NPR 2011-11-14

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Syrian security forces are continuing attacks on anti-government protesters and reportedly killed at least four demonstrators today. NPR’s Kelly McEvers reports the killings⁴ come despite an Arab League promise to suspend Syria for its ongoing⁵ crackdown. 

 

Activists⁶ say protests in support of the Arab League's decision broke out in the west of Syrian city of Hama. They say security forces fired at protesters when they broke away from the main square. Syrian state TV is reporting that demonstrations⁷ decrying⁸ the Arab League's decision also broke out in the Syrian capital Damascus. Yesterday demonstrators attacked the embassies of Qatar and Saudi Arabia, two countries that backed the suspension of Syria from the Arab League. Syria had promised the Arab League it would end the crackdown on protesters, but hundreds of people have been killed in just the past two weeks. The league says it will suspend Syria on Wednesday if the violence doesn’t stop. Kelly McEvers, NPR News, Beirut.

 

The so-called congressional "super committee" is running out of time to come up with more than $1 trillion in deficit⁹ reductions—just 10 days left. As NPR’s Tamara Keith reports, it remains¹⁰ entirely¹¹ unclear whether the committee of 12 will succeed. 

 

A handful of super committee members made the rounds of the Sunday morning talk shows. There are clearly still differences between Democrats¹² and Republicans over raising revenue, cutting spending and modifying entitlement programs. But Republican Senator Pat Toomey on "Fox News Sunday" said they are working to bridge the differences. 

 

“It’s at a difficult point. I think we’ve got a ways to go. But I hope we can close that gap very quickly.” 

 

Democratic Congressman¹³ James Clyburn--also on Fox--said he hasn’t given up either.     

 

“All of the ingredients for a good resolution are there. We just need to build the will.”

 

The clock is ticking, but 10 days can be a long time in Washington. Tamara Keith, NPR News, Washington. 

 

Police in Portland, Oregon are backing off an earlier eviction¹⁴ threat. Our Oregon Public Broadcasting’s Christian¹⁵ Fodenvenzl is in Portland. 

 

The police tell them if they would get out of the street and allow cars to come in, stay off the sidewalks and go back into the two parts as they had been occupying previously¹⁶, that they could, eh, that would be fine. So the Occupy Portland people are saying that’s a victory and they are planning to stay there now for as long as they want and that’s a reversal really of what the mayor had said just three or four days ago. 

 

Christian Fodenvenzl reporting. This is NPR.

 

The UN refugee agency reports ongoing conflict and bad weather are discouraging Somalis from seeking asylum¹⁷ in neighboring countries. Lisa Schlein in Geneva reports the UNHCR says fewer refugees are crossing into Kenya because of fighting and heavy rains which are making roads impassable.

 

Besides conflicts and rain, UN refugee spokesman Adrian Edwards says Somali refugees are also being prevented from fleeing by Islamist al-Shabab militants¹⁸. Despite these impediments, he says Somalis continue to arrive at the town of Dhobley near the Kenyan border. 

 

“They tell our staff they fled rumored¹⁹ impending²⁰ military clashes in the area and threats of forced return by al-Shabab to their places of origin.”

 

In October, the Kenyan government sent hundreds of troops into southern Somalia with the goal of subduing²¹ al-Shabab. The Kenyan military presence has increased fighting and worsened the situation around Dhobley which is the main transit²² point for Somalis en route to Kenya. For NPR News, I’m Lisa Schlein in Geneva. 

 

Searchers in Turkey are reportedly ending their search efforts to find survivors²³ in the rubble²⁴ of Wednesday’s earthquake. The 5.7 magnitude quake toppled two hotels and the country’s disaster management agency says at least 39 people were killed. The state-run news agency says earth-moving machines are now clearing debris²⁵. 

 

Authorities in Rio de Janeiro are now taking steps to clean up the city and drive drug gangs out as they prepare to hold soccer’s World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016. Today police and soldiers backed by helicopters occupied the city’s largest slum located at a choke point for traffic. 

 

I’m Nancy Lyons, NPR News in Washington.

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