NPR 2010-04-11

In Warsaw, bells toll 1 for fallen leaders on one of the darkest days in Poland’s history. President Lech Kaczynski, his wife, and dozens of civilian 2 and defense 3 chiefs were among 96 people killed today in a plane crash in Russia. Clusters of lit candles flicker 4 outside the presidential palace where mourners are still leaving flowers. World leaders are also expressing shock over today’s plane crash, among them President Obama. NPR’s David Folkenflik has this report.

Mr. Obama is hailing Polish President Lech Kaczynski for his role in the Solidarity 5 labor 6 movement that challenged the Soviet 7-backed regime in Poland. The president says Mr. Kaczynski left a legacy 8 of advancing freedom and human dignity. Mr. Obama also underscores the strong bonds between Poland and the United States. But the two presidents disagreed over whether to deploy 9 an American anti-missile shield in Poland. The Obama administration has been lukewarm about the idea. In his written remarks, President Obama notes the Polish delegation 10 was traveling to commemorate 11 the infamous 12 Katyn massacre 13. Seventy years ago, Soviet secret police killed an estimated 22,000 Poles on the orders of Joseph Stalin. Among them was the cream of the nation’s intellectual, military, and political leadership—a hideous 14 echo of today’s crash. David Folkenflik, NPR News.

The Thai capital in the grip of more unrest today, security forces moved in on thousands of anti-government demonstrators who’ve been demanding new elections and for the prime minister to step down. At least 11 people were killed. More than 500 injured. The BBC’s Quentin Sommerville has more details on today’s clashes.

Fierce fighting saw troops used rubber bullets and tear gas in an attempt to clear the red shirts from one of their two encampments in the city. Protesters responded with petrol bombs. Live rounds may also have been fired. Soldiers and protesters are among the dead. The country’s army has now called for a truce 15, saying its troops are pulling back. An army spokesman asked the red shirts also to withdraw. It’s the bloodiest 16 violence since this political crisis began.

The BBC’s Quentin Sommerville reporting from Bangkok.

Emergency teams in West Virginia are still working to recover the bodies of more than 20 miners who died after Monday’s underground explosion in Montcoal. The victims included the four miners who have been unaccounted for since the blast. The death toll went up to 29. Authorities are investigating safety standards at the Upper Big Branch coal mine. President Obama has also asked for a safety report from federal officials in the coming week.

Several suspected pirates are in the custody 17 of US Navy after a battle off the Horn of Africa. Six people were arrested.

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Astronauts will be spending the weekend transferring supplies from space shuttle Discovery to the International Space Station. We have more details from NPR’s Joe Palca.

Discovery’s trip to the space station is basically a supply mission. Much of the cargo 18 is contained in the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module 19 (MPLM) as it’s called by the Acronym-loving Space Agency. Basically, the MPLM is a pressurized moving van. On this mission, the cargo includes four experiment racks, seven RSPs, Resupply Stowage Platforms, and four RSRs, Resupply Stowage Racks. There’s also something called WORF, the Window Observational Research Facility. It’s basically a box with advanced optics for viewing Earth. Once the new cargo is off loaded from the shuttle, astronauts will begin filling the shuttle with refuse and completing experiments that will return with the shuttle to Earth. Joe Palca, NPR News.

The Vatican is defending Pope Benedict against a new round of criticism over his handling of sex abuse by priests. In a statement today, a Vatican lawyer accuses the media of a rush to judgment 20. At issue, it’s a letter dated 1985 in which Benedict, then Cardinal 21 Joseph Ratzinger, tells a bishop 22 in California that he needed more time to review a request to remove a priest, and the impact that might have on the Roman Catholic Church.

Former New Jersey 23 Congressman 24 Robert Franks has died at the age of 58. The state Republican political leader passed away last night at a New York City hospital after he was recently diagnosed with cancer. Franks rose to power in Congress in 1993 where he served four terms before he campaigned for the Senate in 2000.