NPR 2011-06-19

From NPR News in Washington, I'm Nora Raum.

The British Foreign Office is urging Britons in Syria to leave that country immediately. The warning comes as violence escalates 1 between anti-government protesters and Syrian security forces. Larry Miller 2 reports.

The statement posted on the Foreign Office website says those who disregard its advice do it at their own risk, that they should watch the developing situation closely, take responsibility for their own safety and make contingency 4 plans. It also says the British embassy in Damascus would be highly unlikely to help if the situation deteriorates 5 further. It also warns that because evacuation options will be limited, UK nationals should leave now by any commercial means possible. Travel to Syria has been discouraged for some time, but this advice goes significantly further that if you stay, you're on your own. For NPR News, I'm Larry Miller in London.

Gunmen dressed as Afghan soldiers stormed a police station today near the presidential palace in Kabul. Officials say at least nine people were killed. The attack occurred shortly after President Hamid Karzai spoke 6 at the palace. He said his government and the US have begun peace talks with the Taliban. The US will neither confirm nor deny that talks are under way. Richard Kemp once commanded the British troops in Afghanistan. He told the BBC perhaps the best strategy would be to persuade more moderate members of the Taliban to break away from their leaders.

"The Americans or British, other nations as well, have been doing everything they can to try and get some kind of reconciliation 7 going. I think the emphasis has normally been, I believe, to try and split away the less hard-core members of the Taliban from Mullah Omar's core."

But Kemp said he doesn't think Taliban leaders will agree to support the current Afghan constitution.

Fire crews are battling several wildfires in the South. The governor of Arizona has declared an emergency. NPR's Allison Keyes reports high winds are expected to be a problem for the largest wildfire in that state's history.

The wildfire in eastern Arizona has burned more than 500000 acres, and while it's now 38% contained, public information officer Tommy Rogue 8 says forecast[s] of winds rising to 50 miles an hour by tomorrow mean critical fire weather conditions.

"Right now, we have calm winds, but, you know, we expected red flag warnings with wind increasing throughout the day."

He says the long battle is beginning to take its toll 9 on the more than 4000 firefighters on the scene.

"This is almost two weeks now, and the firefighters are what they call timing 10 out. So they come up on their 14 days, getting replaced by new ones."

Fires are also burning in New Mexico, along the Colorado border, and in Florida, Georgia and Texas. Allison Keyes, NPR News.

United Airlines say a computer glitch 11 has been fixed 12, and its operations are getting back to normal. A problem grounded flights across the US last night, stranding 13 passengers in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Denver and Chicago.

This is NPR News.

There's been another milestone 14 for Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot in the head during a community event in January. Andrea Kelly of member station KUAZ in Tusan reports.

Just days ago, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was discharged from a rehabilitation 15 hospital in Houston where she's been recovering from an assassination 16 attempt. This weekend, she's visiting her hometown Tusan for the first time since January. Her spokesman C.J. Karamargin says she's been working toward this goal for a long time.

"Tusan is Gabrielle's home. This is where she'd been born. This is where she grew up. She is a child of the desert, and this is where her heart is. So this trip means a lot to her, means the world to her, and we are hopeful that this would be the first of many visits until she's able to return home permanently 17."

Gifford's staff says the trip will be private, no public appearances or interviews. For NPR News, I'm Andrea Kelly in Tusan, Arizona.

President Obama says that sometimes his hardest job is being a father. He said it's also the most rewarding. The president devoted 18 his weekly address today to being a dad. He said he's learned that children need their parents' unconditional 19 love and their time.

"All of us can encourage our children to turn off the video games and pick up a book. All of us can pack a healthy lunch for our son, or go outside and play ball with our daughter. And all of us can teach our children the difference between right and wrong, and show them through our own example the value in treating one another as we wish to be treated."

The president spent the day before Father's Day on the links playing golf with House Speaker John Boehner. Vice 3 President Joe Biden and Ohio Governor John Kasich rounded out the foursome. So far, the White House has not announced who won.

I'm Nora Raum, NPR News in Washington.