USA

By Compiled from wire service reports by Carol Huang

May 7, 2007

A Nigerian archbishop installed a former Episcopal clergyman Saturday in Woodbridge, Va., as leader of the Convocation of Anglicans in North America. Archbishop Peter Akinola founded the organization last December as an alternative to the liberal-leaning Episcopal church, which is the US branch of the Anglican Communion. The Anglican communion has almost split because of differences over Scripture, including whether the Bible allows gay relationships. Anglican leader and Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams and Episcopal Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori had both asked Akinola not to visit the US.

Presidential candidate Rudolph Giuliani (R.) proposed that the Army add 35,000 troops Saturday while delivering a commencement address at The Citadel, the historic military college in Charleston, S.C. The former mayor of New York City also called for a "hybrid" of the armed forces and government that could maintain peace as well as win military battles. The troops would be in addition to the boost of 65,000 active-duty soldiers that Defense Secretary Robert Gates recommended in January. Currently the Army has about 512,000 soldiers.

Shareholders of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Saturday rejected a proposal to divest its $3.3 billion stake in PetroChina Co. because PetroChina's parent company has ties to Sudan. The parent company, China National Petroleum Corp., is owned by the Chinese government and has a 41 percent stake in a Khartoum-based oil-and-gas company, Petrodar Operating Co. Berkshire Hathaway's 1.3 percent stake makes it the largest foreign shareholder of PetroChina.

Mount Rainier National Park reopened Saturday, half a year after flooding ravaged the main road, campgrounds, trails, and the wild country. The park had closed for the first time in a quarter-century after last fall's deluge caused about $36 million in damage.

New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine is set to return to work Monday, after a car crash sent him to the hospital for 18 days, mostly in intensive care. He was released from the hospital last week.