NPR 2010-06-01

Fury in the streets of Istanbul, Turkey where hundreds tried to storm the Israeli Consulate 1 today. It was a similar scene in Greece and parts of the Arab World reacting to Israel's deadly attack this morning on an international aid flotilla bound for Gaza. At least nine people died in the clash; dozens more were wounded. NPR's Linda Gradstein is covering events from Jerusalem. She says the Turkish flagship carrying hundreds of international activists 2 and thousands of tons of aid for Gaza has been dragged into an Israeli port along with five other ships.

Sixteen hours after Israeli troops first boarded the Mavi Marmara, it was towed into Israel's Ashdod Port. The 600 activists onboard will be given a choice between deportation 3 and an Israeli jail. Israeli officials continue to insist that the activists sparked the violence by attacking the soldiers with iron bars and knives when they boarded the ship in international waters. The activists say the soldiers opened fire first. The incident has become a diplomatic nightmare for Israel. The Turkish prime minister accused Israel of "state terrorism", and there have been anti-Israel demonstrations 4 in cities around the world. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cut short a trip to the US and is passing up a meeting with President Obama to return to Israel and try to handle the diplomatic fallout. For NPR News, I'm Linda Gradstein in Jerusalem.

Meanwhile, the UN Security Council is holding an emergency meeting on the Israeli attack. Earlier today, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for a full investigation 5.

A lone 6 bugler 7 plays "taps" as dignitaries and fallen service members' families stood silently at Arlington National Cemetery 9. Vice 8 President Joe Biden later wreathed at the Tombs of the Unknowns. NPR's Paul Brown reports one thread running through the many Memorial Day commemorations in Washington, appreciation 10 for sacrifice in the name of freedom and security.

Admiral Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint 11 Chiefs of Staff, says the real meaning of Memorial Day should be remembered among the holiday barbecues and one-day sales at stores. At Arlington National Cemetery, Mullen says this day is about honoring people who gave their all.

"Our treasured keepsakes will be the lives we celebrate."

And that's just the reason Vietnam veteran Joe Ingino gives for coming from Long Island to D.C. at the Vietnam veterans memorial every Memorial Day.

"I'm down here to remember my brothers and sisters that were on that war. I owe a lot to my friends on that war."

Ingino says his best moments at the memorial are when people come up to him and say 'thank you'. Paul Brown, NPR News, Washington.

The American troops' station thousands of miles away in Afghanistan also paid tribute this Memorial Day.

From Washington, this is NPR News.

The next US-Russian crew to go to the International Space Station is confirmed for their mission. The Russian commander says they were fully 12 prepared even though they initially 13 flunked 14 one of their tests. From Moscow, Peter Van Dyk has the story.

Russian cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin and NASA astronauts Doug Wheelock and Shannon Walker passed a series of rigorous tests last week on a replica 15 of the Soyuz spaceship that will ferry them to and from the International Space Station and on the mockup of the Russian segment of the orbiter. Yurchikhin admitted they had to take an equipment test twice. The mission commander took responsibility for the failure and said it had showed the crew's team spirit. They're due to blast off from the Baikonur Space Center in Kazakhstan on June 16 and will spend 164 days in orbit. Yurchikhin said the mission mascot 16 would be a toy dog that had served him well on two previous flights. For NPR News, I'm Peter Van Dyk in Moscow.

China is banning courts from considering evidence obtained through torture and threats, and Beijing says any evidence gathered under duress 17 will be thrown out in death penalty cases under appeal. The new regulations on torture are the most specific yet on what is admissible in Chinese court.

Facebook is up and running in Pakistan again. A local court lifted its ban today on the social networking website, provided there's no access to material that the government deems blasphemous 18. Facebook was blocked two weeks ago after carrying a competition to draw Islam's Prophet Muhammad.

There're reports of an attack in eastern Pakistan today. Authorities say two gunmen attacked a hospital in the eastern part of the country, killing 19 several people.

I'm Lakshmi Singh. NPR News, Washington.