NPR 2010-10-02

A political development in Iraq today could have implications for US relations with the next Iraqi government. Anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr endorsed 1 a second term for Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. NPR’s Kelly McEvers says that could also signal an end to a seven-month-old political stalemate.

The announcement was made by the National Alliance, a group of Shiite politicians that includes the anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and other Shiite blocs 3 that have close ties to Iran. Sadr’s support for Maliki was critical to the nomination 4. His bloc 2 had fiercely opposed Maliki, who set Iraqi troops along with US forces to defeat Sadr’s Mahdi Army in 2008. The nomination could end months of political wrangling 5 since elections in March netted no clear winner. The other top vote-getter in the election, the party of former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, has threatened to boycott 6 the political process if Maliki is named prime minister again. Kelly McEvers, NPR News, Baghdad.

NATO says two coalition 7 troops were killed in battles with insurgents 8 in southern Afghanistan today. Fifteen insurgents were also killed in a firefight in eastern Kunar province. In the past month, NATO says, it has also captured more than 400 suspected militants 9.

President Obama is losing his right-hand man to a political campaign. Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel is leaving the White House to run for mayor of Chicago. Mr. Obama said it will take some getting used to.

“For nearly two years, I’ve begun my workday with Rahm. I’ve ended my workday with Rahm.”

Current presidential advisor 10 Pete Rouse will temporarily fill the chief of staff job.

An apology from high-level US government officials to Guatemala today, NPR’s Michele Kelemen says it follows the discovery of what’s been called “unethical medical research” in the 40s. When a Wellesley College professor was researching the controversial Tuskegee syphilis study, the professor found records that Dr. John Cutler was also getting US government funding for a research project in Guatemala. The director of the National Institute of Health, Francis Collins, told reporters in a conference call that Cutler was exposing prisoners and mentally ill patients to sexually transmitted diseases to test the effectiveness of penicillin 11.

“This case of unethical human subjects research represents an appalling 12 example from a dark chapter in the history of medicine.”

Secretary of State Clinton called Guatemala’s president to apologize and she and the Health and Human Services secretary said in a statement that they were outraged 13. Michele Kelemen, NPR News, Washington.

Construction spending was up 0.4 percent in August, fueled by a big increase in government spending projects. Private building fell to the lowest level in 12 years.

Near the close on Wall Street, the Dow up 41; NASDAQ ahead two; S&P up five.

This is NPR.

President Obamawas on hand when new Supreme 14 Court Justice Elena Kagan took her seat on the Supreme Court this morning. The court session was just ceremonial. The court opens its new term on Monday.

A sixth death is now blamed on the storm that dumped heavy rain from the Southeast up to Boston. Police say a woman drove her car into a rain-swollen creek 15 in southeastern Pennsylvania before dawn. Five people were killed in storm-related traffic accidents in North Carolina yesterday.

Dish Network subscribers could not get many of the shows provided by Fox this morning. NPR’s Zoe Chace says it’s part of a dispute between Fox and the satellite TV provider.

Fox is trying to raise the price it charges the Dish Network for its channels. Dish claims that Fox is jacking at the price by more than 50 percent and adds that Fox has a history of shaking down the cable and satellite providers. Fox, on its just launched website, GetWhatIPaidFor.com, doesn’t name the percentage increase it demands, but says that accusations 16 of price gouging 17 are unfair, and adds that if Dish doesn’t fall in line by November 1st, it may lose access to Fox’s broadcast network, "Yes That’s Glee” and “American Idol”. The Dish Network is the third largest pay-TV provider in the US and its fight with Fox affects over 14 million subscribers. Zoe Chace, NPR News.

United and Continental 18 have finalized 19 their deal to become the world’s biggest airline, bumping Delta 20 from the top spot. With United’s acquisition of Continental official today, the new company will be called United, but airline operations will remain separate for at least a year until the FAA grants a single operating certificate.