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First Line News

Saturday, July 5, 2008

Twin Blazes Scorch Central California
A pair of out-of-control wildfires roared along California's central coast Friday, chewing through opposite ends of a parched forest and threatening a total of more than 4,500 homes.

U.S. Soldiers in Iraq Mark Fourth of July
It's Staff Sgt. Edgar Covarrubias' second Fourth of July in Iraq. No family barbecue, no fireworks, but Covarrubias says he'll call his mom, wife and kids to share the day anyway.

Inside Mugabe's Violent Crackdown
President Robert Mugabe summoned his top security officials to a government training center near his rural home in central Zimbabwe on the afternoon of March 30. In a voice barely audible at first, he informed the leaders of the state security apparatus that had enforced his rule for 28 years that he had lost the presidential vote held the previous day.

Pres. Monson Dedicates New Library
On its first day with a two-U name, Utah Valley University officials cut a ribbon to open the new library and celebrated the school's accomplishments over the past year.

More Than 300 Trees Planted
Volunteers from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Advance Kingscote, KI Natural Resource Management staff and local residents all got their hands dirty as part of a Tree Planting Day. More than 30 volunteers planted trees at the Flagstaff Lookout Reserve at the weekend.

Team Preview: Brigham Young
A coach labeling an upcoming season a "Quest for Perfection" might strike some as a brash, presumptive or even arrogant. For BYU that quest is a logical extension of what the team has accomplished the last two seasons.

Pennsylvania Historians Hunt for Vanished Lincoln Monument
Few of the 3,000 historic postcards in Jack Hiddlestone's collection are as veiled in mystery as the one with Abraham Lincoln on the front.

Latin America Trip Stirs Chavez Debate
John McCain on Thursday finished a three-day presidential campaign trip to Latin America to mine the politics of free trade and foreign policy, but Republicans say the real vote mother lode may lie in the politics of a country he didn't visit - Venezuela, and its combative president, Hugo Chavez.

Betancourt Reunites with Her Children
Former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt embraced her children for the first time in six years Thursday, saying the thought of them helped her stay alive until a daring rescue plucked her and 14 other hostages from the jungle.

On Iran, Top Military Officer Sounds Like Obama
It could turn out to be one of the most significant comments of the 2008 campaign — but coming just ahead of a holiday weekend, it isn’t getting much notice.

Despite Wildfire, Some in Big Sur Refuse to Evacuation Orders
An explosive wildfire ravaged the hillsides above this scenic coastal community Thursday, leaving the popular tourist region mostly deserted ahead of the holiday weekend.

Anti-abortion Group Wins Free-speech Ruling
A federal appeals court gave an anti-abortion group the go-ahead Wednesday to drive trucks with enlarged photos of aborted fetuses past California schools, saying the Constitution protects the display of disturbing messages.

LDS Get Final OK on Project
It took 20 months and 25 appearances before Salt Lake City government boards and commissions, but The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints now has all the official approval it needs to remake the heart of downtown.

Why, How to Defend Marriage
I happened to be visiting a singles ward in California when the First Presidency's letter concerning LDS support of the pro-marriage amendment to the California constitution was read out

Creating More Quiet Time
S. Michael Wilcox and Stephen Weber are institute instructors who are finding it increasingly necessary to remind students to "be quiet."

U.S. Tightens Security Along Canadian Border as Security Experts Decry 'Open Door' to North
America has tightened security along its border with Canada, but some security experts say the 4,000-mile northern passage remains full of holes — an inviting “open door” to terrorists seeking to enter the U.S.

Pentagon Extends Tour of 2,200 Marines in Afghanistan
The Pentagon has extended the tour of 2,200 Marines in Afghanistan, after insisting for months the unit would come home on time.

Human-pig Hybrid Embryos Given Go Ahead
A licence to create human-pig embryos to study heart disease has been issued by the fertility watchdog.

Wall Street Firms Reduce Borrowing from Fed's Emergency Program
Wall Street companies sharply scaled back their borrowing from the Federal Reserve's emergency lending program over the past week while commercial banks boosted it slightly.

Bush to Attend Opening of Olympics in China
President Bush will attend the opening ceremonies of the Olympics in Beijing, the White House said Thursday. The announcement quashed any talk of a presidential boycott over China's violent crackdown after anti-government riots and protests in Tibet.

Obama on Iraq, Take Two
Barack Obama called a second news conference in a single day in North Dakota Thursday to reiterate that he is not changing his position on withdrawing all combat troops from Iraq.

Iran Hints at Nuclear Talk Progress, but World Still Wary of Possible Conflict
Reuters reports that Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, in New York for a meeting at the UN, told reporters Wednesday that he did not think Israel or the United States would attack Iran before next January, when President Bush leaves office, and added that he saw a "new sort of atmosphere" in talks with the West over Iran's nuclear program.

Affirmative Action Ban Will Be on Ballots, Group Says
Supporters of a proposed ban on race-based affirmative action said Thursday that they've turned in enough signatures to get the measure on the ballots in Nebraska and Arizona.

Israelis Weigh Jerusalem Vulnerabilities in Wake of Bulldozer Attack
Mr. Duwiyat, whose rampage left three Israelis dead before he was shot to death, was the second Palestinian from East Jerusalem in four months to embark on a killing spree, exacerbating Jewish fears of the city's 240,000 Palestinian residents who are perceived as threat from within because they enjoy most of the same freedoms as Israeli citizens.

Bush Breaks Ground on Military Medical Center
President Bush turned a shovelful of dirt Thursday to begin construction of a military medical center that will replace the troubled Walter Reed hospital, but keep its famous name.

Mysterious Cave Opened at Mexican Pyramid
Archaeologists are opening a cave sealed for more than 30 years deep beneath a Mexican pyramid to look for clues about the mysterious collapse of one of ancient civilization's largest cities.

In Oak Grove, Three Tree-sitters Remain
And then there were three.

Grandma, 70, Gives Birth to Twins
A 70-year-old from Muzaffarnagar, India, became the world’s oldest woman to give birth after she delivered twins Friday.

Italy Starts Controversial Plan to Fingerprint Gypsies
Italian authorities have started fingerprinting tens of thousands of Gypsies living in nomad camps across the country — adults and children alike — brushing aside accusations of racism by human rights advocates and international organizations.