NPR 2009-07-09

Lawmakers are expressing outrage 1 over a security exercise that showed investigators 2 had no troubles smuggling 3 bomb-making materials past guards at a number of federal buildings. Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman called it "the broadest indictment 4 of a federal agency he's ever seen."

"(I) hear all investigators were able to smuggle 5 liquid bomb-making materials into all of the federal buildings they tested-that was ten, all of them-past apparently 6 unsuspecting guards who did not possess the equipment to detect it.  They were then able to build real bombs in those ten cases in restrooms and then move throughout the buildings unbeknownst to guards."

Lieberman's remarks came during a Senate hearing looking at the performance of the Federal Protective Service. The group is responsible for the safety of some 9,000 federal facilities.

Former NFL quarterback Steve McNair who was found shot to death in Nashville this past weekend has been ruled the victim of a murder. His 20-year-old girlfriend then turned the gun on herself. That's according to Nashville police. NPR's Mike Pesca reports.

McNair, the NFL‘s 2003 co-MVP, was found dead alongside the body of Sahel Kazemi, a 20-year-old waitress who police have described as in a dating relationship with McNair. Nashville police chief Ronal Serpas announced that the crime has been ruled a murder suicide.

"The police department has concluded that Steve McNair was murdered by Sahel Kazemi and that in turns, Sahel Kazemi killed herself with a single gunshot wound to her head.”

The police investigation 7 revealed that Kazemi believed her personal life was in turmoil 8. She faced financial troubles and had been arrested for driving under the influence. Kazemi's family members have said she was certain that McNair was leaving his wife in order to move in with her. But there are no records of a divorce having been initiated 9 either by McNair or his wife. Mike Pesca, NPR News.

Authorities in the capital of China's westernmost province are promising 10 the death penalty for those found guilty of being behind the worst of the recent ethnic 11 violence. The city meanwhile remains 12 on edge three days after the deadly clashes. NPR's Anthony Kuhn reports out Urumchi, China.

At a press conference, local officials said that they now had the situation under control. There were though reports of small-scale violence among ethnic Han and Uigurs today despite a visibly increased security presence. Urumchi's Communist Party Committee Secretary Li Zhi said that the government would deal harshly with those convicted of serious crimes.

As for those elements who killed with great cruelty, he said, we will mete 13 out the ultimate punishment to them. Li said that the government would deliver condolence payments, totaling around $14 million to the families of those killed and injured in the violence. Anthony Kuhn, NPR News, Urumchi, China.

On Wall Street today, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed up 14 points to end the session at 8,178. The NASDAQ was up a point.

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New York Governor David Paterson has named Richard Ravitch as the state's lieutenant 14 governor, part of an effort to help end a five-week standoff in the state's Senate. The appointment will allow Ravitch to preside over the chamber 15 breaking tie votes. In a televised address, the Democratic governor said the state is in crisis. And he called the spectacle of a Senate gridlock in a 31-31 power struggle “embarrassing”.

"Since this conflict began, I and 19 million other New Yorkers have been deeply chagrined 16 that the Senate cannot discharge its constitutional duties. Now New Yorkers are starting to suffer. Cities and counties are running up unanticipated deficits 17 because this Senate has failed to meet crucial deadlines. "

Paterson said today both the Senate and the Assembly need to make serious spending cuts as revenues continued to fall.

Lance Armstrong finished in the main pack of riders to stay second overall in the Tour de France today but Frenchmen Thomas Voeckler has won the 5th stage. Eleanor Beardsley sends this report.

France's Voeckler coasted home after launching a solo attack with about three miles left of the 122-mile ride from Le Cap d'Aged to Perpignan along the Mediterranean 18 coast. Switzerland's Fabian Cancellara is still in the lead and wearing the yellow jersey 19, but he only leads Armstrong who is in second place by two tenths of a second. Thursday's 109-mile 6th stage begins in the French town of Gérone and crosses into Spain to finish in Barcelona. The tour goes through six different countries this year before finishing up on July 26th in Paris. For NPR News, I'm Eleanor Beardsley in Paris.

News that gasoline stockpiles have risen helped send oil prices lower today. Crude oil prices tumbled $2.79 a barrel to close at $60.14 a barrel.