NPR News 2010-01-01 加文本

NPR News 2010-01-01

From NPR News in Washington, I'm Barbara Klein.

The Taliban has claimed responsibility for two bomb attacks in Afghanistan Wednesday including the one that killed eight Americans inside a US intelligence base in southeastern Khost province. Seven of the dead were CIA officers; one of them was the chief of the base. President Obama today sent a letter to CIA employees, praising those who he said serve the country in the shadows with courage.

President Obama has received a preliminary report from officials investigating the attempted bombing of the Detroit-bound plane on Christmas Day. As NPR's Don Gonyea reports, he's been holding conferences with the nation's top security advisors while on vacation with his family in Hawaii.

The president held morning New Year's Eve phone conversations with his top White House Homeland Security and Counter-terrorism Advisor John Brennan and Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano. He has ordered a complete study of what he calls "human and systemic failures that allowed the attempted act of terrorism on Northwest Flight 253 to take place". In a statement, the president says he was updated on enhanced security measures put in place after the incident. He also says that next Tuesday when he is back in Washington, he'll meet in person with all agency heads involved in the investigation and in providing airline and transportation security. Don Gonyea, NPR News, Washington.

The Labor Department reports job losses continue to moderate last week. The number of people applying for unemployment benefits for the first time fell to the lowest level in nearly a year and a half to 432, 000.

Two media giants have to reach a deal this evening or several major markets won't be able to carry the popular Fox Broadcasting Network. Fox's owner, News Corp., wants Time Warner Cable to pay more money to carry Fox's shows in places like New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. NPR's David Folkenflik has more.

The current contract expires at 12 midnights Eastern Time. If no deal is struck, say sayonara to watching a bunch of college football bowl games and such hit shows as American Idol, Glee and 24 in many parts of the country. Time Warner Cable is the nation's second largest cable operator. It serves about 13 million subscribers. Fox is flexing its ratings muscles, saying it wants a dollar for every subscriber. That's a new demand for a broadcast network, and Time Warner is offering a lot less, worried about what other networks will demand. A Time Warner Cable spokesman said talks were ongoing and that a deal would eventually be reached, but News Corp. appears to be girding for an extended brawl. The Los Angeles Times reports it's been buying up an airtime on other local stations to slam Time Warner just in case. David Folkenflik, NPR News, New York.

On Wall Street today, the Dow closed down 120 points at 10,428. The NASDAQ was off 22 at 2,269.

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Disney's decision to buy Marvel Entertainment got the go-ahead from Marvel's shareholders who voted today in favor of the proposed merger. The deal will give the Walt Disney Company control of Marvel's comics and thousands of its characters including Spider-Man, the Hulk and X-Man. Many Marvel properties have been turned into blockbuster movies.

In New York City, hundreds of thousands of revelers are expected to welcome in the New Year in Times Square in near-freezing rain and snow. Meanwhile, as NPR's Margot Adler reports, police are on high alert.

Security is already tight. Times Square was briefly closed on Wednesday, because of an unidentified white van without license plates. Some buildings were evacuated. The NYPD Bomb Squad investigated it, but it turned out to be a false alarm. Police are prepared for the evening with radiation and biological detectors, bombs sniffing dogs and a fleet of helicopters. Backpacks and alcohol will as usual be forbidden in the Times Square area. Many major streets will be closed and parking will be restricted. Sanitation workers are also getting ready to clean up some 40 tons of confetti with 23 mechanical sweepers, 21 collection trucks and 36 leaf blowers. Margot Adler, NPR News, New York.

The number of states reporting widespread swine flu infections continues to drop. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says only four states are now reporting a high level of flu activity. The CDC warns flu is uNPRedictable and activity can rise and fall throughout the season. It also says supplies of the H1N1 vaccine are increasingly available and that is the best way for people to protect themselves.

I'm Barbara Klein, NPR News in Washington.