, which are a sign of both the growing reach of the Chinese military and closer strategic ties between Moscow and Beijing, kick off a busy summer of drills by Russia in eastern Europe which have raised alarm in Washington. China’s most advanced guided-missile destroyers are expected to arrive in the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad on Friday before taking to the seas with a Russian flotilla on Monday for exercises that will run until July 31. The Type 052D destroyer, Changsha, missile frigate Yuncheng and supply ship Luoma Lake are taking part in the drills. PLA navy ships to enter Baltic Sea for the first time to hold joint exercises with Russia https://t.co/dhiqc5On0Bpic.twitter.com/SthAGIEu9c— China News 中国新闻网 (@Echinanews) July 19, 2017 The Changsha was described as China’s “most advanced guided-missile destroyer” by Chinese media, while the Yuncheng is also believed to be among the most capable frigates in the People Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s arsenal. "By sending its most advanced guided-missile destroyers, China is expressing its sincerity to Russia and also sends a strong signal to other countries who plan to provoke us," Li Jie, a Beijing-based navy expert, told the state-run Global Times. The Royal Navy escorted a flotilla of Chinese warships through English waters as it prepared to carry out drills with Vladimir Putin's forces. Credit: Rob Verkerk While China has dispatched some of its most high-end warships to the joint exercise, the continent from Russia’s Baltic fleet is much smaller. Just two combat ships – new corvettes of the Steregushchy class – will be joined by a support tug, naval Ka-27 helicopters and land-based Su-24 fighter-bombers as air support.  The reason for such a small showing at this year’s Joint Sea exercise is straightforward, says Maxim Shepovalenko, a former Russian navy captain and expert at the Moscow-based Center for the Analysis of Strategies and Technologies (CAST), said the small Russian showing was because there was "no need for a large-scale exercise" in the Baltic, "merely a symbolic one". "I can’t imagine the Russian navy ever holding a large-scale naval drill even by itself. And for the Chinese Navy, this is just a way to get a taste for ‘global reach,’” Mr Shepovalenko said. The exercise will run the course of a week, and will feature anti-submarine, anti-aircraft, and anti-ship drills. The two sides will also practice anti-piracy as well as search and rescue operations. The joint flotilla is under the command of Russian Vice Admiral Alexander Fedotenkov and Chinese Vice-Admiral Tian Zhong.  The drills are being conducted in Russian, according to the Baltic Fleet’s press service. China has been expanding its military reach by building up its naval forces and establishing its first overseas military base in the tiny east African nation of Djibouti this year. The manoeuvres in the Baltic Sea are being seen by Chinese experts as a show of force following joint drills by the United States and Beijing's two key Asian rivals - India and Japan – in the Indian Ocean earlier this month. Observers also say they are directed at Nato, and underscore China’s aspirations to be a major blue sea power and a rival to US naval might. A statement from the United States European command said: “We are closely tracking Russian exercises with other participants, like China. “While we support their rights to train in international commons, we expect all nations adhere to international norms and laws,” the statement added, according the the Stars and stripes military news website. US and Japanese (R) Navy ships are pictured docked at a harbour during the inauguration of joint naval exercises with India in Chennai on July 10, 2017.  Credit: AFP The drills mark the first occasion that Chinese warships have ever carried out manoeuvres in the strategically important Baltic Sea, and come after recent exercises in the Mediterranean. Wei Dongxu, a Beijing based military expert, said that Britain would feel a loss of prestige over the Chinese drills, given its history as a maritime power. “If you look back 30 years ago, there was no way that Britain could have imagined China could dispatch such advanced warships to carry out these activities,” he told The Telegraph. “I expect China will have overwhelming advantage over Britain on naval strength.” A named commentary in the Global Times on Friday that the drills are part of a wider plan of “enhancing (China’s) presence in oceans around the world”. “China should not back down from its current stance in the face of criticism from NATO countries,” said the commentary, from Cui Heng. a PhD candidate at the Center for Russian Studies, East China Normal University. “An appropriate entry into the NATO countries' "backyard" like the Atlantic, the Mediterranean and the Baltic Sea will reflect China's confidence and strength.” Members of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy stand on the Liaoning aircraft carrier as it sails into Hong Kong, china, on Friday, July 7, 2017.  Credit: Bloomberg Meanwhile, concerns have been raised by the US military over Russian war games in Belarus - an ally of Moscow - in September. Some NATO allies believe the Russian exercise could number more than 100,000 troops and involve nuclear weapons training, the biggest such exercise since 2013. US Army Lieutenant General Ben Hodges, who heads US Army forces in Europe, told Reuters that allies are also concerned that the manouvres could be a “Trojan horse”, in which Russia would leave equipment behind. Additional reporting by Christine Wei

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