President Obama has told democratic supporters not to be discouraged by the election results giving republicans control of the House. Mr.Obama says he's told republican leaders he wants to cooperate on issues affecting the American people.
"I told John Boehner and Mitch McConnell that I looked forward to working with them and I thanked Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid for their extraordinary leadership over the last two years."
Mr.Obama's discouraging the idea of trying the repel the health care law. Boehner, who was to become the next House speaker says republicans will do everything they can to wipe the legislation off the books.
NPR News has learned that a Massey Energy coal mine in Kentucky is considered so dangerous that federal regulators are seeking court intervention. As NPR's Howard Berkes reports, government wants the court to shut down the facility.
The Labor Department has never sought this kind of federal court action despite having that authority for 33 years. But there's been pressure from the White House and Congress to get tough since 29 miners died in Massey Energy's Upper Big Branch Mine in April. The agency wants a federal judge to shut down Massey's Freedom No.1 mine Kentucky and supervise a safety overhaul. Court documents describe six rocks fall there since August and a persistent pattern of safety violations involving falling rocks, explosive coal dust ventilation and electrical equipment. Massey Energy says it's reviewing the court documents and will do whatever is necessary to assure the safety of its miners. Howard Berkes, NPR News.
The Federal Reserve is moving to inject more money into a struggling economy. Market News International Steve Beckner reports that the move suits investors just fine.
Wall Street has been piling for more quantitative easing ever since Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke broached the possibility in late August. And stocks are higher in the wake of actual Fed announcement that it will buy another $600 billion in treasury securities by the middle of next year to push down long-term interest rates. Those lower rates tend to make equities more attractive and that's reflected in the higher close for the major stock indices. The Dow Jones industrial average and NASDAQ composite up roughly 0.25% and the S&P 500 more than 0.33%. Lower yields on five-year treasury notes where fed purchases will be consentrated, offsetting rise in ten and 30-year bond yields. The dollar is weaker on the Fed announcement. For NPR News, I'm Steve Beckner in Washington.
Flight attendants of United Airlines have narrowly rejected a proposal to become unionized. The difference was just 328 votes. The Association of Flight Attendants says it will now ask federal regulators to investigate whether the company interfered with the vote. AFA also says it will seek a recount. The vote was to decide if all or none of the flight attendant will be in the union.
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Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is calling for a swift Senate approval of a new arms control treaty between the United States and Russia. Some republicans have expressed concerns that the deal could limit America's ability to build a missile defence shield. They are also concerned that it may be difficult to verify complaints. Clinton is in New Zealand in a bid to fully restore ties that's been strained since 1985. That's when New Zealand began denying entry to US warships because the Pentagon was refusing to declare if they were carrying nuclear weapons.
The President of South Korea says he hopes to ratify a stalled free trade agreement with the US when his nation hosts the G20 summit next week. From Seoul, Doualy Xaykaothao reports that South Korean officials hope to use the occasion to also resolve a few other issues.
South Korea's president Lee Myung-bak says he not only wants to produce tangible results to strengthen the global financial safety nets during the summit, but on the sidelines of the meeting, he hopes Washington and Seoul will work out key issues on their trade pact signed three years ago. In a televised speech earlier today, a translator quotes Lee is saying the FTA would benefit both countries. "Becaue FTA will not, I repeat, will not reduce jobs either in Korea or United States." Additional trade talks are expected early next week regarding unfair trade conditions for automobiles and beef imports. For NPR News, I'm Doualy Xaykaothao in Seoul.
A Qantas Airline's passenger plane had to make an emergency landing during a Singapore to Sydney flight Thursday because of a mid-air engine problem. Police and witnesses have reported hearing an explosion as the passenger plane flew over Indonesia, but Qantas officials say the plane landed safely.