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WASHINGTON (AP) — An Associated Press investigation says Donald Trump's campaign chairman Paul Manafort helped a pro-Russian political party in Ukraine secretly route at least $2.2 million to two prominent Washington lobbying firms. The project was structured in ways that obscured the foreign party's efforts to influence U.S. policy. The revelation comes at a time when Trump has faced criticism for his praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin. And it casts new light on Manafort's business practices.
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A senior North Korean diplomat based in London has defected to South Korea. South Korea says that Thae Yong Ho, minister at the North Korean Embassy in London, has arrived in South Korea with his family. Seoul's Unification Ministry says Thae told South Korea officials that he decided to defect because of his disgust with the government of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and worries about the future of his children.
LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Authorities in Portugal say a series of wildfires this month has burned more than half of the land lost to blazes in the entire 28-nation European Union so far this year. The EU's Forest Fire Information System says wildfires have charred more than 536,200 acres in the bloc in 2016. Almost 286,600 acres of the charred forest land is in Portugal.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Officials say damage is likely to be vast once they assess the toll a 28-square-mile wildfire has taken in Southern California. The blaze started as a patch of flame next to Interstate 15 in the Cajon Pass and quickly spread. Residents in some 34,000 homes were ordered to leave.
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Police in Rio de Janeiro have issued an arrest warrant for an International Olympic Committee executive accused of scalping tickets for the Summer Games. Police say Patrick Hickey is accused of plotting with at least six others to illegally sell tickets for the Olympics. Hickey has been part of the IOC executive board since 2012 and is president of the Olympic Council of Ireland as well as president of the European Olympic Committees.
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