NPR News 2012-11-08 加文本

NPR News 2012-11-08

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

President Obama heads back to Washington D.C. later this hour to embark on a new effort with a lame-duck session of Congress to avoid the fiscal cliff, spending cuts and tax breaks due to expire at the end of the year. The White House says the President has called congressional leaders to see he is committed to putting partisan interest aside. Republicans say they are also committed to compromise.

The Democrats effectively gain two additional seats in the Senate where they will have a 55:45 majority over Republicans. GOP still leads the House, includes a likely support of two independents in the Senate. And North Dakota Republican Rick Berg has conceded defeat to Democrat Heidi Heitkamp. She succeeds retiring Senator Kent Conrad. Montana U.S. Senator John Tester is reelected to another term after he edged out Republican rival Denny Rehberg.

President Obama won reelection without Florida where the election is still too close to call. NPR's Debbie Elliott reports the state's prized 29 electoral votes, won't matter this year.

Florida is one of the nation's most story battleground states when it comes to presidential politics. But as election officials are still tabulating votes, the eventual results here won't change the outcome of the presidential race. President Obama has a slight edge in Florida, less than a percentage point advantage over Republican Mitt Romney. In some counties, including Miami-Dade, voters waited in lines past midnight to cast ballots. The state is awaiting absentee tallies from nine counties, and then will consider provisional ballots and absentees that come in from overseas. Debbie Elliott, NPR News, Tampa.

The Mid-Atlantic region is bracing for a nor'easter. NPR's Allison Keyes says New York Mayor Bloomberg is urging some residents to take shelter as the storm approaches.

Bloomberg says areas that suffered severe flooding or worst during Sandy, should consider running out today storm with friends and family who don't live in low line areas or they should head to one of the city run shelters. That includes parts of Queens that were obliterated by last week's storm. Though not much rain is forecast. The Mayor says high winds will cause a storm surge as high as five feet. And there is a risk of more down to trees and other debris. He is asking New Yorkers to stay inside until tomorrow morning. Allison Keyes, NPR News.

Meanwhile, major airlines are scrapping flights in and out of the New York area because of the storm.

Tens of thousands of Greek workers are staging more protests in Athens hours before parliamentarians decide whether to impose more spending cuts and tax increases on the public. Prime Minister  Antonis Samaras says it has to be done, so that Greece can secure an international bailout.

At last check, the Dow was down 271 points.

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Former Penn State President Graham Spanier has been arraigned on charges stemming from the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal. From member station WITF in Harrisburg, Mary Wilson has details.

Spanier's attorneys say he will fight charges that he allegedly tried to stymie the investigation into convicted child molester Jerry Sandusky. Prosecutors brought charges against Spanier, just last week, among them, conspiracy, perjury and failure to report suspected child abuse. His attorneys say the charges are politically motivated and that he was never given a chance to tell his side of the story to the investigating grand jury. Spanier was ousted from his post as Penn State President last year when Sandusky and two other university administrators were arrested in connection to the child sex abuse scandal. He remains on paid-leave from Penn State as a ten-year faculty member. For NPR News, I'm Mary Wilson, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

A frantic search is underway for survivors of a building collapse near the Ghananian capital. Local authorities say a new five-story shopping center caved in, trapping several dozen people. At least one death has been reported.

Same sex marriage is said to be a step closer to be legalized in France. President Francois Hollande's Cabinet approved a bill today, advocating for gays and lesbians, and has sent to the legislature for debate. Hollande praised in making marriage and adoption for same sex couples a big issue in his campaign, but it has since become a more politically divisive matter in France with many conservatives arguing same sex marriage would be the end of the family as France knew it according to conservative figures.

Dow is down 276 points.

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