North America

GREENBELT, Md. (AP) — A Coast Guard lieutenant accused of stockpiling guns and drafting a hit list of prominent Democrats and TV journalists is scheduled to be sentenced on Friday for his guilty plea to firearms and drug offenses.

Christopher Hasson, 50, faces a maximum of 31 years in prison at sentencing by U.S. District Judge George Hazel. He pleaded guilty in October to possessing unregistered and unserialized silencers, being a drug addict in possession of firearms and illegal possession of tramadol, an opioid painkiller.

WAUKEE, Iowa (AP) — With four days until the Iowa caucuses, Joe Biden is looking beyond his Democratic rivals and taking square aim at President Donald Trump as the two men campaign within miles of each other on the same day.

“In November, America will have the chance to answer the question: Does the character of a president matter?” Biden said as he delivered a sweeping address on why Trump must be defeated. “I don’t believe we are the dark angry nation that Donald Trump sees in his tweets in the middle of the night,” Biden later added. “America is so much better than this.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross suggested Thursday that the viral outbreak in China might offer an unexpected benefit for the U.S. economy: It could encourage American manufacturers in China to return to the United States.

“I think it will help to accelerate the return of jobs to North America. Some to U.S., probably some to Mexico as well,’’ Ross told Fox Business Network.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The questions from senators at President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial continued by the dozens on Thursday, with lawmakers inquiring about foreign election interference, the scope of presidential power and other areas that cut to the heart of the case now nearing its conclusion.

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — A man charged with murdering his wife who went missing amid a contentious divorce case died Thursday, his lawyer said.

Fotis Dulos, 52, had been hospitalized since Tuesday when he was found at his home in Farmington, Connecticut, following an apparent suicide attempt.

“It’s been a truly horrific day for the family filled with difficult decisions, medical tests and meeting the requirements to determine death,” attorney Norm Pattis said.

WAUKEE, Iowa (AP) — Pete Buttigieg and Joe Biden stepped up their criticisms of Bernie Sanders on Thursday, as moderates are under growing pressure to dull any momentum the progressive senator may gain heading into next week’s Iowa caucuses.

Biden, a former vice president, was blunt when asked by reporters to contrast himself with Sanders, who has long identified as a democratic socialist and was elected as an independent senator from Vermont.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee declared late Thursday he will oppose calling more witnesses in President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial, all but dashing Democratic efforts to hear more testimony and boosting chances the Senate will vote quickly to acquit the president.

NEW YORK, Jan 30 (APP): Boosting efforts to fight pneumonia could avert nearly 9 million child deaths from the disease, a new analysis has found as the first-ever global forum on childhood pneumonia got underway in Barcelona, Spain.

According to a new scientific model produced by Johns Hopkins University, in the United States, improving pneumonia treatment and prevention services could prevent up to 3.2 million children under the age of five from dying.

30 January 2020; AFP: Two decommissioned satellites sped past each other Wednesday after experts had warned they may collide at a combined speed of 33,000 miles (53,000 kilometers) an hour, sending thousands of pieces of debris hurtling through space.

30 January 2020; AFP: President Donald Trump's defense team, seeking a speedy acquittal at his Senate impeachment trial, resisted Democratic efforts on Wednesday to have former national security advisor John Bolton testify, arguing that it could prolong the divisive proceedings for months.