2018年1月9日星期二

Yahoo! News: Terrorism

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Yahoo! News: Terrorism


Dem donor Tom Steyer announces $30M plan to take back Congress

Posted: 08 Jan 2018 09:34 AM PST

Dem donor Tom Steyer announces $30M plan to take back CongressDemocratic donor Tom Steyer -- the billionaire behind a high-profile Trump impeachment campaign -- announced a plan on Monday to take back Congress from the current Republican majority.


Here's How Frozen Alligators Survived Last Week's Winter Blast

Posted: 09 Jan 2018 12:01 PM PST

Here's How Frozen Alligators Survived Last Week's Winter BlastA viral video of alligators frozen in an icy pond at North Carolina's Shallotte River Swamp Park has been the talk of social media, with many people wondering whether coldblooded crocodilians can survive in brutally cold temperatures.


New body camera video shows fatal Colorado sheriff’s deputy shooting

Posted: 08 Jan 2018 07:55 AM PST

New body camera video shows fatal Colorado sheriff's deputy shootingPolice have just released body camera footage from the New Year's Eve shooting in Colorado that left one officer dead and four others wounded.


Adam Rippon Will Be First Openly Gay U.S. Man To Compete In The Winter Olympics

Posted: 08 Jan 2018 02:18 PM PST

Adam Rippon Will Be First Openly Gay U.S. Man To Compete In The Winter OlympicsFigure skater Adam Rippon made history Sunday as the first openly gay U.S. man to qualify for the Winter Olympics.


Wife of disgraced Pennsylvania police chief addresses scandal

Posted: 08 Jan 2018 07:38 AM PST

Wife of disgraced Pennsylvania police chief addresses scandalThe wife of a disgraced Pennsylvania police chief has broken her silence after her husband was arrested on Friday for trying to solicit sex from an undercover officer posing as a 14-year-old girl, KDKA reports.


Oil tanker burning off China's coast at risk of exploding

Posted: 08 Jan 2018 05:01 AM PST

Oil tanker burning off China's coast at risk of explodingBEIJING (AP) — An oil tanker that caught fire after colliding with a freighter off China's east coast is at risk of exploding and sinking, Chinese state media reported Monday, as authorities from three countries struggled to find its 32 missing crew members and contain oil spewing from the blazing wreck.


The Politics of Washington Have Wrecked Afghanistan's Future

Posted: 08 Jan 2018 04:55 PM PST

The Politics of Washington Have Wrecked Afghanistan's FutureAfghanistan's old wounds—no longer bandaged by U.S. dollar bills—are opening once again. President Donald Trump rang in the new year with a Twitter salvo directed at Pakistan, claiming that Washington has given Islamabad more than $33 billion in aid after 9/11, but has only received "lies and deceit" in return. The administration has since announced the suspension of military assistance to Pakistan.


Elisabeth Moss Thanks Margaret Atwood In Stirring Golden Globes Acceptance Speech

Posted: 07 Jan 2018 06:24 PM PST

Elisabeth Moss Thanks Margaret Atwood In Stirring Golden Globes Acceptance SpeechElisabeth Moss brought down the house Sunday night with her acceptance speech for her Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Television Series Drama.


Record rain and mudslides hit California

Posted: 09 Jan 2018 08:01 AM PST

Record rain and mudslides hit CaliforniaSeveral homes have swept from their foundations and residents are unaccounted for as mud flows into Southern California neighborhoods below hillsides scarred by recent wildfires.


Royal Navy intercepts Russian naval ships in English Channel

Posted: 08 Jan 2018 03:18 AM PST

Royal Navy intercepts Russian naval ships in English ChannelA Royal Navy frigate is escorting four Russian naval ships through the English Channel. HMS Westminster is accompanying two Russian frigates and two support ships as they head north returning from the Mediterranean. Naval sources said the contact was routine, but it comes amid an estimated 10-fold increase of Russian naval activity in waters around Britain and in the North Atlantic this decade. Commander Simon Kelly, the Commanding Officer of HMS Westminster, said: "HMS Westminster's role as the Royal Navy's Fleet Ready Escort is to be at very high readiness to respond to anything the British government requires. "While today most people are returning to work for the first time in the New Year, HMS Westminster's ship's company has been at sea and at readiness as part of the Royal Navy's commitment to keep Britain safe at all times. "The English Channel is an absolute lifeline for the UK, and it is very important HMS Westminster and the Royal Navy maintains a watchful eye on this key strategic link." HMS Westminster escorted five Russian ships through the English Channel Credit: Louise George Activity has risen in recent years with warships passing Britain on their way to join Russia's military campaign to prop up Bashar al-Assad in Syria.  On Christmas Day, the frigate HMS St Albans was dispatched to track the Russian vessel Admiral Gorshkov as it made its way through the North Sea close to Britain.  And on Christmas Eve, HMS Tyne was dispatched to escort a Russian intelligence-gathering ship through the North Sea and the England Channel. A Wildcat helicopter was then also dispatched to monitor two further Russian vessels. Royal Navy's HMS Westminster Giving a strong statement last month, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, said: "I will not hesitate in defending our waters or tolerate any form of aggression.  "Britain will never be intimidated when it comes to protecting our country, our people, and our national interests."   


Fisker unveils Emotion Electric sedan with butterfly doors

Posted: 08 Jan 2018 03:57 AM PST

Fisker unveils Emotion Electric sedan with butterfly doorsFisker Inc. might sound like a familiar name, but it's actually a very new company that's just released a few details of its first new vehicle, the EMotion electric sedan. Although the official image doesn't give away much about some of the really revolutionary engineering behind the EMotion, it does show in some style the feature most people will inevitably talk about with this car: its pretty crazy butterfly doors. The company is run by Henrik Fisker, who was also the man behind Fisker Automotive, which produced the Karma electric sedan before the company withered and car went to China, resurrected by a company called Karma as the Revero.


U.S. hails Korea talks, despite North's rejection of denuclearization

Posted: 09 Jan 2018 03:11 PM PST

U.S. hails Korea talks, despite North's rejection of denuclearizationBy Christine Kim and David Brunnstrom SEOUL/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - North and South Korea held their first talks in over two years on Tuesday, which Washington welcomed as a first step to solving the North Korean nuclear weapons crisis, even though Pyongyang said those were aimed only at the United States and not up for discussion. The U.S. State Department said Washington would be interested in joining future talks, but stuck to its insistence that they must be aimed at denuclearization, showing that a diplomatic breakthrough remains far off.


Lawmaker Says Black People Can't Handle Marijuana Because Of 'Genetics'

Posted: 08 Jan 2018 05:55 PM PST

Lawmaker Says Black People Can't Handle Marijuana Because Of 'Genetics'Put this in your pipe and smoke it: A Kansas lawmaker thinks marijuana should be illegal because he said black people are genetically unable to handle its effects.


Mom Kills Husband, Two Sons Before Fatally Shooting Herself at Upscale Texas Resort

Posted: 09 Jan 2018 08:31 AM PST

Mom Kills Husband, Two Sons Before Fatally Shooting Herself at Upscale Texas ResortTexas police believe a 37-year-old old mother fatally shot her husband and their two young sons before turning the gun on herself in an apparent murder-suicide in a high-end Galveston resort, PEOPLE confirms


Cliven Bundy emerges free, defiant after Nevada case tossed

Posted: 08 Jan 2018 07:05 PM PST

Cliven Bundy emerges free, defiant after Nevada case tossedLAS VEGAS (AP) — The Nevada rancher accused of leading an armed standoff that stopped federal agents from rounding up his cattle in 2014 walked out of a courthouse in Las Vegas a free and defiant man Monday, declaring that his fight against U.S. authority is not over.


Robert Mueller Is Interested in Interviewing President Trump as Part of the Russia Probe

Posted: 08 Jan 2018 03:05 PM PST

Robert Mueller Is Interested in Interviewing President Trump as Part of the Russia ProbeNo details have been worked out if the interview were to take place


Black Artists Creatively Reimagine Racist H&M Ad

Posted: 09 Jan 2018 12:56 PM PST

Black Artists Creatively Reimagine Racist H&M AdBlack artists have stepped up to create new versions of a racist H&M ad after the brand drew criticism for a photo on its website. The Weeknd announced he was ending of his partnership with the brand over the ad. Amid the backlash, black celebrities and creatives have stepped up to do what they do best: turn a horrible situation into a reason to celebrate.


Israeli air strikes, rockets hit Syria: Syrian army

Posted: 09 Jan 2018 09:01 AM PST

Israeli air strikes, rockets hit Syria: Syrian armyThe Israeli army carried out air strikes and fired rockets at targets in Syria overnight, causing damage near a military position, the Syrian army said Tuesday. Israel's military has carried out several attacks on the Syrian army and its ally Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah since the start of the conflict in Syria in 2011. The Israeli air force conducted strikes on the Qutayfeh area northeast of Damascus, causing the Syrian army to retaliate and "hit one of its planes", the Syrian army said in a statement.


Fired Programmer James Damore Sues Google for Discrimination — Against White Men

Posted: 08 Jan 2018 11:51 AM PST

Fired Programmer James Damore Sues Google for Discrimination — Against White MenGoogle has not commented on the lawsuit


Pi Delta Psi Fraternity Banned From Pennsylvania After 'Glass Ceiling' Hazing Death

Posted: 08 Jan 2018 05:59 PM PST

Pi Delta Psi Fraternity Banned From Pennsylvania After 'Glass Ceiling' Hazing DeathThe Pi Delta Psi national fraternity has been banned from operating in Pennsylvania for 10 years, a judge ruled Monday, over the 2013 hazing death of a 19-year-old Baruch College student.


Steve Bannon Out At Breitbart

Posted: 09 Jan 2018 01:09 PM PST

Steve Bannon Out At BreitbartFormer White House chief strategist Steve Bannon is out at far-right Breitbart News, a New York Times reporter learned Tuesday.


Watch for Falling Iguanas! Bomb Cyclone Drops Frozen Lizards

Posted: 08 Jan 2018 01:16 PM PST

Watch for Falling Iguanas! Bomb Cyclone Drops Frozen LizardsYou know what they say: When it rains, it pours — and when it snows in Florida, it hails frozen iguanas. As a so-called bomb cyclone continues lashing the U.S. East Coast with historic cold temperatures, weird weather abounds. Photos posted on social media show the green reptiles lying belly-up and stock-still on lawns, seemingly dead.


Supreme Court takes the wheel in 2 cases of vehicle searches

Posted: 09 Jan 2018 01:42 PM PST

Supreme Court takes the wheel in 2 cases of vehicle searchesWASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court's justices put themselves in the driver's seat Tuesday, hearing arguments in two cases involving vehicle searches, but it was unclear what routes the justices will take to resolve the cases.


New York Times Responds To Backlash From Mormons Over Late Leader's Obit

Posted: 09 Jan 2018 01:29 PM PST

New York Times Responds To Backlash From Mormons Over Late Leader's ObitMore than 160,000 people have signed a petition urging The New York Times to rewrite its obituary for Mormon leader Thomas Monson, who died last week.


Nephew of French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe among three tourists stabbed in Israel

Posted: 08 Jan 2018 04:21 PM PST

Nephew of French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe among three tourists stabbed in IsraelThe nephew of French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe was among three tourists repeatedly stabbed in the Israeli seaside resort of Eilat, it emerged Monday night.  The wounded holidaymakers, who have not been named, were found lying on the promenade last Wednesday after being targeted by a gang of Israeli men. It comes at a time of heightened tension between France and Israel, as President Emmanuel Macron and Mr Philippe refuse to accept Jerusalem as Israel's capital city. This has greatly angered many in Israel, and especially those who do not want East Jerusalem to be set aside as the capital of a Palestinian state.  Mr Philippe has also controversially backed the publication of anti-Semitic essays by the author Louis-Ferdinand Destouches, better known as Celine, despite fury from France's sizeable Jewish community.  UN vote to condemn Trump recognising Jerusalem as capital of Israel By Monday night, Israeli news outlets were reporting the shocking Eilat crime, while French media ones generally remained silent.  According to the Israeli i24 news channel: 'The French consul in Tel Aviv was rushed to the spot urgently. 'Three French tourists, including the nephew of the French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, who was on holiday in the seaside resort of Eilat in Israel, were attacked last Wednesday by a group of Israelis. 'The municipal police found three young tourists lying on the Eilat Promenade with stab wounds on the lower part of their bodies. Two of them were slightly hurt, and the third more seriously.' All were taken to a local hospital, where they were later joined by the French consul, who is thought to have contacted Mr Philippe immediately.  Two of those hurt were released from hospital on Thursday, while the third remained in a ward. It is not known if he is Mr Philippe's nephew.  A criminal enquiry into the attack has been launched in Israel, with police attempting to bring the perpetrators to justice. They are all believed to be Israeli men, according to detectives.  There was no comment on the incident from France's Ambassador to Israel, or from the French foreign ministry.  On Monday, President Macron reaffirmed his country's commitment to a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict.   Leaders on both sides must continue 'calling for calm and dialogue', Mr Macron said during a meeting with members of the Palestinian Central Council. It follows American President Donald Trump plunging the area into renewed chaos by recognising Jerusalem as solely being the capital of Israel, and not Palestine too.  This shocked Western allies including France and Britain as much as it did Arab leaders, who insist that East Jerusalem must become the capital of Palestine.  On Sunday Mr Philippe said he was fine about the publication of Celine's anti-Semitic essays. Referring to Celine, Mr Philippe said: 'There are very good reasons to detest the man himself, but you cannot deny the writer's central position in French literature.' But CRIF, France's main Jewish umbrella group, said in a statement that it opposed the publication of the three 'racist, anti-Semitic and pro-Hitler' essays.  Last year the Jewish Agency of Israel claimed that 5000 Jews emigrated to Israel from France in 2016, partly because of security fears, and an atmosphere of anti-Semitism condoned by those in power. 


Saudi stadiums to open doors to women on Friday

Posted: 08 Jan 2018 03:02 AM PST

Saudi stadiums to open doors to women on FridaySports stadiums in Saudi Arabia will open their doors to women to attend football matches for the first time ever on Friday, the government has announced. "The first match that women will be allowed to watch will be Al-Ahli versus Al-Batin on Friday January 12," the ministry of information said in a statement on Monday. It said women would also be able to attend a second match on the following day and a third one on January 18.


Critics Say Gary Oldman's 'Time's Up' Pin Doesn't Make Up For Past Abuse Allegations

Posted: 08 Jan 2018 07:20 AM PST

Critics Say Gary Oldman's 'Time's Up' Pin Doesn't Make Up For Past Abuse AllegationsGary Oldman won his first-ever Golden Globe on Sunday night, snagging the prize for Best Performance By an Actor in a Motion Picture-Drama for his portrayal of Winston Churchill in the film "Darkest Hour."


See Jupiter Looking Downright Gorgeous in These New NASA Photos

Posted: 09 Jan 2018 09:11 AM PST

See Jupiter Looking Downright Gorgeous in These New NASA PhotosNASA's Juno spacecraft has taken stunning photos of the gas giant


Zimbabwe opposition leader says time for "new hands" to lead

Posted: 08 Jan 2018 07:30 AM PST

Zimbabwe opposition leader says time for "new hands" to leadZimbabwe's main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)leader Morgan Tsvangirai said on Monday it was time for the older generation to step back and allow "new hands" to lead, raising prospects of leadership change in the party. Tsvangirai, a former trade union leader who has been at the helm of the MDC since its formation in 1999, disclosed in June 2016 that he had cancer. Pictures of a frail Tsvangirai meeting President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who succeeded Robert Mugabe in November after he was eased from office by a de facto military coup, have increased calls that he consider giving way to a new opposition leader.


Protests turn violent in Tunisia over price hikes

Posted: 09 Jan 2018 02:13 PM PST

Protests turn violent in Tunisia over price hikesTunisia's prime minister promised Tuesday to crack down on rioters after violent protests over price hikes left one person dead and raised fears of broader unrest in the country that was the birthplace of the Arab Spring. The clashes earlier this week recalled the 2010-2011 protest movement that led to the ouster of authoritarian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and sparked uprisings across the Arab world. Tunisia's economy has struggled ever since.


Teacher handcuffed, arrested and removed from school board meeting after challenging teacher pay

Posted: 09 Jan 2018 09:36 AM PST

Teacher handcuffed, arrested and removed from school board meeting after challenging teacher payA Louisiana teacher was forcibly removed from a school board meeting and arrested after saying that pay raises for leadership on the board was a "slap in the face" to all teachers. Deyshia Hargrave, a teacher in the Vermilion Parish School System, asked questions regarding the board's consideration of a $38,000 raise for the superintendent of the school system. Ms Hargrave appeared to leave the meeting willingly after the officer approached her and asked her to do so, but in the hallway video showed that she was on the ground being handcuffed and asking "what are you doing?" repeatedly.


At Least 13 Killed as Mudslides Sweep Through California Burn Areas

Posted: 09 Jan 2018 07:58 AM PST

At Least 13 Killed as Mudslides Sweep Through California Burn AreasThe bodies were found during rescue operations


Pelosi is optimistic about agreement on budget, immigration

Posted: 08 Jan 2018 04:36 PM PST

Pelosi is optimistic about agreement on budget, immigrationWASHINGTON (AP) — Top House Democrat Nancy Pelosi said Monday that she remains optimistic about potential agreements with Washington Republicans on the budget and immigration, though she is skeptical that an upcoming White House meeting on immigration will produce a breakthrough.


SpaceX Has Launched the U.S. Government's Secretive 'Zuma' Spacecraft Into Orbit

Posted: 07 Jan 2018 07:19 PM PST

SpaceX Has Launched the U.S. Government's Secretive 'Zuma' Spacecraft Into OrbitSpaceX successfully completed its first launch of 2018 Sunday night, sending a highly secretive U.S. government spacecraft into orbit before carrying out an upright landing of the rocket's first stage.


Pizza Hut Plan To Bring 'Black Mirror' Prediction To Life Freaks Folks Out

Posted: 09 Jan 2018 04:17 AM PST

Pizza Hut Plan To Bring 'Black Mirror' Prediction To Life Freaks Folks OutPizza Hut plans to turn a slice of the dystopian "Black Mirror" universe into a reality, and it's too much for some folks online to handle.


H&M removes 'black boy' ad after racism accusation

Posted: 08 Jan 2018 08:24 AM PST

H&M removes 'black boy' ad after racism accusationSwedish clothing giant Hennes and Mauritz on Monday apologised and removed an advertisement of a black child after the company was accused of being racist on social media. "Whose idea was it at @hm to have this little sweet black boy wear a jumper that says 'coolest monkey in the jungle'?" style blogger Stephanie Yeboah tweeted on Sunday. "You do know that monkey is a known racial slur to black people right?" she added.


Poles in shock as PM carries out sweeping reshuffle ahead of EU showdown

Posted: 09 Jan 2018 08:39 AM PST

Poles in shock as PM carries out sweeping reshuffle ahead of EU showdownA number of high-profile ministers in the Polish government have been sacked in a sweeping overhaul of the country's cabinet seen as an attempt to reform the country's international image left battered by a series of bruising conflicts with the EU. The ministers of foreign affairs, defence, health and agriculture were among those who lost their jobs in the shake-up, the extent of which caught many Poles by surprise. It also came just hours before Mateusz Morawiecki, the prime minister, was due to fly to Brussels to meet Jean Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission, to discuss rule of law proceedings against Poland. "This is a new government for a new and better Poland," said Mr Morawiecki when announcing the changes. "For us the most important matter is to build a strong and safe Poland, both at its borders and within in borders." Mr Morawiecki, an English-speaking ex-banker who only became prime minister last month, is also seen as part of a diplomatic offensive to enhance the country's reputation. Poland has become the enfant terrible of the EU owing to numerous disputes between it and Brussels on matters such as rule of law, the environment and migration. The country became the first EU state to face the possible loss of voting rights after the EU triggered Article 7 owing to fears a government overhaul of the legal system threatened the independence of the judiciary. But despite the threats from the EU Warsaw appears happy to defy Brussels in its desire to put what it considers Poland's interests first.  Yet the appointment of a new prime minister and Tuesday's cabinet changes appear, in part, to be motivated by a desire to soften and lighten the tone of the Polish government abroad, although few expect its core message to change. Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki poses with his cabinet after a sweeping reshuffle. A showdown with the EU is looming Credit:  AGENCJA GAZETA/ REUTERS Among those to face the chop was Jan Szyszko, the agriculture minister. Mr Szyszko triggered an international scandal by overseeing increase in logging in the Bialowieza Forest, one of the last significant tracts of primeval lowland forest left in Europe. Despite the threat of financial penalties from the EU if the logging was not halted, and Mr Szyszko persisted with the policy. He will join Witold Waszczykowski, the former foreign minister, and ex-defence minister Antoni Macierewicz in the political long grass. Mr Waszczykowski had become known as gaffe-prone, while Mr Macierewicz, despite being a fierce ally of Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the leader of the ruling Law and Justice party, had clashed with the Polish president over the appointment of army commanders. Political experts in Poland pointed out that by dismissing the three ministers, Mr Kaczynski had removed figures who had become focal points of opposition criticism. By cutting out apparent weaknesses in the government Mr Kaczynski may also have one eye on the next general election, due in 2019.


Philippines to protest to China over apparent airbase on manmade island

Posted: 09 Jan 2018 01:02 AM PST

Philippines to protest to China over apparent airbase on manmade islandThe Philippines will make a diplomatic protest to China, which the southeast Asian nation's defense minister described as having reneged on a promise not to militarize artificial islands in the busy South China Sea waterway. The United States has criticized China's build-up of military facilities on the artificial islands and is concerned they could be used to restrict free movement along the key trade route. Philippine Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana's comment followed a Dec. 30 broadcast of aerial footage by the official China Central Television (CCTV) showing Fiery Cross Reef, which appeared to have been transformed into an airbase.


Supreme Court sides with death row inmate over racist juror claim

Posted: 08 Jan 2018 11:38 AM PST

Supreme Court sides with death row inmate over racist juror claimThe U.S. Supreme Court on Monday paved the way for a black Georgia inmate to challenge his 1991 death sentence for killing his sister-in-law after he argued the case was tainted by a racist white juror who questioned whether black people have souls. The justices, in a 6-3 unsigned decision, threw out a lower court's decision that had rejected his biased jury assertion. Keith Tharpe was found guilty and sentenced to death by a jury of 10 white people and two black people in Georgia's Jones County.


Tuesday's Morning Email: Inside Alabama's Wild Championship Comeback

Posted: 09 Jan 2018 04:21 AM PST

Tuesday's Morning Email: Inside Alabama's Wild Championship ComebackTOP STORIES (And want to get The Morning Email each weekday?


'Game of Thrones'-inspired ice hotel opens in Finland's Lapland

Posted: 08 Jan 2018 01:22 PM PST

'Game of Thrones'-inspired ice hotel opens in Finland's LaplandA hotel forged from snow and ice has opened for fans of "Game of Thrones" in Finland where winter is at its peak. 


However Small, North Korea's Olympics Talks Are a Victory

Posted: 08 Jan 2018 12:22 AM PST

However Small, North Korea's Olympics Talks Are a VictoryWhen the stakes are so high, opening up dialogue is a goal in itself


Iran FM warns neighbors against fomenting unrest

Posted: 08 Jan 2018 11:19 AM PST

Iran FM warns neighbors against fomenting unrestTEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran's foreign minister on Monday warned neighboring countries against fomenting unrest after anti-government protests roiled the country over the past two weeks.


Alabama Player Proposes After Game Because A National Title Isn't Enough

Posted: 09 Jan 2018 10:58 AM PST

Alabama Player Proposes After Game Because A National Title Isn't EnoughWhile many Alabama players will remember the Crimson Tide's 26-23 national title game victory over Georgia as the pinnacle of a glorious season, center Bradley Bozeman may have a different recollection.


Barefoot Catholics throng icon in huge Philippine procession

Posted: 09 Jan 2018 06:31 AM PST

Barefoot Catholics throng icon in huge Philippine processionA sea of heaving, towel-waving humanity swarmed a black statue of a cross-bearing Jesus Christ in the Philippine capital Tuesday as the Catholic faithful joined one of the nation's largest religious festivals. In a frenzied display of religious fervour, men, women and children climbed over heads and shoulders and flung themselves at the centuries-old Black Nazarene that they say performs miracles. Devotees pulled on stout ropes to move the carriage forward as the procession drew more than half a million people wearing maroon and yellow shirts and waving towels while chanting "Viva" ("Long live"), Manila police said.


Hundreds of flying foxes die in Australia during searing heatwave

Posted: 09 Jan 2018 06:03 AM PST

Hundreds of flying foxes die in Australia during searing heatwaveHundreds of flying foxes have perished during Australia's searingly hot summer, according to environmentalists. Shocked campaigners were confronted by the sight of scores of dead animals, and claimed the creatures were "boiled alive" in the heat. Some flying foxes were still hanging from trees as they died, in a shock mass death which campaigners called "dreadful and heartbreaking". The Help Save the Wildlife and Bushlands in Campbelltown campaign wrote on Facebook that temperatures hit over 44C in the Campbelltown district of Sydney, and that over 400 of the animals died. Sydney reached a nearly 80-year temperature high of 47.3C on Sunday. The campaign wrote: "So many little lives lost due to the extreme heat and not enough canopy cover to shade them or keep them cool. "Adults sought out shade and more shelter further up the creek resulting in many babies being left behind to deal with the heat." Campaigners attempted to nurse the animals back to health Credit: Facebook People who live in the area are being urged to watch out for flying foxes which may be suffering heat stress, as those which are often move further to the ground, and to call local wildlife rescue services. Volunteer Cate Ryan told local media: "It was unbelievable. I saw a lot of dead bats on the ground and others were close to the ground and dying. I have never seen anything like it before." A local wildlife rescue group advised: "If the flying-fox is on the ground and it's a hot day, you can place a cool towel or umbrella above it until the rescuer arrives to protect it from the the worst of the heat. Spraying the animal intermittently with a very light mist or setting up a sprinkler to gently wet the animal can also help." A pile of dead flying foxes Flying foxes are big bats and eat nectar, pollen and fruit. Unlike smaller bats, they do not use sonar and instead, like humans, use their eyes and ears. The Help Save the Wildlife and Bushlands in Campbelltown campaign said "Flying foxes are intelligent and remarkable. These unique animals help regenerate our forests and keep ecosystems healthy through pollination and seed dispersal. They are a migratory and nomadic 'keystone' species; meaning a species that many other species of plants and animals rely upon for their survival and wellbeing. Flying foxes, like bees, help drive biodiversity, and faced with the threat of climate change, land clearing, and other human-caused ecological pressures, we need them more than ever." The Australian heatwave featured temperatures which melted the bitumen on the highway, as well as sparking bushfires which politicians warned were a danger to life.


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