NPR 2009-06-21

President Obama is calling the crackdown against demonstrations 1 in Iran “violent and unjust” and he warned that the world is watching what's happening in Tehran. Sound of gunfire was heard there today as police clashed with protestors defying a warning by Iran's supreme 2 leader to stay off the streets. The BBC's Akba Chaleby has more.

"The militia 3 were out in force with guns, with batons 4, with electric batons as well and color guns in order to identify people. And people were chanting but the chant has changed. It’s “death to Khamenei”, to the actual leader. And this went on probably for four hours while I was there. It's continuing now and they have made arrests, and they are using live bullets." The BBC's Akba Chaleby in Tehran.

A suicide truck bomber 5 detonated a powerful blast outside a Shiite mosque 6 in northern Iraq today just as worshippers were leaving. The explosion killed at least 63 people and injured nearly 200 others. The blast demolished 7 the mosque and several nearby houses. Rescue teams searched for hours, looking for people thought to be trapped under the rubble 8.

Some of the hundreds of people evacuated 9 from their homes near Rockford, Illinois last night have been allowed to return today. The evacuation came after a train transporting thousands of gallons of highly flammable ethanol derailed and burst into flames. One woman was killed as she tried to run to safety from a car stopped at a railroad crossing. Three others were injured.

The Census 10 Bureau says it will count married same-sex couples the same as all other married couples in next year's census tally 11. NPR's Paul Brown has the story.

Census Bureau officials are reversing a decision made during the Bush administration years and say they are committed to coming up with an accurate count of same-sex married couples in next year's census. The Bush administration cited the Federal Defense 12 of Marriage Act which defines marriage as between a man and a woman in its opposition 13 to counting same-sex couples. And same-sex couples could not get married anywhere in the US during the last ten years' census. But now, same-sex marriage is legal in six states and the Obama White House says that though the Defense of Marriage Act does not recognize same-sex marriages, it also does not prohibit gathering 14 information about them. Paul Brown, NPR News, Washington.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell says the health care reform plans offered by Congressional Democrats 15 are costly 16 and flawed.

"Throughout this debate, the administration's central argument has been that America needs health care reform for the sake of the economy. Yet according to independent estimates, every health care proposal Democrats on Capitol Hill have offered would only hurt the economy."

McConnell gave the Republican’s weekly radio and internet address today. He said health care reform legislation is too complex to be rushed through Congress this summer.

This is NPR News from Washington.

Authorities in North Carolina say an ammonia leak at a poultry 17 processing plant near Fayetteville has killed one person and injured three others who are hospitalized. Officials say the leak has now been contained.

North Korea is refusing to back down on its demand for wage and rent hikes at a factory park. It’s jointly 18 run with South Korea. But Doualy Xaykaothao reports the North is lifting travel restrictions 19 that have undermined the success of that complex.

The Kaesong industrial complex is a five-year-old business venture between the two Koreas located just an hour from Seoul inside the North border. Since Pyongyang detonated its second nuclear device almost a month ago, relations between South Korean companies and the North have been strained at this border operation. The North last week demanded a four-fold wage increase for 40,000 of its workers and a 30-fold increase in rent from South Korean companies operating in Kaesong.  At this latest government level meeting, the North didn't budge 20 on its demands, but it relaxed travel for South Korean businessmen and investors 21 trying to do business with North Korea. Seoul analysts 22 say this means the North isn't interested in closing Kaesong. Both delegations 23 agreed to return to talks in July. For NPR News, I'm Doualy Xaykaothao in Seoul.

The first family took a Father's Day Eve excursion to a frozen custard shop in Alexandria, Virginia just across the Potomac River from the nation's capital today. Mr. Obama ordered vanilla 24 custard with hot fudge and toasted almonds. Ten-year-old Malia had a waffle cone 25 with vanilla and eight-year-old Sasha had a brownie hot fudge sundae. Mr. Obama posed for pictures with some of the patrons at the Dairy Godmother shop and he took home some puppy treats for the first family's dog, Bo.

I'm Craig Windham, NPR News in Washington.