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[h=4]The Short List: Journalist jailed in Iran; Americans buying houses again; new Bond trailer[/h]Out of the loop today? We've got what you missed.
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Out of the loop today? We've got what you missed.(Photo: Vahid Salemi, AP)
'The Washington Post' can't get one of its reporters out of Iran. Now, it's turning to the U.N.
Wednesday marks one year since Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian was imprisoned in Iran. The U.S. and the Post have been calling for his release all year. Those calls intensified today when The Post filed a petition with the United Nations to free Rezaian. Back story. Rezaian was arrested a year ago on charges of espionage and distributing propaganda against the Islamic Republic. USA TODAY media columnist Rem Rieder says Rezaian was arrested for "practicing journalism." Rezaian's wife was also arrested, but she was later released. Didn't we just do a bunch of negotiating with Iran? Yup. On the nukes deal. Major world powers agreed to lift economic sanctions against Iran in return for halting efforts to build nuclear weapons. Rezaian's brother, Ali, said he was disappointed Rezaian wasn't released at the time of the deal. The petition. The Post is hoping the U.N. will pressure Iran to release Rezaian. The petition paints a pretty bleak picture of his time in prison. It says Rezaian has largely been held in isolation, facing near-daily interrogations of eight to 10 hours at a time. His imprisonment is the longest time an international journalist has ever been held in Iran. What's next. Rezaian has had three closed hearings on the charges, and his attorney said this week that he will face a fourth, and possibly final hearing. If convicted, he could face 10 to 20 years in prison.
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Washington Post Reporter Jason Rezaian has been imprisoned in Iran for a full year. USA TODAY Editor-At-Large Rem Rieder talks about what's next for the journalist and what his country and news organization are doing to secure his freedom.
Yep, Americans are buying houses again
The wonk: Existing homes were sold at the fastest pace in eight years last month, and the median sales price reached an all-time record high. Translation: Economist Lawrence Yun says buyers are back in force, buying at the strongest two-month level since early 2007. That's right 2007. That was the year George W. Bush was still president and Steve Jobs had just announced the iPhone. So, a long time ago. Why it's important: A resurgent home sales market could provide a big spark to the economy. Healthy sales further reduce supplies, leading to more home construction. And more construction generates more jobs in the building, manufacturing and other industries. Win-win-win.
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Buying or selling a home? Hidden pitfalls can kill the price.This is why electing to pay the few hundred dollars for a home inspection is usually a good idea, especially for older homes. USA TODAY
If you believe the trailer, the next Bond film is going to be awesome
Get ready to break a sweat. The first full trailer for the 24th James Bond film is out and it's got all the explosions, cars, explosions, kissing, bad guys and explosions you could ever want. Spectre (out Nov. 6) has Bond in a heap of globe-trotting trouble, and even rethinking his career as a secret agent. (Not cool. We're counting on lucky 25.) The movie puts Daniel Craig's superspy in big-time car chases against new foes such as Mr. Hinx (Dave Bautista) mysterious villian Franz Oberhauser (Christoph Waltz) and in the arms of new love interests such as Italian widow Lucia Sciarra (Monica Bellucci) and Madeleine Swann (Lea Seydoux), an old arch-enemy's daughter and a romantic entanglement with whom Bond has a heart-to-heart. "Is this really what you want, living in the shadows? Hunting, being hunted, always alone?" she asks him. His cool-as-a-cucumber reply? "I don't stop to think about it." (MIC. DROP.)
Ferguson names black interim police chief to lead mostly white police force
Out with the old and in with the new: Ferguson, Mo., continues to shuffle its top brass, naming an interim black police chief on Wednesday. Andre Anderson, the police commander in Glendale, Ariz., gets the gig in Ferguson, where unarmed black 18-year-old Michael Brown was killed last August and riots followed. The previous police chief, city manager and municipal judge were forced out of their jobs earlier this year after the Justice Department's damning report found systemic patterns of misconduct that disproportionately affected the city's majority black community. Ferguson is about two-thirds black, but the vast majority of its police officers are white. Anderson said changing that is on his list.
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The Ferguson police force has changed leadership again, with a third chief in four months. The city on Wednesday introduced Andre Anderson as interim chief. He was police commander in the Phoenix suburb of Glendale, Arizona. (July 22) AP
If the election were today, Clinton would lose three key swing states
Hillary Clinton isn't feeling the love in Iowa, Colorado or Virginia. Voters polled in those swing states favor three Republican candidates over the Democratic presidential candidate. The Quinnipiac University Swing State Poll released Wednesday asked about key points like honesty and leadership. She barely climbed above 50% in most responses. Clinton is losing electoral votes in theoretical matchups with Republican candidates Jeb Bush, Scott Walker and Marco Rubio. Democrats can still keep hope in those states, though, as Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders runs as well or better against the Republicans in Iowa and Colorado. And voters also love to trust Vice President Biden, who is considering a 2016 run.
Hillary Clinton officially launches her campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination during a speech on New York's Roosevelt Island June 13.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>(Photo: Timothy A. Clary, AFP/Getty Images)
If you only read one thing tonight, read this: Country's youngest murderer nears prison release.
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Officials: Video of Sandra Bland's arrest unedited
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Extra Bites:
Road-trippers, this spud's for you: America's strangest food museums.
Have you seen this? An important PSA from Mother Nature.
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Afraid of a shark attack? Perhaps you should be more afraid of these other animals. VPC
Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No! tonight at 8 ET/PT. Here's your drinking game.
We all need a little distraction at some point during the day (what else are smartphones for?), so add DISTRACTME on the YO app. It'll be fun, we promise.
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This is a compilation of stories from across USA TODAY.
Contributing: Doug Stanglin, David Jackson, Brian Truitt, Paul Davidson, Anita Balakrishnan, USA TODAY: Alexandra Martellaro, KSDK; The Associated Press
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