NPR 2011-06-15

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

Fierce firefighting efforts are under way in eastern Arizona, where the Wallow Fire is now nearly 470,000 acres, making it the largest in state history. While many people have returned to their homes, Arizona Public Radio's Daniel Kraker reports that others remain evacuated 1.

Candy Cook lives next to the national forest in the mountain town of Alpine 2, which was evacuated nearly two weeks ago. She says she only had two hours to pack her things.

"I brought my computer, my laptop, my guitar, and, you know, just a toothbrush, and we were out of there."

Candy and her husband Phillip fled to Southwest Colorado. She's been told that the fire burned within 50 feet of her home but did not destroy any houses in her neighborhood. Cook's anxious to get back but also nervous.

"I've known what I see is going to be very disturbing as far as the forest."

Because she knows her beloved White Mountains in eastern Arizona will now be blackened. Officials hope remaining evacuees 3 can return to their homes in the next few days. For NPR News, I'm Daniel Kraker.

Crews in the New Mexico town of Luna are burning off field, hoping to slow the Wallow Fire's advance. New Mexico is also dealing 4 with another fire along its northern border with Colorado that is more than doubled in size to more than 6,000 acres. The Track Fire is burning tinder-dry forests between the towns of Raton, New Mexico and Trinidad, Colorado. Rosemary Raccio's home is near the fire's southern flanks.

"The air is like you're at a regular campfire. You know, it smells like woodburning, like a campfire would smell as that way all over town. It's hazy 5."

Several hundred people have been evacuated.

Syria's military assault on rebellious 6 northern cities continues to drive Syrian civilians 7 across the border to Turkey. Turkey's prime minister and the Syrian president had their first talk since thousands of Syrians escaped to Turkey in fear of their own military. We have more details from NPR's Deborah Amos who's in Beirut.

There was a time when these two leaders talked often, friends as well as allies. But that was before the Syrian military assault and a refugee crisis that grows by the day. The Turkish media said the prime minister warned the Syrian leader that the violence must end, and end what appeared to be orchestrated mass demonstrations 8 at the Turkish embassy in Damascus. In the past few days, Syrian commentators 9 have accused Turkey of backing what Syrian officials call "armed gangs" challenging the government, creating even more tension. Turkey is building tent camps further east as the Syrian military pushes eastward 10 to crush the protest movement. Deborah Amos, NPR News, Beirut.

The Senate Armed Services Committee has approved the confirmation 11 of Leon Panetta to be the next Secretary of Defense 12. Next step is a vote in the full Senate.

Before the close, the Dow was up 123 at 12,076.

This is NPR.

The Food and Drug Administration is out with new rules designed to make it easier to buy sunscreen that protects against skin cancer and aging. But as NPR's Nancy Shute tells us, those changes won't help this summer.

The SPF numbers on sunscreens measure protection against ultraviolet B light, or UVB. It causes sunburn. But SPF doesn't say anything about UVA, which causes skin cancer and aging. The FDA's new rules set standards for sunscreens that protect against both. Michael Hansen is a senior scientist at Consumers Union, which rates sunscreens. He said it's about time.

"This is a step forward that they're including UVA now. That's a big positive step."

The FDA is also banning claims that sunscreens are waterproof 13 or sweat-proof. The agency says there's no such thing. But the new rules won't go into effect until next summer. Nancy Shute, NPR News.

Former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, President Obama's former ambassador to China, is expected to formally announce in a week that he is running for president. The Republican is entering a fast-growing GOP presidential field that also includes Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann. She announced her candidacy last night during a debate in New Hampshire.

Frustration 14 over the Anthony Weiner scandal is growing among House Democrats 15 who met today to talk about the matter. The Associated Press is reporting the Democrats are hoping mounting pressure including critical comments from the president will persuade the New York lawmaker to quit on his own. Weiner is on leave, seeking treatment for an undisclosed disorder 16. Last week, he admitted to sending sexually charged images and messages to several women online. He also said then that he would not step down.

I'm Lakshmi Singh, NPR News in Washington.