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“Oh, Darling, Oh, Darling". Prayer services and vigils were held last night in Blacksburg Virginia, following the shooting death of 32 people on the campus of Virginia Tech. Police say the gunman responsible for killing 30 students in Norris Hall, a classroom building also killed himself. His identity has not been released, nor have police given a possible motive. It was the deadliest shooting spree in the nation's history. A convocation has been held later today at Virginia Tech to mourn the victims. Governor Tim Kaine cut short his trip to Asia to travel to Blacksburg. “My first thought was just how tragic this was for the universities of very type, community, a loving community, and I know that this is a very very painful thing." Back Virginia Tech has 26,000 students, many of them away were the names of those killed. Others such as Michael Hardy are contemplating their future at the school. “My parents want me to change, so actually have been able to share after happened today, 'cause after the first shooting, first semester, the bomb threats are even getting last two weeks. And the shooting today, it's..you can have questions about what the security here is actually, you know good." Last August the first day of classes at Virginia Tech were cancelled when an escaped jail inmate allegedly killed a hospital guard nearby and then fled to area of the campus.


Administrators at Virginia Tech say they may release a list of victims of yesterday shootings on campus later today. NPR's Adam Hochberg has this report.
Campus officials say the process of identifying the victims’ next-of-kin occupied much of the day yesterday. Once those notifications are complete, they intend to make public the victims' names. They also have not released the identity of the gunman. All they have said about him is that he is male and that he killed himself after shooting 30 others in a classroom building. Police say he turned his weapon on himself just as they were arriving on the scene. Virginia Tech police chief Wendell Flinchum says investigators are still not 100% positive that yesterday's 2 shooting sprees one at dormitory, one about 2 hours later in the classroom building are related. They also say they've interviewed what they're calling “a person of interest” in connection with the dormitory shooting, but they won't say whether they believe the person was involved in the crime. Adam Hochberg NPR news, near Blacksburg Virginia.


Japan share prices closed lower today. The Nikkei Average fell by nearly 101 points. Meanwhile oil prices were flat in Asian trading. Traders were looking ahead to the midweek US petroleum inventory report which is likely to show rising cool stocks and falling gasoline and supplies. That report is due out tomorrow. US light crude for May delivery was down just 3 cents to $63.58 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

This is NPR news.

Today in Rome court proceeding is open for a US soldier. He has been tried in absentia for the death of an Italian intelligence agent 2 years ago at a Baghdad checkpoint. NPR's Sylvia Poggioli reports from Rome.
American soldier Mario Lozano was indicted in February on charges of murder and attempted murder. He's accused of shooting Nicola Calipari 2 years ago when the agent was on his way to Baghdad airport after having secured the release of an Italian journalist from her kidnappers. The journalist Juliana Sgrena and the agent driving the car were wounded. Calipari has seen as a national hero in a country whose population is widely opposed to the war in Iraq. Lozano has said in an interview that he had no choice but to fire on the Italian's fast-moving vehicle because it would not stop after he says he flashed a warming light. Sgrena says the car was driving at a normal speed and she claims there was no advanced warming to stop. Italy has not sought Lozano's extradition, but the Pentagon has said he would not be handed over even if a request was made. Sylvia Poggioli NPR news Rome.


The owner of a book store in New York has been sentenced to 13 years in prison under a plea deal in a terrorism case. The 52-year-old man is one of four people charged in a plot to help Afghan terrorists by weapons and communications equipment to fight American soldiers. A Washington cab driver and a New York musician have also pleaded guilty on their awaiting sentencing. A Florida doctor charged in the case is scheduled to go on trial next week. The book store owner could have received up to 30 years, the judge refused to lower the sentence from the agreed to 13 years indicating he hasn't shown enough remorse for crimes Congress has declared very serious.

I'm Carl Kasell, NPR news Washington.