WASHINGTON (AP) - THREE U.S. OFFICIALS SAY FIRED FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY TOLD LAWMAKERS THAT HE ASKED THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT FOR MORE MONEY FOR THE BUREAU'S INVESTIGATION INTO RUSSIA'S ELECTION MEDDLING. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP FIRED COMEY TUESDAY. THE OFFICIALS SAY COMEY TOLD LAWMAKERS HE HAD MADE THE REQUEST TO ROD ROSENSTEIN, THE DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL. THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT IS DENYING THAT COMEY ASKED FOR MORE RESOURCES. THE OFFICIALS SPOKE TO THE AP ON CONDITION OF ANONYMITY

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WASHINGTON (AP) - THE RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY HAS TWEETED A PHOTO OF PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP AND RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SERGEY LAVROV SHAKING HANDS IN THE OVAL OFFICE. AND A SECOND PHOTO SHOWS TRUMP AND RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR SERGEY KISLYAK _ WHO'S AT THE CENTER OF MANY OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S EARLY RUSSIA-RELATED WOES.

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NEW YORK (AP) - THE ASSOCIATED PRESS HAS REVIEWED THE CONDUCT OF ITS NEWS AND PHOTO OPERATIONS IN GERMANY DURING THE ADOLF HITLER ERA. IN A REPORT RELEASED ON WEDNESDAY, AP SAYS IT FOUND THAT NEWS EXECUTIVES AND STAFF ACTED AS "FORTHRIGHTLY AND INDEPENDENTLY AS POSSIBLE" UNDER ENORMOUS CHALLENGES TO GET OUT THE TRUTH ABOUT THE NAZI REGIME. HOWEVER, THE AP REPORT ALSO SPOTLIGHTED SOME SITUATIONS THAT WERE HANDLED INADEQUATELY BY THE NEWS COOPERATIVE.

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RICHLAND, WASH. (AP) - WORKERS ON THE HANFORD NUCLEAR RESERVATION ARE MAKING PREPARATIONS TO FILL A 400-SQUARE FOOT HOLE THAT HAS DEVELOPED OVER A TUNNEL CONTAINING RADIOACTIVE WASTE STORED ON THE FORMER PLUTONIUM PRODUCTION SITE. THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY SAID WEDNESDAY THAT WORKERS WERE BUILDING A GRAVEL ROAD TO REACH THE CAVE-IN, LOCATED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SPRAWLING RESERVATION IN EASTERN WASHINGTON STATE. THE AGENCY SAYS THE ROAD WILL GIVE WORKERS A CLEAR PATH TO FILL THE HOLE DISCOVERED TUESDAY.

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KABARTO CAMP, IRAQ (AP) - TWO IRAQI BOYS WHO ESCAPED ISLAMIC STATE CAPTIVITY TELL THE ASSOCIATED PRESS THAT THE MILITANTS FORCED HUNDREDS OF BOYS, SOME AS YOUNG AS 7 OR 8, INTO TRAINING TO BECOME FIGHTERS AND SUICIDE BOMBERS. THEY USED HUNGER TO MANIPULATE AND INDOCTRINATE THEIR YOUNG PRISONERS WITH THEIR MURDEROUS IDEOLOGY. "IN PARADISE, YOU WILL GET A NEW BODY," THE BOYS WERE TOLD. "IN PARADISE, YOU CAN EAT WHATEVER YOU WANT. BUT FIRST YOU HAVE TO GET TO PARADISE, AND YOU DO THAT BY BLOWING YOURSELF UP."

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A JUDGE ON MONDAY DISMISSED A MISDEMEANOR CHILD ENDANGERMENT CHARGE AGAINST A SERGEANT OF THE CASPER POLICE DEPARTMENT.
IN HIS MOTION TO DISMISS THE CHARGE, ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY BRETT JOHNSON SAID THE STATE INTENDS TO REFILE THE CASE AGAINST SGT. TODD WELLS AND INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL CHARGE.

JOHNSON COULD NOT BE REACHED BY PHONE TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

NATRONA COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE STEVEN BROWN GRANTED JOHNSON'S MOTION FOLLOWING A SHORT HEARING MONDAY MORNING.

WELLS' WIFE, LAURA STARNES-WELLS, FACES ONE COUNT OF FELONY CHILD ABUSE. CHARGING PAPERS ALLEGE HER PUNISHMENT OF THE COUPLE'S ADOPTED SON AND DAUGHTER, BOTH SPECIAL-NEEDS CHILDREN, WAS EXCESSIVE TO THE POINT OF CRIMINALITY.

WELLS WAS CHARGED WITH THE MISDEMEANOR FOR ALLEGEDLY MISTREATING THE CHILDREN ALONG WITH STARNES-WELLS AND ALLOWING THE ABUSE TO CONTINUE.

A WARRANT FOR WELLS' ARREST WAS ISSUED IN FEBRUARY. HE TURNED HIMSELF IN TO THE NATRONA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, WHICH INVESTIGATED THE CASE.

THE POLICE DEPARTMENT PLACED THE COUPLE ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE IN NOVEMBER.
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A PROPOSED UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING BUDGET PLAN MAY ELIMINATE MORE THAN 40 JOBS IN AN ATTEMPT TO CUT OVER $10 MILLION.

THE BUDGET PROPOSAL WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE UW BOARD OF TRUSTEES LATER THIS WEEK.

IN NOVEMBER, THE BOARD APPROVED A BLUEPRINT OF THE STRATEGY TO TACKLE A $41 MILLION REDUCTION IN STATE FUNDING IN THE WAKE OF THE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN.

THE OUTREACH SCHOOL AND UW ATHLETICS ARE SET TO LOSE THE LARGEST PERCENTAGE OF THEIR FUNDING UNDER THE PLAN. UW'S ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT WOULD LOSE JUST OVER $1 MILLION, OR 8.3 PERCENT OF ITS BUDGET.

THE OUTREACH SCHOOL, WHICH OFFICIALS SAID WILL BE DISMANTLED AND ITS DUTIES ASSIMILATED INTO OTHER PARTS OF CAMPUS, WOULD SEE A $500,000 CUT.

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