Russian President Vladmir Putin said the country’s private mercenary group “simply does not exist” in a recent interview. Some of the biggest banks are reporting higher profits for the second quarter. CDC funding cuts may deal a blow to state and local health departments. A man has pleaded not guilty in connection to three murders in a string of Long Island, New York serial killings near a popular beach. And, the jackpots for the Mega Millions and Powerball are up with both drawings happening back-to-back.

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