Nation & World Digest

76% of Ohioans answered census

columbus

A state official says Ohio had one of the nation’s best participation rates in the first phase of the 2010 U.S. Census as 76 percent of households mailed back their forms.

State Treasurer Kevin Boyce says Ohio tied for No. 6 among states with the highest mail-in rates. In a statement, Boyce notes that the state topped the national average return rate of 72 percent.

Flu-vaccination rate in US sets record

ATLANTA

Fears of H1N1 flu helped boost vaccination for ordinary seasonal flu last year, with a record 40 percent of adults and children getting the vaccine, federal health officials said Thursday.

The jump was most dramatic in children, but vaccinations also increased in healthy adults under 50, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention researchers.

Afghans protest after deadly raid

KABUL

NATO and Afghan forces raided a lawmaker’s home and fatally shot the woman’s brother-in-law in eastern Afghanistan during a nighttime operation, sending hundreds of people into the streets shouting “Death to America!” in protest, the lawmaker said Thursday.

The military operation tapped into a well of resentment about raids by American and local troops that have been known to wound or kill civilians as well as insurgents.

Fla. governor runs as independent

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.

Former GOP darling Gov. Charlie Crist defected from the Republican Party on Thursday to run as an independent for U.S. Senate after months of being ripped by conservatives as too supportive of President Barack Obama.

Crist was the heavy favorite last year, and was even among the Republican names bandied about in the 2012 presidential race. But the primary campaign quickly became a lost cause as the tea-party movement embraced another candidate, Marco Rubio, and held up the governor’s literal embrace of Obama last year as evidence that Crist was too liberal.

5th-graders win investing contest

MILWAUKEE

If your stockbroker isn’t getting you a 60 percent return on your investments, maybe you could turn your portfolio over to some Wisconsin fifth-graders.

Three students at Tullar Elementary School in Neenah won a statewide stock-investment challenge this week by turning $100,000 in pretend money into $160,218 in 10 weeks.

Eleanor Erbach and Raven Wallene, both 11, and Luke Kelley, 10, beat nearly 1,400 other Wisconsin teams, most of which were composed of high school students.

Their teacher, Tim Hopfensperger, seems to have the Midas touch. It’s the third time since 2007 that he led a fifth-grade team to the state title.

Despite reports, Taliban leader lives

ISLAMABAD

Pakistan and U.S. intelligence wrongly reported the death of the head of the Pakistani Taliban in a CIA drone strike, and the brash, ruthless commander now is believed to be alive, Pakistani spies said Thursday in an apparent propaganda coup for the insurgents.

The reports that Hakimullah Mehsud survived the January missile attack in an area close to the Afghan border will raise questions about the quality of the intelligence being gathered in the region.

Associated Press