Kansas City Star: Nation

Schumer: Dems ready to go-it-alone on health care

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 18:30 CST

A leading Senate Democrat said Monday his party is determined to push through a health care overhaul bill with or without Republican support because the "system is broken."

Lethal injection creator fine with 1 drug in Ohio

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 15:25 CST

The man considered the father of lethal injection in the United States said it doesn't matter whether three fatal drugs are used or one - as his home state of Ohio has proposed - as long as the drug works efficiently.

Va. Military Institute faces sexism accusations

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 10:59 CST

Virginia Military Institute is defending itself against a lengthy investigation into accusations that the school's policies are sexist and hostile toward female cadets, a dozen years after women won the right to enroll.

Lawyer: 9/11 defendants want platform for views

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 11:00 CST

The five men facing trial in the Sept. 11 attacks will plead not guilty so that they can air their criticisms of U.S. foreign policy, the lawyer for one of the defendants said.

Thousands of strange creatures found deep in ocean

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 11:04 CST

The creatures living in the depths of the ocean are as weird and outlandish as the creations in a Dr. Seuss book: tentacled transparent sea cucumbers, primitive "dumbos" that flap ear-like fins, and tubeworms that feed on oil deposits.

Fort Hood suspect ordered held until court-martial

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 18:02 CST

The Army psychiatrist charged with killing 13 people at Fort Hood will be confined until his military trial, initially staying in a hospital where he is recovering from gunshot wounds, his attorney said Saturday.

US to drop shooting case against Blackwater guard

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:47 CST

The Justice Department intends to drop manslaughter and weapons charges against one of the Blackwater Worldwide security guards involved in a deadly 2007 Baghdad shooting, prosecutors said in court documents Friday.

Motown caps 50th anniversary with hometown gala

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 07:57 CST

Black ties and gowns filled a ballroom Saturday in a big-bucks salute to Detroit-style royalty - the King of Motown, the Queen of Soul and the Kid of Rock.

Astronaut's baby daughter born as he circles Earth

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 20:02 CST

Astronaut Randolph Bresnik jubilantly welcomed his new daughter into the world Sunday as he floated 220 miles above it.

Officials: Atlantic City fire began in pizza shop

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 18:47 CST

Investigators say a fire that destroyed businesses on the famous Atlantic City boardwalk apparently started in a pizza shop.

U.S. slow to commit to emissions reduction plan

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

WASHINGTON | With a little more than two weeks before climate negotiations in Denmark, the U.S. has yet to decide whether it can meet international expectations. The success or failure of the talks in Copenhagen could hinge on whether the United States offers a concrete plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by a certain amount in the next decade.

Rhode Island bishop asks congressman Patrick Kennedy to avoid Communion

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. | A month of harsh words between U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy and Roman Catholic Bishop Thomas Tobin escalated Sunday when the bishop acknowledged asking Kennedy not to receive Holy Communion. Tobin said his reasoning was because of the Democratic lawmaker’s support for abortion rights.

Michael Jackson and Taylor Swift are big AMA winners

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

LOS ANGELES | Michael Jackson made history by winning four American Music Awards on Sunday night, but he couldn’t beat Taylor Swift as the year’s favorite artist and the evening’s top winner. The 19-year-old took the evening’s top award, giving Jackson his only loss of the night, and she took five trophies in all.

Senators admonish Burris

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

WASHINGTON | The Senate ethics committee on Friday admonished Democratic Sen. Roland Burris for misleading investigators about his maneuvering to get Barack Obama’s old Senate seat from the governor who was ousted for trying to sell it. Burris was appointed by Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who was impeached and driven from office after he was accused of trying to sell the seat.

Guests on Sunday's TV news shows

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Guests on today’s TV news shows: •ABC’s “This Week,” 9:30 a.m. — Guests: Sen. Tom Coburn, an Oklahoma Republican; Sen. Ben Nelson, a Nebraska Democrat; Rep. Marsha Blackburn, a Tennessee Republican; Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Florida Democrat.

U.S. had intercepted e-mails between Hasan, radical cleric

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

WASHINGTON | The government intercepted at least 18 e-mails between the alleged Fort Hood gunman and a radical Muslim cleric, and a key senator said there could be more communications that might have tipped off law enforcement or military officials. Federal investigators say they intercepted the messages between the suspect, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, and Anwar al-Awlaki, a radical American-born cleric. They were passed along to two Joint Terrorism Task Force cells led by the FBI, but a senior Defense Department official said no one at the agency knew about the messages until after the shootings. The official spoke on condition of anonymity.

Militia in Alaska pushed at a time when such groups are in resurgence in U.S.

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

NIKISKI, Alaska | Norm Olson’s genial tone belied his reputation as a radical militiaman, yet there he was, at 63, an affable grandfather explaining why Americans should arm themselves against their government. Walking stick in hand, clad in military fatigues, he strolled a trail in the woods near his home on 22 acres near Nikiski, a small, unincorporated community with isolated roads and no local government. The nearest state trooper post is two towns away.

Senate clears important hurdle in health care overhaul

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

WASHINGTON | Invoking the name of Edward M. Kennedy, Democrats united Saturday night to push historic health care legislation past a key Senate hurdle over the opposition of Republicans. There was not a vote to spare.

Former nurse cleared of murder charges

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

SAN ANTONIO | A court-martial acquitted a former military nurse of murder charges Saturday after he was accused of giving lethal doses of painkillers to hasten the deaths of three terminally ill patients at the Air Force’s largest hospital. Capt. Michael Fontana, wearing his Air Force uniform, showed no emotion as a military judge cleared him of three counts of murder. Fontana then collapsed into the arms of weeping family members inside a Lackland Air Force Base courtroom.

Obama trumpets Asia trip as a boost to the U.S. economy

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

WASHINGTON | President Barack Obama’s eight-day trip to Asia produced no tangible wins for the U.S., though he is citing talks with Asian allies that he says could help create thousands of jobs and open new markets for American goods. Citing progress on a trip that took him from Tokyo to Seoul, Obama noted that “Asia is a region where we now buy more goods and do more trade with than any other place in the world — commerce that supports millions of jobs back home.”

Talkers | Michael Jackson's famous glove gets $350,000 at auction

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Love that glove NEW YORK | The gleaming glove Michael Jackson wore when he premiered his trademark moonwalk dance in 1983 has been auctioned for $350,000.

On college campuses, atheists coming out of the closet

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

AMES, Iowa | The sign sits on a wooden chair, inviting all comers: “Ask an Atheist.” Whenever a student gets close, Anastasia Bodnar waves and smiles, trying to make a good first impression before eyes drift down to a word many Americans rank down there with “socialist.”

Last chapters | Recent deaths in the news

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Elisabeth Soderstrom, a Swedish soprano who became an international opera star, died in Stockholm of complications from a stroke. She was 82. From 1949 to 1980, she performed at the Royal Swedish Opera and often appeared at some of the largest opera houses in the world. She also recorded frequently. Between 1959 and 1964, Soderstrom was contracted by the Metropolitan Opera in New York. She returned for several years in the 1980s. Paul Wendkos, who directed more than 100 films and television shows during a 50-year career, including the 1959 surf movie “Gidget,” died in Malibu, Calif., of a lung infection that followed a stroke. He was 84. His films also included the 1957 drama “The Burglar,” starring Jayne Mansfield, and the 1969 adventure “Guns of the Magnificent Seven.” For television, he directed series such as “The Rifleman” and “Hawaii Five-O.”

Tamiflu-resistant swine flu causes new worry

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

RALEIGH, N.C. | A cluster of four Tamiflu-resistant cases of H1N1 flu at Duke University Medical Center has raised concerns that changes in the virus may make severe infections more difficult to treat. Three of the Duke patients died. All were adults, including two women and one man, and they had other major diseases, said Cameron Wolfe, an infectious-disease specialist at Duke. He said a fourth patient remains hospitalized.

Cancer-testing criteria retested

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

It seemed like a good idea at the time. In 1984, Japan began screening the urine of 6-month-old infants for neuroblastoma, the most common type of solid tumor in young children. The test was simple and could show signs of cancer long before clinical symptoms arose.

Influential militant imam has Western flavor

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

CAIRO, Egypt | The Yemeni-American imam who’s been under renewed scrutiny after the deadly shootings at Fort Hood, Texas, preaches against alcohol, birthday parties, black magic and extramarital sex. But he supports armed struggle against the U.S. military in Afghanistan and Iraq, and has encouraged extremist insurgents in Pakistan and Somalia.

Military deaths

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

The latest Department of Defense identifications of casualties in Afghanistan and Iraq: •Army Spc. Joseph M. Lewis, 26, of Terrell, Texas, died Nov. 17 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, when his vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive.

The Buzz | C notes

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

C notes The famous row house on C Street Southeast where South Carolina’s disgraced governor, Mark Sanford, sought counseling after his affair — as did Sen. John Ensign of Nevada after his affair — has begun paying D.C. real estate taxes.

Watergate mystery is under review

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

WASHINGTON | The National Archives is bringing together investigators to search for scribbled secrets from the first days of the Watergate scandal, which destroyed Richard Nixon’s presidency. The goal is to find out what Nixon and an aide discussed during the infamous 18½-minute gap in a White House tape recording of a meeting held three days after burglars linked to the president’s re-election committee broke into Democratic Party headquarters at the Watergate complex.

Holder takes heat for terror trials decision

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

After four hours of questions from senators about his decision to send the self-described mastermind of the Sept. 11 terrorist strikes to New York for trial, Attorney General Eric Holder on Wednesday submitted to one more round of interrogation from people who lost loved ones in the Sept. 11 attacks.

Dual investigations of Fort Hood shootings planned

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

WASHINGTON | The Pentagon said Thursday it will scour its procedures for identifying volatile soldiers in the ranks following the Fort Hood shooting rampage and lapses that might allow others to slip through bureaucratic cracks. “It is prudent to determine immediately whether there are internal weaknesses or procedural shortcomings in the department that could make us vulnerable,” Defense Secretary Robert Gates said.

Huge Philly apartment fire leaves 21 injured

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:26 CST

Fire investigators in Philadelphia are trying to determine what caused a weekend apartment fire that left nearly two dozen people hurt, including two firefighters.

Three Mile Island radiation caused by pipe cutting

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:05 CST

Officials are trying to determine how workers cutting a pipe stirred up radioactive dust at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant.

Hundreds mourn Mich. boy allegedly slain by father

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:55 CST

Funeral services are under way for a 15-year-old Michigan boy who police say pleaded for mercy before being fatally shot by his father.

Three Mile Island radiation caused by pipe cutting

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 10:59 CST

Officials are trying to determine how workers cutting a pipe stirred up radioactive dust at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant.

Have Americans Supersized Thanksgiving, too?

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:41 CST

What happens when you combine Thanksgiving - a holiday dedicated to overindulging - with America's love of all things Supersized? Not as much as you'd think.

2 men charged after 3 men found slain in rural Ky.

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:30 CST

Kentucky State Police say two arrests have been made following the discovery of three bodies in rural Kentucky.

Priest at embattled Mo. parish willing to resign

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:20 CST

The priest at a predominantly Polish Roman Catholic church in St. Louis at odds with the archdiocese says he's willing to step down if it will help the parish.

Retirement readiness index says if you're on track

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 09:10 CST

Are you going to be ready for retirement?

Kan. Congressman Moore won't seek re-election

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 09:20 CST

U.S. Rep. Dennis Moore, the only Democrat in Kansas' congressional delegation, will not seek a seventh term, his staff said Monday.

Neb. pastor robbed after answering knock on door

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:51 CST

Police in Lincoln, Neb., are investigating the armed robbery of a pastor at his church.

Palin arrives at Fort Bragg to a crowd of hundreds

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:03 CST

Hundreds of people are lined up at an Army base in North Carolina where former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin is signing books.

1 found dead, several rescued from Ind. motel fire

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 06:59 CST

Firefighters have found one body and rescued several people from a fire at a southwestern Indiana motel.

Transgender murderer renews electrolysis request

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 04:39 CST

A convicted murderer serving a life sentence goes before a judge to ask for electrolysis treatments as she seeks a taxpayer-funded sex-change operation.

Kennedy dispute reveals divide among Catholics

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 04:29 CST

A bitter dispute over abortion that prompted Rhode Island's Roman Catholic bishop to ask Rep. Patrick Kennedy not to receive Holy Communion has revealed the depth of the divide among Catholics over how politicians should reconcile their faith with their public duties.

Medical marijuana finds social outlet in Ore. cafe

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 04:24 CST

At the newly opened Cannabis Cafe, people sit around taking tokes from a "vaporizer" - a contraption with a big plastic bag that captures the potent vapors of heated marijuana. Glass jars hold donations of dried, milky-green weed, and the cafe serves up meals and snacks for the hungry.

The nation's weather

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 04:09 CST

Drier weather was expected to return to much of the West on Monday as a building ridge of high pressure replaces the eastern Pacific storm from Sunday.

FBI wants public's help in civil rights killings

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 02:04 CST

Over the last three years, the FBI scoured faded documents, interviewed aging lawmen and tracked down witnesses from killings that occurred decades ago, many of them involving white police officers who shot black men or teenagers.

Swimmers, poets among 2010 Rhodes Scholars from US

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 01:59 CST

When Henry Spelman found out he'd won a Rhodes Scholarship, his first call was to his girlfriend. To share the good news, of course, but also to see whether she was a winner as well.

Winners at the American Music Awards

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 22:44 CST

Complete list of winners at the American Music Awards:

ME: Teen killed by NYC police was shot 11 times

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 21:29 CST

A teenager killed in a confrontation with New York City police over the weekend was shot 11 times, the medical examiner's office said Sunday.

SF area officer, passenger injured during arrest

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 20:49 CST

A train passenger's video of an arrest shows heavy-duty glass shattering and showering down on a San Francisco area transit police officer and an unruly passenger in an incident that injured both men.

Rhodes Scholars named for 2010

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 18:49 CST

The 32 American students chosen as Rhodes Scholars for 2010, listed by geographic region:

Grand Canyon to change 'unfair' permit system

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 18:34 CST

Getting one of the roughly 11,500 permits granted each year to backpack overnight in the Grand Canyon has become so competitive and "unfair" that managers at the national park have decided to change the system.

Palin dines, prays with Rev. Billy Graham in NC

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 18:34 CST

Sarah Palin on Sunday dined and prayed with the Rev. Billy Graham, who has counseled presidents and other politicians for decades.

AP News in Brief

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:19 CST

Lawyer says 9/11 defendants will plead not guilty so they can express their political views