| Awkward Trump/Merkel moment No. 2 | | Watch the video. It's not overpowering, but the boos are there as Ivanka Trump defends her father's attitudes toward women and says he's been a "tremendous champion of supporting families." She was speaking in Berlin on a panel of female leaders hosted by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, a move experts saw as an opportunity for Merkel — Europe's most powerful woman — to improve her relationship with President Trump. The two leaders have differing ideas on hot-button issues, and things got uncomfortable in the Oval Office in March when Trump appeared to ignore Merkel's request to shake his hand . Enter the first daughter-turned-presidential adviser to bridge the relationship between her dad and Merkel. If "boo" means "welcome!" in German, then we're all good. | | Wild boars are finally good for something | | Destructive and invasive, wild boars are a pain in the rear around the world. They literally eat like pigs -— ripping through habitat and devouring eggs, crops, roots and even small animals. We've got them in the U.S. and they're a problem in other countries. For once, a herd of wild boars may have actually been helpful. In northern Iraq, three Islamic State militants were preparing an ambush Sunday when they were killed by a herd of stampeding boars. The militants were poised to attack a band of local tribesmen when their movements likely startled the wild pigs, which overwhelmed them. | | North Korea's bizarre sports history | | It turns out North Korea's authoritarianism extends beyond politics, often leaving a skewed picture of the nation's sporting achievements. And we're not talking Dennis Rodman . The country has for years been stretching the truth about the achievements of its athletes, teams and leaders. State media once reported Kim Jong Il, the country's late ruler, hit five holes-in-one during a stellar 31-under-par round of golf. The news surrounding the country's teams often is fantastical, such as when Kim used an "invisible telephone" to speak with the country's World Cup coach and the time several of its Women's World Cup players were struck by lightning and needed deer musk medicine. Perhaps the feigned success is for the best. North Korea's 2010 World Cup coach was allegedly banished to a labor camp after his team went 0-3 in match play. | | One state is home to 5 of the 7 best high schools in the U.S. | | When it comes to the country's top high schools, the West is the best. According to U.S. News and World Report's 2017 ranking of America's public high schools , all but one of the top 10 schools are west of the Mississippi. Arizona alone has five of the top seven, all of them part of the BASIS charter school group. The other spots went to three schools in Texas, one in California and one in Virginia. The eastern half of the country fared better when it came to the best STEM schools, grabbing five of the top 10 spots. Find the complete list here, or see a state-by-state breakdown. |  | | Bachelor behind bars | | Chris Soules, former star of "The Bachelor" and "Bachelorette," was accused of running from the scene of a fatal traffic incident Monday and was later arrested, police said. Authorities in Iowa said a Chevrolet pickup rear-ended a tractor about 15 miles south of Soules' farm, sending both vehicles into roadside ditches. The driver of the tractor died at a hospital. But Soules, 35, took off on foot and was later hauled into jail on multiple charges, police said. Soules is a farmer who boasted about his rural background when he appeared on Season 10 of "The Bachelorette." He was then chosen as the next "Bachelor" and later appeared on "Dancing With the Stars." | | This is a compilation of stories from across USA TODAY. | | |
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