NPR 2011-11-16

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New York Supreme¹ Court Justice Michael Stallman, the lawyers for Occupy Wall Street protesters, city lawyers and the lawyer for Brookfield Properties, which owns the park, drew a fast and furious lightening round of questions on the First Amendment². At issue whether the sleeping bags and tents being used by the protesters are constitutionally protected expressions of their free speech. Both the city and the property owner say they would permit the park to reopen to protesters without their sleeping bags and tents. Judge Stallman will issue a written opinion later this afternoon. For NPR News, I'm Bob Hennelly in New York.

 

NPR's Margot Adler is in New York in talk with some of the protesters about the eviction³.

 

When I asked well, wasn't it kind of savvy⁴ for Mayor Bloomberg to come in at one in the morning? I got two answers. Some people said: "Not savvy. It was just a lack of courage. But other people just said: "Well, it's just basic police tactics. We were expecting this. They choose a moment that's the most possible." And remember last time when they tried to clean the park, it was incredibly tense. There were thousands of people there. They were all kinds of craziness that went on, and I think they didn't want to repeat that."

 

NPR's Margot Adler reporting from New York.

 

The fourth quarter is off to a good start. The Commerce Department says Americans were spending more in October, especially in online stores like Amazon and appliance stores like Best Buy. Retail⁵ sales for October rose 0.5%, the second month of increases. And in another positive sign wholesale⁶ prices dropped 0.3%, the biggest drop in more than 1.5 years.

 

While there are positive signs in the US economy, Europe's debt crisis remains⁷ a worry for world markets. NPR's Philip Reeves says there's growing concern it may be spreading to France.

 

This crisis has already toppled a handful of governments and spread gloom across Europe. Now alarm bells are being rung for the French. Without wholesale reform, France could lose its coveted⁸ AAA credit rating, warns a new study of the eurozone nations. Arguments are raging about how to avert⁹ disaster. This is Europe's toughest moment since the last world war, says Germany's Chancellor¹⁰ Angela Merkel. Merkel's calling for Europe to build a political union to underpin¹¹ the euro. That means more Europe not less, she says. What a contrast with David Cameron, prime minister of Britain, which is not in the single currency. Cameron says the crisis is an opportunity for a looser union. Philip Reeves, NPR News, London.

 

On Wall Street, the Dow is up 60; the NASDAQ up 35; the S&P up 11.

 

This is NPR News from Washington.

 

A key trade official from Pakistan is visiting India. NPR's Corey Flintoff reports the two countries are making an effort to boost trade and trust.

 

Zafar Mahmood is the first Pakistani commerce secretary to visit India in 35 years. The two nuclear-armed neighbors have fought three wars, and the distrust between them has kept trade to a minimum. A recent thaw¹² in relations has opened the way for billions of dollars of potential new trade over the next few years. Mahmood talked with his Indian counterpart about needy¹³ greedy details, such as building a bigger border crossing, so that more goods can be shipped back and forth¹⁴. Officials are hoping that stronger economic ties will help reduce tensions that have made the India-Pakistan relationship one of the most volatile¹⁵ in the world. Corey Flintoff, NPR News, New Delhi.

 

Energy Secretary Steven Chu will be testifying this week on Capitol Hill about the Solyndra controversy¹⁶. The California-based solar panel company went barely up shortly after receiving a $535 million loan guarantee from the government. He tells NPR's All Things Considered the Energy Department did due diligence on the company before making the loan.

 

"We certainly were watching this and looking at this very closely, and then eventually, you know, we recognized that they were in deep trouble."

 

Chu refused claims the Energy Department's decision to invest in Solyndra was a partisan¹⁷ move.

 

Syria is passing up suggestions it stop its violent repression¹⁸ of anti-government protests, and Turkey's foreign minister says other countries cannot afford to sit idle. The Arab League has voted to suspend Syria's membership this week.

 

I'm Nancy Lyons, NPR News in Washington.

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