NPR 2011-11-09

 The office of Italy's president says Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is pledging to resign after parliament approves economic reforms to stem Italy's debt burden. President Giorgio Napolitano said he met with Berlusconi after the prime minister lost his parliamentary majority during a budget vote earlier today. Greece, another country at the center of Europe's sweeping 1 financial woes 2 reportedly is close to agreeing on a new power-sharing government to pull the country back from the brink 3 of default. Earlier, officials suggested Greeks would find out today who would succeed Prime Minister George Papandreou, who has said he would step aside.

 
Pennsylvania is the latest stop in President Obama's "We Can't Wait" campaign. He was in the Philadelphia area today. NPR's Ari Shapiro reports the president is taking steps to hold Head Start programs more accountable.
 
The president began his trip by visiting a Head Start classroom. He then told an audience that this new rule will make underperforming Head Start programs re-compete to keep getting federal grant money. He says it's part of a broader plan to improve America's educational system.
 
"It's an economic imperative 4. Our future depends on it. And people understand this outside of Washington, which is why we've been able to work with Democratic and Republican governors on our efforts to strengthen education from cradle to career."
 
President Obama has been issuing a flurry of executive orders. He says if lawmakers won't act on his jobs plan, he'll do what he can without congressional support. Ari Shapiro, NPR News, the White House.
 
Republican presidential candidate Hermen Cain is firing back against the latest woman who accused him of sexual harassment 5. Advisers 6 issued a news release today asking “who is Sharon Bialek?” They say the woman has a long and troubled history from the courts to personal finances. Yesterday, Bialek became the fourth woman to allege 7 sexual misconduct, but she was the first to actually speak out to reporters. And earlier today, Karen Kraushaar allowed NPR to release her name. Until now, she was known only as woman A, one of two employees who settled claims of sexual harassment against Cain more than a decade ago.
 
The architect of Arizona's controversial anti-illegal immigration law faces a recall election today. Peter O'Dowd reports from member station KJZZ that Russell Pearce is in a close race to save his seat.
 
Pearce is the Senate president, and he was the star of state politics in 2010 after his landmark 8 legislation known as Fb1070 put the national spotlight 9 on Arizona. The group that led the recall effort against Pearce hasn't really attacked his stance on immigration. Instead, critics say Pearce should have spent more time dedicated 10 to other issues that matter to Arizona like jobs and education. Pearce's Republican challenger is a charter school executive named Jerry Lewis. A local poll shows the two candidates in a tight race for Pearce's conservative district.
 
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Former heavyweight champion Smokin Joe Frazier is dead at the age of 67. He lost a brief battle with liver cancer. NPR's Trina Williams reports Frazier's career will forever be linked with Muhammad Ali.
 
"The winner had won a unanimous decision and still heavyweight champion of the world, Joe Frazier."
 
1971, Madison Square Garden, and Frazier hands Ali his first defeat. The matchup was built as "the Fight of the Century." Frazier's friend and Ali's former business manager Gene 11 Kilroy says Frazier was at his best that night.
 
"They were so focused and determined 12 to win. See pride courage when Joe was gonna accept defeat."
 
Ali and Frazier would meet two more times including for the Thrilla in Manila. The first fight, however, would be the only victory for Frazier. He also had memorable 13 fights with George Foreman, to whom he lost the heavyweight title. He retired 14 in early 80s. The legend owned a boxing gym in Philadelphia, hoping to train the next generation of fighters. Trina Williams, NPR News.
 
The White House can add another legal victory to its defense 15 of President Obama's landmark health care law. Today, the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia upheld the law as constitutional, which helps set up a fight in the US Supreme 16 Court. Today, federal appellate judges agreed to dismiss a Christian 17 legal group suit that argued the part of the law requiring all Americans to have health care insurance was unconstitutional.
 
More jobs are being advertised, and with millions still out of work, there's heavy competition for each opening. Labor 18 Department found 3.35 million private and government jobs were posted in September.
 
At last check on Wall Street, the Dow was up more than 60 points.
 
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