First ladies’ goals good for US-Mexico relationsMEXICO CITY (AP) — Their presidential husbands establish official policy and formally pledge bilateral cooperation, but first ladies are often the ones who can most effectively draw attention to issues, Mexico’s first lady said Thursday. Margarita Zavala spent three days visiting schools and museums in Mexico City with U.S. first lady Michelle Obama. Syria denies it gave Hezbollah Scud misslesDAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syria warned Thursday that Israel was paving the way for new military action by alleging that that Damascus is providing Scud missiles to the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. Speaking earlier this week, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak insisted his country has no aggressive intentions.NY major to put electronic ‘cost of war’ sign on City HallBINGHAMTON, N.Y. (AP) — An upstate New York mayor has announced plans to hang an electronic sign outside City Hall displaying the ongoing taxpayer cost of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Binghamton Mayor Matthew Ryan, a Democrat, says he hopes tallying the ongoing expense in a prominent place will help stimulate a debate on the nation’s spending priorities. The mayor says the 4-foot-wide “cost of war” sign will display information about the cost to local, state and federal taxpayers. On to Mars: Obama declares, ‘I expect to see it’CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — President Barack Obama boldly predicted Thursday his new plans for space exploration would lead American astronauts on historic, almost fantastic journeys to an    asteroid and then to Mars — and in his lifetime — relying on rockets and propulsion still to be imagined and built.”I expect to be around to see it,” he said of pioneering U.S. trips starting with a landing on an asteroid — a colossal feat in itself — before the long-dreamed-of expedition to Mars.Topless Colo. gardner wins fight with landlordBOULDER, Colo. (AP) — A Colorado woman who likes to garden wearing only a yellow thong and pink gloves has won her fight with her landlords, who wanted her to cover up. Boulder Housing Partners has decided not to outlaw tenants from going topless outside. That will allow 52-year-old Catharine Pierce to keep gardening the way she likes. The housing authority had threatened to evict Pierce and her husband, Robert, after getting complaints from neighbors and passers-by.Lawmakers working to close deficit within two weeks(AP) — House Speaker Jim Tucker said lawmakers want to close the state’s $319 million deficit within two weeks, hoping to tap unspent funds in state agency accounts while seeking to avoid furloughs of state employees.The $29 billion budget must be rebalanced before the fiscal year ends June 30. But with only 10 weeks remaining in the year, that harshens any cuts that will be levied on agencies because they have such a short time to slash funds.Lawmakers are considering whether to use money from the state’s “rainy day” fund and other one-time dollars to plug some gaps. Tucker said Thursday that legislative staff and Gov. Bobby Jindal’s budget advisers were scouring state agency budgets for available account balances that could be used to help offset the deficit. Jindal said he’d have his recommendations by Friday for dealing with the deficit.Oyster beds closed by norovirus to re-open Friday(AP) — The state is reopening two oyster beds closed by a norovirus outbreak. At sunrise Thursday, oyster harvest area 7 will reopen in Plaquemines Parish waters on the east side of the Mississippi River. Area 3 located in St. Bernard Parish waters will reopen at sunrise Friday. Testing by the Department of Health and Hospitals has determined that the areas are once again suitable for harvest of oysters.Porn star won’t challenge Vitter for La. SenateNEW ORLEANS (AP) — Louisiana-born porn star Stormy Daniels announced Thursday that she will not run for U.S. Senate in her home state, ending a yearlong flirtation with politics that began as Republican incumbent Sen. David Vitter was working to overcome a sex scandal.