Edwards endorses Obama

Edwards endorses Obama

DEARBORN, Mich. — Democrat John Edwards has given his long-awaited endorsement to Barack Obama.

It’s a major boost from a former presidential rival as Obama tries to shrug off Hillary Rodham Clinton, who is determined to press ahead.

The endorsement comes the day after Clinton defeated Obama by more than 2-to-1 in West Virginia.

Edwards, a former North Carolina senator and the 2004 vice presidential nominee, dropped out of the race in late January.

Sudan-related funds sold

WASHINGTON — Cindy McCain, whose husband has been a critic of the violence in Sudan, sold off more than $2 million in mutual funds whose holdings include companies that do business in the African nation.

The sale Wednesday came after The Associated Press questioned the investments in light of calls by John McCain, the likely Republican presidential nominee, for international financial sanctions against the Sudanese leadership.

In tax returns he released last month, the Arizona senator reported a total income of $405,409 in 2007. But Cindy McCain files separate tax returns which she has not made public. Last week, she said she would never not make her returns public even if her husband becomes president.

Polar bear ‘threatened’

WASHINGTON — The Interior Department declared the polar bear a threatened species Wednesday because of the loss of Arctic sea ice but also cautioned the decision should not be viewed as a path to address global warming.

Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne cited dramatic declines in sea ice over the last three decades and projections of continued losses, meaning, he said, that the polar bear is a species likely to be in danger of extinction in the near future.

But Kempthorne said it would be “wholly inappropriate” to use the protection of the bear to reduce greenhouse gases, or to broadly address climate change.

h26 giant beetles seized

PHILADELPHIA — Customs agents seized 26 potentially harmful giant beetles — some the size of a child’s hand — from an overseas package after postal workers heard the insects making scratching noises.

The large bugs arrived last week from Taiwan at a postal facility in Mohnton, about 50 miles northwest of Philadelphia, in a box whose contents were labeled as toys, gifts and jellies, officials said Wednesday.

But the postmaster suspected the package contained live organisms and notified authorities, according to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency. The package was sent to Philadelphia, where it was X-rayed and opened.

The highly destructive insect pests can cause extensive damage to fruit and vegetable crops, trees, shrubs and turf grasses.

Cyclone death toll rising

YANGON, Myanmar — The Red Cross estimated Wednesday that the cyclone death toll in Myanmar could be as high as 128,000 — a much higher figure than the government tally. The U.N. warned a second wave of deaths will follow unless the military regime lets in more aid quickly.

The grim forecast came as heavy rains drenched the devastated Irrawaddy River delta, disrupting aid operations already struggling to reach up to 2.5 million people in urgent need of food, water and shelter.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, however, said its estimate put the number of dead between 68,833 and 127,990. The Geneva-based body said the range came from a compilation based on other estimates from 22 different organizations, including the Myanmar Red Cross Society, and on media reports.

Man questioned in fires

PALM BAY, Fla. — Authorities arrested a man they say was seen throwing a Molotov cocktail into the woods Wednesday in this Atlantic coast town, where several homes have been gutted by wildfires this week.

Authorities said Brian Crowder set a small blaze that was quickly extinguished. They planned to question the 31-year-old about larger wildfires.

Authorities have said they believe the wildfires burning in Palm Bay and neighboring Malabar were set by an arsonist or arsonists. Since the fires began Sunday, about 20 homes have been destroyed and 160 other structures damaged. The damage was estimated at approximately $3.5 million.

Pressure put on WVU head

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia University’s faculty demanded Wednesday that embattled President Mike Garrison quit over a master’s degree scandal involving the governor’s daughter, the second call for his resignation in 10 days.

The nonbinding resolution, approved 563-35, came during a rare special meeting open to all faculty.

Garrison has refused to resign.

Associated Press