NPR 2009-09-25

A Colorado man charged with being involved in an alleged 1 bomb plot in the US was in a Denver courtroom this morning. His father was released from federal detention 2 but Najibullah Zazi remains 3 in custody 4. NPR's Jeff Brady has more.

Both men were initially 5 charged with lying to federal investigators 6. A judge released Zazi's father on $50,000 unsecured bail 7. Now a grand jury has charged Zazi with conspiracy 8 to use weapons of mass destruction. A motion to permanently 9 detain Zazai says he learned how to make a bomb in Pakistan, then he allegedly purchased the components 10 from beauty supply stores in the Denver area. Investigators said they believed Zazi remained committed to detonating an explosive device until he was arrested last week in Colorado. On Thursday, in a Denver courtroom, Zazai was in handcuffs. He said nothing and showed no reaction when his father was released. Federal Magistrate 11 Judge Craig Shaffer agreed to put off a detention hearing for Zazi until Friday morning. Jeff Brady, NPR News, Denver.

Various world leaders including President Obama are in Pittsburgh for the two-day G20 Economic Summit with discussions  largely expected to center on how to best keep a global recovery on track, while at the same time, putting in place tighter restrictions 12 aimed at preventing a repeat of last year's economic meltdown. It's the third meeting of G20 leaders since the start of what economists 13 have labeled the worst recession since the Great Depression.

Police and demonstrators meanwhile are already clashing ahead of the planned kick-off dinner at the G20 tonight. Police threw canisters, spewing smoke and pepper spray after a group of several hundred opposition 14 demonstrators began moving toward the site of the summit. The march dubbed 15 “people's uprising” has already been declared an unlawful assembly by the police since the group apparently 16 lacked a city permit. The G20 meetings are scheduled for tomorrow.

United Nations General Security Council approved a resolution today that commits nations to work toward a nuclear-free world. President Obama presided over the meeting, the first time a US president has done so. More from NPR's Michele Kelemen.

President Obama says the resolution that passed 15 to 0 will strengthen the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. And though it did not mention Iran and North Korea by name, it did raise concerns about their nuclear programs.

"This is not about singling out individual nations. It is about standing 17 up for the rights of all nations who do live up to their responsibilities. The world must stand together, and we must demonstrate that international law is not an empty promise, and the treaties will be enforced."

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown told the council that it should consider far tougher sanctions against Iran if it continues to flout 18 UN resolutions. Michele Kelemen, NPR News, the United Nations.

Government says first time jobless claims fell by 21,000 last week to a seasonally-adjusted 530,000 down from 551,000 the previous week.

On Wall Street today, the Dow Jones Industry Average fell 41 points, closing at 9,707, the NASDAQ lost 23 points today.

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Officials in northwest Pakistan say a suspected US missile strike has claimed the lives of at least four people. The strike has been described as the latest in a series of attacks aimed at putting increased pressure on al-Qaeda and the Taliban. Intelligence officials say the strike took place near the town of Mir Ali in the North Waziristan region, not far from the Afghan border. Even there were some protests from Pakistan, Washington has continued missile attacks in the mountainous border region that has provided a safe haven 19 for some Islamist militants 20.

In Georgia, Metro 21 Atlanta residents are in cleanup mode after a widespread flooding this week. From Georgia Public Broadcasting, Edgar Treiguts reports.

Several shelters around the region have now closed as residents returned to their homes to begin the costly 22 process of cleanup and repair. Complicating 23 mop-up efforts are areas where raw sewage spilled down to some roads from swath of water treatment plants. Northwest of Atlanta, cleanup will have to wait for hundreds of residents of one metro county who are still homeless. Cobb County officials say up to 600 homes and dozens of businesses may have suffered extensive damage from rain and flooding. State officials have pegged 24 initial general damage estimates from the week's flooding at 250 million dollars.  Meanwhile, residents in central Georgia are bracing 25 for flooding problems of their own today. A major river running through Macon is already at flood stage and rising, threatening a levee. For NPR News, I'm Edgar Treiguts in Atlanta.

According to NASA officials in Pasadena, a spacecraft orbiting Mars has spotted 26 water in several craters 27 on the planet's surface. Officials say the instruments on the space agency's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter are estimating the newly discovered ice is 99% pure.