NPR 2008-08-21（在线收听）

Russia is proposing a Security Council resolution to endorse the peace plan that France mediated between Russia and Georgia. The Security Council has been one place for debating the conflict but there is little agreement on what, if anything, it can do. NPR's Michele Kelemen has more.

Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin says what you'll see in the draft resolution is a word for word, comma to comma rendition of the six principles that French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev agreed on last week. He called on the Security Council to endorse it. But U. S. Ambassador Alejandro Wolff said that Russia is seeking a rubber stamp to its own interpretation of the agreement. Yesterday, the Russians said they would not accept a different draft resolution that called on Russian and Georgian troops to pull back and reiterated international support for Georgia's territorial integrity. The U. S. and others say that language has to be in any resolution passed by the Security Council. Michele Kelemen, NPR News, Washington.

Authorities say 153 people are dead following the crash of a Spanair jet that swerved off a runway and caught fire during take-off at Madrid's airport today. The flight was bound for Canary Islands off the West African coast. The crash comes during the height of Europe's summer vacation season. A Spanish newspaper reported the plane was reportedly delayed for an hour due to technical problems. Nineteen people are said to have survived the crash.

Democratic Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones of Ohio has died following a sudden brain aneurysm. Doctors in Cleveland say Tubbs died shortly after 6 pm ET today. NPR's Debbie Elliott reports.

Tubbs Jones was hospitalized Tuesday night after she collapsed while driving. Doctors say she suffered a brain hemorrhage when an aneurysm burst in an inaccessible part of her brain. She was 58 years old. The Cleveland Democrat was the first African American woman to represent Ohio in Congress. She became the chairwoman of the House Ethics Committee when the Democrats took control of Congress in 2007, and also had a seat on the powerful Ways and Means Committee. Tubbs Jones, a former municipal judge, was first elected to Congress in 1998, and was expected to easily win a sixth term this fall. She had been active in Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign and later threw her support to Barack Obama. She would have been a super-delegate at the Democratic National Convention. Debbie Elliott, NPR News, the Capitol.

Campaigning in New Mexico today, John McCain defended some of the recent comments he has made about his Democratic rival Barack Obama. McCain said Obama's position on the U. S. military operation in Iraq raises questions not about his patriotism but about his suitability to be president. "He said I'm questioning his patriotism. Let me be very clear. I am not questioning his patriotism. I am questioning his judgment. " McCain again repeated a previous charge Obama would rather forfeit than win the war in Iraq.

On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed up nearly 69 points.

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Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are continuing to see their share prices driven lower today. Amid growing concerns, the government may have to institute some type of bailout plan. The move depending on how it is carried out could make the mortgage finance companies' stocks virtually worthless. Fannie Mae's Chief Executive Daniel Mudd again sought to reassure investors no bailout is imminent even as shares of both Fannie and Freddie fell to 18-year lows. Executives from Freddie Mac were reportedly to meet with Treasury Department officials. Treasury Department has confirmed it is in touch with the agencies but gave few specifics.

The man who caused the deadliest U. S. train crash in nine years has been sentenced in Los Angeles. Hettie Lynne Hurtes of member station KPCC has details.

Juan Alvarez was sentenced to 11 consecutive life terms following his conviction earlier this summer. The 29-year-old Alvarez was found guilty in June of killing 11 and injuring more than 180 others after causing a Metrolink derailment three years ago. Alvarez testified that he meant to commit suicide by parking his SUV on the tracks, but changed his mind and couldn't get the vehicle off the tracks. The oncoming Metrolink train derailed after ploughing into the Jeep Cherokee, then crashed into a northbound train at the Glendale Los Angeles line. Prosecutors claimed the former construction worker and father of two intended to cause a catastrophe to get his estranged wife's attention. For NPR News, I'm Hettie Lynne Hurtes in Los Angeles.

Crude oil futures ended the session slightly higher today. The near-month contract for benchmark grade crude oil was up 45 cents a barrel ending the session at $114.98 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.