NPR 2011-10-24

 People in Tunisia voted today in their first open and democratic election since overthrowing 1 their dictator in January. Eleanor Beardsley reports analysts 2 say there was a huge turnout.

 
As the day wore on, lines at polling stations seemed to grow longer instead of shorter but no one here complained. 42-year-old teacher Namjec Gimli says he is glad to stand in line for as long as it takes. "Under Ben Ali's dictatorship, I never even considered voting. We were so ashamed of those sham 3 elections," says Gimli, "but today we are proud to be Tunisians and we know our true votes will be counted." Gimli says whatever the results, he and his friends will recognize and respect them. Many of the voters in this poor neighborhood say they will vote for the Muslim party, Ennahda, because it takes care of the poor, they say. After years of corruption 4 under the dictatorship of Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, many Tunisians also cite honesty as a top political value. For NPR News, I'm Eleanor Beardsley, in Tunis.
 
Libya declared its liberation today. The ceremony took place in Benghazi, where the rebellion began in February against the four-decade rule of Muammar Gaddafi who was killed last week. The declaration is a first step towards building a new nation.
 
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned Iran today not to misread the US decision to withdraw most troops from Iraq by the end of the year. While making the rounds at the television talk shows, she said no one should miscalculate America's resolve and commitment to helping 5 support the Iraqi democracy. Here she is on "Fox News Sunday".
 
"We have a security presence with a support and training mission in Iraq. We have bases in the region with other countries. That's what you do when you are dealing 6 with independent sovereign nations that have a will and decision of their own."
 
On the same program, Republican Senator Lindsey Gram criticized the decision, saying it would embolden 7 Iran.
 
"He's put in question our success in Afghanistan and he ended Iraq poorly, fumbled 8 the ball inside of the ten. I hope I'm wrong about what happens in Iraq, but they are dancing in the streets in Tehran."
 
Gram said the Iranians don't fear the US at all.
 
Italy is under pressure today to sort out its economic problems before it's engulfed 9 by the eurozone crisis. NPR's Philip Reeves reports leaders are worried Italy will face the same problems as Greece.
 
EU leaders are spending their Sunday at a crisis summit in Brussels that before it began, saw a meeting between some of the key big players, Angela Merkel of Germany, France's President Nicolas Sarkozy and Italy's Silvio Berlusconi. Merkel and Sarkozy are pressuring the Italian leader to implement 10 economic reforms to try to kindle 11 market confidence in Italy's economy before it's too late. Officials are playing down expectations saying the job won't be completed today, there is another summit Wednesday. Philip Reeves, NPR News, Paris.
 
An earthquake of 7.2 struck eastern Turkey today. State television reports at least 85 people were killed. Officials warned the death toll 12 will rise since dozens of buildings collapsed 13.
 
This is NPR News.
 
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal easily won reelection yesterday. In a field of ten he attracted 66% of the vote meaning there won't be a run-off election. Jindal is 40 years old and a son of immigrants from India. He's had high approval rating since first taking office in 2008.
 
Occupy Chicago demonstrators are defiant 14 the day after 130 of them were arrested. NPR's Allison Keyes reports it was the second mass arrest of protestors there in just over a week.
 
They chanted this is what democracy looks like and beat on drums as police arrested protesters who refused to leave Grant Park after its 11:00 p.m. closing time. At all day today, Occupy Chicago has been tweeting its determination to continue, saying "we had a long night last night, but the occupation stands strong". Police say there have been no arrests so far today. The Occupy Chicago demonstrators are part of a movement focused on the inequality of wealth. And protests have been held over the last several weeks in many US cities and in other parts of the world. Allison Keyes, NPR News.
 
In baseball, Game 4 of the World Series will be held tonight in Arlington, Texas. The St. Louis Cardinals 15 have a two-games-to-one lead over the Rangers 16. They beat the Texas 16 to 7 last night. They were helped by player Albert Pujols who said he had hoped to be able to end his slump 17, he did.  
 
"It's pretty special, you know, those guys are great players and to do it at this level and on this stage is amazing. But I told him that at the same time, I did not walk into the ballpark today thinking that I was going to have a night like this."
 
He had three home runs tying the World Series records of Babe Ruth and Reggie Jackson. He also drove in sixth runs.