NPR 2008-04-29

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The Senate's No. 2 Democrat¹ today called on the Bush administration to increase funding for World Hunger Relief. That's being included in a new emergency spending bill mainly for the war in Iraq. More from NPR's David Welna.

 In addition to more than a hundred billion dollars for the war, the White House requested 350 million dollars for the World Food Program. But Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durban says that's not enough. He wants to add another 200 million dollars for food assistance. Durban says he's spoken twice with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice who, he says, agrees more food aid is needed. "I urged her to reach out to the White House and make sure that any supplemental appropriation³ request includes adequate funds to deal with this global food crisis. The instability which this can create in countries around the world can be just as damaging as instability created by violence and terrorism." But Durban has also said he won't vote for more Iraq war funding. He said it would be a dilemma⁴ if extra food aid is indeed part of the war funding bill. David Welna, NPR News, the Capitol.

 Israel's defense⁵ minister today said Hamas is responsible for the death of Gaza residents. His comments came hours after a Palestinian mother and her four children were killed under disputed circumstances. NPR's Linda Gradstein reports from Jerusalem.

 Defense Minister Ehud Barak said that Hamas is responsible for everything that happens in Gaza including civilian⁶ deaths because Hamas uses civilians⁷ as shields for attacks against Israel. He also said the army is acting⁸ and will continue to act against Hamas in Gaza. Barak spoke² after Palestinian officials blamed Israel for the deaths of seven Palestinians including a mother and her four young children. Residents said an Israeli tank shell crashed through the ceiling of their home as they were eating breakfast. But an Israeli army spokesman said Israel wasn't responsible for the explosion that killed the civilians. He said troops had targeted two Palestinian gunmen in the area and the gunmen were carrying large bags that contained ammunition⁹. He said the mother and her children were killed when the ammunition exploded. Linda Gradstein, NPR News, Jerusalem.

Barack Obama's former minister, the Rev¹⁰. Jeremiah Wright, appeared today before the Washington Press Corps¹¹ where he rejected those who have labeled him "unpatriotic". Speaking at the National Press Club with an audience of supportive black church members also in attendance, Wright blamed, what he termed, the "dominant¹² culture" in the US for some of the attacks. "It is not an attack on Jeremiah Wright. It is an attack on the black church. " Wright said much of the criticism levelled against him comes from those who have heard only "excerpts¹³" of his sermons.

 On Wall Street today, the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 20 points to close at 12,871. The NASDAQ was up a point at 2, 424. The S & P 500 lost a point today.

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 Flood warnings are in effect for the upper Mississippi River which is rising after a snowy winter and a lot of rain this spring. From member station WVIK in Rock Island, Illinois, Michelle O’Neill reports.

City workers in Davenport, Iowa had to scramble¹⁴ when the forecast abruptly¹⁵ changed late last week from a crest¹⁶ at one foot over flood stage to more than four feet. Still, that's not even close to the big floods in 1993 and 2001 when the river rose to more than seven feet over. Public Works director Dean Bramer says there's no comparison. "We've taken more than a hundred parcels for a hundred homes out of harm’s way and that makes our job just a lot easier. While we have people down in the Garden Addition, they are watching the pumps. We don't have to worry about evacuation plans. " This time around,  Davenport's top priority is protecting businesses along the Mississippi River with temporary dirt and sandbag flood walls. For NPR News, I'm Michelle O'Neill in Rock Island, Illinois.

 Bank of America, which is in the process of acquiring mortgage lender Countrywide, announced today it will expand its efforts to help borrowers avoid foreclosure. The Charlotte-based bank made the announcement as the Federal Reserve Board holds public hearings on the proposed deal this week. The head of Bank of America’s small business and global consumer banking¹⁷ business said today the bank will modify at least 40 billion dollars in problem loans for 150, 000 borrowers over the next two years.

 American Airlines has joined the ranks of carriers that will soon be charging customers an extra 25 dollars for checking a second bag. The Fort Worth-based airline says the move to impose a fee for additional bags would apply to travelers who buy domestic economy-class tickets on and after May 12th.