Policy changes, but facts endure. AP delivers accurate, fact-based journalism to keep the world informed in every administration. Support independent reporting today. Donate. |
|
|
In the news today: Cuba says its soldiers killed four people aboard a Florida-registered speedboat; the FBI fires agents who worked on the Trump classified document investigation; and Dr. Casey Means faces sharp questions in her confirmation hearing for surgeon general. Also, a look at new images of our Milky Way galaxy. |
Secretary of State Marco Rubio gestures as he boards his plane to return to Washington after meetings with Caribbean Community leaders, at Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport in Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Wednesday. (Jonathan Ernst/Pool photo via AP) |
Cuba says 4 killed on Florida-registered speedboat were attempting to infiltrate the country |
Cuba's government said late Wednesday that the 10 passengers on a boat that opened fire on its soldiers were armed Cubans living in the U.S. who were trying to infiltrate the island and unleash terrorism. Read more. |
|
|
- The announcement came hours after Cuba said its soldiers killed four people and wounded six others aboard a speedboat that had entered Cuban waters and opened fire on the soldiers first, injuring one Cuban officer.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that he was made aware of the incident and that the U.S. is now gathering its own information to determine if the victims were American citizens or permanent residents. "Suffice it to say, it is highly unusual to see shootouts in open sea like that. It's not something that happens every day. It's something, frankly, that hasn't happened with Cuba in a very long time," Rubio said.
- The shooting threatens to increase tensions between the U.S. and Cuba. Following the ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, President Donald Trump and top administration officials have taken an increasingly aggressive stance toward Cuba, which had been largely kept economically afloat by Venezuela's oil.
|
|
|
FBI fires agents who worked on Trump classified document investigation, AP sources say |
The employees terminated participated in the probe into the Republican's hoarding of classified documents, people familiar with the matter said Wednesday. Read more. |
|
|
The firings are part of a broader personnel purge under the leadership of Director Kash Patel, a Trump appointee who, over the last year, has pushed out dozens of employees who either contributed to investigations of the president or who were perceived as not in alignment with the administration's agenda. The Justice Department has engaged in similarly sweeping firings of prosecutors since Trump took office last year.
|
|
|
Surgeon general nominee grilled over vaccines and qualifications |
Wellness influencer, author and entrepreneur Dr. Casey Means on Wednesday shared a vision for addressing the root causes of chronic disease instead of feeding into "reactive sick care" during her confirmation hearing to become the nation's next surgeon general. Read more. |
|
|
Means faced tough questions from senators about topics that have become divisive in recent years, such as vaccines and hormonal birth control, as well as about her qualifications and potential conflicts. She has no government experience, and her license to practice as a physician is not currently active. "I have very serious questions about the ability of Dr. Means to be the kind of surgeon general this country needs," Vermont independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, the ranking member of the Senate health committee, said Wednesday.
"Our nation is angry, exhausted and hurting," the 38-year-old said in Washington before the Senate health committee Wednesday. "If we're addressing shared root causes, we're going to be able to stop the whack-a-mole medicine that's not working for us." It's a message that dovetails with that of Means' ally, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and his "Make America Healthy Again" movement.
|
|
|
This image provided by the European Southern Observatory shows the location of the Central Molecular Zone (CMZ), a region at the core of our galaxy rich in dense and intricate gas clouds. The inset is an ALMA CMZ Exploration Survey image where different molecules are displayed in different colours. (ALMA(ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)/S. Longmore via AP) |
Swirling beauty of the Milky Way galaxy's heart is captured in a new telescope picture
A telescope in Chile has revealed in unprecedented detail the swirling splendor of star-forming gases at the heart of our Milky Way galaxy. It's the largest image ever taken by the ALMA antenna network in the Atacama Desert. By studying how stars are born in this so-called Central Molecular Zone, astronomers can better understand how galaxies evolved, said survey leader Steve Longmore of Liverpool John Moores University. |
|
|
Please let us know what you think of this newsletter. You can sign up for more and invite a friend here. For news in real time visit APNews.com. - Jayakumar |
| |
|
Please let us know what you think of this newsletter. You can sign up for more and invite a friend here. For news in real time visit APNews.com. - Jayakumar |
| |
|
*Advertisers have no control over editorial decisions or content. If you're interested in advertising, contact us here. |
|
|
|
