Military retirees could pay more

Military retirees could pay more

WASHINGTON

The government’s promise of lifetime health care for the military’s men and women is suddenly a little less sacrosanct as Congress looks to slash trillion-dollar-plus deficits.

Republicans and Democrats alike are signaling a willingness — unheard of at the height of two post-Sept. 11 wars in Iraq and Afghanistan — to make military retirees pay more for coverage. It’s a reflection of Washington’s newfound embrace of fiscal austerity and the Pentagon’s push to cut health-care costs that have skyrocketed from $19 billion in 2001 to $53 billion.

The numbers are daunting for a military focused on building and arming an all-volunteer force for war. The Pentagon is providing health-care coverage for 3.3 million active duty personnel and their dependents and 5.5 million retirees, eligible dependents and surviving spouses. Retirees outnumber the active duty, 2.3 million to 1.4 million.

Heir to throne in Saudi Arabia dies

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia’s ruling monarchy moved into a critical period of realignment Saturday after the death of the heir to the throne opened the way for a new crown prince: most likely a tough-talking interior minister who has led crackdowns on Islamic militants but also has shown favor to ultraconservative traditions such as keeping the ban on women voting.

A state funeral is planned for Tuesday in Riyadh for crown prince Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz al Saud, who died in New York at the age of 80 after an unspecified illness, the official Saudi Press Agency said.

Now, Saudi rulers are expected to move quickly to name the new king-in-waiting — which royal protocol suggests will be Sultan’s half brother, Prince Nayef.

US: Terror attack in Kenya possible

NAIROBI, Kenya

The U.S. Embassy is warning that a terrorist attack in Kenya is possible.

The warning said likely targets include places that foreigners congregate, including shopping malls and night clubs.

The embassy issued the warning from what it called credible information.

The U.S. did not specify who might carry out such an attack, but the warning comes a week after Kenyan troops pushed into Somalia to attack al-Shabab militants. Al-Shabab carried out attacks in July in Uganda that killed 76 people.

Identical twins give birth on same day

BLOOMINGTON, Ind.

Two identical twins in Indiana now have another birthday in common: They delivered babies on the same day at the same hospital.

The Herald-Times reported that 21-year-old Jessica and Jennifer Patterson gave birth Wednesday at Indiana University Health Bloomington Hospital.

Jennifer Patterson gave birth first to a girl, Adalynn Rose Patterson, who was born with a collapsed lung but is now doing fine. Eight and a half hours later, Jessica Patterson gave birth to a boy, Mason Douglas Patterson, by cesarean section.

Jennifer Patterson calls the same-day births “kind of cool.” Both women live in the tiny Lawrence County town of Judah.

Hospital spokeswoman Amanda Roach says no one can recall the last time identical twins delivered babies at the hospital on the same day.

Associated Press