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Official: 3 Americans total died in Algeria attack

Labels: Health

Updated at 12:32 p.m. ET

Two additional Americans were killed in last week's hostage standoff at a natural gas complex in Algeria, bringing the final U.S. death toll to three, a U.S. official told CBS News Monday.

Seven Americans made it out safely.

The family of Victor Lynn Lovelady told CBS affiliate KFDM-TV in Beaumont, Texas, Monday that the FBI informed them Saturday of his death.

Previously, two other deceased Americans were identified to CBS News as Frederick Buttaccio of Katy, Texas, near Houston, and Gordon Lee Rowan.

The FBI has recovered the bodies and notified all the victims' families.

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Algerian hostage crisis: Death toll now more than 80

Militants who attacked the Ain Amenas gas field in the Sahara had offered to release some of the captive Americans in exchange for the freedom of two prominent terror suspects jailed in the United States: Omar Abdel Rahman, a blind sheik convicted of plotting to blow up New York City landmarks and considered the spiritual leader of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, and Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani scientist convicted of shooting at two U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan.

The Obama administration rejected the offer outright.

Last week's desert siege began Wednesday when Mali-based, al Qaeda-linked militants attempted to hijack two buses at the plant, were repelled, and then seized the gas refinery. They said the attack was retaliation for France's recent military intervention against Islamist rebels in neighboring Mali, but security experts argue it must have taken weeks of planning to hit the remote site.

Five Americans had been taken out of the country before Saturday's final assault by Algerian forces against the militants.

An Obama administration official told the Associated Press two further Americans survived the four-day crisis at an insecure oil rig at the facility. They were flown out to London on Saturday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak publicly about the matter.

Algeria says 38 hostages of all nationalities and 29 militants died in the standoff. Five foreign workers remain unaccounted for.

President Obama Calls for 'Collective Action'

Labels: Business

Invoking the nation's founding values, President Obama marked the start of his second term today with a sweeping call for "collective action" to confront the economic and social challenges of America's present and future.

"That is our generation's task, to make these words, these rights, these values -- of life, and liberty, and the pursuit of happiness -- real for every American," Obama said in an inaugural address delivered from the west front of the U.S. Capitol.

"Being true to our founding documents does not require us to agree on every contour of life; it does not mean we will all define liberty in exactly the same way, or follow the same precise path to happiness. Progress does not compel us to settle centuries-long debates about the role of government for all time," he said, giving nod to the yawning partisan divide.

"But it does require us to act in our time."

The call to action, on the eve of what's shaping up to be another contentious term with Republicans and Congress, aimed to reset the tone of debate in Washington and turn the page on the political battles of the past.

Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP Photo

Inauguration 2013: President Obama's Opportunities Watch Video

Official Oath of Office 2013: President Obama Watch Video

"For now decisions are upon us, and we cannot afford delay. We cannot mistake absolutism for principle, or substitute spectacle for politics, or treat name-calling as reasoned debate," Obama said. "We must act, knowing that our work will be imperfect."

The address, lasting a little less than 20 minutes, laid out in broad terms Obama's vision for the next four years, alluding to looming policy debates on the war in Afghanistan, deficit reduction, immigration, and overhaul of Social Security and Medicare.

Obama also became the first president, at least in recent inaugural history, to make explicit mention of equality for gay and lesbian Americans. He made repeated mentions of "climate change," something no president has said from such a platform before.

The president stuck closely to his campaign themes, offering few new details of his policy proposals, however. Those are expected to come next month in the State of the Union address Feb. 12.

Hundreds of thousands packed the National Mall in chilly 40-degree temperatures and brisk wind to hear Obama's remarks and witness the ceremonial swearing-in. While the crowds were smaller than four years ago, the U.S. Park Police said the Mall reached capacity and was closed shortly before Obama took the podium.

Shortly before the address, Obama placed his left hand on the stacked personal Bibles belonging to President Abraham Lincoln and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and raised his right to repeat the oath administered by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts.

"I, Barack Hussein Obama, do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of president of the United States," he said, "and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

Obama and Biden were both officially sworn in during private ceremonies Sunday, Jan. 20, the date mandated by the Constitution for presidents to begin their terms.

Obama's speech: Learn from Lincoln

Labels: World

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Julian Zelizer: Second term inaugural addresses are always a challenge

He says the public has had four years to make a judgment about the president

Obama can learn from second term speeches of Lincoln, Wilson, FDR

Zelizer says they did a good job of unifying America and sketching vision of the future

Editor's note: Julian Zelizer is a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University. He is the author of "Jimmy Carter" and of "Governing America."

(CNN) -- The second inaugural address is always more difficult than the first. When a president-elect first steps onto the national stage, he still enjoys a certain degree of innocence and hope. Americans are waiting to see if the new president will be different. When a new president delivers his speech, voters don't yet have a record that might make them cynical.

But by the second term, voters are familiar, and often tired, with the occupant of the White House. Even though they liked him more than his opponents, the president has usually been through some pretty tough battles and his limitations have been exposed. It becomes much harder to deliver big promises, when the people watching have a much clearer sense of your limitations and of the strength of your opponents.

Julian Zelizer

So President Barack Obama faces a big test when he appears before the nation Monday.

Opinion: Presidents shouldn't swear in on a Bible

Obama now is Washington, and no longer someone who will be able to shake up the way Washington works. Voters believe that Congress is dysfunctional and have little confidence that legislators will respond to his proposals.

Overseas, the instability and violence in the Middle East has shaken the confidence of many Americans that Obama can achieve the kind of transformative change he promised back in 2009.

Obama, who is a student of history, can look back at some past second inaugural addresses if he wants guidance. Three of the best of these addresses offer a roadmap.

Abraham Lincoln, March 4, 1865: The strongest was from Lincoln, who gave his talk amid the brutality of the Civil War but chose to stress the theme of healing and unity, Lincoln gave a masterful performance that offered inspiration and encouragement for the reunification of the nation. Lincoln famously said: "With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations." Rather than boasting of military victory or threatening Southern forces, he stepped outside the battle to offer the nation, as a whole, the path forward.

Woodrow Wilson, March 5, 1917: Although Wilson had run on a campaign to keep America out of world war, he was aware that such intervention was inevitable. During his second inaugural address, Wilson took the opportunity to start preparing the nation for what was about to come. He told America to think about the global responsibilities it had to accept, even if much of the nation was not prepared to do so. "We are provincials no longer," he said, "The tragic events of the thirty months of vital turmoil which we have just passed have made us citizens of the world. There can be no turning back."

Opinion: Why 'Hail to the Chief' remains unsung

Franklin Roosevelt, January 20, 1937: Roosevelt gave a rousing performance that outlined the fundamental vision which shaped the wide array of policies he had put forward in his first term. While many people had criticized FDR for lacking any ideology and for being a pragmatist without principle, in his second address he explained the rationale behind his actions: "I see millions denied education, recreation, and the opportunity to better their lot and the lot of their children. I see one-third of a nation ill-housed, ill-clad, ill-nourished." For Democrats, the speech remains a powerful defense of government and the rationale behind his program.

To replicate some of this success, Obama will need to figure out how to inspire a nation that is frustrated by the gridlock of Washington and the laggard state of the economy and worried about instability overseas.

Obama can learn from all three of these presidents.

Like Wilson, he can talk to Americans about goals they should aspire to achieve, ways in which the country can accept new obligations in a changing world.

Like Lincoln, he can urge the nation to move beyond the discord and division that has characterized political debate in the past four years.

Finally, like Roosevelt, he can use his speech to provide some of the justification and outlook that has shaped his policies. This would undercut the ability of Republicans to define his policies for him, as has been the case for much of his first term, and motivate supporters who have often felt that Obama remained too much of a mystery.

Follow @CNNOpinion on Twitter.

Join us at Facebook/CNNOpinion.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Julian Zelizer.

Japan govt says no confirmation on nine dead in Algeria

Labels: Technology

TOKYO: Japan's government said Monday it was aware of reports that nine Japanese had died in the desert standoff in Algeria, but had no confirmation of the fate of 10 of its nationals who remain unaccounted for.

In a midnight press conference, chief government spokesman Yoshihide Suga told reporters vice foreign minister Minoru Kiuchi had arrived at an airport near the gas facility that was over-run by Islamist gunmen last week.

He said Kiuchi would go into the complex and to a hospital in the town of In Amenas in an effort to determine what had happened.

The press conference came after a witness in In Amenas told AFP he knew of nine Japanese people killed during the 72-hour hostage crisis.

"We are aware of such information, but we have not confirmed any such numbers," Suga told reporters.

He said Kiuchi was with the president of contracting firm JGC, which employed 17 Japanese nationals in the area, and would be joined by another team from Japan who would work to confirm what had happened to hostages.

Suga said those known to have made it to safety would be flown back to Japan.

"To help the seven Japanese whose safety was confirmed return home, we plan to dispatch a government aircraft there," he said.

The bodies of 25 hostages have been found in and around the gas plant by Algerian forces as they mopped up at what appeared to be the end of the three-day stand-off.

Thirty-two kidnappers were also killed and the army freed 685 Algerian workers and 107 foreigners, said Algeria's interior ministry. The government in Algiers has warned the death toll could rise.

-AFP/ac

'I, Barack Hussein Obama ...'

Labels: Lifestyle

Presidential inaugurations and oaths

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

President Obama sworn in at brief White House ceremony

Vice President Joe Biden sworn in at Naval Observatory

NEW: Obama and Chief Justice John Roberts perform oath flawlessly this time

NEW: "I did it!" Obama exclaims to family after swearing-in ceremony

Watch CNN's comprehensive coverage of President Barack Obama's second inauguration this weekend on CNN TV and follow online at CNN.com or via CNN's apps for iPhone, iPad and Android. Then, on Monday, follow our real-time Inauguration Day live blog at cnn.com/conversation. Need other reasons to watch inauguration coverage on CNN's platforms? Click here for our list.

Washington (CNN) -- The official business of the 57th inauguration commenced on Sunday with President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden completing their oaths of office, quietly satisfying the constitutional obligation to be sworn in on January 20.

The presidential and vice presidential swearings-in took place a day before Obama and Biden take their public oaths at the Capitol in front of hundreds of thousands gathered on the National Mall.

Obama's swearing-in took place in the ornate Blue Room, an oval-shaped reception space in the president's official residence, where the president was joined by his wife, Michelle, and his two daughters. Other members of his family, including the first lady's mother and brother, stood out of view of the camera.

Chief Justice John Roberts administered the oath to Obama - his third time to hold that honor. After Roberts flubbed the order of words during the public ceremony in 2009, a do-over took place in the White House Map Room the next day to erase any question that Obama was officially the president.

Roberts didn't have any trouble with the 35-word oath this time around. He read from a white note card with the words printed on it. Slash marks where Roberts paused to have Obama repeat the words were clearly visible.

The event took less than a minute and Obama didn't make any remarks or statements.

He did take a moment to hug his wife and daughters, exclaiming: "I did it!"

Justice Sonia Sotomayor performed the honors for Biden at his home at the Naval Observatory in Washington, where was sworn in under a painting by American artist N.C. Wyeth of Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural - an event remembered for the 16th president's solemn address.

That was hardly the mood Sunday at Biden's home, where the vice president's extended family and a few Cabinet officials gathered to watch the ceremony.

His son Beau - Delaware's attorney general - was there, as were his other children, Hunter and Ashley, and a smattering of Biden grandchildren.

He placed his hand on a massive Biden family Bible, held by his wife Jill, and repeated the oath.

Both Obama and Biden traveled to Arlington National Cemetery after Biden's swearing-in for a traditional wreath-laying ceremony.

And the president and his family attended services celebrating the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. at Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church, one of the most historic churches in Washington.

The tone of Obama's inaugural address Monday will be "hopeful," White House senior adviser David Plouffe said Sunday.

"What he's going to do is remind the country that our founding principles and values still can guide us in a changing and modern world," Plouffe said on CNN's "State of the Union."

"He's going to talk about the fact that our political system doesn't require us to resolve all of our disputes or settle all of our differences but it doesn't compel us to act where there shouldn't and is common ground," Plouffe added. "He's going to make that point very clearly."

Plouffe underscored that Obama's State of the Union address, to take place February 12, will present a more specific "blueprint" of the next four years.

Obama to acknowledge divided Washington in inaugural address

The nation's first African-American president will become only the 17th U.S. leader to deliver a second inaugural address, before he joins the traditional parade up Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House.

Organizers expect 800,000 people to attend Monday's public ceremony -- less than half of the estimated 1.8 million onlookers who crammed the National Mall in 2009.

13 reasons to follow the inauguration on CNN platforms

The smaller crowd this time around reflects the reality of second-term presidencies, when the novelty and expectations of a new leader have been replaced with the familiarity and experiences of the first four years.

Inauguration activities kicked off on Saturday with Obama and first lady Michelle Obama and Biden and his wife, Jill Biden, leading volunteers across the country in National Day of Service Activities.

Obamas, Bidens participate in National Day of Service

The Obamas joined in a project at Burrville Elementary School in Washington, aiding volunteers who were sprucing up furniture. Cameras at the school caught the president and first lady staining a bookcase.

The president told volunteers that his family would do volunteer projects on holidays. "So I was taught from a young age," he said, that volunteering "is really what America is all about."

The Bidens volunteered at the National Guard Armory in Washington, helping to put together care packages for service members deployed overseas. Biden's office said volunteers at the armory would produce 100,000 packages.

"We still have 68,000 troops in harm's way in some of the most godforsaken territory in the world," Biden said, adding that the military members can find comfort "knowing that we back home just remember, we know what's going on."

Chelsea Clinton, honorary chairwoman of the Day of Service, said at a kickoff event on the National Mall that Saturday was the 19th anniversary of the day her father, former President Bill Clinton, signed the bill that designated a National Day of Service to coincide with Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the federal holiday honoring the late civil rights leader.

"When he signed the bill, he reminded us of what Dr. King called life's most persistent and urgent question: What are you doing for others?" she said. "And in my family, the only wrong answer to that question is 'nothing.' "

Later Saturday, singer Katy Perry headlined a concert for children of military families and Washington schoolchildren, hosted by Michelle Obama and Jill Biden. Singer Usher and the cast of the TV show "Glee" were among others who performed.

Katy Perry brings 'Fireworks' to inauguration kids' concert

The Saturday event was to recognize the sacrifices and "level of maturity that is required from military kids," the first lady said.

"It means always thinking about things that are so much bigger than yourself. It means growing up just a little faster and working just a little harder than other kids," she said. "And it means doing the greatest thing you can ever do with your life at such a young age, and that is to serve our country."

Sunday evening, the Obamas will watch Latino acts at "In Performance at the Kennedy Center," which is followed by the Let Freedom Ring concert. The Red, White and Blue Inaugural Ball and Hip-Hop Inaugural Ball are also scheduled in the capital.

The president will speak to donors at a candlelight celebration at the National Building Museum on Sunday night.

Viewer's guide to the inauguration

Monday's events will be downsized from Obama's first inauguration. After events in front of the Capitol, the Obamas and Bidens will lead the traditional parade down Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House. There are only two presidential balls this year, down from the 10 staged in 2009.

While the anticipated crowd for Monday's events is expected to be about half the size of the one that gathered four years ago, the temperature will be a bit higher than in 2009, when the high hovered around the freezing mark. While the early morning temperature this time will be in the 20s, the forecast calls for a high temperature in the upper 30s or low 40s. Still, organizers cautioned attendees to bundle up because they're likely to experience prolonged exposure to the cold as they watch the events and make their way to and from them.

CNN's Tom Cohen, Dana Davidsen, Brianna Keilar, Kevin Liptak, Dan Lothian and Gregory Wallace contributed to this report

Leading the way: Presidential leadership

Labels: Health

(CBS News) LEADING THE WAY is what we expect of our presidents. How successful any individual president has actually BEEN is a matter of debate historically, as is the entire question of what constitutes great leadership in the first place. Our Sunday Morning Cover Story is reported now by Barry Petersen:

We laugh with them, we cry with them . . . and with Hollywood's help from movies like "The American President," we heap on them our greatest expectations.

As Michael J. Fox's character said in that film, the public is "so thirsty for it they will crawl through the desert toward a mirage, and when they discover there is no water, they'll drink the sand."

Presidential leadership is Colorado College professor Thomas Cronin's specialty, and he is struck by America's perhaps too-perfect wish list for a president.

"It seems like an amalgam of wanting Mother Teresa, Mandela, Rambo, the Terminator and Spider-Man all wrapped into one," he said. "It's a pretty outlandish job description."

David McCullough has written extensively on our greatest presidents, among them, John Adams.

Adams wrote to his wife, Abigail, on his first night as president staying in what was then called the president's house, and some lines from that letter were carved into the mantelpiece of the State Dining Room of the White House, at the wish of Franklin Roosevelt: "May none but honest and wise men ever rule under this roof."

"I love that because you noticed he puts honest first, ahead of wise," said McCullough.

Why? "Because honesty is essential."

To McCullough, the great presidents shared a common set of qualities. "They had courage, and they had integrity, and they had patience, and they had determination."

Determination, like Teddy Roosevelt, who knew the Panama Canal would be good for American commerce and defense, helping American ships move from one ocean to the other -- and he got Americans to follow his vision.

"Unprecedented for us to do anything like that beyond our own borders [at] tremendous cost and a tremendous risk," said McCullough. "But He then participated in decisions, not just at the White House but by going to Panama to see things himself. First time a president left the country while in office."

And the best lead not only with actions, but with words.

One speech, like FDR's "We have nothing to fear, but fear itself," or Ronald Reagan's "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall") could change history, said McCullough. "All superb speakers who delivered moving speeches. Speeches that lift us to want to attain higher achievement than we might believe we are capable of."

Like JFK's "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country."

"That's leadership," McCullough said.

John Kennedy's words launched David Gergen's career working for four presidents.

"I do believe that President Obama has to be the unifier-in-chief," he said.

Obama, Biden Sworn In for Second Term

Labels: Business

President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden today officially embarked on their second term, taking the Constitutionally mandated oath of office in two separate private ceremonies inside their homes.

Shortly before noon in the Blue Room of the White House, Obama raised his right hand, with his left on a family Bible, reciting the oath administrated by Chief Justice John Roberts. He was surrounded by immediate family members, including first lady Michelle Obama and daughters, Malia and Sasha.

"I did it," he said to his daughters after taking the oath.

Biden was sworn in earlier today by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Hispanic to administer a presidential oath, in a ceremony at his official residence at the U.S. Naval Observatory. He was joined by more than 120 guests, including cabinet members, extended family and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden.

Because Jan. 20 -- the official date for a new presidential term -- falls on a Sunday this year, organizers delayed by one day the traditional public inauguration ceremony and parade down Pennsylvania Avenue.

Michael Reynolds-Pool/Getty Images

Vice President Joe Biden Sworn in for 2nd Term Watch Video

President Obama's 2nd Inauguration: Hundreds of Thousands to Attend Watch Video

Obama and Biden will each repeat the oath on Monday on the west front of the Capitol, surrounded by hundreds of dignitaries and members of Congress. An estimated 800,000 people are expected to gather on the National Mall to witness the moment and inaugural parade to follow.

The dual ceremonies in 2013 means Obama will become the second president in U.S. history to take the presidential oath four times. He was sworn in twice in 2008 out of an abundance of caution after Roberts flubbed the oath of office during the public administration. This year Roberts read from a script.

Franklin Roosevelt was also sworn in four times but, unlike Obama, he was elected four times.

This year will mark the seventh time a president has taken the oath on a Sunday and then again on Monday for ceremonial purposes. Reagan last took the oath on a Sunday in 1985.

Both Obama and Biden took the oath using a special family Bible. Obama used a text that belonged to Michelle Obama's grandmother LaVaughn Delores Robinson. Biden placed his hand on a 120-year-old book with a Celtic cross on the cover that has been passed down through Biden clan.

The official inaugural activities today also included moments of prayer and remembrance that marked the solemnity of the day.

Obama and Biden met at Arlington National Cemetery for a brief morning ceremony to place a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknowns, honoring military service members who served and sacrificed. The men stood shoulder to shoulder, bowing their heads as a bugler played "Taps."

Biden, who is Catholic, began the day with a private family mass at his residence. The president and first family attended church services at Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church, a historically black church and site of two pre-inaugural prayer services for former President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore and their families.

The Obamas and Bidens plan to participate in a church service on Monday morning at St. John's Episcopal, across Lafayette Park from the White House. They will also attend a National Prayer Service on Tuesday at the National Cathedral.

Later on Sunday evening, the newly-inaugurated leaders will attend a candlelight reception at the National Building Museum. The president and vice president are expected to deliver brief remarks to their supporters.

Why Africa backs French in Mali

Labels: World

French-led Mali offensive

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

French intervention in Mali could be turning point in relationship with Africa, writes Lansana Gberie

France's meddling to bolster puppet regimes in the past has outraged Africans, he argues

He says few in Africa would label the French action in Mali as 'neo-colonial mission creep'

Lansana: 'Africa's weakness has been exposed by the might of a foreign power'

Editor's note: Dr. Lansana Gberie is a specialist on African peace and security issues. He is the author of "A Dirty War in West Africa: The RUF and the Destruction of Sierra Leone." He is from Sierra Leone and lives in New York.

(CNN) -- Operation Serval, France's swift military intervention to roll back advances made by Jihadist elements who had hijacked a separatist movement in northern Mali, could be a turning point in the ex-colonialist's relationship with Africa.

It is not, after all, every day that you hear a senior official of the African Union (AU) refer to a former European colonial power in Africa as "a brotherly nation," as Ambroise Niyonsaba, the African Union's special representative in Ivory Coast, described France on 14 January, while hailing the European nation's military strikes in Mali.

France's persistent meddling to bolster puppet regimes or unseat inconvenient ones was often the cause of much outrage among African leaders and intellectuals. But by robustly taking on the Islamist forces that for many months now have imposed a regime of terror in northern Mali, France is doing exactly what African governments would like to have done.

Lansana Gberie

This is because the Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO), Ansar Dine and al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) are a far greater threat to many African states than they ever would be to France or Europe.

See also: What's behind Mali instability?

Moreover, the main underlying issues that led to this situation -- the separatist rebellion by Mali's Tuareg, under the banner of the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA), who seized the northern half of the country and declared it independent of Mali shortly after a most ill-timed military coup on 22 March 2012 -- is anathema to the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Successful separatism by an ethnic minority, it is believed, would only encourage the emergence of more separatist movements in a continent where many of the countries were cobbled together from disparate groups by Europeans not so long ago.

But the foreign Islamists who had been allies to the Tuaregs at the start of their rebellion had effectively sidelined the MNLA by July last year, and have since been exercising tomcatting powers over the peasants in the area, to whom the puritanical brand of Islam being promoted by the Islamists is alien.

ECOWAS, which is dominated by Nigeria -- formerly France's chief hegemonic foe in West Africa -- in August last year submitted a note verbale with a "strategic concept" to the U.N. Security Council, detailing plans for an intervention force to defeat the Islamists in Mali and reunify the country.

ECOWAS wanted the U.N. to bankroll the operation, which would include the deployment a 3,245-strong force -- to which Nigeria (694), Togo (581), Niger (541) and Senegal (350) would be the biggest contributors -- at a cost of $410 million a year. The note stated that the objective of the Islamists in northern Mali was to "create a safe haven" in that country from which to coordinate "continental terrorist networks, including AQIM, MUJAO, Boko Haram [in Nigeria] and Al-Shabaab [in Somalia]."

Despite compelling evidence of the threat the Islamists pose to international peace and security, the U.N. has not been able to agree on funding what essentially would be a military offensive. U.N. Security Council resolution 2085, passed on 20 December last year, only agreed to a voluntary contribution and the setting up of a trust fund, and requested the secretary-general "develop and refine options within 30 days" in this regard. The deadline should be 20 January.

See also: Six reasons events in Mali matter

It is partly because of this U.N. inaction that few in Africa would label the French action in Mali as another neo-colonial mission creep.

If the Islamists had been allowed to capture the very strategic town of Sevaré, as they seemed intent on doing, they would have captured the only airstrip in Mali (apart from the airport in Bamako) capable of handling heavy cargo planes, and they would have been poised to attack the more populated south of the country.

Africa's weakness has, once again, been exposed by the might of a foreign power.
Lansana Gberie

Those Africans who would be critical of the French are probably stunned to embarrassment: Africa's weakness has, once again, been exposed by the might of a foreign power.

Watch video: French troops welcomed in Mali

Africans, however, can perhaps take consolation in the fact that the current situation in Mali was partially created by the NATO action in Libya in 2010, which France spearheaded. A large number of the well-armed Islamists and Tuareg separatists had fought in the forces of former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, and then left to join the MNLA in northern Mali after Gadhafi fell.

They brought with them advanced weapons, including shoulder-launched anti-aircraft missiles from Libya; and two new Jihadist terrorist groups active in northern Mali right now, Ansar Dine and MUJAO, were formed out of these forces.

Many African states had an ambivalent attitude towards Gadhafi, but few rejoiced when he was ousted and killed in the most squalid condition.

A number of African countries, Nigeria included, have started to deploy troops in Mali alongside the French, and ECOWAS has stated the objective as the complete liberation of the north from the Islamists.

The Islamists are clearly not a pushover; though they number between 2,000 and 3,000 they are battle-hardened and fanatically driven, and will likely hold on for some time to come.

The question now is: what happens after, as is almost certain, France begins to wind down its forces, leaving the African troops in Mali?

Nigeria, which almost single-handedly funded previous ECOWAS interventions (in Liberia and Sierra Leone in the 1990s, costing billions of dollars and hundreds of Nigerian troops), has been reluctant to fund such expensive missions since it became democratic.

See also: Nigerians waiting for 'African Spring'

Its civilian regimes have to be more accountable to their citizens than the military regimes of the 1990s, and Nigeria has pressing domestic challenges. Foreign military intervention is no longer popular in the country, though the links between the northern Mali Islamists and the destructive Boko Haram could be used as a strategic justification for intervention in Mali.

The funding issue, however, will become more and more urgent in the coming weeks and months, and the U.N. must find a sustainable solution beyond a call for voluntary contributions by member states.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Lansana Gberie.

Badminton: Lee Chong Wei reaches Malaysia Open finals

Labels: Technology

KUALA LUMPUR: World number one Lee Chong Wei dropped his first game of the tournament Saturday as he overcame Denmark's Jan O Jorgensen to secure a place in the finals of the Malaysia Badminton Open.

The home favourite, bidding for record ninth Malaysia Open title, dropped the second game to the determined and energetic 26-year-old emerging Dane, but eventually won through 21-13, 17-21, 21-12.

"It was indeed a tough match and Jan pushed me hard," said Lee, 30, who will now face Indonesia's Sony Dwi Kuncoro in the final.

"I haven't faced him in over a year but he has bounced back from his injuries to break into the top five in the world. So I'm expecting another tough match."

Kuncoro, a three-time Asian champion, was ranked as low as number 79 in the world ten months ago but is now in top form after battling back from back and leg injuries.

The 29-year-old, a bronze medallist in the 2004 Athens Olympics, will move up to number four when the new world rankings are announced next week.

Kuncoro advanced to the final by beating Japan's Kenichi Tago 21-12, 19-21, 23-21.

"I'm delighted to be back in the mix of a Superseries final. A year ago, my career was in jeopardy due to all my injuries but I've buckled down and I'm happy with my progress," he said.

In the women' singles, China's Yao Xue will be in her first Superseries final after beating South Korea's Bae Yeon-Ju 21-15, 21-18 in 34 minutes.

Yao, who turned 22 on Thursday, will take on 18-year-old Tai Tzu-ying of Taiwan, who stunned Indian top seed Saina Nehwal 22-20, 21-14.

"I never expected to come this far in this tournament. I had to come through the qualifying rounds and to reach the final is a big bonus for me," Yao said.

Chinese pair Bao Yixin/Tian Qing beat Indonesia's Lejarsar Variella Aprilsasi Putri/Marissa Vita 21-13, 21-17 to book a berth in the women's doubles finals.

The Chinese pair will face Japan's Misaki Matsutomo and Ayaka Takahashi. The Japanese players had earlier defeated Singapore's Shinta Mulia Sari and her partner Yao Lei 22-20, 21-14.

- AFP/de

Celebrities

Labels: Lifestyle

By Alyssa McLendon, CNN

updated 11:43 AM EST, Sat January 19, 2013

Inaugural ball performers

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Musicians, actors and athletes will be in Washington, D.C. this weekend for the inauguration

Beyonce, Jamie Foxx and James Taylor are among those expected

Eva Longoria serves as a co-chair of the Presidential Inaugural Committee

Washington (CNN) -- If you're looking to rub elbows with celebrities in D.C. for the inauguration this weekend, you won't have to look too far.

Hollywood movie stars, Grammy award winning musicians and professional athletes will be all over Washington in celebration of the 57th Presidential Inauguration.

Here's the latest list of celebs in town and where you can catch them:

Friday, January 18, 2013

UNITE: Inauguration Kick-Off Reception and Celebration

Anthony David

Mya

Saturday, January 19, 2013

National Day of Service Summit

Eva Longoria

Chelsea Clinton

Yolanda Adams

Ben Folds

Star Jones

Angela Bassett

OurTime.org: Generation Now party

Wil.I.Am

Tate Donovan

John Legend

T-Pain

Common

Jessica Alba

Green Inaugural Ball

Peter Winter

Trombone Shorty

Onree Gill

Camp Freddy

Sheila E

Mayer Hawthorne

Nicholas David (The Voice)

DJ Neville C.

Darryl Green

Lorenzo Alexander

Chris Wilson

Kedric Golston

Bill Nye the Science Guy

Antwaan Randle El

Derrick Dockery

Stephanie Miller

Melissa Fitzgerald

Les (Survivorman) Stroud & Gina Gershon

Tate Donovan

Leilani Munter

From Sinatra to Aretha Franklin, the role of music in the inauguration

Sunday January 20, 2013

Hip-Hop Inaugural Ball

La La Anthony

Zach McDaniels

2 Chainz

John Legend

Eva Longoria

Swizz Beats

Pharrell Williams

Jadakiss

Brandy

LOS

Tank

Lance Gross

9th Wonder

Raheim Devaughn

DJ D-Nice

Doug E. Fresh

Damien Escobar

Wayne Brady

Meek Mill

Marsha Ambrosius

Charles "ROC" Dutton

MC Lyte

Yo-Yo

Smooth

Lil Mama

DJ Lil Mic

HBCU Inaugural Gala Ball

Finesse Mitchell

Vivian Green

Latino "In Performance" at the Kennedy Center

Eva Longoria

Raúl Esparza

José Feliciano

Juan Diego Flórez

Melanie Griffith

George Lopez

Mario Lopez

Rita Moreno

Monday January 21, 2013

Official Inauguration Ceremony

Beyonce

Kelly Clarkson

James Taylor

The Official Inaugural Balls

Alicia Keys

Usher

John Legend

Katy Perry

Far East Movement, FUN.

Smokey Robinson

Stevie Wonder

Soundgarden

The cast of Glee

Brad Paisley

Nick Cannon

Jamie Foxx

Jennifer Hudson

Marc Anthony

Chris Cornell

The Creative Coalition's 2013 Inaugural Ball

Tim Daly

Johnny Galecki

Eric Stonestreet

Connie Britton

Paula Abdul

Matt Bomer

Giancarlo Esposito

Melissa Leo

John Leguizamo

Alfre Woodard

Taraji P. Henson

Evan Handler

Omar Epps

Marlon Wayans

Alan Cumming

David Arquette

Richard Schiff

Wayne Knight

Richard Kind

Lynn Whitfield

Wayne Brady

Goo Goo Dolls

Victory Inaugural Ball

Maxwell

Musiq Soulchild

Maze featuring Frankie Beverly

Are you attending inauguration? Share photos on iReport.

Part of complete coverage on

2013 Presidential Inauguration

Snap a photo of yourself in the crowd and hop onto CNN iReport to tell us why you're there. You can also submit via Instagram by tagging your photo #cnn.

Everything you want to know about the who, what, when, why and how of the nation's 57th Presidential Inauguration ceremony, all organized in our interactive.

All the angles. Interviews and stories galore. Excellent photography. Check out how to follow the best of our coverage, on TV, CNN.com and mobile platforms.

updated 12:38 PM EST, Sat January 19, 2013

President Barack Obama will join what is perhaps America's most exclusive club on Monday.

updated 11:43 AM EST, Sat January 19, 2013

If you're looking to rub elbows with celebrities in D.C. for the inauguration, you won't have to look too far.

updated 4:51 PM EST, Fri January 18, 2013

As Inauguration Day approaches, the question on everyone's lips is: What will the first lady be wearing?

Ahead of the inauguration, the nation is is also regrouping. What it does differently this time could indicate what America will emerge.

updated 12:40 PM EST, Sat January 19, 2013

Pulitzer Prize-winning presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin notes each inauguration is moving in its own way, but only a few produce moments that are truly memorable.

updated 4:39 PM EST, Fri January 18, 2013

At its essence, the presidential inaugural symbolizes American democracy's peaceful transition or extension of power.

updated 12:43 PM EST, Sat January 19, 2013

From Frank Sinatra to Aretha Franklin, here's a look back at the impact of musical performances at the inauguration.

The oath, the speech, the crowds, the celebrities, the balls. By the numbers, here's a look at presidential inaugurations.

updated 7:33 PM EST, Mon January 14, 2013

CNN's Brian Todd reports on the rehearsals and crowd-control measures being taken ahead of the inauguration.

updated 4:43 PM EST, Fri January 18, 2013

Police will shut down dozens of downtown Washington streets and parking will be even tighter than usual. How will you navigate the gridlock?

updated 7:07 AM EST, Thu January 17, 2013

It's tempting to dismiss talk of Michelle Obama's wardrobe as frivolous, but her panache for mix-and-match takes it to the next level.

The official retail store for the 57th Inauguration celebrates with special memorabilia for visitors.

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