NPR News 2013-04-04 加文本

NPR News 2013-04-04

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

The Pentagon says it's deploying a missile defense system to Guam as a precautionary move against North Korea's military threats. It says the system known as a terminal high-altitude area  defense battery or THAAD, will protect again short and medium range missiles from North Korea.

Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel says North Korea's recent rhetoric presents are real and clear danger to the U.S. and its Asia Pacific allies.

Regarding our base in Guam, threatened Hawaii, threatened the west coast of the United States.

Hagel spoke to an audience at the National Defense University.

Rutgers University has fired head basketball coach Mike Rice, a day after video emerged of Rice physically manhandling and verbally abusing his players during practice. Details from NPR's Tom Goldman.

The university released a statement this morning announcing Rice is firing and acknowledging that earlier punishment, a suspension and fine didn't go far enough. Rutgers Athletics Director Tim Pernetti said "I thought it was in the best interest of everyone to rehabilitate, but I was wrong". The video released yesterday shows Rice shoving players, throwing basketballs at them from close range and shouting anti-gay slurs at them. Rutgers officials viewed the video months ago, but fired Rice a day after the video became public and prompted outrage from among others, NBA star LeBron James and Chris Christie, the Governor of New Jersey, where Rutgers is located. Today's announcement said Rice's firing was based on recently revealed information and reveal of previously discovered issues. Tom Goldman, NPR News.

President Obama visits Colorado this afternoon to lobby for tougher gun control measures, including universal background checks. Meanwhile, sixteen Colorado sheriffs are protesting restrictions. They scheduled a news conference in Denver, near where Obama planned to meet law enforcement officials.

A report out today suggested the U.S. economy may have added fewer jobs than expected last month. NPR's Dave Mattingly reports on the latest numbers from Payroll Processor ADP.

With fewer people filing new claims for unemployment benefits and stronger housing numbers, analysts have been saying the economy likely added 200,000 plus jobs in March. But a report from ADP shows  hiring slowdown. Private employers added just 158,000. Economist Joe Johnson notes the report shows no construction jobs added last month, none.

Perhaps the recovery in housing is continuing, but it might have stalled out some during the month of March. So not a particularly good number.

Economists say look for the Labor Department's report due out Friday to reflect the same slowdown in job gains. Dave Mattingly, NPR News, Washington.

At last check on Wall Street, Dow was down 91 points, more than 0.5% at 14,570; NASDAQ down now more than 1%  at 3,222; and S&P 500 down nearly 1%.

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The housing recovery continues to gain momentum, heading into the spring buying season. The real estate data provider Core Logic reports a February increase topped 10% compared with a year before, which is the largest increase in seven years.

An unexploded World War II bomb discovered near the main railway station in Berlin diverted trains and snarled traffic in German capital today. NPR's Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson reports from that area that authorities were able to defuse the bomb.

More than 800 people were evacuated from nearby apartment buildings and homes, as policemen worked on defusing the 220-pound aerial bomb. The device was found last night at construction site near the tracks, north of Berlin's main train station. The station is walking distance from the German parliament and Chancellor building. Although those buildings were not affected. But dozens of trains were rerouted, causing massive delays. Flights were also grounded for 45 minutes at Berlin's Tegel Airport. Thousands of unexploded bombs from the World War II era are believed to be buried in Germany. In 2010, three people were killed when one accidentally exploded.  Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson, NPR News, Berlin.

The Associated Press is reporting that state official in West Virginia says a sheriff has been shot to death and a suspect is in custody. The AP saying the governor's chief of staff. The state police report that Mingo County Sheriff Eugene Crum died today. An emergency dispatcher says the shooting took place within a block of the county courthouse.

U.S. stocks trading lower with the Dow off more than 90 points at last glance.

I'm Lakshmi Singh, NPR News.