NPR 2009-5-28（在线收听）

From NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Speer.

General Motors has taken another step toward bankruptcy, Jerome Vaughn of member station WDET has more.

The automaker's bondholders have rejected a plan to exchange 27 billion dollars of debt for GM stock. The swap was part of GM's plan to complete a company restructuring by June 1st. The US government ordered that restructuring in return for billions of dollars in federal bridge loans. The deal with the Obama administration called for significant concessions from bondholders as well as from the United Auto Workers union. GM and the UAW reached a tentative agreement to give the union a 20% stake in the company. The automaker also announced plans to eliminate thousands of dealerships and brands such as Pontiac, Hummer, and Saturn. GM's board of directors will meet this week to determine the automaker's next steps. For NPR News, I'm Jerome Vaughn in Detroit.

President Obama traveled to Nevada today where he spoke at Nellis Air Force Base. The President touched on everything, from the need for more solar electric power to job's creation in the current economic downturn. Mr. Obama also gave Las Vegas' tourism a shot in the arm, saying the city is a good place for a quick visit. The President conducted his midday speech between two political fundraisers, one last night for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and another this evening in Los Angeles for the Democratic National Committee. There were around 400 people in the audience, including air force personnel, civilian workers, and families.

The federal government has announced a one and a half billion dollar stimulus package for the development projects in low-income neighborhoods across the country. Treasury Secretary Tim. Geithner made the announcement in Boston today. More from NPR's Chris Arnold.

As part of its stimulus plan, the Obama administration is expanding the so-called New Markets Tax Credit Program. Secretary Geithner.

"The program provides a powerful incentive to investors to take a chance on communities which have potential." So the money involved is in the form of tax credits for companies that invest in a range of projects in low-income neighborhoods. “The award is applying to investments in at least 33 states across the country, including renewable energy projects, charter schools, healthcare facilities, manufacturing companies, and retail centers. This program works. "

The program was originally started a decade ago, and it's credited with creating an estimated 200,000 construction jobs and 45,000 full-time permanent jobs. Chris Arnold, NPR News.

More unexpected signs of a turnaround in the housing market, while home prices continue their downward slide, a real estate industry trade group says sales rose nearly 3% last month to an annual rate of just under 4.7 million units. According to officials with the National Association of Realtors, many of the sales went lower to middle price range, indicating some buyers are taking advantage of reduced home prices.

On Wall Street today, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 173 points, ending the session at 8,300. That was a drop of just over 2%. The NASDAQ lost 19 points today. The S&P 500 dropped 17 points.

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According to a top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, he expects President Obama's choice for the Supreme Court, Judge Sonia Sotomayor will not face a filibuster in the Senate, though he did say she would face serious problems during her upcoming confirmation hearings. Senator Jeff Sessions in an interview with NBC's Today show said while Sotomayor, in his opinion, has a good resume, she's troubled by past comments that federal appellant courts make policy. President Obama announced his choice of the 54-year-old Sotomayor yesterday. If confirmed, she'll be the first Hispanic Supreme Court justice.

The Irish government has announced it'll make Roman Catholic Orders contribute more compensation to thousands of people who suffered abuse in church-run residences for children. NPR's Rob Gifford reports from Dublin.

An independent commission last week published a report nine years in the making that found thousands of Irish children suffered decades of physical, sexual, and psychological abuse in schools and orphanages run by religious orders for most of the 20th century. After days of apparent indecision, Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen has now called on the 18 religious congregations involved to provide substantial additional contributions to the victims. Some of the orders, The Christian Brothers and Sisters of Mercy, deemed by the report to be particularly culpable, have now said they would be willing to commit additional resources in reparation for the abuses, in spite of a 2002 deal with the government that had originally left taxpayers to pay almost all of the 1.5 billion dollar legal bill for abuse settlements. Rob Gifford NPR News, Dublin.

Crude oil futures prices rose. The price of oil was up a dollar a barrel today, ending the session at $63.45 a barrel in New York.

I'm Jack Speer, NPR News in Washington.