NPR News 2009-10-31 加文本
NPR News 2009-10-31
From NPR West, I'm Jack Speer.
One day after a rosy outlook sent stocks up more than 2%, Wall Street took it all back in lump sum some today. Worries over a weak report on consumer spending last month as well as an end-of-month selling bout caused investors to pull back. Britt Beemer is a retail expert with America's research group. He said today consumers still appeared to have doubts about whether an economic recovery is actually taking hold.
Everybody wants the recession to end. The problem is no one has told the consumer yet. We find that consumers are extremely pessimistic about the future.
Government reported this morning consumer spending fell a half percent in September while personal incomes also declined. Many economists worry if consumers do sharply rein in their spending in the months ahead, any recovery could stall.
The White House has released new figures today, crediting the administration's economic stimulus program was saving or creating nearly 650,000 jobs. Figures are based on reports from more than 130,000 recipients of stimulus money including school districts able to save jobs as a result of money funneled to the states. The administration says it remains on track to achieve the goal of 3.5 million jobs over two years.
President Obama has announced he will overturn a 22-year-old travel and immigration ban against people with HIV early next year. In an order to be finalized Monday, the president said today it's completion of a process begun during the previous administration.
"Congress and President Bush began this process last year and they ought to be commended forth, we are finishing the job. It's a step that will encourage people to get tested and get treatment. It's a step that will keep families together and it's a step that will save lives."
US is currently one of a dozen countries that bar entry to travelers with visas or anyone seeking a green card based on their HIV status.
British oil company BP is being hit with a record fine by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for continued violations at a facility hit by fatal explosion in 2005. From Larry Miller reports from London, BP is contesting the allegations.
The 87-million-dollar fine imposed on BP is the biggest in OSHA's history. An explosion 4 years ago at BP's Texas City refinery killed 15 and injured 180. The oil company was fined 23 million dollars then and entered into an agreement to bring the facility up to safe standards. After a 6-month inspection to ensure BP complied, OSHA said it's committed hundreds of new violations, which Labor Secretary Hild Solis said could lead to another catastrophe. In a statement BP said it formally contests all the citations, alleged violations and penalties. BP says it’s in full compliance and insists its safety improvement at Texas City have been among the most strenuous and comprehensive ever in the refining industry. For NPR News, I'm Larry Miller in London.
On Wall Street the Dow-Jones Industrial Average plunged 249 points, ending the week at 9,712. For the week, the Dow lost more than 2.5%.
This is NPR News.
Investigators are continuing their search off the California coast near San Diego for 9 people missing after a Coast Guard C1-30 is believed to have collided with a Marine Corps Super Cobra helicopter overnight. Coast Guard officials have been searching in the brief fields some 50 miles off the coast but have been unable to find any of the victims. Pentagon spokesman did say however it is likely all 9 people were killed. The Coast Guard plane was on a night-time search for a missing boater while the marine Cobra helicopter was on a training mission.
The daughter of Martin Luther King Junior will be the new head of the Civil Rights Organization that her famous father co-founded and its first female president. The Southern Christian Leadership Conference announced today it chose Bernice King at its Atlanta headquarters. Elda Eisa from member station WABE was there.
Interim SCLC president Byron Clay unsealed the results of Thursday's ballot before a roomful of reporters. The board voted 23 to 15 for King with one no vote. Clay then called King to congratulate her.
"You have been elected as the new president and CEO of the greatest organization in the world, the Southern Christian Leadership Congress."
King accepted it. The SCLC was critical to the passage of the voting rights and civil rights acts but in recent years has floundered. It's been troubled by financial problems and internal fighting and has struggled recently to define its mission. King will be the third in her family to head the organization after her father and older brother Martin Luther King the third. For NPR News, I'm Elda Eisa from Atlanta.
Crude oil futures prices are ending the week lower. Crude futures fell $2.87 a barrel today to end the session at $77 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
I'm Jack Speer, NPR News.
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