Australia

PERTH, Australia (AP) — Firefighters battling wildfires in Australia’s most populous state attempted to make headway Thursday amid favorable conditions, before an “extreme heatwave” hits embattled areas on the weekend.

Thousands of firefighters in New South Wales took advantage of cooler weather and continued to strengthen containment lines. More than 70 fires, however, were still burning across the state with areas in the south coast currently at the “watch and act” level issued by fire services.

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Calls for Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison to resign have littered social media platforms after it was revealed he was holidaying in Hawaii while the country battled a bushfire emergency and his return has failed to douse the criticism.

Voters have taken to social media calling for leadership at a time of crisis, and along with some of the country’s political editors, have criticized Morrison’s refusal to take tougher action on climate change.

PERTH, Australia (AP) — Australia’s beleaguered prime minister announced Tuesday that volunteer firefighters from the federal public sector will receive paid leave entitlements in a move to help contain wildfires that have ravaged parts of the country.

About 5 million hectares (12.35 million acres) of land have burned nationwide over the past few months, with nine people killed and more than 950 homes destroyed. New South Wales, the country’s most populous state, has received the brunt of the damage, with around 850 homes razed in the state.

SYDNEY, Dec 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Five people have been taken to hospital after a pre-Christmas balloon drop at a Sydney shopping centre caused a dangerous crowd crush.

Police say a number of people were knocked over and injured when the crowd surged as the prize-filled balloons were released during Westfield Parramatta’s “mega balloon drop” at midnight.

CANBERRA, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police (AFP) has warned that the dark web has led to widespread violent child abuse.

Reece Kershaw, who was named the head of the AFP in July, on Monday told News Corp Australia that Australia has not uncovered the full extent of online child pornography.

His comments came days after police officers arrested Ron Brierley, a prominent Sydney businessman, on his way out of the country and charged him with multiple counts of possessing child pornography.

PERTH, Australia (AP) — Australia’s most populous state was paralyzed by “catastrophic” fire conditions Saturday amid souring temperatures, while one person died as wildfires also ravaged the country’s southeast.

“Catastrophic fire conditions are as bad as it gets,” New South Wales Rural Fire Services Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons told reporters. “Given we have a landscape with so much active fire burning, you have a recipe for very serious concern and a very dangerous day.”

SYDNEY, Dec 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Two Australian firefighters were killed and three injured when their truck crashed as they battled out-of-control blazes in New South Wales state, officials said.

The accident occurred when the truck crashed into a tree then rolled off the road during an operation late on Thursday at Buxton, about 100km southwest of Sydney, the NSW Rural Fire Service said.

“This is an absolutely devastating event in what has already been an incredibly difficult day and fire season,” the RFS said in a statement.

SYDNEY, Dec 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Australia’s most populous state declared its second state of state of emergency in two months on Thursday as extreme heat and strong winds were expected to fan scores of uncontrolled bushfires.

Firefighters were given broad powers to control government resources, force evacuations, close roads and shut down utilities across New South Wales state, where 100 wildfires are burning.

PERTH, Australia (AP) — Two volunteer firefighters died Thursday while battling wildfires ravaging Australia’s most populous state, forcing Prime Minister Scott Morrison to cut short his family holiday as authorities braced for temperatures to soar in New South Wales at the weekend.

CANBERRA, Dec 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, has come under fire for going on holiday with his family, while bush-fires continue to burn across the country.

Responding to news of the holiday, members of the Opposition Labour Party accused the prime minister of abandoning rural communities, currently battling bush-fires in his home state of New South Wales (NSW).