NPR News 2009-05-29 加文本
NPR News 2009-05-29
From NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Speer.
President Obama met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the White House today where he said the Palestinians must rein in anti-Israel violence. At the same time, the president pressed Israel to freeze settlement expansion, saying that Israel must meet obligations to halt such activity. Seeking to revive stalled peace discussions, the meeting with Abbas comes ten days after the president sat down with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Obama administration has reaffirmed US support for a two-state solution and sees engagement in Palestinian-Israeli peacemaking as critical to repairing America's image in the Muslim world.
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said today President Obama is "very comfortable" that his Supreme Court nominee shares his views on the constitution. On the matter of abortion rights, Gibbs said the president did not ask Judge Sonia Sotomayor specifically about her views, but was pleased with what he heard during an interview.
"He left very comfortable with her interpretation of the constitution being similar to that of his, though the bulk of the conversation was about her approach to judging."
As a presidential candidate, Mr. Obama said he would not appoint any one to the high court who did not share his views on issues such as the right to privacy. Sotomayor was chosen earlier this week by the president as his choice to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter. If she makes through the confirmation process, she will become the Supreme Court's first Hispanic member.
Auto parts supplier Visteon has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Jerome Vaughn of member station WDET has more.
Visteon officials say they're taking the steps needed to ensure the company's long-term viability. They say the company's capital structure and legacy costs aren’t sustainable, given the current economic climate. Like most auto motor suppliers, Visteon is dealing with reduced demand for parts as US automakers dramatically cut back vehicle production. Visteon was spun off from Ford Motor Company in 2000. Ford accounts for 31% of Visteon’s sales, making it the supplier's largest customer. The company plans to continue operating during the bankruptcy, using cash on hand and debtor-in-possession financing. Visteon has 31,000 employees and operates facilities in 27 countries worldwide. For NPR News, I'm Jerome Vaughn, in Detroit.
Labor Department reports initial jobless claims eased last week. NPR's Yuki Noguchi has more.
The number of initial claims dropped to a seasonally adjusted 623,000, lower than what many analysts anticipated. Although the number of new claims decreased 13,000 from the previous week, the number of people receiving unemployment benefits stayed at record levels for the 17th straight week. A decline in new claims couldn't indicate that the worst of the recession is over, still because unemployment lags when there is a recovery, regaining those jobs, many of which are in the automobile, textile and manufacturing industries, could take a long time. Yuki Noguchi, NPR news, Washington.
On Wall Street today, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 103 points to close at 8,403.
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At least 14 people were killed today in separate bombing attacks just hours apart in northern Pakistan. Two bombs mounted on motorcycles detonated within minutes of one another in the city of Peshawar shearing off walls and shattering windows at a popular market. Meanwhile commando units who rushed to the scene were then caught in a firefight with militants. Two gunmen were killed; another was arrested. A short time later, a suspected suicide bomber detonated an explosive device at a police checkpoint, killing four police officers.
Facing a storm of criticism from European media, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi today denied he had "steamy relationship" with a teenage girl. Scandal of Berlusconi’s relationship with the 18-year-old has dominated the campaign for European Parliament elections next month. NPR's Sylvia Poggioli reports from Rome.
Berlusconi said that if he were lying, he would have to resign a minute later. This scandal erupted a month ago when Veronica Lario, Berlusconi's wife and mother of three of his five children, announced she was filing for divorce because she could no longer remain with a man who “frequents minors”. The reference was to aspiring starlet Noemi Letizia. The 72-year-old Berlusconi has given conflicting explanations of when he first met Noemi and why he attended her 18th birthday party last month when he gave her a diamond and gold necklace worth thousands of dollars. Noemi Letizia has been closely followed by the European media. The Financial Times carried a scathing editorial against the media mogul turned political leader, saying he is a danger to Italy. Berlusconi and his supporters shot back, accusing the international media of being in the service of Italy's leftist opposition. Sylvia Poggioli, NPR News, Rome.
Crude oil futures rose $1.63 a barrel to close at $65.08 a barrel in New York.
I'm Jack Speer, NPR News in Washington.
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