NPR News 2011-11-23 加文本

NPR News 2011-11-23

From NPR News in Washington, I'm Lakshmi Singh.

The crowds swell into the tens of thousands in and around Cairo's Tahrir Square, where people are demanding the resignation of Egypt's military rulers. The head of the military council has said that the transfer of power to the civilian government will take place before July. But protesters say they want the military leadership out immediately. The United States is urging Egyptian police to act with restraint with at least 29 deaths reported in the last few days. NPR's Michele Kelemen says the State Department is also calling on Egypt's military rulers to keep their pledge to start elections on time.

According to State Department's spokesperson Victoria Nuland, the head of the Supreme Military Council, Hussein Tantawi, said a number of things that Egyptians and the US wanted to hear that he will transfer power to a civilian government next year and begin elections on time.

"The fact that General Tantawi went out and reaffirmed them today was significant, and we certainly will hold the ruling authorities to the commitments that we made today."

She wouldn't say how. Nuland said all parties should remain committed to none-violence and stress that the government has a particular responsibility to restrain security forces. Michele Kelemen, NPR News, Washington.

Three American students are under arrest in Cairo in connection with the protest. The Interior Ministry says the group was arrested on the roof of an American university of Cairo building. The students are accused of throwing fire bombs at security forces who were fighting with protesters in Tahrir Square, site of the first uprising that ousted President Hosni Mubarak earlier this year. The most recent demonstration against the interim military rulers again has claimed at least 29 lives in the last four days.

Spain's borrowing costs have spiked in a sign investors remain wary about holding Spanish government bonds. As Lauren Frayer reports from Madrid, markets remain skeptical despite a landslide win by austerity-minded conservatives in elections two days ago.

Spain's Treasury sold off short-term bonds today at rates more than double just a month ago. Rates for longer 10-year bonds are pushing to levels that sent Greece, Ireland and Portugal into bailouts. All these just two days after opposition conservatives swept to power and parliamentary elections. The new government is expected to make huge budget cuts, but the new Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy won't be sworn in until at least the middle of December. Concern is growing that Spain's economy can't wait that long. For NPR News, I'm Lauren Frayer in Madrid.

At last check on Wall Street, the Dow was down 54 points at 11,593, and the NASDAQ was off three points at 2,520.

This is NPR News.

Republican presidential candidates are due to hold their 11th debate tonight in Washington, where they are expected to heavily criticize the Obama administration's foreign policy. Earlier today, President Obama was dumping for support in New Hampshire, where he accused Republicans of blocking virtually all efforts to create jobs. Yesterday, the bipartisan Super Committee couldn't agree on a plan to cut more than a trillion dollars in deficit, forcing automatic spending cuts beginning 2013.

Here’s a new development in the case involving Syracuse University assistant basketball coach Bernie Fine. Jason Smith of member station WRVO reports the district attorney in the case has subpoenaed police records.

Two former team ball boys say that Fine sexually abused them for years dating back to the late 1970s. One of the accusers went to Syracuse police in 2002, but was allegedly told that nothing could be done because the statute of limitations had run out. Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick says he has asked the police department to turn over their records from the case, but he says they refused. Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner issued a statement saying the police department will not be releasing any information about the investigation to the media or any other entity in a piecemeal fashion. So Fitzpatrick got a subpoena ordering the police to turn over all of their records. He hopes to submit those records to a grand jury later today. For NPR News, I'm Jason Smith in Syracuse.

Associated Press reporting that Bolivia's been hit with a 6.2-magnitude earthquake. Its epicenter was less than 200 miles from the city of Santa Ana. No immediate word on injuries or damage.

I'm Lakshmi Singh, NPR News in Washington.