In brief: Lehrer to step down as ‘NewsHour’ anchor

NEW YORK – After 36 years as the anchor of “NewsHour” on PBS, Jim Lehrer will step down from his post on June 6, PBS announced Thursday. He will continue to appear on many Friday evenings to moderate the program’s weekly news analysis segment, which features a panel of journalists.

Many viewers know Lehrer, 76, best for his role in the last six presidential elections, where he served as a moderator for 11 of the nationally televised debates among the candidates.

“NewsHour” debuted in 1975 as “The Robert MacNeil Report,” featuring Lehrer as a Washington correspondent who developed the show with Robert MacNeil. One year later, it was renamed “The MacNeil/Lehrer Report,” then in 1995 when MacNeil left, it became “The NewsHour With Jim Lehrer.”

Obama hopes to retain FBI director

WASHINGTON – Reluctant to see another shake-up in his national security team, President Barack Obama said Thursday he wants to stick with FBI Director Robert Mueller, the sturdy face of the bureau whose term has spanned from the Sept. 11 attacks on America to the killing of Osama bin Laden.

Keeping Mueller on the job would require an act of Congress since the law allows an FBI director to serve only for 10 years, and Mueller’s term is up on Sept. 4. Obama said he wants Mueller to remain for two more years.

Mueller is the longest- serving FBI chief since J. Edgar Hoover, whose checkered 48-year term ended with his death in 1972 and led Congress to put the term limit in place.

Key lawmakers of both parties indicated support for Obama’s surprise decision.

Two Border Patrol agents killed by train

GILA BEND, Ariz. – Two Border Patrol agents rushing to help capture some suspected illegal immigrants were killed Thursday when their SUV entered a marked railroad crossing and was struck by a freight train.

The crash happened in a rural farming area about 85 miles southwest of Phoenix.

Eduardo Rojas Jr. and Hector Clark were trying to position themselves on a road north of some other agents trying to capture a group of suspected illegal immigrants, said Border Patrol spokesman agent Kenneth Quillin.

None of the suspects has been arrested, Quillin said.