Saturday, Nov. 07, 2009

Today's Globe

Orlando -- Across the country

FLORIDA

One killed, five hurt in office shooting

A man who was so deep in debt that he did not have the money to visit his son 30 minutes away opened fire Friday at the engineering firm that fired him two years ago, killing one person and wounding five, authorities said.

As officers led Jason Rodriguez into a police station, a reporter asked why he had attacked his former colleagues. "Because they left me to rot," Rodriguez said.

LOUISIANA

Records seized at ACORN offices

New Orleans State investigators raided ACORN offices on Friday, taking away computer hard drives and documents as part of a probe into alleged embezzlement and tax fraud when the organization's national headquarters was based in New Orleans.

"This is an investigation of everything - ACORN, the national organization, the local organization and all of its affiliated entities, specifically as it relates to any potential violations of Louisiana law," Assistant Attorney General David Caldwell said.

PENNSYLVANIA

Union: No progress in transit talks

Philadelphia The city's largest transit union said Friday that no progress has been made in contract negotiations, tamping down hopes of an end to a strike that has idled subways, buses and trolleys for four days.

GEORGIA

Poll: One-third getting swine flu vaccine

Atlanta Only about a third of adults who have tried to get a swine flu vaccine have been able to, according to a new national poll released Friday. That's true even for people who are at extra risk for severe complications and should be at the front of the line.

NEW JERSEY

Man convicted in 'fat defense' trial

Hackensack A jury convicted a Florida man Friday of murdering his former son-in-law, rejecting the man's defense that he was too fat to have run up and down a flight of stairs to commit the crime and make a quick getaway.

UTAH

Defense discounts report in Smart case

Salt Lake City Defense attorneys for the man charged in the 2002 abduction of Elizabeth Smart say a psychiatrist's report deeming him competent for trial is advocacy, not an objective evaluation of facts.

OREGON

Man charged with DUI after 911 call

Salem Oregon police have charged a man with drunken driving after he called 911 to report his marijuana as stolen but the dispatcher couldn't understand him because he was vomiting while on the road.

Around the world

NICARAGUA

Ida soaks Central America, may hit U.S.

Managua Former Hurricane Ida drenched Central America as a tropical depression Friday and forecasters said it had some chance of regaining force and heading toward the United States.

SAUDI ARABIA

Saudis say airstrikes targeted 'infiltrators'

Riyadh Saudi Arabia said Friday it carried out airstrikes against "infiltrators" from Yemen that were limited to areas inside Saudi territory, and vowed to press on with the military action until the border with its restive neighbor was secure.

MEXICO

Police commander slain in deadly city

Ciudad Juarez Authorities say gunmen have killed a police commander in Mexico's deadliest city, where a decapitated body was found hours before.

CANADA

Canada plans Afghanistan withdrawal

Toronto Canada has begun preparations to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan in 2011.

Maj. Cindy Tessier said Friday that the chief of defense staff has ordered preparations to get under way that would see Canada's 2,800 troops removed from southern Afghanistan in the summer of 2011.

CZECH REPUBLIC

Officials discuss military cooperation

Prague Senior U.S. and Czech defense officials held talks Friday to discuss ways for the Czech Republic to participate in a reworked U.S. missile defense plan.

U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Alexander Vershbow told reporters the U.S. "did present ... some concrete ideas to begin that process of developing the Czech role in the new approach."

GERMANY

City inaugurates Berlin Wall section

Berlin The Berlin Wall's longest remaining stretch has been restored to its state of nearly two decades ago after artists repainted the colorful murals they created in the aftermath of the notorious barrier's opening.

Berlin on Friday inaugurated the restored section of the concrete wall, which is known as the East Side Gallery and snakes along the bank of the Spree river.