NPR 2011-01-09

The status of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona is uncertain following a shooting in Tucson. In one report, a hospital spokesperson says the congresswoman is undergoing surgery, but there are conflicting reports regarding her condition. She was reportedly shot point-blank in the head about three hours ago. Buzz Conover of member station KUAZ tells us a gunman opened fire during an outdoor public event.

Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and nine to ten additional people were shot this morning while she was doing what they called a "Congress on Your Corner". She goes out when she's in town and sits in shopping malls and places like that and is scheduled to some private grocery store in her district and meets with constituents 2, handles constituent 1 services, hears what people think. And during that event, which was in the front of a grocery store in northwest Tucson, she was shot.

Buzz Conover of member station KUAZ.

University Medical Center in Tucson is due to hold a briefing this hour.

President Obama says there are clear signs the economy is improving. Matthew Algeo reports the president also used his weedly address to reach out to the new Republican majority in the House.

Although the most recent job report was mixed, President Obama says overall things are looking up.

"The economy added 1.3 million jobs last year. And each quarter was stronger than the last, which means the pace of hiring is picking up."

The president also called on Repuclicans to put aside what he called "symbolic 3 battles", but in the GOP address, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor promised Republicans would keep fighting at least one battle, the battle to repeal 4 the presdient's health care law.

"We will provide Americans with the mainstream 5 solutions they were denied when Democrats 6 used dubious 7 procedural tactics to jam though the bill along strictly 8 partisan 9 lines."

Cantor said the best way to improve the economy is to cut spending and eliminate what he called "job killing 10 regulations". For NPR News, I'm Matthew Algeo in Washington.

Iraq's vehemently 11 anti-American Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr is urging Shiites to resisit what he called American "occupiers" by all means. The radical 12 cleric delivered his first speech in Iraq in four years after returning from self-imposed exile.

In Sudan, clashes continue between southern forces and unity 13 supporters ahead of southern Sudan's vote on indepedence tomorrow. At least six people have been killed. Southern Sudan is widely expected to vote to succeed from the North.

Defense 14 Secretary Robert Gates heads to China today, hoping to lay the groundwork for improving relations between Washington and Beijing. The visit comes a week ahead of Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to Washington. US-Chinese ties have been strained over the past year.

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Heavy rain is falling in Australia's already flooded state of Queensland. Floodwaters are now threatening the neighboring state of New South Wales.

After thousands of birds fell from the skies over the Southern US, a similar mystery in northern Itlay, where officials are wating for test results to come out Monday. That will provide clues as to wild dead turtle doves have been following from the sky over the last week. NPR's Sylvia Poggioli reports wildlife officials have already picked up nearly 1,000 carcasses.

In the northern city of Faenza, the turtle doves were found in an industrial area. And all had blue color beaks 15, a sign that scientists say could indicate poisoning. Officials at a local bird protection association said it appears the birds had damaged their kidneys and livers by overeating sunflower seeds from a nearby oil processing plant. The incident came after a series of similar cases across the world in Arkansas and Texas and in Sweden. The turtle dove incident is the largest to have hit Europe thus far. And it's not just birds; millions of fish have been washing up on local riverbanks and coastlines. Tests are currently being carried out by the local Forestry 16 Department. A World Wildlife Federation 17 official said it's the numbers which make this such a notable event. And for the moment, the cause is a mystery. Sylvia Poggioli, NPR News, Rome.

Wikileaks says US officials have issued subpoenas 18 for details about its Twitter account. The website says US investigators 19 have gone to Twitter headquarters, demanding personal details related the founder 20 Julian Assange and others, including the Army analyst 21 suspected of giving Wikileaks classified information.

I'm Barbara Klein. NPR news in Washington.