NPR 2009-05-02

With the announced retirement 1 of Supreme 2 Court Justice David Souter, President Baraka Obama will become the first elected Democrat 3 to fill a vacancy 4 on the high court in 15 years. Speaking at the White House today following Souter's announcement that he's stepping down at the end of court's current session in June, president said he would choose an individual dedicated 5 to the rule of law to replace the outgoing 69-year-old Supreme Court justice.

"As I make this decision, I intend to consult with members of both parties across the political spectrum 6. And it is my hope that we can swear in our new Supreme Court justice in time for him or her to be seated by the first Monday in October, when the court's new term begins."

Justice Souter was named to the bench by the first President Bush in 1990. He has been a consistent vote among the liberal wing of the court on a number of key social issues including abortion 7, the death penalty and race.

An official at the World Health Organization says efforts to produce a vaccine 8 against the swine flu virus need to proceed immediately. NPR's Joanne Silberner has more.

Scientists are still collecting information about illnesses in Mexico, the US and the nine other countries that have reported cases. So far outside of Mexico, most cases appeared to be mild. But Marie-Paul Kieny, director of Vaccine Research at the World Health Organization, says that could change. So it's time now to start the month-long process of producing a vaccine.

"This is too much of a gamble over public health to say 'Well, let's see if it really becomes severe. '"

Kieny says the WHO is certain the cost of a new flu vaccine will not be as high as with some recent new vaccines 9. And she says the organization is already in discussions with some of the big vaccine donor 10 groups about how to make any products available to people in developing countries. Joanne Silberner, NPR News.

Results of stress test on the country's biggest banks will be revealed next Thursday. The results had been expected to be released on Monday. NPR's John Ydstie reports.

A government official says the snapshot of the health of the 19 big banks will now be available next Thursday afternoon. The official gave no reason for the delay, but a number of reports suggest it's because regulators and bankers continue to debate the results of the tests. According to the source, the information released will include estimates of the losses that individual banks could suffer if the economy deteriorates 11 even further. It'll also detail how much additional capital the banks might need to cover those losses. Reports suggest that up to half a dozen banks may need added capital. Banks that do will have six months to raise it in private markets. If they're unsuccessful, they'll be required to take capital from the government. John Ydstie, NPR News, Washington.

On Wall Street today, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 44 points to end the week at 8, 212. The NASDAQ was up a point today. The Standard & Poor's 500 gained 4 points.

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Attorneys for Chrysler are asking a bankruptcy 12 court judge to let the ailing 13 automaker begin tapping 4.5 billion in new federal loan money. Chrysler has also said it will file a motion by tomorrow morning, selling substantially all of its assets to Italian automaker Fiat 14. The moves along with typical first motions were approved at a short hearing as the number three domestic automaker embarks 15 on what it hopes will be a quick and surgical 16 bankruptcy. Another hearing to further discuss government financing is set for Monday.

Chicago public school system has hired a cousin of First Lady Michelle Obama to be the head of security for the schools there. NPR's David Schaper reports.

Chicago schools CEO Ron Huberman named Michael Shields, Michelle Obama's cousin and a former high-ranking Chicago police official, to be the director of security in the nation's third largest school system. Shields had been a top police official since long before his cousin's husband even ran for US Senate Illinois, serving as a district commander and then deputy chief of detectives. A little over a year ago he was promoted to deputy superintendant but then abruptly 17 demoted in December. The police department won't say why. Schools CEO Huberman says Shields brings critical law enforcement experience and expertise 18 to the job of protecting Chicago's 400, 000 students in 600 schools. Part of his job will involve reducing the murder rate among Chicago public school students. A record number, 38 students have died violently in Chicago this school year, though none in schools or on school grounds. David Schaper, NPR News, Chicago.

Cooling economy and people working to pay down debt apparently 19 did not help earnings 20 at credit card giant MasterCard in the first three months of this year. The credit card and global payments processing firm said today its first quarter profits fell by 18% compared with a year ago.

I'm Jack 21 Speer, NPR News in Washington.