“We’re repositioning to focus on these strategic challenges and opportunities would define our future. New technologies, new centers to power, and the war is growing to more volatile, more unpredictable. In some instances, more threatening to the United States.”

Hagel’s comments come a week before president Obama is expecting to submit the proposal of 2014 budget to Congress. Hagel says under his proposal, the active duty army will shrink from the current 522,000 soldiers to 440-450,000. That would be the smallest size of army as just before US ended World War 2. 

 

Ukraine acting president is warning the country is close to default. The US and European Union are considering what they can do to help stabilize Ukraine economy. They’re making it clear Ukraine should go through International Monetary Fund. More from NPR’s Michele Kelemen.

Top state and treasury department officials are traveling to Kiev this week to urge Ukraine to negotiate with IMF to unlock international aid. White House spokesman Jay Carney says any US aid would complement to IMF package.

“The United States is working with parts around the world stand ready to provide support for Ukraine as it takes the reforms. It needs to get back to economic stability.”

IMF managing director Christine Lagarde says her team is ready to discuss financial support package and advise Ukrainian officials on the reform they need to carry out to receive such support. Michele Kelemen, NPR News, Washington. 

 

Western senators are praising a move by president Obama to radically shift how the federal government pays to largely expensive wildfires. NPR's Kirk Siegler reports, the plan would allow the US forest service to tape the disaster fund, the pay for so-called catastrophic wildfires much like flame already done with hurricanes and tornadoes. 

This change seems a big deal because right now during bad fire years. The forest service dipped its budget as other programs to pay for spiraling fire suppression cost. Lately that type of average is about billion dollars for season. Several of the most expensive and deadly wildfires subboron the Colorado senator Mark Udall home state. 

"Do even robbing-Peter-to-pay-Paul to fight the fires then we come to the next year, we don't have that money to reduce fewer lows around communities in the areas we store water or in the areas we have abundant wildlife."

The play includes a president budget proposal as largely as a model on a bipartisan bill recently introduced by Udall and other western senators. Kirk Siegler, NPR News. 

 

Online analysts said EBay apparently has no plan to separately spill off its electronic payment business PayPal as to keep it a part of the company as a request to be invested. 

 

On Wall Street, the Dow was up 103 points. 

 

this is NPR. 

 

Recently captured Mexican drug lord Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman, who was apprehended in a joined US and Mexican operation over the weekend, has been formally charged with violations of the country's drug traffic in laws. Guzman was charged with cocaine trafficking and incited a Mexican security prison worry currently been held. Judges would hold untile tomorrow to decide whether Guzman should be tried in the US. US officials have been pushing for a swift extradition. Guzman escaped from a Mexican prison in 2001 and spent 13 years at run before been arrested in Saturday morning at the coast city of Mazatlan. 

 

Scientists are completing a new study of Japanese leaving closed Fukushima nuclear plant. NPR's Jeff Brady reports the study suggests only a small increasing cancer risk. 

In March, 2011, a massive earthquake and tsunami struck the Fukushima plant to sparking meltdown at its 3 reactors. Tens of thousands fled the area, but in the weeks and months as followed many were allowed to return. The new study published in the proceedings of the national academy of sciences tracked the radiation exposure for roughly 500 people living within 50 miles of the plant. Researchers concluded that over their lifetime, residents could expect 1% increase in risks for cancer. That's relatively small considering there about half of Japanese who developed cancer some points in their lives. Jeff Brady, NPR News. 

 

Delaware company says it's now recalling issue of recall notices with 16 different types of cheeses in market. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta says the cheeses produced by Roos Foods of Kenton, Delaware have been linked to an outbreak of listeria. These cheeses distributed in Maryland, Virginia and District of Columbia.