Dorothy Abernathy, The Associated Press bureau chief for West Virginia and Virginia, shares the 10 things you need to know Thursday, May 8, 2014. Look for full stories on these late-breaking news items, upcoming events and stories in West Virginia newspapers.
1. PUTIN SOUNDS CONCILIATORY NOTE
He declares that Russia has withdrawn its troops from the Ukrainian border — though NATO and Washington say they’ve seen no evidence of that yet.
2. BOKO HARAM KILLS HUNDREDS IN BUSY MARKETPLACE
The attack escalates Nigeria’s growing crisis from the campaign of bombings, massacres and abductions being waged by the Islamic militants.
3. WHO’S STRUGGLING IN THE CLASSROOM
Only about a quarter of high school seniors in the U.S. are performing proficiently or better in math, and just 4 in 10 are making the grade in reading, a new report says.
4. OIL TRAIN ACCIDENTS LEAD TO EMERGENCY ORDER
The U.S. Transportation Department orders railroads to advise officials about any large shipments of crude oil through their states.
5. WHAT’S HOLDING BACK THE GLOBAL ECONOMY
Birth rates — crucial for economic growth — tumbled after the 2008 financial crisis and still haven’t recovered.
6. GOP-LED HOUSE VOTES TO HOLD EX-IRS OFFICIAL IN CONTEMPT
Democrats deride the action targeting Lois Lerner as little more than an election-year ploy to fire up the Republican base.
7. ALIBABA IPO MEANS BILLIONS FOR YAHOO
The coming windfall will intensify pressure on CEO Marissa Mayer to revive Yahoo’s revenue growth after years of lethargy.
8. DRUG COURIER, 90, GETS 3-YEAR PRISON SENTENCE
The elderly man admitted last fall that he drove loads of cocaine into Michigan for a Mexican drug organization.
9. WHY GAY ACTIVISTS ARE LOBBYING NINTENDO
Only characters of the opposite sex are able to flirt, date and marry in the company’s hand-held 3DS game “Tomodachi Life.”
10. TEXANS ON THE CLOCK
Houston will have the No. 1 pick when the NFL draft gets underway Thursday night, Day 1 of a three-day, made-for-TV marathon.