NPR 2009-01-14（在线收听）

Hillary Clinton got a warm reception from Senate colleagues today during her confirmation hearing as Secretary of State. She fielded a number of questions but only a few had to do with potential conflicts of interests with her husband, former President Bill Clinton. NPR’s Corey Flintoff reports.

The questions Clinton answered included the conflict in Gaza, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the threat of nuclear proliferation. Clinton said the gravest threat facing America is the danger that weapons of mass destruction will fall into the hands of terrorists. “We must curb the spread and use of these weapons -- nuclear, biological, chemical or cyber, and prevent the development and use of dangerous new weapons.” Several senators refer to an agreement outlining steps designed to minimize conflicts of interest with the charitable foundation of her husband, former President Bill Clinton, saying the foundation must disclose foreign contributions and allow them to be reviewed by a State Department ethics panel. Corey Flintoff, NPR News, Washington.

More negotiations aimed at reaching a ceasefire in Gaza today, even as Israeli forces continued their assault. The death toll in an 18-day-old conflict has risen to nearly a thousand Palestinians and more than a dozen Israelis. More explosions and heavy weapons fire were heard in Gaza City today after Israeli tanks moved closer to the densely populated downtown area. Meanwhile in Cairo, Hamas delegation resumed talks with Egypt on a proposed ceasefire. Egypt and Saudi Arabia have both called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Israel says its defense minister will head to Egypt for talks later this week.

Federal Reserve Board chairman Ben Bernanke said today the fiscal stimulus package being considered by Congress and the incoming Obama administration could give a significant boost to economic activity, but he said that alone may not be enough to promote a lasting recovery. NPR’s John Ydstie reports.

In a speech in London, Bernanke said that to get a full recovery, a stimulus package must be accompanied by additional measures to stabilize the financial system. “History demonstrates conclusively that a modern economy cannot grow if its financial system is not operating effectively.” Bernanke said stabilizing the financial system might require more capital injections into banks. Something the Bush administration has already done to the tune of 250 billion dollars. So far that hasn’t made the banks more attractive to private investors. Bernanke argued that’s because banks still have toxic assets on their books including those related to troubled mortgages. He suggested reviving the original purpose of the TARP financial rescue plan which called for the government to help banks remove the troubled assets. John Ydstie, NPR News, Washington.

The nation’s trade deficit fell to its lowest level in some five years in November. The government says the trade gap in November narrowed to 40.4 billion dollars.

On Wall Street today, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 25 points to close at 8,448. The NASDAQ gained 7 points today.

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Authorities say the search continues today for an Indiana man who apparently tried to fake his own death in a plane crash. Investigators say they believe 38-year-old Marcus Schrenker intentionally bailed out of his small plane over Alabama after putting it on autopilot. The plane later crashed in Florida. Investigators say they determined Schrenker had a motorcycle in a storage facility in Alabama which they say is now gone. Authorities believe Schrenker tried to fake his own death because of problems related to his financial management business. No one on the ground was injured when the small plane crashed after running out of fuel.

New study raises concerns about the safety of Vicks VapoRub, a menthol and eucalyptus salve often used to help children with stuffy nose, noses. NPR’s Patti Neighmond reports on the study.

Doctors at Wake Forest University Medical Center didn’t understand why an 18-month-old baby girl brought to the ER was having breathing problems. She had a common cold and this severe reaction didn’t make sense. The child got better on her own quickly. But after grandparents told doctors they applied Vicks under the child’s nose, doctors decided to investigate. They tested the product on ferrets who have airways similar to humans. They found when ferrets were exposed to the VapoRub, they actually produced more mucus and their nostrils became inflamed. Researchers say parents should follow the product label, which says Vicks should not be used on children under two and should only be rubbed on the chest or throat of older children. Patti Neighmond, NPR News.

Crude Oil Futures ended the day higher today. The near-month contract for benchmark grade crude was up 19 cents a barrel, ending the session at $37.78 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.