NPR 2011-07-11

Ahead of the resumption of budget talks at the White House late this afternoon, top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell is suggesting Congress is virtually certain to raise the nation’s debt limit in time for an August 2nd deadline. McConnell spoke 1 on "Fox News Sunday."

"Nobody is talking about not raising the debt ceiling. I haven't heard that discussed by anybody."

"Some are."

"Not in the Congress."

On ABC's "This Week," the new chief of the International Monetary 2 Fund, Christine Lagarde, said the consequence of a US default would be profound.

"Well, I can't imagine for a second that the United States would default. But, clearly, this issue of the debt ceiling has to be resolved, as, otherwise, there would be a hike in interest rates. There would be, you know, a much heavier burden to be borne by, you know, all the US taxpayers 3 at the end of the day."

Treasury 4 Secretary Timothy Geithner is warning without an official increase in the debt ceiling, credit rating agencies could downgrade US debt.

Joint 5 Chiefs Chairman Mike Mullen is in China for a four-day visit. As NPR's Louisa Lim reports, Mullen gave a nod toward China's growing influence by referring to China and the US as the two "Pacific powers."

It was the first trip to China in four years by a chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Mullen emphasized that the US was not seeking to contain China and would hold talks from a posture 6 of mutual 7 respect. He said he was concerned that disputes in the South China Sea could flare 8 up into conflict.

"The worry, among others that I have, is that the ongoing 9 incidents could spark a miscalculation and an outbreak that no one anticipated, and we should seek to avoid that under all circumstances."

He emphasized that the US is committed to maintaining its military presence in Asia. Mullen will meet China's military leadership tomorrow, then tour Chinese army bases. Louisa Lim, NPR News, Beijing.

Syria's vice 10 president made an unusual move today, saluting 11 Syrians who died in anti-government protests. NPR's Deborah Amos explains.

The government has been moving towards recognizing the role of the protesters on the streets of Syria. For the longest time, they only acknowledged army or security forces who were killed. Now, they are saying this meeting has taken place because so many Syrians sacrificed their blood on the streets of the cities of the country, and this is a recognition by the government that the protest movement has moved the country, has put them under enormous pressure to begin talking about reforms. But there is a credibility gap with the national dialog because the internal opposition 12 recognized figures who have been longtime government critics boycotted 13 the meeting. They said they would not talk to the government until the crackdown against the protesters stopped.

NPR's Deborah Amos in Beirut.

This is NPR News in Washington.

There was heavy rioting this weekend in the small Northern Ireland town of Ballyclare. Larry Miller 14 reports the riots were sparked by Protestant loyalists angry that police took down their flags.

Police said the flags were sectarian and illegal. Some, but not all, were associated with Protestant paramilitary groups. When they were removed in the afternoon, 150 people left their homes to protest and block roads. By midnight, tension turned into violence and police came under attack. Gasoline bombs and rocks were thrown; six police were injured; five of them were in a police van when a hijacked 15 bus plowed 16 into it. Police responded by firing plastic bullets and using water cannons 17. The Ballyclare disturbance 18 sparked trouble in other nearby areas, where cars and trucks were hijacked and set on fire. From NPR News, I'm Larry Miller in London.

The US women's soccer team is advancing in the World Cup after a dramatic victory over one of the tournament favorites Brazil. The US now moves on to the semifinals.

It's a girl for soccer star David and former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham. The Beckhams married in 1999 and have three sons; the oldest is 11. No name for the baby girl yet. At age 32, Actress Kate Hudson has given birth to her second child a boy. Both mothers and babies are well.

At the box office this weekend, "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" is still No.1 with 47 million dollars in US ticket sales this weekend.

"We are not alone after all, are we?"

"No sir. We're not alone."

After "Transformers," "Horrible Bosses" and "Zookeeper."

I'm Louise Schiavone, NPR News, Washington.