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WASHINGTON (AP) — A political consultant and former campaign adviser to President Donald Trump says he communicated last year with an individual involved in hacking Democratic National Committee emails. But Roger Stone says the conversations were "completely innocuous." Stone tells The Washington Times in an interview that his private Twitter exchange with "Guccifer 2.0" was "so perfunctory, brief and banal" that he had forgotten about it. Last summer, emails stolen from Democrats were posted by an online persona known as Guccifer 2.0. U.S. officials believe that individual is linked to Russia.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Secret Service says a person is under arrest after climbing a fence and getting onto the south grounds of the White House. The breach happened late last night while President Donald Trump was at the White House. The Secret Service says no hazardous materials were found during a search of a backpack the individual carried. The agency also says a search of the south and north grounds of the White House complex found "nothing of concern to security operations."
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — An investigation by the San Antonio Express-News has found that U.S. regulators ignored expert warnings that hot-air balloons like one that crashed in July in Texas, killing 16 people, have higher accident rates than other aircraft. The newspaper says its review of government documents and internal emails obtained under the Freedom of Information Act and testimony given at a federal hearing show a "bleak picture of missed opportunities." The Federal Aviation Administration doesn't require balloon pilots to take drug tests or undergo medical evaluations like other pilots.
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Turkey's foreign minister says a Dutch decision to deny his plane permission to land in the Netherlands "is a scandal in every way and cannot be accepted." He says the Dutch are trying to prevent Turkish officials from meeting voters in Europe. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu (MEHV'-loot chah-voo-SHOH'-loo) was due to visit Rotterdam today to campaign for a referendum next month on constitutional reforms in Turkey. The Dutch government says it withdrew the permission because of "risks to public order and security."
VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican is confirming a papal trip to Egypt is under consideration but that no dates or itinerary have been finalized. The statement by Vatican spokesman Greg Burke follows a report by Italy's state-run media that Pope Francis plans to visit Cairo's Al-Azhar, the leading center of learning of Sunni Islam, on May 20-21. The institute severed relations with the Vatican in 2011 to protest comments by then-Pope Benedict. Last May, Al-Azhar's grand imam visited Pope Francis.
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