NPR 2010-05-27

BP has begun pumping heavy mud and concrete into its runaway 1 oil well in the Gulf 2 of Mexico. The so-called "top kill" procedure has never been attempted for a well in such deep water. President Obama, speaking earlier today, said there are backup plans if this attempt fails to stop the flow of oil.

"If it's successful, and there are no guarantees, it should greatly reduce or eliminate the flow of oil now streaming into the Gulf from the sea floor. And if it's not, there are other approaches that may be viable 3."

The president plans to visit the Gulf Coast region on Friday to view cleanup efforts. Mr. Obama spent his day in California touring a company that manufactures solar panels as part of his effort to promote alternative forms of energy.

In Texas, the Environmental Protection Agency has begun taking over the permitting process of major air polluters including refineries 4 and power plants. NPR's Wade 5 Goodwyn reports from Dallas that the EPA is accusing the state of allowing more pollution than federal guidelines permit.

The EPA announced it is taking over the permit for a refinery 6 in Corpus Christi that refines more than 200,000 barrels of oil a day. The action is likely a first step as the federal agency moves to take over permits for more than three dozen other facilities including those owned by Exxon, Dow, Chevron 7 and ConocoPhillips. But the EPA objects to Texas's practice of issuing what the state calls "flexible permits" which allow industry to emit more pollutants 8 than is allowed under the Clean Air Act. Texas has been issuing the permits for years, but the EPA looked the other way until the recent administration took over. The EPA has not yet taken over the state's entire permitting process, but that may come as soon as the end of June. Wade Goodwyn, NPR News, Dallas.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called on Kim Jong-il's regime in North Korea to end its provocations 10 and policy of threats. From Seoul, Doualy Xaykaothao reports on Clinton's brief visit there.

Clinton visited the South Korean capital for less than half a day. She lunched with the foreign minister then met President Lee Myung-Bak. Afterwards, she told reporters she is confident in South Korea's leadership over the handling of the sinking of one of its warships 11.

"The international independent investigation 12 was objective, the evidence overwhelming, the conclusion inescapable. This was an unacceptable provocation 9 by North Korea."

But North Korea denies any involvement. Through official state media, Pyongyang threatened war and military strikes and said it would cut all inter-Korean dialogue with the South. For NPR News, I'm Doualy Xaykaothao in Seoul.

On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is down 43 points at 10,000 in trading of six billion shares. The NASDAQ Composite Index is down eight points at 2,201. And the S&P 500 is down three points at 1,070.

This is NPR News from Washington.

The government of Iraq says state-owned Iraqi Airways 13 is bankrupt and will be shutting down. NPR's Susannah George is in Baghdad.

Among the reasons given for closing the state-owned airline was a 20-year-old financial dispute with the Kuwaiti government that is yet to be resolved. The Kuwaiti government demands more than a billion dollars in reparations from Iraqi Airways for the alleged 14 theft of a number of airplanes and spare parts when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1990. Just last month, following inauguration 15 of an Iraqi Airways Baghdad-London flight, Kuwait tried to confiscate 16 the first plane to land in London but was unable to because the plane was chartered from a Swedish company. Iraqi Airways doesn't own any airplanes. Its entire fleet is chartered. No time frame has been given for shutting down the airline. But officials say that the company will continue to operate until it is fully 17 dismantled 18. Susannah George, NPR News, Baghdad.

The US does not appear to be buying a pitch from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for improving the relations. The Iranian leader says President Obama should accept a nuclear fuel swap 19 deal brokered 20 last week by Brazil and Turkey or risk having a friendship with Iran blocked forever. The White House says Iran is simply trying to avoid a new round of UN sanctions over the country's nuclear program, which the West fears it's aimed at acquiring nuclear weapons. The Iranian leader also accused Russia of giving in the US pressure for more sanctions.

Art Linkletter, the popular TV show host of the 1950s and 60s has died at age 97. Linkletter hosted the programs "People Are Funny" and "House Party". "House Party" started on radio in the mid-1940s and moved to CBS television for nearly 20 years.