NPR 2012-06-17

 The Mitt 1 Romney bus tour is in Pennsylvania today. The Republican presidential candidate is visiting smaller cities and towns in six states. Here he’s in Weatherly at the Weatherly Casting and Machine Company, about 90 miles northwest of Philadelphia.

 
“This is about saving America, keeping us strong, putting us back to work and making sure the world can look to us as a beacon 2 of hope and a shining city on the hill, and we’re gonna do it together.”
 
His next stop was supposed to be at a Wawa convenience store in Quakertown. But his campaign learned that Democrats 3 had set up a competing event that included former Governor Ed Rendell. Romney then picked a different Wawa.
 
Fire crews are battling wildfires in five states, including New Mexico and Colorado. NPR’s Alison Keyes reports more than one million acres nationwide have been damaged by fires so far this year.
 
In Colorado, winds are exacerbating 4 the threat from the wildfires. Livermore resident Bob Peeky says he’s been trying hard to get brush away from his home to save it, but “my wife’s already packed up. I've got things packed up to go. And if need be, like I say, I might hang around just a little bit longer. But I will get her and my dog safely out of here.” Meantime in New Mexico, scientists are trying to save the threatened Gila trout 5 species from the aftermath of the wildfires. Teams are temporarily stunning 6 the fish, then moving them to a hatchery to avoid water waste that may be choked with ash and other debris 7. Alison Keyes, NPR News.
 
The people of Egypt are voting this weekend in a runoff election to choose a new president. It’s expected to be a close race between two remaining candidates, a former minister in the Hosni Mubarak regime Ahmed Shafik and Mohammed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood 8. They called for the vote to be free and fair or on the risk of another revolution. BBC's Jon Leyne reports.
 
Last time, it’d been the warning from the Muslim Brotherhood who said that is what is happening if this is not a free and fair election this weekend. It’s a very, it’s almost the key really, key phase in the transition to democracy. And will they dissolve parliament as the court has ordered? We don’t know for sure yet. It appears that’s gonna be the case. But nobody said and in very clear about it. And then if Mohammed Morsi, particularly the Muslim Brotherhood candidate wins, will the military be prepared to hand over real power to him? We will know very very shortly, and that how the military plan to hand over power to the winner of the election.”
 
The BBC’s Jon Leyne in Cairo.
 
The United Nations suspended its mission in Syria today, citing increased violence. Observers are there to monitor a ceasefire between government troops and the opposition 9, which never took hold. The head of the operation, Major General Robert Mood, issued a statement that the bloodshed is preventing the observers from carrying their mandate 10 and is also threatening their safety.
 
This is NPR News from Washington.
 
One of three men who kidnapped 26 school children and their bus driver in Chowchilla, California 36 years ago is getting out of prison. Bob Hensley of Capital Public Radio reports the release is coming much earlier than expected.
 
Richard Schoenfeld was convicted of the 1976 crime along with his older brother James Schoenfeld and Frederick Woods. The case traumatized the small central California town and drew international attention. The state parole board had scheduled Richard Schoenfeld for release in 2021. But an appellate court ordered him freed this month. A spokesman says the Corrections Department will release him at an unspecified time. The two other prisoners are expected to serve out their life sentences. The trio buried their victims alive in a rock quarry 11 while planning to demand a five-million-dollar ransom 12. All 27 managed to escape. For NPR News, I’m Bob Hensley in Modesto, California.
 
The Southern Baptist Convention meets next week in New Orleans. Members are expected to elect the first black president in its 167-year history. Fred Luter Jr. is from New Orleans and rebuilt his church after Hurricane Katrina into the denomination’s largest congregation in Louisiana. Southern Baptist Convention is primary white.
 
The body that governs European soccer today issued its first formal charge of racism 13 at the European Championship. It’s accusing Croatian fans of improper 14 conduct during game between Croatia and Italy this week that Croatian supporters made monkey noises directed at a black player on the Italian team. The Croatia soccer association says it distances itself from such a behavior.