In northern California on Sunday, sheriff’s investigators scoured wreckage left by the most destructive fire in state records, in search of remains of the dead. The death toll in and around the destroyed town of Paradise had reached 23 and seemed likely to climb. The toll for the state as a whole was 25, after two people were confirmed to have died near Los Angeles.

There, taking advantage of a break in dry winds on Saturday, fire crews battling the 83,275-acre Woolsey fire were able to achieve 10% containment, officials said. But on Sunday morning, Scott Jalbert, unit chief for the Cal Fire San Luis Obispo division, told reporters the weather was likely to worsen and that strong dry winds would cause new fires. “This has us very concerned,” he said. “We need to make sure all citizens are vigilant that they do nothing to start a new fire.” He added that more than 8,000 firefighters from various agencies were on the front lines.

“Everyone here, all state, federal and local firefighters, are doing everything they can to fight these fires,” he said. “Sadly with these winds it’s not over yet.” In the north, near Paradise, Butte sheriff Kory Honea said an anthropology team from California State University, Chico was assisting as in some cases “the only remains we are able to find are bones or bone fragments”. A mobile DNA lab was also on the way.(theguardian)…[+]

Southwestern Division police arrested three Venezuelan nationals for possession of a sub-machine firearm and ammunition on Saturday. The men, ages 20, 23 and 25, were held during an anti-crime exercise conducted in the division at daybreak.

Police said the men were found hiding in a house at Icacos Village, Cedros. The officers searched the premises and found a Kel-Tec Sub 2000, one magazine, 264 rounds of 9mm ammunition and 87 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition. The firearm and ammunition were stashed in a crocus bag, police said. The three suspects were taken to the Cedros police station. The arrests were made after a video was posted on social media showing people jumping off a fishing boat and wading to the shore at a beach in Erin. The seven foreign men and four foreign women were found at a hotel in Erin. Police said there were eight Venezuelans, one Guyanese and two Syrians.(stabroeknews)…[+]

Grenada – The Green Climate Fund and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) today signed a legal agreement to open doors for more climate finance projects in the Caribbean Region.

The signing of the Accreditation Master Agreement (AMA) took place on the margins of the Green Climate Fund’s Caribbean Structured Dialogue meeting, taking place this week in Grenada, which brings together regional stakeholders to plan climate action across the Caribbean Region.

Javier Manzanares, GCF Executive Director a.i., welcomed the agreement and stressed its importance for increasing financial flows to climate projects in the region: “The Caribbean is particularly vulnerable to climate change devastating impacts and significant investments are needed in the region’s infrastructure to strengthen its resilience. The Caribbean Development Bank has a long and successful track record and I’m convinced that our partnership is a huge step towards unlocking new climate finance potential in the region. GCF is looking forward to new climate projects by CDB and to working together to accelerate climate action in the Caribbean”.

“CDB views the signing of this Accreditation Master Agreement as an important milestone in our relationship with GCF. This Agreement will catalyse our efforts to mobilise much-needed funding to build climate resilience in the Bank’s Borrowing Member Countries. We are looking forward to a productive partnership with GCF, having taken this very important step towards implementing innovative climate solutions in our region,” said Monica La Bennett, Vice-President (Operations), CDB…[+]