From NPR News in Washington,I'm Lakshmi Singh.
The U.S. military is evacuating American and other foreign hostages held by Islamist militants at a gas complex in Algeria.
NPR's Tom Bowman reports some of the several dozen other hostages have been killed in an ongoing crisis, though there is no word on a final death toll.
“The released hostages were expected to be flown to Europe before the C130 Medevac flight that arrived one day after Algerian forces storm this spiraling gas site.
Officials say an unknown number of militants in hostages were killed in the ensuing gun battle.
London based BP runs the gas site.
It will not comment about the fate of any individuals or their nationalities.
U.S. officials say besides Americans, the workers include British, French, Norwegian and Japanese citizens.
American and British officials say they were not told before hand on the assault by the Algerian troops, but urged the Algerians to make the safety of the hostages their top priority.
Tom Bowman, NPR News, Washington.”
Syrians in Aleppo and Daraa reportedly are under siege again.
In Aleppo, witnesses are reporting rocket fire on the neighborhood.
Local televisions are broadcasting images of the collapse building and medics pulling victims from the rebel, whoever this recording could not be independently verified.
Meanwhile, state run TV says vehicles were blown up near a mosque in Dora, south of Damascus.
It sounds certain who is behind the attack and how many casualties are caused.
The former mayor of New Orleans in office when hurricane Katrina nearly destroyed the city has been indicted on corruption charges.
Eileen Fleming of member station WWNO reports Ray Nagin is now facing 21 federal charges.
“The former mayor is accused of wire fraud money laundering, taking bribes and filing false tax returns.
Nagin is accused of profiting from city deals, many after the 2005 hurricane left the city in chaos.
Several business men have already pleaded guilty for paying Nagin and exchanged for contracts.
Nagin, a former business man, took office in 2002.
After Katrina, he raged publicly about slow public response.
Prosecutors say he gave his family granted business, exclusive deals and took money in vacations from vendors.
Nagin has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
For NPR News, I'm Eileen Fleming, in New Orleans.”
House Republican leaders will seek a 3-month extension of the government borrowing authority next week.
The plan announced at the end of the House Republican retreat would force the Democratic control Senate to act first on passing a deficit reducing budget plan.
House Majority leader Eric Cantor says if the Senate or House failed to pass the budget by April 15th, members of Congress would lose pay.
At last check on Wall Street, Dow is up 13 at 13, 609. NASDAQ off 8. SP&500 down slightly.
This is NPR.
In Chicago, authorities have exhumed the body of a man who died of cyanide poisoning after winning the lottery.
NPR's Cheryl Corley has the story.
“46-year-old Urooj Khan died last summer just a day after the state issued the check for his lottery winnings along some payment after taxes of $425,000.
Initially, the medical examiner's office ruled that Khan died of natural causes, but relatives asked for officials to take another look.
Full toxic college result revealed the lottery winner was poisoned.
Cook County's cheif medical examiner Doctor Stephen Cina says an autopsy may help determine whether the cyanide was swallowed, inhaled or injected and provide other details.
If we win this case goes to trial, I always like to have as many data points as possible.
Khan's widow says her husband was a good man and she had nothing to do with his death.
Cheryl Corley, NPR News, Chicago.”
The International Olympic Committee is urging veteran cyclist Lance Armstrong to give anti-doping authorities all the evidence he has of the drug he used to help him win the Tour de France titles.
The IOC says Armstrong who admitted to doping during last night's aired interviewed with Oprah Winfrey should do what he can to help develop us a stronger, cleaner sport.
Yesterday the IOC stripped Armstrong of his bronze medal from the 2000 Sydney Games.
Armstrong has also lost his Tour de France titles.
Consumer sentiment has hit its lowest point more than a year in the U.S. during part of the recent debate over the fiscal cliff.
Thomson Reuters of University of Michigans's preliminary reading on consumer sentiment fell to 71.3 this month.
Dow is up 12 points at 13, 607. NASDAQ is off about 8. SP&500 up slightly.
This is NPR News.