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Hot-air balloon pilot struggled to contain fire before crash - Los Angeles Times Posted: 10 May 2014 09:16 AM PDT The body of a person aboard a hot-air balloon that crashed in central Virginia on Friday night was recovered overnight by crews that continued to search a wooded area Saturday for the other two people inside the balloon when it struck a power line and burst into flames. Amateur videos provided to Virginia State Police indicate that two people either fell or jumped from the burning balloon as it plunged to the ground, police spokeswoman Corinne Geller told reporters Saturday morning. There was little hope of finding either victim alive. "We are now transitioning from a rescue operation to a recovery operation," Geller said. The balloon pilot struggled to contain the fire and keep the balloon aloft, but it plummeted to the ground in flames just before 8 p.m., Geller said. Video taken by bystanders showed the balloon as it struck a live power line and was immediately consumed by orange flames. Witnesses said they heard people in the balloon screaming for help. "They were just screaming for anybody to help them," Carrie Hager-Bradley told TV station WWBT. "'Help me, help me, sweet Jesus, help. I'm going to die. Oh my God, I'm going to die,'" said Hager-Bradley, who said she saw the balloon in flames while on her way home from a grocery store. Geller said of the two people seen falling to the ground: "Whether they leapt on their own or fell, we don't know." Debra Ferguson told the Free Lance-Star of Fredericksburg that she saw balloons landing safely in a field near her yard, then saw another balloon in trouble. "As soon as we looked up, the thing blew up right there," Ferguson said. "All I heard was, 'Oh my God, oh my God,' and all you saw was the top of the balloon still flying, but all of the basket was gone. "All of the flames just disappeared. It was like a match -- poof -- and then it was gone." Search crews aided by canine teams conducted a grid search Saturday morning in a debris field near the balloon's intended landing site in a field where two other balloons landed safely Friday night. Searchers were hoping to find the remains of the gondola and the balloon, which separated after the aircraft caught fire, Geller said. The balloons went airborne as part of a "Friday Flights Happy Hour" at the first Mid-Atlantic Balloon Festival, which organizers said was canceled after the deadly accident. Event planners had expected up to 20,000 people to attend the event Saturday and Sunday at Meadow Event Park in Doswell, Va., north of Richmond. Twenty hot air balloon teams were to attend, according to the event's website. Greg Hicks, a spokesman for Meadow Event Park, appeared at a Virginia State Police news conference but offered few details.  "It's just a shocking event for everyone," he told reporters. The body that was recovered just before midnight was transported to the state medical examiner's office for identification. Geller said police have the names of all three balloon occupants and have been in touch with their families. The names were not released. Two Federal Aviation Administration investigators were at the scene Saturday, joined by representatives of the National Transportation Safety Board, Geller said. The agencies are investigating the circumstances and cause of the accident. Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times

NBA's pick of Dick Parsons as new Clippers leader wins praise - Los Angeles Times Posted: 10 May 2014 09:02 AM PDT The selection of former Time Warner executive Dick Parsons to run the Clippers has been met with praise. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said the appointment of Parsons, former chairman of Time Warner and Citigroup, would bring "extraordinary leadership" to the Clippers organization as it faces the defection of advertisers and the threatened flight of fans, players and coaches. "Seems like a great pick," said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. "I want the players and Coach [Doc] Rivers to get the support they deserve and need." Parsons, 66, is a native New Yorker and former college basketball player who has a reputation as a diplomatic negotiator and effective crisis manager, with deep political and corporate ties. One of the most powerful black executives in corporate America, he helped guide Citigroup as the banking giant clawed its way out of the Great Recession and into recovery. He once was considered a possible Republican candidate for mayor of New York. Parsons takes the place of Andy Roeser, the team president who defended Sterling immediately after the website TMZ broadcast a recording of the owner saying he did not want to see a companion bringing black people to Clipper games. In addition to the ban, Silver fined Sterling $2.5 million and said he would urge owners to force a sale of the franchise. Roeser, put on indefinite leave this week by the NBA, has worked for Sterling for 30 years. Parsons said Friday in an interview with The Times that he sees his new job as serving as a "conservator" of the team and its assets while the NBA pushes for a new owner. ALSO: LAPD in mourning after 3 officers killed in 2 months Donald Sterling will fight to keep Clippers, Garcetti predicts Red Cross assisting homeless residents displaced after shelter fire Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times

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At Wal-Mart, Obama touts efficiency, angers labor - Washington Post Posted: 09 May 2014 10:14 AM PDT MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — President Barack Obama is announcing pledges by more than 300 companies and state and local governments to use solar technology. Obama says that's a good move for the country because solar energy is cheaper and easier to use than ever before. He also says it will save money the companies can use to create jobs and grow their businesses. Obama is making the announcement at a Wal-Mart store in Mountain View, California, because the retailer has promised to double the number of solar energy projects at its stores and distribution center. But the choice of Wal-Mart has triggered a backlash from labor unions and pay equity advocates who say the retailer pays low wages. Obama says the pledges show there are cost-effective ways to battle climate change and create jobs. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below. President Barack Obama is showcasing Wal-Mart, often a target of labor groups and other Democratic constituencies, to promote advances in energy efficiency in his broader campaign to confront climate change. Obama on Friday was to announce commitments from more than 300 companies and local and state governments to use solar energy technology. He also was announcing executive actions aimed at increasing energy efficiency in buildings and appliances. The White House says the solar effort will power the equivalent of 130,000 homes and the administrative actions could reduce carbon pollution in an amount equal to taking 80 million cars off the road for one year. The White House chose Wal-Mart because the company has committed to doubling the number of solar energy projects at its stores, Sam's Clubs and distribution centers. But in choosing the giant retailer as the backdrop for his announcement, Obama triggered a backlash from labor unions and pay equity advocates who say Wal-Mart pays low wages and who archly noted that Obama has made pay equity a central issue of his presidency. "What numbskull in the White House arranged this?" former Labor Secretary Robert Reich, who served in the Bill Clinton administration, said in a posting on Facebook on Thursday. "While he's in California, I would hope President Obama would speak directly to Wal-Mart employees and hear from them about their daily struggles to pay the rent and put food on the table," said Maria Elena Durazo, the executive secretary-treasurer of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO. Wal-Mart says it pays wages that are competitive in the retail industry. The clashing energy vs. jobs message is not new to the White House. Labor unions, for example, have pressed the Obama administration to approve the Keystone XL pipeline from Canada into the U.S. because it would create jobs. Environmentalists oppose the pipeline, and the administration recently put off a decision on whether to approve it, likely until after the November congressional elections. Obama was wrapping up a three-day trip mostly devoted to raising money for the Democratic Party. Complicating things for the White House, Obama on Thursday attended a fundraiser hosted by Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer, who sits on Wal-Mart's board of directors. In promoting the energy efficiency announcement ahead of Friday's event, the White House said solar energy prices have dropped markedly in four years, with solar panels now costing about 60 percent less. "All of this means more jobs in the industry, which is now supporting more than 140,000 good-paying American jobs and that are increasing at a rate of 20 percent per year," said Dan Utech, a special assistant to Obama on energy and climate change. The White House said Obama also would announce completion of energy efficiency standards for walk-in coolers and freezers typically used in grocery stores. The rule on walk-in freezers was proposed last August under an agreement with attorneys general from 10 states and New York City. The states, along with House and Senate Democrats, have been urging Obama to move faster to implement proposed efficiency standards, including those for commercial walk-in coolers and freezers, which were due in 2012. ___ Associated Press writer Matthew Daly in Washington contributed to this report. ___ Follow Jim Kuhnhenn on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/jkuhnhenn Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Amnesty: Nigeria Warned About School Raid - Voice of America Posted: 09 May 2014 09:57 AM PDT A human rights group says Nigerian security forces had advance warning about the raid on a girls boarding school in which militants kidnapped more than 300 students. Amnesty International says Nigerian security forces failed to act on warnings that began coming in more than four hours before Boko Haram fighters attacked the school in the town of Chibok late on April 14. The rights group blamed the lack of action on an "inability to muster troops," due to poor resources and a possible fear of engaging with the often better-armed militants. Amnesty said Friday that it learned of the warnings from local officials and two senior military officers.  There was no immediate reaction from the Nigerian government. At least 11 U.S. military staff officers have arrived in Nigeria to help find the 276 girls still missing.   On Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said the United States will do all it can to free the girls. "Our inter-agency team is hitting the ground in Nigeria now, and they are going to be working in concert with [Nigerian] President Goodluck Jonathan's government to do everything that we possibly can to return these girls to their families and their communities.  We are also going to do everything possible to counter the menace of Boko Haram." Britain, China, France and Canada have also promised to help with the search. Boko Haram's leader has said the group intends to "sell" the girls.  Nigerian police have offered a $300,000 reward for information leading to the location and rescue of the students. Boko Haram is blamed for thousands of deaths since it launched an uprising against the Nigerian government in 2009.   The group has attacked schools, churches, mosques, police stations, and markets while seeking to establish strict Islamic law in Muslim-majority northern Nigeria. Nigeria declared a state of emergency in three northeastern states a year ago but efforts by the military to crush or contain the insurgency have been unsuccessful.

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Russia Demands Ukraine Prepay for Gas from June--Energy Minister - Wall Street Journal Posted: 08 May 2014 10:01 AM PDT By Alexander Kolyandr MOSCOW--Russia will demand that Ukraine prepay for June natural gas imports, and the first bill will be delivered to Kiev on May 16, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said Thursday. Mr. Novak said the deadline that Ukraine had to settle its gas bill for earlier deliveries expired Wednesday and, according to the contract between Russian gas monopoly Gazprom and its Ukraine counterpart Naftogaz, Ukraine will have to pay for future deliveries in advance. The minister said starting in June Ukraine will receive only the volume of gas it had paid for by the end of May. Ukraine has run up a bill for Russian gas, which Gazprom said has reached $3.5 billion. Naftogaz confirmed earlier Thursday that no payment has been made to cover the debt. On Tuesday, Ukraine received a first installment, $3.19 billion, from a rescue package approved by the International Monetary Fund. Part of the money is aimed at paying off gas bills to Russia as well as future energy costs. However, Naftogaz said it is ready to pay off the debt only if Russia retains old prices. Last month Russia nearly doubled what it charges Ukraine, to $485.50 per 1,000 cubic meters. Kiev has described the increase as an act of "economic war" and declined to accept them, threatening to fight the hike in an international arbitrage court. People familiar with the matter said the two sides still have time to find a compromise on price. Gazprom supplies about 30% of Europe's gas. Around half of those supplies transit through Ukraine. The country is one Gazprom's largest markets but, in buying gas from Europe rather than from Russia, Kiev is aiming at reducing its dependence on its neighbor. Ukraine is in talks with Slovakia and other neighboring countries to reverse the gas flow so that it can buy Russian gas destined for Europe from the end buyers Write to Alexander Kolyandr at Alexander.Kolyandr@wsj.com

Nigeria abducted schoolgirls: Malala Yousafzai urges action - BBC News Posted: 08 May 2014 10:02 AM PDT 7 May 2014 Last updated at 23:33 Pakistani schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai: "If we remain silent then this will spread" Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani schoolgirl who survived a shooting by Taliban insurgents, has said the world must not stay silent over the abduction of more than 200 girls in Nigeria. She told the BBC that "if we remain silent then this will spread, this will happen more and more and more". The girls were kidnapped more than three weeks ago by Islamist Boko Haram militants in north-east Borno state. Malala was shot in the head in 2012 for campaigning for girls' education. The 16-year-old survived after months of surgery and rehabilitation in the UK, and is now a vocal campaigner for girls' access to education worldwide. Former UN chief Kofi Annan, also appealed for action. He criticised both the Nigerian government and other African nations for not reacting faster to the kidnapping, and called on them to use whatever was at their disposal to help free the girls. The abduction of the girls has overshadowed the World Economic Forum which opened in the Nigerian city of Abuja on Wednesday evening. The US, UK and France have despatched teams of experts to Nigeria to help recover the girls. Boko Haram has been accused of carrying out another attack in Borno state on Monday, in which some 300 people are reported to have died. Residents said that gunmen went on the rampage in Gamboru Ngala after spreading a rumour that the abducted girls had been spotted elsewhere, prompting security forces to leave the town. This still is from footage taken as relatives of the schoolgirls visited the burnt-out remains of the school from where they were taken on 14 April For the past week there have been daily protests countrywide calling for more to be done to find the girls Describing the Nigerian girls as her "sisters" who are "in a prison", Malala said that the only way to stop similar abductions happening in future was to speak out. She described Boko Haram as a group of extremists who did not understand that Islam said believers had a duty to educate themselves, and be tolerant and kind towards others. Boko Haram's leader admitted earlier this week that his fighters had abducted the girls - who are mostly aged between 16 and 18 and were taking their final year exams - from their school in the town of Chibok on 14 April. Abubakar Shekau threatened to "sell" the students, saying they should not have been in school in the first place, but rather should get married. Another 11 girls were kidnapped on Sunday night after two villages were attacked near the militants' forest hideout. The abductions have prompted widespread criticism of the Nigerian government and demonstrations countrywide. US First Lady Michelle Obama tweets a picture of herself highlighting the #BringBackOurGirls campaign Boko Haram's leader has threatened to "sell" the students US President Barack Obama has condemned the abductions as "outrageous" and "heartbreaking" and First Lady Michelle Obama joined a social media campaign, tweeting a picture of herself holding a piece of paper with the message #BringBackOurGirls. Former UN chief Kofi Annan says security forces should be used to free the kidnapped girls Nigeria's police on Wednesday offered a $300,000 (£180,000) reward to anyone who can help locate and rescue the schoolgirls, but some are asking why it has taken this long for such a move to be taken. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, in Nigeria for the World Economic Forum, offered to provide help from his country's satellite and intelligence services. Boko Haram, whose name means "Western education is forbidden" in the local Hausa language, began its insurgency in 2009. An estimated 1,000 people have died in the violence and security crackdown this year alone.

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Nigeria Offers Reward for Info on Kidnapped Girls - Voice of America Posted: 07 May 2014 08:46 AM PDT Nigerian police offered a $300,000 reward on Wednesday to anyone who can give credible information leading to the rescue of the nearly 300 schoolgirls abducted by Islamist rebels. Police listed six phone numbers in their statement and urged Nigerians to "be part of the solution to the present security challenge" and call in with "credible information." Last month's mass kidnapping by the militant group Boko Haram in the remote northeastern village of Chibok triggered an international outcry and protests in Nigeria, piling pressure on the government to rescue the girls. Three weeks ago, Boko Haram abducted more than 300 schoolgirls from their dormitory in Chibok in Borno state in northern Nigeria. Some have escaped, but the kidnappers hold more than 270 girls. Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau has threatened in a video to sell the girls "on the market." Public anger mounted after locals on Tuesday said another eight girls had been seized from the same remote northeastern area by suspected members of the group, which is seeking to carve out an Islamist state. The Nigerian government has been widely criticized for not doing enough to find and rescue the girls. Other countries offer aid The United States has offered to send a team to Nigeria to help the search efforts. Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan welcomed the U.S. offer  to send an American team to Nigeria to support the government's efforts to find the girls. U.S. President Barack Obama said the team is comprised of personnel from military, law enforcement and other agencies. Obama told ABC the kidnappings ``may be the event that helps to mobilize the entire international community to finally do something against this horrendous organization (Boko Haram) that's perpetrated such a terrible crime.'' France on Wednesday also offered to send security service agents to Nigeria to rescue the missing girls, Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said. With more than 4,000 troops operating between Mali to the west and Central African Republic to the east, Paris has a major interest in preventing Nigeria's security situation from deteriorating, having previously voiced concerns Boko Haram could spread further north into the Sahel. The kidnappings, and other attacks by Boko Haram, have overshadowed Nigeria's hosting of the World Economic Forum, which is due to start later Wednesday. Nigerian officials had hoped the event would draw attention to the potential of Africa's biggest economy as an investment destination. International aid welcomed Dandalin VOA reported that one father of a missing girl said the families are happy now that countries such as the U.S. are helping in the search for their daughters. He described how the abductions unfolded and how some of the families had to take matters into their own hands in searching for the schoolgirls. Media reports said several parents had taken motorcycles into the Sambisa forest, a known Boko Haram hideout near the school where it is believed the girls were taken. At first, the father said he was so distraught by the abduction, he couldn't eat for a week. He was hospitalized several times in the past three weeks while his wife is still unable to perform her normal chores.   He said the 30 or so military personnel stationed in Chibok at the time of the abductions put up a fight, but there were too many well-armed extremists. Some information for this report provided by Reuters.

Putin Calls on Separatists in Eastern Ukraine to Delay Independence Vote - Wall Street Journal Posted: 07 May 2014 09:06 AM PDT [unable to retrieve full-text content] Wall Street Journal Putin Calls on Separatists in Eastern Ukraine to Delay Independence Vote Wall Street Journal A man helps a pro-Russia rebel climb through a window of the city hall in Mariupol, eastern Ukraine, on Wednesday. Reuters. MOSCOW—Russian President Vladimir Putin Wednesday appealed to pro-Russian separatists in southeastern Ukraine to delay a ... Putin: Russian troops withdrawn from Ukraine borderUSA TODAY Putin Claims Russian Forces Have Withdrawn From Ukraine BorderTIME Putin Says Russia Forces Withdrew from Ukraine BorderNew York Times Bloomberg -Reuters -New York Daily News all 3,364 news articles »

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White House sets out looming climate risks for US, calls for 'urgent action' - CNN Posted: 06 May 2014 09:18 AM PDT STORY HIGHLIGHTS "Americans are noticing changes all around them," a new report says It outlines the dangers different parts of the country could face from climate change The report's findings "underscore the need for urgent action," the White House says The assessment was produced over several years by more than 300 experts Washington (CNN) -- Flooded rail lines. Bigger, more frequent droughts. A rash of wildfires. Those are some of the alarming predictions in a White House climate change report released Tuesday, part of President Barack Obama's broader second-term effort to help the nation prepare for the effects of higher temperatures, rising sea levels and more erratic weather. "Climate change, once considered an issue for a distant future, has moved firmly into the present," the National Climate Assessment says, adding that the evidence of man-made climate change "continues to strengthen" and that "impacts are increasing across the country." "Americans are noticing changes all around them," the report says, echoing a draft version from last year. "Summers are longer and hotter. ... Rain comes in heavier downpours." In a statement released to coincide with the report's publication, the White House called for a rapid response. "The findings in this National Climate Assessment underscore the need for urgent action to combat the threats from climate change, protect American citizens and communities today, and build a sustainable future for our kids and grandkids," the White House said. Obama and his administration have long said that climate change is already affecting communities. More than 300 experts helped produce the report over several years, updating a previous assessment published in 2009. The President will help mark the release of the new National Climate Assessment by speaking with meteorologists about the report's findings, which his counselor John Podesta said Monday would offer "a huge amount of practical, usable knowledge" for communities as they cope with risks like longer dry spells and increased risk for wildfires. "It begins to take the climate discussion down to a regional level, so it breaks the country apart, anticipates what's going to happen in each region," Podesta said. "That kind of information will help communities plan." The report breaks the country down by region and identifies specific threats should climate change continue. In the densely populated Northeast, flooded rail lines and other infrastructure are named as a concern if sea levels rise. The Great Plains could experience heavier droughts and heat waves with increasing frequency. And more wildfires in the West could threaten agriculture and residential communities. The weeklong focus on climate change continues Wednesday, when the White House convenes a summit focused on green building tactics. Later in the week, Obama will announce new solar power initiatives, Podesta said. Obama has pledged to renew his efforts on climate change during his second term, including using executive actions that bypass Congress. He's introduced new regulations on truck emissions and created "climate hubs" that help businesses prepare for the effects of climate change. Obama and his administration are also approaching a decision on the Keystone XL pipeline, which would transport oil from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. Environmental groups say the project would contribute to climate change since it wouldn't help reduce the nation's dependence on fossil fuels. Podesta, who advocated against approving the pipeline before he joined the Obama administration last year, has recused himself from internal discussions on the matter and has declined to answer questions about the project. But Podesta did say that the recent energy boom in the United States -- powered by increased extractions of oil and natural gas through a controversial process known as fracking -- could reduce American dependence on fossil fuels. "We think it's a practical and viable way to reduce emissions in the short run," Podesta said. "Obviously, there are environmental issues around the production of gas and oil. But, again, in the administration's view, those can be -- those can be dealt with through the proper application of the best practices to produce that oil and gas." CNN's Kevin Liptak reported from Washington, and CNN's Jethro Mullen reported from London. 0 Comments » SHARE THIS Print Email More sharing

What It's Like to Be Attacked by Boko Haram: A Survivor's Story - ABC News Posted: 06 May 2014 09:19 AM PDT The Nigerian terrorist group Boko Haram gained worldwide notoriety this week after they admitted to kidnapping 300 high school girls last month and threatening to sell them into marriages. But the group has long terrorized residents of northern Nigeria -- especially Christians, according to one survivor of an attack. Habila Adamu, a resident of northern Nigeria, survived a mass killing of Christians by Boko Haram two years ago and came to the United States to share his story last year. He recalled how gunman bearing AK-47s went around his neighborhood shooting and killing Christians who refused to accept Islam. PHOTO: Adamu Habila speaks at the Hudson Institute on Nov. 14, 2013 in Washington, D.C. about his experience surviving a massacre in Nigeria by the Islamist terrorist group Boko Haram. "They asked me, 'Habila, are you ready to die as a Christian?'" Adamu recalled during his testimony in Congress last November. They were the last words Boko Haram gunman spoke to him before they shot him through the head. "On November 28, 2012, gunmen came to my home at around 11 p.m. and confronted me with my family. I thought they were soldiers on patrol, and when they opened the door, I was shocked to see that they were wearing robes and masks," he said. "The gunmen ordered me to come out with my family. And when I came out, they ordered my family to go back, and my wife begged them not to harm me. They said she should go back, because they were here to do the work of Allah. When I heard that, I knew that they were here to kill me." Boko Haram: Kidnappers, Slave-Owners, Terrorists, Killers Adamu said that his wife brought money from inside the house and begged the men not to kill him. They took the money and the couple's cell phones, and then barged into the home with even more men with AK-47s. The men questioned Adamu, asking him whether he was a member of the Nigeria police, the military, or the state security services. When Adamu said he was a businessman, they asked him about his religion. "I said I am a Christian. They asked me why are we preaching the message of Mohammed to you and you refuse to accept Islam," Adamu testified. He explained to the men that he believed he was preaching the word of God for his Christian faith. Who Are the Kidnapped Nigerian Girls? "Then they asked me, 'Habila, are you ready to die as a Christian?' I told them, 'I am ready to die as a Christian.' For the second time, they asked me, 'Are you ready to die as a Christian?' and I told them, 'I am ready.'" As he spoke the words a second time, the men shot him through the nose and Adamu fell to the ground. They kicked him and, thinking he was dead, yelled out "Allahu akbar," meaning "God is great." As his wife was crying out the men left, and Adamu told his wife he was alive. "I told her that even though I will die I have a message to everyone that will hear my story after I leave this world that 'to live in this world is to live for Christ, to die is a gain' -- that is my message," he said. Adamu's wife went to look for help but found that their Christian neighbors had been murdered, including the elder in his church and 13 others. Adamu lay on the floor bleeding until morning and lost vision. He was finally taken to a hospital to be treated for his wounds. "I am alive because God wants you to have a message. I have a message, just as I told my wife as I was left for dead, I have a message to everyone that will hear my story. Do everything that you can to end this ruthless religious persecution in northern Nigeria," Adamu said in Washington. Following Adamu's testimony in Washington, the U.S. State Department designated the group a terrorist organization.

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'I abducted your girls,' Nigerian Islamist leader reportedly says in video - Washington Post Posted: 05 May 2014 08:59 AM PDT The French news agency Agence France-Presse says it has obtained a video in which a leader of a militant Islamist group claims credit for abducting 276 Nigerian schoolgirls. It's been assumed that the group, Boko Haram, was responsible but until Monday there had been no claim made. There was no immediate independent verification of the video. According to AFP: Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau vowed to sell hundreds of schoolgirls kidnapped in northern Nigeria three weeks ago, in a new video obtained on Monday by AFP. 'I abducted your girls. I will sell them in the market, by Allah,' he said, after reports that some of the 223 girls still missing may have been sold as brides across Nigeria's border with Chad and Cameroon for as little as $12. Shekau added that the abduction had caused outrage 'because we are holding people (as) slaves.' In a related development, the Associated Press and the BBC said that police acting on the orders of Nigeria's first lady, Patience Jonathan, arrested  leaders of the movement protesting what they see as the government's disinterest in tracking down the girls. A leader of a protest march for the missing schoolgirls says Nigeria's first lady abused them, expressed doubts there was any kidnapping and accused them of belonging to the network blamed for the abductions. Then she ordered two of them arrested, the AP reported. Saratu Angus Ndirpaya of Chibok town said State Security Service agents drove her and protest leader Naomi Mutah Nyadar to a police station Monday after an all-night meeting at the presidential villa in Abuja, the capital. She said Nyadar remains in detention. Police could not be reached for comment. Ndirpaya says Patience Jonathan accused them of fabricating the abductions to give Nigeria's government and her husband "a bad name." Three weeks have now passed since dozens of heavily armed men descended upon a darkened dormitory where hundreds of Nigerian girls slept, abducted them and disappeared into the night. Three weeks since authorities erroneously stated that only 100 Chibok girls were missing — when in fact it was 276. And three weeks since hundreds of parents last saw their children, since they've launched protests that have swept a nation, since some of the girls were reportedly sold for $12 and vanished. Nigerian President Jonathan, who has taken sweeping criticism for what some have perceived as disregard for the crisis, addressed concerns on Sunday. "Wherever these girls are, we'll get them out," Jonathan said, adding that officials had no idea where they were. Then he proceeded to criticize parents for not being forthright with police. "What we request is maximum cooperation from the guardians and the parents of these girls. Because up to this time, they have not been able to come clearly, to give the police clear identity of the girls that have yet to return," he said. The events illustrated an escalating clash between a protest movement and a government many say has been feckless in its pursuit of the children. Adding to that tension is dismay that the government seems to have no idea where the girls are — because Village elder Pogo Bitrus told The Washington Post it's clear to locals. "Some of them have been taken to the northern part of the state, and these are the ones with the bad experiences in the mass marriages," Bitrus explained on Monday morning while waiting for a protester at an Abuja police station, who he claims was "detained for no reason." "But the bulk of them are kept in the Sambisa Forest," Bitrus said. "It's not too far from where the girls were abducted and where the majority of the escapees are from." While many in the West have expressed outrage at the abductions — there were weekend protests in London and Los Angeles — Bitrus conveyed resignation. "The government is slow and it is unfortunate, but this is the Nigerian attitude. This is not the West. If it was, someone would have resigned or been thrown out, but the whole thing is different here. And we must accommodate whatever." On April 14, the girls were believed to have been captured by murderously violent militants belonging to Boko Haram, which means "Western education is sinful." Since 2010, the group has carried out a vicious campaign against education, which it blames for many of the problems in Nigeria, the continent's most populous nation. According to some estimates, the group has killed as many as 2,300 people. This year, more than 1,500 have died in regular bouts of ethnic violence, and the government has at times appeared powerless to stop the bloodletting. Today, it's unclear which side has control over Nigeria's northern states — the government, or Boko Haram. Some of the girls, though Bitrus says it's unclear how many, have been taken into Cameroon and Chad and have since disappeared. This reality has made some in Nigeria lose faith in the military, and question whether it can monitor the girls' movements, let alone rescue them. "The free movement of the kidnappers in huge convoys with their captives for two weeks without being traced by the military, which claims to be working diligently to free the girls, is unbelievable," Bitrus said. Still, there was reason for optimism, he said. This isn't the first time Boko Haram has kidnapped girls. But it is one of the first times, if not the first, that it's attracted such global attention. "This has been a tradition of Boko Haram," he said. "This is not starting now. It has just ever been heard of before. … But with this pressure, they'll be released very soon." And if not? "The Boko Haram is known to be so vicious, so ruthless," he said. "They don't value life. They are people who blow themselves up. They are capable of doing anything."

Supreme Court upholds prayer at government meetings - USA TODAY Posted: 05 May 2014 09:00 AM PDT Linda Stephens, an atheist, and Susan Galloway, who is Jewish, speak outside the Supreme Court after oral arguments on the government prayer case in November.(Photo: Saul Loeb, AFP/Getty Images) WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court on Monday upheld the centuries-old tradition of offering prayers at the start of government meetings, even if those prayers are overwhelmingly Christian. The 5-4 decision in favor of the any-prayer-goes policy in the town of Greece, N.Y., avoided two alternatives that the justices clearly found abhorrent: having government leaders parse prayers for sectarian content, or outlawing them altogether. It was written by Justice Anthony Kennedy, with the court's conservatives agreeing and its liberals, led by Justice Elena Kagan, dissenting. The long-awaited ruling following oral arguments in November was a victory for the the town, which was taken to court by two women who argued that a plethora of overtly Christian prayers at town board meetings violated their rights. While the court had upheld the practice of legislative prayer, most recently in a 1983 case involving the Nebraska Legislature, the case of Town of Greece v. Galloway presented the justices with a new twist: mostly Christian clergy delivering frequently sectarian prayers before an audience that often includes average citizens with business to conduct. The court's ruling said the alternative – having the town board act as supervisors and censors of religious speech – would involve the government far more than Greece was doing by inviting any clergy to deliver the prayers. "An insistence on non-sectarian or ecumenical prayer as a single, fixed standard is not consistent with the tradition of legislative prayer outlined in the court's cases," Kennedy said. Kagan, joined by the court's other three liberal justices, said the town's prayers differed from those delivered to legislators about to undertake the people's business. In Greece, she said, sectarian prayers were delivered to "ordinary citizens," and their participation was encouraged. "No one can fairly read the prayers from Greece's town meetings as anything other than explicitly Christian – constantly and exclusively so," Kagan said. "The prayers betray no understanding that the American community is today, as it long has been, a rich mosaic of religious faiths." The legal tussle began in 2007, following eight years of nothing but Christian prayers in the town of nearly 100,000 people outside Rochester. Susan Galloway and Linda Stephens, a Jew and an atheist, took the board to federal court and won by contending that its prayers – often spiced with references to Jesus, Christ and the Holy Spirit – aligned the town with one religion. Once the legal battle was joined, town officials canvassed widely for volunteer prayer-givers and added a Jewish layman, a Wiccan priestess and a member of the Baha'i faith to the mix. Stephens, meanwhile, awoke one morning to find her mailbox on top of her car, and part of a fire hydrant turned up in her swimming pool. The two women contended that the prayers in Greece were unconstitutional because they pressured those in attendance to participate. They noted that unlike federal and state government sessions, town board meetings are frequented by residents who must appear for everything from business permits to zoning changes. But several justices had worried that there was no prayer which would satisfy everyone, leaving the court little option but to reiterate its support of legislative prayer or remove it entirely from government meetings – something they clearly did not want to do. The court's 30-year-old precedent, Marsh v. Chambers, upheld the Nebraska Legislature's funding of a chaplain who delivered daily prayers. Chief Justice Warren Burger ruled then that such prayers were "part of the fabric of our society." The decision prohibited only those prayers that take sides by advancing or disparaging a particular religion. Since Marsh, backers of church-state separation had made modest gains. In 1984, Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's "endorsement test" established that every government practice must be judged to determine whether it endorses one religion. In 1989, the court ruled that a Christmas crèche display on a courthouse staircase went too far by endorsing Christianity and brought forth O'Connor's "reasonable observer" test. O'Connor was in court for the November arguments. The current court, with its 5-4 conservative tilt, agreed to consider the case following a federal appeals court's ruling against the town. Judge Guido Calabresi of the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals said its actions "virtually ensured a Christian viewpoint" and featured a "steady drumbeat of often specifically sectarian Christian prayers." Justice Stephen Breyer defended that ruling in a separate dissent. The case hinged on these words from the First Amendment: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." That has come to be known as the Establishment Clause. The Obama administration came down forcefully on the town's side – most notably because both houses of Congress have opened with prayers since 1789. The House and Senate have had chaplains on staff since 1789. But the prayers delivered these days are far less sectarian than those heard in churches, temples and synagogues. Most state legislatures open their sessions with a prayer, nearly half of them with guidelines. Many county legislatures open meetings with a prayer, according to an informal survey by the National Association of Counties. National data on prayer practices at the city, town and village levels do not exist. The Supreme Court cracked down on prayer in schools in the 1960s, ruling against Bible readings, the Lord's Prayer or an official state prayer. In Lemon v. Kurtzman, a 1971 case involving religion in legislation, the high court devised what became known as the "Lemon test." Government action, it said, should have a secular purpose, cannot advance or inhibit religion and must avoid too much government entanglement with religion. Then came Marsh, in which the court gave a green light to legislative prayer that does not advance or disparage any faith. Kennedy said Monday's decision follows in that spirit. "The inclusion of a brief, ceremonial prayer as part of a larger exercise in civic recognition suggests that its purpose and effect are to acknowledge religious leaders and the institutions they represent, rather than to exclude or coerce non-believers," he said. Follow @richardjwolf on Twitter.

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Obama skewers Republicans, Democrats, media at 100th White House ... - CBS News Posted: 04 May 2014 09:16 AM PDT WASHINGTON, D.C. - Forgoing the largely self-deprecating front he's donned the past several years, President Obama during his prepared roast Saturday to the White House Correspondents' Association dinner instead opted to go after some members of the Washington, D.C., cast who've complicated his five-and-a-half-year tenure in the Oval Office. "These days, House Republicans are giving [Speaker John Boehner] a harder time than they give me - which means orange really is the new black," the president told the crowd, poking fun at the Ohio Republican's famously tanned skin. The gathering's namesake White House Correspondents' Association celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, and its annual to-do awash with the incongruous blend of political elite and Hollywood celebrities is often dubbed by those within the Washington beltway, "nerd prom." Basking in the liberation of never again facing reelection, Mr. Obama aimed squarely at several likely 2016 prospects. President Barack Obama laughs at a joke during the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner in Washington May 3, 2014. JOSHUA ROBERTS, REUTERS Simultaneously ribbing the New Jersey governor's ill-famed scandal on the George Washington Bridge and the bumper-to-bumper partisanship that's locked down Washington, D.C., since 2010, the president joked that gridlock "has gotten so bad in this town - you've got to wonder, 'What did we do to piss off Chris Christie so bad?'" He also took stabs at tea party favorite Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and the early Democratic front-runner, Hillary Clinton. "Let's face it, Fox, you will miss me when I'm gone," he said. "It will be harder to convince the American people that Hillary was born in Kenya." Chiming in one more dig to the cable network, he added: ''The Koch brothers bought a table here tonight, but as usual they used a shadowy right-wing organization as a front. Hello, Fox News!'' In general, Mr. Obama said, he sometimes does "feel disrespected by you reporters," adding with a double shoutout to Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman in the audience and ABC News: "Jake Tapper, don't you ever talk about me like that; I'm the best president in the game!" Fresh off a trip from Malaysia, he also skewered CNN's round-the-clock coverage of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370: "The lengths we have to go to get CNN coverage these days!" Mr. Obama said to laughs. "I think they're still searching for their table." "MSNBC is here - they're a little overwhelmed," he continued. "They've never seen an audience this big before." President Barack Obama and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius gesture as they take part in a joke during the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner in Washington May 3, 2014. JOSHUA ROBERTS, REUTERS But the president didn't remove himself entirely from the hot seat. A number of his punch lines focused on the botched rollout of Healthcare.gov, noting that it "could've gone better," while also jesting that the plan turned out to be one of the year's biggest cinematic blockbusters, "Frozen." ''In 2008 my slogan was 'Yes we can,'" he said. "In 2013 my slogan was 'Control-alt-delete.''' At the conclusion of his 20-minute talk, Kathleen Sebelius - who stepped down from her post as Health and Human Services Secretary in the wake of the website debacle - joined the president to help him fix a technical bug: "I got this," she said. "I see it all the time." Following the roast, headlining comedian Joel McHale shared a couple of punching bags with the president, joking that his own remarks would be "short and sweet - just like Chris Christie's presidential bid." And with his own spin on the House speaker's skin tone, he teased, "Joe Biden is elbow-deep in jalapeno peppers and talking to a construction cone he thinks is John Boehner. Joel McHale, star of the NBC series Community, speaks during the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner in Washington May 3, 2014. JOSHUA ROBERTS, REUTERS © 2014 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Democrat: GOP's Benghazi committee 'waste of time' - Daily Mail Posted: 04 May 2014 07:57 AM PDT By Associated Press Published: 09:52 EST, 4 May 2014 | Updated: 09:52 EST, 4 May 2014 WASHINGTON (AP) — A Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee says it makes no sense to participate in the select committee that Republicans want to create to investigate the 2012 attack on the U.S. diplomatic outpost in Benghazi, Libya. Rep. Adam Schiff of California says he'd recommend that Democratic leaders not appoint any Democrats to the committee that Speaker John Boehner (BAY'-nur) is moving to set up. Schiff tells "Fox News Sunday" that there have been multiple investigations into Benghazi and that the new committee is "a colossal waste of time." FILE - This April 29, 2014 file photo shows House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio speaking on Capitol Hill in Washington. Boehner says he'll establish select House committee to investigate Benghazi attack. (AP Photo, File) Schiff calls the committee "a tremendous red herring" and a waste of money and believes Boehner is bowing to the GOP's far-right faction. Boehner says U.S. officials misled the public after the assault that killed the ambassador and three other Americans. FILE - This April 11, 2011 file photo shows U.S. envoy Chris Stevens in Benghazi, Libya. House Speaker John Boehner on Friday declared he¿d schedule a vote to create a select committee to investigate the Benghazi attack, escalating a political battle that has raged since the final days of President Barack Obama¿s re-election campaign. Boehner said U.S. officials misled the American people after the Sept. 11, 2012, assault on the U.S. diplomatic post in Libya that killed Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans. He said emails released this week showed the White House has withheld documents from congressional investigators and begged the question, ¿What else about Benghazi is the Obama administration still hiding from the American people.¿ (AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File) Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.

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