1 Blaze raging out of control
A wildfire with a ferocity never seen before by veteran California firefighters raced up and down canyon hillsides, instantly engulfing homes and forcing thousands of people to flee, some running for their lives just ahead of the flames. Today, a day after it ignited in
brush left tinder-dry by years of drought, the blaze had spread across nearly 120 sq km and was raging out of control. The flames advanced despite the efforts of 1300 firefighters. "There will be a lot of families that come home to nothing," San Bernardino County Fire Chief Mark Hartwig said after flying over a fire scene he described as "devastating". He added: "It hit hard. It hit fast. It hit with an intensity that we hadn't seen before".
2 Trump's intelligence breifing
Donald Trump has received his first classified intelligence briefing, meeting national security officials for more than two hours. The celebrity businessman became entitled to the briefings once he officially became the Republican nominee for president. The briefing was delivered by career staffers from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and was expected to cover major threats and emerging concerns around the world. Trump brought along some top advisers, including New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and Lieutenant General Michael Flynn, to the briefing. It wasn't clear whether Democrat Hillary Clinton has received an intelligence briefing.
3 Help for Ohio boy
People across the US want to help a 7-year-old Ohio boy who told a police officer he was trying to sell a stuffed animal to buy food, because he hadn't eaten in several days. Individuals and businesses from around the country have been asking how they can help, a spokesman for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul at St Mary of the Assumption Church in Franklin said. "I've had calls from Alaska, Arizona, North Carolina and Texas and many other states," St. Vincent de Paul spokesman Rocky Adams said, adding that they already have received several hundred dollars to help the boy and his brothers.
4 Inmates make way for new inmates
Turkey began releasing inmates in an apparent move to reduce its prison population to make space for thousands of people who have been arrested as part of an investigation into last month's failed coup. The discharges started just hours after the Government issued a decree for the conditional release of some 38,000 prisoners under Turkey's three-month long state of emergency that was declared following the coup. The decree allows the release of inmates who have two years or less to serve of their prison terms and makes convicts who have served half of their prison term eligible for parole. People convicted of murder, domestic violence, sexual abuse, terrorism and other crimes against the state are excluded.
5 Train hits a tree
Thirteen people were seriously injured when an intercity train travelling at 140km/h hit a fallen tree on tracks near the southern French city of Montpellier, emergency services say. "One passenger is in a critical condition and a dozen are badly hurt," said a paramedic spokesman, adding another 50 people were treated for minor injuries at the scene. The train was travelling at the usual speed for the stretch of track near the village of Saint-Aunes, a spokesman for state rail company SNCF said. The tree fell across both tracks during a heavy hail storm.
