NPR 2008-04-15

From NPR News in Washington, I am Jack 1 Speer.

 President Bush and Democratic congressional leaders are at odds 2 over legislative 3 priorities. That is after the House rejected the president's attempt to force a vote on a controversial trade deal with Colombia. NPR's Debbie Elliot reports.

 President Bush today said a free trade agreement with Colombia is dead unless House speaker Nancy Pelosi schedules a vote on the deal. But Pelosi responded that first Congress should address the worsening economy. "Democrats 4, as I have told the president, I told him last Wednesday, stand ready to work with him to bring a Colombia free trade agreement to the floor. But the timing 5 has to be the timing of America's working families, not the timing of the president of the United States, who seems oblivious 6 to their economic insecurity. "

Pelosi has called for an expansion of a program that helps US workers who lose their jobs because of foreign competition. President Bush wants Congress to make his tax cuts permanent. Debbie Elliot, NPR News, the Capitol.

 Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton both called for tougher trade policy toward China, as they campaigned for steelworkers' votes in Pittsburgh today as ahead of next week's Pennsylvania primary. NPR's Scott Horsley has more.

 Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton sounded remarkably 7 similar as they promised to defend American manufacturing jobs. Both said they would try to stop China from manipulating its currency and putting US workers at a disadvantage. They also took some swipes at each other while addressing a gathering 8 of steelworkers in Pittsburgh. Clinton has been criticizing Obama for saying at a California fundraising event that some US workers are bitter, and clinging to guns and religion and anti-immigrant settlement as a result. "I don't think he really gets it that people are looking for a president who stands up for you and not looks down on you. " Most of the workers in the audience didn't seem to mind Obama's remarks. One woman cheered him on, saying we are bitter. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Pittsburgh.

 There is still no guarantee it'll go through, but the country's No. 3 airline is said to be prepared to announce, as soon as tomorrow, it has reached agreement to merge 9 with the No. 5 airline in a combination that would create the world's largest carrier. An individual said to be familiar with the talks said the boards of Atlanta-based Delta 10 and Minnesota-based Northwest were meeting today. Because of the rising cost of jet fuel, all the major airlines are under increased financial pressure. Northwest pilots, however, say they will oppose any deal that doesn't put their interests first.

 Blockbuster announced today it has made a more than one billion dollar offer for Circuit City. The head of Blockbuster James Keyes said combining the two companies would create a retail 11 chain that could sell portable devices along with the entertainment for them. Keyes says the offer has the support of Blockbuster board member Carl Icahn who apparently 12 would be a major source of financing for the deal.

 On Wall Street today, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 23 points to close at 12,302; the NASDAQ was down 14 points; the S&P 500 fell 4 points.

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 The Bush administration announced plans today to order additional 200 million dollars in emergency food aid designed to help alleviate 13 shortages in Africa and elsewhere. According to the White House, the move to make additional funds available comes a day after top finance officials from around the world called for urgent action to stem rising food prices amid signs of social unrest in some areas including Haiti. Increasing commodity costs have put pressure on a number of aid organizations.

 Italy's controversial right-wing media tycoon 14 Silvio Berlusconi won a third term as prime minister today defeating the center-left Democratic Party of Rome's popular former Mayor Walter Veltroni. NPR's Sylvia Poggioli reports from Rome.

 Veltroni conceded defeat following projections 15 of a victory for Berlusconi's coalition 16. But the biggest winner may be Berlusconi's even more controversial ally, the Northern League, a nativist anti-immigration movement that's pushing for secession. The party doubled its votes in much of the north and political analysts 17 believed it would be the arbiter 18 in the new government. The 71-year-old media tycoon has promised to cut taxes and rein 19 in Italy's huge debts. But he also has to tackle a disastrous 20 economic situation with zero growth, increasing poverty and soaring food prices. When lasted in power, Berlusconi set an Italian record by serving a full five-year term as prime minister. But critics say he failed to carry out long-needed economic and institutional reforms. Sylvia Poggioli, NPR News, Rome.

 After being held by the US military for more than two years, officials confirmed today that they will release Associated Press photographer Bilal Hussein. In a statement, the military confirmed Hussein will be freed on Wednesday after the Iraqi Judicial 21 Committee granted him an amnesty for allegations against him. Hussein was detained by the marines in 2006.