NPR 2012-06-10

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Spanish Economy Minister Luis De Guindos was careful to call the package “financial assistance,” avoiding the word “bailout.” He said the money is being provided on terms much more favorable than what Spain is able to raise on financial markets on its own. De Guindos gave no dollar figure, but eurozone finance ministers say Spain is being offered up to 125 billion dollars. That money will go into Spain's own bank-rescue fund and help shore up local lenders weighed down by bad real estate debt. Spain will become the fourth eurozone nation to request aid since Europe's debt crisis broke out more than two years ago. For NPR News, I'm Lauren Frayer in Madrid.

 

In Washington, House Republicans are rejecting President Obama's call for new government spending to create jobs. Instead, as NPR's Tamara Keith reports, they remain focused on repealing² the president's health care law and extending tax cuts.

 

House Speaker John Boehner wasted little time responding to the president.

 

“The American people are still asking the question, where are the jobs?”

 

President Obama is calling on Congress to pass portions of his jobs agenda that would help local and state governments avoid layoffs³ and would boost infrastructure⁴ spending. But Beohner said at a Capitol Hill press conference he doesn't think that's the right focus.

 

“Government continues to spend money that we don't have. With these looming⁵ tax hikes, we have frozen employers in place,” which is to say House Republican leaders have no intention of taking up the president's jobs agenda and plan to keep working on their own very different plans. Tamara Keith, NPR News, Washington.

 

As Japan tsunami⁶ debris⁷ washes up on the shores of the West Coast and Alaska, scientists are worried about invasive species potentially arriving on that debris. At the 5 Gyres Institute in Santa Monica, Anna Cummins is one expert sounding the alarm.

 

“Some of those species are necessarily meant to reach another coastline, you know, 7,000 miles away. And then I think it's just been unknown as the volume of how much is out there and what potential impact could it have washing upon coastlines.”

 

A Japanese dock arrived on a beach in Oregon a few days ago, carrying seaweed, shellfish, crabs⁸ and starfish from Japan.

 

In Tokyo, a panel evaluating the response to last year's earthquake and tsunami crisis had damning words about Japan's former government. A report found that tremendous confusion was added by the nation's former primer minister and his aides. Numerous official calls made to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in the height of the crisis distracted plant operators. 

 

This is NPR News.

 

Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova won the women's final of the French Open today, completing a career Grand Slam. NPR's Eleanor Beardsley reports, Sharapova was powerful and constant, putting her opponent away in just two sets.

 

Sharapova and Sara Errani ranted⁹ and shrieked¹⁰ their way through the match on this sunny but blustery day at Paris's Roland Garros Stadium. But in the end, Sharapova's powerful strokes and ten-inch high advantage was too much for Errani, though the Italian battled back with some spin shots and crafty¹¹ net play. Sharapova is the tenth woman to complete a Grand Slam, adding her French Open title, two championships at Wimbledon, the US Open and the Australian Open. She’s also back at No. 1 for the first time since 2008 when shoulder surgery almost sank her career and she dropped as low as 126. In an interview with French sportscasters after the match, Sharapova said she would savor¹² her victory with some French champagne¹³. Eleanor Beardsley, NPR News, Paris.

 

Ahead of the Belmont Stakes in New York, more disappointment than excitement, as a potential Triple Crown winner was scratched from the race. I'll Have Another was diagnosed with tendinitis on Friday. That was described by Belmont Park veterinarian Larry Bramlage.

 

“He has a superficial digital flexor tendonitis. It's the tendon in the back of the horse's ankle that acts as a spring. It's actually what makes a horse able to be a horse. We have no analogous¹⁴ structure Achilles tendon is closed.” 

 

Dullahan and Union Rags are now the favorites in this evening’s race.

 

I'm Louise Schiavone, NPR News, Washington.

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