Trump’s White House invite to Putin stuns U.S. intel chief

Dan Coats learned of the invitation during a live Q&A No Images? Click here   By Paul Vale     Friday, July 20  DNI CHIEF STUNNED AT PUTIN INVITE Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats was astonished to learn during a live Q&A that President Donald Trump had invited Russian leader Vladimir Putin to the White House. Here’s what the New York Daily News made of the development. Over in Congress, the Senate unanimously approved a resolution “against the making available of current and former diplomats, officials, and members of the Armed Forces of the United States for questioning by the government of Vladimir Putin.” White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders later said that Trump would not be going along with Putin’s proposal, having considered it for three days.  [HuffPost] [Tweet | Share on Facebook] 11 DEAD IN DUCK BOAT DISASTER At least 11 people have died after a tourist boat capsized in Table Rock Lake near Branson, Missouri. The amphibious boat reportedly began to sink as severe thunderstorms moved through the area. [HuffPost] GOP SHUNS U.S. INTEL AGENCIES Republicans objected to two nonbinding resolutions that would have affirmed Senate support for the U.S. intelligence community. The measures were aimed to back agencies that have been undercut by Trump’s approach to Russia. [HuffPost] THE GOP’S WHITE SUPREMACIST Rep. Steve King of Iowa is a white supremacist. And his Republican colleagues just don’t care. [HuffPost] N.Y. STATE PROBES TRUMP FOUNDATION New York state tax officials have opened an investigation into the Trump Foundation to determine whether Trump or his charity violated state law. [AP] RUSSIA LAUNCHES TWITTER WAR OVER SPY Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs launched a Twitter flash mob calling for the release of Russian national Maria Butina following U.S. charges that she conspired to influence American politics while covertly working for the Kremlin. [HuffPost]         FOX REPORTER SLAMS TRUMP’S ATTACKS Fox News’ John Roberts declares himself “an enemy of the state” after Trump tweeted another attack on the media. [HuffPost] PUIGDEMONT WARRANT DROPPED Spanish authorities have dropped a European arrest warrant for former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont over his part in last year’s independence referendum. [CNN] WEED ‘CRIMINAL’ WANTS TRUMP’S HELP Aaron Sandusky is in a federal prison on a 10-year sentence for running a legal medical marijuana business. Now he wants Trump’s help to get out. [HuffPost] ARCHAEOLOGISTS OPEN ANCIENT BOX Egyptian officials have opened the recently unearthed black sarcophagus that was sealed for more than 2,000 years. Inside they found three skeletons and sewage water that had seeped in. [HuffPost] INVESTIGATION LAUNCHED INTO SHARK ATTACKS A state investigation has been launched into two separate shark attacks on children at beaches on Long Island — the first New York shark attacks in 70 years. [HuffPost] SCHOOLS NOT CHECKING FOR LEAD IN WATER Most school districts still aren’t checking to see if there’s lead in their water, according to a new study. Only 43 percent of school districts say they tested their water for lead in 2016 or 2017. [HuffPost]       Starbucks is to open a deaf-friendly store where all baristas know sign language. This year’s iPhone photography awards show you don’t need a fancy camera to take amazing pictures. A Texas restaurant banned a customer who left one of its servers a racist message on a receipt over the weekend. Costume-clad fans of DC, Marvel and zombies are descending upon San Diego this week in supersized style. Here is the best cosplay From Comic-Con 2018. The Miami Dolphins may suspend players who protest on the field during the national anthem, according to an AP report. Actress Zazie Beetz, who co-starred in “Deadpool 2,” is in talks to join Joaquin Phoenix in “Joker.” There’s an internal Democratic effort to stop Rep. Nancy Pelosi from being House speaker again. But can anyone stop her? Caitlyn Jenner stepped out with Sophia Hutchins at the ESPY Awards, sharing an intimate moment on Instagram beforehand. Fox News’ Neil Cavuto spent nearly 10 minutes reading out fat-shaming hate mail after he criticized Trump. Here’s what gluten-free experts actually eat every day. The World Cup was a grift. That’s because even the good things in this world exist primarily for the pleasure of crooks. Actor Mark Duplass has apologized for praising right-wing pundit Ben Shapiro on Twitter, stating that the tweet was a “disaster on many levels.” Our columnist argues that Trump is not homosexual. But he’s definitely homosocial. People are tweeting the dumbest things they believed about life at 18. Whoopi Goldberg ended an interview with Fox News’ Jeanine Pirro on “The View” following an on-air argument about Trump’s hatred for immigrants. 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