INTERNATIONAL
Strong magnitude-7.1 aftershock rattles disaster-weary Japan
SENDAI, Japan (AP) — A big aftershock rocked quake-weary Japan late Thursday, rattling nerves as it knocked out power to the northern part of the country and prompted tsunami warnings that were later canceled.
The quake was initially measured at magnitude-7.4, though the U.S. Geological Survey in Golden, Colo., later downgraded it to 7.1. Either way, it was the strongest aftershock since several were recorded on March 11 — the day of the magnitude-9.0 earthquake and tsunami that killed as many as 25,000 people and touched off a nuclear crisis.
Gunman kills 11 children in Brazil elementary school shooting
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — A gunman roamed the halls of an elementary school in Rio de Janeiro on Thursday and killed 11 children, lining them up against a wall and shooting them in the head at point-blank range as he shouted, “I’m going to kill you all!”
It was the worst school shooting in Brazil — and would have been deadlier if the gunman hadn’t been shot in the legs by a police officer, who said the man fell down some stairs and shot himself in the head.
French rescue Japanese diplomats, ambassador in Ivory Coast raid
PARIS (AP) — French forces rappelled from a hovering chopper to rescue Japan’s ambassador to the Ivory Coast and seven of his colleagues after the envoy’s home was taken over by armed mercenaries in the embattled West African nation.
The amabassador and diplomats were trapped when the residence in Abidjan’s embassy district came under attack and was occupied as fighting between supporters and opponents of strongman Laurent Gbagbo intensified across the city.
NATIONAL
Military families worry about looming government shutdown
WASHINGTON (AP) — The threat to U.S. troops’ paychecks during a government shutdown has rattled military families and others sympathetic to young soldiers, sailors, air crews and Marines fighting distant wars. More than concerns over closed courthouses or national parks, the military issue escalated the political feud Thursday in Washington.
Both the Republicans and Democrats tried to steer the issue to their benefit.
Trump hammers away at Obama’s citizenship question
WASHINGTON (AP) — Real estate tycoon Donald Trump said Thursday he isn’t convinced that President Barack Obama was born in the U.S., but says he hopes the president can prove that he was.
Officials in Hawaii have certified Obama’s citizenship, but “birthers” have demanded additional proof. And Trump, who is weighing whether to seek the Republican presidential nomination, says not all the questions have been answered.
Trump said if he is the GOP nominee, “I’d like to beat him straight up,” not on the basis of the question of where Obama was born.
STATE/LOCAL
Lawmakers hear public complaints about state budget
(AP) — Legislators heard a variety of state budget requests from the public Thursday, among them: Don’t sell the state’s prisons. Don’t cut school-based health clinics. Provide more money for assisted- living programs for the elderly.
Those were just a few of the pleas made to the House Appropriations Committee, as members of the public came to talk about Gov. Bobby Jindal’s nearly $25 billion budget proposal for next year.
Jindal’s 2011-12 budget would close a $1.6 billion gap with a mix of cuts, one-time patches and long-term financing changes.
Jindal campaigns for re-election bid Thursday in San Antonio
(AP) — Gov. Bobby Jindal has headed back to Texas to raise money for his re-election bid.
The Governor’s Office announced Thursday that Jindal traveled to San Antonio for two fundraisers for the governor’s race.
Jindal has reported $9 million in his campaign account for the Oct. 22 election — and he has no announced challengers so far.
The Republican has traveled to Texas many times to drum up campaign cash.