NPR News 2010-07-01 加文本

NPR News 2010-07-01

From NPR News in Washington, I'm Lakshmi Singh.

Senators are wrapping up their questioning of Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan. NPR's Carrie Johnson reports on the friction in the hearing room.

Republican lawmakers press Elena Kagan for a third day on her treatment of military recruiters at Harvard Law School. Conservatives say Kagan gave the military less access than other employers because she disliked the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy toward gay service members, but Kagan's allies in the White House and elsewhere are speaking out to support her respect for the military. Alabama Republican Jeff Sessions is not one of those supporters.

"The White House has been spinning that story inaccurately and I believe your testimony was too consistent with an inaccurate spin and didn't, frankly, set forth what you did."

Republicans are also using this week's hearings to test Kagan's approach to healthcare regulation, abortion and gun ownership, but Senate leaders say they have the votes to confirm Kagan. Carrie Johnson, NPR News, Washington.

General David Petraeus is confirmed with unanimous backing from the Senate today. He takes over his top US commander in Afghanistan from General Stanley McChrystal, who President Obama fired for speaking ill of top administration officials in a recent Rolling Stone magazine article. The latest now from NPR's David Welna.

Just before the vote, Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin noted on the Senate floor that General Petraeus has endorsed President Obama's decision to begin drawing down troops from Afghanistan a year from now.

"He agrees with that decision that we need to begin reductions in July of 2011 of our troops as a way of sending a powerful message to the Afghan leadership about their responsibility to provide security for their own country."

But Arizona Republican John McCain still rejects any planned withdrawal from Afghanistan.

"To announce a date for withdrawal, is to announce a date for defeat."

It now appears unlikely Congress will meet the July 4th deadline, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said, to provide emergency funding for the war in Afghanistan. David Welna, NPR News, the Capitol.

President Obama's working to rally public support for a financial overhaul bill before Congress. He held a town hall meeting in Racine, Wisconsin, where the unemployment rate has hit nearly 10%.

It's coming down hard on parts of the Mexican border with southern Texas. Rain and strong winds in South Padre Island, courtesy of Hurricane Alex. The storm's forecast to make landfall possibly as a stronger Category 2 in northeastern Mexico late tonight or early tomorrow. Alex, the first named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season remains far to the southwest of major US offshore facilities, but some energy companies have shut down oil and gas production in the Gulf and evacuated personnel.

Last check on Wall Street, Dow was down nearly 100 points.

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A big upset today in the men's quarterfinals at Wimbledon, top seed Roger Federer lost to Tomas Berdych, who appeared stunned by what he'd accomplished.

"If I can just, you know, go through, well, I will take my career. I think it was the, so far the toughest game to, to serve and close out the match so. You know, it was many conditions playing, you know, around then, but, you know, this one just can move me ahead and it's, well, pretty happy for it."

Rafael Nadal beat Robin Soderling and Andy Murray has advanced.

In Nigeria, widespread bitterness over the national soccer team's poor performance in this year's World Cup already having serious repercussions. NPR's Gwen Tompkins reports that Nigeria's president has suspended the team from international competition for the next two years.

National shame never sits well on any population, and Nigeria apparently won't stand for it. Nigeria's Super Eagles lost to every team they played in this year's World Cup, except for South Korea, with whom they tied. The Nigerians placed at the bottom of the first round and failed to advance. The nation's soccer federation issued a public apology Wednesday, but that wasn't enough. President Goodluck Jonathan says the team must be rebuilt. And that means learning better moves, better discipline and better sportsmanship. Toward that end, Nigeria's government will reportedly hire a psychologist to help team members channel their aggression into scoring goals. Gwen Tompkins, NPR News, Nairobi.

Demand for buying homes hits a nearly 13-year low in the US. Some Mortgage Bankers Association's snapshot of purchases last week reaffirms what analysts have been warning that the housing market is slowing down again. And taking its tour on Wall Street, Dow's down 100.

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