NPR 2008-04-30（在线收听）

Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama today sought to further distance himself from comments by his former pastor, the Reverend Jeremiah Wright. Obama calling some of Wright's racially tinged remarks appalling. Speaking in North Carolina today, Obama said he strongly disagrees with a number of Wright's positions, including comments that perhaps the US government played a role in the spread of the AIDS virus. He admitted his association with Wright has hurt his campaign. "Obviously, whatever relationship I had with Reverend Wright has changed as a consequence of this. I don't think that he showed much concern for me. I don't, more importantly, I don't think he showed much concern for what we're trying to do in this campaign. " Wright added to the controversy by continuing to defend his remarks at an appearance at the National Press Club yesterday.

 Republican presidential hopeful John McCain called for more competition in the individual insurance market as a way to help control the spiraling cost of healthcare. NPR's Scott Horsley reports.

 John McCain wants to overhaul the nation's healthcare system，so more people buy their own insurance rather than getting it at work or going without. During a campaign visit to a Florida cancer center, McCain said families are in the best position to shop for their own healthcare needs. "Families are informed about medical choices. They are more capable of making their own decisions, less likely to choose the most expensive, and often unnecessary options, and they are more satisfied with their choices. " McCain has proposed tax credits to subsidize the private insurers and letting customers shop for insurance across state lines. Critics say that would be fine for young healthy people, but provide little protection for the sick and elderly. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Tampa.

 At a Rose Garden news conference today, President Bush acknowledged, what he called, "very difficult economic times" and accused Congress of dragging its feet on solutions. NPR's John Ydstie has more.

 President Bush declined to characterize the economy as being in recession. But he said Americans are understandably anxious about issues from gas and food prices to mortgage and tuition bills. On gasoline prices, he offered no new solutions, but repeated his longstanding call for oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which Congress has blocked on environmental grounds. "This is a litmus test issue for many in Congresss. Somehow, if you mention ANWR, it means you don't care about the environment. Well, I'm hoping now people, when they say ANWR, it means you don't care about the gasoline prices that people are paying. " Asked about Senator John McCain's proposal for a gas tax holiday between Memorial Day and Labor Day, Mr. Bush said he was open to discussing any ideas, but declined to endorse the proposal. John Ydstie, NPR News, Washington.

 On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 39 points today to close at 12, 831. The NASDAQ gained a point. The S&P was down five points.

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 In Zimbabwe, police have released nearly 200 people who were arrested last week in a raid on opposition party headquarters. The release has come one month after a vote in the disputed presidential election there. Independent observers have maintained the opposition candidate defeated longtime leader Robert Mugabe, while they also say it appears he did not secure the outright majority needed to avoid a runoff election. President Bush today called on neighboring countries to exert pressure on Mugabe. Zimbabwe's electoral commission this week finished a recount of 23 disputed parliamentary seat. Though, it’s expected final verification may take several days.

 Federal judge has given the Bush administration until May 15th to decide whether the polar bear deserves a place on the federal endangered species list. The ruling is a victory for activists who sued after the government missed several listing deadlines. NPR's John Nielsen has more.

 Because they are gigantic and because they live on ice sheets that may be shrinking due to climate change, polar bears are widely viewed as a symbol of a threat global warming poses to the world's wildlife. Last fall, federal scientists predicted that two-thirds of the world's polar bears could be gone by the year 2050. US Fish and Wildlife Service has missed several deadlines for deciding if the polar bear should be listed. But in her ruling, US District Judge Claudia Wilken wrote that the Service offered "no specific facts to justify these delays". Meanwhile, in Canada, a government panel has ruled that while the polar bear is at risk, it is not in immediate danger of extinction. John Nielsen, NPR News, Washington.

 Crude oil futures ended the day lower today. The near-month contract for benchmark crude was down $3. 12 a barrel to settle at $115. 63 a barrel in New York.