We condemn this unspeakable barbarity(残忍) and renew our determination to bring those responsible to account.

Ban says UN monitors came under fire as they tried to reach the site of massacre in Qubair, no one was hurt; they have since pulled back for the evening.

 

 

Republican Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign raised far more money last month than the Obama campaign had. NPR’s Ari Shapiro reports the Romney total is almost 77 million dollars while the Democratic incumbent pulled in 60 million.

April marks the first time that the Obama and Romney campaigns raised close to the same amount of money. Now May figures show that Romney has pulled ahead of President Obama’s monthly haul. Both campaigns emphasize the importance of small donors in their fund-raising. The Obama team says 98% of their donors give less than 250 dollars. In contrast, 93% of donors to the Romney campaign gave 250 dollars or less. The main difference in fund-raising comes from big checks. According to the campaign finance institute, through April, 62% of Romney’s money came from donors who gave the maximum amount of 2,500 dollars. In contrast, only 16% of President Obama’s money came from donors who maxed out. Ari Shapiro, NPR news, the White House.

 

 

The latest snapshot of weekly unemployment claims reveals a decline. NPR’s Wendy Kaufman tells us the Labor Department’s report takes some of the sting out of the latest data on job creation.

The number of people lining up for new unemployment payments fell by 12,000 to a seasonally adjusted figure of 377,000, those numbers from the US Department of Labor. Last week’s drop in initial claims for jobless benefits reversed a trend in which claims had risen for a month and followed last Friday’s jobs report, which show that during the month of May, employers added the fewest workers in a year. In a note to clients, UBS said the drop in jobless claims gives us more confidence, that the trend in payrolls is stronger than the latest jobs report implied. A total of roughly 6 million people were collecting either regular of emergency unemployment benefits in May. Wendy Kaufman, NPR news.

 

 

And of course economy continues to be prominent at the selection year. President Obama is campaigning in Las Vegas this hour, outlining his plan for helping the middle class.

 

 

Dow is up 64 before the close.

 

 

This is NPR.

 

 

George Zimmerman will get another bond hearing. The neighborhood watch volunteer is charged with second degree murder in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin. NPR’s Greg Allan reports Zimmerman’s bond was revoked last week.

At George Zimmerman’s first bond hearing in April, his wife Shelly said the couple didn’t have any savings to pay for bail. When asked how much was in PayPal account Zimmerman set up for his defense, she said she didn’t know. Last week, prosecutors produce transcripts at jail phone conversations recorded before the bail hearing between Zimmerman and his wife, in which they discussed how much was in the PayPal account and how much to withdraw. Judge Kenneth Lester revokes Zimmerman’s bond and ordered him back to jail. Zimmerman’s lawyer says his client’s failure to tell the court about funds was a mistake, result of his fear, mistrust and confusion. Zimmerman will be back in court, asking for bail once again on June 29th. Greg Allan, NPR news, Miami.

 

 

The Feds says it is prepared to buffer the US economy if financial trouble mounts, that promise today by Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke who’s been monitoring the threats Europe’s debt crisis poses on the US’s recovery.

 

 

And speaking odd in Greece, politics can certainly turn ugly, especially with its financial troubles there but today it turned into a smack down for all the countries to view. The spokesman for a ultra-right wing party lunged(猛冲) at two female left wing politicians, during a popular morning TV talk show, throwing water at one guest and slapping the other several times in the face.

 

 

Before the close, US stocks mix with the Dow up 46 points at 12,461; NASDAQ off 14 and the S&P 500 down slightly.