WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, has been granted a security clearance after a lengthy background check, a move that ensures the key White House adviser with a broad international portfolio can have access to some of the country's most closely held secrets…..

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://apnews.com/ef1816505b144cfb9c29941873dfd157

Mexican Mafia busted for running crime in LA County jails

BY BRIAN MELLEY

2 hours ago

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles County jails are run by the sheriff, but the Mexican Mafia wielded the power in the underworld behind bars.

The organization made up of leaders from various Latino gangs operated like an illegal government, collecting "taxes" on smuggled drugs, ordering hits on people who didn't follow their rules and even calling the shots on street crimes, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.

Their clout was diminished as 83 members and associates were charged in a pair of sweeping federal racketeering conspiracies that alleged drug dealing, extortion, violent assaults and even murders…..

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://apnews.com/2a5acf088afb48f894f83e903154b6db

Stylist: Man with Vegas gunman's name talked concert attack

BY KEN RITTER

Today

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A hairstylist said a client with the same last name as the Las Vegas shooter spoke in the months before the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history about a concert venue being susceptible to attack, according to documents released by police Wednesday.

Las Vegas police released about 2,100 pages of police reports, witness statements and dispatch records after losing court battles to keep them secret. Witness names were blacked out, so their accounts could not be verified, and police and FBI officials said they would not comment on the newly released information….

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://apnews.com/b1ea43b8c2514e128f7d1ab65609a96b

Germany's Merkel in China to talk trade, Iran, human rights

48 mins ago

BEIJING (AP) — German Chancellor Angela Merkel has met with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on her visit to China amid tension in both Beijing and the European Union over trade issues with the United States and Washington's rejection of the Iran nuclear deal.

Merkel met Thursday with Li while leading a business delegation on her trip to China. Her trip follows visits to Washington to meet with President Donald Trump and to Sochi, Russia for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin over recent weeks.

Despite tensions in relations with the U.S., German officials have been keen to stress their continued commitment to trans-Atlantic ties and dismiss suggestions that Germany is seeking alternative alliances, even as they find common ground with Russia and China on the Iran nuclear deal and other issues.

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://apnews.com/3da73edadbb34e5fa42ec9a4b2124b9d