Firefighters Begin to Leave as Containment on the Rim Fire Reaches 60%

Firefighters have now battled the Rim Fire to sixty percent containment, in California.

The fire has burnt over two hundred and twenty-nine thousand acres, including forty-nine thousand in Yosemite National Park.

Over five thousand firefighters had been battling the blaze, but their numbers have now been lowered to forty-six hundred.

One hundred and eleven buildings, including thirty-one homes, have been lost to the flames.

Forty-five hundred homes and a thousand other buildings lie with a mandatory evacuation area, that is threatened by the blaze.

Hopes are that continued containment will allow for some evacuations to be lifted soon.

Winds continue to drown nearby towns in smoke, making breathing difficult.

However, the winds changed directions, blowing the fire back on itself, that combined with lower temperatures and higher humidity aided in battling the fire.

Yosemite National Park has remained opened, the main part of the park lies more than twenty miles away and authorities say that it is not in any danger.

3 Injured in Maryland Plane Crash

Three people were injured when their plane crashed near Bowie, Maryland.

Monday afternoon's crash took place just off of Highway 50.

Two of the three were critically injured in the accident.

An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the crash.

Traffic on Highway 50 was backed up for hours, due to the incident.

Taliban Attacks US Base in Afghanistan

Heavily armed militants attack a US and NATO base in eastern Afghanistan, on Monday.

The attack lasted for more than three hours, before all of the militants were killed or committed suicide.

No NATO or US troops were injured during the battle.

A dozen supply trucks were burnt and destroyed.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the assault.

US Army: Staff Sergeant Joshua J. Bowden

Staff Sergeant Joshua J. Bowden, twenty-eight of Villa Rica, Georgia, died on August 31.

He was killed in combat in Ghazni province Afghanistan.

It was his second deployment to Afghanistan.

Bowden was assigned to the 242 Ordnance Battalion, 71st Ordnance Group out of Fort Carson, Colorado.

His decorations include: Purple Heart, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal with Valor device, NATO Medal, Combat Action Badge, Parachute Badge, Air Assault Badge, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Badge.

Ford Recalling 370,000 Vehicles in US and Canada

Ford has announced a recall of three hundred and seventy thousand vehicles in the US and Canada.

The vehicles may see corrosion in the steering shaft, which could lead to a loss of ability to steer.

No injured or accidents have been reported, due to the possible issue.

2005-2011 Ford Crown Victoria, Lincoln Town Cars, and Mercury Grand Marquis are covered by the recall.

Free inspections will take place at dealerships, any necessary replacements will also be done free of charge.

5000 Firefighters Battle 223,000 Acre Rim Fire to 40% Containment

Over five thousand firefighters and two dozen aircraft are battling the Rim Fire, in California.

They have fought it to forty percent containment.

The fire has burnt over two hundred and twenty-three thousand acres, including forty-nine thousand in Yosemite National Park.

One hundred and eleven buildings, including thirty-one homes, have been lost to the flames.

Forty-five hundred homes and a thousand other buildings lie with a mandatory evacuation area, that is threatened by the blaze.

Hopes are that continued containment will allow for some evacuations to be lifted soon.

Winds continue to help the fire expand and drown nearby towns in smoke, making breathing difficult.

However, lower temperatures and higher humidity have aided in battling the fire.

Yosemite National Park has remained opened, the main part of the park lies more than twenty miles away and authorities say that it is not in any danger.

Most worries are focused on the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and the O'Shaughnessy Dam, which are now less than half a mile from the flames.

San Fransisco gets eighty-five percent of it's water from the reservoir and significant amounts of power from the dam.

City officials say that they have adequate emergency reserves, should the water become reached by the smoke.

They are also doing hourly checks of water quality to ensure that contaminants from the fire are not reaching people's drinking water.

Power supply has already been interrupted, as some power lines have fallen victim to flames.

Snow and Cold Kill 7 in Bolivia, Paraguay, and Peru

Heavy snows and freezing cold have killed seven people in South America.

The deaths are spread over Bolivia, Paraguay, and Peru.

Tens of thousands of animals have frozen to death, breaking the finances of ranchers and farmers.

Buildings and homes have collapsed under the weight of the snow.

President Ollanta Humala, of Peru, placed several regions under a twenty day state of emergency.

44 Iranian Refugees Killed in Iraq

Forty-four Iranian refugees were killed at Camp Ashraf, on Sunday.

A fight broke out between two groups of refugees and then one group charged Iraqi security forces.

The security forces opened fire after some form of grenade was thrown at them.

It is unclear how many of the deaths occurred during the internal clashes versus the shooting.

A UN mission is being sent to investigate the incident.

Roadside Bomb Kills 9 Soldiers in Pakistan

A roadside bomb struck an army convoy in North Waziristan, Pakistan, on Sunday.

The blast left nine Pakistani soldiers dead and twenty-one wounded.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Several terrorist groups, including both Al Qaeda and the Taliban, operate in the region making it difficult to determine who planted the explosives.

6.5 Quake Shakes Indonesia and Australia

A 6.5 earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia, on Sunday.

The quake caused panic on some of the islands and was felt along the Australian coast.

However, there was no danger of a tsunami as the epicenter was eighty-two miles beneath the surface.

No reports of damage or injuries have been made.