NPR News 2013-04-24 加文本

NPR News 2013-04-24

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

The surviving suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings is communicating to interrogators that he and his brother were not connected to any terrorist groups but were motivated, instead, by extremist Islamist beliefs. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is still in the hospital listed now in fair condition. NPR's Craig Windham reports that although the 19-year-old still can not speak, he has been writing out limited answers to some questions by investigators.

Tsarnaev has indicated that he and his brother were not being directed by Islamist militants outside the U.S., but were instead acting independently. Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz tells cnn, authorities should consider bargaining away a possible death sentence in order to get more information from Tsarnaev.

Everybody wins if this guy exchanges information for a life sentence and then is put in at obscure prison where nobody will remember him.

Dershowitz says if Tsarnaev were to be convicted and executed, he would be seen as a martyr by militants. Tsarnaev has been charged with using a weapon of mass destruction and malicious destruction of property. Craig Windham, NPR News, Washington.

Three people were killed in the attack during the Boston Marathon and authorities have raised the number of people injured to more than 260. Secretary of State John Kerry is urging NATO to prepare for the possibility that Syria will use chemical weapons in its civil war. He issued that warning during a NATO meeting in Brussels today. On the sidelines that gathering, Kerry held talks with Russia's foreign minister that he says focused heavily on the deteriorating situation in Syria.

What I did suggest to everybody was we therefore need to all be thinking about how we can get to the negotiating table to avoid an implosion of Syria, which would be the worst consequence.

Meanwhile, there's been no break in the latest fighting along Syria's border with Lebanon. There were reports of at least two Syrian rocket attacks into Lebanese territory.

Sales of new homes rose in March by 1.5% over the previous month. NPR's Yuki Noguchi reports new home sales are recovering, but still far off normal levels.

New home sales are 18.5% higher than the same period last year, reflecting the rebound in the housing market. But at a seasonally adjusted rate of 417,000 homes a year, levels are still way below what economists consider normal. Of course, builders are just coming out of a dormant period when home construction hit historic lows. Financing for new construction also remains tight, so supply is still relatively low. But with greater demand from buyers, prices of new homes are also increasing. The medium price of new home rose 3% from a year ago to $247,000. Yuki Noguchi, NPR News, Washington.

Dow is up 152 at 14,719.

This is NPR.

Democratic Senator Mark Pryor will not seek reelection for a 7th term. The finance committee chairman from Montana says simply there is life beyond Congress. Mark is the 8th senator to announce retirement.

French lawmakers have legalized same sex marriage after months of fierce debate and street protests. NPR's Eleanor Beardsley reports that France is now the 14th country to enact such a law.

The French justice minister said the first weddings could be as soon as June. The measure allowing same sex couples to marry and adopt passed easily in the  Socialist majority National Assembly. But it hasn't gone down so well on the streets. Just this weekend, tens of thousands of opponents of same sex marriage promised to never give up the fight. Their next large demonstration is scheduled for May 26th. Opponents say the measure harms families and children by depriving them of the right to a mother and father. While polls show majority of French accept gay marriage. The country is sharply divided over the issue of adoption. Thousands of police have mobilized in Paris preparing for dueling protest around the National Assembly building and along the Seine River. Eleanor Beardsley, NPR News, Paris.

A Washington state educator is 2013's National Teacher of the Year. Jeff Charbonneau, a science teacher at Zillah High School in Washington Yakima Valley, was awarded by President Obama today. He spoke of what motivates him and the other finalists to get the best out of their students.

When I look at my fellow teachers here today, I see a teaching force that exemplifies the kind of education that I want my own children to have. I see the knowledge to provide rigorous content that will enable future generations to grow our economy and be the leaders in global innovation.

The gathering also pay tribute to the six educators who died last December during the Newtown shootings.

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