NPR 2011-12-20

 Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is hoping that the change in North Korea’s leadership will lead to improved US relations with the communist nation. She spoke 1 to reporters after a meeting in Washington with Japan’s foreign minister. 

 
“We reiterate 2 our hope for improved relations with the people of North Korea and remain deeply concerned about their well-being 3.”
 
She says the US and Japan share a common interest in a stable transition. 
 
House Speaker John Boehner says the House will vote this evening to reject the Senate-passed two-month extension of the payroll 4 tax cut. NPR’s Craig Windham tells us Boehner rejects administration’s suggestions that he cave in to his membership. 
 
The White House says Boehner was supportive of the two-month extension until Tea Party conservatives revolted. Boehner denies that. 
 
“No, it’s not. That’s not true.”
 
Boehner insisted differences over the tax cut extension can be worked out by House-Senate Conference Committee.
 
“I don’t believe the differences between the House and Senate are that great. It’s time for us to do our work.”
 
But the Senate has already recessed 5 for the holidays. The No. 3 Democrat 6 in the Senate, Charles Schumer of New York says House Republicans have two choices: either pass the Senate’s bipartisan compromise, or, he says, they alone will be responsible for letting taxes rise on the middle class when the current payroll tax cut expires. Craig Windham, NPR News, Washington. 
 
European Union finance ministers appear to have fallen short of a target to provide a 200 billion euro crisis firewall fund to the International Monetary 7 Fund. The chairman of the euro group says eurozone states would provide an extra 150 billion euros. The French government is ramping 8 up efforts to soften 9 the blow of an imminent 10 credit downgrade. NPR’s Eleanor Beardsley has more. 
 
Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s put 15 eurozone nations on negative watch a little over a week ago. Since then President Nicolas Sarkozy and his government have been bracing 11 for the bad news. Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, another government official spoke about it publicly. 
 
"Of course it’s better to have a high rating," the ecology minister told French Radio, "but it doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world. The US lost its AAA and that hasn’t been a catastrophe 12." Analysts 13 say the markets have already taken into account France losing its AAA status as French bond bills are higher than German—the eurozone’s safest. Being booted from the top financial tier will be a blow to Sarkozy, who is running for re-election in just four months. And he’s long made France’s AAA status a badge of honor. Eleanor Beardsley, NPR News, Paris. 
 
A philanthropist is donating several million dollars to the National Zoo’s panda breeding project. The zoo located in Washington D.C. has announced the gift is from philanthropist David M. Rubenstein. It will allow the zoo to proceed with a five-year plan to try to produce another cub 14. 
 
On Wall Street, the Dow was down 50 points at 11, 815. 
 
This is NPR.
 
The Florida A&M University Board of Trustees has rejected Governor Rick Scott’s request to suspend the university’s president. Florida Public Radio’s Lynn Hatter reports the decision comes as law enforcement officials have ruled the hazing 15 death of one of the school bands’ drum majors a homicide. 
 
The governor’s requested to suspend FAMU President James Ammons from the university’s student’s alumni and several prominent black legislators. In its meeting Monday, Board Chairman Solomon Badger 16 says the board stands by Ammons.
 
“We will stand firm against outside influence regardless of how well intended that leads to detrimental 17 consequences that threaten the viability 18 of the university.”
 
A letter sent Friday by the university’s accrediting 19 board warned that a vote endorsing 20 the governor’s advice could put the university at risk of losing its accreditation 21. Scott says he still believes Ammons should step aside, but will abide 22 by the trustees’ decision. For NPR News, I’m Lynn Hatter in Tallahassee. 
 
A poll of members of the Associated Press finds that top sports story of the year is the ouster of legendary 23 Penn State football coach Joe Paterno. Paterno lost his job after child sex abuse charges against his former assistant. 
 
A battery cable problem has led Nissan Motor Company to recall nearly 43,000 Sentra compact cars. The problem affects certain 2010, 2011 Sentras. Government documents say a zinc 24 coating on the cable bolts could be too thick, potentially causing a voltage drop, leading the car to stall. 
 
I’m Louise Schiavone, NPR News, Washington.