| Trump turns up the heat on Senate to repeal and replace Posted: 19 Jul 2017 12:03 PM PDT  President Donald Trump scolded GOP senators for their inaction on health care reform Wednesday, saying they should not leave for the August recess without repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act.
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| Lawrence: Session Will Be a Witness Against Trump Posted: 19 Jul 2017 12:02 PM PDT  In an astonishing interview with the New York Times, Trump said if knew Sessions would recuse himself in the Russia probe, he'd have picked a different Attorney General.
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| Saudis release woman in viral miniskirt video without charge Posted: 19 Jul 2017 10:34 AM PDT  DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Saudi Arabia announced Wednesday that a woman who was detained after wearing a miniskirt in a video that went viral has been released without charge.
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| Germany cannot scare Turkey with 'threats': Erdogan Posted: 21 Jul 2017 06:47 AM PDT  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday told Germany it cannot scare Ankara with threats, in an escalating row over a wave of arrests that prompted Berlin to step up warnings to German tourists and investors. "They (Germany) cannot scare us with these threats, they should know this," Erdogan said in a speech in Istanbul. "You (Germany) do not have the power to smear Turkey... or the power to scare us," he added.
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| Trump Finances Part of Russia Investigation Posted: 20 Jul 2017 11:51 AM PDT  Greg Farrell, investigative reporter for Bloomberg News, talks with Rachel Maddow about Special Counsel Robert Mueller including Donald Trump's personal business and finances as part of the Trump Russia investigation.
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| USS Fitzgerald crash that killed seven American sailors 'was navy's own fault' Posted: 21 Jul 2017 05:38 AM PDT  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.
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| Tourists at all-inclusive Mexico resort reportedly drugged, woman dies Posted: 21 Jul 2017 03:53 AM PDT  A family vacation to Mexico ended in tragedy recently after a young woman died at an all-inclusive resort after reportedly being drugged.
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| Al Gore: There's Still Time To Solve Climate Change Crisis Posted: 19 Jul 2017 03:02 PM PDT  Vice President Al Gore thinks there's still time to stop some of the catastrophes climate change might cause.
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| News of John McCain’s illness broke during meeting to save GOP health care plan Posted: 19 Jul 2017 07:40 PM PDT  Republican senators attempting to save their stalled effort to repeal and replace Obamacare in a late-night meeting Wednesday were interrupted with news of Sen. John McCain's brain cancer diagnosis. Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., told reporters that the senators learned of McCain's brain cancer diagnosis during the meeting and asked Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., to say a prayer for McCain. "It was very emotional, almost kind of stunned disbelief for a minute, then we asked James Lankford to lead us in prayer," Hoeven said.
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| Sunday Strategist: A Week of Healthy Dinners - July 24-28 Posted: 19 Jul 2017 11:00 AM PDT |
| A Powerful Earthquake Struck a Greek Island, Killing Two and Sending Tourists Into Panic Posted: 20 Jul 2017 07:57 PM PDT  The 6.5-magnitude quake rattled Turkey's Aegean coast as well, but Kos was nearest to the epicenter
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| In surrealist twist, Dali exhumed in paternity lawsuit Posted: 20 Jul 2017 03:59 PM PDT  FIGUERES, Spain (AP) — Salvador Dali's eccentric artistic and personal history has taken yet another bizarre turn with the exhumation of his embalmed remains in order to find genetic samples that could settle whether one of the founding figures of surrealism fathered a girl decades ago.
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| Illinois man charged with Chinese scholar kidnapping pleads not guilty Posted: 20 Jul 2017 02:55 PM PDT  An Illinois man charged with kidnapping a female Chinese scholar who has been missing for more than a month pleaded not guilty during an appearance in a U.S. court on Thursday. Brendt Christensen, 28, is accused of abducting Yingying Zhang, a 26-year-old visiting scholar at the University of Illinois from southeastern China, who disappeared on June 9. Zhang, who had been studying photosynthesis and crop productivity, was last seen when a security camera recorded her getting into a black car that authorities linked to Christensen, according to court records.
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| California wildfire explodes in size as blazes scorch U.S. West Posted: 19 Jul 2017 04:45 PM PDT  By Stephen Lam MARIPOSA, Calif. (Reuters) - A wildfire that has forced thousands of Californians to flee their homes exploded in size on Wednesday, threatening a picturesque gold rush town outside Yosemite National Park as dozens of blazes scorched the U.S. West. More than 2,000 firefighters have contained just 7 percent of the Detwiler Fire, which is approaching the town of Mariposa and tiny communities in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, the Cal Fire state agency said on its website. The blaze has mushroomed to 46,000 acres (18,000 hectares), an increase of about 20,000 acres (8,094 hectares) compared with the day before, and is threatening some 1,500 structures.
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| Family of 5 Says They Were Booted From JetBlue Flight After Their Baby Kicked Seat in Front of Her Posted: 19 Jul 2017 02:00 PM PDT  The airline claims there's another side to the story.
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| Man with DEVAST8 face tattoo finally accepts job offer Posted: 20 Jul 2017 01:38 AM PDT  A New Zealand teenager who complained his large DEVAST8 face tattoo was hampering his employment prospects has finally landed a job. Mark Cropp's photo was shared around the world after he admitted on social media the tattoo was a drunken mistake from his time in prison and he was devastated with the results. However, the former prison inmate made more headlines after revealing he had turned down 45 job offers, saying he was "waiting for the right one". The amateur inking covers his cheeks, mouth and chin Credit: Caters Now the 19-year-old father is ready to start work after accepting a job offer near his home in Auckland. "Mark has accepted a local scaffolding job," his girlfriend, Taneia Ruki, told Daily Mail Australia. "He could be starting as early as Monday. We are all still locking in the starting day." On rejecting dozens of job offers, she added: "Most of those were outside New Zealand, so they weren't on the cards." Mark Cropp with his girlfriend Taneia Ruki Credit: Caters Meanwhile, tattoo laser removal company Sacred Laser has offered to remove the DEVAST8 lettering from his face for free. It will take between eight and 12 sessions to completely remove the facial inking, the New Zealand Herald reports. Bad celebrity tattoos Mr Cropp posted a job appeal on Facebook earlier this month after being turned away by several recruitment agencies over his appearance. "I'm keen as to work but have one thing that is stopping me and that's my tattoo on my face," he wrote. "I don't have a CV as of yet but have worked at NZ brick distributors before, also a scrap metal yard … Keen as on job or work place that will take me on." This man's Hebrew tattoo doesn't say what he thinks it does Surprising celebrity tattoos
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| ‘Give it hell, John’: Family, colleagues and former foes wish McCain well Posted: 20 Jul 2017 06:17 AM PDT  Sen. John McCain, who has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer, has gotten an outpouring of support from across the political spectrum.
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| Six months in: Trump and his campaign promises Posted: 19 Jul 2017 11:47 PM PDT  Donald Trump took office trailing a string of promises made during a bruising election campaign. Trump issued an executive order on January 25, five days after taking office, directing the Department of Homeland Security to identify and allocate funding for "planning, designing, and constructing" the barrier along the US-Mexico border. Trump annnounced on June 1 that the United States will withdraw from the 196-nation Paris agreement on climate change and seek to negotiate a new global deal.
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| Earthquake rocks Greece and Turkey: Two dead on Kos as hundreds of tourists hurt amid tsunami Posted: 21 Jul 2017 09:07 AM PDT  Earthquake hits off coast of Greek islands and Turkey Two tourists killed on Kos and more than 200 injured Another 360 hurt in Turkish resort of Bodrum 6.7-magnitude quake triggers small tsunami Panic as building crashes down on tourists in bar Others jump from balconies and run for their lives Tens of thousands flee hotels and sleep in streets 'We were all screaming': Tourists describe night of chaos At least two tourists have been killed and more than 500 others injured after a powerful earthquake shook the Greek Islands and Turkish coast, triggering a small tsunami. The 6.7-magnitude quake struck in the Aegean Sea on Thursday night south of the Turkish city of Bodrum and east of the small Greek island of Kos - both areas popular with British holidaymakers. It sent a building crashing down on tourists at a bar in the Old Town of the main port on Kos, killing two men - a 27-year-old from Sweden and a 39-year-old from Turkey - and injuring scores of others in scenes of panic. Other holidaymakers were injured when they lept to safety from balconies of other buildings. Greek health officials said 13 people were flown to hospitals in Athens and on the islands of Rhodes and Crete. The earthquake triggered a small tsunami that brought two-foot tidal waves that caused flooding in Bodrum and parts of Kos, which took the brunt of the impact with significant damage to buildings. Earthquake rocks holiday resorts in Greece and Turkey - in pictures Tourists were forced to flee their hotels when the quake hit at around 1.30am local time on Friday (10.31pm GMT Thursday) and experienced more than 20 aftershocks throughout the night. The effects of the quake were felt by people miles away from the epicentre. Many ran from their homes or holiday apartments with pillows and blankets. Tens of thousands of holidaymakers spent the night outdoors on Kos, with many sleeping on sunbeds along beaches and in squares. Rubble in a street on the Greek island of Kos, that bore the brunt of the earthquake damage Credit: Reuters A car left wedged in a street following the earthquake Credit: DOGAN NEWS AGENCY A car is covered with debris following an earthquake on Kos Credit: GIANNIS KIARIS More than 200 people were injured on Kos. Some had been trapped when buildings collapsed. Many suffered broken bones, with a number in a serious condition. Police said the injured including tourists of various nationalities. The Turkish health minister said that almost 360 people were hurt in the resort of Bodrum. Of the victims in Bodrum, 25 remained in hospital on Friday morning. Some had broken bones, but the health minister said there were no serious injuries. Firefighters remove debris outside a cafe following the earthquake Credit: GIANNIS KIARIS/EPA Fallen bottles in a shop on Kos after the 6.7-magnitude earthquake Credit: GIANNIS KIARIS/EPA People try to move the cars from a flooded coastal road after the quake triggered a small tsunami Credit: Kos Today Among those who felt the earthquake on Kos was British student Naomi Ruddock, who is on holiday with her mother. "We were asleep and we just felt the room shaking," she said. "The room moved. Literally everything was moving. "And it kind of felt like you were on a boat and it was swaying really fast from side to side - you felt seasick." Map: 6.7 Magnitude earthquake near Kos Tourists leap from balconies as buildings collapse Hundreds of revelers were in or near the popular White Corner Club in the old town of Kos when the building partially collapsed. At least five other people were seriously injured on Kos as tourists and local residents scrambled out of buildings, some even leaping from balconies. Rubble on the street in front of a collapsed on Kos Credit: Michael Probst/AP A damaged structure sits on the ground after the earthquake Credit: Michael Probst/AP The quake-damaged Church of Saint Nicholas on Kos Credit: LOUISA GOULIAMAKI/AFP The quake damaged churches, an old mosque, and the port's 14th century castle, along with old buildings in the town. The toppled minaret of a mosque on Kos Credit: Michael Probst/AP A partially destroyed building in Kos is seen from above Credit: Nikiforos Pittaras/AP In nearby Turkey, the quake caused cracks on walls of some buildings in the resort of Bodrum, flooded the lower floors of sea-front hotels and restaurants and sent moored boats crashing toward the shore. Wide cracks in quayside near tourist strip Images show long, wide cracks in the asphalt on the quayside at the port of Kos, which is near a tourist strip of cafes and bars. A man walks along the damaged pier of the port of Kos Credit: COSTAS BALTAS/Reuters Damage in the port of Kos Credit: EPA/GIANNIS KIARIS Damage is seen at a square following an earthquake on the island of Kos Credit: GIANNIS KIARIS/EPA Kos airport remained operational and Greek Deputy Shipping Minister Nektarios Santorinios flew there. But he said the port was out of action. "Passengers on ferries have been rerouted to the islands of Nisyros and Kalymnos," he told Greek SKAI TV. Kos mayor: There are not many old buildings left A wall collapsed on a building dating to the 1930s and it crushed people who were at the bar in the building's lower level. Kos Mayor Giorgos Kyritsis said: "There are not many old buildings left on Kos. Nearly all the structures on the island have been built under the new codes to withstand earthquakes," the mayor said. Rubble from a damaged old building on the Greek island of Kos Credit: AP Rubble in the street by a cafe on Kos Credit: Reuters A man walks near a damaged building on Kos Credit: AP The Kos hospital said at least 20 of the injured had broken bones. Rescuers were checking for trapped people inside houses after the quake struck in the middle of the night. Kyritsis said the army was mobilised along with emergency services. Emergency workers attend to a person injured on Kos Credit: COSTS METAXAKIS/AFP Medics transfer a man injured on Kos to hospital in the city of Heraklion on the island of Crete Credit: STEFANOS RAPANIS/Reuters Emergency workers use a trolley to move a person injured in the earthquake Credit: COSTS METAXAKIS/Getty Authorities had warned of a localised tsunami, and witnesses described a "swelling" of the sea after the earthquake. The island's port was among structures that sustained damaged and a seafront road and parts of the island's main town were flooded. Tourists sleep in streets after abandoning hotels In the Turkish city of Marmaris, beachfront hotels were flooded. Elsewhere, holidaymakers cowered for shelter and in some resorts they abandoned their rooms for safety, gathering in the street. Two strong aftershocks followed. Hotel guests briefly went back to their rooms to collect their belongings. But they opted to spend the night in the open air, using sheets and cushions borrowed from nearby lounge chairs to build makeshift beds. Hotel guests sleep outdoors after abandoning their rooms in Bitez, a resort town about four miles west of Bodrum Credit: Ayse Wieting/AP Holidaymakers sleep in the street after the quake shook Kos Credit: REUTERS People camp outside after a quake in Akyarlar, Bodrum Credit: REUTERS Such was the force of the earthquake its impact was felt as far away as Rhodes and Crete. "Felt it here (in Rhodes) too. Pretty strong. Looked out the window to see the waves in the pool," Daniel Markham, a councillor on Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council in Kent, tweeted. Shallow quake was only 6.2 miles below seabed The quake, which was felt across the Aegean coast, was very shallow - only 6.2 miles below the seabed, the US Geological Survey said. A seismologist told Greek television that there had been a tidal wave about 28 inches (70 cm) high. A map released by the US Geological Survey shows the location of the quake Credit: US Geological Survey 'The light was swinging... crockery falling out of cupboards' Christopher Hackland, a Scottish diving instructor, told of the moment the earthquake struck. "There was banging," he said. "There was shaking. The light was swinging, banging on the ceiling, crockery falling out of the cupboards, and pans were making noise. "There was a lot of screaming and crying and hysterics coming from the hotel. It felt like being at a theme park with one of the illusions, an optical illusion where you feel like you're upside down." 'There was first a noise and then a roar... my boat was dragged to the shore' Boat captain Metin Kestaneci, 40, told how he was asleep on his vessel when the quake hit. "There was first a noise and then a roar. Before I could ask 'what's happening?' my boat was dragged toward the shore. We found ourselves on the shore," Kestaneci said. "I've never experienced such a thing." A man looks at damaged boats at a beach following the sea surge Credit: AFP Britons tell of fear at being woken by quake A number of Britons have spoken of their fear when they felt tremors as the quake struck. Lauren Duffy, from Merseyside, said glass and broken pieces of marble statues were among the debris strewn near her hotel in the wake of the earthquake. The University of Chester student, who is staying at the Atlantis Hotel in Lambi, a short drive from Kos Town which is believed to have been worst affected, spent the night outside with fellow guests as aftershocks continued to rock the island. People receive medical treatment at the garden of Bodrum State Hospital Credit: DOGAN NEWS AGENCY The 20-year-old, who is on holiday with her mother and sister, said: "We were woken up by really aggressive shaking. "We didn't know what it was. You couldn't find your balance. It was just a scary situation." The trio are due to leave Kos on Sunday, but said: "I think if the option came up to fly home early I think we would accept it at this stage." Tourist: Whole building 'shook like jelly' Kristian Stevens, from Nelson in Lancashire, said he felt the building he was in "shake like a jelly". The 48-year-old had just gone to bed when the quake struck. He said: "It was quite surreal as I had just laid down in bed and the whole building shook. The whole building shook like a jelly. "Many of the locals rushed out into the streets still in underwear. Some have been seen with blankets and pillows not sure if it is safe to return home." People stand outside damaged buildings on Kos Credit: AFP/Getty Sophie Wild said she ran from her third-floor accommodation when she woke to a loud banging noise. The 21-year-old from Canterbury in Kent is coming to the end of her holiday in Altinkum, around 500 miles away from Bodrum. She said: "We were asleep and were awoken by what sounded like banging on our door, it got louder and louder and the building started shaking. We jumped up ran to the balcony to see what it was (my first thought when we heard the banging was that we were being attacked). "When we realised it was an earthquake, we got an immediate sense to get out, we thought the building was going to crumble around us. We ran down our stairs." Earthquake of 6.3 magnitude hits west of Turkey and the tsunami was felt, many hotels are flooded: https://t.co/ZUtq0BRcL4pic.twitter.com/OY3TT1bPX8— Washington Hattı (@WasHatti) July 20, 2017 'The room moved... it felt like you were on a boat' Naomi Ruddock, who is on holiday in Kos with her mother Eleanor, said she felt like she was on a boat in choppy water when the earthquake hit. The 22-year-old, who is due to graduate from Brighton University next week, said they were woken from their sleep when the room shook. She said: "We were asleep and we just felt the room shaking. The room moved. Literally everything was moving. And it kind of felt like you were on a boat and it was swaying really fast from side to side, you felt seasick." Naomi Ruddock, 22, and her mother, Eleanor, who are on holiday in Kos Credit: Naomi Ruddock/PA The pair ran from their ground floor room in the Akti Palace Hotel in Kardamena, around a 30 minute drive from Kos Town which is thought to have been worst hit. Ms Ruddock, from London, added: "The restaurant manager just said that he's never seen anything like this ever happen ever around this area or ever in Greece. He said it was like something out of a film, and it was." A boat rests on a pavement after a quake in Kos triggered a mini tsunami Credit: Reuters London student tells of 'surreal nightmarish experience' London student Georgie Jamieson, who was holidaying in Kos with her family, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We're all a bit shaken up. We had been having a lovely evening down in the hotel and got up to our room an hour before it struck. "We were literally dozing off when the first tremor struck. From then on it was a bit of a surreal nightmarish experience. "I was semi-conscious. At first I panicked and I was a bit fear-struck, but then slowly trying to process what was happening. "Everything was shaking really vigorously. I've never felt anything like it before. Almost as if the ground was going to cave in." Damage and flooding are seen on a coastal road in Kos Credit: AP Georgie said she went to check on her sisters, and they were initially unsure whether it was safer to leave the hotel room or stay. "We ran to the door to check there was nothing outside that had been visibly damaged," she said. "When we saw that that was all clear, we were coming to terms with the fact that we were experiencing an earthquake and we grabbed our stuff and made a run away from the building." Hotel owners try to calm thousands of tourists Constantina Svynou, head of the hoteliers' association in Kos, told Greek ERT television that many visitors had spent the night outside their hotels, but some were now returning to their rooms. "There are about 200,000 tourists on the island, we are at the peak season," he said. "Our first reaction was to calm the tourists, following basic rules and evacuating hotel buildings." Hotel owners in Bodrum told Turkish broadcasters that some tourists were checking out. "It was a lucky escape and it could have been much worse," said Issa Kamara, a 38-year old personal trainer at the Maca Kizi hotel in Bodrum's smart Turkbuku area. Video: Flooded streets in Bodrum after tsunami Video Added from #Bodrum#Tsunami#Earthquakepic.twitter.com/3bR5tHnieg— Global News (@GlobalZarfati) July 20, 2017 Foreign Office advice to Britons near quake The Foreign Office advised Britons in surrounding areas to follow the advice of local authorities and tour operators. A spokesman for the Foreign Office said: "We are speaking to the Turkish and Greek authorities following an earthquake off the coast of Bodrum and near the island of Kos. "Any British people in the areas affected should follow the instructions of local authorities." Are earthquakes common in this region? Turkey's location between the Arabian tectonic plate and the Eurasian plate renders it prone to earthquakes. In October 2011, more than 600 people died in the eastern province of Van following a 7.2-magnitude quake and powerful aftershocks. In 1999, two massive earthquakes killed about 20,000 people in Turkey's densely populated northwest. The same year, a 5.9 magnitude quake killed 143 people in Greece. How are earthquakes categorised? At a glance | Moment Magnitude Scale of earthquakes How you can stay safe in an earthquake If you ever are unlucky enough to be affected by an earthquake, here is what you should do to stay safe. How to | Stay safe in an earthquake
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| 'Oh He Just Died': Teens Laugh At Drowning Disabled Man In Disturbing Video Posted: 20 Jul 2017 09:20 PM PDT  In more than two-minute long video, the teens can be heard laughing, instead of calling for help as a Florida man struggled to stay afloat in a pond.
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| Audi voluntarily recalls up to 850,000 diesel vehicles Posted: 21 Jul 2017 04:08 AM PDT  German luxury carmaker Audi, a Volkswagen subsidiary, issued a voluntary recall of up to 850,000 diesel vehicles Friday, saying it would help reduce engine emissions. "Audi aims to maintain the future viability of diesel engines for its customers and to make a contribution towards improving air quality," the Bavaria-based manufacturer said in a statement. Vehicles with affected engines would receive a free software upgrade that "will further improve their emissions in real driving conditions beyond the current legal requirements," Audi added.
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| Iraqis numb pain of Islamic State in newly re-opened bar Posted: 21 Jul 2017 01:58 AM PDT  By Isabel Coles QARAQOSH, Iraq (Reuters) - In a town ravaged by the war against Islamic State, amid ransacked homes and shuttered shops, a flashing sign above the entrance to one business beckons visitors: "Welcome", it reads. It is the first bar to reopen since Islamic State militants were routed from the northern Iraqi town of Qaraqosh nine months ago in the early stages of a campaign to retake Mosul, around 15 km (10 miles) west. Some of the bar's patrons, however, are Muslims, savoring the freedom to drink and smoke, which they were denied under Islamic State.
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| Venezuela strike tests Maduro as pressure builds Posted: 19 Jul 2017 10:30 PM PDT  A 24-hour nationwide strike in Venezuela on Thursday is set to increase pressure on beleaguered President Nicolas Maduro, whose policies have put him on a collision course with the United States. The opposition called the stoppage after holding an unofficial plebiscite last weekend in which a third of Venezuela's voters cast ballots rejecting Maduro and his policies. Chief among them is the president's plan to hold an election July 30 to choose a 545-member citizens' body, called a Constituent Assembly, to rewrite the constitution.
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| 'He Is My Strength.' Meghan McCain Pens Emotional Tribute After Her Dad's Cancer Diagnosis Posted: 19 Jul 2017 06:08 PM PDT  "Like any daughter, I cannot and do not wish to be in a world without him"
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| Utah's crowded Zion National Park may require reservations Posted: 21 Jul 2017 07:59 AM PDT  SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — It would be a first for a U.S. national park: Requiring reservations to get in. But it's an option that Utah's Zion National Park is considering to manage an overwhelming surge of visitors to its sweeping red-rock vistas and canyons.
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| Moon Photobombs Mars In Hubble Images For NASA Posted: 20 Jul 2017 02:35 PM PDT  This moon photobombed Mars as the Hubble Space Telescope was trying to take some photos of the planet and they made for some cool shots.
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| Surviving Child Describes Horror of Mother's Alleged Family Stabbing Rampage Posted: 20 Jul 2017 11:28 AM PDT  In new Division of Family and Children's Services documents, Diana Romero, 9, recalls the sight of her mother getting a knife out of the kitchen.
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| US 'closely tracking' as Chinese navy in the Baltics for war games with Russia Posted: 21 Jul 2017 01:15 AM PDT  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 Kalingrad 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 manoeuvres 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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| Trump ends CIA arms support for anti-Assad Syria rebels: U.S. officials Posted: 19 Jul 2017 02:49 PM PDT  By John Walcott WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Trump administration has decided to halt the CIA's covert program to equip and train certain rebel groups fighting the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, two U.S. officials said, a move sought by Assad ally Russia. The U.S. decision, said one of the officials, is part of an effort by the administration to improve relations with Russia, which along with Iranian-supported groups has largely succeeded in preserving Assad's government in the six-year-civil war.
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| Fighting kills 6 Ukraine soldiers in fresh spike of violence Posted: 20 Jul 2017 02:03 PM PDT  Clashes with Russian-backed rebels killed six Ukrainian soldiers Thursday, officials said, in the bloodiest surge in fighting along the volatile frontline in recent months. The violence flared several days after a top rebel leader announced a plan to form a new "state" that Kiev warned could put a long-stalled peace plan further in jeopardy. Ukrainian military spokesman Andriy Lysenko said rebel shelling killed six servicemen and wounded two more around the insurgents' de-facto capital Donetsk.
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| New study says 9 lifestyle changes can cut dementia risk Posted: 19 Jul 2017 11:48 PM PDT  One third of dementia cases can be prevented with some basic lifestyle changes and better education during childhood, a study published in The Lancet said Thursday. Nearly 50 million people around the world suffer from dementia and Alzheimer's according to the latest estimates. The nine factors which damage the brain notably include hearing loss, obesity and smoking, the study found.
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| Great White Shark Gets Shockingly Close To Paddle Boarders Near California Posted: 20 Jul 2017 02:40 PM PDT  Paddle boarders came dangerously close to a great white shark in Califonia waters.
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| Detained student's mother: China police want "ransom" Posted: 20 Jul 2017 04:42 PM PDT  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.
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| 'Utterly Inhumane and Cruel.' Florida Police Say Teens Laughed Watching Man Drown Posted: 21 Jul 2017 04:02 AM PDT  Authorities in Cocoa, Florida say a group of teens watched and laughed as a man drowned in a retention pond last week.
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| Attorney General Sessions brushes off Trump criticism Posted: 20 Jul 2017 03:10 PM PDT  By Doina Chiacu and Julia Edwards Ainsley WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Thursday brushed off sharp criticism from President Donald Trump over his recusal from the Justice Department's Russia investigation, saying he loved his job and planned to continue serving. "We love this job, we love this department, and I plan to continue to do so as long as that is appropriate," Sessions said at a news conference announcing a cyber crime bust. Sessions was flanked by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Acting Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Andrew McCabe, who were both also criticized by the president in an interview with the New York Times on Wednesday.
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| A look at why a Saudi woman's miniskirt sparked an outcry Posted: 20 Jul 2017 12:00 AM PDT  DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A short video of a Saudi woman walking around in a miniskirt and crop top sparked an outcry after going viral, leading to the woman being detained for several hours.
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| Iraqi forces recapture village south of Mosul from Islamic State: police Posted: 20 Jul 2017 12:04 AM PDT ![Iraqi forces recapture village south of Mosul from Islamic State: police]( "Iraqi forces recapture village south of Mosul from Islamic State: police") Iraqi forces on Thursday regained control over Imam Gharbi, a village south of Mosul, from Islamic State militants who had seized it as their defense of their stronghold in the city crumbled, Iraqi police said. The action formed part of the next phase of the U.S.-backed government's campaign to drive Islamic State from Iraq and dismantle their self-proclaimed caliphate. Police Colonel Kareem Aboud said government forces took full control of Imam Gharbi at dawn.
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| Unilever first half profits soar 22.4 percent Posted: 20 Jul 2017 12:44 AM PDT  Food and consumer products giant Unilever said on Thursday profits soared in the first half of 2017, raking in 3.3 billion euros after the Anglo-Dutch firm spurned a takeover bid by US rival Kraft Heinz. The 22.4 percent hike in the first six months compared to the same period last year showed "a substantial step-up in profitability despite the persisting volatile global trading environment," chief executive Paul Polman said. "The transformation of Unilever into a more resilient, more competitive and more profitable business is accelerating," he added in a statement.
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| Ina Garten's favorite kitchen tool costs less than $10 Posted: 21 Jul 2017 04:29 AM PDT  If you've binge-watched a Saturday-morning marathon of Barefoot Contessa, chances are you're probably gawking at Ina Garten's magnificent kitchen in the Hamptons just as much as you are learning how to roast the perfect chicken.
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| Distant Kuiper Belt Object Observed By New Horizons NASA Team In Argentina Posted: 19 Jul 2017 10:16 AM PDT  NASA researchers with the New Horizons team captured new images of a Kuiper Belt object over the weekend.
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