Obama: Guantanamo Bay undermines security, must be closed

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Barack Obama’s plan to close the detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba slammed into a wall of Republican opposition on Tuesday, stopping cold Obama’s hope for a bipartisan effort to “close a chapter” that began in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks. The long-awaited proposal, which was requested by Congress, […]

Train driver killed as train hits crane on Dutch crossing

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) – A commuter train derailed after slamming into a crane which was crossing the tracks early Tuesday in the eastern Netherlands, killing the train’s driver and injuring seven passengers, the local mayor said. Police said they detained the driver of the crane for questioning as part of their investigation into the […]

Trump calls Cruz ‘sick’ as Nevada caucuses loom

LAS VEGAS (AP) – The Republican presidential candidates are focused on Nevada and its caucuses today. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is continuing to lash out at rival Ted Cruz. Trump tells a crowd of thousands in Las Vegas, “This guy is sick. There’s something wrong with this guy.” Trump took specific issue with an […]

Obama: Limiting opiate prescriptions won’t solve crisis

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Barack Obama on Monday declined to endorse the boldest proposal from the nation’s governors to tackle the heroin crisis: limiting the number of high-powered painkillers doctors can prescribe at a time. A recommendation to limit the number opioid painkillers that doctors can hand out gained bipartisan support at the National Governors […]

Senate clears way for approval of new FDA commissioner

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Senate has cleared the way for approval of President Barack Obama’s nominee for commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration. Senators voted 80-6 Monday to end a Democratic filibuster of Obama’s pick to head the agency. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Ed Markey […]

CDC team in Brazil to study possible Zika link to defect

JOAO PESSOA, Brazil (AP) – A 16-member team from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention kicked off work Monday on a study to help determine whether the Zika virus really does cause babies to be born with the devastating birth defect microcephaly, as Brazilian researchers strongly suspect. Brazil’s health minister has repeatedly said […]

Venice couple had guns, explosives in reach of child

VENICE, Fla. (AP) – Sheriff’s deputies say a Florida couple stored weapons and drugs within reach of a 5-year-old child living in their home. A Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office news release says the stash of weapons was discovered Friday when deputies went to the home in Venice to assist the Florida Department of Children and […]

El Faro was on Coast Guard list of at-risk vessels

The El Faro sank just before it was to be added to a Coast Guard list of vessels identified as having the most “potential for risk,” a designation that would have triggered more safety inspections. The El Faro was to be included on the so-called “targeting list,” which compiled the top 10 percent of ships […]

IEA: Slashed spending by drillers could lead to price spike

PARIS (AP) – Global oil supply growth is plunging as drillers slash capital expenditures severely, Europe’s energy policy group said Monday, which has the potential to end in an energy shock. Reduced spending by energy companies will lead to a more balanced market in 2017, but “investment cuts pose supply security risks down the road,” […]