NPR News 2013-01-02 加文本

NPR News 2013-01-02

From NPR News in Washington, I'm Louise Schiavone.

Just before 2 am, the US Senate overwhelmingly endorsed a measure to catch the government economy in free fall. But despite the post deadline timing, the House is not rushing to pass the bill. The situation leaving federal fiscal affairs once again in limbo. On the House floor, Congressman Dennis Kucinich said it reminded him of a movie.

A New Year's deal for New Year's day, or it's a Groundhog Day, because like the movie, Groundhog Day, this government in two months will arrive at another crisis of debt, of spending and taxes.

The Senate passed plan would raise taxes on annual family income over $450,000, cancel pay raises for Congress and help prevent milk prices from rising dramatically. The measure would extend benefits for the long-term jobless and prevent a 27% cut in fees for doctors who treat medicare patients. NPR's John Ydstie says big issues remain unresolved.

One part of the fiscal cliff that is being put off by this deal is the issue of the automatic spending cuts, the $110 billion in spending cuts from defense and from discretionary programs. The Congress would deal with those about two months from now under this deal. But that comes at the same time as the Congress will be facing a fight over raising the debt ceiling. So it could be another time threatens the economy. NPR's John Ydstie.

As of today, under the Healthcare Reform Act, businesses are required to start providing workers with contraception coverage. But as WDET's Quinn Klinefelter reports a company in Michigan now has time to appeal.

A US district judge granted a temporary restraining order, allowing a property management company owned by the founder of Domino's Pizza to avoid providing contraception to employees. Owner Tom Monaghan says he beliefs birth control is a "gravely immoral practice ". The ruling does not cover Domino's Pizza which Monaghan sold Bain Capital in 1998. But it is one of about a dozen lawsuits nationwide, arguing the contraception mandate violates religious beliefs. The judge in the Michigan case says he issued the restraining order because the matter can not be resolved before the mandate takes effect. For NPR News, I'm Quinn Klinefelter in Detroit. 

Chaos in a province in northwestern Pakistan. Authorities there say six women and one man, teachers and health workers were gunned down. Swabi Pakistan Police Officer Abdur Rashid.

Some member this community center was coming back. It was ambushed, six of the female were murdered and one man member was also murdered, the driver is injured.

Militants in the region oppose female education and in the past have attacked girls and blown up their schools.

This is NPR News.

About 60 people, many of them children are reported to have been killed in Ivory Coast after a stampede at a New Year's fireworks display. The Ivorian authorities have ordered an investigation and NPR's Ofeibea Quist-Arcton reports it's not immediately clear what led to the panic that triggered the crash.

There are several versions of what sparked the deadly incident near the main stadium in Ivory Coast main city Abidjan. Some reports say the lagoon-side fireworks bonanza ended in what sounded like gunfire, panic the crowds leaving the festivities, which led to a stampede and dozens of deaths. Many children were reportedly among the New Year's revelers who were trampled and perished in the early hours. As day dawned in Abidjan, abandoned clothes and shoes and blast things could be seen after an event that was organized to celebrate the return of peace following the post election conflict in Ivory Coast. Ofeibea Quist-Arcton, NPR News, Accra.

2013 marks the 400th anniversary of some native Americans believe it is the first treaty between the Iroquois nations and the Europeans. Some scholars challenged the veracity of the treaty, but in upstate New York, the Onondaga people and representatives of other Iroquoian nations, planned several events over the course of the coming year ranging from canoe convoys to presentations about the dangers of hydraulic fracturing.

Playboy's Hugh Hefner  and 26-year-old Playmate Crystal Harris are now married. She broke off the engagement a year ago but exchanged vows with the 86-year-old Hef. on New Year's eve.

I'm Louise Schiavone, NPR News, Washington.