☕️ What we know about LA fires

The three largest fires in Los Angeles remain uncontained, in what the LA Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said “is one of the most destructive natural disasters in the history of Los Angeles”.

This below satellite image has come through overnight from Maxar Technologies, showing the devastation caused in Altadena, California.

For the latest on the fires, we explain in the 2 minute section.

“Owning the brand allows my team and I the freedom to focus exclusively on building Uncensored into a standalone business – editorially and commercially – and in time widening it from just me and my content.”
Piers Morgan on leaving Rupert Murdoch’s media empire to take control of his Uncensored YouTube channel. This comes three years after signing a multimillion-pound deal with Murdoch’s NewUK.

565,000 kgs
The amount of lobsters Australia has exported into China in the past two weeks, following the lifting of trade sanctions between the countries.

1946
The United Nations convened for the first inaugural meeting, with Australia represented among the 51 member nations in attendance. The historic session took place in London, England.

Researchers from Macquarie University have found a way to create toxic male mosquitoes.

It’s hoped the ‘Toxic Male Technique’ can be used to reduce the species’ population, limiting the spread of viruses to humans.

Here’s how it works.

Certain mosquito species carry dangerous viral diseases like malaria, dengue fever, and yellow fever.

These can be transferred to humans through female mosquitoes’ bites.

The World Health Organisation recorded 263 million cases of malaria and nearly 600,000 deaths in 2023.

Recent research has shown mosquitoes are building a resistance to pesticides, meaning new ways to control the population need to be developed.

A team of researchers at Macquarie University have now developed the Toxic Male Technique (TMT).

TMT involves genetically engineering male insects to produce poisonous proteins in their semen. When these insects mate, the poison is transferred to the female, reducing their lifespan and their ability to spread disease.

So far, the researchers have tested the procedure on fruit flies. They found mating with modified male flies reduced the lifespan of female flies by up to 64%.

Following the fruit fly experiment, researchers used computer models to test how TMT could be applied to mosquitoes.

Associate Professor Maciej Maselko said TMT still needs to be tested on mosquitoes in a real environment.

Lead study author Sam Beach said TMT “could transform how we manage pests, offering hope for healthier communities”.

Reporting by Nandini Dhir.

Wildfires have killed at least five people and forced more than 100,000 others to evacuate their homes in the U.S. state of California.

Roughly 27,000 acres have burned across southern parts of California, primarily around the city of Los Angeles.

Authorities say it’s the most destructive wildfire in LA’s history, intensified by drought and powerful winter winds.

The largest blazes are concentrated in north-eastern LA around Pasadena, and along the beachfront suburbs near Malibu in the west.

More than 1,000 buildings have burned to the ground.

Five people have been killed in the fires. Details of the deaths are currently unknown.

Authorities say more than 100,000 people have had to evacuate their homes.

LA Mayor Karen Bass said the major fires have been caused by “hurricane-force winds... combined with extremely dry drought conditions”.

Nearly a third of California is experiencing drought due to a lack of rainfall in the past year.

Central and southern California are classed as either “abnormally dry” or in moderate to severe drought.

In cooler months, warm, destructive winds nicknamed the ‘Santa Anas’ blow through LA and surrounds from the desert in the east.

The Santa Anas cause vegetation to dry out and increase the risk of fires.

They are currently blowing through LA, with wind gusts peaking at more than 120 km/h in recent days.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency.

Firefighters have been sent in from the neighbouring states of Nevada, Oregon, and Washington.

Authorities have warned low water supplies are affecting firefighters’ abilities to control some of the blazes.

President Joe Biden has visited the state and approved a ‘Major Disaster’ declaration, allowing federal funding for affected areas.

Reporting by Harry Sekulich.

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🍊 The U.S. is refusing to pay the World Anti-Doping Agency. Why?
🍊 UK Athletics is being charged for the death of an athlete.
🍊 An Aussie boxer has reclaimed his world title. More details here.
🗞️ Also in the Sport Newsletter: tennis, soccer, and more…

Endometriosis (‘Endo’) is a disease when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows in other areas of the body. Its estimated to affect at least one in seven women, and can cause chronic pain and fertility issues. Currently, endo can only be diagnosed with surgery. However, Australian researchers have developed a new blood test that could provide a non-invasive alternative.

Findings published in the journal Human Reproduction show the test identified the early stages of endo with “strong” accuracy. Researchers with the Royal Women’s Hospital and the University of Melbourne called it “an exciting advance in the diagnosis of this debilitating disease”.

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Reporting by Emma Gillespie.

Students at a school in the UK have begun to confront their telephobia – the fear of making phone calls.

A program at Nottingham College now offers coaching sessions on phone etiquette and confidence, which career advisors say are important for job interviews.

The initiative involves mock interviews and making simple calls to test students’ boundaries, and build their confidence.

Reporting by Rosa Bowden.

Donald Trump has shared some of his foreign policy ideas ahead of the U.S. President-elect’s inauguration on 20 January. From controlling Greenland, the Panama Canal and Canada, to renaming the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America”, Trump’s proposals have elicited some strong reactions from world leaders. In today's deep dive, we’re unpacking these foreign policy proposals. What’s been said, what does it mean, and how has the world reacted?