TEHRAN, Iran — Iranian engineers began filling a new dam Thursday as archaeologists warned that its reservoir will flood newly discovered antiquities and could damage Iran’s grandest site, the ancient Persian capital of Persepolis.

The launch was delayed for months to give international archaeological teams time to conduct excavations in the area after an appeal from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

Archaeologists say the lake will submerge the Royal Passage, which linked two capital cities in ancient Persia, as well as some of the 130 ancient sites along the Tang-e-Bolaghi, a mountain path that crosses the Sivand River. Humidity, spreading through underground water from the dam, could damage nearby Persepolis. The sprawling ruins, Greek for “City of Persians,” are famed for the grand double stairway rising to a wide, terraced audience hall. Sacked by Alexander the Great about 330 B.C., the old city is visited by millions every year./AP

Tough talk in Iraq

Gates: U.S. military

support not ‘open-ended’

FALLUJAH, Iraq — Defense Secretary Robert Gates, on an unannounced trip to Iraq, delivered a sharp message to the country’s political leaders Thursday: The U.S. military’s commitment to the war is not open-ended.

“The clock is ticking,” Gates told reporters, saying he will warn Iraqi officials that they must move faster on political reconciliation. “I know it’s difficult, and clearly the attack on the council of representatives has made people nervous, but I think that it’s very important that they bend every effort to getting this legislation done as quickly as possible.”

Gates, traveling to Iraq for the third time in four months, took a decidedly stronger tone this time. Gates said Iraqis must push through legislation on political reconciliation and the sharing of oil revenues among Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds. “It’s not that these laws are going to change the situation immediately, but ... the ability to get them done communicates a willingness to work together,” he said./AP

Debate on the war

Reid: War in Iraq is ‘lost’

 WASHINGTON —Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Thursday the war in Iraq is “lost,” triggering an angry backlash by Republicans.

The bleak assessment was the sharpest yet from Reid, who has vowed to send President Bush legislation calling for combat to end next year.

“I believe myself that the secretary of state, secretary of defense and — you have to make your own decisions as to what the president knows — (know) this war is lost and the surge is not accomplishing anything as indicated by the extreme violence in Iraq yesterday,” said Reid, D-Nev.

Republicans pounced on the comment. “I can’t begin to imagine how our troops in the field, who are risking their lives every day, are going to react when they get back to base and hear that the Democrat leader of the United States Senate has declared the war is lost,” said Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky./AP

Turmoil at World Bank

Bank board meets

on Wolfowitz’ fate

WASHINGTON —The World Bank’s board met privately Thursday to discuss President Paul Wolfowitz, whose leadership has been thrown into turmoil by revelations that he helped his girlfriend get a high-paying job.

Documents released last week showed that Wolfowitz had a direct hand in securing a State Department job for Riza in September 2005 that pays her $193,590. Before the transfer, Riza was earning close to $133,000 as a communications adviser in the bank’s Middle East department.

It was unclear what action, if any, the 24-member board would take. Many of the bank’s employees and some European governments want Wolfowitz to resign. The United States, the bank’s largest shareholder, is standing by Wolfowitz.

Critics fear the controversy will hobble efforts — now under way — to come up with close to $30 billion in funding for a World Bank program that provides financial help to poor countries./AP

Bucharest unrest

Romanian leader, a U.S.

ally, comes under fire

BUCHAREST, Romania —President Traian Basescu won the hearts of his people with his roguish charm, steering Romania into the European Union this year and attracting millions in foreign investment by opening up the economy.

On Thursday, parliament voted to suspend him for 30 days — ushering in a period of uncertainty for a U.S. ally that has troops in Iraq.

The vote in the opposition-dominated parliament paved the way for the legislature to organize a referendum to impeach Basescu. But he could decide to resign, which would prompt elections within three months./AP