US, allies urge UN action to end violence in Syria

United States Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton addresses a Security Council meeting on the situation in Syria, as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice, left, looks on Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012 at United Nations headquarters. Syrian troops crushed pockets of rebel soldiers Tuesday on the outskirts of Damascus, fueling some of the bloodiest fighting of the 10-month-old uprising, as Western diplomats tried to overcome Russia's rejection of a draft U.N. resolution demanding President Bashar Assad halt the violence and yield power. The U.N. Security Council was meeting Tuesday to discuss the draft, backed by Western and Arab diplomats. But Russia, one of Assad's strongest backers, has signaled it would veto action against Damascus. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

United States Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton addresses a Security Council meeting on the situation in Syria, as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice, left, looks on Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012 at United Nations headquarters. Syrian troops crushed pockets of rebel soldiers Tuesday on the outskirts of Damascus, fueling some of the bloodiest fighting of the 10-month-old uprising, as Western diplomats tried to overcome Russia's rejection of a draft U.N. resolution demanding President Bashar Assad halt the violence and yield power. The U.N. Security Council was meeting Tuesday to discuss the draft, backed by Western and Arab diplomats. But Russia, one of Assad's strongest backers, has signaled it would veto action against Damascus. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

British Foreign Secretary William Hague, left, United States Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, center, and French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe pose for a picture before their meeting at United Nations Headquarters Jan. 31, 2012. Syrian troops crushed pockets of rebel soldiers Tuesday on the outskirts of Damascus, fueling some of the bloodiest fighting of the 10-month-old uprising, as Western diplomats tried to overcome Russia's rejection of a draft U.N. resolution demanding President Bashar Assad halt the violence and yield power. The U.N. Security Council was meeting Tuesday to discuss the draft, backed by Western and Arab diplomats. But Russia, one of Assad's strongest backers, has signaled it would veto action against Damascus. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Syrian Ambassador to the United Nations Bashar Ja'afari addresses a Security Council meeting on the situation in Syria, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012 at United Nations headquarters. Syrian troops crushed pockets of rebel soldiers Tuesday on the outskirts of Damascus, fueling some of the bloodiest fighting of the 10-month-old uprising, as Western diplomats tried to overcome Russia's rejection of a draft U.N. resolution demanding President Bashar Assad halt the violence and yield power. The U.N. Security Council was meeting Tuesday to discuss the draft, backed by Western and Arab diplomats. But Russia, one of Assad's strongest backers, has signaled it would veto action against Damascus. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

United Kingdom Foreign Secretary William Hague, left, addresses a Security Council meeting on the situation in Syria as United States Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton listens at right, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012 at United Nations headquarters. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

United States Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, right, winks at British Foreign Secretary William Hague after he addressed a Security Council meeting on the situation in Syria, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012 at United Nations headquarters. Syrian troops crushed pockets of rebel soldiers Tuesday on the outskirts of Damascus, fueling some of the bloodiest fighting of the 10-month-old uprising, as Western diplomats tried to overcome Russia's rejection of a draft U.N. resolution demanding President Bashar Assad halt the violence and yield power. The U.N. Security Council was meeting Tuesday to discuss the draft, backed by Western and Arab diplomats. But Russia, one of Assad's strongest backers, has signaled it would veto action against Damascus. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

UNITED NATIONS (AP) ? Vowing to avoid "another Libya," the U.S. and its allies challenged Russia on Tuesday to overcome its opposition to a U.N. draft resolution demanding that Syrian President Bashar Assad yield power and end the violence that has killed thousands.

"It is time for the international community to put aside our own differences and send a clear message of support to the people of Syria," Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton told the U.N. Security Council in backing an Arab League plan for the country.

Russia, one of Assad's strongest allies, has signaled it would veto any U.N. action against Damascus, fearing it could open the door to eventual international military involvement, the way an Arab-backed U.N. resolution led to NATO airstrikes in Libya.

But Clinton said U.N. action in Syria would not involve military intervention, unlike the NATO-led efforts that resulted in the ouster of Moammar Gadhafi.

"I know that some members here may be concerned that the Security Council is headed toward another Libya," Clinton said. "That is a false analogy."

The top diplomats from Britain, France and Arab League pressed the same point: The objective of the draft resolution was not military involvement and a continued delay would come at the cost of the lives of innocent civilians.

"We all have a choice: Stand with the people of Syria and the region or become complicit in the continuing violence there," Clinton told council members.

"Despite its ruthless tactics, the Assad regime's reign of terror will end and the people of Syria will have the chance to chart their own destiny," she said. "The question for us is: How many more innocent civilians will die before this country is able to move forward toward the kind of future it deserves?"

The diplomatic showdown came as Syrian government forces took back control of the eastern suburbs of the capital, Damascus, after rebel soldiers briefly captured the area in a startling advance last week. The two-day offensive left more than 100 people dead, making it among the bloodiest days since the uprising began in March, according to the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and the Local Coordination Committees, an opposition group.

The U.N. estimated several weeks ago that more than 5,400 people have been killed in the Syrian government crackdown, but has not been able to update the figure.

Russia has stood by Assad as he tries to crush the uprising. In October, Moscow vetoed the first Security Council attempt to condemn Syria's crackdown and has shown little sign of budging in its opposition.

Moscow's stance is motivated in part by its strategic and defense ties, including weapons sales, with Syria. Russia also rejects what it sees as a world order dominated by the U.S.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. that Moscow "would never allow the Security Council to authorize anything similar to what happened in Libya."

Saying the U.N. should not choose sides, Lavrov told the ABC that all parties should cease violence and engage in dialogue. Russia "would not support anything that would be imposed on Syria," he said.

"The Western draft Security Council resolution on Syria does not lead to a search for compromise," Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov wrote Tuesday on Twitter. "Pushing this resolution is a path to civil war."

Still, Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin indicated in his address to the council that agreement could still be reached with more negotiation. He said his country found "some of the elements of our text" in the current draft, "and that gives rise for hope."

An earlier proposal on Syria circulated by Russia had been rejected by some Western and Arab nations for not being strong enough. "We hope the council will come to consensus," Churkin said.

Clinton suggested that more negotiation on the text was necessary before a vote later in the week. "We will have a concerted effort over the next days to reach agreement in the Security Council to put forth a resolution that sends a message to President Assad and his regime," she told reporters.

Earlier in the session, the Arab League made a rare call to the council to condemn violence in a fellow Arab country, and adopt its peace plan.

Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Elaraby told the council that the league wanted the Security Council to act "to support our initiative and not to take its place."

"We are attempting to avoid any foreign intervention, particularly military intervention" in Syria, he said. "We have always stressed full respect of the security, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Syrian people."

British Foreign Minister William Hague called for speedy action.

"How long do Syrian families have to live in fear that their children will be killed or tortured, before the Security Council will act?" Hague asked. "How many people need to die before the consciences of world capitals are stirred?"

In its current form, the resolution demands that Assad halt the crackdown and implement an Arab League peace plan calling for him to hand over power to his vice president. If Assad fails to comply within 15 days, the council would consider "further measures," a reference to a possible move to impose economic or other sanctions.

In his response, Syria's U.N. Ambassador Bashar Ja'afari lashed out at the league, accusing it of acting without consulting the Syrian leadership."How strange it is for us to see some members of the League of Arab States seeking the support of the Security Council against Syria," Ja'afari said. He noted that the Security Council often has voted in support of Israel against Arab-backed measures.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Tuesday at a news conference in Amman, Jordan, that he was "encouraged by the League of Arab States' initiative to seek a political solution" to the Syrian crisis.

"It is more urgent than ever to put an end to this bloodshed and violence, to start a credible political solution that addresses the legitimate aspiration of the Syrian people and to protect their fundamental freedoms," Ban said.

___

Associated Press writer Eileen Alt Powell at the United Nations, and Elizabeth A. Kennedy in Beirut contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-01-31-UN-UN-Syria/id-e350506ffe1a4b0496b5dd4a423e4d3b

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'Super' PACs set to disclose big donors Tuesday (AP)

WASHINGTON ? Get ready to find out who the millionaires are behind this year's presidential election.

Shadowy outside groups funded by anonymous donors and working on behalf of candidates they support have pummeled Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich and others for the past two months by spending millions of dollars on mostly negative TV ads that have had an enormous impact on the fight for the Republican presidential nomination.

Now, for the first time since they started shaping this campaign in earnest, many of those "super" political action committees are set to disclose just who is financing their pseudo-campaign operations. Many took advantage of a change in federal rules that essentially let them shield their donors' identities until after key primary elections in January. But they still must submit their financial reports to the Federal Election Commission by Tuesday.

Only a handful of donors are known, including Las Vegas billionaire casino owner Sheldon Adelson. His two checks for $5 million apiece to Winning Our Future, a pro-Gingrich group, essentially kept the former House speaker's White House campaign afloat at critical junctures just before the South Carolina and Florida primaries.

Bain Capital executives and Romney friends have lined the bank accounts of the pro-Romney group Restore Our Future. Former Bain executive Edward Conrad donated $1 million last spring and Marriott International Inc. CEO J.W. Marriott Jr. gave the group $500,000, seed money spent to successfully hammer Gingrich in Iowa late last year as he started to rise.

That's when the super PACs sprang into action in full force.

Since then, groups working on behalf of Republican candidates for president have spent roughly $25 million in TV ads, most of which have been negative, in the first four states to vote in the GOP nomination battle ? Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Florida.

Of that, the pro-Romney Restore Our Future has spent about $14 million on ads, mostly to take down Gingrich in Iowa and Florida. That's more than the roughly $12 million Romney himself has spent on TV ads.

The super PACs have also unleashed millions on expenses typically reserved for campaigns, including direct mailings, phone calls and get-out-the-vote efforts.

It's a precursor to the general election, when super PACs aligned with both Republicans and President Barack Obama are planning to dole out even larger sums.

These groups are the products of a 2010 Supreme Court ruling that stripped away old restrictions on corporate and union spending in federal elections. They can't directly coordinate with the candidates they support, but many are staffed with former campaign workers who have an intimate knowledge of their favored candidate's strategy.

Some donors will never be known because some super PACs have established not-for-profit arms that can shield contributors' identities. Those arms can spend more than roughly half of their money on so-called advocacy, although campaign-finance reformers have urged the Internal Revenue Service to reduce that share.

Super PACs like American Crossroads ? backed by George W. Bush political adviser Karl Rove ? and its own nonprofit arm played a significant role in the 2010 midterm elections, helping deliver the House to the GOP and boost the number of Republicans in the Senate.

Tuesday's filings to the FEC won't just reveal many of the committees' financial backers; they'll also show how their money is being spent, particularly on infrastructure, payroll and travel. The same will be true in the campaign financial filings for President Barack Obama, Romney, Gingrich and others, who last released their finances in October 2011.

But, above all, the FEC filings are likely to show the awesome impact super PACs have in supplementing expansive, national campaigns.

Super PACs have become headaches for campaign-finance watchdogs, who have long warned of a potentially corruptive influence that hasn't been seen since the days of Watergate.

But some GOP-leaning groups say their ads contribute to a marketplace of ideas and counterbalance the huge sums of cash that Obama and the Democratic National Committee plan to spend on the president's re-election bid.

By law, presidential campaigns can raise, at most, $5,000 total from an individual donor.

But super PACs can solicit and spend unlimited money ? and some employ affiliated groups, known as 501(c)4 organizations, whose donors are allowed to remain anonymous. Watchdog groups like Democracy 21 have complained to federal regulators on that front, asking the IRS to limit how much those nonprofit groups can spend on political advocacy.

____

Follow Jack Gillum at http://twitter.com/jackgillum

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120131/ap_on_el_pr/us_campaign_money

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5 films getting buzz at the Sundance Film Festival

Founded by actor Robert Redford (and named for his character in the 1969 film "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid"), Sundance Film Festival is still the biggest American festival for independent film and is held every year in Park City and other Utah venues. Some movies have gotten buzz there, then failed to cross over at the box office or awards shows, but many films seen at Sundance have proven to be the next big hits ? some have even been nominated for the Best Picture Oscar (like Sundance favorites "Little Miss Sunshine" and "Precious"). The festival also traditionally has strong documentary offerings, by first-time and veteran filmmakers. Here are five documentaries from the festival that already have critics and audiences raving.

- Molly Driscoll

The documentary directed by Victoria Bruce and Karin Hayes examines corporations which are not paying taxes, a circumstance they believe that has the tacit approval of the government.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/1ytYf5Kk4FU/5-films-getting-buzz-at-the-Sundance-Film-Festival

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Occupy Oakland: Police Teargas Protestors, Use Flash Grenades

OAKLAND, Calif. ? Oakland police used tear gas and "flash" grenades Saturday to break up hundreds of Occupy protesters after some demonstrators started throwing rocks and flares at officers and tearing down fencing.

Three officers were hurt and 19 people were arrested, the Oakland Police Department said in a release. No details on the officers' injuries were released.

Police said the group started assembling at a downtown plaza Saturday morning, with demonstrators threatening to take over the vacant Henry Kaiser Convention Center. The group then marched through the streets, disrupting traffic.

The crowd grew as the day wore on, with afternoon estimates ranging from about 1,000 to 2,000 people.

The protesters walked to the vacant convention center, where some started tearing down perimeter fencing and "destroying construction equipment" shortly before 3 p.m., the release said.

Police said they issued a dispersal order and used smoke and tear gas after some protesters pelted them with bottles, rocks, burning flares and other objects.

Most of the arrests were made when protesters ignored orders to leave and assaulted officers, the release said. By 4 p.m., the bulk of the crowd had left the convention center and headed back downtown.

The demonstration comes after Occupy protesters said earlier this week that they planned to move into a vacant building and turn it into a social center and political hub. They also threatened to try to shut down the port, occupy the airport and take over City Hall.

In a statement Friday, Oakland City Administrator Deanna Santana said the city would not be "bullied by threats of violence or illegal activity."

Interim police Chief Howard Jordan also warned that officers would arrest those carrying out illegal actions.

Oakland officials said Friday that since the Occupy Oakland encampment was first established in late October, police have arrested about 300 people.

The national Occupy Wall Street movement, which denounces corporate excess and economic inequality, began in New York City in the fall but has been largely dormant lately.

Oakland, New York and Los Angeles were among the cities with the largest and most vocal Occupy protests early on. The demonstrations ebbed after those cities used force to move out hundreds of demonstrators who had set up tent cities.

In Oakland, the police department received heavy criticism for using force to break up earlier protests. Among the critics was the mayor, who said she wasn't briefed on the department's plans. Earlier this month, a court-appointed monitor submitted a report to a federal judge that included "serious concerns" about the department's handling of the Occupy protests.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/28/occupy-oakland-police-tea_n_1239232.html

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Sonnen earns his rematch against Silva, grinds out win over Bisping at UFC on Fox 2

CHICAGO -- It was a rough 15 minutes, but Chael Sonnen did enough to get the fight he's coveted for 17 months.

The middleweight title contender locked up a shot against UFC 185-pound champ Anderson Silva with a surprisingly tough win over Michael Bisping. In a fight, that appeared to be a toss-up for some, Sonnen took a unanimous decision, 30-27, 29-28 and 29-28, in the co-main event of the UFC on Fox 2 card at the United Center.

Sonnen's win sets up an intriguing scenario.

UFC president Dana White guaranteed the winner of tonight's tilt a shot at Silva. The champ has been sidelined since August and the promotion is pointing towards a summer return. But Silva recently hinted that he may be out beyond the summer.

Sonnen has done everything he can to call out the champ. Tonight, he made the wise decision of not poking Silva. Instead, he delivered a hilarious speech talking about his own greatness.

He was good, not great tonight, but much of that had to do with the opponent. Bisping rubs plenty of fans and media members the wrong way and, as a result, he's a bit underrated. The common thought was that the Brit would get eaten alive by Sonnen's Olympic level wrestling, but that didn't happen in the first two rounds.

Sonnen scored two takedowns in the first, but Bisping got to his feet in less than 25 seconds on both occasions. He also stuffed three other takedown attempts. In the second, Sonnen scored a takedown with 2:58 left. Bisping was up a minute later and took minimal damage. The Brit was effective in the striking game, landing a few good combinations, but nothing really rocked the hard-charging American.

Joe Rogan was convinced Bisping had won the first two rounds. That wasn't the case on the judges' scorecard, but two of them did have things 19-19. Sonnen did what he needed to in the final round. He scored a big takedown and really dominated the position for over three minutes.

Sonnen scored that takedown just 12 seconds into the round. Bisping defended well for the next minute but got a little impatient as he was just about to rise to his feet. Bisping gave us back standing and Sonnen squashed him. Then he did a brilliant job of getting both hooks in and rolling to dominant position on the ground. He worked to lock on a rear-naked, but it didn't happen. Bisping was protecting from the choke, lost his focus and allowed Sonnen to roll the position into the mount with 2:31 left. With 1:31 left, Bisping hip escaped to full guard. Bisping eventually got to his feet with less than 20 seconds left and scored a takedown of his own. He even landed a few big elbows, but it was too little, too late.

Now the question is when will the fight everyone wants - Sonnen vs. Silva - actually go down. Sonnen turned up the heat in recent weeks, plainly stating that he'll never get to fight Silva because the champ won't accept the fight.

"I'm not going to fight Anderson either way. They can say whatever they want. Anderson is never going to do that fight," Sonnen told "The MMA Insiders" show on Las Vegas' ESPN1100/98.9 FM. "I hope he's healthy and has a good life, but I'm not buying into this mythical world that Anderson is going to some day sign a contract to fight me."

Silva beat Sonnen at UFC 117 via fifth-round submission, but that was after getting dominated for 23 minutes. He's had to hear about it ever since. This is a chance to shut Sonnen's mouth and likely do it in front of a record-sized crowd in Brazil. Why would he pass on the opportunity?

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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/sonnen-earns-rematch-against-silva-grinding-win-over-022024441.html

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Wild homes of the future that are on the market now

We may not have flying cars yet, but a new residential construction project going up in Sunny Isles Beach, Fla., may make you think otherwise.

The Porsche Design Tower will feature an elevator to lift owners ? and their cars ? to their front doors in seconds. A co-production of developer Dezer Properties and Porsche Design Group, the retail-oriented spin-off company of the luxury German carmaker, it will be the first residential project affiliated with the Porsche name. These car-friendly condos will range from $2.9 million to $9 million.

?You will drive into the building, onto the elevator ramp, shut the ignition off and be magically whisked to the front door of your apartment in 45 seconds to a minute and 15 seconds depending on what floor you?re on,? explains Gil Dezer, president of Dezer Properties. The elevator will cover all 57 floors and include technology that automatically identifies the car and the unit owner once both are on board.

Forbes.com slideshow: See some futuristic homes that are for sale

It?s just one example of how modern design aesthetics have coupled with technology to birth innovative, cutting-edge homes that not so long ago would have been reserved only for the sets of films like "Minority Report" (or TV shows like "The Jetsons").

We rounded up a selection of futuristic abodes that challenge traditional McMansion layouts. Some are relatively new homes designed with green living in mind while others are the decades-old brick and mortar visions of celebrated artists. Realtor.com, Zillow.com, Coldwell Banker Previews International, Sotheby?s International Realty and others helped us sort through listings to handpick the sleekest, most avant-garde, in some cases zaniest, homes on the market. They conjure images of science fiction lore, and in many cases, have actually been rented out by movie and television studios for that express reason.

Perhaps not surprisingly, many architecturally famous homes fall into this category. For example, the Gantert Residence, also known as ?Case Study House #22,? graces our list. Constructed in the early 1980s, it was the last Pierre Koenig house constructed while the architect was still alive. The $2.3 million Los Angeles residence with its boxy upper floors and cantilevered base gives the impression of a residence floating, appearing ?as a giant Cubist sculpture from Hollywood Boulevard,? according to its listing.

California has many ultra-modern abodes up for grabs, particularly in Southern California. ?The trend in real estate right now is demand for contemporary homes,? says Chad Rogers, a real estate agent with Hilton & Hyland in L.A. (and formerly one of the stars on Bravo?s TV show "Million Dollar Listing"), noting that many of the most modern-looking structures tend to be "smart homes," fitted to be energy efficient, as well. ?People want easy living and these properties afford that: clean lines and open space so you can move about your house without having to go through a bunch of rooms.?

Rogers, who has listed a smattering of futuristic properties including a $9.5 million Malibu eco-estate, currently represents a $10 million Hollywood Hills mansion forged of steel, glass and concrete. The 10,000-square foot structure was built originally as an art gallery with live-in space. In addition to the stone display-ready walls, it boasts a home theater, a pool and 12-person spa, a koi pond and a detached guesthouse. The kitchen is comprised almost entirely of stainless steel, designed by Porsche Design Group.

?These concrete and steel properties are the most expensive type of architecture to build,? says Rogers, noting that foreign investors have shown much buying interest in ultra-modern estates. ?To duplicate a property like this you?re looking at a minimum of $1,500 per square foot to do it.?

Constructing architecturally outrageous homes can rack up costs. Take the Pottery House in Santa Fe, N.M. Originally the brainchild of Frank Lloyd Wright, the adobe dwelling?s construction was resuscitated in the 1980s by a developer eager to complete the project that had been designed by the famed late architect but never finished (the original owner had passed away). The builder reportedly ran out of money mid-construction and with no buyer in sight, the bank assumed ownership. Eventually the current owners bought the foreclosed estate, which is now listed for $4.75 million, and finished it.

The Pottery House?s design hinges on concentric circles. About 24,000 adobe bricks make up the structure and Scandinavian ship builders were actually brought in to craft the ceiling. ?It has a sort of mystique. Prior to listing, this house seemed more like a local rumor,? says David Fries, an associate broker with Santa Fe Properties and the listing agent for the Pottery House. It had remained quietly tucked away behind multiple gates in an anonymous subdivision. ?Even if someone could get their hands on the address, it no longer really relates to where it?s located since no one could really find the place without directions and gate codes.?

Fries and Rogers both think their listings will ultimately sell to affluent buyers who collect art or at least appreciate architecture as an art form. Some of the homes on our list will require buyers to appreciate geometry as well. A $19.5 million Vermilion, Ohio, spread called the Waterwood Estate is comprised of a series of triangular and rectangular buildings parsed together along the shore of Lake Erie. In Crystal Bay, Nev., a $43 million Dr. Seuss-esque house touts walls of glass, a glass elevator, a six-story glass stairwell and hidden garden rooms, all suspended off the edge of a promontory.

More from Forbes.com

? 2012 Forbes.com

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45987986/ns/business-us_business/

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US Embassy: US citizen kidnapped in Nigeria freed

This undated photo provided by Teresa Ock, shows William Gregory Ock, 50, of Bowdon, Ga. The U.S. citizen kidnapped by gunmen in Nigeria's oil-rich southern delta has been freed after a week in captivity, the U.S. Embassy said Friday, Jan. 27, 2012. U.S. Embassy spokeswoman Deb MacLean told The Associated Press that Ock had been released after being kidnapped in Warri in Delta state on Jan. 20. (AP Photo/Courtesy of Teresa Ock)

This undated photo provided by Teresa Ock, shows William Gregory Ock, 50, of Bowdon, Ga. The U.S. citizen kidnapped by gunmen in Nigeria's oil-rich southern delta has been freed after a week in captivity, the U.S. Embassy said Friday, Jan. 27, 2012. U.S. Embassy spokeswoman Deb MacLean told The Associated Press that Ock had been released after being kidnapped in Warri in Delta state on Jan. 20. (AP Photo/Courtesy of Teresa Ock)

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) ? A U.S. citizen kidnapped by gunmen in Nigeria's oil-rich southern delta has been freed after a week in captivity, the U.S. Embassy said.

U.S. Embassy spokeswoman Deb MacLean told The Associated Press on Friday that the man had been released after being kidnapped in Warri in Delta state on Jan. 20. MacLean declined to offer any other details, citing privacy rules. Delta state police spokesman Charles Muka said he had not been informed about the man's release, as his company refused to cooperate with local authorities.

The freed hostage was identified as William Gregory Ock, 50, of Bowdon, Georgia, by his sister, Dee Dee Patterson.

Patterson told the AP on Friday that the family had no details of his release.

"The only thing we know is that he is safe and he is in a secure location," Patterson said by telephone.

She had no information on when Ock would return home to Georgia.

It was not immediately clear whether a ransom had been paid to secure his release, though many companies working in the region carry kidnap insurance and simply pay a negotiated price to see their employees freed. Kidnappers had made contact with authorities previously and demanded a $333,000 ransom.

The attack Jan. 20 occurred outside a bank branch in Warri, one of the main cities in nation's Niger Delta, a region of mangroves and swamps where foreign oil companies pump 2.4 million barrels of crude oil a day. The gunmen attacked Ock as he came outside, shooting his police escort to death before abducting him, Muka said.

Investigators believe the gunmen trailed him for some time before the attack, Muka said.

Foreign firms have pumped oil out of the delta for more than 50 years. Despite the billions flowing into Nigeria's government, many in the delta remain desperately poor, living in polluted waters without access to proper medical care, education or work.

In 2006, militants started a wave of attacks targeting foreign oil companies, including bombing their pipelines, kidnapping their workers and fighting with security forces. That violence waned in 2009 with a government-sponsored amnesty program promising ex-fighters monthly payments and job training. However, few in the delta have seen the promised benefits and criminal gangs still roam the region, increasingly targeting middle-class Nigerians.

In 2011, there were five reported kidnappings of U.S. citizens in Nigeria, according to a recent U.S. State Department travel warning about the country. The most recent occurred in November when two U.S. citizens and a Mexican were kidnapped from a Chevron Corp. offshore oil field and held for about two weeks, the State Department said.

A German working in the city of Kano in north Nigeria was abducted Thursday by unknown gunmen, authorities have said.

___

Associated Press writer Russ Bynum in Savannah, Georgia, contributed to this report.

___

Jon Gambrell can be reached at www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-01-27-Nigeria-Oil%20Unrest/id-99cbc3b58b19486a8b0e8e81183b0bb7

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