NPR 2010-10-18

France's Interior Minister is saying today that Saudi intelligence services have warned of a new terror threat from Al-Qaeda. Brice Hortefeux told the talkshow the warning of a potential attack is focused on the European continent, notably 1 France. The country had already boosted its security, had busy tourist sites like after previous threats. This latest report of a potential attack comes in a recently series of alerts from the US and the international police organization Interpol.

In Bagdad today, a deadly robbery left at least 12 people dead as post-election violence continues to flare 2. The deaths came as Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki traveled to Jordan and Iran, seeking support for his bid to hang on to power. NPR's Peter Kenyon has more from Bagbad.

Iraqi security officials said a gang of robbers with grenades and guns robbed goldsmiths shops in the Iraqi capital before engaging security forces in a shootout. Iraqi officials believe some insurgent 3 groups are using robberies to finance their operations. Separately, a series of magnetic bombs exploded beneath the vehicles of Iraqi policemen, government workers, and civilians 4. While his security forces in hospital struggled to deal with the violence, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki traveled in search of political support. After consulting with Jordanian leaders, he headed for Tehran. Maliki is locked in a power struggle with former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, whose Sunni-backed slate 5 edged out Maliki's Shiite bloc 6 in elections more than seven months ago. Peter Kenyon, NPR News, Bagdad.

In the Philippine Sea, a typhoon packing 142-mile per hour winds has changed course to a more southwest path as it heads to northern Phillipines. From Manila, Simone Orendain reports weather officials are now including Metropolitan 8 Manila on the country's storm warning list.

Meteorologists with the National Weather Bureau say Typhoon Megi is now moving inland, prompting a signal No.1 warning in Metropolitan Manila. This is equivalent to a tropical storm warning. Still, the weather bureau official in charge of tracking Megi says poeple have to be ready. Last year, the Metro 7 area was under a signal 1 alert when Typhoon Ketsana caused record flooding, killing 9 more than 300 people. Residents in the provinces that are expected to take a big heaping of rain are moving to higher ground. And thousands of military reserves and volunteers are stationed in the vulnerable areas. For NPR News, I'm Simone Orendain in Manila.

Tea Party favorite Christine O'Donnell says she'd like a little campaign help from Republicans. Appearing on ABC's "This Week", she's asking the GOP establishment to step up.

"We're hoping that the National Republican Senatorial Committee will help us, but it's two and half weeks left, and they're not."

A spokesman for the Republican committee says the group is working with O'Donnell's campaign.

You're listening to NPR News from Washington.

Fox's parent News Corp. and Cablevision are set to resume talks today to resolve a dispute that has left about three million cable subscribers in New York and Philadelphia without their Fox channels. That could mean those viewers miss out on the next baseball playoff game between The Phillies and The Giants tonight. NPR's Allison Keyes reports on what's behind the dispute.

Cablevision subscribers in New York, New Jersy and Philadelphia still don't have access to their Fox channels, after the two sides adjourned 10 last night without resolving their fee dispute. Cablevision's website says the News Corp. is asking for an 80-million-dollar increase for access to several Fox channels including Fox 5 and My9 in New York. Cablevision says that would more than double the annual rate it pays Fox, and it is demanding binding 11 arbitration 12. A Fox spokesman says the two sides are really far apart, but says the company will remain at the table. The Federal Communications Commission is urging the parties to negotiate in good faith and has issued a consumer advisory 13 suggesting other ways subscribers can view the programing. Allison Keyes, NPR News, Washington.

An open-air Mass with tens of thousands of attendants in St. Peter's Square celebrated 14 the canonization of six saints today including the very first for Australia. Mary MacKillop was a humble 15 nun 16 borned in 1842. She was excommunicated for a time in part because her order exposed a pedophile priest. She co-founded the order known as the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart. MacKillop was a teacher who spent decades educating the poor across Austrilia.