NPR 2010-03-12

Democratic leaders are working today to unite the party behind a healthcare overhaul 1 bill. They're hoping to push through Congress before the break. There was talk of a March 18th vote in the House, but the president's spokesman Robert Gibbs says lawmakers are unlikely to meet that deadline. A dozen socially conservative Democrats 2 have said they would not support the bill over abortion 3 language that they say could allow federal money to be used for the procedure.

Chileans are on edge of another set of aftershocks struck today, some of the strongest since an 8.8-magnitude earthquake hit last month and killed hundreds of people. From Santiago, Michael Black, the Emergency Operations Manager of World Vision Chile, tells NPR that the aftershocks hit just as President Sebastian Pinera was being sworn in.

"New President Sebastian Pinera was actually giving his speech when we had a big aftershock of 6.9, the epicenter of which was in the city of Rancagua which is about 100 kilometers south of Santiago, the capital."

Strongest of those aftershocks again being a 6.9. Last month’s quake left several communities in ruin, damaging much of central Chile’s infrastructure 4. The government says it could take three to four years to rebuild.

Labor 5 unions across Greece closed down large sectors 6 of the country today to protest wage cuts and tax increases. The government says are necessary to get Greece out of its debt crisis. As NPR’s Eric Westervelt reports from Athens, there were some clashes with police in a day of, otherwise, peaceful rallies.

Dozens of youths wearing masks scuffled briefly 7 with police. The self-described anarchists 8 smashed store windows, splattered red paint on the facades 9 of banks and set several cars on fire. "It looks like an Audi sports car convertible 10 has been torched and burned. It’s now just a hulking burning wreck 11 here by the side of the road after firemen had put it out." But most of the more than 30,000 protestors on the streets of Athens today were peaceful. Many marchers like government worker George Padruco say Greece’s debt problems shouldn’t be solved on the backs of workers.

"Greece will have bigger problems if these cuts happen. If you cut the salaries, you cut the demand, and the economy goes down. These cuts will serve to nothing."

But the Greek government says it's sticking with its austerity plan that aims to cut nearly five billion euros from this year’s budget. Eric Westervelt, NPR News, Athens.

President Obama's proposing a new export initiative that doubles exports over the next five years. In a speech in Washington today, the president said the country needs to help American companies sell their goods overseas and create jobs at home. His strategy includes creating a cabinet focused on promoting US exports.

The Dow is down two points at last check at 10,565.

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A suspected gang member is facing life in prison for killing 12 Denver Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams. Today, a jury in Denver found Willie Clark guilty of murder. Williams was shot to death after an apparent altercation 13 between his friends and the convicted gunman. There is no word yet on whether Clark will appeal the verdict.

The House of Representatives is impeaching 14 a federal judge G. Thomas Porteous Jr. is a district judge in Louisiana, who's accused of several counts of corruption 15. NPR’s Andrea Seabrook has the story.

District Judge Porteous is accused of taking money from lawyers, taking gifts from bail 16 bondsmen, making false statements in his bankruptcy 17 proceedings 18 to hide gambling 19 debts and lying to the FBI in the Senate in order to win confirmation 20. The House voted unanimously on four articles of impeachment 21. Texas Republican Lamar Smith said Porteous is a threat to the integrity of the federal bench. The next step in removing him is for the Senate to put him on trial for high crimes and misdemeanors. Two thirds of the Senate must vote to convict Porteous if he is to be removed from the bench. Andrea Seabrook, NPR News, Washington.

The man leading the country’s Highway Safety Agency's promising 22 changes after a firestorm of accusations 23 that it is partly to blame for sweeping 24 recalls at Toyota. David Strickland told a congressional House panel today that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will take a hard look at the power has to set safety standards.

The Department of Transportation's reporting today last year under 34,000 people died on highways, the lowest level since 1954. Analysts 25 say fewer people are dying in traffic accidents because more of them are buckling 26 up.

I'm Lakshmi Singh, NPR News.