Australian wildfires, wolf moon, '1917' premieres nationwide: 5 things to know Friday
Some Democratic hopefuls face big debate deadline
Democratic presidential candidates have until the end of Friday to meet donor and polling requirements to qualify for Tuesday's debate in Des Moines, the final debate before the Iowa caucuses on February 3. Six have qualified so far: former Vice President Joe Biden; former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg; senators Amy Klobuchar, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren; and businessman Tom Steyer. Some of those on the outside include former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, Sen. Cory Booker and Andrew Yang. The debate is scheduled for 9-11 p.m. ET on Tuesday at Drake University. CNN is hosting in partnership with the Des Moines Register, part of the Paste BN Network.
- Meeting the threshold: Criteria on poll performance and donations
- Candidates' stances: Views on climate change, gun violence and more
- Tom Steyer is surging: Businessman qualifies for January debate after polls show him in top 3 in 2 states
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Heatwave, tornadoes, floods and snow: Wild weather engulfs East
A wild potpourri of weather is expected Friday for the eastern half of the nation. Temperatures will soar into the 50s and 60s as far north as Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and southern Michigan, AccuWeather said, places where frigid temperatures usually rule this time of year. At the same time, severe weather, including tornadoes, could pound parts of Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana on Friday and much of Mississippi and Alabama on Saturday. Meanwhile, snow and ice is forecast this weekend for a 1,700-mile stretch from the Central Plains through the Great Lakes and northern New England.
- Winter weather: Storm could dump 8-10 inches of snow on Green Bay Saturday ahead of NFL playoff game
- Wild video: Waves form rare sea vortex in the Faroe Islands
Australia wildfires: Fires far from over Down Under
As Australia battles catastrophic bush fires that have caused thousands to flee affected areas, Friday's weather won't help. Temperatures are expected to spike in the state of Victoria, which spreads across the country's southeastern tip. The Bureau of Meteorology issued an "extreme" fire danger forecast for the north of Victoria on Friday, with the state's premier warning spot fires may break out. The Rural Fire Service in neighboring New South Wales warned residents of several coastal towns that winds were likely to once again drive blazes toward those areas. Fires have scorched swaths of the country since September.
- From Iran to Australia, how travelers can navigate in times of crisis
- Over 1 billion animals feared dead in scorched Australia
- Celebs join effort to help Australia: DeGeneres launches GoFundMe with $5M goal
Howl! The wolf moon is coming
The first full moon of the year — known as the wolf moon — shines Friday night. The name came about "because wolves were more often heard at this time,” the Old Farmer’s Almanac said. Other nicknames include the cold moon, the old moon, and the great spirit moon. At the same time, a "penumbral" lunar eclipse will be visible in some parts of the world, but alas, not in North America except for Alaska and far eastern Canada, according to AccuWeather. Not as spectacular as a total lunar eclipse, a penumbral lunar eclipse occurs when the moon moves through the outer part of Earth's shadow (known as the penumbra), according to EarthSky.org.
World War I thriller '1917' premieres nationwide
Director Sam Mendes’ innovative World War I movie "1917" opens in theaters nationwide Friday. The film is an original tale written by Mendes and Krysty Wilson-Cairns and based on stories Mendes heard as a boy from his grandfather Alfred, a 19-year-old messenger for the British Army during "The Great War." It is filmed as a thriller rather than a conventional war movie, with a ticking-clock aspect for its heroes and the thousands of lives depending on them to complete their death-defying mission. The seamless editing flows as one continuous, real-time take. The film is expected to be a juggernaut during awards season as it already won the best drama award at the Golden Globes and hit has been nominated for a plethora of other prizes.
- Golden Globes: '1917' beats Oscar rivals 'The Irishman' and 'Marriage Story'
- Why '1917' stands out: This is the heart-wrenching, genre-defying war thriller you have to see
- BAFTA nominations announced: '1917' earns a best picture nomination
