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As winds pick up, LA firefighters desperately battle to contain monster inferno
Firefighters are making an all-out assault to prevent the largest of the deadly wildfires that is threatening Los Angeles from spreading into one of the city’s most exclusive neighbourhoods.
Aerial crews have been bombarding the flaming hills with water and fire retardant to hold back the Palisades fire, which has expanded an additional 1,000 acres and is now menacing Brentwood.
Officials have been on the defensive amid mounting anger at how hydrants ran dry as firefighters struggled to contain the fast-moving blazes. Winds are expected to pick up again overnight, further fanning the flames that have already left at least 16 people dead.
On Saturday evening, the LA County coroner’s office announced that 11 of the deaths were attributed to the Eaton fire and five to the Palisades fire.
“LA County had another night of unimaginable terror and heartbreak,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath on Saturday.
Firefighters have made modest progress against the worst of the infernos, the Palisades fire, which has scorched nearly 23,000 acres and is 11% contained.
But the conflagration has spread into the Mandeville Canyon neighbourhood, sparking evacuation orders for swathes of Brentwood, a ritzy enclave where Arnold Schwarzenegger, Disney chief executive Bob Iger and NBA star LeBron James have homes.
Also in the evacuation zone is the Getty Center, a hilltop museum that holds more than 125,000 artworks, including masterpieces by Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Rubens, Monet and Degas. The building is undamaged so far.
The second-biggest blaze, the Eaton fire, has razed more than 14,000 acres and was 15% contained. Firefighters have mostly contained two smaller blazes, the Kenneth and Hurst fires.
But the National Weather Service warned that the gusty Santa Ana winds that whipped up the fires at the outset would increase again on Saturday and into Sunday.
Seven neighbouring states, the federal government and Canada and Mexico have rushed resources to California.
No cause has yet been established for the fires. The two biggest ones combined have razed an area more than twice the size of Manhattan.
Some 153,000 residents are under mandatory evacuation orders and another 166,000 have been warned they may have to flee, too.
The political repercussions have begun.
On Friday, Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat with rumoured White House aspirations, ordered an investigation into why a key reservoir was out of service and some fire hydrants ran dry.
Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley complained about the shortage. “When a firefighter comes up to a hydrant, we expect there’s going to be water,” she said.
Chief Crowley has also attacked city leadership for cutting her department’s budget and eliminating mechanic positions, which she said had resulted in more than 100 fire apparatuses being out of service.
On Saturday, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass – who has been criticised for being in Ghana attending the inauguration of the African country’s president when the fires erupted in LA on Tuesday, hinted at her tensions with Chief Crowley.
“Let me be clear about something,” Bass told a news conference, “the fire chief and I are focused on fighting these fires and saving lives, and any differences that we might have will be worked out in private.”
More than 70,000 people have signed a change.org petition demanding the mayor’s immediate resignation.
As fears of looting grow, a sunset-to-sunrise curfew is being strictly enforced in evacuated areas, official said.
Newsom announced on Saturday that he would double the number of National Guard on the ground to “keep communities safe”, deploying 1,680 troops.
About two dozen arrests have been made, including for burglary, looting and curfew violations.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said cadaver dogs are helping 40 search and rescue team scour razed neighbourhoods.
The death toll is expected to rise once house-to-house searches are conducted.
[BBC]
The 169th birth anniversary celebration of Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of the World Scouting Movement, and World Scout Thinking Day, was held on 22 February at the National Scout Headquarters, with the participation of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya.
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister emphasized that the Scouting Movement is not merely about holding positions, but a noble form of training that nurtures readiness to help others and to serve society while “being prepared.”
She further highlighted the importance of serving society as a disciplined and intelligent “smart” Scout who respects others while effectively using modern technology. The Prime Minister also called upon Scouts to contribute responsibly to safeguarding the nation’s future through environmentally friendly initiatives such as tree planting and the protection of water resources.
During the event, laptops were symbolically distributed to several districts under the Scout Digitalization Project, along with the provision of first-aid kits. Additionally, Chief Scout Commissioner Attorney-at-Law Manoj Nanayakkara presented the Prime Minister with a special Scout stamp collection and a commemorative cover.
The occasion was attended by the Secretary to the Prime Minister Pradeep Saputhanthri, officials of the Sri Lanka Scout Association, and a large number of Scouts from across the island.
(Prime Minister’s Media Division)
Two years ago, Zimbabwe failed to qualify for the T20 World Cup. Not only did they make the competition this time, they entered the Super Eights unbeaten.
First, it was Blessing Muzarabani who shut Australia down on a slow pitch in Colombo. Then their top four silenced the Khettarama crowd by chasing down 189 against Sri Lanka. The common factor in those wins were also Brian Bennett’s fifties and Sikandar Raza’s quick cameos. Muzarabani and Brad Evans are also among the top ten wicket takers in the tournament.
With contributions from several players, Zimbabwe could prove a handful for West Indies in Mumbai. They will have to make a quick adjustment, though, having played all their group matches in Sri Lanka, while West Indies have already played twice at the Wankhede.
These two sides have faced each other only four times in T20 internationals. When lined up player-against-player, West Indies – also undefeated – look stronger with bat, with an in-form Shai Hope, a rejuvenated Shimron Hetmyer at No. 3, and a solid finisher in Sherfaine Rutherford.
Having as many as three allrounders – with Romario Shepherd in line to return after injury – gives them the option of playing three fast bowlers and three spinners. It’s an ideal mix in Mumbai, where the quicks (35 wickets) and spinners (34) have been equally effective, averaging 26.28 and 26.25 respectively this tournament.
It’s a big game for both sides, with matches against India and South Africa to follow next. Who will get on the points table first?
Blessing Muzarabani is an early wicket-taker and a serial wicket-taker. He has height, pace and discipline on lengths that can be threatening, especially with the new ball. He also bowls at the death where he generally goes on the shorter side peppered in with the odd slower ball. That’s as all-conditions as it gets in T20s, and form is on his side too.
West Indies have a clear batting approach outlined by regular boundary hitting, and Shai Hope is the initiator and the glue as he sets up and builds innings. He has the virtues of an upgraded anchor who doesn’t have to shut down when the team is on the back foot. He is coming off two fifties, the second of which against Nepal saw him power through even as wickets fell at the other end.
Shepherd is fit again. He had strapping on his right leg as he bowled and batted for a while on Saturday. He hit one over the roof, but wasn’t as comfortable while bowling. If fit, he could replace Matthew Forde.
Zimbabwe haven’t tinkered with their squad much and that’s likely to remain the case. They could bring back Richard Ngarava for Graeme Cremer if they feel the need for pace.
West Indies (probable): Brandon King, Shai Hope (capt & wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Roston Chase, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Jason Holder, Romario Shepherd/Matthew Forde, Akeal Hosain, Shamar Joseph, Gudakesh Motie.
Zimbabwe (probable): Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani (wk), Dion Myers, Sikandar Raza (capt), Ryan Burl, Tony Munyonga Tashinga Musekiwa, Brad Evans, Wellington Masakadza, Graeme Cremer/Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani
[Cricinfo]
Mexico’s most wanted man and the leader of the feared Jalisco New Generation (CJNG) drug cartel has been killed during a security operation to arrest him, the defence ministry has said.
Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho”, died on Sunday as he was being taken to the capital Mexico City, after being seriously injured in clashes between his supporters and the army.
Four CJNG members were killed in the town of Tapalpa, the central-western Jalisco state. Three army personnel were also injured. The US had given Mexico with information that assisted the operation.
CJNG retaliated by setting cars alight, building roadblocks and attacking security forces in eight states.
Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo later urged people to remain “calm”.
In a post on X, she wrote that “in most parts of the country, activities are proceeding normally”.
The CJNG cartel – which had its original power base in Jalisco – is now present across Mexico.
El Mencho, a 59-year-old former police officer, ran a vast criminal organisation responsible for trafficking huge quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl into the US.
It had offered a $15m (£11.1m) reward for information leading to El Mencho’s capture.
In a statement, the Mexican defence ministry said the operation was “planned and executed” by the country’s special forces.
Aircraft from the Mexican Air Force and the National Guard were also deployed.
It also said that several armoured vehicles and weapons – including rocket launchers – were seized during the operation.
The US had been providing information to Mexico that assisted its operation, the statement said.
Eyewitnesses have filmed plumes of smoke rising over several cities including Guadalajara – one of the host cities of the forthcoming Fifa World Cup.
In the tourist hotspot of Puerto Vallarta, on the Jalisco coast, potentially thousands of tourists are trapped in the resort around the fighting.
Throughout Sunday, there were reports of gunmen on the streets in Jalisco and elsewhere.
The governor of Jalisco, Pablo Lemus Navarro, on social media advised residents of the state to adhere to a code red warning and avoid leaving their homes.
He also said that public transport was suspended in the state.
The US Department of State issued a shelter-in-place warning for US citizens in the states of Jalisco, Tamaulipas, as well as some areas in Michoacan, Guerrero and Nuevo Leon.
Former US ambassador to Mexico and Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau described El Mencho on social media as “one of the bloodiest and most ruthless drug kingpins.”
He added that El Mencho’s death was “a great development for Mexico, the US, Latin America, and the world”.
The killing of El Mencho represents a victory for the Mexican president in her fight against the country’s drug cartels.
It also could strengthen her relationship with US President Trump, who often has demanded more progress on security in Mexico.
However, if the security forces can’t bring the situation under control quickly, the Mexican administration’s victory may be overshadowed by the cartel’s violent response.
The Jalisco cartel has gained notoriety since it was formed in about 2010 for a series of attacks on security forces and public officials.
It has downed an army helicopter with a rocket-propelled grenade, killed dozens of state officials, and has even been known to hang the bodies of its victims from bridges to intimidate its rivals.
[BBC]
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