There’s a serious Bush Fire risk in Victoria this weekend – Mexican drug cartels are making deliveries to the other side of the Pacific Ocean – Don’t go swimming with piranhas – And who wouldn’t want to punch a fascist dictator in the face?

Total fire bans are in place in most districts of Victoria, as forecasters are expecting some of the worst bushfire conditions in several years this weekend.  The Country Fire Authority says fire danger levels will be extreme and severe for western and central parts of the state – The CFA recommends people in high risk areas get out Friday night or early Saturday morning.

At least 70 people in Argentina suffered the bites of some hungry piranha fish when they tried to escape the oppressive heat in Rosario for a dip in the Parana River.  The species is known locally as the palometa, “a type of piranha, big, voracious and with sharp teeth that can really bite.”  A paramedic on the scene said some children had lost entire fingers and toes in the fish attack.

Mexican drug cartels have penetrated Asia.  Philippine police seized 80 kilos of methamphetamine worth more than A$11 Million.  Cops arrested three men whom they say have ties to Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel.  Two more suspects, a Mexican and an American, eluded police.

A bus plunged into a ravine in northeastern Thailand, killing at least 29 people.  The accident occurred overnight in Lom Sak district, while the bus was en route to the northern province of Chiang Rai.  Authorities suspect the bus driver fell asleep.

Six African Union (AU) Peacekeepers from Chad were among dozens killed in violence in the Central African Republic.  It’s not yet clear why a Christian militia attacked the peacekeepers, but many Christians in CAR accuse Chad of favoring the Muslim insurgents that ousted the president in March and plunged the country into chaos.  The AU has 4,000 peacekeepers in CAR, backed up by 1,600 French Troops.

Egypt is cracking down on the Muslim Brotherhood, a day after declaring the group a terrorist organization.  16 supporters are under arrest, including the son of a prominent leader; at least one person was killed in clashes between the Brotherhood’s student supports and Egyptian civilians near a university. 

A prosecutor overseeing the corruption investigation swirling around Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been removed from the case.  Muammer Akkas condemned Erdogan’s government, and accused it of interfering in the judiciary and preventing him from carrying out his work.  The unfolding scandal has already done significant political damage to Erdogan, although for now he is unlikely to step down on his own.

BABY PANDA!  BABY PANDA!

Paris police arrested a theater director after allegedly driving his car into the gates of the Elysee presidential palace.  67-year-old Italian Attilio Maggiulli was protesting cuts in public subsidies to his theatre, the Comedie Italienne.  Despite earlier reports of a car ramming the gates, it’s clear from the video that no such violence occurred.  Still, Maggiulli faces serious charges including endangering lives and violence against a public servant with a weapon – his tiny, scuffed up Renault car.