ABC新闻:澳大利亚再迎高温天气 台风巴蓬已致菲律宾16人死亡
That was with the Sydney to Hobart, Scallywag is narrowly leading the field from Comanche in the race. After a night of trading places along the southern New South Wales coast, they've now overtaken Black Jack who sits in third. Other supermaxis Infotrack and wild oats are following closely behind.
After a brief reprieve over Christmas, large parts of the country are bracing for another 'severe to extreme' heatwave this weekend, with temperatures tipped to reach more than 40 degrees. The hot spell will affect South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales over the next few days. And the heat is currently moving through Western Australia and is expected to reach south-eastern parts of the country today. Firefighters are still working to contain blazes in South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria.
More specialist defence personnel will be deployed to help with firefighting efforts in New South Wales. The federal government says the ADF can provide bulldozers, bulk water carriers and troops, in addition to the aerial support and ground transport that's already in place. The announcement follows pressure from within the government's own ranks to pay volunteer firefighters who are deployed to long running fires that could burn for months.
And the death toll from the typhoon which battered the Phillippines over Christmas has risen to 16, with several still missing. Typhoon phanfone made landfall on Christmas Eve. It brought heavy rain, strong winds and flash flooding, forcing thousands of people from their homes.