What to Know
- Wildfires raged through seaside resorts near Athens, Greece, torching homes, cars and forests and killing at least 50 people, officials say
- Pepperidge Farm says it is recalling four types of Goldfish crackers because of the potential presence of salmonella
- R. Kelly sings about his troubles and battles in a new song, addressing sexual abuse claims that have put a screeching halt on his career
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Greek Wildfires Kill 50; Hugging Bodies Found Near Beach
Wildfires raged through seaside resorts near Athens, Greece, torching homes, cars and forests and killing at least 50 people, authorities said, raising the death toll after finding 26 bodies believed to be family members huddled together, some of them hugging. Many tourists and residents fled toward the coastline to escape the ferocious flames and choking smoke. Authorities evacuated more than 700 people by sea, said Merchant Marine deputy minister Nektarios Santorinios, whose ministry is in charge of the coast guard. But some didn't make it to the beach. The head of Greece's Red Cross, Nikos Oikonomopoulos, told Skai television that a Red Cross rescue team reported finding the 26 bodies in a compound northeast of Athens. In all, the death toll stood at 50. The two largest wildfires — one 20 miles northeast of Athens near Rafina, the other 30 miles west of the capital in Kineta — broke out during hot, dry summer conditions.
Trump Considers Yanking Security Clearances of His Critics
President Trump is considering revoking the security clearances of six former top national security officials who have been critical of his administration, a move that opponents and experts say would be an unprecedented politicization of the clearance process. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the president is "exploring the mechanisms" to strip clearance from former CIA Director John Brennan as well as five other former officials who have held some of the most sensitive positions in government: former FBI Director James Comey; James Clapper, the former director of national intelligence; former CIA Director Michael Hayden; former national security adviser Susan Rice; and Andrew McCabe, who served as Trump's deputy FBI director until he was fired in March. Sanders accused the officials of having "politicized and in some cases monetized their public service and security clearances" by making "baseless accusations" that the Trump administration had improper contact with Russia or was influenced by Russia.
Hundreds Missing After Hydroelectric Dam Collapses in Laos
Local
A hydroelectric dam collapsed in southeastern Laos, leaving an unknown number of people dead and hundreds missing, state media said. The official Lao news agency KPL said the Xepian-Xe Nam Noy hydropower dam in Attapeu province collapsed, releasing large amounts of water that swept away houses and made more than more than 6,600 people homeless. The dam was constructed by a joint venture led by South Korean companies, with Thai and Lao partners. The project, scheduled to begin operating this year, was still under construction, KPL reported. It described the portion that collapsed as a "saddle dam," which is an auxiliary dam used to hold water beyond what is held by the main dam.
Pepperidge Farm Recalls 4 Varieties of Goldfish Crackers
Pepperidge Farm says it has been notified by one of its ingredient suppliers that whey powder in a seasoning that is applied to four varieties of crackers has been the subject of a recall by the whey powder manufacturer due to the potential presence of salmonella. Pepperidge Farm initiated an investigation and, out of an abundance of caution, is voluntarily recalling four varieties of Goldfish crackers. The products were distributed throughout the United States. No illnesses have been reported. No other Pepperidge Farm products in the U.S. are subject to the recall.
R. Kelly Sings About Legal Troubles in Revealing 19-Minute Song
R. Kelly sings about his troubles and battles in a new 19-minute song, addressing sexual abuse claims against him that have put a screeching halt on his career. The song, "I Admit," was posted to Soundcloud. The track begins with the lyrics, "I admit I have made some mistakes/And I have some imperfect ways." R. Kelly gets personal throughout the track, singing that he likes "all the ladies, that's both older and young ladies," following it up with: "But tell me how they call it pedophile because that (expletive) is crazy." The embattled entertainer has long been accused of behavior that has ranged from questionable to criminal. He was accused of child pornography after a widely circulated videotape appeared to show him having sex with, and urinating on, a teenage girl. He was acquitted of all charges in 2008 and continued to rack up hits and sell out stadiums around the country. R. Kelly is one of pop music's best-selling artists.
Rapper 6ix9ine Says Men Forced Him From Car, Took Jewelry
The rapper known as 6ix9ine says two men forced him from a car at a New York City intersection and robbed him of jewelry. The NYPD says the rapper went to a police precinct to report what happened to him. The rapper was riding in a Chevy Tahoe on Atlantic Avenue, near Bedford Avenue, in Bedford-Stuyvesant when a dark sedan bumped the vehicle, the NYPD said. After the bump, two men got out of the sedan, approached the Chevy Tahoe, displayed a firearm and took the 31-year-old driver's cell phone, police said. The men then forced the rapper to get out of the Chevy Tahoe and into the sedan at gunpoint, according to police. The men drove the rapper to a home in Bed-Stuy, where they forced him to call another man to bring him some personal property, which he did. The men started driving away with the jewels — with 6ix9ine still in the sedan — but at some point, the rapper jumped from the vehicle while it was still moving, the NYPD said.
