NPR 2010-06-29

From NPR News in Washington, I'm Lakshmi Singh.

Supreme 1 Court nominee 2 Elena Kagan's Senate confirmation 3 hearing is underway, beginning with a swearing-in by Senator Patrick Leahy.

"Do you solemnly swear the testimony 4 you are about to give in this matter shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?"

"I do."

Kagan being sworn in moments ago before delivering her opening statement, pledging impartiality 5 if confirmed to the high court, she was nominated to succeed retiring Justice John Paul Stevens.

In a 5-4 ruling, the US Supreme Court deals a blow to Chicago's handgun ban ruling. The Constitution's right to keep and bear arms applies nationwide. Here's NPR's Cheryl Corley.

City officials expected Chicago's 28-year-old ban on handguns might be in trouble when the high court invalidated a similar ban in Washington, D.C. two years ago. At the time, that ruling applied 6 only to federal laws, but with today's decision, the high court ruled that the efforts by state and local governments to put substantial limits on gun ownership face the same constitutional restraint. It's a decision that Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, a strong proponent 7 of gun control, anticipated earlier.

"We will of course, abide 8 by the court rulings — that's a key — but also continue to look for new ways to adhere to our basic commitment to keep guns off our streets and prevent gun violence."

In its 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court signaled that less severe restrictions 9 could survive legal challenges. Cheryl Corley, NPR News, Chicago.

Congressional members are mourning the death of a highly-respected colleague, Democratic Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia. He died early this morning at a northern Virginia hospital. At 92, Byrd was the longest-serving member of Congress, casting thousands of votes on issues that help shape the nation, but in lighter 10 moments, no doubt, Byrd could play. Byrd from his 1978 album "Mountain Fiddler".

The State Department says the sinking of a South Korean ship was a provocative 11 act by North Korea, not enough to put Pyongyang back on a terrorism list. Here's NPR's Michele Kelemen.

State Department spokesman PJ Crowley says the sinking of a South Korean frigate 12 was the act of one state's military, North Korea's, against another, so he says it did not constitute an act of terrorism.

"The sinking of the Cheonan is not an act of international terrorism and by itself would not trigger placing North Korea on the state sponsors of terrorism list."

North Korea was taken off that list in 2008 in a bid to move ahead talks on North Korea's nuclear disarmament. That process has since stalled. Crowley says the US will not hesitate to put North Korea back on the list if the US has information that North Korea is supporting terrorism. He says the US is constantly reviewing North Korea's behavior. Michele Kelemen, NPR News, Washington.

After a day of gains, US stocks now down; last check, Dow was down five points at 10,139.

This is NPR.

In an unusually public manner, Pope Benedict is taking to task a leading cardinal 13. NPR's Sylvia Poggioli reports from Rome it's a cardinal who criticized a former Pope's No.2 official for his handling of clerical sex abuse cases.

The Pope's admonishment 14 followed his meeting with Vienna Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn. Schoenborn had accused Cardinal Angelo Sodano, former Vatican secretary of state under Pope John Paul II, of having blocked investigations 15 of clerical sex abuse allegations. He also accused Sodano of causing massive harm to victims when on Easter Sunday he dismissed claims of clerical sex abuse as "petty gossip". The Vatican statement says only the Pope has the competence 16 to deal with accusations 17 against a cardinal. It also sought to clarify Sodano's "petty gossip" remark, noting that a week earlier, the Pope himself had talked about the courage to not be intimidated 18 by the petty gossip of dominant 19 opinions. The remark was widely criticized as a sign of the church's dismissal of the entire scandal. That was an erroneous interpretation 20, the statement said, but did not explain what was meant by the phrase. Sylvia Poggioli, NPR News, Rome.

The cost of capping and cleaning the oil spill in the Gulf 21 of Mexico keeps rising. BP says it has shelled out nearly three billion dollars. In an SEC filing, the company reports expenses skyrocketed $100 million a day over the weekend as engineers tracked a tropical storm. It's expected to miss the spill area but may still generate tough weather conditions.

More than 100 people are reported to be buried in a rain-triggered landslide 22 in southwestern China. It's the latest in a series of storm-related tragedies in the region that have left nearly 400 dead in recent weeks.

I'm Lakshmi Singh, NPR News.