NPR 2010-10-13

In a move praised by gay-rights advocates, a federal judge in California has issued an injunction to keep the Obama administration from enforcing the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, which bars gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military. NPR’s Carrie Johnson has the latest on this landmark 1 ruling.

Judge Virginia Phillips says “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” violates the fundamental rights of service men and women under the Constitution. The judge has ordered the federal government not to apply “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” against members of the military. And the judge says the Pentagon must suspend any active investigation 2 or military discharge proceeding 3. The lawsuit 4 was filed by the Log Cabin Republicans, a gay-rights group in the party. The Log Cabin Republicans asked the judge to impose a permanent injunction on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”, but the federal government said that would be too broad and asked for a delay. Judge Phillips rejected the government’s request. She said that gay service members would face irreparable harm if the policy stayed in place. The Justice Department has the option to appeal. Carrie Johnson, NPR News, Washington.

The Obama administration is lifting the moratorium 5 among deepwater oil wells in the Gulf 6 of Mexico. NPR’s Ari Shapiro reports the government is imposing 7 stricter safety rules.

The Obama administration imposed this moratorium after a BP well exploded in April, killing 8 11 people and dumping millions of barrels of oil into the Gulf. Now, the deepwater drilling ban is ending a month and half earlier than planned. Interior Secretary Ken 9 Salazar said in a conference call the administration is raising the bar on oil-drilling safety standards.

“Through our reform agenda, we have made and continue to make significant progress in reducing the risks associated with deepwater drilling.”

Under the new rules, companies must show that they have resources to plug a leak before they begin to drill. Safety inspectors 10 will review each well before it can start operations again. The oil industry put heavy pressure on the White House to lift this ban. Administration officials say there are currently about three dozen wells in the Gulf of Mexico. Ari Shapiro, NPR News, the White House.

The Article 32 hearing to determine if Maj. Nidal Hasan should go on trial that is for last year’s deadly Fort Hood 11 shootings has been delayed without testimony 12 from any of the survivors 13. Defense 14 attorneys are requesting a month-long postponement 15. Hasan is accused of killing 13 and injuring 32 others before police shot and wounded him. Hasan’s paralyzed. NPR’s Wade 16 Goodwyn describes Hasan’s appearance today.

He came in today. He was wearing fatigues 17 and wearing a knit stocking cap because it’s hard for him, now he's paralyzed, to regulate his core temperature. And he was expressionless in the entire talk.

NPR’s Wade Goodwyn reporting.

On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up ten points at last check, at 11,020.

This is NPR News.

Tonight, rescuers in Chile expect to bring up the first of 33 miners who’ve been trapped underground for more than two months. Mining Minister Laurence Golborne says the procedure of getting all the miners out will continue nonstop.

“We are gonna work all around the clock for 48 hours during the rescue process.”

Rescuers say they have finished building an escape shaft 18 and repeatedly tested a rescue chamber 19 lowered into the ground.

Hundreds of thousands of people take to the streets of Paris and other towns across France, protesting the government’s plans to reform the pension system. Unions are vowing 20 to do the same tomorrow. Labor 21 action has snarled 22 transportation, causing flight and rail delays.

Kim Jong-il’s oldest son tells Japanese TV that he is against third-generation succession in North Korea. From Seoul, Doualy Xaykaothao reports this son was once considered likely to succeed his father.

Kim Jong-nam is close to 40 years old and lives outside of North Korea, sometimes in China or Macao. During an interview with Japan’s TV Asahi, he said he opposes a hereditary 23 transfer of power to a third generation of his family, but he added that he wanted his youngest brother Kim Jong-un to do his best for the North Korean people and for their prosperity. Over the weekend, ordinary North Koreans got their first look at their future leader on television, and some in person during a massive military parade to commemorate 24 the 65th anniversary of the ruling Workers’ Party. Many people were visibly emotional to see both father and son together for the first time. For NPR News, I’m Doualy Xaykaothao in Seoul.