I will not be speaking or attending the Republican convention in Florida. Certainly part of the convention is interesting. But there's no time for politics here in Louisiana along our coast. 

Louisiana were people are observing the seventh anniversary of hurricane Katrina is among several states preparing for the possibility of a hurricane strike sometime tomorrow night. The National Hurricane Center says even if tropical storm Isaac swings, don't intensify. The storm could still cause wide storm damage. NPR's Q reports the reason lies in the storm size and movement.

Isaac is a large storm and it make landfall is expected to slowdown. Hurricane center director Rick Knabb the result could be a major storm surge of sea water along the gulf coast.

The storm surge potential on the coastline of Alabama, Mississippi and southeastern Louisiana is 6 to 12 feet above ground level.

Knabb says it's enough to be life threatening. And he says Isaac will also dump drenching rain as it lumbers in London. 

Easily up to a foot? of rain in some places. Some walk spots could get a full and half.

Knabb says that heavy rain could trigger dangerous flooding across wide area. K, NPR News, Washington.

The Syrian military is calling at melt function however rebels are declaring victory after an Syrian helicopter went down in the Capital Damascus. Video shows the aircraft * in flames and spinning out of control. 

A Turkish journalist missing in Syria has appeared on video saying he was captured by pro-government forces. NPR's Peter Kenyon reports from Istanbul that Turkey Foreign Minister says Damascus is responsible for the cameraman safety.

Turkish television aired a footage from pro-regime Syrian channel showing Cuneyt Unal, a cameraman for the U.S.-funded al-Hurra network who went missing with a colleague last week in Aleppo. Appearing bruise and tired, Unal described the rebel fighters he was with as including many foreigners, a claim made repeatedly by the regime. Unal made N, another colleague who was said to be wounded during the clashes and has not been seen since. Two Japanese journalists cross with the Turkish into Syria last week, one * was killed in the label. Turkish foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu Unal was coerced into a statement and Turkey holds Syria responsible for his wellbeing. Peter Kenyon, NPR News, Istanbul.

At last, check on Wall Street, the Dow was up 4 point at 13162, NASDAQ up 9 at 3079. 

This is NPR News.

Three marines are receiving non-traditional punishment for their role in the desecration in the Taliban corpses. That was filmed and became public in January. According to a press release from Q*，this specific punishment will not be disclosed by. They could include reduction in rank, full future? of pay or a reprimand. Punishment's level in other marines will be announced at later date.

US retailers are counting on a boost in sales as back-to-school shopping reaches a peak. Danielle Karson reports that after Christmas, it's the second most important sales period of the year. 

The reasons spike? and gas prices could dampen sales of *, lunch boxes and backpacks. Sales numbers are expected to be as strong as last year. Still there will be a lot of people get their last minute back-to-school needs out of the way, so it should be a pretty good week * Global insight C says after months of sitting on their wallets, Americans are in the move to spend again. But they can also hold off and buying certain items. With computers, well, there will be a new release of windows that will have people say * I want to buy it now, I may buy it in the fourth quater. And book store may suffer this year because of a new competitor--More people are * read a new school work on tablet. For NPR News, I'm Danielle Karson.

Those back-to-school sales can certainly boost Apple company stock surging more than 2% after the company won its court battle against Samsung. The technology Titan's wrestled in court of who still * Friday. Apple prevailed in convincing a jury that Samsung had r? off a feature of top selling iPhone and iPad.

I''m Lakshmi Singh, NPR News, in Washington.