NPR 2010-03-06

The economy showing signs of turning a corner. The Labor 1 Department reports today that employers cut 36,000 jobs last month far fewer than predicted. As Hugh Johnson, chief economist 3 of Johnson Illington Advisors 4 notes the unemployment rate remains 5 steady.

"For the unemployment rate stays at 9.7, most of us has been expecting an increase of 9.8, maybe as high as  9.9, so that's good news."

But these numbers don't include people who have stopped looking for jobs and can only find part-time work, factor these in the jobless rate, it’s closer to 17%.

The Obama administration may force the self-confessed 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four co-defendants to be tried in a military rather than a civilian 6 court. Sources tell NPR the White House is close to making a decision. The Justice Department announced last year that it would try the suspects in federal court in New York. That decision triggered heavy Republican and Democratic criticism.

In the country's ongoing 8 effort to avert 9 another 9/11 terrorist attack, the government is installing advanced body-scanning equipment at 11 more airports across the country. NPR's Brian Naylor tells us the first machines are going in at two of the country's largest airports, Boston's Logan and Chicago's O'Hare.

The full body-scanners are aimed at detecting explosives and weapons hidden underneath 10 a traveler's clothing. They are being installed at airports across the country, 19 already have the equipment. In a statement, Napolitano said by accelerating the deployment 11 of this technology, in her words, we are enhancing our capability 12 to detect and destruct threats of terrorism across the nation. Civil libertarians have criticized the scanners as amounting to virtual strip searches. It's not clear whether the scanners could have detected the type of explosives that a Nigerian man carried in his underwear in an alleged 13 attempt to blow up a Detroit-bound jetliner on Christmas Day. The scanners are being funded by the stimulus 14 bill which included money for 150 of the machines. Brian Naylor, NPR News, Washington.

Another member of Congress will not be running for reelection this year. Dan Tritle of member station WCAI has the story.

Democrat 7 William Delahunt has represented Southeastern Massachusetts including Cape 15 Cod 16 and the Islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket for seven terms. The 68-year-old former prosecutor 17 says he spent nearly four decades in public office and that it's a time for a change. Friends say Delahunt has been considering leaving Congress for some time but was talked out of it two years ago by his friend, the late Senator Ted 2 Kennedy. Delahunt was among those in Massachusetts surprised by the recent election of Republican Scott Brown to Kennedy's seat. Delahunt has been pegged 18 as a liberal for many of his votes but also has been known to work comfortably with Republicans. For NPR News, I am Dan Tritle in Woods Hole, Massachusetts.

The Dow is up 116 points.

This is NPR News.

At least six people are dead and more than a dozen injured following a tour bus crash south of Phoenix 19 Arizona this morning. Peter O'Dowd of member station KJZZ has details.

The bus was headed west on Interstate 10 when it rear-ended a pickup 20 truck, veered 21 off the road and flipped 22 over. Department of Public Safety spokesman Bart Graves says the crash happened about 25 miles south of Phoenix at 5:30 this morning.

"First responders immediately converged 23 on the scene to help those that were badly injured. There were some folks that were trapped inside the bus, so they broke some windows to get people out."

Four men and two women were killed when they were ejected from the bus. Graves says at least 15 other bus passengers were injured and taking by helicopter or ambulance to local hospitals. Graves says the bus was owned by a Los Angeles company. The trip originated in central Mexico and the crew was scheduled to change drivers in Phoenix. Meanwhile, authorities have shut down the westbound lanes of Interstate 10 as they investigate the crash. The road is expected to be close for hours. For NPR News, I am Peter O'Dowd.

The parents of a suspected gunman in last night shooting at the Pentagon reportedly warned authorities about their son. The Associated Press reports the relatives of John Patrick Bedell reported him missing in January and warned about his mental stability. Bedell opened fire on the Pentagon's subway entrance and injured two officers. The gunman was shot to death.

Chile is still getting powerful aftershocks nearly a week after an 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck this while emergency crews continue to search for victims. Hundreds of people were killed in the earthquake and much of central Chile's infrastructure 24 is in ruins. President Michelle Bachelet has said that it could take three or four years to rebuild.

I'm Lakshmi Singh, NPR News.