NPR 2010-10-16

There will be no cost-of-living increase for retirees and other social security beneficiaries this year. NPR's Scott Horsley reports it’s because inflation has remained relatively 1 tame.

This is the second year in a row social security recipients 2 will not see an automatic increase. Although consumer prices have inched up in the last year, they still have not rebounded 3 to the highs of 2008. Andrew Biggs, who’s a former deputy commissioner 4 of Social Security, says even though seniors and others have not lost purchasing power, many will not be happy with the flat checks and they’re likely to let lawmakers know it.

“This is a very, very difficult process, particularly with this announcement coming two weeks before congressional election. If you’re a member of Congress, this is not the sort of news you want to be hearing.”

House lawmakers have promised to consider a one-time 250-dollar payment to seniors in lieu of a cost-of-living adjustment, but there’s no guarantee that will pass. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington.

Retail 5 sales may be gathering 6 ahead of steam. They were up for the third month in a row in September with solid gains at car lots, furniture and hardware stores. The 0.6 percent increase is the biggest advance since March.

The head of the failed mortgage company that helped trigger the financial sector 7 meltdown will avoid trial on civil fraud and insider trading charges. Lawyers say Angelo Mozilo and two other defendants 8 reached a settlement with federal regulators. Mozilo will pay more than $67 million.

Israel’s plan to build more than 200 new homes in East Jerusalem could further complicate 9 the Mideast peace process. NPR’s Lourdes Garcia-Navarro reports Palestinians have threatened to boycott 10 talks as long as settlements keep expanding.

Since a flap over settlements erupted between Israel and the United States last March, Israel has observed an unofficial building freeze in East Jerusalem. This announcement first publicized by Israeli media means that unofficial freeze is effectively over. The new plans call for 238 units in the Jewish settlement neighborhoods of Pisgat Zeev and Ramot, which are over the green line in East Jerusalem. Palestinians are in an uproar 11 over the decision. Chief negotiator for the Palestinians Saeb Erekat says the move proves Israel is not interested in reviving stalled peace talks. Settlements have emerged as one of the most contentious 12 issues in the negotiations 13. Palestinians say that unless Israel freezes all settlement activity, they won't resume direct talks. Lourdes Garcia-Navarro, NPR News, Jerusalem.

Even though a federal judge struck down the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, the Pentagon is warning gay troops that speaking-up could still get them in trouble. The Obama administration is appealing the judge’s ruling and military officials say troops who come out could suffer adverse 14 consequences.

Near the close on Wall Street, the Dow was down 32 points; NASDAQ up 33; and the S&P 500 was up two.

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Parts of New York's Lincoln Center are undergoing treatment for bedbugs today. The pests were earlier discovered in a dressing 15 room and a check found more in the complex's opera house. None turned up in any of the public areas though. The city has a bedbug problem. The insects have been found in clothing stores, housing projects and even posh apartments.

One of the world's stranger art exhibits has closed to the public. It’s a display of 100 million porcelain 16 sunflower seeds at London’s Tate Gallery. NPR’s Philip Reeves says officials are worried it could pose a health threat.

There was great excitement in London’s cultural circle this week, when the Tate opened up its exhibit of porcelain sunflower seeds by the Chinese artist and activist 17 Ai Weiwei. There’s 100 million of them, enough to carpet the gallery's Turbine Hall, a huge hall that used to be a power station. Visitors were invited to walk over the seeds, which were crafted by hand by thousands of artists in China. It seems people have been enjoying themselves a little too much. The gallery says their enthusiastic interaction with the seeds is releasing an unexpectedly high level of ceramic 18 dust and this dust could be a health risk if it’s breathed in over a long period. Now, visitors will be asked to look from a walkway but not touch. Philip Reeves, NPR News, London.

If you’ve been neglecting your exercise lately, this story will really make you feel like a slacker. Army veteran Mike Ehredt just completed a cross-country run to honor service members killed in Iraq. He placed a US flag every mile along the more than 4,000-mile journey, averaging 29 miles a day on the trip from Astoria, Oregon to Rockland, Maine.