NPR 2010-09-28（在线收听）

There's a lot of buzz surrounding the latest merger in the airline industry. Southwest Airlines is buying discount competitor AirTran. NPR's Wade Goodwyn reports the deal is worth nearly $1.5 billion.

Although the name on the fuselage says Southwest, the nation's largest discount carrier is making a move east to Atlanta, where AirTran is based. The deal is likely to put pressure on Delta and US Airways and give Southwest significant access into the Caribbean and Mexico. Southwest has been looking to growth through acquisition. Last year, it made a bid for bankrupt Frontier Airlines but lost out to Republic Airways. By acquiring AirTran, Southwest establishes a stronger East Coast presence where the company has been making forays. It will take a full two years to complete the integration. Wall Street approves AirTran shares opened up nearly 60 percent and Southwest opened higher too. In addition to Atlanta, AirTran has hubs in Orlando and Milwaukee. Wade Goodwyn, NPR News, Dallas.

President Obama has signed a small business lending bill into law, a political victory for Democrats five weeks before midterm elections. The legislation creates a 30-billion-dollar loan fund to give small business owners quicker access to credit. The president says it's vital to the sector and to job growth in general.

"They are the anchors of our Main Streets. They are part of the promise of America - the idea that if you've got a dream and you're willing to work hard, you can succeed."

The GOP opponents say the loan fund would encourage banks to make loans to risky borrowers.

Israel-Palestinian peace talks are still on the table with the Palestinian leadership delaying any decision on whether to withdraw. Authority President Mahmoud Abbas says he'll consult with negotiators in the wake of Israel's decision to let its moratorium on settlement building in West Bank expire.

Pakistan's government is protesting a NATO-led air strike on insurgents in its territory which it says violated its sovereignty. NPR's Anthony Kuhn reports from Karachi that NATO says its helicopters chased insurgents over the Afghan border into Pakistan.

Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit said in a statement that there were no so-called hot pursuit rules allowing NATO-led international security assistance forces to pursue targets over the Afghan-Pakistan border. He said that the incursion was in unacceptable violation of the ISAF UN mandate, in that Pakistan would be forced to respond to further violations. The ISAF said that its forces acted in self-defense, when insurgents attacked Afghan forces at a remote outpost near the border on Saturday to attack helicopters, chase the insurgents over the border and fire down them, killing about 30. The ISAF said its helicopters later killed four more militants. Anthony Kuhn, NPR News, Karachi.

Dow was down nearly 50 at 10,812.

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The first of 12 soldiers charged with crimes in Afghanistan is appearing before a military tribunal. Army Specialist Jeremy Morlock of Wasilla, Alaska is charged with premeditated murder in the deaths of three Afghan civilians. The hearing will determine whether the case proceeds to court-martial.

A Southern California man has been convicted of three counts of second-degree murder for driving drunk and causing a wreck that killed Los Angeles Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart and two of his friends. We have more details from Hettie Lynne Hurtes of member station KPCC.

Twenty-three-year-old Andrew Gallo was responsible for the crash in April of 2009 in Fullerton that killed Adenhart, his girlfriend and another passenger. A third friend survived but had to have his skull reattached to his spine. Prosecutors have alleged in the two-week trial that Gallo, whose blood alcohol level was nearly three times the legal limit, spent hours drinking beers and shots with his step-brother at three different bars before running a red light and crashing into the car driven by Adenhart's girlfriend. Adenhart died just hours after pitching six scoreless innings in his season debut. Gallo could face the death penalty. For NPR News, I'm Hettie Lynne Hurtes in Los Angeles.

Georgia authorities will make a third attempt tonight to execute a convicted killer. The punishment was delayed twice before, when Brandon Joseph Rhode tried to kill himself. Rhode's attorneys are fighting for another postponement. They argue the Rhodes may not fully understand why he is on death row. The 31-year-old was convicted in 2000 of murdering a father and two children during a burglary.

I'm Lakshmi Singh, NPR News in Washington.