NPR News 2010-01-31 加文本

NPR News 2010-01-31

From NPR News in Washington, I'm Carol Van Dam.

A winter storm is covering much of the Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states today with a thick blanket of snow. 15-year-old Harrison Wall is shoveling his driveway in Bowie, Maryland. "It's pretty light snow right now, not very difficult, it's very powdery." Nearly a foot of snow has fallen in Western North Carolina. About ten inches of snow has already fallen in parts of Tennessee. Several slick stretches of highway prompted authorities to shut down some roadways in the Carolinas. Hundreds of thousands are without power. Virginia is among the states battling the snowstorm today. Beverly Amsler of member station WVTF in Roanoke says winter storm warnings are in effect for several Virginia counties and the District of Colombia.

The plows are out, airports are closed and people are staying inside. Some Virginia localities which are now under several inches of snow were flooded just a few days ago. Snow totals range from 10 inches in parts of Western Virginia to 16 inches near the North Carolina border. Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell declared a state of emergency before the storm hit to help towns and cities deal with the weather. About 200 National Guard members were also put on alert. Unlike last month's snowstorm, there aren't any major accidents and people aren't stranded on interstates. But driving is hazardous as some areas are reporting blowing and drifting snow. In addition to the snow are the frigid temperatures with wind chills in the single digits for the next couple of days. For NPR News, I'm Beverly Amsler in Roanoke, Virginia.

China says it will impose sanctions on US military firms that sell arms to Taiwan and will suspend military exchanges with the US. The announcement comes after the US sold more than six billion dollars in arms to Taiwan. The BBC's Damian Grammaticas says Beijing is demanding that Washington cancel the deal or face more repercussions.

The deal to supply billions of dollars worth of US Patriot missile defense systems, helicopters, minesweeping ships and communications equipment to Taiwan has long been in the pipeline. But the trigger for China's flurry of angry responses was the notification sent to Congress on Friday that the sale is to go ahead. Many in the US military are seriously concerned about China's military build-up, saying it threatens a military balance in East Asia. And Taiwan's president today welcomed the arms sale, saying it will make his island feel more confident and secure in its interactions with China. The BBC's Damian Grammaticas’ reporting from Beijing.

The US is no longer flying Haiti's earthquake victims to the states for medical care because hospitals say they have run out of money to care for the patients. Captain Kevin Aandahl with the US Transportation Command says he understands, as he understands it, some states are unwilling to approve transportation for follow-up care adding the US military cannot fly anyone without a hospital accepting patients on the other end. Yesterday Florida Governor Charlie Crist asked Washington to help pay for care. And this is NPR.

Four Afghan soldiers were killed in a friendly fire incident this morning in Wardak province southwest of Kabul. A joint US-Afghan force called in an air strike on suspected militants only to learn later that it was another Afghan unit. The incident has stoked anger among villagers. A joint investigation is under way. Yesterday an Afghan interpreter killed two U.S. service members. A US military official says the attacker appeared to be a disgruntled employee.

Nigeria remains in political limbo with an absentee president still on prolonged sick leave abroad. There are mounting calls for an interim leader to be appointed until he's back home. We get more from NPR's Ofeibea Quist-Arcton.

A high court dismissed a legal challenge by the Nigerian Bar Association calling on President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua to step down and hand over power to his deputy. Upholding a similar ruling in a previous case, the judge said Vice President Goodluck Jonathan could continue to act on the president's behalf without formally being appointed president. The lawsuit was one of a number seeking to end the perceived political vacuum in Nigeria. Critics cite pressing national priorities requiring urgent attention including the case of a young Nigerian accused of trying to blow up a US passenger airliner, a deadly outbreak of religious clashes and now rebels threatening renewed violence in Nigeria's turbulent oil exporting region. Ofeibea Quist-Arcton, NPR News, Accra.

President Obama is spending his afternoon watching basketball in the company of hundreds of college students. He's watching seventh-ranked Georgetown take on No. 8 Duke University at Washington's Verizon Center. The president's personal assistant, Reggie Love, played for Duke.

I'm Carol Van Dam, NPR News in Washington.