NPR 2008-11-16

The world leaders at the summit in Washington on the global financial crisis have agreed on an action plan that includes greater regulation of financial markets, something European leaders have been advocating for years. And countries such as India, Brazil and China demanded a greater role in international financial institutions. NPR's Yuki Noguchi has more.

Speaking after the two-day meeting, President Bush said he was glad he included developing countries in the summit. He said the broader group of 20 nations were able to reach a consensus 1 on some key issues facing the world's economy. 'We agree that we must strengthen cooperation among the world's financial authorities, there was a lot of discussion about the International Monetary 2 Fund and the World Bank, for example. ‘In coming months, the finance ministers from the countries will meet and hammer out details of the G20's reform plan. Mr. Bush said President-elect Barack Obama's transition team has been briefed on the summit to ease the transition of power. Yuki Noguchi, NPR News, Washington.

Firefighters are struggling to contain two major wildfires north of Los Angeles whose flames are being intensified 3 by Santa Ana winds gusting 4 to more than 70 miles an hour, one of the blazes has destroyed more than 500 mobile homes, the other has charred 5 more than 100 houses. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared a state of emergency. And the mayor of Los Angeles is warning residents the fires could threaten the city's electricity supply. NPR's Allison Keyes has more.

Mayor Antonio Villaragoisa says the flames may threaten the lines bringing power into the city and he's asking residents for help. “Please, conserve 6 energy, do not wash today, don't use your power, you know, conserve your power as much as possible.” Officials say residents who wait to see the fire before fleeing their homes have waited too long. Fire officials say residents should be alert for expanded evacuations because of high wind to the movement of the fires. Allison Keyes, NPR News.

Demonstrators gathered in Los Angeles, Washington and a number of other cities today to protestvoter approval of California's Proposition 8 and similar measures which banned gay marriage. There was a large turnout at City Hall in Boston. Massachusetts has a law which allows gay couples to marry. From Member Station WBUR in Boston, Andrew Phelps reports crowds there were five blocks deep.

We just heard several people, both gays and straight introduced themselves to the crowd, are talking about their different professions, are explaining the fact that, yes they are gay, but they are part of the community just like everyone else. We see signs that say, if marriages they create abolish divorce, I don't vote on your marriage. People basically saying to me, that a gay marriage doesn't hurt anybody, and it's not imposing 7 on the rights of the heterosexual couples to marry, so why not allow for everyone else?

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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the House will vote to provide help to troubled US automakers, but the assistance will have strings 8 attached , she says companies will have to meet new fuel efficiency standards and restructure to ensure the long-term economic viability 9 of the industry. Pelosi says help for automakers should come from the government's financial rescue plan, but President Bush opposes that.

Chrysler says it is obligated to pay millions of dollars in bonuses to its executives even as it asked the federal government for cash to avoid bankruptcy 10. Sara Swick of Detroit Public Radio has more.

Chrysler owes so-called retention 11 bonuses totaling about 30 million dollars to dozens of top executives. The company says the bonuses were promised when German automaker Daimler sold the share of Chrysler in 2007, and Daimler instituted the program to ensure a smooth transition, Chrysler spokeswoman Lori McTavish says the bonuses can't be compared to golden parachutes. 'This is much different than a golden parachute where at a time executives are paid to leave a company, this is our retention plan that is, put in place to actually keep talent and that,a talent that is there must fulfill 12 their obligation. ' Chrysler's earnings 13 aren't publically available, but CEO Bob Nardelli says that Chrysler needs federal funding and an alliance with other automakers to survive. For NPR News, I'm Sara Swick in Detroit.

The head of the United Autoworkers Union Ron Gettelfinger says automakers do need federal loans to survive, but he says Union workers have made enough sacrifices and should not be asked to make anymore. Gettelfinger says it is unfair to blame UAW workers and retirees for the problems facing US automakers. He says Union workers have already made dramatic changes and concessions 14.