NPR 2010-07-08

An oppressive combination of heat and humidity continues across the Northeast today. NPR's Tovia Smith reports it's setting records, stressing power grids 1 and sending some to the hospital.

Temperatures topped 100 from the nation's capital all the way up to Massachusetts, getting scorching 2 105 in Baltimore. Many outside workers pushed up their schedules to the crack of dawn to avoid the peak heat. Julio Meady, who services swimming pools in Boston, was trying to keep up with a busier day than usual and having a hard time resisting the obvious temptation.

"I want to keep jumping in the pool. I did think about it. But I just keep dousing 4 myself with water, bottles, er, bottles of water just pouring on. That's it. It's the only thing you can do."

Scorching temperatures also caused disruptions in everything from power supplies to train service and impacted everyone from summer campers to Massachusetts lieutenant 5 governor. He spent three days in a hospital after feeling the effects of the extreme heat. Tovia Smith, NPR News, Boston.

Five of the ten people arrested last month, accused of being Russian spies have been ordered to New York. That's amid reports that the US and Russia are working on a swap 6 of spies. Meetings between Russian and US diplomats 7 have taken place.

The federal government is asking an appeals court to reinstate the moratorium 8 on deepwater drilling it declared in the wake of the BP oil well explosion. NPR's Kathy Lohr reports that in a hearing tomorrow the government will make its case that that moratorium is necessary.

The appeals court in New Orleans will hear arguments on a judge's ruling last month that struck down the moratorium. The federal judge said the government did not have clear reasons and evidence for a ban on deepwater drilling, but the government promised to refine its case. A lawsuit 9 filed by Hornbeck Offshore 10, an oilfield service company, says the moratorium would have severe economic consequences. But in a brief filed this week, the government argues it needs to adopt safety measures to reduce risks. Attorneys contend the company, which is a lead plaintiff in the case, has not shown it will suffer irreparable harm if the moratorium is reinstated, and attorneys say that public interest demands a stay and a short-term suspension of deepwater drilling until safety regulations are updated. Kathy Lohr, NPR News, New Orleans.

Applications for refinancing of home loans rose last week as consumers took advantage of mortgage rates at the lowest rates in nearly 40 years. The Mortgage Bankers Association says applications were up nearly 7% last week from the week before, but that though is still lower than a year ago. Freddie Mac says the average 30-year mortgage now stands at 4.58%. It's the lowest level since the agency started keeping records in 1971.

An upbeat forecast from Boston's State Street Corporation and a boost in energy stocks after a report showed a higher forecast for worldwide oil demand pushed stocks higher today. Just before the close, the Dow was up 237 points, the NASDAQ up 64.

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Two people are unaccounted for in the Delaware River after a tourist tugboat, just an amphibious vehicle, hit a barge 11. Philadelphia police say 37 people were on the boat, some had to be pulled from the water, but it's not clear the extent of injuries.

The former chief justice of a major city in southwest China was executed today as a result of an ongoing 12 anti-mafia campaign. NPR's Anthony Kuhn reports from Beijing that the campaign has garnered 13 mixed reviews from the Chinese public.

Until last year, 55-year-old Wen Qiang was head of the municipal justice bureau, and before that, vice 3 chief of police for 16 years. His bailiwick was Chongqing, the main port city on the middle reaches of the Yangtze River. State media report that Wen was put to death this morning for taking around two million dollars in bribes 14. In return, he shielded five criminal syndicates and doled 15 out official jobs in business contracts. Wen is the highest ranking among thousands of gangsters 16 and officials to fall to the sweep. Many Chinese applaud the campaign, but others are alarmed by reports that torture of criminal suspects, manipulation of media coverage 17 and political grandstanding have been widespread. Anthony Kuhn, NPR News, Beijing.

Spain and Germany are battling each other today for the right to face the Netherlands in the World Cup final. Right now, Spain is leading Germany 1-0.

A new problem for the iPhone, AT&T says a glitch 18 in software and its network from Alcatel-Lucent is limiting data uploads from the phone. That means in some areas of the country some users will not be able to send photos, videos or other content. However, AT&T says they're working with Lucent to find a fix