Ariz. fire threatens transmission lines

Ariz. fire threatens transmission lines

SPRINGERVILLE, Ariz.

A raging forest fire in eastern Arizona that already forced thousands from their homes headed Wednesday for a pair of transmission lines that supply electricity to hundreds of thousands of people as far east as Texas.

The 607-square-mile blaze is expected to reach the power lines as early as today. If the lines are damaged, parts of New Mexico and Texas could face rolling blackouts.

Meanwhile, an Arizona sheriff ordered remaining residents of two towns in the path of the wildfire to evacuate by Wednesday evening. About 7,000 people live in Springerville and Eagar and surrounding areas, although many already have left.

Envoy prospect sees hope in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON

President Barack Obama’s choice for U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan insisted Wednesday that the United States must continue its multibillion-dollar investment to achieve a “good enough” government in Kabul that would prevent the country from backsliding into a sanctuary for terrorists.

Ryan Crocker was challenged repeatedly by skeptical senators who questioned a costly war now in its 10th year and nation-building that a fresh congressional report found has had limited success despite nearly $19 billion in foreign aid over a decade. That’s more than the United States has spent in any other country, including Iraq.

“Our current commitment, in troops and dollars, is neither proportional to our interests nor sustainable,” said Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Syrian forces close in on rebellious area

BEIRUT

Thousands of elite troops led by Syrian President Bashar Assad’s brother converged Wednesday on a restive northern area, and neighboring villages warned that the convoys of tanks were approaching, a resident and a Syrian activist said.

Syrian forces have lost control of large areas of the northern province, a pro-government newspaper reported, in a rare acknowledgment of cracks in the regime’s tight grip after weeks of protest calling for an end to its 40-year rule.

The separate reports raised the prospect of more bloodshed in Syria’s nationwide crackdown on the 11-week revolt. The region borders Turkey, which said Wednesday it would open the border to Syrians fleeing violence.

500-year-old book on sale for $35,000

SALT LAKE CITY

A partial copy of a 500-year-old book considered one of the earliest and most lavishly illustrated works of the 15th century is now on sale for $35,000 at a rare-book shop in Utah. Book dealer Ken Sanders was shocked in April when while volunteering at a fundraiser for a small-town museum in Sandy, just south of Salt Lake City, a man arrived with the unusual find pulled from his attic. It had been gathering dust for decades.

Town floods for 2nd time in 2 weeks

ROUNDUP, Mont.

One of the hardest-hit towns in flood-soaked Montana took another blow Wednesday, as record flooding struck the small agricultural community for the second time in two weeks and forced residents to flee homes they had just started to clean up.

Fueled by record rains and melting snow, the Musselshell River gushed into Roundup’s low-lying neighborhoods. Cars and trucks left behind were nearly submerged, and the ground floors of some homes were swamped by the river before it began receding.

Associated Press