NPR 2010-04-06

The White House is strongly condemning 1 today’s attack by extremists on the US Consulate 2 in Pakistan. Suicide bombers 3 and gunmen tried to breach 4 the perimeter 5 of the heavily fortified 6 compound. Sound of explosions and weapons fire sent people scrambling 7 for cover. The BBC’s Alastair Leithead reports at least four Pakistanis were killed.

Police said four heavily armed men in two cars had tried to smash their way into the US Consulate. A gun battle broke out. They threw grenades into the compound, but did not breach their target. In all, there were three large explosions. Guards at the consular 8 checkpost were killed, as were the attackers. The first on a US facility in Pakistan in five years. And it comes after a statement from militants 9 linked to the Taliban and al-Qaeda said they’d focus more on military and foreign targets.

The BBC’s Alastair Leithead.

Rescuers in China are working to pull the remaining three dozen or so workers out of a flooded coal mine. So far today, 115 miners have been rescued after spending more than a week underground. NPR’s Louisa Lim says the miners ate sawdust and bark to stay alive during the ordeal 10.

They drank the murky 11 black water which flooded the mine and kept alive by hooking their belts to the shaft 12 walls to stop themselves from drowning. Doctors said the miners were suffering hypothermia, severe dehydration 13, and ulcerated skin after spending eight days soaked through. It was some rare good news in China’s mining industry, which is still the world’s deadliest. But questions remained about why the mine management had sent so many men underground, despite knowing that water was leaking into the mine. Louisa Lim, NPR News, Shanghai.

Golfer Tiger Woods says he's surprised by the positive reaction he’s been getting during his practice round at the Masters.

“Over the past few months, it really put things in perspective for me, and how much I have appreciated or underappreciated the fans in the game of golf.”

Woods acknowledged again that he made what he called some “incredibly poor decisions” in his personal life, but he believes he can still win the Masters even after a five-month layoff 14 from competitive golf.

The number of contracts for home sales is up sharply, up more than 8% in February. Walter Molony is a spokesman for the National Association of Realtors. He says this month’s numbers are also looking good as buyers scramble 15 to qualify for a tax credit.

“We’ve been hearing about a rise in home shopping activity over recent weeks. We have more reports now on multiple offers in additional areas, so the March data could really demonstrate that we’ll be seeing additional improvements for home buyers responding to the tax credit.”

Also today, a new report shows the service sector 16 of the economy expanding at its fastest pace in two years. Those economic numbers have been helping 17 boost stock prices. Today before the closing bell, the Dow industrials are up 46 points at 10,973. The NASDAQ is up 24.

This is NPR News.

Parts of Southern California are being shaken by scores of aftershocks today from Sunday’s strong earthquake centered across the border in Mexico. NPR’s Mandalit del Barco is in Calexico, California. She says there are a lot of broken windows and other damage in the business district.

Most of the businesses here that windows are knocked out, shelves are toppled over, all the merchandise is toppled over. Actually this whole block, full of stores, just that nobody will go in and it's possible to get hurt cuz it's still some aftershock that we can feel here. Basically, the whole downtown area is shut down for business. NPR’s Mandalit del Barco reporting from Calexico, California.

On Easter Monday in Washington, the place to be is the White House Easter Egg Roll. The Marine 18 Band set the mood as thousands of children and their parents went swarming 19 over the sun-drenched South Lawn of the executive mansion 20 where they were welcomed by the president.

“Happy Easter, everybody. We are thrilled that all of you could come.”

Greeting was echoed by First Lady Michelle Obama.

“Is this not the most perfect day for the Easter Egg Roll? You guys, we’re so excited to have you. Welcome to the 2010 Easter Egg Roll. The theme for this year’s event is Ready, Set, what? Go!”

And then the races began as the children catapulted colored eggs across the White House lawn. The winner's got specially 21 autographed eggs by the president and first lady. The Easter Egg Roll dates back to 1878 when Rutherford B. Hayes was president.