NPR 2011-06-18

There are more reports of indiscriminate killing 1 by the autocratic regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Activists 2 say security forces fired on thousands of protesters today, killing a teenage boy and at least 15 other civilians 3. The three-month bloody 4 crackdown had sent Syrians fleeing to the border. NPR's Peter Kenyon reports from a makeshift refugee camp near the border with Turkey.

I'm standing 6 at a fruit tree orchard 7. There are tanks and trucks, and there's a pot with a chicken stew 8, bubbling away in the middle, a lot of young children running around. Women in headscarves are congregating 9 at one end of tents, and the men are in the other. It really is a living rough experience. The water is quite dirty and cloudy, and that seems to be the most urgent need.

NPR's Peter Kenyon reporting from the Syrian border.

NATO warplanes are still targeting the Libyan capital. A series of explosions rumbled 10 across the Libyan capital today. In the middle of the day, the most air strikes happened under the cover of darkness, but daytime NATO raids are becoming more frequent. The fresh strikes come as renewed diplomatic efforts to halt Libya's civil war appear to be gaining momentum 11.

Republican presidential politics are on tap in New Orleans this weekend. NPR's Debbie Elliott reports several candidates are in town courting their Southern base.

The Republican Leadership Conference is a chance for party activists to hear from the crowded field of GOP hopefuls. Speeches include Herman Cain, Michele Bachmann, Ron Paul and Rick Santorum among others. Former House Speaker Newt Gringrich is hoping to revive his campaign after losing his top staff. He called President Obama's administration "the opposite of freedom."

"He is a natural secular 12 European socialist 13. He believes in big government. He believes in centralized power. He believes he, as a politician, knows more than as we do, and he should help us redesign our lives by letting him and his bureaucrats 14 live it for us."

Notably 15 absent from the gathering 16 are Mitt 17 Romney and Tim Pawlenty. Debbie Elliott, NPR News, New Orleans.

It looks like the economy may be rebounding 18 from a late spring slump 19. The Conference Board, a private research group, says its index of leading economic indicators 20 rebounded 21 in May, rising 0.8% after a drop in April. Conference Board economist 22 Ken 5 Goldsteem says the choppy economy is not a surprise or a concern.

"The economy is moving up and down, like, you know, being tossed in the big waves. It's not sinking below the waves. That's the really important point."

Goldsteam says a weak housing market and higher prices for food and gas will likely result in choppy growth through the summer and fall.

Near the close, it looks like we have a mixed result. On Wall Street, the Dow was up 43; the Nasdaq down eight; the S&P closed up four.

This is NPR.

The UN Security Council is giving its approval for a second five-year term for Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Crucial to his support was gaining the backing of the five veto-wielding members of the council — The US, China, Russia, France and Britain. The entire General Assembly is expected to vote sometime next week.

South Korea says it rejects North Korea's demand to return a group of North Korean defectors found drifting at sea this past weekend. From Seoul, Doualy Xaykaothao reports all nine North Koreans want to stay in the South.

South Korea's Red Cross told North Korea the group of three men, two women and four children wish to defect. Pyongyang has demanded the return of the group and has warned if the South does not repatriate 23 them, ties between the two Koreas would worsen. A similar warning was made earlier this year, when more than 30 North Koeans were found drifting in a boat in South Korean waters. The North demanded all be returned, but four chose to defect; the rest chose to go home. For NPR News, I'm Doualy Xaykaothao in Seoul.

With Father's Day on Sunday, President Obama today took time to reflect on being the parent of two girls. In an interview with ABC's "Good Morning America," Mr. Obama admitted to being a little nervous about his daughter Malia turning 13 next month. He did explain what any potential suitors can expect.

"I might invite him to the Oval Office, ask him for his GPA, find out what his intentions are in terms of career. Malia, Sasha, if you're watching this, I'm just joking."

Mr. Obama says both of his daughters are extremely kind and respectful.

I'm Nancy Lyons, NPR News in Washington.