Dorothy Abernathy, The Associated Press bureau chief for West Virginia and Virginia, shares the 10 things you need to know Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2013. Look for full stories on these late-breaking news items, upcoming events and stories in West Virginia newspapers:
1. A CEREMONY TO HONOR MANDELA
Amid cold, driving rain world leaders and South Africans gather to remember “a global icon of forgiveness.”
2. WHO’S GOING TO WIN THE DATA WAR
As the U.S. tracks and analyzes cellphone and Internet activity in search of terrorists, it’s instigating a battle with technology companies that do much the same thing in search of profits.
3. A YEAR LATER, NEWTOWN BRACES FOR 12/14
There are 26 bronze stars that sit atop the local firehouse, one for each adult and child gunned down on an unimaginable winter day at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
4. WESTERN DIPLOMATS HEAD TO UKRAINE
EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland are expected in Kiev to try to defuse the crisis.
5. CONGRESS VOTES TO RENEW BAN ON PLASTIC GUNS
But tougher restrictions, like requiring metal parts that cannot be removed, are defeated by Republicans.
6. ELIAN GONZALEZ TRAVELS ABROAD
The young Cuban boy who was the subject of an international custody fight in 2000 is on his first overseas trip since being reunited with his father.
7. VETERAN SAYS NORTH KOREA STATEMENT WAS COERCED
Former U.S. Army Lt. Merrill Newman, 85, says he was threatened with a lengthy prison sentence if he did not apologize for killing North Koreans during the war.
8. WHAT OKLAHOMA SAYS ABOUT SATANISTS’ STATUE
Legislative leaders try to ease concerns over a request by a New York-based group to erect a monument to Satan alongside the Ten Commandments at the state Capitol.
9. HOW `TITAN ARM’ CAN LEND A HELPING HAND
A robotic device invented by University of Pennsylvania engineering students can assist its wearer carry an additional 40 pounds.
10. ANTARCTICA’S DEEP-FREEZE RECORD
NASA satellite data reveals the icy continent hit minus 135.8 in August 2010.
