NPR 2011-07-13

Debt talks are under way at the White House for a third straight day with both sides still far apart on reducing deficits 2 and raising the debt limit. But as NPR's Scott Horsley reports, the Treasury 3 secretary says he's confident there will be a deal before the government defaults on its obligations next month.

President Obama continues to press lawmakers for a supersized deal. That would cut the deficit 1 by some four trillion dollars over the next decade. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner told an investors 4 conference this morning the administration is willing to make painful cuts to popular spending programs.

"We have to find ways to demonstrate to the American people we can use their tax dollars more efficiently 5, more carefully, get more out of the limited resources we face."

But Geithner says fairness requires the deal also include higher taxes on the wealthiest Americans. Republicans insist that's a deal breaker. Scott Horsley, NPR News, the White House.

The heat bearing down from the Midwest to the Atlantic is brutal 6. Triple-digit temperatures or heat indexes certainly make(makes口误) it feel that way. While people are trying to avoid the outdoors, others like Larry Blackiston can't help it. He's a road crew supervisor 7 in Washington, working in 93-degree heat. He's coping barely.

"Sit here to say, got plenty of rain, got a wet cold rag. You gotta do something down here because it's concrete beyond 120 probably today."

Forecasters expect little relief in sight from the heat anytime soon.

The latest recipient 8 of the Medal of Honor is Sergeant 9 1st Class Leroy Arthur Petry, veteran of the Afghanistan war. President Obama says the New Mexico native was shot in both legs and lost a hand while throwing an enemy grenade away from his fellow troops.

"Despite his grievous wounds, he remained calm. He actually put on his own tourniquet 10, and he continued to lead, directing his team, giving orders, even telling the medics how to treat his wounds."

Petry is only the second living, active-duty service member to be given the Medal of Honor.

Well, the US says it is taking part in the Afghan investigation 11 into the Taliban-backed assassination 12 of Ahmed Wali Karzai, Afghan President Hamid Karzai's half brother. Wali Karzai was shot dead today by a member of his security detail at his home in southern Afghanistan. Karzai's younger brother was the head of the Kandahar Provincial 13 Council, considered the most powerful man in the region.

The White House is ratcheting up the rhetoric 14 on Syria a day after pro-government crowds in Damascus attacked the US and French embassies. Press Secretary Jay Carney delivered scathing 15 criticism today of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. For months, Assad has been unable to end the uprising in his country despite ongoing 16 military action.

At last check on Wall Street, the Dow was down 60 points at 12,447.

This is NPR News.

The creator of "Gilligan's Island" and "The Brady Bunch" has died. TV producer Sherwood Schwartz died today at the age of 94. We have this appreciation 17 from NPR's Elizabeth Blair.

Not only did Sherwood Schwartz create two of the most popular TV sitcoms 18 of all time, he also co-wrote their theme songs.

"Five passengers set sail that day for a three-hour tour, a three-hour tour."

"Gilligan's Island," Sherwood Schwartz once said, was about seven people locked on an island who have to learn to get along. It was a similar story with another Schwartz production "The Brady Bunch."

"What's all the yelling up there, what's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing, nothing at all."

"Aha, that's the kind of nothing that bothers me the most."

Sherwood Schwartz began his career writing for radio, and then moved to TV, writing for the Red Skelton Show. The critics were not kind to his own shows. He didn't seem to care. He once said he wasn't writing for them. Sherwood Schwartz died in Los Angeles. Elizabeth Blair, NPR News.

Well, the final crew of NASA's retiring shuttle program is helping 19 comrades from the International Space Station who've been venturing outside the orbiting outpost today. Shuttle Atlantis's astronauts didn't have time to train for this spacewalk so two of the space station's residents were doing the honors. Their job today was to retrieve 20 a broken ammonia pump so NASA's engineers could examine it when Atlantis gets back home later this month. The spacewalkers were also supposed to attach a robotic demo to the outpost which could someday lead to satellite-refueling space stations run by robots.

Before the close on Wall Street, the Dow was down 60 points at 12,447; NASDAQ off more than 20 at 2,782.