In brief: Moderate earthquake hits western Mexico

MEXICO CITY – A shallow earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 rattled Mexico City and other parts of the country Thursday, sending people running into the streets.

The temblor struck near the southwestern Mexican city of Tecpan de Galeana, about 60 miles northwest of Acapulco, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or signs of major damage, Mexican government officials said.

Carmen Lira, a 37-year-old secretary, said everyone in her office also fled the building.

“It was very scary. Some of my colleagues suffered panic attacks because the buildings moved,” Lira said. “It felt very strong.”

House panel ignores Pentagon on defense bill

WASHINGTON – The A-10 Warthog, military bases scattered around the country and the generous housing allowance for service members survived the budget knife early Thursday morning as a House panel rebuffed Pentagon pleas and approved a $601 billion defense bill that spares ships, planes and benefits.

On a unanimous vote, the Armed Services Committee backed the legislation that authorizes overall spending for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1. The blueprint spared excess military bases, the Cold War-era U-2 spy plane, Navy cruisers and an 11th aircraft carrier as parochial interests prevailed in an election year.

The full House is expected to consider the legislation the week of May 19. The bill would have to be reconciled with a still-to-be-written Senate version.

Dissident journalist apologizes on television

BEIJING – One of China’s most venerable dissident journalists was paraded on state television Thursday morning, apologizing for spilling state secrets that embarrassed the Chinese Communist Party.

The public shaming of Gao Yu, a 70-year-old grandmother who had written widely about the pro-democracy protests at Tiananmen Square, was perhaps the most shocking in a recent series of on-air confessions.

“I believe that what I did broke the law and harmed the interests of the country. This was extremely wrong,” Gao, wearing an orange prison vest, said in the televised broadcast. “I sincerely and earnestly accept this lesson and I want to confess.”

Gao’s arrest, coming almost a year after the alleged crime, appears timed to the upcoming 25th anniversary of the June 4, 1989, military crackdown at Tiananmen Square, one of the most sensitive dates on the Chinese calendar.