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The day's most popular stories
The five most popular stories on CNN.com in the past 24 hours, according to NewsPulse:
Fresh quake in Japan rouses fear, kills 2:Â A powerful quake struck Japan on Thursday, killing two and triggering a tsunami warning for one prefecture and advisories in others, officials said.
White House huddle fails to yield budget deal:Â A fourth White House meeting in 48 hours between President Barack Obama and congressional leaders failed to reach agreement Thursday night on a spending plan for the rest of the current fiscal year, increasing chances for a partial government shutdown to begin just over 24 hours later.
Maryland man glued to Wal-Mart toilet seat:Â Police in Maryland are on the hunt for the perpetrator of what appears to be an April Fools' Day prank that left a man glued to a toilet at a Wal-Mart store.
Female infidelity: It's different from the guys: Sexuality counselor Ian Kerner explores the ways he says cheating is different for women than it is for men.
Hero officer kept Brazil school shooting from being worse: Thursday's massacre of 11 students at a Brazilian school could have been worse, were it not for the heroic actions of a military policeman, according to a statement from the Rio de Janeiro state governor's office.
Two killed in Thursday's earthquake off Japan
Two people in Japan were killed in powerful earthquake that struck off Japan's northeast coast on Thursday, government officials said Friday.
The Japan Meteorological Agency said the quake was a magnitude 7.4. The U.S. Geological Survey said it was 7.1.
The quake comes after last month's devastating 9.0-magnitude quake off Japan's coast.
FULL STORYNo spending deal after Thursday night White House meeting
A fourth White House meeting in 48 hours between President Barack Obama and congressional leaders failed to reach agreement Thursday night on a spending plan for the rest of the current fiscal year, increasing chances for a partial government shutdown to begin just over 24 hours.
FULL STORYSecond Japan quake stokes uncertainty, sending oil prices up and stocks down
A roundup of the day's business news headlines:
Stocks fall slightly following Japan quake
U.S. stocks fell slightly Thursday after Japan was hit with another major earthquake and the price of oil rose above $110 a barrel.
The Dow Jones industrial average fell 17 points, or 0.1%, to 12,409; the S&P 500 dropped 2 points, or 0.2%, to 1,334; and the Nasdaq Composite lost 3.6 points, or 0.1%, to 2,796.
A 7.1-magnitude earthquake occurred off the coast of Japan shortly after 10:30 a.m. ET, only a few miles west the March 11 earthquake. The news sent the Dow down as much as 95 points, but stocks slowly recovered throughout the afternoon.
Japan's news agency NHK issued a tsunami warning that was lifted two hours later, with no reports of major damage. The troubled Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power plant did not experience any further damage, according to NHK.
Hamas claims responsibility for Israel attack, announces cease-fire
Hamas says it and other Palestinian factions have agreed to stop firing into Israel after Hamas claimed responsibility for shooting a missile that struck an Israeli bus Thursday.
The Hamas strike critically wounded a teenage boy on his way home from school. After not claiming responsibility for the attack earlier in the day, Hamas on Thursday night sent a message to reporters saying the strike was in retaliation for the killing of three Hamas leaders last weekend.
After the attack Thursday, and the firing of numerous mortars into Israel, the Israel Defense Forces "targeted nine terror-activity sites in the Gaza Strip," the IDF said in a news release. A military spokeswoman said later that IDF aircraft targeted three smuggling tunnels in southern Gaza in addition to the nine targets mentioned earlier.
The additional IDF strikes hit shortly after Hamas' cease-fire was scheduled to take effect, according to Hamas' Interior Ministry.
said it will stop after talking with other Palestinian factions following , according to Hamas' Interior Ministry.
FULL STORY
10 things that could ruin your day if the government shuts down
The list of collateral effects of a potential government shutdown keeps growing and people are none too pleased about it. Here are just a few of the negative impacts that could arise if Congress and the White House fail to reach an agreement on the budget (click here to view in chart form):
- The lawmakers who hold the cards will still get paid. Their staffers might be furloughed, though. That has prompted a few lawmakers to announce they'll refuse shutdown pay,but even that has elicited critiques of political posturing.
- Roughly 800,000 federal workers won't get paid because they're considered nonessential and therefore, the first to be furloughed. That includes people who work in national parks because they'll be closed, ruining countless long family road trips. And it's not just the loss of income that hurts - for many, it's being labeled dispensable when they know their jobs are anything but nonessential.
- What happened to all that talk of helping small businesses? Many government contractors are just that. We're talking about IT firms and software companies, to name a few, who may be sent home as well.
- If the government shuts down for an extended period of time, the Department of Defense says troops, including those serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, may not be paid on time. Troops are guaranteed back-pay but the pinch will be more immediate for military families at home, who may be forced to choose between food and rent if they don't know when to expect a check in the mail.
- In the District, trash pickup will be suspended in the event of a government shutdown. In response, some enterprising Facebookers have proposed a solution: "If Boehner shuts down the government I am taking my trash to his house." In addition to trash pickup, the nation's capitol stands to miss out on another cherished tradition: this weekend's Cherry Blossom Festival.
Overheard on CNN.com: Shutdown politics and practicalities
Comment of the Day:  “My tuition is due the 15th. The VA has yet to pay it and my school is telling me that they are going to cancel my enrollment. I can't afford to pay the tuition and there is not enough time to take out a loan. If there is a shutdown the money wont get paid by the VA and I won’t be able to stay in school."
- OHYAYYER
Harry Reid says government shutdown is likely
With Democrats and Republicans still at an impasse, it appears the government is headed for a shutdown. According to Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, "The only thing holding up an agreement is ideology," while Republican House Speaker John Boehner said the disagreement is over numbers and “underlying policies.”
libdisorder said, "Only 'nonessential' federal employees will be affected. Why do they have 'nonessential' jobs but 'essential' paychecks?"
hoofleau said, "Go ahead and let the government shut down. It would be a pleasant change for once. I guarantee not one Congressional Representative will miss a paycheck or health benefits. For all you government workers: it's time to quit riding the coattails of our government and create your own living for yourselves. There was always the saying, 'If you want a good job, decent money, and don't want to work so hard, get a job with the government.' "
armywife815 answered, “Well, lucky for you, the ones who do work for the government - a.k.a. your military, who is underpaid and overworked - allow you to sit comfortably in your computer chair to type your comment. Yes, all our military personnel chose their living and how they support their families but someone had to step up and do it.”
Bojak said, “I work for a state and federally funded organization that assists men and women with developmental disabilities. I make less than $12/hr and a full quarter of my income goes to health insurance. If I'm riding the coat tails I picked the wrong coat because I don't wind up with very much at the end of the month."
carrotroot said, "The government doesn't just run itself. You need people to run it. Saying that government workers â€need to create their own living’ is disgraceful thing to say. These folks are neighbors just trying to earn an honest wage, not welfare-queens on the public dole."
11 students die in Brazil school shooting; police kill suspect
[Update 3:43 p.m.] The number of students killed in a shooting rampage inside a school Thursday in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has risen to 11, Rio de Janeiro's health secretary said.
Thirteen students remain injured, including four in critical condition, he said.
[Update 11:33 a.m.] A shooting rampage inside a school in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, killed 10 students before the suspect was fatally shot by police, the country's health minister said.
The student victims were nine girls and one boy, the health ministry told CNN. Eighteen others, 12 boys and six girls, were wounded. the government said.
Earlier reports erroneously stated that 13 had died at the Tasso da Silveira Municipal School.
[Update 10:47 a.m.] The suspect in the fatal shootings of at least 13 students and personnel of a school in Rio de Janeiro died after being shot by authorities, the state-run Agencia Brasil reported Thursday. He was identified as Wellington Menezes de Oliveira, 24, a former student at the school.
[Posted 10:08 a.m.] At least 13 people, both children and adults, were killed Thursday in a school shooting in Rio de Janeiro, CNN affiliate Record TV reported, citing civil police.
The incident happened at the Tasso da Oliveira Municipal School.
According to Record TV, a 24- or 25-year-old man entered the school in the morning armed with two handguns and opened fire on children and school personnel.
As the man fled, he ran into military police who were responding to the scene. There was a confrontation, and the man was shot, the state-run Agencia Brasil news agency reported. The man and the injured victims were taken to a hospital, the agency reported.
House passes 1-week funding bill; Senate not expected to OK it
The Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives passed a one-week government funding bill Thursday that would cut spending by $12 billion and fund the Pentagon for the remainder of the current fiscal year.
The measure is not expected to clear the Democratic-controlled Senate. Â President Barack Obama has promised to veto the measure if it reaches him because of the programs it would cut.
A temporary spending measure that currently is funding the federal government expires at midnight Friday. If Congress doesn't pass either another temporary spending measure or a bill to fund the rest of the fiscal year, nonessential government services and offices would shut down until a funding measure is passed.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, indicated that he and House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, would go to the White House at 7 p.m. Thursday for additional talks.
FULL STORY
Big surprise for hard-luck couple
Just when things look hopeless, sometimes an unexpected breakthrough happens.
Just ask David and Beth Loomis of Columbus, Ohio.
David Loomis lost his job last year, and his unemployment benefits were about to expire. But while Beth Loomis was walking their dog Tuesday morning, she found a dollar and thought, "I guess this might be our lucky day," she told CNN affiliate WBNS.
Boy howdy.
Ohio Lottery officials had invited the couple to come to lottery headquarters to pick up a hat and cup consolation prize from a 2010 drawing.
What they didn't tell the Loomises was that there also was a $150,000 check waiting for them from a lottery ticket David Loomis had bought last year.
When the surprise check was presented, David Loomis gaped at his wife, then spun his chair halfway around, speechless. Then both husband and wife wept.
They plan to use the money to pay off bills and perhaps make a down payment on a house, Beth Loomis told WBNS.
SI.com: Too soon to panic in Boston?
The Red Sox weren't expected to start off their season 0-5. Neither were the Astros. Nor the Rays. But all three are still searching for their first win. Is it time for Boston, Houston and Tampa Bay to start panicking? SI.com's Cliff Corcoran thinks it could be.
"In major league history, which dates to 1871, 110 teams have started a season 0-5. Just two of those 110 went on to make the postseason, less than 2%," Corcoran writes. "Those two teams were the 1974 Pirates and 1995 Reds, both of whom actually started their seasons 0-6. Thirty-nine teams extended their season-opening losing streaks to seven games. Only one of those clubs finished as high as third place."
Not promising stats, particularly for the Red Sox, a team tapped to lead the American League East. But does a sluggish start to a 162-game season really mean much in the grand scheme of things?
Corcoran says that it's not so much the length of the winless streak as the timing. Most teams charge out of the gate, giving fans a glimpse of the strength of their preseason lineup swaps and newly acquired stars, but Boston's early struggle doesn't bode well for the remainder of the season.
The Sox will have another shot to meet their high preseason expectations this afternoon when they take on the Indians at Cleveland.
Boston Red Sox vs. Cleveland Indians (12:05 p.m. ET) Jon Lester will need to step it up if he's going to avoid the team's first 0-6 start since 1945.
Minnesota Twins vs. New York Yankees (1:05 p.m. ET) The Twins have gone 7-31 in their last 38 at Yankee Stadium, but they'll be looking to move to 3-3 for this season when the two teams face off in the Bronx.
By the numbers
11 - Number of games freshman Kyrie Irving played for the Blue Devils during the 2010-2011 season. Irving announced that he would be leaving Duke after just one year to enter the NBA draft.
25 - Number of points Manu Ginobili scored in the Spurs' 124-92 rout of the Kings. The win gave San Antonio the No. 1 seed in the West.
1996 - Last time the Texas Rangers started their season 6-0 before this year. The AL champs nabbed their sixth victory of the season Wednesday with a 7-3 win over the Seattle Mariners.
Plea deal canceled in Jaycee Dugard kidnapping case
A plea deal for Phillip Garrido, charged with the alleged kidnapping and rape of Jaycee Dugard, a young California girl held captive from ages 11 until 29, was canceled Thursday, according to his wife's attorney.
Slippery Bronx Zoo snake gets a name
The Egyptian cobra that turned into a media darling after its escape and subsequent capture at the Bronx Zoo was named Mia on Thursday after a public vote. The name is a play on the several days it was "missing in action."
FULL STORY
Gotta Watch: Snake Week
Okay, it's not officially "Snake Week" here at CNN, but it sure feels like it. Eyes have been glued to the story about the missing (and now found) snake at the Bronx Zoo and now, another snake story has emerged. Here are some of our favorite videos and interviews from our unofficial "Snake Week."
Scaly bathroom buddy? – One man got an unexpected, early morning surprise when he headed into his bathroom. Nestled on his heating vent was a coiled, three-foot boa constrictor.
[cnn-video url="http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2011/04/07/dnt.surprise.snake.bathroom.WTVR"%5DTsunami warning lifted following new Japan quake
[Update 12:06 p.m. ET, 1:06 a.m. Friday in Japan] The tsunami warning and advisories for Japan have been lifted, public broadcaster NHK reported.
[Update 11:20 a.m. ET, 12:20 a.m. Friday in Japan] Workers evacuated the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant following an earthquake Thursday, Tokyo Electric Power Co. said. TEPCO has communication with the plant and the power is still on. There were no immediate reports of damage.
The U.S. Geological Survey downgraded the magnitude of the latest Japan earthquake to 7.1; the quake had been given a preliminary magnitude of 7.4.
[Posted 10:57 a.m. ET, 11:57 p.m. in Japan] A magnitude-7.4 earthquake struck Japan on Thursday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. The epicenter was off the coast of Miyagi Prefecture.
Public broadcaster NHK reported a tsunami warning for Miyagi, saying people in the area should evacuate from the shore to a safe place.
NHK also reported a tsunami advisory for Iwate Prefecture, saying a tsunami is expected to arrive in coastal regions there as well.
Are you there? Please send your stories, photos and videos to iReport.com.
FULL STORYMagnitude 6.7 earthquake strikes Mexico
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.7 hit the region of Veracruz, Mexico, the U.S. Geological Survey reported Thursday. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.
Thursday's intriguing people
Bob Dylan
The rocker played a show in China on Wednesday night to a crowd who mostly didn't know who he was, just days after artist and activist Ai Weiwei was arrested for alleged "economic crimes." Dylan's set list had to be approved by the Ministry of Culture, and a few of his most popular songs, including "The Times They Are a-Changin'," were not played, the Los Angeles Times reported. "Foreign acts coming into China are watched much more closely than native Chinese bands," said Nevin Domer, booking manager at D-22, a mecca for student rock in Beijing.
Thursday's live video events
The battle over the federal budget is dominating the talk in Washington today. CNN.com Live is there for all the latest developments.
Today's programming highlights...
9:00 am ET - House budget debate - House lawmakers will be focusing on the budget this morning when they resume their session on Capitol Hill. Senate debate resumes at 10:00 am ET.
At least 2 killed in airstrike on Libyan opposition convoy
At least two people were killed in an airstrike on an opposition convoy near the Libyan town of al-Brega on Thursday, hospital officials in Ajdabiya told CNN's Ben Wedeman. It is unclear whether the aircraft was from NATO or forces fighting on behalf of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.
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