NPR 2009-02-08

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Hundreds of fishermen were stranded¹ on Lake Erie today, when a huge slab² of ice on which they were fishing broke away from the Ohio shoreline. The Coast Guard and others have rescued more than 100 people so far, but one person died after falling into the water. Coast Guard spokesman William Mitchell.

"We have had to mobilize what is a tremendous force of not only coastguard, but also local assets to use every single boat and helicopter that is in the area to go out and get these guys."

Mitchell says the fishermen apparently⁴ used pieces of wood to create a bridge over a crack in the ice so they can venture farther onto the frozen lake.  But shifting winds and water currents expanded the crack and the ice flow broke away, stranding⁵ the fishermen about 1,000 yards offshore⁶.

Vice⁷ President Joe Biden says the Obama administration wants to make a fresh start in US relations with Russia, but will not abandon the planned missile defense⁸ system which has angered the Kremlin. Speaking at a security conference in Munich today, Biden also sought to reassure⁹ European allies about the administration's foreign policy goals. NPR's Rob Gifford reports from Munich.

In his speech to the delegates here, he reiterated¹⁰ many of the themes that President Obama himself has laid out in his first weeks in office, promising¹¹ to listen more to US allies and to consult more. "America needs the world just as I believe the world needs America." He spoke³ frequently of the renewal¹² of the relationship between the US and Europe and promised to lead by example in the world. In return for a greater willingness to consult, though, Biden said the US has expected European allies to take a greater share of the burden in crucial international issues. He also restated President Obama's offer to talk to Iran while maintaining the strict requirement that Iran abandon any ambitions  it may have to develop nuclear weapons. Rob Gifford, NPR News, Munich.

The Senate is debating economic stimulus¹³ legislation in a rare Saturday session despite the agreement last night on a compromise version that Democratic leaders say has enough votes to pass. The compromise cut more than 100 billion dollars in spending from the administration's proposal, but even so, GOP Senator John Ensign of Nevada says the bill remains¹⁴ too costly¹⁵. "You also have to be careful on the size of the spending because you can't just keep printing money like this. Not only you will have to have higher taxes in the future, it causes inflation. It's a basic economic principle." But President Obama says the bill, while not perfect, needs to be passed as soon as possible. "The scale and scope of this plan is right and the time for action is now. Because if we don't move swiftly to put this plan in motion, our economic crisis could become a national catastrophe¹⁶." Mr. Obama speaking in his weekly radio and Internet address.

Australia's worst wildfire disaster in a quarter century has reportedly caused at least 25 deaths. Walls of flame are roaring across the southeastern part of the continent.

This is NPR News from Washington.

A judge in Texas has exonerated¹⁷ Timothy Cole, a man who died in prison after serving 13 years for a rape¹⁸ he did not commit. From Dallas, NPR's Wade¹⁹ Goodwyn has the story.

Cole was convicted on the testimony²⁰ of the rape victim back in the mid-1980s. There was no physical evidence tying him to the crime. But after the statute²¹ of limitations ran out, a different man, who was serving 99 years in prison for two other rapes²², tried to confess to raping²³ the Texas Tech student. But the criminal justice system in Lubbock ignored his confessions²⁴, and Tim Cole ended up dying in prison before modern DNA²⁵ testing proved he was innocent. Yesterday a Texas judge made history by posthumously²⁶ exonerating²⁷ and expunging²⁸ Tim Cole's record. Wade Goodwyn, NPR News, Dallas.

Security forces in Madagascar opened fire on a crowd of protesters who gathered outside the presidential palace in the capital today. More than 20 people were reportedly killed. Christina Corbett reports the clash was the latest incident in a power struggle between the country's president and an opposition²⁹ leader.

Around 15, 000 supporters of the opposition leader and former Mayor of Antananarivo Andry Rajoelina gathered in the city center early on Saturday. Mr. Rajoelina addressed the rally and again called for a transitional government to be put in place in Madagascar. He is insisting that Marc Ravalomanana stand down from the presidency³⁰, but the peaceful demonstration³¹ deteriorated³² when the crowd marched on the president's offices where riot police opened fire. Shooting continued for over an hour and smoke was seen rising into the sky from the streets. Christina Corbett reporting from the capital of Madagascar.