NPR美国国家公共电台 NPR 2013-12-14

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The deal reverses many of cross board spending cuts known as sequesters² that was scheduled to get worse next month. And that’s why the conservative groups have been bashing the plan all week. They want the sequester-level spending. The plan also didn’t come close to get cuts to entitlement spending for Republicans, or close tax loopholes for Democrats³. But Republican Paul Ryan from Wisconsin who helped cropped the bargain says everyone has to give something up.

“That’s the nature of compromise. In a divided government, you don’t get everything you want, but I think this bill is a firm step in the right direction. It’s not perfect, it’s a start.”

The Senate plans to take the legislation next week. Ailsa Chang, NPR News, the Capitol. 

 

While Obama administration officials are toning an improvement in the government-held healthcare.gov website, it appears another difficulty remain. The coverage⁴ deadline for one key group is being extending. During a conference called today with reports, House Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is announcing the extension.

“We don't want these folks to experience a coverage gap, so their PCIP benefits will continue to be available for an additional month.”

Sebelius confirmed so-called pre-existing conditioning insurance plan was supposed to disappear January 1 and since the new healthcare launch they’d no longer be able to turn away patience without issues, but some people have problem in enrolling⁵ in new healthcare plans online. 

 

North Korea official news agency is reporting today the uncle of the country’s leader has been executed after military tribunal found him guilty for trying to overthrow⁶ the state. @@ comes just days after it was announced that Chang Song-thaek，served as the mentor⁷ of Kim Jong-un, has been removed from all the posts met allegations of corruption⁸, including drug use, gambling⁹ and womanizing. Chang was long considered to be the second most powerful official in North Korea. 

 

Commerce department’s retail¹⁰ sell increased 0.7% last month. NPR’s Sonari Glinton reports not all retailers¹¹ benefit though. 

The department stores didn’t do so well in November, and gas stations took a hit. But sell of furniture and plants were up. Jack¹² Clemons is with the National Retail Federation¹³, he says that’s a sign of spillover effect of improving housing market.

“People are making investments in their homes and home improvements is largely a reflection of rising prices of their homes and certainly the wealth effect we’ve been seen for the last year and half so in housing market.”

In addition to furniture, electronics were up boosted by sales of new Xbox and new iPhone, and November retail numbers are also solidified¹⁴ by strong sales in cars and trucks. Sonari Glinton, NPR News.

 

On Wall Street, the Dow was down 104, at 15, 739; the S&P500 lost 7 points; the NASDAQ fell 5 points. 

 

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A Montana judge is accepting the guilty plea from Jordan Graham. Graham is a woman is accused of pushing her husband to his death just days after their marriage. Prosecutors¹⁵ contend the 24 years old pushed her 25 years old husband Cody Johnson off a stiff cliff at Glacier¹⁶ National Park because she was having a second thought about the marriage. Graham pleaded guilty to charge of the second grade murder as jurors were sent to their closing argument in the trial, so they think a maximum of live prison. 

 

Facebook-owned photo service Instagram unveiled a new feature today to let its users sent images and messages privately¹⁷. As NPR’s Laura Sydell explains, @@ catch up move for the service. 

 

The new feature called Instagram direct lets users send photos or videos to a single person or up to 15 people. The Instagram app traditionally lets users take share photos with a wide group of followers¹⁸. The app is priced for its variety of special affect filters to color the photos. Facebook purchased Instagram for a billion dollars last year, the a new feature comes as Facebook and Instagram face growing competition from companies such as What’s Up and Snapchat that already led users share content with limited groups. In October, Facebook reported that it would see a decline in daily use by younger teenagers in the US. Laura Sydell, NPR News, San Francisco. 

 

You think the vehicles on the American roadways just keep getting more fuel-efficient. Well you right. That’s based on the latest mile figures from US government. According to Environment Protection Agency, with trucks fuel efficiency, new US cars and trucks sold last year average 23.6 miles per gallon, a new record. That was manufactured the best overall oil efficiency just over 27 miles per gallon. 

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