NPR 2011-04-24

Rebels in Libya are claiming a victory today after government troops were forced from the port city of Misrata. The last large city held by rebels in western Libya had been under government siege for nearly two months. Hundreds of civilians 1 have died. The US launched its first Predator 2 drone strike in Libya today. The Pentagon disclosed the attack occurred but did not provide details.

Syrian forces fired on funeral processions today being held for pro-democracy activists 3 killed during a bloody 4 crackdown yesterday. Human rights groups estimate more than 100 Syrians have been killed in two days of violence. NPR's Deborah Amos reports from Beirut.

President Barack Obama said the use of force against peaceful protests was outrageous 5. It's the strongest language yet. Condemnations also came from France, Britain and the United Nations. The death toll 6 is the highest since the protests began, according to anti-government activists, but Syrian state television challenged the numbers and charged that reports on YouTube, Twitter and Facebook are lies. The state news agency claims armed groups are to blame and showed photographs of the weapons, cameras and bottles of blood used to fake deaths. It's a battle between the state-controlled media and hundreds of protesters who record the attacks. Deborah Amos, NPR News, Beirut.

There are reports the president of Yemen has agreed to resign after two months of protests against his 32-year rule. Under a plan proposed by Gulf 7 Arab mediators, Ali Abdullah Saleh would step down within 30 days and hand power to his vice 8 president, would call for new elections in exchange of being given immunity 9 from prosecution 10.

The main airport in St. Louis is closed today after an apparent tornado 11 hit last night. Officials hope to reopen it tomorrow. Several people were injured by flying glass. Curran Hennessey was on a plane ready to take off when the tornado struck. He described the damage on NBC's Today Show.

"You can see debris 12 everywhere. I mean the vehicles that they used to move luggage throughout the airport from an airplane to different airplanes were completely overturned and thrown around like toy cars."

The same storm also destroyed dozens of homes and knocked out electricity to thousands of customers.

President Obama is urging the country invest more in renewable energy sources as a way to combat higher gasoline prices. In his weekly address, the president also said cars in the US are becoming more fuel-efficient.

"Thanks to an historic agreement we secured with all the major auto 13 companies, we're raising the fuel economy of cars and trucks in America, using hybrid 14 technology and other advances. As a result, if you buy a new car in the next few years, the better gas mileage 15 is going to save you about $3,000 at the pump."

In the weekly Republican address, Senator Mike Johanns focused on job creation. He urged the government cut regulations that he says discourage small businesses from hiring more workers.

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US military officials said today two American soldiers were killed in Iraq yesterday. The statement said the soldiers died during an operation in the southern part of the country but did not provide details. The Associated Press says at least 4,450 US military personnel have died in Iraq since the war began eight years ago.

A judge in Dearborn, Michigan sent Pastor 16 Terry Jones to jail briefly 17 last night amid concerns that a protest planned by the church leader could turn violent. WDET's Quinn Klinefelter reports Jones had scheduled a rally in front of a mosque 18 to criticize what he calls "radical 19 elements of Islam."

Jones planned a rally in front of the largest Islamic Center of America mosque, but officials in Dearborn said the rally could trigger the kind of violent backlashes seen when Jones burned a copy of the Koran. Jones argued his group had threatened no one and forbidding his rally violated his right to free speech, a position backed by the American Civil Liberties Union and a friend-of-the-court brief. After a short jury trial, the court determined 20 Jones' rally could cause a breach 21 of peace. He was ordered not to protest in the vicinity of the mosque for three years and pay a one dollar so-called "peace" bond. Jones refused to pay and was jailed briefly before the bond was posted on his behalf. For NPR News, I'm Quinn Klinefelter in Detroit.

Police in Mount Pleasant, Michigan are looking for thieves who specialize in the houses of worship. The local newspaper, The Morning Sun, reports at least seven churches have been hit by thieves this month, losing computers and other office equipment and even cash from Sunday collection plates.