On the final day of confessed Norwegian mass killer Anders Behring Breivik's trial, the defense is trying to portray him as an ideologically driven political militant rather than a delusional madman in hopes of getting a lighter sentence or an outright acquittal.

Breivik, 33, an anti-Muslim extremist, has admitted to the bombing and shooting that killed 77 people in the capital Oslo.

Heavily armed Taliban insurgents attacked a lakefront resort near Kabul overnight, killing at least 21 people during an assault and 12-hour standoff with combined Afghan and NATO forces.

The attack occurred at the Spozhmai Hotel on Lake Qargha, a popular recreation area for upscale Afghans just outside the capital. The Taliban claim they attacked because it was used by wealthy Afghans and foreigners to engage in "immoral activities."

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We're not precisely sure how Warren Houghton lost his wallet and his baseball glove. Suffice it to say, he was a boy. In the 1940s, he accidently dropped his possessions inside a wall in a one-room schoolhouse in Cornish, New Hampshire. Sixty-seven years later, construction workers found the wallet and glove and shipped them to the owner. He is now back in possession of pictures of his family, a Boy Scout ID and a letter from his sister.

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Good morning. I'm Renee Montagne. A Minnesota woman went to a local Goodwill looking for a deal and, as she put it, some bling. And Deb Thompson got both: a pair of gem-studded pants for $3.99, and in one of the pockets, a diamond ring worth at least $5,000. Thompson showed her own goodwill. She asked the charity to help find the rightful owner. And there have been dozens of claims, but for the moment, it's finders, keepers. It's MORNING EDITION. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

While Greeks are facing tough austerity measures, they are hopeful there soccer team will beat Germany in the quarterfinals of the Euro championship. Germany may have a better economy, but Greeks are betting on their team to prevail.

The eurozone will take a short break from its financial crisis to enjoy a sporting event. The soccer teams of Germany and Greece meet Friday in the quarter finals of the Euro 2012 championship in Gdansk, Poland. Germany's coach doesn't think political tensions will have an impact on the field.

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Here's a little of what's happened in Syria over the past 24 hours. A Syrian air force colonel flew his jet out of the country, defecting to Jordan. Syria's army intensified its offensive against a rebel army. And the Red Cross had to abandon a mission to evacuate civilians from the city of Homs.

We're going to get some perspective on all of this from NPR's Deborah Amos, who's just left Syria after a very rare 10-day trip to Damascus. She's now in Lebanon. Hi, Deborah.

DEBORAH AMOS, BYLINE: Good morning.

Later this summer, Republicans will gather in Tampa, Fla., for their presidential nominating convention; Democrats will then do the same in Charlotte, N.C. Each party gets more than $18 million in public funds this year to help pay for the gatherings.

The money comes from that $3 box that taxpayers can check on their federal tax returns. But this could be the last time party conventions get taxpayer funding.

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NPR's business news starts with a budget deal in California.

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INSKEEP: This deal comes just days before the start of the new fiscal year. It cuts social programs and it would knock three weeks off of Californian's school year unless voters approve a proposal for new taxes.

Capital Public Radio's Ben Adler reports from Sacramento.

BEN ADLER, BYLINE: The Democrats running this year's California budget process say they have one overarching goal: to bring years of festering shortfalls to an end.