NPR 2008-12-26

Versatile 1 singer and actress Eartha Kitt has died. Her role spanned the television hit "Batman" to the Broadway Stage, a self-proclaimed "sex kitten" famous for her catlike purr. Kitt won two Emmys, several Tonys and two Grammy awards in a career spanning six decades. Publicist Andrew Freedman says Kitt began to break out in the Broadway revue New Faces of 1952. "Nobody quite had seen anything like Eartha Kitt up until then. She was strong and seductive and sexy and always kind of a bit self of facing through it all." Her first album "RCA Victor Presents Eartha Kitt" came out in 1954, featuring the hit "Santa Baby" which ironically with Kitt's death occurring on Christmas Day which just recently declared the gold record. Eartha Kitt was 81 years old.

Harold Pinter, a British Nobel laureate, who was also an outspoken 2 critic of both President Bush and the Iraq War has died. According to his wife, Pinter died yesterday, following a long battle with cancer. In his interview with the BBC, Pinter left little doubt where he stood on the war in Iraq. "We've brought torture, cluster bombs, depleted 3 uranium, innumerable acts of random 4 murder, misery 5, degradation 6 and death to the Iraqi people and called it bringing freedom and democracy to the Middle East." Pinter wrote 32 plays and one novel. He also wrote at least 22 screenplays including "The French Lieutenant's Woman". Harold Pinter was 78 years old.

In southern California town of Covina, a man dressed as Santa Claus shot several people at a Christmas Eve party then set the house on fire. Six bodies have been found in the ashes there. NPR's Ina Jaffe has more.

Police suspect the shooter was 45-year-old Bruce Jeffrey Pardo. He was found dead at his brother's house with a single gunshot wound to the head. Witnesses say that the man dressed as Santa Claus began shooting as soon as he arrived at the Christmas Eve party. There were about 25 people there. Most of them ran when the shooting began. Two were wounded and one person broke an ankle. Police say the gunman used a homemade incendiary device to start the blaze, and that the six bodies they recovered are so badly burned that they can't tell if they were killed in the shooting or the fire. Still missing are the couple who own the home and Pardo's ex-wife. Police say Pardo was going through marital 7 problems and they believe that the house where the shooting took place is owned by relatives. Ina Jaffe, NPR News.

A stretch of highway in California Sierra Nevada is open again after being closed because of heavy snow. The 80-mile stretch of roadway had to be shut down for several hours this morning, as thick snow and white-out conditions reduced visibility for motorists. Drivers are still being warned to prepare for difficult conditions. It's estimated upwards 8 of two feet of snow fell overnight in the mountains around Lake Tahoe.

U.S. financial markets are closed for the holiday today.

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Pope Benedict XVI, in his annual holiday address, said despite the financial crisis, various conflicts and increased poverty, the world should not lose hope. The pontiff also called for peace in Middle East and in other war-torn regions such as Darfur and Zimbabwe. In his annual address from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, Pope Benedict echoed the theme from his midnight Mass, reciting holiday greetings in 64 languages. Talks are underway for the Pope to visit Israel and the Palestinian territories perhaps as early as this spring. 

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak met today with Israel's foreign minister to discuss a truce 9 between Hamas and the Jewish state. Egypt called on both sides to halt attacks to help Cairo broker 10 a new peace deal. Aya Batrawy has more form Cairo.

After a ceasefire agreement ended last week in violence, Israel's Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni flew to meet with President Hosni Mubarak Thursday. In their meetings, Egypt urged both Israel and Hamas to stop launching attacks until Cairo can help broker any truce. It was reported in Israeli press that Mubarak invited Livini to Egypt to warn Israel against any operations in Gaza and fears that a massive military operation would destabilize the region. But Egypt's Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit offered bleak 11 hope to reporters today after his meeting with Livni, saying Egypt won't be able to broker a truce so long as there is an escalation 12 of violence. Earlier this week, Israel killed three Palestinians while militants 13 responded with rocket fire on Israel. Israeli leaders have sounded more hawkish 14 lately with Livni, who was hoping to take over after Prime Minister Ehud Olmert steps down, calling for a harsher Israeli defense 15 force stance with Hamas. For NPR News, I'm Aya Batrawy from Cairo.

In Ukraine, officials say they are still continuing to search for more victims of an apartment building explosion. At least 18 people were killed. Blast apparently 16 caused by leaky oxygen canisters torn through the five-story building.