Traffic was at a standstill near the state television building along the Nile River as protesters packing the streets shouted for Egypt's military rulers to protect Christians. Troops clashed with protesters on several side streets as at least eight truckloads of police officers headed in their direction as reinforcements. The clashes began after hundreds of Copts marched through Cairo's downtown area to protest a recent attack on a church in southern Egypt. The protesters were pelted with rocks and glass bottles. Another large group of Coptic protesters, they were planning to join in front of the state television building, cut off the street. That's when police and soldiers moved in. Witnesses reported hearing gunfire. At least two people NPR spoke with say they saw armored vehicles run over and kill protesters. Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson, NPR News, Cairo.

 

After meeting in Berlin today, Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicholas Sarkozy say they've reached agreement on strengthening European banks. NPR's Eric Westervelt reports.

 

There is concern European banks exposed to bad government debt will need an infusion of capital in the coming months. And the two leaders have disagreed in the past about how best to do that. But tonight Chancellor Merkel said she and the French president were in accord on the steps needed to provide capital to banks in need.

 

"We are determined to do all that's necessary to ensure the re-capitalization of Europe's banks," Merkel said, "so as to provide the sensible flow of credit required to foster healthy economic development and growth." Both leaders would not, however, elaborate on their proposal in detail which banks would be eligible and under what terms. They said the proposal first had to be discussed with other European leaders. Sarkozy said the French-German accord is total but added that it's not the moment to go into details. EU heads of state (will) meet in Brussels later this month. Eric Westervelt, NPR News, Berlin.

 

Here's another issue on which Democrats and Republicans disagreed, the protest on Wall Street and elsewhere that the financial and political establishments don't care about the needs of ordinary people. House speaker Nancy Pelosi, Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, says she agrees with that sentiment.

 

"I support the message to the establishment, whether it's Wall Street or the political establishment and the rest, that change has to happen. We cannot continue in a way that is not relevant to their lives. People are angry." 

 

She was interviewed on ABC's "This Week" but over on CBS Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain on "Meet the Press" called the protest un-American. Cain also charged that the unions are behind some of the protests. 

 

You are listening to NPR News from Washington.

 

Revolutionary forces in Libya say they've seized control of a hospital and a convention center in Sirte, the last major city occupied by forces loyal to deposed leader Muammar Gaddafi. Taking control of Sirte would bring Libya's new rulers closer to establishing control of the entire country, nearly two months after they seized the capital Tripoli.

 

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees says extremism and insecurity are growing in Somalia. Lisa Schlein reports from Geneva.

 

People in Somalia are struggling to survive conflict, drought and famine. UN refugee chief Antonio Guterres calls humanitarian aid a temporary remedy. He says only a political solution will resolve the country's long, festering problems.

 

"I think it's in everybody's interest to be involved. I mean, if the Somali problem would not be solved, the impact of the Somali problem, not from humanitarian point of view, but from the security point of view, will have implications all over the region and probably all over the world."

 

Guterres notes a recent agreement in the capital Mogadishu on the formation of a new, more stable government could lead to a political solution. He calls on the international community to support it. For NPR News, I'm Lisa Schlein in Geneva.

 

Crews off the coast of New Zealand say it will take at least two days to remove all the oil from a grounded container ship. The Liberia-flagged Rena struck a reef about 12 miles offshore and has been stranded there since Wednesday. Officials say the ship holds about 1,700 metric tons of fuel of which about 30 tons may have already leaked into the water.