NPR News 2013-01-22 加文本

NPR News 2013-01-22

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

President Obama is preparing to rejoin a large number of supporters who have come from all over the country to the nation's capital to celebrate his second inauguration. They are standing shoulder to shoulder along the parade route hoping to get a glimpse of president and first lady. They've just wrapped up a luncheon at Statuary Hall where he told audience of Democrats and Republicans that despite their differences, they share a common goal.

I recognize that democracy is not always easy and I recognize there are profound differences in this room, but I just want to say thank you for your service and I want to thank your families for their service, because regardless of our political persuasions and perspectives, I know that all of us serve because we believe that we can make America for future generations.

NPR's Pam Fessler recaps events earlier in the day as people prepare to watch President Obama publicly take the oath of office. She says inaugural activities have come relatively smoothly so far.

There was no Purple Tunnel of Doom this year. There wasn't 2009 that's when thousands would-be inaugural goers with purple tickets missed the swearing in because of security glitches. This year spectators reported long lines at some security checkpoints, but for the most part, those who wanted to, got in. Still, some people said they couldn't see very well and spectators booed when Jumbotron screens near the Washington Monument failed to work properly. Traffic was heavy on the city's metro rail system, especially as thousands left the mall right after the president's speech. Ridership was about 60% of what it was in 2009. Pam Fessler, NPR News, Washington.

Well, the debt ceiling is one of the major issues confronting the president as he begins his second term. Republican leaders say a measure to increase the nation's borrowing authority will come up for a vote in the House on Wednesday. Lawmakers say the legislation will require the House and Democratic-led Senate to approve budgets that call for a deeper spending cuts if either chamber fails to do so, congressional members pay will then be withheld.

The State Department is confirming the deaths of three Americans killed in a terrorist attack in Algeria, they were among 38 foreign nationals killed in a standoff that began last week when Islamist militants raided a gas complex and ended when Algerian forces stormed the site. Britain also lost citizens in the assault. Prime Minister David Cameron warns the attack, it's further proof, he says, that North Africa is becoming increasingly vulnerable, not only to local insurgents.

It's also becoming a magnet for jihadists from other countries who share this poisonous ideology. Indeed there are already reports of non-Algerian nationals involved in this attack.

We are far to reports of a Canadian involve. Militants said they took hostages in retaliation for France's military offensive against insurgents in neighboring Mali where French forces reportedly have retaken control strategic town of Diabaly.

This is NPR News.

Eurozone finance ministers are meeting in Brussels where for the first time in years the central issue is not the debt crisis in Greece but in Cyprus and Spain. Teri Schultz reports the group of 17 nations is also about to get a new leader who says the euro is regaining credibility.

Dutch Finance Minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem has been tapped to chair the eurozone, taking over from Luxembourg's Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker,who has headed the group the last eight years. Forty-six-year-old Dijsselbloem has only been a finance minister for three months and his government has been critical of the ever increasing list of countries needing to be rescued by fellow eurozone members. But Dijsselbloem is expected to be the  compromise choice. He says the euro is on its way up, too.

There seems to be a new basis for trust and we have to work to announce it, to strengthen it and to build new growth and jobs.

No decisions are likely yet on possible aid packages to Cyprus or Spain. For NPR News, I'm Teri Schultz, in Brussels.

The fate of crew members aboard a vessel that was apparently hijacked off Ivory Coast last week, remains uncertain. And Reuters News Service is reporting the ship's whereabouts are still unknown. Ivorian authorities say gunmen seized a Nigerian-own tanker off the port of Abidjan as it was preparing to unload fuel.

John and Jim Harbaugh, will be the first pair of brothers to coach against each other for the NFL title. People talking about it still today. The Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers won their respective AFC and NFC Championship games yesterday. They set up, the uNPRecedented sibling rivalry at the Super Bowl in just under two weeks.

I'm Lakshmi Singh, NPR News.