NPR 2012-01-22

 A rainy day in parts of South Carolina not stopping primary voters today, Johnston resident Bill Mercue voted for Newt Gingrich.

 
"I like his philosophy. I like his savvy 1.  Yet I like he makes sense."
 
Susan Leedom of Charleston voted for Mitt 2 Romney.
 
"Our country has major challenges and opportunities. And I think it would be good for the first time in a long time to have a business perspective to attempt to run our country as a business."
 
Speaking in Greenville, South Carolina this morning, candidate Newt Gingrich said a lots on the line today.
 
"This is about your future. We want to unleash 3 the power of the American people to create a much bigger, much better, much more prosperous America."
 
For more than 30 years beginning with Ronald Reagan, every candidate who's won the South Carolina primary has gone on to win the GOP presidential nomination 4. 
 
The Northeast digging out from the first winter snowstorm of the season. As NPR's Joel Rose reports the storm created slippery conditions and some delays at airports. 
 
The storm dropped several inches of snow across the Mid-Atlantic, flights arriving at Philadelphia International Airport were delayed because of ice and snow accumulation, some by more than two hours. Airports in New York and New Jersey 5 reported fewer delays. At a news conference, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the city had 1,500 snow plows 6 at the ready, each equipped with global positioning systems. But Bloomberg said the snow did not appear to be as bad as initially 7 forecast. 
 
"So whatever does get on the ground should disappear within a day or so, and because it's a weekend, it has less effect on commerce and traffic."
 
For many parts of the Northeast, this is the first major snowfall since the rare October storm that knocked out power to millions. Joel Rose, NPR News, Philadelphia.
 
Afghan President Hamid Karzai is telling his nation's government that he is doing what he can, including the previously 8 unthinkable, to try to bring peace to his nation. NPR's Ahmad Shafi reports.
 
In his speech to the Afghan Parliament, Karzai announced he has personally met with representatives of the Hezbi Islami Party. They are part of a group of insurgents 9 operating mostly in the south and eastern Afghanistan. The leader of the group, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, is a former US ally and currently listed as a terrorist by the United States. The Afghan president also said he supports the Taliban's opening an office in the Gulf 10 nation of Qatar. He said he has lost many friends as he went through a long list of his allies and tribal 11 elders who have systematically 12 been assassinated 13 by the militants 14 over the last two years. He was very emotional when he read his own brother's name Ahmed Wali Karzai who was killed over the summer. Ahmad Shafi, NPR News, Kabul.
 
The UN shows that more than 30,000 Afghans have applied 15 for political asylum 16. 
 
This is NPR News.
 
Britain's broadcasting regulator has pulled the license 17 of Iran's state-run English language Press TV. Larry Miller 18 reports, Press TV claims the British Royal Family is behind the move.
 
Broadcasting's independent regulator Ofcom says Press TV's practice of making editorial decisions from Tehran breaches 19 its license terms. It warned the broadcaster in November to switch editorial control to the UK or lose British satellite and cable access. Ofcom says Press TV failed to respond. However, Press TV claims the move is retribution for calling the regulator subservient 20 to the British government and the monarchy 21. 
 
"Now Ofcom, the media arm of the Royal Family, is seeking to put an end to Press TV's broadcasting in the UK."
 
Press TV also failed to pay 150,000-dollar fine imposed for airing an interview with an imprisoned 22 Newsweek journalist carried out under duress 23. For NPR News, I'm Larry Miller in London.
 
Winter descended 24 on the Pacific Northwest with snow, ice and powerful winds. Trees fell, clean-up crews were out in force. Tens of thousands lost power, facing a cold weekend and potential flooding. In Puyallup, Washington, homeowner Debbie Turver says she's worried about the food in her freezer.
 
"My son is a hunter, so I have a freezer full of alchemy. I'm concerned about that."
 
In Washington, President Obama delivers his State of the Union speech this week with the economy a central thing. The president expected to talk about college affordability 25, US manufacturing and housing wealth.