US calls for no more North Korean 'provocations,' hopes to resume talks
The United States on Thursday urged North Korea to refrain from further provocations after the communist country test-fired two new short-range ballistic missiles and said it still hoped for a resumption of working-level talks on North Korea's denuclearisation.
"We want to have diplomatic engagement with the North Koreans," State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus told a news briefing when asked about the latest missile tests. "We urge no more provocations."
"This administration is committed to diplomatic engagement with the North Koreans and we continue to press and hope for these working-level negotiations to move forward," she added.
Ortagus said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo would travel to Thailand, Australia and Micronesia from July 30-Aug 6, but she had no meetings with the North Koreans to announce.
Climate records fall as Europe bakes in heatwave
Soaring temperatures broke records in Germany, France, Britain and the Netherlands on Thursday, as a heatwave gripped Europe for the second time in a month in what scientists said were becoming more frequent events as the planet heats up.
As a cauldron of hot air from the Sahara desert moved across the continent, drawn northwards by high pressure, Paris saw its highest temperature since records began and Britain reported its hottest weather for the month of July.
An all-time high was measured in Germany for a second day running, at 41.5 deg C in the northwestern town of Lingen - similar temperatures to those in some Gulf Arab capitals on Thursday.
Golfing Russian eagle on presidential seal at Trump rally raises eyebrows
White House officials on Thursday were baffled as to why a doctored presidential seal - including an eagle clutching golf clubs in its talons instead of arrows - was projected on stage at an event at which US President Donald Trump spoke.
The seal was displayed on Tuesday at Turning Point USA's student summit, where Trump gave a raucous 80-minute speech and was greeted warmly by the youthful audience.
The image included a two-headed eagle, instead of just one head, which closely resembles the bird on the Russian coat of arms.
Study shows cute kids are YouTube clickbait; child advocates concerned
YouTube videos featuring young children drew nearly triple the average viewership of other content, according to research released on Thursday that provided ammunition for child advocates who want Alphabet to take more aggressive steps to make its streaming service safer for kids.
Pew Research Centre said its findings show videos aimed at or featuring children are among YouTube's most popular materials, attracting an outsized audience relative to the number uploaded.
Lawmakers and parent groups have criticised YouTube in recent years, saying it has done less than it should to protect minors' privacy.
Football: Arsenal's Ozil and Kolasinac escape knife-wielding attackers
Mesut Ozil and Arsenal team mate Sead Kolasinac escaped unhurt after an attempted carjacking by knife-wielding attackers in North London on Thursday, British media reported.
The Dail Mail website said former Germany international midfielder Ozil was driving his black Mercedes when the car was boxed in by motorbike riders wearing helmets.
A video clip accompanying the story showed Bosnian defender Kolasinac, who was a passenger, outside the vehicle and confronting the attackers.
