In a first, census figures show minorities make up more than half of babies born in US WASHINGTON (AP) — For the first time, racial and ethnic minorities make up more than half the children born in the U.S., capping decades of heady immigration growth that is now slowing. New 2011 census estimates highlight sweeping changes in the nation’s racial makeup and the prolonged impact of a weak economy, which is now resulting in fewer Hispanics entering the U.S. ‘‘This is an important landmark,’’ said Roderick Harrison, a former chief of racial statistics at the Census Bureau who is now a sociologist at Howard University. ‘‘This generation is growing up much more accustomed to diversity than its elders.’’ The report comes as the Supreme Court prepares to rule on the legality of Arizona’s strict immigration law, with many states weighing similar get-tough measures. ‘‘We remain in a dangerous period where those appealing to anti-immigration elements are fueling a divisiveness and hostility that might take decades to overcome,’’ Harrison said. ——— Obama will use NATO summit in Chicago to raise money for Afghan army after foreign troops exit WASHINGTON (AP) — Mapping the way out of an unpopular war, the United States and NATO are trying to build an Afghan army that can defend the country after 130,000 international troops pull out. The alliance’s plans for arm’s-length support for Afghanistan will be a central focus of the summit President Barack Obama is hosting Sunday and Monday in Chicago. The problem with the exit strategy is that someone has to pay for that army in an era of austerity budgets and defense cutbacks. The problem for the United States is how to avoid getting stuck with the check for $4.1 billion a year. ‘‘This has to be a multilateral funding effort,’’ said Pentagon spokesman George Little. ‘‘We think there should be contributions from other countries.’’ That’s partly why so many non-NATO nations are getting invitations to the summit. About 60 countries and organizations are expected to be represented, including nations such as Japan that are far removed from the trans-Atlantic defense pact’s home ground. ——— No, thanks: Facebook resisters say their lives already fulfilled without social network NEW YORK (AP) — Don’t try to friend MaLi Arwood on Facebook. You won’t find her there. You won’t find Thomas Chin, either. Or Kariann Goldschmitt. Or Jake Edelstein. More than 900 million people worldwide check their Facebook accounts at least once a month, but millions more are Facebook holdouts. They say they don’t want Facebook. They insist they don’t need Facebook. They say they’re living life just fine without the long-forgotten acquaintances that the world’s largest social network sometimes resurrects. They are the resisters. ——— Closing arguments to begin at the NC trial of former presidential candidate John Edwards GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — With only two hours allotted to each side to make closing arguments Thursday, prosecutors and defense lawyers neared the end of a month-long trial into whether former presidential candidate John Edwards violated campaign finance laws. Edwards has pleaded not guilty to six criminal counts related to campaign finance violations stemming from nearly $1 million secretly provided by two wealthy donors that helped hide his pregnant mistress during the 2008 Democratic primary. He faces up to 30 years in prison and $1.5 million in fines if convicted of all charges. Prosecutors likely will argue the payments were intended to influence the outcome of an election by keeping Edwards’ political hopes viable. Defense lawyers will counter that Edwards had limited knowledge of the cover-up and that the payments were gifts intended to keep his cancer-stricken wife from leaning about the out-of-wedlock pregnancy. U.S. District Court Judge Catherine C. Eagles set the two-hour limit for closing arguments. The jury is expected to begin deliberating Friday. On Wednesday, Edwards’ team wrapped up their defense without calling him, his mistress or daughter to testify, a move experts said was intended to shift focus from a political sex scandal to the nitty-gritty of campaign finance law. ——— Angered by deadly drug operation shooting, Honduran Indians burn offices, demand DEA leave TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) — People in Honduras’ predominantly Indian Mosquito coast region burned down government offices and demanded that U.S. drug agents leave the area, reacting angrily to an anti-drug operation in which a local mayor said police gunfire killed four innocent people, including two pregnant women. Animosity is being aimed at both Honduran authorities and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, which confirmed on Wednesday that some of its agents were on a U.S.-owned helicopter with Honduran police officers when the shooting happened Friday on the Patuca River in northeastern Honduras. Honduran and U.S. officials said only the police officers on the anti-drug mission fired their weapons, and not until the helicopter was shot at first. The officials said the aircraft was chasing a small boat suspected of carrying drugs on the river. Local officials said the two men and two pregnant women killed weren’t drug smugglers. They said the victims were diving for lobster and shellfish. ‘‘These innocent residents were not involved in the drug problem, were in their boat going about their daily fishing activities ... when they gunned them down from the air,’’ Lucio Vaquedano, mayor of the coastal town of Ahuas, said in a telephone interview Wednesday. ——— As voters buck the establishment, GOP hopes of taking Senate control again rest on insurgents WASHINGTON (AP) — For Senate Republicans, 2012 is starting a lot like 2010. They have a shot at taking control away from Democrats as long as insurgent conservatives who are defeating the party’s more establishment candidates in primaries don’t frighten too many independent voters like they did two years ago. Deb Fischer, a little-known state senator, became the latest unexpected Senate GOP nominee Tuesday, rallying late to upset the favored — and better funded — choices of both the party’s mainstream and tea party establishments: Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning and state Treasurer Don Stenberg. Her victory occurred just a week after tea party and other conservative groups embraced Indiana state Treasurer Richard Mourdock, who scored an arguably bigger upset — knocking off six-term Sen. Richard Lugar, the Senate’s longest-serving Republican. The message for the GOP: Insurgents are back. ——— First ’ring of fire’ eclipse visible in US in nearly 20 years; also can be seen in E. Asia LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sunrises and sunsets often dazzle, but they’ll have a special ring to them in a few days for people in the western United States and eastern Asia: The moon will slide across the sun, blocking everything but a blazing halo of light. It’s been almost two decades since a ‘‘ring of fire’’ eclipse was visible in the continental United States. To celebrate the end of that drought, nearly three dozen national parks in the path of the eclipse will host viewing parties. The solar spectacle is first seen in eastern Asia at dawn Monday, local time. Weather permitting, millions of early risers in southern China, northern Taiwan and southeast Japan will be able to catch the ring eclipse. Then it creeps across the Pacific with the western U.S. viewing the tail end. The late day sun will transform into a glowing ring in southwest Oregon, Northern California, central Nevada, southern Utah, northern Arizona and New Mexico and finally the Texas Panhandle where it will occur at sunset on Sunday. For 3 1/2 hours, the eclipse follows an 8,500-mile path. Viewing, from beginning to end, lasts about two hours. The ring phenomenon lasts as long as 5 minutes depending on location. Outside this narrow band, parts of the West, Midwest and South — and portions of Canada and Mexico — will be treated to a partial eclipse. The Eastern Seaboard will be shut out, but people can log online to sites such as the Slooh Space Camera, which plans to broadcast the event live. ——— A 13 percent drop in oil prices this month is helping drivers and businesses NEW YORK (AP) — What only weeks ago was seen as a serious threat to the economic recovery could now turn into a stimulus everyone can love. Oil and gasoline prices are sinking, giving relief to businesses and consumers who a few weeks ago seemed about to face the highest fuel prices ever. President Barack Obama’s re-election prospects could also benefit, especially if prices keep falling as some analysts expect. A majority of Americans disapproved of Obama’s handling of gas prices in an AP-GfK poll early this month. But that was before the full effect of the recent drop had reached drivers. The average U.S. retail gasoline price has dropped 21 cents a gallon to $3.73 since hitting a 2012 peak of $3.94 on April 6. The economy could gain, too. Consumers who spend less on fuel have more to spend on other purchases, from autos and furniture to appliances and vacations, which could help drive economic output and job growth. ——— Thunder rally in final 2 minutes to edge Lakers 77-75, take 2-0 lead in West semis OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Down in desperation time, Oklahoma City Thunder coach Scott Brooks called on Kevin Durant to show that he’s more than just a three-time scoring champion. And that meant guarding one of the NBA’s all-time best. Durant was up to the challenge, keeping Kobe Bryant from excelling as usual in his closer’s role while sparking the Thunder’s rally for a 77-75 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals Wednesday night. Durant scored 22 points and rattled in the go-ahead basket on a baseline runner with 18 seconds left as Oklahoma City scored the final nine points. He also had a crucial steal from Bryant to fuel the rally. ‘‘People talk about how I score the ball,’’ said Durant, one of only seven players to lead the NBA in scoring three straight seasons. ‘‘They don’t look at me when we go on the other end. I think this whole playoff run, I’ve been picking it up on the defensive end.’’ ——— Garnett, Pierce, Rondo with double-doubles in Boston’s 107-91 Game 3 win over Philadelphia PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Kevin Garnett yapped his way down the court after big baskets and clearly enjoyed taking it to the 76ers. Rajon Rondo pushed the ball and relentlessly attacked the lane. Paul Pierce gutted out a knee injury and grinded his way to the free throw line. Boston hears the whispers that it’s too weary and too old to win another championship. By the time they forced Sixers fans to flee their seats, the Celtics proved it’s still too early to count them out. Garnett scored 27 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, and used a dominant second quarter to help the Celtics beat the 76ers 107-91 on Wednesday night and take a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
