NPR News 2010-11-20 加文本

NPR News 2010-11-20

From NPR News in Washington, I'm Pam Coulter.

Those very careful pat-downs at airport security checkpoints have some passengers and pilots in a furor. But the head of the TSA says they are necessary considering the current terrorist threats. John Pistole told the CBS's Early Show security screening is a tough challenge.

"The bottom line is trying to ensure that everybody that gets on every flight can be assured with high confidence that everybody else on that flight has been properly screened."

Pistole noted the attempted bombing of a US-bound plane last Christmas and the more recent effort to ship bombs on cargo planes. Florida Congressman John Mica has told the nation's 100 busiest airports they should switch to private security guards. He has received campaign donations from some private airport security contractors.

German experts sent to investigate a suspicious package at an airport in Namibia say the case found near bags bound for Munich was intended to test airport security. They determine the case was made by an American firm, but it's not clear who was conducted in the test. Germany is under heightened alert over increased concern about terrorism.

President Obama is Lisbon, Portugal to discuss the way forward in Afghanistan with European allies.

"This summit is an important opportunity for us to align an approach to transition in Afghanistan."

Mr. Obama is facing tough questions on the exit strategy in Afghanistan as well as US economic policies. The president pledged to work with Portugal and all of Europe on strengthening the world's financial markets.

For the first time in months, a long-range missile has been fired into Israel from the Gaza Strip. NPR's Lourdes Garcia-Navarro says no one was hurt, but Israeli officials are worried.

The Soviet-designed Grad-type missiles have a range of up to 25 miles, about twice that of homemade Kassam rockets, usually used by Palestinian militants. The projectile struck a tanker truck near the Negev desert town of Ofakim, but no one was injured. This week, Israel killed two alleged senior Palestinian militants in Gaza who were reportedly planning attacks on Israeli citizens. Since then, there's been an uptick in fire coming from the Gaza Strip. Two more mortar shells landed in an open territory in Israel today and two were fired yesterday. Lourdes Garcia-Navarro, NPR News.