Latest News
LA fires death toll rises to 24 as high winds expected
Weather forecasters in California are warning fierce winds which fuelled the infernos around Los Angeles are expected to pick up again this week, as fire crews on the ground race to make progress controlling three wildfires.
Officials warned that after a weekend of relatively calm winds, the notoriously dry Santa Ana winds would pick up again from Sunday night until Wednesday, reaching speeds of up to 60mph (96km/h).
Ahead of the wind’s uptick, some progress has been made in stopping the spread of the deadly Palisades and Eaton fires, which are burning on opposite ends of the city. Local firefighters are being assisted by crews from eight other states, as well as Canada and Mexico, who continue to arrive.
The LA County medical examiner updated the death toll on Sunday to 24, while officials said earlier at least another 16 remain missing. Sixteen of the dead were found in the Eaton fire zone, while eight were found in the Palisades area.
Three conflagrations continue to burn around Los Angeles. The largest fire is the Palisades, which has now burnt through more than 23,000 acres and is 11% contained. The Eaton fire is the second biggest and has burnt through more than 14,000 acres. It is 27% contained. The Hurst fire has grown to 799 acres and has been almost fully contained.
The wildfires are on track to be among the costliest in US history.
On Sunday, private forecaster Accuweather increased its preliminary estimate of financial losses from the blazes to between $250bn-$275bn.
While crews have managed to start containing the largest fires, authorities have warned the incoming wind event could lead to “potential disastrous wind conditions”, with the whole of LA County put under fire threat.
“Unfortunately, we’re going right back into red flag conditions with some potential disastrous wind conditions between now and Wednesday, with the peak winds expected to be on Tuesday,” Pasadena fire chief Chad Augustin told the BBC.
“While we’re making some progress, the end is not even close yet,” he said.
Kristin Crowley, the fire chief for the city of LA, called for residents near evacuation zones to be prepared to flee if an order is issued, and to stay off the roads as much as possible in order to not hinder crews.
Topanga Canyon resident Alice Husum, 67, told the BBC a new fire that began in the area overnight was quickly contained, but that she and her neighbours are all “dreading Tuesday” when the wind speeds are likely to peak.
But Ms Husum, who has stayed behind despite evacuation orders, notes that the forecast “is a little better than the 100 mile-gusts that were hammering us” earlier in the week.
New fires continued to flare up on Sunday, threatening communities in the San Fernando Valley and near Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).
On Sunday, firefighters were able to quickly stop the spread of new fires in the Angeles National Forest, which surround the facility that is at the heart of the US space programme and contains top secret technology.
At least 29 people have been arrested for looting in mandatory evacuation zones. Two people were caught posing as firefighters in order to steal from evacuees.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said in a news conference Sunday he had requested more National Guard troops to bolster the 400 already in the area. California Governor Gavin Newsom has since announced that 1,000 additional members of the National Guard would be deployed.
“When I was out there in the Malibu area, I saw a gentleman that looked like a firefighter. And I asked him if he was okay because he was sitting down. I didn’t realise we had him in handcuffs,” Sheriff Luna told reporters.
“We are turning him over to LAPD because he was dressed like a fireman, and he was not. He just got caught burglarising a home. So those are issues that our front-line deputies and police officers are dealing with.”
There are now 14,000 firefighters in the southern California region, being assisted by 84 aircrafts and 1,354 fire engines, said Sheriff Luna.
Evacuation numbers have dropped, with around 105,000 residents still under mandatory evacuation orders and 87,000 under evacuation warnings.
Deanne Criswell, the administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema), told CNN on Sunday that a significant threat remained.
“I know that so many people probably want to get back into the area and check on their homes, but with winds picking back up, you never know which way they’re going to go,” she said.
LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said that limited access had been allowed to evacuated residents over the weekend, but that his officers are once again barring all residents from returning.
Officials have issued repeated orders for drone operators to not fly near fire zones, and are now seeking information after a drone crashed into a vital plane.
The FBI has shared photos of the small drone which on Thursday collided with a plane known as a “Super Scooper”, one of the world’s most affective firefighting aircrafts, briefly grounding it.
The drone ripped a 3-by-6-inch (8-by-15cm) hole in the plane.
Officials have also warned of scammers seeking to take advantage of victims, and issued a stern warning that anyone caught price gouging will be prosecuted.
Meanwhile the spat between California Governor Newsom and President-elect Donald Trump continues.
Trump, who takes office on 20 January and has been invited by the governor to come tour the fire damage, on Saturday blamed “incompetent” politicians for “one of the worst catastrophes in the history of our country”.
Newsom, who is a Democrat, has in turn attacked Trump for sharing “inexcusable” misinformation about the fires.
[BBC]
Dasun Shanaka has been named Sri Lanka’s vice-captain for the upcoming T20I tri-series that will also involve Pakistan and Zimbabwe. Fast bowler Eshan Malinga, meanwhile, is in line to make his debut in the same series while also being included in the ODI squad for the three matches against Pakistan before the tri-series begins.
Dilshan Madushanka has been ruled out of the ODI series as he hasn’t yet recovered from a knee injury, and was replaced by Malinga, whereas Matheesha Pathirana isn’t a part of the T20I squad as he is recovering from an upper respiratory tract infection. Pathirana was replaced by Asitha Fernando.
Top-order batter Bhanuka Rajapaksa, who last played a T20I at the start of the year, was back in the squad for the shortest format, having missed two bilateral series and the Asia Cup since then.
Left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage didn’t find a spot in either of the 16-member squads, but he will lead Sri Lanka A in the Rising Stars T20 Asia Cup in Doha later this month.
Sri Lanka’s ODIs against Pakistan are all scheduled to be played in Rawalpindi, on November 11, 13 and 15. Those will be followed by the tri-series from November 17 in Rawalpindi and Lahore, with the final slated for November 29.
Sri Lanka squads
ODIs: Charith Asalanka (capt), Pathum Nissanka, Lahiru Udara, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kamindu Mendis, Janith Liyanage, Pavan Rathnayake, Wanindu Hasaranaga, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Dushmantha Chameera, Asitha Fernando, Pramod Madushan, Eshan Malinga
T20I tri-series: Charith Asalanka (capt), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Kamil Mishara, Dasun Shanaka (vice-capt), Kamindu Mendis, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Janith Liyanage, Wanindu Hasaranaga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushan Hemantha, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Thushara, Asitha Fernando, Eshan Malinga
[Cricinfo]
China’s most advanced aircraft carrier, the Fujian, has entered service days after a grand commissioning ceremony overseen by Chinese leader Xi Jinping, state media said.
The Fujian, the country’s third warship, is equipped with electromagnetic catapults which will allow planes to be launched at higher speeds.
Its launch marked a significant step forward for Beijing, which now has the world’s largest navy in terms of sheer number of ships.
China has been expanding its navy at breakneck speed under Xi, putting pressure on the United States and its allies to keep up.
The Fujian can launch three different types of aircraft with its electromagnetic catapult and flat flight deck, according to state media.
The domestically-built vessel can carry planes with heavier weapons and fuel loads so they can strike enemy targets from a greater distance, making it more powerful than China’s first two carriers, the Liaoning and the Shandong – both built by the Russians.
State media hailed the Fujian as a “major milestone” in the development of China’s navy.
The US is the only other country in the world to have an aircraft carrier with the same electromagnetic catapult system as Fujian.
The Fujian’s commissioning ceremony was held in southern Hainan province on Wednesday, during which Xi toured the ship’s deck to hear more details about its performance at sea.
State media claimed Xi had personally made the decision to adopt electromagnetic catapult technology.
The reports also said Xi spoke to sailors who lined up along the flight deck and dock, saluting and shouting in unison: “Follow the party’s command, fight to win, and uphold fine conduct!”
[BBC]
Dozens of people have been injured in an explosion during Friday prayers at a mosque inside a high school complex in Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta.
Fifty-four people were admitted to hospital, the city’s police chief Asep Edi Suheri told a news conference, with the injuries ranging from minor to serious and including burns.
The suspect is a 17-year-old student who is currently in surgery, officials told reporters.
The Jakarta Metropolitan Police continues to investigate the suspect’s background and the possible motive behind the incident, which occurred at around 12:15 local time (05:15 GMT) in Kelapa Gading, a district in North Jakarta.
A bomb disposal team has been deployed to the state-run high school complex to collect evidence and ensure there are no other explosive devices.
Authorities said three people had suffered serious injuries and 17 others came away with minor injuries. Others have been treated and discharged, local media reports.
A pupil at the school alleged to Indonesia’s government-owned news agency Antara that a homemade bomb had been brought in by a student who had often been bullied by other students.
Other pupils told Indonesian news outlets that the suspect was a “loner” who often made drawings depicting violence, and who had been found lying on the ground following the explosion.
A cook at the school described seeing white smoke coming from the mosque and broken windows after the “massive” blast.
“Our hearts were beating fast, we couldn’t breathe,” she told the Reuters news agency.
A high-ranking Jakarta Metropolitan Police officer confirmed the presence of two objects resembling firearms at the scene.
Images from Antara suggest one of the objects appeared to be a submachine gun and another looked like a pistol.
The submachine gun-type object appears to be inscribed on its barrel with: “14 words. For Agartha.”
On its body, it says: “Brenton Tarrant. Welcome to Hell.”
Brenton Tarrant is the perpetrator of a 2019 mass shooting at a mosque and Islamic centre in Christchurch, New Zealand, that killed 51 and injured dozens of others.
A minister who visited the scene later on Friday sought to dispel suggestions that weapons were present at the site, telling CNN Indonesia what had been pictured “turned out to be a toy gun, not a real gun”.
Lodewijk Freidrich Paulus also called on the public not to presume the explosion was a “terrorist act” as investigators were still combing over the scene.
Another object found at the site was a dark green belt for storing gun cartridges.
Indonesia has the world’s largest Muslim population.
[BBC]
Eshan Malinga picked for white-ball tour of Pakistan; Rajapaksa back for T20Is
Sri Lankan jailed for life over ‘monstrous’ killing of family
China launches new aircraft carrier in naval race with the US
Fifty-four people injured in mosque blast at Jakarta high school
Pradeep Nilanga Dela elected Diyawadana Nilame of the Sri Dalada Maligawa for third term
Government allocates Rs 21 billion for Research and Development
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines
#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
Sunday Island – 28th March
Sunday Island Headlines – 21 March
Sunday Island – 21st February – Headlines
-
Features6 days agoRolls – Royce in Ceylon
-
News6 days agoTeachers threaten strike against education reforms and ‘bid to shut down more than 1,500 schools’
-
News6 days agoSri Lanka: Fewer births, rapid ageing mark a new demographic era
-
News7 days agoSupermarkets to charge shoppers for bags from today
-
Features2 days agoFavourites for the title of Miss Universe 2025
-
Business7 days agoRs. 2 billion private sector leisure and real estate investment in Pinnawela
-
Business5 days agoRajaputhra Foundation, Nawaloka Hospitals partner for free breast cancer awareness and screening
-
News4 days agoJSC removes 20 officials including judges