NPR 2012-03-15

 Secretary of State Leon Panetta is reported to be safe following a security breach 1 as his plane was landing at a British airfield 2 in southern Afghanistan today. An Afghan national stole a car and sped onto a runway before it crashed into a ditch. NPR's Larry Abramson tells us the driver was found on fire in the car around the time the secretary's plane was landing.

 
“There's no firm evidence that this was an attack on the secretary, although the timing 3 is very suspicious. It happened right at the time the secretary was landing, and it was known to members on the base the secretary of defense 4 was coming to visit them.”
 
NPR's Larry Abramson's report underscores the security concerns confronting the secretary he is on the war front, the trip planned months ago to discuss the US troop drawdown by 2014. But today the visit is more pressing in light of the rising anger against US troops, including the service member who allegedly massacred Afghan villagers on Sunday. That still-unidentified service member reportedly was flown out of Afghanistan today.
 
NPR's Tom Bowman reports from Washington that President Obama says US forces will shift to a support role next year in Afghanistan, and NATO is still on track to turn over full responsibility to Afghan troops by the end of 2014.
 
The president said he doesn't foresee any sudden immediate 5 changes to the plan that NATO already has agreed to for Afghanistan.
 
“If we maintain a steady, responsible transition process, which is what we’ve designed, then I am confident that we can put Afghans in a position where they can deal with their own security.”
 
Mr. Obama appeared with British Prime Minister David Cameron at the White House. Both men said NATO allies would look at how to continue reducing troops after the summer fighting season. US troops will drop by 23,000 by September. That will still leave 68,000 American troops in Afghanistan. Tom Bowman, NPR News, Washington.
 
The Senate is backing legislation overhaul 6 transportation programs. The bill passed 74-22, putting pressure on the GOP-led House to also act quickly when it returns from recess 7 next week.
 
In Ohio, several people have been stabbed at the downtown offices at Miami-Jacobs Career College in Columbus. Mandie Trimble of member station WOSU reports a suspect attacked four people then fled before he was shot by police.
 
When the initial stabbing occurred in the admissions office, that suspect fled into the lobby where bystanders wrestled 8 away a knife. However, police say the suspect had an additional knife on him. A good Samaritan who wrestled away the knife was stabbed.
 
Mandie Trimble reporting.
 
Before the close on Wall Street, the Dow was up 16 points at 13,194.
 
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The Jefferson County Courthouse in Texas had to be evacuated 9 today after multiple shootings. According to various news reports, at least one person was killed and three others were injured. 
 
Russia's foreign minister is defending his country's sales of weapons to Syria, where the military continues its deadly crackdown on political dissent 10. But as NPR's Martha Wexler reports from Moscow, the diplomat 11 says Russia will not intervene militarily to keep Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in power.
 
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says the weapons that Russia is shipping 12 to Damascus are intended to protect Syria against external threats. They cannot be used, he said, against anti-government protesters. The UN estimates more than 7,000 Syrians have been killed since the Syrian uprising began last year. Russia has used its veto power in the Security Council to block UN sanctions against the Syrian government. But Foreign Minister Lavrov says it would not be in Russia's interest to intervene militarily on behalf of President Assad. Lavrov said Russia’s been urging him to take steps to calm the situation. But he says Russia's advice hasn’t always been taken promptly 13. Martha Wexler, NPR News, Mexico.
 
There’ve been no reports of new problems at Japan’s nuclear plants from two strong earthquakes today. The first one had a magnitude of 6.9. It struck the southern coast of Hokkaido and caused a small tsunami 14 in the same area where a quake and tsunami caused a nuclear plant crisis a year ago. A second temblor measuring 5.7 struck hours later. Again there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.
 
US stocks closing mixed.
 
I’m Lakshmi Singh, NPR News.