From NPR news, I am Louise Schiavone.
As the midnight deadline approaches, president Obama is signaling that a budget deal to avert the fiscal cliff is within sight . NPR Scott Horsley reports there are still details to iron out . President Obama surrounded himself with middle class tax payers at the White House as he made another appeal for lawmakers to compromise before automatic taxing increase take effect in the new year, he says, days of bargaining have yielded progress, but so far, no final agreement. There are still issues left to resolve, but we're hopeful that congress can get it done. The White House has agreed to limit income tax hikes to families making incomes more than 450,000 dollars up from the 250,000 dollars threshold. Mr. Obama wanted negotiations continue over how to prevent automatic spending cuts. Scott Horsley, NPR news, the White House.
cretary state remains under observation at New York pre hospital Hilary Clinton is being treated for a blood clot related to a concussion she is sustained in a recent home fall. A bipartisan report from Senate panel finds that state department fails to assure the security of the U.S missioning in Benghazi Libya. U.S ambassador Chris Steven and three others were killed in a Sep.11 attack.
China has expelled a journalist working for the New York Times by declining to extend his media accreditation. NPR Louis Lin has more, a statement from the New York Times executive editor Jill Abramson acknowledged that Chris Buckley has been forced to relocate outside China. She says the newspaper has made repeated request for his journalist visa to be renewed. Buckley is an Australia reporter who left Reuters for the New York Times in October. This act could be a retaliation for the Times' exposure on the wealth of family members of China's Primer Wen JiaBao. Beijing had reacted angrily, blocking the newspaper's website. In May, Beijing expelled Melissa Chen, an American working for AL-Jazeera, and was believed to have been the first such case in 14 years. The 2 respected journalists should be expelled in one year underlines Beijing's new hard-line stance on the foreign media. Louisa Lin, NPR news, Beijing.
The first new medicine in 4 decades aimed to tuberculosis has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The pill called Sirturo has been formulated for use with other older drugs to fight hard to treat tuberculosis. Hamlvin Johnson from Johnson and Johnson.
"Globally, this is a very very significant global health problem. There are over 600,000 cases reported in 2011."
On Wall Street this hour, the Dow was up 128 points at 13,066. The Nasdaq is up 55 points. This is NPR news.
Violence erupted across Iraq today. At least 23 died in an insurgent attacks aimed at Shiite communities and pilgrims. The deadliest blast was seen about 40 miles south of the capital where militants planted bombs around 2 homes, one belonging to a police officer.
The UN peace keeping mission to the young nation of East Timor is due to expire as the year ends. NPR's Anthony Kuhn reports the last of the 1600 strong force have pulled out of East Timor as their mission winds down .
The successful completion of parliamentary and presidential elections this year was seen as a key sign of the country's political stability. And peace keepers have completed their training of Timorese police and soldiers. Other UN organizations will stay on in East Timor to help with development and institution building. After East Timor voted for independence from Indonesia in a 1999 referendum, the UN helped administer the country until it achieved full sovereignty in 2002. UN peace keepers stepped in to restore order after factional fighting broke out in 2006. Anthony Kuhn, NPR news, Jakarta.
Norv Turner of the San Diego Chargers said join the roads of National Football League Coaches with the losing records who have been axed also looking for work Andy Reid of the Philadelphia Eagles, Lovie Smith of the Chicago Bears, Pat Shurmur of the Cleveland Browns, Chan Gailey of the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City chief coach Romeo Crennel.
Happy new year to much of Russia and United Arab Emirates. Among others, Iran rings to 2013 about 25 minutes from now.
I'm Louise Schiavone this is NPR News, Washington.