NPR News 2012-11-15 加文本

NPR News 2012-11-15

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

President Obama says he’s ready to compromise with Republicans on preventing the country from going over the so-called “fiscal cliff.” But he showed little sign today that he would waver from his demand that the wealthiest Americans should pay more in taxes. The president also addressed the scandal stemming from former CIA Director David Petraeus’s extramarital affair with his biographer, which cost him his job amid questions about a possible breach of national security.

“By his own assessment, he did not meet the standards that he felt were necessary as the director of CIA with respect to this personal matter that he is now dealing with his family and with his wife. And it’s on that basis that he tendered his resignation, and it’s on that basis that I accepted it.

Another urgent matter is unfolding on the hill. Leading Republican members of Congress are calling for a Watergate-style congressional committee to investigate the attack on the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya, an attack that killed the US ambassador to Libya and three others in September. NPR’s Michele Kelemen reports.

Arizona Senator John McCain says it’s essential for Congress to conduct its own investigation into what he says was the inadequate security in Benghazi and the way the administration officials initially characterized the attack. He singled out US Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice for giving, in his words, false information to Americans. And he made clear that he doesn’t want to see her nominated as the secretary of state.

“We will do whatever it’s necessary to block the nomination that’s within our power as far as Susan Rice is concerned.”

Senator Lindsey Graham says he is dead set against promoting anybody involved in, as he puts it, the Benghazi debacle. Michele Kelemen, NPR News, Washington.

Senate Democrats have increased their majority in the next Congress by one more senator today after Maine independent Senator-elect， Angus King announced he will caucus with them. Details from NPR’s David Welna.

Independent Senator-elect King waited eight days after winning in Maine to announce his decision to caucus with the Senate Democrats.

“Because doing so will allow me to take independent positions on issues as they arise and, at the same time, will allow me to be an effective representative of the people of Maine.”

King will succeed retiring Republican Senator Olympia Snowe. Senator Majority Leader Harry Reid hailed his decision to caucus with the Democrats.

“I couldn’t be happier with any person coming to the caucus than Angus King.”

King is one of nine newly elected senators who will join the Democratic majority. The outcome of Arizona’s Senate race remains uncertain. David Welna, NPR News, the Capitol.

Meanwhile, Nancy Pelosi confirmed she will run again for House minority leader.

At last check on Wall Street, Dow was down 63 points at 12,691, NASDAQ off eight points, S&P 500 down five.

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Israel has launched air strikes on the Gaza Strip and assassinated a leading member of Hamas. The attack evoked outcry from Egypt and the country’s influential Muslim Brotherhood.

Anti-austerity demonstrations across Europe has stranded travelers in many places and turned violent in some of them with dozens of arrests and injuries reported in Spain. From Brussels, Teri Schultz reports protesters want relief from budget cuts, but business leaders warned the strikes will hurt more than help their cause.

Hundreds of people rallied outside the headquarters of the European Union after a downtown march. The European Trade Union Confederation, the main organizer of what it calls “the day of solidarity,” welcomed coordinated strikes in several countries against the cost-cutting measures it says are causing recession, poverty and social anxiety, Here demonstrators are shouting “All Together! All Together! Yes! Yes! Yes!” Striking workers are reported to be lining on train tracks in France and have seriously hindered rail and air traffic in Belgium, Spain and Portugal. In Brussels, BusinessEurope, an umbrella organization of industrial，and employers’ federations, say unions have the right to strike, but this massive action will just harm economic activity and struggling companies. From NPR News, I’m Teri Schultz in Brussels.

The owner of the company tied to the deadly meningitis outbreak in the US reportedly is refusing to testify before Congress. According to the Associated Press, Barry Cadden says he will invoke his Fifth Amendment right to avoid self-incrimination. Cadden co-founded the New England Compound Center, which distributed back pain steroids that were later found to be contaminated. Hundreds of people got sick, 32 of them died.

I’m Lakshmi Singh, NPR News, Washington.