NPR News 2012-09-13 加文本

NPR News 2012-09-13

From NPR News in Washington, I'm Lakshmi Singh.

Flags are lower and security is heightened at U.S. installations around the world in response to yesterday's anti-American unrest in Egypt and Libya. A violent protest against obscured anti-Islamic film in the U.S. erupted first at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, then hours later at the U.S. consulate in Libya, where four Americans including Ambassador Chris Stevens were killed in Benghazi. Today, President Obama sought to remind Americans that the attacks are the work of a few not Libya's government or the Libyan people as a whole.

This attack will not break the bonds between the United States and Libya. Libyan security personnel  fought back against the attackers alongside Americans. Libyans helped some of our diplomats find safety, and they carried Ambassador Stevens' body to the hospital, where we tragically learned that he had died.

Before the president spoke, his election-year rival Mitt Romney lobbed  verbal attacks at the incumbent for his handling of the unrest. He accused the administration of apologizing for American values when it responded to anti-American violence. But on Capitol Hill, few Republicans followed Romney's lead. As NPR's David Welna explains.

A few Republicans at the capitol did repeat Mr. Romney's charges that the Obama Administration had apologized that the perpetrators at the attacks on the U.S. embassy in Cairo and U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya. But most GOP lawmakers reframed from any criticism. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell spoke on the senate floor.

We honor the Americans, we lost in Libya. And we will stand united in our response. Among the things we can agree on in Washington is that the attacks on the US and its representatives will be met with resolve.

New Jersey Democratic Senator Frank Lautenberg said Mitt Romney had offered "atrocious political response to the violence that claimed in American diplomats' lives ". David Welna, NPR News, the Capitol.

Meanwhile, tributes are pouring in today for Ambassador Chris Stevens. He was the first U.S. ambassador to be killed while on due in more than 30 years. NPR's Craig Windham says the 52-year-old was a career U.S. diplomat.

Stevens grew up in California and went to college at  UC Berkeley. In a video introducing him as an ambassador to Libya he said he did not know much about the Middle East until he became a Peace Corps volunteer in 1983.

I worked as an English teacher in a town in the high Atlas mountains in Morocco for two years. And quickly grew to love this part of the world. Since joining the foreign service, I have spent almost my entire career in the Middle East and North Africa.

Steven spoke Arabic and French, and he served in an array of foreign service jobs in Israel, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Syria. His nomination to be ambassador to Libya came early this year. Those who knew Stevens say he was intelligent, easy going and friendly. He is survived by a wife and two children. Craig Windham, NPR News, Washington.

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A billion people live downstream from the glaciers in the Himalayans . That's a concern because some those glaciers are melting. NPR's Richard Harris reports on a new study that looks at how climate change affects this critical water resource.

Some glaciers in the Himalayans are gradually melting as the climate changes. Others appeared to be holding steady or even growing since that glacier run off frozen to some of the most important rivers in the world. People have been worried about what that means for the billion people who live downstream. A report from the National Academy of Sciences concludes that the fade of the glaciers is just one facet of this issue of more immediate concern. People are drawing too much water from wells in some areas. Also shifting monsoon rains could have a much more dramatic effect than gradually diminishing glaciers. Another real concern is the risk that nations and users may fight over scarce water resources. So the academy says this is not simply a matter of melting glaciers. Richard Harris, NPR News.

Federal Health officials say this could be the worst year yet for West Nile virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says at today there have been 1,400 serious illnesses linked to West Nile. They include 118 deaths nationwide. They say cases are expected to grow through October.

In Iowa, egg farm's manager linked to the 2010 salmonella outbreak has pleaded guilty to try to bride USDA inspector to allow the sale of unapproved eggs. U.S. Attorney Stephanie Rose said the manager Tony Wasmund agreed to the plea in the Cedar Rapids federal courtroom today.

Before the close, the Dow was up 10 points at 13,333.

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