EVENTS
WESTERN WILDFIRES IN SIX STATES Dozens of wildfires continued their destructive march through the dry West yesterday. Many of the blazes were touched off by lightning and fueled by gusty winds and temperatures over 100 degrees. In Palm Desert, Calif., about 100 miles east of Los Angeles, a fire scorched more than 14,000 acres. Authorities ordered the evacuation of four resort developments and closed a state highway. About 50 miles to the southeast, another fire that started Sunday near Lake Arrowhead spread across 10,000 acres. Firefighters were also battling fires in Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming. Meanwhile, forest fires were burning out of control in eastern Spain. Americans and patriotism
Most Americans think they're very patriotic but their neighbors aren't, according to a Gallup poll released yesterday. Two-thirds of those polled described themselves as extremely patriotic (21 percent) or very patriotic (43 percent). But nearly three-quarters of respondents said Americans are less patriotic today than in previous decades. Feelings of patriotism varied by age, with younger adults least likely to feel very patriotic. Outlawing the Khmer Rouge
One day after suppressing a coup attempt, Cambodian leaders prepared yesterday to tackle a divisive issue on another front - a bill to outlaw the Khmer Rouge guerrillas. The bill will be introduced at the Parliament session that runs through tomorrow, said Second Premier Hun Sen. He said the parties already had the two-thirds majority needed to enact it. Yemen shelling continues
Northern artillery and rocket batteries pounded the southern stronghold of Aden yesterday. The shelling came despite a cease-fire unilaterally announced the night before by southern forces but which never took hold. Nine other truces have fallen apart in the two-month-old civil war. Air crash probed
Tower controllers warned pilots of shifting winds before a USAir jet crashed July 2, killing 37 people, an investigator said. The pilot tried to land about a minute after the warning. Then, because of the storm, he decided to abort, but crashed. Investigators planned to interview the pilots today. Havel gets Liberty Medal
Czech President Vaclav Havel received the 1994 Philadelphia Liberty Medal yesterday with a call for a spiritual renewal to unite people who are linked globally but violently torn by cultural conflicts. Mr. Havel, a renowned playwright jailed for his dissident activities and later swept to power in 1989, was awarded the annual Liberty Medal for his work toward cultural and political freedoms.
