US officials warned “dangerous and strong” winds were set to push deadly wildfires further through residential areas in Los Angeles on Sunday as firefighters struggled to make progress against the flames.
Six blazes that have ripped across the second-largest US city since Tuesday have so far killed at least 24 people, displaced 150,000 and destroyed more than 12,000 structures, according to state officials.
Despite massive efforts, including aerial water-bombing, the Palisades Fire continued to grow, spreading east towards the priceless collections of the Getty Centre art museum and north to the densely populated San Fernando Valley.
“The winds are potentially getting dangerous and strong again,” Deanne Criswell, head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, told CNN. “The biggest thing that people need to know is that this is still dangerous.”
The flames have reduced whole neighbourhoods to smouldering ruins, destroying the homes of celebrities and ordinary citizens.
President-elect Donald Trump criticised California officials for their handling of the crisis.
“The fires are still raging in LA. The incompetent pols have no idea how to put them out. Thousands of magnificent houses are gone and many more will soon be lost. There is death all over the place … they just can't put out the fires. What's wrong with them?” Mr Trump said on his Truth Social platform.
Amid looting incidents and an enforced night-time curfew, police and the National Guard established checkpoints to restrict access to disaster-stricken areas. Two people were arrested near Vice President Kamala Harris's residence in Brentwood for curfew breaches after reports of a burglary.
The National Weather Service has warned that while the Santa Ana winds, which have intensified the fires, showed some respite over the weekend, they are expected to strengthen early next week with gusts that could reach 110kph. Local officials anticipate the strongest wind on Tuesday.
“These winds, combined with dry air and dry vegetation, will keep the fire weather threat in the area,” the National Weather Service said. Conditions were expected to moderate by Thursday.
California Governor Gavin Newsom said he expected the death toll to rise.
“I've got search and rescue teams out. We've got cadaver dogs out and there's likely to be a lot more,” he told NBC.
Mr Newsom said the fires could represent the worst natural disaster in US history in terms of associated costs.
Private forecaster AccuWeather estimated the damage and economic loss to be between $135 billion and $150 billion, indicating a surge in homeowners' insurance costs.
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Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
What is Folia?
Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.
Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."
Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.
In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love".
There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.
While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."
Fire and Fury
By Michael Wolff,
Henry Holt
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Warlight,
Michael Ondaatje, Knopf
yallacompare profile
Date of launch: 2014
Founder: Jon Richards, founder and chief executive; Samer Chebab, co-founder and chief operating officer, and Jonathan Rawlings, co-founder and chief financial officer
Based: Media City, Dubai
Sector: Financial services
Size: 120 employees
Investors: 2014: $500,000 in a seed round led by Mulverhill Associates; 2015: $3m in Series A funding led by STC Ventures (managed by Iris Capital), Wamda and Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority; 2019: $8m in Series B funding with the same investors as Series A along with Precinct Partners, Saned and Argo Ventures (the VC arm of multinational insurer Argo Group)
MATCH INFO
Real Madrid 2
Vinicius Junior (71') Mariano (90 2')
Barcelona 0
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Soldier F
“I was in complete disgust at the fact that only one person was to be charged for Bloody Sunday.
“Somebody later said to me, 'you just watch - they'll drop the charge against him'. And sure enough, the charges against Soldier F would go on to be dropped.
“It's pretty hard to think that 50 years on, the State is still covering up for what happened on Bloody Sunday.”
Jimmy Duddy, nephew of John Johnson
MATCH INFO
Manchester United v Manchester City, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match is on BeIN Sports
Kill%20
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