NPR News 2013-01-06 加文本

NPR News 2013-01-06

From NPR News in Washington, I'm Nora Raum.

President Obama says he is looking forward to working with the new Congress on growing the economy and shrinking budget deficits. But in his weekly address, the President said he won't compromise on whether the federal debt ceiling should be raised.

If Congress refuses to give the United States the ability to pay its bills on time, the consequences for the entire global economy could be catastrophic.

Congressman Dave Camp of Michigan gave the Republican address. He said the problem is Washington spends too much and wastes too much.

That position is irresponsible and fails to acknowledge what every family in America already knows when you have no more money in your account and your credit cards are maxed out, then the spending must stop.

Camp is chairman of House Ways and Means Committee.

A gunman barricaded himself at a house in a rural Colorado early this morning. Police say after hours of negotiation, SWAT team stormed the house and killed the gunman. Three other people were also found dead. Their names have not been released. Aurora is where a gunman opened fire in a theater last summer killing 12 people.

Several gun shows set for the next few weeks near Newtown, Connecticut, have been canceled. NPR's Allison Keyes reports in some cases, officials felt that it was too soon after 26 were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Westchester Collectors Inc is going on with this weekend's gun show in Stamford, Connecticut according to a recorded message.

We are at the East Coast Fine Arms Show this weekend, January 5th and 6th.

That despite a statement released Friday by Stamford Mayor Michael Pavia asking organizers not to hold the event, calling it untimely and insensitive. The company has canceled a show set for Waterbury, Connecticut next weekend, after the police chief there said he isn't signing any gun show permits until further notice. Big Al's Gun Shows has canceled three shows over the next several weeks. But gun dealers across the nation have reported a spike in sales amid calls for a federal ban on assault weapons. Allison Keyes, NPR News.

There have been a half dozen aftershocks since the initial 7.5 magnitude earthquake that struck off the coast of Southeast Alaska overnight. The quake prompted tsunami warnings and advisories. They have since been canceled. Casey Kelly from member station KTOO has more on what shaped up to be a long night for coastal Alaskans.

The quake jolted awake residents of the Alaska panhandle and prompted some communities to implement voluntary tsunami evacuation plans. In Sitka, residents headed to high ground and the high school. The city of Craig on Prince of Wales Island set up evacuation points of the Pull Jemand Elementary School. By 2 am Alaska time, all tsunami warnings had been canceled. Only minor waves were reported including a six-inch surge in Port Alexander. For NPR News, I'm Casey Kelly, in Juneau.

This is NPR News from Washington.

Italian investigators suspected excessive speed may have caused a snowmobile pulling a sled to crash on a ski slope last night. They said six people were killed and two others were injured. They were all Russian tourists or Russians working in the tourism industry in Italy. The crash happened on the same mountain where in 1998, a low flying US marine jet sliced the cable of a ski gondola, sending the cable car crashing to the ground, twenty people were killed.

A single bluefin tuna has netted a record $1.7 million at an auction in Tokyo, shattering a record set one year ago. John Matthews reports.

The first auction at Japan's famous Tsukiji market traditionally attracts high profile bidders to kick off the New Year. Today, the nearly 500-pound bluefin tuna claims the biggest bounty so far for more than $3,500 per pound. As it turns out the high bidder destroyed the record he himself set last year. Kiyoshi Kimura, head of a major sushi chain, says he wants to get the country a boost in the midst of lagging economy. Japan consumes a vast majority of Atlantic and Pacific bluefin caught. Juvenile populations have raised alarms among environmental groups concerned by overfishing. For NPR News, I'm John Metthews, in Tokyo.

A newspaper in Brazil is reporting that prison guards stopped a cat from entering a prison with a saw and a cellphone. According to the report, the devices were taped to the cat along with drills, batteries and a phone charger. The 263 prisoners are the main suspects. A prison spokesman told the newspaper it's tough to find out who is responsible as the cat doesn't speak.

I'm Nora Raum, NPR News, in Washington.