At least 5 dead, over 1,000 homes destroyed in Los Angeles County wildfires

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At least 5 dead, over 1,000 homes destroyed in Los Angeles County wildfires

2025-01-09 12:16 Last Updated At：01-10 00:37

Wildfires continue to ravage southern California, with at least five people confirmed dead, over 150,000 residents evacuated, and more than 1,100 homes destroyed, as flames spread unchecked across Los Angeles County.

Fueled by strong winds and dry weather conditions that have plagued the region in recent days, at least six separate wildfires have erupted across Los Angeles County since Tuesday, and nearly all remain largely uncontrolled, according to the latest data released on Wednesday by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE).

Among the most severe incidents is the fire in the Pacific Palisades area, which has already scorched 64 square kilometers of land. The Eaton fire, spreading in the Altadena area in eastern Los Angeles County, has also devastated over 42 square kilometers of forested land.

With the Palisades fire encroaching, authorities in Santa Monica issued emergency evacuation orders for parts of the city on Wednesday.

The wildfires have also caused widespread power outages, with over 310,000 homes and businesses currently without electricity, according to data from a U.S. power outage tracking website.

California governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Tuesday and also visited the Pacific Palisades area where he met with local and state fire officials.

The National Weather Service stated on Wednesday that strong winds are expected to continue until Thursday in affected areas, making it harder to contain the wildfires.

Joining BRICS to help boost Indonesia's economic growth: expert

2025-01-09 23:37 Last Updated At：01-10 00:17

Indonesia's accession to BRICS is expected to significantly enhance its economic growth, said an Indonesian expert on Wednesday after the announcement of the country’s membership.

The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday issued a statement, hailing its full BRICS membership and emphasizing the country's commitment to fostering a more inclusive and equitable global order through multilateral cooperation.

Its statement came after Brazil, as the BRICS chair this year, announced one day earlier the official entry of Indonesia as a full member into BRICS.

Mohammad Faisal, executive director of Indonesia’s Center of Reform on Economics, expressed optimism about the potential benefits.

"The new government has set an ambitious economic growth target of eight percent. Joining BRICS will provide a significant impetus to achieve the goal. It needs Indonesia to make extraordinary efforts, particularly in attracting investments. While Indonesia has already attracted substantial investment inflows, there is still room for further growth," he said.

Faisal said cooperation with BRICS members like China will bring more trade opportunities, foreign investments and technologies to Indonesia, promoting the sound development of the country’s domestic economic ecosystem.

He said BRICS countries can expand their cooperation into new areas through the integration and complementarity of their strengths.

"Looking ahead, the Indonesian government plans to further develop downstream industries, as well as agriculture, plant cultivation, fishery, livestock farming, and forestry. This will create more opportunities for cooperation with China, extending beyond current partnerships in infrastructure and nickel smelting to more areas," said Faisal.