Gates Arrives In Saudi Arabia, Berlusconi Skips Sex Trial
Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Saudi Assistant Minister of Defense and Aviation Prince Khalid bin Sultan in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on April 6, 2011. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images hide caption
Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Saudi Assistant Minister of Defense and Aviation Prince Khalid bin Sultan in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on April 6, 2011.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesDefense Secretary Robert Gates is in Saudi Arabia, meeting King Abdullah. NPR's Rachel Martin tells NPR's Newscasts that Gates is the highest ranking Obama Administration official to visit the kingdom since the Mideast uprisings started earlier this year. Rachel reports a senior US defense official says Gates will reassure the King the U.S. is not abandoning Saudi Arabia.
The prostitution trial of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi opened today and immediately adjourned. NPR's Sylvia Poggioli tells Morning Edition neither Berlusconi nor the young woman involved in the case showed up. The Italian leader is accused of paying an underage girl for sex. The presiding judge ruled the absences unexcused and set a new hearing date for May 31.
Several wildfires are burning across the country. Colorado's Crystal fire has scorched about 3,200 acres in the northern part of the state near Ft. Collins and forced some people to evacuate. at least 15 homes have burned down. The AP says the blaze gained strength last night with powerful winds and the blaze is about 15% contained.
The Texas A&M Aggies celebrate winning the 2011 NCAA Women's Final Four on April 5, 2011. Elsa/Getty Images hide caption
The Texas A&M Aggies celebrate winning the 2011 NCAA Women's Final Four on April 5, 2011.
Elsa/Getty ImagesAnd Texas A&M won the women's NCAA basketball title last night in Indiana. The Aggies beat Notre Dame 76-70. Sports Illustrated's Ann Killion says "The game was everything that the men's championship — played 24 hours earlier — was not: riveting, well-played, high-scoring, star-driven." NPR's Tom Goldman talks about the Aggie's first national title (and praises the Notre Dame Fight Song) on Morning Edition.