NPR News 2011-12-29 加文本

NPR News 2011-12-29

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

Afghanistan has signed an oil contract with China, the first such deal to exploit the country's potential oil and gas reserves. NPR's Quil Lawrence reports Afghanistan is hoping mineral and fuel resources can energize the country's economy.

China's state-owned petroleum corporation won the first rights to develop oil and gas in the north of Afghanistan. China also secured the first copper-mining rights in eastern Afghanistan several years ago. Estimates of Afghanistan's potential natural resource wealth vary wildly, and development has been stalled by war, which makes transportation of products untenable. The Chinese Coppermine, for example, requires the construction of two new railroads, neither of which has begun. The Afghan government hopes natural resources can someday become a primary source of revenue. That might replace foreign aid, which currently funds about 90% of the country's budget. Quil Lawrence, NPR News, Kabul.

The US and Iran are exchanging threats for the second time in as many days. Tehran is threatening to close the Strait of Hormuz at the mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a sixth of the world's oil is transported. Pentagon spokesman George Little says any move to hamper shipping in the strategic strait won't be tolerated.

“This is not just an important issue for security and instability in the region, but is an economic lifeline.”

Little also says there’s no indication Iranian ships are creating any problem for US vessels in the gulf.

Police deaths in this country rose 13% this year over last. A new report finds 173 law enforcement officers died in the line of duty in 2011. The number of officers killed by firearms also rose dramatically. In fact for the first time more died because of guns than traffic accident. Attorney General Eric Holder is calling on the Justice Department to give police more training and equipment including bulletproof vests.

Auto industry analysts are expecting the holiday season to be a good one for new car sales. December's numbers are alone expected to reach their highest level since March of this year. NPR's Sonari Glinton reports American and Korean manufacturers are likely to be the big winners.

Seven of the ten best days to buy a car are in December. That's according to Jesse Toprak, an analyst with TrueCar.com. He says the end of the month is genuinely a good time to buy a new car. That's even more true at the end of the year.

“It’s actually exaggerated by the fact that it is the last day of the year, so many of the manufacturers increase their incentives to move medal before going to next year.”

Toprak says he expects Chrysler and Hyundai to see the biggest sales jumps in December, with both company posting 30% gains over the same time last year. Sonari Glinton, NPR News.

An hour before the close on Wall Street, the Dow was down 125 points; the NASDAQ off 29.

This is NPR.

The Chinese government is blaming design flaws and sloppy management for a bullet train crash in July that killed 40 people. The final investigation which specifically criticizes 54 Chinese officials was presented today to Premier Wen Jiabao. Beijing had touted its bullet train system as cutting-edge and had been planning to develop the technology for export, but projects were suspended following the accident.

Armed Palestinian police have broken up a mass brawl among some 100 priests in the West Bank town of Bethlehem. The BBC's Jon Donnison reports the fight broke out inside the Church of the Nativity, the spot where Christians believe Jesus was born.

Tis the season to be jolly, but there was little evidence of festive cheer in Bethlehem. The fights erupted between Greek and Arminian Orthodox priests as they were cleaning the Church of the Nativity in preparation for Orthodox Christmas in just over a week's time. Bemused tourists looked on as clerics attacked each other with broomsticks before police with riot shields and batons moved in. Remarkably punch-ups among the priests in Bethlehem are not unusual. Rival Christian denominations each control sections of the church and fiercely guard their turf. BBC's Jon Donnison.

A notable Hollywood passing today. The chimpanzee in the 1930s Tarzan movies oddly named Cheeta has died. He was 80 years old. The animal sanctuary in Florida where he lived says he died of kidney failure. The sanctuary's outreach director tells the local newspaper Cheeta continued an artistic life. He finger-painted. He also like to see people laugh.

I'm Barbara Klein, NPR News in Washington.