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

 

　　George Zimmerman's fate is now up to a central Florida jury of six women. They've begun deliberating in the former neighborhood watch volunteer's murder trial for the death of Trayvon Martin, the 17-year-old Zimmerman fatally shot last year. NPR's Greg Allen reports from Sanford that the case turns on an important question did Zimmerman acting in self defence when he shot the unarmed teenage.

 

　　Prosecutors have pointed inconsistencies and places where Zimmerman changed the story about what happened on the nighty followed then fought with the 17-year-old. In his closing argument, Zimmerman's lawyer Mark O'Mara told the six-person jury, that the evidence and testimony shows his client was justified in the use of force when he shot and killed Trayvon Martin.

 

　　The state carries a burden without question of proving to you beyond the reason about, but George Zimmerman did not properly act himself defence.

 

　　That's a burden, O'Mara said, the state hasn't met. He said there is no evidence Zimmerman had any ill will or hatred toward Martion. And in the fight, he said, the neighborhood watch volunteer feared for his life. The jury's considering two charges, manslaughter and second-grade murder between carry a potential life sentence. Greg Allen NPR News, Sanford, Florida.

 

　　Homeland security secretary Janet Napolitano is resigning. In a statement, she confirms that she's been nominated to serve as the next president of the university of California.

 

　　The French government is reporting at least six deaths in today's train derailment outside Paris. The BBC's Hugh Schofield reports the train crashed into a station while carrying hundreds of passengers on the eve of a major holiday weekend.

 

　　It was travelling add speed, for some reasons, it seems a decouple part of the train, left or lost contact with the rest of the train, and plowed onto the platform of Bretigny-sur-Orge at high speed, and it seems causing things of some devastation. There are pictures of the roof of the station, torn off, impacted by the train, and a lot of the dead and injured, of course, there will be not just people on the train, but poeple on the platform.

 

　　The BBC's Hugh Schofield reporting.

 

　　The conditions around last week's oil train derailment and explosion in Quebec are still hazarded. It's preventing emergency workers from reaching victims who've been killed. So far at least 24 bodies have been recovered.

 

　　The Obama administration is criticizing Russia for allowing rights activists to meet with Edward Snowden today, saying it amount to a propaganda flatform. Snowden reportedly is seeking asylum in Russia. He is wanted in the US on espionage charges for leaking information about the US's classified surveillance programs.

 

　　The Texas senate has convened the debate on the measure that would implement some of the nation's toughest abortion restrictions. Police are posted throughout the gallery to prevent disruptions as demonstrators on site closely watch the debate and vote. Last month the filibuster and subsequent protest blocked the bill from becoming law.

 

　　Before the closing bell, Dow was up three points at 15,464. This is NPR.

 

　　Gasoline prices rose sharply last month in the US. NPR's Dave Mattingly reports higher prices at the pumps field, the big jump in wholesale inflation.

 

　　The Labor Department says wholesale prices rose 0.80% in July, the largest increase in nine months.

 

　　This is a first of all strong increase, that's a little bit troubling and secondly it's above expectations.

 

　　That's economist HugeJohnsonxx. But core inflation outside the bottle, food and energy sectors was modest, up just 0.20%. Core inflation has remained below the federal reserve's target level for the past year. Dave Mattingly NPR News, Washington.

 

　　Former New York governor Eliot Spitzer has admitted tens of thousands of signatures in his bid to claim a spot on the primary ballot for New York city comptroller. This is Spitzer's first compaign since leaving the governor's office, amid a prostitution scandal. We have the latest from NPR's Joe Rose.

 

　　Spitzer had just four days to gather signatures after accouncing his campaign for comptroller earlier this week. On Thursday, Spitzer has admitted 27,000 signatures far more than enough to appeal on the primary ballot in September.

 

　　This is a demonstration of what means when citizens come together to sign petitions.

 

　　Spitzer is trying to betray himself as the underdog. But he's financing the campaign with his own personal wealth and reportedly paid his conversers hundreds of dollars a day to gather signatures. He's likely an opponent in the democratic primary, Manhattan Borough president Scott Stinger says he gathered 100,000 signatures using only volunteers. Joe Rose NPR News, New York.

 

　　Before the closing bell, US stocks trading higher with the Dow up slightly at 15,464. This is NPR.