NPR 2012-03-02

 The Senate's Democratic majority is blocking the GOP's bid to roll back President Obama's policy on contraception insurance coverage 1. The vote came down a day along party lines 51:48. It killed an amendment 2 that would have allowed employers and insurers to opt 3 out of coverage on moral or religious grounds. Senator Patty Murray of Washington state says the vote is significant.

 
“We defeated an amendment that would have historically taken away something that women in this country have counted on for decades, and that's the ability to make their own healthcare choices in the privacy of their homes.”
 
But Republicans say the policy violates the First Amendment's guarantee of religious freedom by forcing insurers and employers to pay for coverage even if their faiths forbid the use of contraceptives.
 
Authorities in Syria are granting Red Cross workers permission to enter the Baba Amr neighborhood in the city of Homs tomorrow, now that rebel forces are at the besieged 4 area. NPR's Craig Windham reports the Syrian government is also indicating it may allow a daily two-hour ceasefire, so relief groups can deliver supplies to residents of areas that have been under attack by Syrian troops.
 
It's been weeks since relief workers have had access to the Baba Amr neighborhood. Hicham Hassan, a spokesman for the International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva, says two types of assistance will be provided.
 
“The first is food, blankets, milk for babies and medical assistance, and the second is emergency medical evacuations for those who need to be evacuated 5.”
 
Hassan says he's hopeful the daily ceasefires will begin soon.
 
“We have positive indications from the Syrian authorities for the first time.”
 
Hassan says the need for help in Syria is urgent and the humanitarian 6 situation there is worsening. Craig Windham, NPR News.
 
In the US, business fact or factories growing at a slower pace than many analysts 7 had hoped. As NPR's Chris Arnold reports, that is according to the latest numbers on economy out today from the so-called ISM Index.
 
Manufacturers are making more products than they were a month ago. Many reading over 50 indicates growth, and this latest reading was 52.5. But most analysts expected it's be about 55.
 
“It was a little disappointing for sure. But I think we have to take it into contact.”
 
That's Bob Costello, the chief economist 8 at the American Trucking Associations. He says the overall trend is definitely in the right direction.
 
“I’m still optimistic about the economy going forward. You know, it's not gonna be the previous year we’ve ever seen. But I don't think we’re at a significant risk of going back into recession or going backwards 9 at this point.”
 
Costello says trucks around the country are hauling about 5% more products and other freight than they were six months ago. Chris Arnold, NPR News.
 
At last check on Wall Street, the Dow was up 57 points at 13,009; NASDAQ up 28 at 2,995.
 
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Drivers are paying 11% more to fill up their tanks than they did just over a month ago. Gas prices now cost an average of $3.74 for a gallon of regular. It's much higher in several states including Hawaii, California and New York. The cost of gas rose as oil price has surged 9% this year so far. Part of the increase is due to concern that the global dispute over Iran's nuclear program could lead to supply disruptions. 
 
Some controversial experiments on bird-flu virus are going to get another look by a committee that advises the US government. NPR's Nell Greenfieldboyce reports that the panel had previously 10 recommended keeping some aspects of that research secret.
 
The two government-funded experiments showed what genetic 11 changes could make bird-flu contagious 12 between ferrets. The concern is that these lab-altered flu viruses could also potentially spread in the air between people. A committee called the National Science Advisory 13 Board for Biosecurity recently said the full details of these studies should not be made public, because the information could be misused 14 by someone who wanted to create a dangerous new flu. But now an official says the committee will be asked to look at new data and a clarification of earlier findings. This information was shared with an advisory panel convened 15 by the World Health Organization two weeks ago. It recommended publishing the work. Nell Greenfieldboyce, NPR News.
 
Twelve deaths and hundreds of injuries reported in three Midwestern states after a powerful storm spawned 16 a string of tornadoes 17 and left a trail of destruction from Kansas to Kentucky. Half of those killed were in Harrisburg, Illinois.
 
I'm Lakshmi Singh, NPR News in Washington.