NPR 2009-12-07

President Obama was on Capitol Hill today to try to rally members of the Senate Democratic caucus 1 to support landmark 2 legislation to overhaul 3 the nation’s health care system. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell says the exclusion 4 of GOP lawmakers from that meeting underlined how partisan 5 the health care issue has become.

"Early in the year, there was talk about producing a bill that 80 of 100 Senators could support, doing it on a truly bipartisan basis. But instead, as you know, as you follow this over the weeks and months, it’s drifted off into a completely partisan effort."

But Senate Majority leader Harry 6 Reid says it’s the Republicans who’ve made the matter so partisan.

"Republicans are being destructive. They want this to be, as one Senator said, President Obama’s Waterloo, and it’s not going to be."

Reid is hoping the Senate will pass the health care legislation by Christmas.

In Iraq, lawmakers have agreed on a long-delayed election law. The measure has been passed by Parliament and election officials say the national vote could take place in late February. NPR’s Corey Flintoff has the story from Baghdad.

Iraqi lawmakers voted on the law after striking a deal but satisfied the objections of Vice 7 President Tariq Al-Hashimi who vetoed an earlier version of the measure. Hashimi, a Sunni Arab, said the original version of the law didn’t provide fair representation for Iraqis living abroad, most of whom are Sunnis. The new agreement was hashed out over days of close-door meetings among top lawmakers. It also resolves the concerns of Iraq’s Kurds who had complained that they wouldn’t get enough seats in the new parliament. Iraq’s Election Commission says the passage of the law should make it possible to prepare for voting near the end of February. The delay has been a concern for the US because the drawdown of US combat troops in Iraq is tentatively set to begin 60 days after the election. Corey Flintoff, NPR News, Baghdad.

The United Nations says reducing risks from weather-related disasters, such as floods and droughts, can help countries adapt to climate change. The statement from the UN comes ahead of this week’s climate summit which begins in Copenhagen. Lisa Schlein reports from Geneva.

In any given year, the UN reports at least 70% of natural disasters are created by climate and weather. UN expert Margareta Wahlstrom says there are concrete solutions which can enable countries to adapt to climate change.

"You should know your environment. If your bridge is taken away by floods one year, you can firmly expect it’s going to happen again, so don’t rebuild it in the same place."

A UN plan of action for reducing disaster risks includes early warning, education, public awareness 8 as well as better urban and land use planning measures. For NPR News, I’m Lisa Schlein in Geneva.

This is NPR News from Washington.

Protesters in Athens have taken over a university building in the heart of the city. And hundreds of riot police have surrounded the facility and have been lobbing tear gas into the facility. One year ago today, Greek police shot and killed a teenager, sparking two-week-long riots that left much of the city center in ruins. John Psaropoulos says more.

About 200 rioters encamped in the 19-century building following a peaceful march to commemorate 9 the slaying 10 teenager. They broke up marble masonry 11 from the front steps and courtyard and have been hurling 12 into police who’ve been responding with stun 13 grenades and tear gas. The university dean was injured during the takeover of the building and is hospitalized in intensive care. Sixteen police officers were also treated for injuries. Two of them were pulled off their motorcycles and beaten. Police detained 230 people since disturbances 14 began yesterday. Since the police shooting over the teenager a year ago, both street violence and terrorism have been on the rise. For NPR News, I’m John Psaropoulos in Athens.

A court in Russia has ordered four people jailed, depending an investigation 15 into the nightclub fire this weekend that has killed at least 112 people. Investigators 16 say the four are the club’s owner, the executive director, the artistic 17 director and a businessman who was hired to install pyrotechnics on the night of the blaze. They are suspected of negligence 18 and violating fire safety rules. Witnesses say the blaze was triggered by on-stage fireworks that shot into the ceiling which had been decorated with plastic and willow 19 twigs 20. Many of the victims were trapped in the panicked crush for the club’s only exit. Hundreds of people were injured by the blaze. Many are in critical condition.

I’m Craig Windham, NPR News in Washington.