NATIONAL BRIEFS

LOUISIANA: Black leader for Baptists

The Southern Baptist Convention voted Tuesday to elect its first African-American president in one of its biggest steps yet to reconcile the 167-year-old denomination's racial past and appeal to a more diverse group of believers. The Rev. Fred Luter Jr. was unopposed, elected by thousands of enthusiastic delegates at the annual meeting of the nation's largest Protestant denomination in his hometown of New Orleans. Pastor David Crosby of First Baptist New Orleans nominated Luter, calling him a "fire-breathing, miracle-working pastor" who "would likely be a candidate for sainthood if he were Catholic." Crosby recalled how Luter built the Franklin Avenue Baptist Church from a tiny congregation to a megachurch of nearly 8,000 before the buildings were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Today, with a Sunday attendance of 5,000, Luter's rebuilt church is once again the largest Southern Baptist church for attendance in the state.

WASHINGTON: Report on Quran burning

A U.S. military investigation is recommending that as many as seven U.S. troops face administrative punishments, but not criminal charges, in the burning of Qurans at a U.S. base in Afghanistan in February, The Associated Press has learned. No final decisions have been made, but the lack of criminal charges is likely to anger Afghans who were enraged by the burning.

TEXAS: Children shot, suspect held

A man shot and killed an infant and critically wounded a toddler in a hotel room in McAllen before being arrested by officers who had been called to check on the boys and their mother, police said. Officers were looking for the mother, Brandy Cerny, 28, and "fearing the worst," Laredo Police spokesman Joe Baeza said. When police knocked on the door of the 14th-floor room, they heard several shots. Police cleared the building, then entered the room and arrested the man. The infant was declared dead at the scene, while the toddler was on life support in a hospital.