Month: January 2020

That plan backfired Thursday in Cobargo, in the state of New South Wales, where residents made no bones about their anger. ### “You won’t be getting any votes down here, buddy. You’re an idiot. Who votes Liberal round here? Nobody. No Liberal votes. You’re out son. You are out,” one man said, referring to Morrison’s conservative party, according to footage from CNN affiliate Nine News. “Go on, piss off!” ### Another woman called the Australian…

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The Angeles National Forest crew will deploy from Los Angeles on Monday, the US Forest Service reports. ### The US has sent dozens of managers to Australia already, but this team is thought to be the first that puts shovels in the ground to dig fire breaks, starts back fires with drip torch cans, and hikes dusty miles in rough terrain. ### “I’m looking forward to the opportunity to reciprocate to our Australian brothers and…

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“I am totally devastated watching what is happening in Australia right now with the horrific bushfires,” Pink said on Twitter. ### “My heart goes out to our friends and family in Oz.” ### The pop star, whose real name is Alecia Beth Moore, said she would be donating directly to local fire services. ### Pink is one of many celebrities, including LaMelo Ball and Nick Kyrgios, who have pledged donations to help fight the wildfires.…

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The bright orange haze may look like something out of a dystopic science fiction film — or even Dante’s Inferno — but this is Australia’s current reality. A total of 20 people have died, and the photographs of human suffering are foreboding: native Australians have poured out of smoke-shrouded towns as the flames creep nearer, while people along the coast have taken refuge on beaches. ### These are scenes from an Earth that is becoming…

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Back in July, NASA snapped photos of an area area near the southeastern tip of Australia which showed vast green areas, vibrant with life. ### Now, photographs taken from space covering that same swath of land show a dull brown haze almost totally obscuring the land below. ### On Friday, NASA shared the photos captured by the agency’s Operational Land Imager aboard its Landsat 8 satellite. That satellite is dedicated to providing detailed images of…

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“Our family’s support, thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by the fires all over Australia,” the couple said on Instagram. ### “We are donating $500,000 to the Rural Fire Services who are all doing and giving so much right now.” ### Kidman and Urban, native Australians who own a farmhouse outside Sydney, shared a link to local fire services where anyone can make donations. ### They are the latest celebrities pledging donations to help…

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A total of 24 people have died nationwide, and in the state of New South Wales alone, more than 1,300 houses have been destroyed. State and federal authorities are struggling to contain the massive blazes, even with firefighting assistance from other countries, including the United States. ### All this has been exacerbated by persistent heat and drought, and many point to climate change as a factor making natural disasters go from bad to worse. ###…

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Bindi Irwin, Steve’s daughter, and the rest of the Irwin family have rescued and treated over 90,000 animals, many of which were injured in Australia’s recent devastating wildfires. ### Ollie, an orphaned platypus, was patient number 90,000 at the Wildlife Hospital, Bindi’s brother, Robert Irwin, said on Instagram. ### “With so many devastating fires within Australia, my heart breaks for the people and wildlife who have lost so much,” Bindi said in an Instagram post…

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Well, here we go again. The Vikings stunned the football world on Sunday when Kirk Cousins connected with Kyle Rudolph for a 4-yard goal-line fade in the end zone, giving Minnesota the 26-20 overtime victory in New Orleans. But it wouldn’t be Saints playoff football if it didn’t come with a little controversy. Rudolph, matched up with cornerback P.J. Williams, appeared to extend his arm, giving him some breathing room to make the game-sealing catch.…

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News this week of the NFL investigating the Patriots for competitive misconduct, this time for its videotaping at a Bengals-Browns game, has brought to mind a history of accusations against the franchise that date back more than a decade. Fair or not, New England’s run of six Super Bowl victories in 18 seasons has been accompanied by sharp criticism and suspicion from rivals. The team cites its doubters as motivation for continued success. But many of the key controversies of…

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