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TIANJIN (AP) — China's president, Xi Jinping (shee jihn-peeng), has demanded severe punishment for anyone found responsible for the huge, fiery blasts at a hazardous chemical warehouse at the port of Tianjin (tyan-jihn). The explosions killed at least 50 people, including a dozen firefighters. There's no indication what caused the blasts and no immediate sign of any toxic cloud. Tianjin is a key port and petrochemical processing hub about 75 miles east of Beijing.
BAGHDAD (AP) — A massive truck bomb has left a popular Baghdad food market in ashes, and residents Sadr City scrambling to help the victims. At least 67 people are dead, another 152 are wounded. The Islamic State group is claiming responsibility, saying it targeted a gathering place for Shiites and promising more attacks.
CLEVELAND (AP) — Nearly 200 people have applied for 13 seats on a commission that will recommend policies to improve the way Cleveland police interact with the public. The Community Police Commission is one of the key provisions of a consent decree between the city and the Justice Department. Ten seats on the panel will go to people who live or work in Cleveland and come from the minority community or advocacy groups. The other three members will come from Cleveland's police unions. All will serve four-year terms.
BERLIN (AP) — The comet where a European spacecraft landed last year has made the closest approach to the sun of its 6 ½-year orbit. The European Space Agency says comet 67P reached its closest point to the sun, known as perihelion, earlier today. That put it some 116 million miles from the sun. It will now swing back out on an orbit that takes it as far away as 500 million miles.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Pork chop on a stick — check. Selfie with the butter cow — check. Heckling a presidential candidate on foreign policy — check. For those who would be president, a visit to the Iowa State Fair may be the purest distillation of the campaign experience in the state that starts the voting in the race for the White House. The 10-day event kicks-off today and most of the 2016 hopefuls will pass through, pausing to chomp on deep-fried snack foods, visit with locals out for a day of fun and spending some time on the political "soapbox" to talk with voters.
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