NPR News 2010-12-11 加文本

NPR News 2010-12-11

From NPR News in Washington, I'm Lakshmi Singh.

The man accused of kidnapping and raping Elizabeth Smart has been found guilty. Today, a jury convicted Brian David Mitchell eight years after he abducted Smart from her Utah home when she was 14. Smart is now 23 years old. NPR's Howard Berkes reports Mitchell now faces sentencing.

Sentencing is scheduled for May 25th. Brian David Mitchell faces what could be a life term in prison. What's interesting is that had he been found not guilty by reason of insanity, he would have likely spent the rest of his life in what could be the very same federal prison facility he might now end up in with a sentence of life in prison. It's a federal prison facility that treats people with mental problems.

NPR's Howard Berkes reporting.

Investigators are trying to piece together what went wrong after a deadly explosion at a small chemical plant in West Virginia yesterday. Emergency officials say the cause of the blast is still unknown. Keri Brown of West Virginia Public Broadcasting has more on the explosion that killed two people and injured two other workers.

The blast at AL Solutions killed two bothers, Jeffery Fish and James Fish. Another worker was badly burned and is receiving treatment in Pittsburgh. A fourth suffered burns to his hands and face. The disaster is hard on this tiny community of New Cumberland. Debbie Provenzano works at Sparkle's grocery store. Her co-worker's the niece of the men who died.

"Everybody knows, everybody in this town. So, it's just worth a shot exit, especially to be so close to know, to be so close to the family. So, it's gonna take some time be healed."

AL Solutions develops additives for the aluminum industry. This is the third fatal blast at this plant in 15 years. For NPR News, I'm Keri Brown in Wheeling.

It was unlike anything a Nobel ceremony has seen in decades. The peace prize could not be handed out in Oslo, Norway today because its laureate, pro-democracy and human rights activist Liu Xiaobo, is in a Chinese prison, and his wife is under house arrest. Beijing was outraged that Liu was tabbed to get the 1.5-million-dollar prize. It pressured other nations including Russia and Saudi Arabia to stay away from the ceremony.

US-made products are apparently selling quite well abroad. The Commerce Department reported today exports in October reached their highest level in more than two years, and that helped shrink the trade deficit to $38.7 billion, more than 13 percent below September's deficit.

More than 4,000 jobs are going away as A.J. Wright discount stores are going away. Its parent company T.J. Maxx plans to close dozens of low-performing sites.

We continue to see gains on Wall Street. This is NPR News.

Ivory Coast's incumbent president is on notice to concede electoral defeat and step down immediately or face US, UN and regional sanctions. NPR's Ofeibea Quist-Arcton reports the African Union has added its voice to support for his presidential rival.

The move to suspend Ivory Coast from the African Union comes after a similar decision by regional West African leaders. Opposition challenger Alassane Ouattara has the moral backing of the world community as president-elect. His rival Laurent Gbagbo faces both international and continental isolation. Ouattara is working to have these measures endorsed by heavyweight financial institutions like the Francophone West African Central Bank. He needs control of Ivory Coast's accounts to effectively stop Gbagbo exercising power and paying government salaries. Analysts predict that if the security forces stop being paid, they may switch allegiance from Gbagbo to Ouattara as president. Ofeibea Quist-Arcton, NPR News, Abidjan.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner's been admitted to George Washington University Hospital for a minor surgery for a kidney stone. The procedure forced him to cancel Sunday appearances on three network news programs where he was scheduled to talk about the president's tax cut compromise with congressional Republicans.

Bank of America has resumed foreclosures after it suspended the process and made allegations that certain financial institutions were cutting corners. Company spokesman Dan Frahm says Bank of America restarted foreclosure proceedings Monday on about 16,000 homes.

At last check on Wall Street, the Dow was up 22 at 11,392 and NASDAQ was up 21 points at 2,637.

I'm Lakshmi Singh, NPR News.