It is a somber day for law enforcement in Louisiana. Two sheriffs’ deputies were killed in the line of duty today as they were tracking shooting suspects at a trailer park. Sheriff Mike Tregre of St. John the Baptist Parish offered this emotional account.

 

“As we were interviewing the two persons, two suspects, another person exited that trailer with an assault weapon and ambushed, ambushed my two officers.”

 

A deputy was shot and wounded this morning while on traffic detail. When his colleagues tracked a shooting suspect back to a trailer park, two of them were shot and killed. And a third officer was injured. Several suspects are in custody.

 

Republican Mitt Romney says his tax rate for the last decade has never dipped below 13%. NPR's Ari Shapiro reports this is a response to ongoing pressure to release more years of tax returns.

 

Mitt Romney released two years of his tax returns in January. Since then, he has adamantly refused to release anymore. New pressure came this week when his campaign revealed the people being considered for the vice presidential slot had to turn over several years of tax returns. In a South Carolina news conference, Romney said claims that he has paid little or no taxes are simply false.

 

“I did go back and look at my taxes, and over the past ten years I never paid less than 13%. I think the most recent year is 13.6% or something like that.”

 

That's a lower rate than most Americans pay since Romney's income generally comes from capital gains on investments. He said when charitable contributions are taking into account, he pays well over 20%. Ari Shapiro, NPR News, Washington.

 

In reaction to Romney's remarks, the Obama campaign says ‘Prove it.’ It says voters deserve more than Romney's word on his tax-paying history.

 

The Army has suffered what appears to be a sharp increase in suicides among active duty soldiers during the month of July. Details from NPR's Tom Bowman.

 

The Army says that during Jury there were 26% potential suicides among troops. That's more than double the number for June, when the Army said there were 12% potential suicides among active duty soldiers. Also during July, there were a dozen potential suicides among Army National Guard and Army Reserve soldiers. That's the same number for the month of June. Army officials say they have no immediate answer why the suicide numbers have increased so much among active duty soldiers. The Army's No. 2 officer General Lloyd Austin had this to say in a statement: “Suicide is the toughest enemy I have faced in my 37 years in the Army.” The general went on to say the Army must continue to address the stigma associated with behavioral health. Tom Bowman, NPR News, Washington. 

 

Dow is up 85 points before the close. 

 

This is NPR.

 

The man accused of yesterday's attack at a conservative lobbying group's building in Washington DC has appeared in court. Floyd Corkins is charged with assault with intent to kill. The security guard was wounded in yesterday's attack.

 

The United Nations mission in Syria is ending as of this weekend. Observers say the US mandate had a little impact on the conflict. The United States opposes keeping monitors in Syria while Bashar al-Assad remains in power. However, Russia, one of Syria's allies, says the monitors should remain in the country.

 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is advising baby boomers to get tested for the virus that causes hepatitis C. NPR's Jon Hamilton reports it's part of an effort to identify hundreds of thousands of boomers who don't know they are infected.

 

About two million baby boomers carry the hepatitis C virus, but most of them don't know it. And without treatment, they are likely to develop cirrhosis and liver cancer. So the CDC is recommending screening for everyone born from 1945 through 1965. CDC officials say the infection rate in boomers is five times higher than in other adults. Hepatitis C virus can be transmitted through sharing needles. It was also spread through blood transfusions and organ transplants before 1992. The latest treatment can cost 100,000 dollars and take many months, but it eliminates the virus about three-quarters of the time. Jon Hamilton, NPR News.

 

Interest rates on home loans are rising again. The mortgage buyer Freddie Mac says fix rate on 30-year loan has climbed to 3.62%; on the 15-year loan, it's up to 2.88%.