News organizations seek unsealing of plea deal with 9/11 defendants

WASHINGTON (AP) — Seven news organizations filed a legal motion Friday asking the U.S. military commission at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to make public the plea agreement that prosecutors struck with alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two fellow defendants. The plea...

What to know about the Oropouche virus, also known as sloth fever

NEW YORK (AP) — More than 20 people returning to the U.S. from Cuba have been infected with a virus transmitted by bugs in recent months, federal health officials said Tuesday. They all had Oropouche virus disease, also known as sloth fever. None have died, and there is no evidence...

Blanco homers again to help the Royals complete a sweep of the Reds with an 8-1 victory

CINCINNATI (AP) — Dairon Blanco hit his third home run in two days and started a rally with a bunt single as the Kansas City Royals beat the Cincinnati Reds 8-1 on Sunday to complete a series sweep. Blanco, an outfielder, had just 64 at-bats coming into the series, before helping...

9/11 hearings at Guantanamo Bay in upheaval after surprise order by US defense chief

FORT MEADE, Md. (AP) — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's surprise decision to throw out a plea deal with accused 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two of his co-defendants has left their case at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in disarray, with the defense, prosecution and judge all uncertain about...

Defense chief defends decision to throw out plea deal for 9/11 defendants

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke for the first time Tuesday on his decision to throw out a plea deal for the men accused in al-Qaida's 2001 attacks, saying that the depth of American losses and sacrifice on 9/11 demand that the military commission trial goes ahead. ...

Mijain Lopez of Cuba wins his fifth consecutive Olympic gold medal in Greco-Roman wrestling, then retires

Two-time Olympic gold medalist boxer Arlen López of Cuba loses in Paris semis to Oleksandr Khyzhniak

VILLEPINTE, France (AP) — Two-time gold medal-winning boxer Arlen López of Cuba was eliminated by Oleksandr Khyzhniak of Ukraine on Sunday night in the 80-kilogram semifinals at the Paris Olympics. López fell short in his bid to join Hungary's Laszlo Papp and fellow Cubans...

Sept. 11 families group leader cheers restoration of death penalty option in 9-11 prosecutions

The head of a group of family members of victims of the Sept. 11 terror attacks said Saturday that she’s hearing nearly unanimous praise of the U.S. defense secretary’s nullification of plea deals for the accused 9/11 mastermind and two others that would have removed the death penalty as a...

Defense secretary overrides plea agreement for accused 9/11 mastermind and two other defendants

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Friday overrode a plea agreement reached earlier this week for the accused mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and two other defendants, reinstating them as death-penalty cases. The move comes two days after the military...

North Korea's former No. 2 diplomat in Cuba describes his dramatic, swift defection

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — When Ri Il Gyu, North Korea’s No. 2 diplomat in Cuba, finally decided to flee to South Korea in frustration over his highly repressive, corrupt homeland in November, he finished all necessary prep work alone. About a week later, he told his family to be ready to leave...