NPR 2012-04-14

 President Obama has apparently 1 signed off on a plan to increase aid to Syria’s opposition 2. The Associated Press is reporting that the president has approved a plan to provide communications equipment and medical supplies to Syria’s non-violent political groups and not to the armed rebels. Activists 3 in Syria say at least five people have been killed today in massive anti-government demonstrations 4 on the heels of the ceasefire agreement.

 
President made a stop in Florida today on his way to the Summit of Americas in Colombia. From member station WUSF in Tampa, Susan Giles Wantuck reports.
 
This is the president’s second campaign stop in a week to the crucial swing state of Florida. During his quick visit to the port of Tampa, Mr. Obama said rather than being a nation of consumers, we need to get back to our manufacturing roots.
 
“Shipping containers left ports like this packed with goods that were stamped with three proud words: Made in America.”
 
As he heads to Cartagena for the Summit of Americas, the thorny 5 issues of immigration policy, Cuba and drug policy are likely to hang over the discussions between the president and South American leaders. For NPR News, I’m Susan Giles Wantuck in Tampa.
 
The UN Security Council held a closed-door meeting today to discuss North Korea’s failed rocket launch. The world body says the attempted lanuch violated two council resolutions concerning testing for nuclear and missile technology. Council members would not say whether or not they are considering more sanctions against North Korea. Until previous occasions, the Security Council hasn’t imposed sanctions after North Korea conducted nuclear tests. The rocket broke into pieces shortly after liftoff.
 
Banking 6 giant J.P. Morgan Chase says its profits improved during the first three months of the year. NPR’s Jim Zarroli reports that the bank contributes the improvement in part to a stronger economy.
 
J.P. Morgan said its profits were down 3% from the year before, but its overall revenue was up. The company said its revenue from investment banking was higher than it had been in the fourth quarter, and there was an increase in loan demand and credit quality. Bank officials said that was partly because of new strength in the economy. J.P. Morgan is the second-largest US bank by assets. Meanwhile, the fourth-biggest Wells Fargo also reported a better-than-expected first quarter. It said its profits were up 13% from the year before. The bank said that was largely because of a big increase in its mortgage banking results. Jim Zarroli, NPR News, New York.
 
The White House says the president and the first lady paid more than 160,000 dollars in federal taxes last year. The president’s income return shows an adjusted gross income of about 790,000 dollars. About half of the Obamas' income comes from his presidential salary; the rest is from book sales. The returns also show the Obamas made to 172,000 dollars in charitable contributions.
 
On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is down 68 points at 12,918; the NASDAQ Composite is down 35 points at 3,020. 
 
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Two Oklahoma men are being charged with murder and hate crimes for an Easter weekend shooting spree that left three people dead. Police say 19-year-old Jake England and 33-year-old Alvin Watts 7 have confessed. All of the victims were black. England’s father was killed two years ago by a black man, and police say the shootings may have been to avenge 8 his father’s death.
 
A British police detective is suing Rupert Murdoch’s Times of London for hacking 9 into his email and exposing him as the writer of an anonymous 10 police blog. Larry Miller 11 reports that he was subsequently disciplined by his force and order to stop his award-winning blogging.
 
In the legal action brought by Richard Horton, a detective with the Lancashire police force, the Times is cited for breach 12 of confidence, misuse 13 of private information and deceit. Horton is seeking damages which, if he’s successful, could be substantial. Horton was revealed as the writer of a police blog after a Times reporter hacked 14 into his emails three years ago. Horton sought a high court injunction to remain anonymous, but the Times withheld 15 the information that his emails were hacked and he was exposed. The Times has sinced admitted the hacking and apologized. Horton’s lawyer is also representing three people who will be the first phone-hacking victims to sue the Murdoch organization in US courts. For NPR News, I’m Larry Miller in London.
 
Osama bin 16 Laden 17’s three widows and their children will be heading to Saudi Arabia after they complete a prison sentence in Pakistan for entering that country illegally. The defense 18 attorney for the women says Pakistani officials will deport 19 the bin Ladens sometime next week. Two of the women are from Saudi Arabia; one is from Yemen. They’ve been held in captivity 20 since the US Navy SEALs killed Osama bin Laden last May.
 
I’m Jim Howard, NPR News in Washington.