From the wreckage. And the race to mars is heating up nasa has presented its newest probe to the red planet but is just one of 4 missions set to blast off in 2020. 2 our viewers around the world thanks for joining us on next vice. The Australian Government has called up the army to help fight wildfires burning out of control near the countrys largest city sydney authorities are bracing for an extreme heat wave this weekend following a few days of cooler weather fire has destroyed vegetation on millions of hectares of land across the country over the last 6 weeks at least 9 people have been killed. Not just thought you might expect at one of australias most popular tourist sites visitors to the Blue Mountains west of sydney afford to wear face masks as a smoke from a nearby bush for ice fills the ask the iconic rock formations are barely visible in the hades. Its really disappointing to really looking forward to seeing you always want to see the flame out in search such a shame when weve kind although it looks like this. But that problem is small compared to the challenge firefighters in New South Wales are set to face at the weekend. After a brief spite securing a few days of damp a weather over christmas temperatures there again expected to soar bringing new risks. Thats going to bring not just the heat of the service were going to see the temperatures up into the larger mid fortys across a lot of areas but its going to bring a very dry air as well so thats going to elevate far beyond just and we know the winds are going to start turning around to the west in the northwest which is war so much work is going going on over this last week while conditions are more more out. Some 70 fires are burning near sydney New South Wales more than 1000 firefighters and now the military action across the state trying to contain the fires and prevent them from reaching more and habited areas. Way just putting it back in time and law in detroit prevent the 5 from heading towards coastal villages already more than 850 homes have been razed a New South Wales. Authorities are also working to protect infrastructure surrounding a vital dam west of sydney that provides mortar to around 4000000. 00 people in the city but which could be at risk if the fire spread. And joining us now from sydney is james morris hes a spokesman for the New South WalesRural Fire Service james the Weather Forecast for you is hot and windy what does that mean for fighting the fires. Good afternoon nic obviously that means challenging conditions and certainly somewhat erratic fire behavior expected across the logic area of a far grounds some idea one wishing grosse for as continue to burn across New South Wales with around 35 of those still yet to be can tie and that still a lot of fog that weve got in the lead skype giving that predicted a full cost conditions over the next 3. 00 to 4. 00 days and what have firefighters done to prepare for these worsening conditions or is there anything they can do is look there is certainly some work that we can do our forefathers have taken advantage of those 5 routing conditions for the last 4 to 5 days being undertaking back burning hakan time and utilizing heavy machinery to construct can timelines but weve also had for foreigners in the field using cane tools to create in time and lines down some very rugged a steep terrain especially through the blue mansions to draw on hold up to the west and saw it in time and launch a lot of hard work theyve done over the last 3 to 4 days and i guess in the last in the next 3. 00 to 4. 00 days it will certainly go to show whether that hard work pays off or unfortunately without we do say that far across iraq and timelines yeah hard work i imagine and its also dangerous is stressful and tiring for many of the firefighters many volunteers among them how are they and the volunteers generally holding up. Living going for probably close to 6 months now in pause roddy across New South Wales are they are getting tired but they are still out there theyre still fighting this still fighting that could fought for their communities across New South Wales we still do have a long faucet isnt to go were only towards the end of the 1st month 3 months of summer he said we are expecting any significant rainfall in the near future we are thankfully saying Cruzan Farfan is coming from right around a strong yeah weve also got crews coming in from new zealand from america as well as from canada a lot of support for like those giving them a well and bright one of them did have a break up of christmas but we still did say quite a large number close to 2004 fathers out in the field by phone Christmas Day and boxing day to assist in working to contain these fires ahead of these worsening conditions and just briefly if you. How bad this is how does this firefighting season 2 previous ones all look but follow this is the worst season wave as they were experienced t. In New South Wales some of them will probably seasons being such as the 20012002 fires on the black christmas far as they did back in dante 94 and even back as far as 60 where we saw a significant foz especially to sydney and through the Blue Mountains but by far out i lost plus the ses not believe today that 1100000. 00 hits him is. Bent our we are round 3 fatalities and they say that we stand sorry 5 at 3500000. 00 hated is how weve seen fatalities including to force the ses in and as we said were only still early on into us on a period where they are worsening areas around january or february still to come. James morris from the New South WalesRural Fire Service thanks for that. Thanks very much. Time now to take a look at some of the other stories making news around the world. Russias defense minister says his new intercontinental hypersonic missiles became operational on friday the kremlin says the missiles travel up to 27 times the speed of sound and to make sharp turns allowing them to evade missile intercept systems. In the gulf oh man iran has begun naval exercises with his russian and chinese allies the drills are taking place near a vital Transit Route for the worlds oil tankers and says the drills show the country cannot be isolated on the high seas. Muslims in indonesia have been protesting outside the Chinese Embassy in jakarta demanding an end to the detention of an estimated 1000000. 00 ethnic weaker muslims and government run internment camps china calls these prison camps reeducation facilities indonesia is home to the Worlds Largest muslim population. Authorities in the Central Asian country of kazakstan are trying to determine what caused an airliner to crash shortly after takeoff from cars extends largest city the bekka air jet was bound for the capital north with 98 passengers and crew on board 12 were killed in the crash more than 50 have been hurt investigators have found the aircraft black box and are analyzing its contents. Its amazing that anyone survived this. And its a miracle that most of those on board made it out alive seconds after takeoff something went terribly wrong on this Early Morning back at fly passengers side the plane struggled to gain altitude and soon came crashing down. Through where the plane hit the ground harder than the light came flooding in. I didnt know if i was dead or alive. Cried out then i saw a man next to a door i told him to open it and we got out through that over the wing of the jet. Where it was going to. But many went that lucky passengers at the front of the plane suffered the woods to injuries for their loved ones the white outside the emergency room was agonizing both families and survivors a traumatized. Psychologists a working with space relatives and patients we dont have any unnamed patients all of the names has been identified and you will see the scale of this disaster has touched kazakhs. Many stood in long lines to give blood at clinics and hospitals with people donating on behalf of the injured. The government has also responded with a moments silence. And promises to help survivors and the victims families as occur from the families of the deceased and injured will receive Financial Assistance the government will deal with this issues. But many kazakhs want to know how this accident could have happened thats the task of investigators to find out theyll be looking at whether pilot error or mechanical fault caused this plane to plummet out of the sky on a key a sunny morning. Speed limits could be coming to the autobahn germanys famous highway system if the countrys social democrats get their way the partys new leadership says a majority of german support putting on the brakes to reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions and improve road safety germany is the only european country without limits on most of its highways people come to germany from all over the world to hit the highways and step on the gas germany is the only country in the e. U. Without an overall speed limit. But an uproar ensued after chancellor merkels Coalition Partner of the social Democratic Party made a u. Turn the new party leader wants an overall speed limit of 130 Kilometers Per Hour the transport minister a conservative is against it we have far more outstanding tasks than raising up this highly emotional topic again and again for which there is no majority support. In october a parliamentary majority voted against a speed limit. The issue has been debated in germany for decades. Not be assessed for motorists and the Auto Industry have always triumphed but their opponents have another argument climate protection a general speed limit what we do c o 2 emissions thats part of the social democrats recommendation to the transport minister. That he could win a point this way just by doing something small and easily achievable for climate protection it would increase road safety improve traffic flow and wed be in line with all of europe and most countries in the world. The social democrats want to continue government discussions about a speed limit but for now more than 2 thirds of german highways will remain full speed ahead. Return to california now to talk about a much slower vehicle because nasa is showcasing a spacecraft is scheduled for a launch to mars next summer u. S. Space agency wants to send an unmanned rover to the surface of the red planet partly to look for signs of past life nasa says the rover has already passed its 1st driving test if all goes well crafted could lead to mars by early 2021 is one of 4 launches the planet slated for next year. And earlier we spoke to keith cowing an astrobiologist formerly with nasa he told us what the 4 missions heading to mars in 2020 are trying to achieve the u. A. E. Spacecraft will be looking at mars whether china is going to be launching an orbiter but also is going to be putting a small lainer that will be looking for something called bio signatures evidence of a biological molecules on mars your hopes Rosalind Franklin rover from excell mars will be in the same thing as will the mars 2020 rover so those 3 rovers plus the Mars Science Laboratory going for rovers on mars all of them are looking for evidence of past and possibly present life so its going to be sort of a in astrobiology festival you know one in 2020 we put it rip arts. There is keith cowing an astrobiologist formerly with nasa speaking to you there. As you in the u. S. State of michigan has been showing off its latest attraction of baby rhino the calf of the endangered black rhinos species was born on Christmas Eve in the Potter Park Zoo in the state capital lansing calf which is yet to be named it shares an enclosure with its mother. And the 2 are said to be bonding well there are about 5000. 00 black rhinos in the wild today. And the top story were following for you. The Australian Army has been called in to help fight wildfires raging near the countrys largest city sydney forecasters expect an extreme heat wave in the next few days to raise the fire risk. And well have more news coming up at the top of the hour dont forget you can get all the latest developments and information around the clock on our web site thats dot com thanks for joining us. Youre listening to an official estimates more than 1200000 venezuelans who have been colombia legally and illegally. Id return to. Visit friends and i dont think id ever go back there