More than 100,000 people in Southern California have fled their homes to escape wind-fuelled wildfires that are tearing through Los Angeles neighbourhoods, causing at least five deaths.
Overnight, the situation became catastrophic when power was cut to more than 300,000 homes in the LA area. A fire broke out in the Hollywood Hills overnight, causing LA fire chief Kristin Crowley to abruptly leave a media conference she was giving on the unfolding situation.
Parts of Laurel Canyon Boulevard and Mulholland Drive down to Hollywood Boulevard, packed with celebrity homes, are now in the mandatory evacuation zone. Hotel heiress Paris Hilton and comedian Billy Crystal are among the famous residents to have lost their homes, reports said. The nominations announcement for the Academy Awards has been postponed from January 17 to 19, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said.
US President Joe Biden cancelled the final overseas trip of his presidency, hours before he was set to leave for Rome and the Vatican on Thursday.
It’s astounding what’s happening. It’s going to be a hell of a long way [to return to normal]
Joe Biden
"It’s astounding what’s happening," he said after being briefed by CalFire officials at a fire station in Santa Monica. “We’re doing anything and everything and as long as it takes to contain these fires … to make sure you get back to normal. It’s going to be a hell of a long way. It’s going to take time.”
President-elect Donald Trump appeared to blame California Governor Gavin Newsom for the fires in a social media post, claiming he should have approved plans to pump more water through California. Mr Trump said LA was "currently burning in a virtually apocalyptic way".
The Palisades Fire, between the affluent beach towns of Santa Monica and Malibu, has burnt about 6,300 hectares. Many multi-million-dollar beachfront homes in Malibu were completely destroyed. Local officials said 1,000 structures homes and other buildings were burnt by the Palisades Fire, making it the most destructive in Los Angeles County's history.
Another large fire near Pasadena, called the Eaton Fire, has burnt through more than 4,200 hectares as of late Wednesday afternoon. It burnt only 800 hectares earlier in the day. The deaths were reported as a result of that blaze. Authorities also reported a “significant number” of injuries.
On Wednesday, LA Mayor Karen Bass said hundreds of firefighters had been working through the night and thanked them for “working tirelessly to respond and protect life and property”. Mr Biden was in LA for an event on Tuesday, which was affected by high winds. He spent Wednesday speaking to Mr Newsom and local officials before his departure.
Mr Newsom said the state received federal assistance to fight fires after he declared a state of emergency on Tuesday. Mr Biden said he ordered the Department of Defence to help.
Ms Bass announced that there are emergency shelters for those who have been evacuated. Two other smaller active fires are active in the Los Angeles area. The origins are currently under investigation.
Vice President Kamala Harris is a native of the coastal US state and called herself a “proud daughter of California”. Her representative said her neighbourhood in Los Angeles was "put under an evacuation order" but "no one was in her home at the time".
“My heart goes out to all those being impacted by the devastating wildfires in Southern California," Ms Harris said. "We are thinking of the families whose homes, businesses and schools remain in harm’s way. I know the damage that wildfires have on our neighbours and communities. I also know that the impact is often felt long after the fire is contained."
Television and film celebrities including Mark Hamill, Mandy Moore and James Woods shared news of fleeing for safety and unease over whether their homes are intact.
The fires began in the region at a time when as forecasters saw an incoming Santa Ana windstorm with sustained winds of 64kph. The region has also not received much rain for months, increasing fire risk. The National Weather Service called it a “life-threatening and destructive windstorm” in its forecast this week. Experts told CNN and AP that wildfire risks, fuelled by the winds, could be sustained through Thursday.
Southern California Edison said power cuts were affecting more than 3.1 million customers because of the wildfires. The regional electricity company's website says another 1.15 million people could be affected.
California's wildfire season usually begins in June and runs until October, making January wildfires quite rare. Conditions intensified by climate change, such as rising temperatures, drought and decreased rainfall, have led to the state's fire season to begin earlier and end later.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
ENGLAND SQUAD
Joe Root (c), Moeen Ali, Jimmy Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Alastair Cook, Sam Curran, Keaton Jennings, Ollie Pope, Adil Rashid, Ben Stokes, James Vince, Chris Woakes
Ukraine
Capital: Kiev
Population: 44.13 million
Armed conflict in Donbass
Russia-backed fighters control territory
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
The low down on MPS
What is myofascial pain syndrome?
Myofascial pain syndrome refers to pain and inflammation in the body’s soft tissue. MPS is a chronic condition that affects the fascia (connective tissue that covers the muscles, which develops knots, also known as trigger points).
What are trigger points?
Trigger points are irritable knots in the soft tissue that covers muscle tissue. Through injury or overuse, muscle fibres contract as a reactive and protective measure, creating tension in the form of hard and, palpable nodules. Overuse and sustained posture are the main culprits in developing trigger points.
What is myofascial or trigger-point release?
Releasing these nodules requires a hands-on technique that involves applying gentle sustained pressure to release muscular shortness and tightness. This eliminates restrictions in connective tissue in orderto restore motion and alleviate pain. Therapy balls have proven effective at causing enough commotion in the tissue, prompting the release of these hard knots.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The biog:
From: Wimbledon, London, UK
Education: Medical doctor
Hobbies: Travelling, meeting new people and cultures
Favourite animals: All of them
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Unresolved crisis
Russia and Ukraine have been locked in a bitter conflict since 2014, when Ukraine’s Kremlin-friendly president was ousted, Moscow annexed Crimea and then backed a separatist insurgency in the east.
Fighting between the Russia-backed rebels and Ukrainian forces has killed more than 14,000 people. In 2015, France and Germany helped broker a peace deal, known as the Minsk agreements, that ended large-scale hostilities but failed to bring a political settlement of the conflict.
The Kremlin has repeatedly accused Kiev of sabotaging the deal, and Ukrainian officials in recent weeks said that implementing it in full would hurt Ukraine.
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
TERMINAL HIGH ALTITUDE AREA DEFENCE (THAAD)
What is THAAD?
It is considered to be the US's most superior missile defence system.
Production:
It was created in 2008.
Speed:
THAAD missiles can travel at over Mach 8, so fast that it is hypersonic.
Abilities:
THAAD is designed to take out ballistic missiles as they are on their downward trajectory towards their target, otherwise known as the "terminal phase".
Purpose:
To protect high-value strategic sites, such as airfields or population centres.
Range:
THAAD can target projectiles inside and outside the Earth's atmosphere, at an altitude of 150 kilometres above the Earth's surface.
Creators:
Lockheed Martin was originally granted the contract to develop the system in 1992. Defence company Raytheon sub-contracts to develop other major parts of the system, such as ground-based radar.
UAE and THAAD:
In 2011, the UAE became the first country outside of the US to buy two THAAD missile defence systems. It then stationed them in 2016, becoming the first Gulf country to do so.
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants
Company%20profile
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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier
ICC Academy, November 22-28
UAE fixtures
Nov 22, v Malaysia
Nov 23, v Hong Kong
Nov 25, v Bhutan
Nov 26, v Kuwait
Nov 28, v Nepal
ICC T20I rankings
14. Nepal
17. UAE
25. Hong Kong
34. Kuwait
35. Malaysia
44. Bhutan
UAE squad
Chaya Mughal (captain), Natasha Cherriath, Samaira Dharnidharka, Kavisha Egodage, Mahika Gaur, Priyanjali Jain, Suraksha Kotte, Vaishnave Mahesh, Judit Peter, Esha Rohit, Theertha Satish, Chamani Seneviratne, Khushi Sharma, Subha Venkataraman
