NPR 2012-05-05

 The unemployment rate has edged down to 8.1%, but that's not exactly welcome news to economists 1. It suggests that more people came up to look for work last month, so they were not counted in the tally 2. And the employers added a lower than expected 115,000 positions. In Virginia today, the president accused Republicans of blocking initiatives that would lead to robust 3 job growth. Campaigning in Pitzburg, GOP's presumptive nominee 4 Mitt 5 Romney said that White House was waying off its handling of the economy.

This is a sad time of America, when people who want to work can't find jobs.
Romney was scheduled to meet today with former republican rival Rick Santorum, who has spent his campaign denouncing Romney as out of touch with conservertives, now both men are reportedly trying to know each other better. Santorum has not said if he would endorse 6 Romney.
A diplomatic crisis between the US and China may be coming to an end. NPR's Michele Kelemen reports China's foreign ministry 7 says a dissident who has spent nearly a week holdup the US embassy can apply to study abroad. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton sounded cautiously optimistic about the fate of Mr. Chen Guangcheng.
We are encouraged by the progress we've seen today, but there is more work to do, so we will stay engaged as this moves forward.
US officials say that Chinese government has indicated that it will accept Chen's passport application, in the meantime, they say they expect to have regular access to him at the hospital where he was reunited with his family and is receiving medical treatment. Chen, who is blind, had broken three bones in his foot during his dramatic escape from house arrest last week.
Michele Kelemen, NPR news, Beijing.
The sound of Egyptian protesters **** and police water canons in Cairo, police fired teargas as well. Thousands gathered to demand an end to military rule at this month's presidential election.
A co-founder of the pioneering hiphop group the Beastie Boys, Adam Yauch has died at the age of 47. NPR's Mandalit del Barco reports the rapper has been in treatment for cancer for the past 3 years. 
Adam Yauch was known as MCA, 1/3 of the Beastie Boys along with Adam Horovitz and Michael Diamond. The trio began as a hardcore band combining punk and rap, then became one of the most influential 8 hiphop groups. In 1986, it exploded onto the scene with their baby album Licensed 9 to Ill, You gotta fight, for your right, to party, Yauch's record number of Beastie Boys videos into the food named Daniel *. He also ran a food production company and raise money for the Tibetan independent movement. * performed from 2009 and was absent last month when the beastie boy was inducted into the Rock'n Roll Hall of Fame. That is NPR's Mandalit del Barco, this is NPR.
The nearly bankrupt US postal 10 service is pressing the US House to pass a bill that would allow it to close low revenue post offices and scrap 11 Saturday delivery. The meeting today, the board of governors voice concerns about the legislation passed since last week, saying that version would make it more difficult for the service to close more than 37000 post offices and 100 more processing centers nationwide in a bid to save money. The postmaster general has said he planned to start closing facilities in the next couple of weeks.
A new report says that New York's 911 system is full of delays and errors that could leave callers without help for crucial moments. NPR's Margot Adler reports there is controverse because only an editted version of the report has been released. The 911 system has been undergoing an overhaul 12 for years. City officials say response time has been proved, confusion has been reduced. But a new report says operators waste time repeating questions and use confusing questioning procedures. It says the system sends the first responders to wrong addresses. New York mayor Michael Bloomberg is in fighting legal efforts to force the city to release earlier versions of the report. Latest document has a 133 pages. New York Post describes the first version as 216 pages and it's not clear what has been changed. A judge ruled that the city must release the earlier address. The city has appealed. Margot Adler, NPR news, New York.
Before the close on wall street, Dow Jones Industrial Average down 116.9 points, or 1.2%, at 13,038. NSDQ down 2.25%, S&P 500 down 1.5%.
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