NPR News 2013-05-14 加文本

NPR News 2013-05-14

From NPR News in Washington, I'm Lakshmi Singh.A Philadelphia abortion doctor faces the death penalty after he was convicted today a first degree murder accused of killing three babies, shortly after they were born. NPR's Jeff Brady reports on the jury's verdict moments ago in doctor  Kermit Gosnell's trial.

Doctor Gosnell was found guilty for three of the babies, but found not guilty of murder in the first degree for the fourth baby and then found guilty of involuntary manslaughter for the female patient who died on his care. That's NPR's Jeff Brady reporting.

Prosecutors argued that the 72-year-old doctor routinely performed illegal late-term abortions beyond Pennsylvania's 24-week limit. The case became a flashpoint in the national debate over abortion.

The Justice Department has reached the biggest drug safety settlement today with a generic drug maker. The U.S. subsidiary of an Indian pharmaceutical company has pleaded guilty to multiple felony charges, including making false statements. NPR's Carrie Johnson reports the company will pay 500 million dollars to settle criminal and civil claims.

The deal with Ranbaxy laboratories involves generic drugs made at two manufacturing plants in India. Prosecutors in Maryland say the company violated the Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act by importing drugs that did conform to good manufacturing standards. U.S. inspectors found incomplete testing records and a faulty program for assessing the safety of the drugs. Ranbaxy's U.S. subsidiary also allegedly made false statements about some of those tests. Authorities say their plea deal with the generic drug maker is the largest of its kind. Ranbaxy will pay $150 million in criminal fines and forfeiture and $350 million to settle civil claims under the False Claims Act. Carrie Johnson, NPR News, Washington.

The war in Syria was high on the agenda when President Obama met today with British Prime Minister David Cameron. They say they are making a big push to find a diplomatic solution, NPR's Michele Kelemen has the latest.

Prime Minister Cameron says there is no more urgent task than getting Syrians to the table to agree on a transitional government.

Syria's history is being written in the blood of her people and it is happening on our watch. The world urgently needs to come together to bring the killing to an end.

The British prime minister came to Washington after he describes as very good talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin about Syria. President Obama says everyone including the Russians are interested in seeing a Syria that's not engaged in sectarian war and not an outpost of extremism. Russia, the U.S. and others are planning for a Syria conference in the coming weeks. Michele Kelemen, NPR News, Washington.

Before the closing bell, Dow was down 25 points at 15,092.

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The U.S. Supreme Court is citing with Monsanto in a fight over genetically engineered soybeans. The justices unanimously rejected an Indiana farmer's argument that cheap soybeans purchased from a green elevator are not covered by the Monsanto patents. Even though, most were also genetically modified to resist Monsanto's roundup weed killer.

Retailers are coming off a better month for sales. The Commerce Department says sales rose at 0.1% in April as more people purchased clothes and cars. Business stockpiles were flat in March and sales fell sharply. The Commerce Department saying today, sales dropped more than 1% reversing the previous month gain.

Barbara Walters is stepping down from ABC News after nearly forty years with the network. NPR's Neda Ulaby reports the veteran TV anchor announced the news today on the view.

Barbara Walters is apparently the kind of workaholic whose retirement will include continuing to executive produce "The View". That's the show she created 17 years ago in where she made her announcement.

I am perfectly healthy, this is my decision. I've been thinking about it for a longtime. 

Walters is a path breaker, the first women to anchor network morning show and in evening network Newscast. Everyone who was anyone in the latter part of the 20th century, sat down across from  Barbara Walters, including Fidel Castro, Monica Lewinsky and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. He appeared as part of the announcement.

I was in the neighbourhood and you've always been my idol.

True to form, Walters started asking him about his own retirement. Neda Ulaby, NPR News.

At last glance, Dow was down 25 points; NASDAQ up two and the S&P 500 gaining slightly.

I'm Lakshmi Singh, NPR News.