Virus probed in paralysis cases in 9 Colorado kids

Virus probed in paralysis cases in 9 Colorado kids

NEW YORK

Health officials are investigating nine cases of muscle weakness or paralysis in Colorado children and whether the culprit might be a virus causing severe respiratory illness across the country.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday sent doctors an alert about the polio-like cases and said the germ — enterovirus 68 — was detected in four out of eight of the sick children who had a certain medical test. The status of the ninth case is unclear.

The virus can cause paralysis, but other germs can, too. Health officials don’t know whether the virus caused any of the children’s arm and leg weaknesses or whether it’s just a germ they coincidentally picked up.

“That’s why we want more information,” and for doctors to report similar cases, said the CDC’s Dr. Jane Seward.

Taliban behead 12 in Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan

The Taliban beheaded 12 Afghan civilians, mostly family members of local policemen, in an assault that was part of a week-long offensive that so far has killed 60 people and wounded scores in a remote province in eastern Afghanistan, officials said Friday.

However, a Taliban spokesman in Ghazni province denied the reports of beheadings and civilian slayings, insisting the insurgents were only fighting Afghan forces there.

The violence comes amid the annual Taliban offensive, which this year will be an important gauge of how well Afghan government forces are able to face insurgent attacks ahead of the withdrawal of foreign combat troops at the end of the year.

Nigerian schoolgirl freed by extremists returns home

JOHANNESBURG

The first of Nigeria’s kidnapped “Chibok girls” to make it home after being released by her Islamic extremist captors spent a tortured night, tossing and turning and screaming, “They will kill me! They will kill me!”

So says the Rev. Enoch Mark, who stayed up through Thursday night with the traumatized young woman.

She appears to be the daughter of a Chadian carpenter who moved to the town of Chibok many years ago, according to interviews by The Associated Press.

Republicans attend conservative event

WASHINGTON

Fighting to improve their brand, leading Republicans rallied behind religious liberty at a Friday gathering of evangelical conservatives, rebuking an unpopular President Barack Obama while skirting divisive social issues.

Speakers did not ignore abortion and gay marriage altogether on the opening day of the annual Values Voter Summit, but a slate of prospective presidential candidates focused on the persecution of Christians and their values at home and abroad — a message GOP officials hope will help unify a divided party and appeal to new voters ahead of November’s midterm elections and the 2016 presidential contest.

“Oh, the vacuum of American leadership we see in the world,” Texas Sen. Ted Cruz declared Friday in a Washington hotel ballroom packed with religious conservatives. “We need a president who will speak out for people of faith, prisoners of conscience.”

Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul echoed the theme in a speech describing America as a nation in “spiritual crisis.”

“Not a penny should go to any nation that persecutes or kills Christians,” said Paul who, like Cruz, is openly considering a 2016 presidential bid.

Associated Press