LA wildfires worsen

31/08/09 19:32 CET

world news

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A wildfire raging through the Los Angeles foothills has almost doubled in size overnight, threatening thousands of homes.

The blaze has now burned some 35,000 hectares but firefighters are confident of bringing it under control. The five day old wildfire has now claimed its first victims. Two firefighters were killed when their vehicle rolled off a mountainside as they battled a massive blaze in northern Los Angeles County. Some 10,000 homes are now under evacuation orders as is Mount Wilson, the nerve centre for key telecommunications facilities, including TV and radio transmission towers. Authorities have also been forced to issue health warnings for the Los Angeles basin with dense smoke now filling up much of the skies over the areas foothills and forest.More about: Fires, Los Angeles, USA

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Mali: Rebel groups agree to creation of Islamic state

Two Rebel groups have agreed to merge and create an independent Islamic state in Northern Mali. After seizing Azawad – an area larger than France – two months ago, the groups had initially disagreed, with the secular Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA)…