NPR 2010-10-01

From NPR News in Washington, I'm Barbara Klein.

The Labor 1 Department reports first-time claims for unemployment benefits fell last week by 16,000. Four hundred fifty-three thousand people filed claims. That's fewer than experts expected. But economist 2 Diane Swonk says it's still too many to suggest growth.

"These claims remain extremely elevated. It's good news they fell again in the most recent week and didn't rise. But at this stage of the game, we should be seeing claims well below the 400,000 threshold to see any kind of major improvement in the labor market."

Meanwhile, the revised reading on second-quarter gross domestic product, the broadest measure of economic activity, was raised from 1.6 percent to a still weak 1.7 percent.

JP Morgan Chase is suspending foreclosures in 23 states because of faulty procedures and documentation. The decision affects an estimated 56,000 homeowners.

White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel will resign his position tomorrow. From Chicago, NPR's David Schaper reports Emanuel will return to the Windy City to gear up for a presumed run for mayor.

The former congressman 3 from the city's North Side will resign as White House chief of staff Friday. President Barack Obama will announce the resignation at the White House and thank Emanuel for his service and wish him well. Emanuel will return home to Chicago over the weekend and on Monday will begin to hit the pavement in Chicago neighborhoods, meeting with city residents and listening to their concerns as he prepares to run for mayor in the city's February election. There’s been widespread speculation 4 that Emanuel would run for mayor ever since incumbent 5 Richard M. Daley shocked the city three weeks ago and announced he would not seek a seventh term after almost 22 years in office. Emanuel said last spring he'd love to be mayor of his hometown, but that he would not run against Daley. David Schaper, NPR News, Chicago.

Congress has adjourned 6 until after the midterm elections. Lawmakers are breaking a week and a half earlier than planned in order to hit the campaign trail. As Danielle Karson reports, they are leaving behind a full plate of bills to consider when they return.

The unfinished business sets up Congress for what one lawmaker's calling the "mother of all lame 8 duck sessions". Analysts 9 expect many of the bills the House passed but not the Senate will die in this session. For example, it's unlikely both chambers 10 will result their differences over a measure that would toughen food inspection 11 requirements. For the bills that fail, it's back to the drawing board in January. Congress also fled Washington before voting on a proposal to extend tax cuts that are scheduled to expire at the end of the year. And with one foot out the door, lawmakers signed off on a stopgap spending bill. Even though the new fiscal 12 year starts tomorrow, Congress didn't approve any of the 12 appropriations 13 bills needed to keep the government running. So, the continuing resolution keeps the doors open until December. For NPR News, I'm Danielle Karson in Washington.

An hour before the close on Wall Street, the Dow was down 33 points at 10,801; the NASDAQ is off five.

This is NPR.

Mortgage rates are at record lows. Freddie Mac, the nation's second largest mortgage finance company, reports today the average rate for 30-year fixed 14 loans is now 4.32 percent, the lowest in decades.

Toy maker 7 Fisher-Price has announced a major recall. About ten million toys in the US and Canada are being called back because of safety hazards. The Consumer Product Safety Commission Scott Wolfson says the recall covers several products.

"Little People is very popular. There’s wheels on a car that poses a choking hazard. The High Chairs are very popular. These trikes, there are seven million out there."

Injuries including serious lacerations have been reported.

Tony Curtis, the versatile 15 Hollywood star of "The Defiant 16 Ones", "The Great Race" and more than 100 other films, has died. He was 85. NPR's Bob Mondello reports.

If you want to be taken seriously as an actor and Tony Curtis really wanted to be taken seriously as an actor. It helps if you look like Al Pacino. Curtis didn't. He was almost impossibly handsome, had a rep as a playboy and was really good at comedy, so he was sort of expected to skate long on surfaces as when he affected 17 Carrie Grant's accent to romance Marilyn Monroe in "Some Like It Hot".

"Would you mind moving just a little, please? You're blocking my view."

"Your view of what?"

"They run up a red-and-white flag on the yacht when it's time for cocktails 18."

But perhaps because of his rough childhood in the Bronx, Curtis also gravitated to more serious roles, playing outsiders in films like "Sweet Smell of Success", "The Defiant Ones" and "The Boston Strangler", generally garnering 19 terrific reviews even as the Oscar he craved 20 eluded 21 him. Bob Mondello, NPR News, Washington.

And I'm Barbara Klein, NPR News in Washington