NPR 2008-05-27

At Arlington National Cemetery 1 on this Memorial Day, President Bush urged Americans to pay tribute to the members of the Armed Services who've fallen in battle, especially in the last year. NPR's John Burnett reports.

The president called the fighting men and women of the United States “an awesome 2 bunch of  people”. Speaking today to a military audience on the green hills of Arlington National Cemetery, with the Iraq War now in its sixth year, he said all Americans should be inspired by the courage and character of their fighting forces. "The men and women of American armed forces perform extraordinary acts of heroism 3 every single day. Like the nation they serve, they do not glory in the devastation 4 of war. They also do not flinch 5 from combat when liberty and justice are embattled." The president also welcomed Harley-riding military veterans who roar down Constitution Avenue as part of their annual Memorial Day tradition, the Rolling Thunder Rally. John Burnett, NPR News.

Arizona Senator John McCain used Memorial Day to reiterate 6 his  support for continuing the US-led war in Iraq. The likely Republican presidential nominee 7 addressed a crowd of about 1000 at the New Mexico Veterans' Memorial in Albuquerque. From member station KUNM, Jim Williams  reports.

McCain, who’s a Vietnam veteran, said he was pleased to be in the company of other veterans, and repeated something he said before: he detests 8 war.  Then, in a thinly-veiled reference to his Democratic rivals, he criticized those who are calling for a withdrawal 9 from Iraq. "The consequences would threaten us   for years, and I am certain, would eventually draw us into a wider and more difficult war that would impose even greater sacrifices on us." McCain defended his vote against the GI Bill the Senate passed last week to increase educational benefits to veterans, saying it's likely to entice 10 military members to leave the service. McCain moves on to Denver Tuesday for, what his campaign is calling, "a major foreign policy speech". For NPR News, I'm Jim Williams in Albuqerque.

 In the small town of Parkersburg, Iowa, officials are still poring through the wreckage 11 left behind by a deadly tornado 12 that left four people dead there yesterday. Two others died in the nearby town of New Hartford and a child was killed by a tornado touchdown in neighboring Minnesota. Jason Johnson is the sheriff of Butler County, Iowa. He says in Parkersburg, the damages are extensive. "I would say about half of the homes in Parkersburg received catastrophic damage, either they’re levelled, completely gone, or won’t be livable for quite some time."  City’s mayor says the loss of life could have been even greater, if not for the fact the town's warning siren sounded quickly enough to give many people time to take cover. Iowa's governor has issued a disaster proclamation  for the area hit by yesterday's violent weather.

 Oil prices headed higher for the week with prices spiking 13 above $133 a barrel amid reports of a rebel attack in Niger’s Southern Delta 14.

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 A United Nations watchdog group is saying today Iran's alleged 15 research into nuclear weapons remains 16 a matter of serious concern and needs substantive 17 explanation. The statement from the International Atomic Energy Agency also says it’s believed Teheran has as many as 3,500 centrifuges operational at its underground nuclear facility. Though, the agency noted 18 that so far, it has not been given access to Iran’s nuclear-related sites despite a request to see them in  April. The agency has been pressing Iran for answers amid western intelligence reports alleging 19 Iran continues a covert 20 weapons program. Iran has claimed its research is for peaceful purposes.

 Tens of thousands of demonstrators in the former Soviet 21 Republic of Georgia protested against last week's parliamentary elections. Pro-western President Mikheil Saakashvili's ruling party won a majority in voting the opposition 22 claims was rigged. NPR's Moscow correspondent Gregory Feifer has more.

 The protestors came out onto the streets after an official parade marking Georgia's Independence Day. The demonstrators gathered in front of parliament in the center of the capital Tbilisi, demanding last Wednesday's elections be canceled. European election observers said electoral violations 23 had taken place during the vote, but they backed the result as having expressed the will of the people. Saakashvili's radical 24 reforms have turned around Georgia's once failing economy. The opposition says it will boycott 25 parliament and set up its own parallel  legislature. But political experts say the election has left Saakashvili's critics in disarray 26, and that Georgia's biggest political threat is the lack of a credible 27 opposition. Gregory Feifer, NPR News, Moscow.