New South Wales declares state of emergency as Australia burns

MONDAY, 21 OCTOBER 2013 00:00 EDITOR NEWS - WORLD

A STATE of emergency has been declared in New South Wales as Australian firefighters battle bushfires that have already destroyed more than 200 homes.

The announcement comes as conditions look set to deteriorate with soaring temperatures and strong winds expected to fan the flames in the coming days.

The Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, has been the worst-hit region with some fires still raging out of control.

State officials say they are the most dangerous conditions in 40 years.

New South Wales Premier Barry O’Farrell said the declaration would give emergency services additional powers over the next 30 days.

These could include cutting gas and power supplies if needed and ordering mandatory evacuations.

“We’re planning for the worst but hoping for the best,” he said.

Gary Neville says Manchester United are struggling because their midfield play is too slow

Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville believes the key to the side's problems so far this season is that their game through midfield is not quick enough.

Confidence: Gary Neville believes opposing sides are now daring to field more attacking players at Old Trafford Photo: GETTY IMAGES

By James Restall

10:19PM BST 20 Oct 2013

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Gary Neville believes that a lack of dynamism in the midfield is costingManchester United dear this season.

The former England defender thinks that United’s inability to dominate games in the middle of the park is tempting visiting managers to name a more attacking line-up against the champions.

Ghana will come out of economic turbulence – President Mahama

Page last updated at Sunday, October 20, 2013 19:19 PM // Leave Your Comment

President John Mahama

President John Dramani Mahama on Sunday said Ghana would soon come out of the socio-economic turbulence it is currently going through.

He said “Developed countries such as the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Japan and Germany all went through both political and economic turbulence but with perseverance, they have all succeeded.”

President Mahama sad this when he joined the Star of the Sea Catholic Church to thank God for his victory in the 2012 election petition case at the Supreme Court a couple of months ago.

This is the fourth time President Mahama has visited various churches to offer thanks after earlier on visiting the RingWay Assemblies of God Church, Action Chapel International and The Mount Cedar Chapel.

The thanksgiving service was also attended by First Lady Lordina Mahama, Ministers of state, Members of Parliament, and leadership of the National Democratic Congress, among others.

It also attracted both Catholics and non-Catholics to worship at the Dansoman-based Church.

President Mahama said his administration would exhibit best governance to sustain Ghana’s position on the continent as the shinning star of Africa, by deepening her democratic credentials.

He, however, called on all Ghanaians and stakeholders to play responsible roles that would support government to carry out the needed development projects in the country.

“God has raised his hands on Ghana and we cannot afford to fail the people in our pursuit for growth and development”, President Mahama added.

President Mahama said life was a journey that could not be smooth or rough forever and called for collective prayers to ensure success.

The Very Reverend Father, Samuel Filton-Mensah, Parish Priest of the Star of the Sea Catholic Church advised President Mahama to form a formidable team that could be likened to that of Moses, Joshua and Aaron to be able to execute the governance of the country.

Egypt police, protesters clash at Cairo university

By MAGGIE MICHAEL and HAMZA HENDAWI, Associated Press | October 20, 2013 | Updated: October 20, 2013 3:40pm

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CAIRO (AP) — Egyptian anti-riot police fired tear gas Sunday at hundreds of supporters of the country's ousted Islamist president, besieging them inside a prestigious Muslim institution after stone-hurling protesters cut off a main road.

Sunday's clashes marked the second day of unrest at Al-Azhar University, Sunni Islam's most prominent center of learning. Many supporters of ousted President Mohammed Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood are students at Al-Azhar, a stronghold of the group. The campus is also near where Islamists had a sprawling protest camp that security forces raided in August, leaving hundreds dead and sparking days of unrest.

The students' protest started with a march inside campus, where protesters hurled stones at the administrator's offices, smashing windows and breaking doors, said Ibrahim el-Houdhoud, deputy head of the university. He told satellite news channel Al-Jazeera Mubashir Misr that he warned protesters against leaving campus and clashing with security forces.

The protesters however ignored the advice, marching out of the main gates to hold "prayers for the dead" — honoring students killed in earlier clashes between security forces and protesters in July.

Security video shows Kenyan soldiers looting mall

AP3:36 p.m. EDT October 20, 2013

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Men in fatigues walked out of a store in Nairobi's Westgate Mall like ordinary shoppers, holding plastic bags heavy with unknown items after Islamic extremists staged an attack. Others looked behind counters as they descended into the shopping center to fight the militants, and lifted items.

In security camera video seen by The Associated Press on Sunday, some members of Kenya's armed forces appeared to loot a store during the four-day siege of what used to be Nairobi's most upscale mall. At least 67 people were killed in the attack.

Boko Haram Islamists kill 19 in Nigeria's northeast: Residents

AFP | Oct 20, 2013, 09.02 PM IST

KANO: Boko Haram gunmen dressed in military uniform on Sunday killed 19 people near the Nigerian border with Cameroon in the restive northeast where the Islamists have carried out deadly attacks, residents and a survivor said.

The motorcycle-riding gunmen armed with Kalashnikovs blocked the highway near the town of Logumani, 30 kilometres (19 miles) from the border around 5:00 am, shooting and hacking to death 19 motorists and burning three trucks, they said.

"We have recovered 19 dead bodies from the scene of the attack byBoko Haram gunmen," Musa Abur, leader of a civilian vigilante group in the area told AFP.

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Sunday, 20 October 2013

New South Wales declares state of emergency as Australia burns

New South Wales declares state of emergency as Australia burns