NPR 2010-10-11

Pakistan today opened its border crossing to NATO supply convoys 1 into Afghanistan. It had been closed since a US helicopter strike killed two Pakistani soldiers on the border 11 days ago. Also in Pakistan today, at least seven people were killed in the northwest when an unmanned US drone dropped missiles on suspected militants 2. NPR’s Julie McCarthy reports.

News agencies quoted Pakistani intelligence officials saying missiles fired from a drone hit a pair of cars in an Afghan refugee camp in the tribal 3 area of North Waziristan. It is impossible to verify the number and identities of those killed in such attacks, which are increasing and stoking greater anti-Americanism here. A NATO helicopter incursion into Pakistan last month that killed two Pakistani border guards ratcheted up tension in the already uneasy US-Pakistan alliance. In protest, Pakistan closed a border crossing to truck supplying NATO troops next door. The US apologized for the cross-border raid and Pakistan reopened the route through the Khyber Pass that had been closed the past ten days. Julie McCarthy, NPR News, Islamabad.

The Israeli Cabinet today approved a bill that would require new citizens to pledge a loyalty 4 oath. NPR’s Lourdes Garcia-Navarro reports Arab lawmakers say the provision is racist 5.

If the bill gets voted into law, new non-Jewish citizens will be obliged to pledge to uphold laws of a Jewish and democratic state and that has outraged 6 the Arab minority in Israel that makes up about 20 percent of the population. Any new law would not force them to profess 7 their loyalty, but it would require a foreign-born spouse 8 to if they wanted to become a citizen. The bill is backed by Yisrael Beiteinu, a hard-line nationalist party here. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who’s in coalition 9 with Yisrael Beiteinu, said that the law will be a vital piece of legislation. Those who oppose it say it’s racist and meant to appease 10 the hard right. Lourdes Garcia-Navarro, NPR News, Jerusalem.

Pope Benedict today opened a meeting at the Vatican for bishops 11 from the Middle East. They’re discussing life for Christians 12 where Christianity began. Thousands have fled the region because of war, other violence and harsh economic conditions.

Workers in Chile are reinforcing an escape shaft 13 to be used to rescue 33 miners who’ve been trapped underground for more than two months. They’re inserting metal tubes to strengthen the shaft and hope to begin bringing the men out on Wednesday. An American has become some of a hero during the rescue effort. Jeff Hart of Denver, Colorado operated the drill that yesterday broke through to where the miners are trapped.

“We’ve been here busting 14 our butts 15. We’ve worked every day. We fought the odds 16. Then we all fought this till the very end. We made it into the gallery. That’s, it’s incredible. That is that the whole place just exploded. It was great.”

Hart had been drilling water wells for military bases in Afghanistan when he’s called to Chile.

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President Obama visits Philadelphia today. He’ll speak to an outdoor rally to energize 17 young people in advance of next month’s midterm elections.

The largest Tea Party convention held so far in the US took place in Richmond, Virginia this weekend, attracting nearly 3,000 participants. Virginia Public Radio’s Anne Marie Morgan reports they called for limits on federal power, cuts in spending and defeating many congressional incumbents 18.

The activists 19 rallied against trillions in federal debt, growing federal power and to Congress that’s exceeded its constitutional limits. Liz Butler is a preschool teacher.

“They extremely concern. I feel like my two sons, who are ten and six, are gonna bear the brunt of all the spending. They’re gonna to grow up and they’re gonna be taxed to that.”

Texas Congressman 20 Ron Paul called for an intellectual revolution to teach that freedom shrinks when government grows and the government is too big.

“You know, we’re in this economic crisis because we spent too much money we didn’t have. We borrowed too much money; we regulated too much; and we printed too much.”

A presidential straw poll was won by New Jersey 21 Governor Chris Christie. For NPR News, I’m Anne Marie Morgan in Richmond, Virginia.

Delaware Senate hopeful Christine O’Donnell has been running a commercial, which begins “I’m not a witch”. Saturday Night ran its own version last night. Kristen Wiig portrayed 22 O’Donnell starting out the same way but going on to say: “Isn’t that what the people of Delaware deserve? A candidate who promises first and foremost that she’s not a witch? That’s the kind of candidate Delaware hasn’t had since 1692.” O’Donnell responded with a Twitter posting “the skit 23 was really funny” and added “I have to admit, her hair looked better than mine”.

I’m Nora Raum, NPR News in Washington.