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08/02/2016 13:57

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TOP STORIES

As party unease grows with Trump, Republican lawmaker says he will back Clinton

WASHINGTON - Republican lawmaker in Congress becomes first to break with party and support Democrat Hillary Clinton for White House amid signs of growing Republican unease with volatile presidential nominee Donald Trump. (USA-ELECTION/ (UPDATE 2, PIX, TV, GRAPHIC), expect by 2000 GMT/4 PM ET, by Susan Heavey and Susan Cornwell, 700 words)

+ See also:

- USA-ELECTION/OBAMA (UPDATE 1, PIX, TV), moved, by Jeff Mason and Doina Chiacu, 393 words

- USA-ELECTION/BUFFETT (PIX, TV, GRAPHIC), moved, by Susan Heavey, 395 words

Erdogan says Turkey's coup script was 'written abroad'

ANKARA/ISTANBUL - President Tayyip Erdogan accuses West of supporting terrorism and standing by coups, questioning Turkey's relationship with United States and saying "script" for abortive putsch was "written abroad." (TURKEY-SECURITY/ (WRAPUP 1, TV, PIX, GRAPHIC), moved, by Ece Toksabay and Nick Tattersall, 1,100 words)

Libyan forces wary of Islamic State redoubt despite U.S. support

SIRTE - Day after United States begins formal campaign of air strikes against Islamic State's stronghold in Libya, anti-IS fighters welcome Washington's involvement but remain wary of advancing for fear of mines and snipers. (LIBYA-SECURITY/ (PIX, TV), moved, by Aidan Lewis and Goran Tomasevic, 1.165 words)

EXCLUSIVE-Hackers accessed Telegram messaging accounts in Iran -researchers

SAN FRANCISCO/WASHINGTON - Iranian hackers compromise more than dozen accounts on Telegram instant messaging service and identify phone numbers of 15 million Iranian users, largest known breach of encrypted communications system, cyber researchers tell Reuters. (IRAN-CYBER/TELEGRAM (EXCLUSIVE, PIX), moved, by Joseph Menn and Yeganeh Torbati, 909 words)

Volkswagen seeks to have U.S. investor class action suit dismissed

FRANKFURT - Volkswagen and its former chief executive ask U.S. federal judge in California to dismiss lawsuits filed by American investors accusing German automaker of deception involving its cheating on diesel emissions tests. (VOLKSWAGEN-EMISSIONS/LAWSUIT (UPDATE 1), moved, by Edward Taylor, 447 words)

RIO OLYMPICS

Guns, drugs and maybe Islamists: Brazil tightens border before Games

FOZ DO IGUAÇU, Brazil - With estimated 500,000 foreigners descending on Rio for Olympics and recent attacks on European cities raising security concerns, daunting task of monitoring and controlling border area between Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina is in focus. (OLYMPICS-RIO/SECURITY (PIX, TV), moved, by Stephen Eisenhammer, 1,132 words)

Mixed feelings for Rio residents just days ahead of Olympics

RIO DE JANEIRO - Just days before Rio de Janeiro hosts South America's first Olympics, city residents express mixed feelings about cost and security of Games, while holding out hope they will bring joy to nation facing economic and political crises. (OLYMPICS-RIO/PORTRAITS (UPDATE 1, PIX), moved, by Pilar Olivares, 355 words)

Olympic pin trading, 'largest spectator sport'

The 2016 Rio Olympics haven't started yet, but spectator 'sport' is already well under way: pin trading. (OLYMPICS-RIO/PIN TRADING (PIX, TV), by Bob Mezan, 167 words)

UNITED STATES

U.S. consumer spending exits second quarter with strong momentum

WASHINGTON - U.S. consumer spending rises more than expected as households buy range of goods and services, showing underlying strength heading into third quarter. (USA-ECONOMY/ (WRAPUP 3, PIX), expect by 2200 GMT/6 PM ET, by Lucia Mutikani, 500 words)

MIDDLE EAST

Rescuers say toxic gas dropped on Syrian town where Russian helicopter shot down

BEIRUT - Syrian rescue service operating in rebel-held territory says helicopter drops containers of toxic gas on town close to where Russian military helicopter was shot down hours earlier. (MIDEAST-CRISIS/SYRIA-IDLIB (UPDATE 4, TV), moved, by Lisa Barrington, 654 words)

EUROPE

Britain's lights could go out if Hinkley Point ditched - Labour contender

LONDON - Britain should get on with approving $24 billion Hinkley Point nuclear power project otherwise world's fifth-largest economy could face power shortages in future, says man seeking to lead Britain's opposition Labour Party. (EDF-BRITAIN/NUCLEAR-LABOUR (UPDATE 1), moved, 476 words)

Pope sets up group to study women deacons, in harbinger of possible shift

VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis sets up commission to study role of women deacons in early Christianity, Vatican says, move that might lead to major change in role of women in Roman Catholic Church. (POPE-WOMEN/ (UPDATE 2, PIX), moving shortly, by Philip Pullella, 400 words)

France buries priest murdered by Islamist militants

ROUEN, France - Mourners cram into Rouen Cathedral for funeral of Roman Catholic priest knifed to death at his church altar, as France's political leaders seek ways to defeat home-grown Islamist violence. (EUROPE-ATTACKS/FRANCE (UPDATE 1, TV, PIX), moved, by Antony Paone, 540 words)

ASIA

Japan approves $132 billion fiscal steps as central bank denies curbing stimulus

TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's cabinet approves 13.5 trillion yen ($132 billion) in fiscal measures even as central bank fights market speculation that it is preparing to put brakes on monetary stimulus for world's third-biggest economy. (JAPAN-ECONOMY/STIMULUS (WRAPUP 1), moved, by Tetsushi Kajimoto, 670 words)

08/02/2016 13:57