NPR 2012-04-23

 Iran is claiming it’s building a copy of a US surveillance drone it captured last year. The chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee is skeptical 2. NPR’s Allison Keyes reports.

 
Iran’s military says experts have extracted data from the RQ-170 Sentinel, an unmanned top-secret surveillance drone, and it says the experts have full understanding of the aircraft’s programs. But independent Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman tells “FOX News Sunday” “I don’t have confidence at this point that they’re really able to make a copy of it.” Lieberman says it’s a sophisticated piece of machinery 3, and there’s a history of what he calls “Iranian bluster 4.” There have been concerns that the drone’s radar-deflecting paint or its optical technology could be deciphered. Allison Keyes, NPR News, Washington.
 
United Nations monitors toured a rebel-held town in central Syria today to determine if the Syrian government is observing a ceasefire. Meanwhile, activists 5 say Syrian soldiers shelled a neighborhood east of Damascus, killing 6 at least two people. Special envoy 7 Kofi Annan is welcoming the UN Security Council decision to deploy 8 as many as 300 more observers to monitor the ceasefire in Syria. He spoke 9 in Geneva today. Lisa Schlein reports Annan refers to the deployment 10 as a pivotal moment for the stabilization 11 of the country.
 
Annan is urging both the Syrian government forces and rebel fighters to put down their weapons. He tells them they must work with the UN monitors to make sure the ceasefire holds. Fighting has continued in some cities since the ceasefire came into force ten days ago. In a statement, Annan calls on the Syrian government to stop the use of heavy weapons. He reminds the government that under the terms of the six-point plan, it had agreed to withdraw these weapons and armed forces from populated areas. He says a political process to address the legitimate 12 concerns of the Syrian people can begin after the plan is implemented 13. For NPR News, I’m Lisa Schlein in Geneva.
 
French voters went to the polls today in the first round of the presidential elections. There were ten candidates, including the incumbent 14 Nicolas Sarkozy. Preliminary results show he collected enough votes to advance to the next round, although not as many as Socialist 15 Francois Hollande. A runoff election between the two men will be held two weeks from today. Polls show many voters have a bit of disappointment [slip] with Sarkozy’s first term and think he favors the rich. Hollande has proposed higher taxes on the rich and lower cuts in government spending.
 
Officials in Amsterdam say a 68-year-old woman died today from injuries sustained in yesterday’s train crash. Two passenger trains collided head on. It was being described as one of the worst train crashes in recent memory in the Netherlands. Officials say at least 40 people were seriously injured, dozens more sustained minor 16 injuries. Authorities say they don’t know yet why the trains were running on the same track. 
 
This is NPR News from Washington.
 
A high-tech 17 light bulb that won a US government competition goes on sale today. NPR’s Jim Hawk 18 reports.
 
The energy-efficient bulb made by Dutch electronics giant Philips won a ten-million-dollar contest sponsored by the US Department of Energy. It emits the same amount of light as a standard energy-wasting 60-watt incandescent 19 bulb, but uses only ten watts 20 of power. The contest stipulated 21 that the winning bulb be sold for 22 dollars in its first year on the market. But the Philips LED bulb has a suggested list price of 60 dollars. A spokesman for Philips says the plan is to arrange utility rebates 22 that can bring the price down to the required range. The more common type of energy-efficient bulbs—compact fluorescent 23 lights typically cost just five dollars. But the Philips says its bulb can last three times longer, emits a more natural looking light and does not contain mercury vapor 24. Jim Hawk, NPR News, Washington.
 
The suspense 25 is almost over. President Obama will officially wrap up the Democratic nomination 26 for president this week. Five states vote Tuesday, and the Associated Press estimates he’s certain to pick up enough delegates to become the nominee 27. On the Republican side, now it appears Mitt 1 Romney will be the nominee. Speculation 28 turns to the vice 29 presidential spot. Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels told “FOX News Sunday” he hopes he’s not asked. 
 
“I think I would demand reconsideration, send Mr. Romney a list of people I think could suit better.”
 
Another name frequently mentioned is Florida Senator Marco Rubio. He told CNN that he doesn’t want to talk about it. And in his words, the last thing that Romney needs is for those in the peanut gallery to say what they would do if asked.
 
I’m Nora Raum, NPR News in Washington.