In brief: Bill to remove Confederate flag goes to South Carolina governor

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina House approved a bill removing the Confederate flag from the Capitol grounds, a stunning reversal in a state that was the first to leave the Union in 1860 and raised the flag again at its Statehouse more than 50 years ago to protest the civil rights movement.

The move early today came after more than 13 hours of passionate and contentious debate, and just weeks after the fatal shootings of nine black church members, including a state senator, at a Bible study in Charleston.

“South Carolina can remove the stain from our lives,” said 64-year-old Rep. Joe Neal, a black Democrat first elected in 1992. “I never thought in my lifetime I would see this.”

The House approved the Senate bill by a two-thirds margin, and the bill now goes to Republican Gov. Nikki Haley’s desk. She supports the measure, which calls for the banner to come down within 24 hours of her signature.

“It is a new day in South Carolina, a day we can all be proud of,” Haley said in a statement.

Earlier Wednesday, a group of Republicans had mounted opposition to immediately removing the flag, but at each turn, they were beaten back by a slightly larger, bipartisan group of legislators who believed there must be no delay.

As House members deliberated well into the night, there were tears of anger and shared memories of Civil War ancestors. Black Democrats, frustrated at being asked to show grace to Civil War soldiers as the debate wore on, warned the state was embarrassing itself.

Offer: We’ll trade girls for militants

LAGOS, Nigeria – Nigeria’s Boko Haram extremists are offering to free more than 200 young women and girls kidnapped from a boarding school in the town of Chibok in exchange for the release of militant leaders held by the government, a human rights activist has told the Associated Press.

The activist said Boko Haram’s current offer is limited to the girls from the school in northeastern Nigeria whose mass abduction in April 2014 ignited worldwide outrage and a campaign to “Bring Back Our Girls” that stretched to the White House.

The new initiative reopens an offer made last year to the government of former President Goodluck Jonathan to release the 219 students in exchange for 16 Boko Haram detainees, the activist said.

Vietnam War vets get thanks, pins

WASHINGTON – Defense Secretary Ash Carter and congressional leaders thanked Vietnam War veterans for their service and presented pins to dozens of veterans at a Capitol ceremony.

House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell joined lawmakers at a ceremony Wednesday marking 50 years since U.S. ground troops arrived in Vietnam.

The ceremony came a day after President Barack Obama held an unprecedented meeting with the head of Vietnam’s Communist Party as the U.S. presses to conclude talks on a groundbreaking Asia-Pacific economic pact.