NPR 2011-04-23

Pro-democracy activists 1 in Syria are reporting one of the deadliest days yet in the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad. A prominent human rights group says at least 49 people were killed today when security forces fired live ammunition 2 and tear gas at the crowds of demonstrators across the country. Tracking developments from Beirut, NPR’s Deborah Amos reports that after a month of protests and despite warnings from Assad's regime, protesters keep flooding the streets.

It is remarkable 3 that people go out on the streets in Syria, knowing that they will be facing live fire. There are young social media activists who are on Facebook and Twitter. They are uploading videos, videos that go to YouTube, to Arab satellite broadcast, to Western media outlets 4. They are documenting what is happening in the country.

And as NPR's Deborah Amos found, this is the kind of audio turning up on YouTube, purportedly 5 from amateur video of angry protests in Jasim, Syria.

We're also told that many Syrian Christians 6 have chosen to stay home this Good Friday, a time when Christians worldwide say they commemorate 7 Jesus's Crucifixion. NPR's Jackie Northam is seeing a much different scene in Jerusalem. She says Jerusalem's walled Old City is crowded with people of different churches and faiths marking Good Friday as the calendars of the Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches coincide this year.

Christians from all over the world wended their way through the crowded cobblestone streets of all Jerusalem, singing hymns 8 in their native tongues and reading gospels. Many of the faithful carry crucifixes in their hands or heavy wooden crosses on their shoulders as they follow the route Jesus took down the Via Dolorosa, "Way of Suffering" in Latin. There was a heavy presence of Israeli security forces at many points along the route, which ends at the ancient church of the Holy Sepulcher 9. A stone tomb in the church is believed to be where Jesus was buried, and it's from this church, where Christians will celebrate his resurrection two days from now on Easter Sunday. Jackie Northam, NPR News, Jerusalem.

Senator John McCain has been appealing for more military support for rebels in Libya. He's been meeting with them in Benghazi today. McCain is getting an up-close look at ground operations against Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's forces. He agrees with the opposition 10, which complained that NATO's air strikes are virtually ineffective. Meanwhile, Admiral Mike Mullen says the US has not approved providing weapons to Libya's opposition. Speaking during a visit to Iraq, he said that the situation would continue to be monitored. He also said the time was running out for talks that would extend the American troop presence in Iraq.

US markets are closed for this Good Friday.

This is NPR.

President Obama is due back in Washington from his West Coast trip shortly. While he was away from the White House, NPR's Giles Snyder reports Mr. Obama never left the debate over how to spur economic growth.

Air Force One is due to touch down at Andrews Air Force Base after a swing through California and Nevada that included town hall style meetings and fundraisers had netted several million dollars for the president's re-election campaign, but how best to shepherd the nation's economy was never far away.

"The summit we want to reach is where America is more competitive than ever before; where our economy is growing and everybody is sharing in the prosperity. That's the summit we want to reach."

The economy has rebounded 11 since Mr. Obama was first elected, but although the labor 12 market is showing strength, the unemployment rate is still persistently 13 high. Giles Snyder, NPR News, Washington.

Wildfire evacuees 14 in central Texas are being allowed to temporarily return home today as long as they're under a police escort. They have several more hours to do so. Scores of homes have been evacuated 15 in the Possum Kingdom Lake community, where fires have burned about 150,000 acres and are said to be about 25% contained. The PK Complex fire and others have scorched 16 more than a million acres across Texas since fires broke out in January.

In Kenya, the government's warning of a possible terrorist attack over Easter. Officials say they received credible 17 information that the Al-Shabab militia 18 group plans to target places of worship. The group is accused of carrying out an attack last year during the World Cup final, where 76 people were killed.