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USA TODAY

Suicide hotline workers are letting veterans down in the worst way

An “under-performing workforce” is always an issue. But it’s especially problematic when the workers are helping veterans in crisis. More than a third of veterans calling the Department of Veterans Affairs’ suicide hotline aren’t getting through. Why? Some workers handle only a handful of calls per day and leave early, according to emails obtained by USA TODAY. Why does it matter? A 2010 calculation by the VA estimates that 22 veterans kill themselves each day. (The VA, which has not updated that estimate, says the hotline "rescues" 30 veterans from suicide each day.) Then again: Just four veterans were responsible for 5,619 calls in May, tying up phone lines with abusive and even vulgar comments.

Put the spoon down

Swiping a glob of cookie dough from the mixing bowl is a childhood rite of passage. Maybe not anymore. Buzzkill of the week goes to: flour, which apparently can carry a risk of E. coli when raw. Seriously. And we've been focusing on raw eggs all these years. You know about E. coli. That’s the super nasty bacteria that can lead to bloody diarrhea and other unwelcome symptoms. No thanks. A few smart entrepreneurs have already mixed their way around the problem. Companies that sell cookie dough specifically to eat and not bake use heat-treated flour that goes through a process that kills any bacteria.

Trans troops welcome

There's one more milestone to celebrate before Pride Month wraps. The military is bringing down one of its last gender-related policies. Starting Friday, the military will no longer discriminate against transgender troops. It will now allow — and pay for — service members to transition, medically and officially, from one gender to another. Big win for LGBT advocates. The Defense Department bickered internally about the decision for almost a year, including last-minute concerns by top brass about how to deal with the medical, housing and uniform issues. But as of Friday, the military will stop disqualifying transgender troops for "medical reasons.” Changes in recruiting and other policies will be rolled out over the next year.

#Brangry! Anger that fueled Brexit isn’t just for Brits

The people of the world are mad as hell and they're not going to take it anymore, according to a whopping 68% of Americans surveyed in a new USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll. They said the anger that drove voters in the United Kingdom onto the Brexit ramp is felt in countries around the world, including the U.S. Maybe Americans aren’t Brexit experts (Brexperts?) but they see the same frustration with the status quo and sense of powerlessness at home that bubbled up across the pond. Could all this add up to Donald Trump winning the White House? Ask us again in November.

3 suicide bombers, 3 different countries

The suicide bombings that killed 44 people at Istanbul's airport this week are not only another horrific reminder that terror can strike at any time, but that perpetrators can come from anywhere. Turkish officials said one of the bombers was from Russia, one from Uzbekistan and one was from Kyrgyzstan. They believe a Chechen terrorist who joined the Islamic State was the mastermind of the attack. The blow could devastate Turkey’s already ailing tourism industry, and it also casts doubts on U.S. claims that the Islamic State is on the ropes. As one columnist puts it, if this is the Islamic State losing, “I’d hate to see what winning looks like.”

American retirement piggy banks have the sadz

We may not be world-class savers, but at least we’re trying? Womp. In April, the personal savings rate in the USA was just 5.4%. That’s pretty sad compared with other developed nations like France and Germany, and could be a big problem when it comes to retirement. By age 55, the average American with an IRA has $123,000 saved. Americans under 25 are getting a jump on savings, with at least $13,000 in IRA accounts. You may have a 401(k), but it's just not enough. One thing is for sure: We need to pay more attention to the piggy.

Extra Bites:

Adnan Syed, whose 1999 conviction for his girlfriend's murder became the subject of popular podcast "Serial," is getting a new trial.

Check out Tom Hanks as Capt. Chesley Sullenberger in first 'Sully' trailer.

Do Americans know enough to pass a citizenship test?

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This is a compilation of stories across USA TODAY.