water

At least two areas of the country’s worst-affected Sumatra island are still unreachable, as authorities struggle to deliver aid.

The death toll from devastating floods and landslides in Indonesia has risen to 442, according to a tally published by the national disaster agency, as desperate people hunt for food and water.

The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) on Sunday said 402 others were still missing as authorities raced to reach parts of hardest-hit Sumatra island, where thousands of people were stranded without critical supplies.

Another 402 people are missing in Indonesia’s three provinces of North Sumatra, West Sumatra and Aceh, according to the agency.

At least 600 people have died across Southeast Asia as heavy monsoon rains overwhelm swathes of Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia. The deluges also triggered landslides, damaged roads, and downed communication lines.

The floods in Indonesia displaced thousands of people, with at least two cities on Sumatra island still unreachable on Sunday. Authorities said they deployed two warships from Jakarta to deliver aid.

“There are two cities that require full attention due to being isolated, namely Central Tapanuli and Sibolga,” BNPB head Suharyanto said in a statement.

The ships were expected in Sibolga on Monday, he said.

Desperate situation

The challenging weather conditions and the lack of heavy equipment also hampered rescue efforts.

Aid has been slow to reach the hardest-hit city of Sibolga and the Central Tapanuli district in North Sumatra.

Videos on social media show people scrambling past crumbling barricades, flooded roads and broken glass to get their hands on food, medicine and gas.

Some even waded through waist-deep floodwaters to reach damaged convenience stores.

The annual monsoon season, typically between June and September, often brings heavy rain, triggering landslides and flash floods.

A tropical storm has exacerbated conditions, and the flooding tolls in Indonesia and Thailand rank among the highest in those countries in recent years.

Climate change has affected storm patterns, including the duration and intensity of the season, leading to heavier rainfall, flash flooding and stronger wind gusts.

Amid the fusillade of terrible headlines this year, one pierced my nerdy heart.

“Enjoying this headline? You’re a rarity: Reading for pleasure is declining …” was the topper to a story by my colleague Hailey Branson-Potts in August. Pleasure reading among American adults fell more than 40% in two decades — a continuation of a trend going back to the 1940s.

I get it. We don’t want to read for fun when we’re trying to wade through the sewer of information we find online and make sense of our terrible political times. But as Tyrion Lannister, the wily hero of George R.R. Martin’s “A Game of Thrones” series, said, “A mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge.”

So for my annual holiday columna recommending great books about Southern California, I’m sticking to formats that lend themselves to easier reading — bite-size jewels of intellect, if you will. Through essays, short stories, poems and pictures, each of my suggestions will bring solace through the beauty of where we live and offer inspiration about how to double down on resisting the bad guys.

“California Southern: Writing From the Road, 1992-2025” by LAist reporter Adolfo Guzman-Lopez.

(Gustavo Arellano / Los Angeles Times)

Adolfo Guzman-Lopez’s warm voice has informed Angelenos about arts, politics and education for 25 years on what was long called KPCC and now goes by LAist 89.3. What most listeners might not know is that the Mexico City native first earned acclaim as a founder of Taco Shop Poets, an influential San Diego collective that highlighted Chicano writers in a city that didn’t seem to care for them.

Guzman-Lopez lets others delve into that history in the intro and forerward to “California Southern: Writings from the Road, 1992-2025.” Reading the short anthology, it quickly becomes clear why his audio dispatches have always had a prose-like quality often lacking among public radio reporters, whose delivery tends to be as dry as Death Valley.

In mostly English but sometimes Spanish and Spanglish, Guzman-Lopez takes readers from the U.S.-Mexico border to L.A., employing the type of lyrical bank shots only a poet can get away with. I especially loved his description of Silver Lake as “two tax brackets away/From Salvatrucha Echo Park.” Another highlight is contained in “Trucks,” where Guzman-Lopez praises the immigrant entrepreneurs from around the world who come to L.A. and name their businesses after their hometowns.

“Say these names to praise the soil,” he writes. “Say these names to document the passage. Say these names to remember the trek.”

Guzman-Lopez has been doing readings recently with Lisa Alvarez, who published her first book, “Some Final Beauty and Other Stories,” after decades of teaching English — including to my wife back in the 1990s! — at Irvine Valley College.

The L.A. native did the impossible for someone who rarely delves into made-up stories because the real world is fantastical enough: She made me not just read fiction but enjoy it.

Alvarez’s debut is a loosely tied collection centered on progressive activists in Southern California, spanning a seismic sendoff for someone who fought during the Spanish Civil War and a resident of O.C.’s canyon country tipping off the FBI about her neighbor’s participation in the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot.

Author, activist and Irvine Valley College professor Lisa Alvarez holds a copy of her short story collection “Some Final Beauty and Other Stories.”

(Don Leach / Daily Pilot)

Most of the protagonists are women, brought to life through Alvarez’s taut, shining sentences. Memories play a key role — people loved and lost, places missed and reviled. A nephew remembers how his uncle landed in an FBI subversives file after attending a Paul Robeson speech in South L.A. shortly after serving in the Navy in World War II. An L.A. mayor who seems like a stand-in for Antonio Villaraigoisa considers himself “the crafty and cool voice of one who sees his past and future in terms of chapters in a best-selling book” as he tries to convince a faded movie star to come down from a tree during a protest.

To paraphrase William Faulkner about the South, the past is never dead in Southern California — it isn’t even past.

While Alvarez is a first-time author, D.J. Waldie has written many books. The Livy of Lakewood, who has penned important essays about L.A. history and geography for decades, has gathered some of his recent efforts in “Elements of Los Angeles: Earth, Water, Air, Fire.”

A lot of his subjects — L.A.’s mother tree, pioneering preacher Aimee Semple McPherson, the first Hass avocado — are tried-and-true terrain for Southern California writers. But few of us can turn a phrase like Waldie. On legendary Dodger broadcasters Vin Scully and Jaime Jarrín, he writes, “The twin cities of Los Angeles and Los Ángeles, evoked by [their] voices … may seem to be incommensurate places to the unhearing, but the borders of the two cities are porous. Sound travels.”

Man, I wish I would have written that.

“Elements of Los Angeles” is worth the purchase, if only to read “Taken by the Flood,” Waldie’s account of the 1928 St. Francis Dam disaster that killed at least 431 people — mostly Latinos — and destroyed the career of L.A.’s water godfather, William Mulholland. The author’s slow burn of the tragic chronology, from Mulholland’s famous “There it is. Take it” quote when he unleashed water from the Owens Valley in 1913 to slake the city’s thirst, to how L.A. quickly forgot the disaster, compounds hubris upon hubris.

But then, Waldie concludes by citing a Spanish-language corrido about the disaster: “Friends, I leave you/with this sad song/and with a plea to heaven/For those taken by the flood.”

The ultimate victims, Waldie argues, are not the dead from the St. Francis Dam but all Angelenos for buying into the fatal folly of Mullholland’s L.A.

“Elements of Los Angeles” was published by Angel City Press, a wing of the Los Angeles Public Library that also released “Cruising J-Town: Japanese American Car Culture in Los Angeles.”

Cal State Long Beach sociology professor Oliver Wang offers a powerhouse of a coffee table book by taking what could have easily sold as a scrapbook of cool images and grounding it in the history of a community that has seen the promise and pain of Southern California like few others.

We see Japanese Americans posing in front of souped-up imports, reveling in SoCal’s kustom kulture scene of the 1960s, standing in front of a car at a World War II-era incarceration camp and loading up their gardening trucks at a time when they dominated the landscaping industry.

“One can read entire histories of American car culture and find no mention of Japanese or Asian American involvement,” Wang writes — but that’s about as pedantic as “Cruising J-Town” gets.

The rest is a delight that zooms by like the rest of my recs. Drop the doomscrolling for a day, make the time to read them all and become a better Southern Californian in the process. Enjoy!

Young Palestinians in Gaza have used parts and fuel from abandoned Israeli military vehicles to create a pump to supply clean water for their community.

The resort in Turkey’s Antalya region covers 639,000 square meters and includes a royal-themed hotel with 401 rooms, a theme park right on your doorstep, and even an impressive shopping mall

All-inclusive hotels can be a convenient way to enjoy a family holiday. You don’t need to bring any spending money along, and there’s no need to cook or wash a single plate for the entire stay.

But one drawback can be a lack of things to do. Not everyone enjoys spending every day by the pool or beach, and there’s only so many games you can play with the animation team. But there’s one giant resort in Turkey where you’re almost guaranteed not to run out of activities, as you’ve got a theme park just steps away from your sun lounger.

Land of Legends is located near the city of Antalya, one of the most popular Turkish destinations for British tourists. It’s just minutes away from beautiful sandy beaches and the lively town of Kadriye. It’s possible to get a day pass for Land of Legends, but it’s best explored when staying in the hotel, as there’s just so much to see.

Theme hotel

The Kingdom Hotel has 401 rooms, which have been perfectly designed for family stays. Rooms and suites come with fun features such as TVs with 3D glasses, a PlayStation 4, and a minibar full of soft drinks, which is refilled daily. Each room also features fun, cartoon-style decor and has been designed with thoughtful details, such as rounded edges on the furniture, making it safe for little kids.

You can choose from one-bedroom rooms, interconnected rooms to give you more space and privacy, and a range of different suites. Many rooms also include either a balcony or a terrace where you can soak up some sunshine. There’s even a drying rack for your swimwear when you’re back from the waterpark.

Waterpark and theme park

You’ll likely spend a lot of time in the water if you stay at the Kingdom Hotel. You’ll have access to a range of pools, from the lively to quieter spots. At the activity pool, there’s plenty of space for the kids to splash around, while the infinity pool has warm seawater for a refreshing dip.

Guests have access to Aqua Land, which features a wave pool, rapids, a wild river, and the gigantic Magicone waterslide. Up to four people can ride the Magicone, which leads you through a giant funnel before you drop down below. These rides are open until 7pm in summer, so there’s plenty of time to enjoy them. There’s also the Anjana spa and fitness centre – complete with a sauna, steam room, Turkish bath and whirlpool – so you can relax after a long day at the park.

Of course, if you’re visiting a theme park, you’ll want to know about the rides, especially the rollercoasters. The Hyper Coaster is one of the park’s main attractions, hitting heights of 61 metres and speeds over 70mph. There’s also the Typhoon Coaster, which ends in a drop of 43-metres, straight into the water, so you’ll need to dry off afterwards.

There are also gentler rides, such as the Family Coaster. For little kids, Masha and the Bear: Land of Laughter features rides like the Zippy Zappy Coaster, which even the smallest guests can enjoy. There’s also Bear’s Fun House and kids’ shows in the circus tent.

Food and drink

Depending on who you book with, Land of Legends offers all-in or all-inclusive packages, so make sure you double-check before you confirm your booking. The former includes food, snacks, and soft drinks, but may only cover select local alcoholic drinks, and may be limited to alcohol at meal times. Not all restaurants in the park are included in these packages, so it’s worth checking.

Some popular spots for dining in the park include the Eternia restaurant, a huge buffet with dishes from around the world, and the Nyssa Bar, which is perfect for families with kids, as it has giant screens where they can play Xbox. There are also some 24-hour spots open, such as the Legends Pub.

Shopping Avenue

You won’t even need to leave the resort to buy souvenirs or pick up the essentials. Land of Legends’ Shopping Avenue features over 60 stores, including numerous clothing shops, pharmacies, fast food outlets, cafes, and toy stores. This stylish shopping area also has huge fountains, with colourful fountain shows in the evening, and Venetian-style canals, with regular boat parades. During the summer, many stores open from 10am to midnight, so you can shop at night when it’s cooler.

Find out more about Land of Legends and book a stay or day pass through their official site.

Have a story you want to share? Email us at [email protected]

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS WATER POLO

SOCAL REGIONALS

THURSDAY’S RESULTS

SEMIFINALS

DIVISION I

#1 Newport Harbor 12, #5 Oaks Christian 7

#3 San Diego Cathedral 10, #2 La Jolla 9

DIVISION II

#1 Bishop’s 19, #4 Carlsbad 6

#2 Santana 24, #3 Capistrano Valley 10

DIVISION III

#1 Temecula Valley 12, #5 Cleveland 7

#2 Charter Oak 16, #3 Mar Vista 14

SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE

FINALS

At Mt. San Antonio College

DIVISION I

#3 San Diego Cathedral (25-5) vs. #1 Newport Harbor (30-1), 4 p.m.

DIVISION II

#2 Santana (27-4) vs. #1 Bishop’s (17-15), 2:30 p.m.

DIVISION III

#2 Charter Oak (18-11) vs. Temecula Valley (16-11), 1 p.m.

A French court rejected all claims brought by UFC-Que Choisir against Perrier, after the consumer group claimed the firm’s natural mineral water was deceptively labelled.

In early June, UFC-Que Choisir filed an emergency motion with a court in Nanterre near Paris seeking a recall of all Perrier bottles in circulation, as well as a temporary ban on sales of the natural mineral water.

The case centred on a dispute over the use of a filtration treatment, which the group said was contrary to French and European law. UFC-Que Choisir also claimed that the water posed health risks.

UFC-Que Choisir insisted that its demands would not have caused Perrier’s Vergèze plant to close, but it hoped that the bottles produced there would be sold as drinking water and not natural mineral water.

The consumer group noted that natural mineral water typically sells for 100 to 300 times the price of tap water.

Nestlé says decision proves Perrier’s food safety is ‘guaranteed’

The court in Nanterre said a health risk to consumers was not proven to the level required for an emergency ruling, a ruling welcomed by Nestlé.

“Today’s decision confirms that the food safety of Perrier natural mineral waters has always been guaranteed”, it said.

The company said it operates under an integrated quality management system, shared with, and controlled by, the relevant authorities to ensure the food safety of all its products.

“The results of our analyses are constantly shared with the authorities who regularly test our mineral waters, both at source and the finished product, to confirm compliance with the applicable regulatory requirements, including food safety and quality standards.”

UFC-Que Choisir must pay €5,000 to Nestlé, according to a court statement.

The Nanterre ruling was the latest twist in a series of scandals hounding Nestlé in France.

In a 2024 report, the Occitanie Regional Health Agency (ARS) warned of the possibility of halting Perrier production because of persistent bacterial contaminationin water drawn from wells at the Vergèze plant.

An inquiry commissioned by France’s Senate then found that the French government had covered up the use of illegal water treatments for years, particularly with regard to Nestlé.

Nestlé said it has since stopped using these prohibited treatments, instead switching to its current filtration methods.

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS WATER POLO

SOCAL REGIONALS
TUESDAY’S RESULTS
First Round

DIVISION I
#1 Newport Harbor 18, #8 Mater Dei 9
#4 Corona del Mar 10, #5 Oaks Christian 6
#3 San Diego Cathedral 15, #6 Mira Costa 10
#2 La Jolla 15, #7 Loyola 12

DIVISION 2
#1 Bishop’s 25, #8 Bonita 8
#4 Carlsbad 15, #5 Torrey Pines 13
#3 Capistrano Valley 15, #6 Oceanside 14
#2 Santana 18, #7 Damien 11

DIVISION 3
#1 Temecula Valley 16, #8 Granada Hills 9
#5 Cleveland 13, #4 Fontana 6
#3 Mar Vista 14, #6 Eagle Rock 8
#2 Charter Oak 20, #7 Palisades 11

THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE
(Games at 5 p.m. unless noted)
SEMIFINALS

DIVISION I
#4 Corona del Mar at #1 Newport Harbor
#3 San Diego Cathedral at #2 La Jolla, 4 p.m.

DIVISION II
#4 Carlsbad at #1 Bishop’s
#3 Capistrano Valley at #2 Santana

DIVISION III
#5 Cleveland at #1 Temecula Valley
#3 Mar Vista at #2 Charter Oak

Note: Finals (all divisions) Nov. 22 at higher seeds.

A BRAND new indoor water park is set to come to the UK – complete with a sauna, slides and a splash zone.

The venue will replace the Waterfront Leisure Centre in Woolwich which has been a pillar of the community since it was erected in 1988.

The latter has seen better days, with some locals alleging black mould has been seen while some water slides have been closed to the public indefinitely.

However, residents will be happy to hear that a fresh alternative will soon be available to visit.

Woolwich Waves, situated opposite General Gordon Square, will boast two pools, slides, a two-floor gym, sports halls, squash courts, soft play and a sauna and will wave in punters next month.

The leisure centre has costed a whopping £115million to build.

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As for the future of the crumbling Waterfront Leisure Centre, a decision is expected to be made on November 19 during a penned council meeting.

Berkeley Homes, which already built flats on water park’s old car park, has been earmarked to inhabit the space after the centre has been razed to the ground.

Greenwich Councillor Majid Rahman, Cabinet Member for Planning, Estate Renewal and Development, said: “The regeneration of Woolwich remains a key priority for the council and Woolwich Waves sits at the heart of that.

Cllr Rahman added: “The closure of the existing Waterfront Leisure Centre has always been part of the long-term plan of the delivery of Woolwich Waves.

“Subject to approval by Cabinet, it is recommended that the old Waterfront Leisure Centre building is demolished, when it becomes vacant, to avoid anti-social behaviour and associated security costs – challenges that come with a building sitting vacant. 

“Then steps would be taken to repurpose the site for future sale that would be subject to a transparent and competitive process, ensuring best value for the borough. 

“The repurposing of the Waterfront site would pave the way for more much-needed housing and contribute to the council’s and the Mayor of London’s affordable housing targets.”

Earlier this year, two popular public leisure centres in the UK suddenly closed down.

The City of Lincolnshire Council confirmed that their Yarborough and Birchwood leisure centres would close effective immediately on Wednesday night.

The Yarborough Leisure Centre provided a gym, swimming pool, running track and studios for classes, while the Birchwood facility included a gym, spin studio and 3G pitches.

Active Nation’s statement referenced “the ongoing utility crisis and challenges it has created” as the reason for the sudden closures.

It claims to have tried to find another company to take over the services whilst working with the council, but to no success.

A Yarborough Leisure Centre instructor, Carla, told the BBC: “We didn’t know anything about it, the place was buzzing and it was busy but then we got the news”, after just having taught a class in the morning.

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A number of staff expressed their concerns employment, and cited the tough trading conditions they worked through to try keep the venues running.

Customers of the leisure centres, Mauva Jessel, Nina Hill and Elise Rothwell, have also shared with the BBC they are worried about the fees already paid to be made members.

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS’ WATER POLO

SOCAL REGIONALS

(Games at 5 p.m. unless noted)

TUESDAY’S SCHEDULE

First Round

DIVISION I

#8 Mater Dei at #1 Newport Harbor

#5 Oaks Christian at #4 Corona del Mar

#6 Mira Costa at #3 San Diego Cathedral

#7 Loyola at #2 La Jolla

DIVISION 2

#8 Bonita at #1 Bishop’s

#5 Torrey Pines vs. #4 Carlsbad at Rancho Bernardo

#6 Oceanside at #3 Capistrano Valley

#7 Damien at #2 Santana

DIVISION 3

#8 Granada Hills at #1 Temecula Valley

#5 Cleveland vs. #4 Fontana at San Gorgonio

#6 Eagle Rock at #3 Mar Vista

#7 Palisades at #2 Charter Oak

Note: Semifinals (all divisions) Nov. 20 at higher seeds; Finals (all divisions) Nov. 22 at higher seeds.

SOUTHERN SECTION FINALS

At Mt. San Antonio College

OPEN DIVISION

Newport Harbor 10, Corona Del Mar 3

DIVISION 1

Loyola 9, Mater Dei 2

DIVISION 2

Capistrano Valley 9, Damien 8

DIVISION 3

Bonita 10, Temecula Valley 9

DIVISION 4

Charter Oak 13, Liberty 12

DIVISION 5

Fontana 15, Baldwin Park 11

When I broke into journalism years ago as a fledgling Whittier-based high school sports reporter, one of my favorite side hobbies was asking locals what made their city famous.

Downey was always an interesting test case.

Some said Downey’s claim to fame is the oldest standing McDonald’s, or the Stonewood Mall, with some students boasting the rivalry between Downey and Warren high schools. Some have also cited the title of the “Mexican Beverly Hills,” which I and colleague Gustavo Arellano have always considered more appropriate for Whittier.

What wasn’t mentioned enough about Downey, particularly among the high school-aged students I spoke with, was the city’s ties to the Space Shuttle program. It was somewhat remarkable given the city’s “Home of the Apollo” nickname.

Downey’s reputation, especially among its younger residents, may reset soon thanks to a groundbreaking this Monday to announce the latest upgrade to the Columbia Memorial Space Center, a space museum that opened in 2008.

Benjamin Dickow, the center‘s president and executive director, spoke with The Times about what to expect Monday and beyond.

What’s happening Monday?

Astronaut Garrett Reisman, former Rockwell International and Boeing employees and area dignitaries will take part in a groundbreaking for an about 40,000-square-foot expansion to the existing museum.

The museum’s centerpiece will be a 122-foot-long, 35-foot-tall Downey-made space shuttle mock-up named the “Inspiration,” which is not available yet for public display.

The event begins at 10 a.m., rain or shine, and is located at 12400 Columbia Way in Downey.

For more information, check out https://www.columbiaspacescience.org/

A rendering of the completed front entrance of the museum.

(Nadia Gonzalez, on behalf of the Columbia Memorial Space Center)

Space Center changes and expansion

Dickow said the center was in the middle of completing the first of three phases, to be finished before the L.A. Olympics.

“Once the major construction really gets going, it’s about an 18-month process,” he said, “but if something happens with the shuttle, it’s going to add some time.”

Part of the first phase began in October 2024, when the partially-covered wood and plastic model was paraded down Bellflower Boulevard from a city maintenance yard to a temporary housing unit.

The expansion, known as the Downey Space Shuttle Exhibit and Education Building, would include a new two-story, 29,000-square-foot space shuttle museum, event courtyard, STEM building and courtyard, children’s outdoor classroom, pavilion, lawn and other amenities.

The space shuttle mock-up is also undergoing a “process of rehab and refurbishment,” according to Dickow, but is in “generally great shape.”

“The main work is getting it ready for the public, where visitors will be able to enter and get a sense of what it’s like inside a space shuttle,” Dickow said.

Astronauts would typically access the flight deck, mid-deck and crew compartment through a hatch, according to Dickow.

According to renderings, guests will instead enter through a much more accessible stairwell that puts visitors inside a cargo bay.

A rendering of the space shuttle mock-up, dubbed “Inspiration,” at its place in the center of the museum expansion.

(Nadia Gonzalez, on behalf of the Columbia Memorial Space Center)

What is the mock-up and what’s its tie to Downey?

The shuttle mock-up’s history with Downey spans decades.

North American Rockwell International, now part of Boeing, built the prototype in 1972 at its Downey facility. The space shuttle became the world’s first reusable winged orbiting spaceship.

In total, 12,000 workers developed and manufactured the shuttle at the program’s peak on a sprawling 120-acre campus.

From April 12, 1981, through July 21, 2011, NASA fleets of shuttles flew 135 missions and helped build the International Space Station.

One of those shuttles — Endeavour — was hauled into the middle of its future home, the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center at Exposition Park, in January 2024.

That museum is also expected to be open before the Olympics.

“This is going to be something that the L.A. area will be able to show off to people from around the world and I want to make sure we’re a part of that,” Dickow said. “Downey and Southeast L.A. sometimes don’t get a lot of the spotlight and this is something that we’ll be able to put out there.”

The week’s biggest stories

Pedestrians cross the street in downtown Los Angeles under light rain on Friday.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

SoCal treads through stormy weather

Rebuilding after January fires

Opposition to immigration forces in California

A Sacramento corruption bombshell

• The federal fraud case against Gov. Gavin Newsom’s former chief of staff and other well-connected aides is entangled with one of California’s — and the country’s — most powerful political circles.
• Dana Williamson, who joined the governor’s office in early 2023 and departed late last year, was arrested Wednesday and faces charges of bank and tax fraud.

Explosive Epstein emails about Trump

• Donald Trump “knew about the girls” and “spent hours at my house,” Jeffrey Epstein wrote in emails.
• See what’s in the emails released by House Democrats on Wednesday.

More big stories

This week’s must-read

More great reads

For your weekend

(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

Going out

Staying in

L.A. Timeless

A selection of the very best reads from The Times’ 143-year archive.

Have a great weekend, from the Essential California team

Jim Rainey, staff reporter
Hugo Martín, assistant editor, fast break desk
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
June Hsu, editorial fellow
Andrew J. Campa, weekend writer
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters

How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to [email protected]. Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on latimes.com.

A NEW multi-million water wellness resort is set to open – and it might look familiar to Brits.

Therme has revealed its latest plans to open an attraction in Singapore.

The S$1billion (£584million) Therme Singapore will be a “state-of-the-art” facility.

Funded by the Singapore Tourism Board it will be on the Marina South Coast, near Marina Bay Sands.

Inside will be “wellness, culture and nature” mixed throughout the four-hectare site.

This includes thermal pool and botanical gardens, as well as art installations and huge spa facilities.

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While an official opening date is yet to be revealed, it hopes to welcome tourists by 2030.

As many two million tourists a year are expected to visit.

Therme Group CEO Dr. Robert Hanea said: “Backed by decades of science and innovation, Therme Singapore will be a state-of-the-art facility that transforms urban life by making holistic health enjoyable and accessible to all.”

This was backed by the Singapore Tourism Board who said it would make Singapore a “leading urban wellness haven”.

They added: “In line with our pursuit of quality tourism, this attraction will draw travellers seeking wellness experiences, potentially increasing length of stay and spend, whilst providing locals with best-in-class wellness experiences.”

The Therme Singapore might look familiar because of a similar one opening in the UK.

Therme Manchester was first announced back in 2020 and now hopes to open in 2028, after a number of delays.

Costing £450million, it will be the UK’s largest wellbeing resort.

This includes 25 swimming pools and 20 slides as well as bars, gardens and spa areas.

Set to be 33C year-round, it will even have the UK’s first indoor beach.

It also isn’t the only new Therme attraction opening in the world.

The £100million Therme Glasgow hopes to open, although an official date is yet to be confirmed.

And Therme Dubai – Islands in the Sky will be a £439million resort and the tallest of its kind in the world.

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It is being designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro who also created the High Line in New York, and will have themed areas, spas and pools.

Can’t wait for all these new openings? Here’s how to find the already-opened Therme Bucharest.

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS WATER POLO PLAYOFFS

TUESDAY’S RESULTS

SOUTHERN SECTION

Semifinals

DIVISION 2

Damien 22, Los Alamitos 19

Capistrano Valley 10, Redondo Union 9

DIVISION 3

Glendora vs. Bonita at Las Flores Park

Temecula Valley 9, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 8

DIVISION 4

Charter Oak 11, Buena Park 10

Liberty 13, Culver City 11

DIVISION 5

Fontana 20, Westminster 8

Baldwin Park 12, Montebello 7

CITY SECTION

MONDAY’S RESULTS
Semifinals

DIVISION I
#1 Granada Hills 14, #4 Venice 4
#3 Palisades 15, #2 Birmingham 12

WEDNESDAY’S SCHEDULE
CITY SECTION FINALS
At Valley College

DIVISION I
#3 Palisades vs. #1 Granada Hills, 5 p.m.

OPEN DIVISION
#2 Eagle Rock vs. #1 Cleveland, 7 p.m.

SOUTHERN SECTION
Semifinals

OPEN DIVISION
At Woolett Aquatics Center
#6 Mira Costa vs. #1 Newport Harbor, 4:30 p.m.
#4 Oaks Christian vs. #3 Corona Del Mar, 7:30 p.m.

DIVISION 1
Dos Pueblos vs. Loyola, 6 p.m.
Mater Dei at Harvard-Westlake, 3 p.m.

Note: Finals (all divisions) Nov. 15 at Mt. San Antonio College (times TBA).

On Marajo Island, at the confluence of the Amazon River and Atlantic Ocean in northern Brazil, life ebbs and flows with the tides.

For more than four decades, Ivanil Brito found paradise in her modest stilt house, just 20 metres (65ft) from the shoreline, where she and her husband Catito fished, cultivated crops, and tended to livestock.

“I was a very happy person in that little piece of land. That was my paradise,” she says.

That paradise vanished during a violent storm in February 2024, when relentless waters surged through Vila do Pesqueiro town, eroding the coastline that had nourished generations. “Even though we didn’t move far, it feels like a completely different world,” says Ivanil from their new settlement less than a kilometre (half a mile) inland. “This is a mangrove area – hotter, noisier, and not a place where we can raise animals or grow crops.”

Vila do Pesqueiro, home to about 160 families, lies within the Soure Marine Extractive Reserve, a protected area under the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation. Established to preserve traditional ways of life and sustainable resource management, the reserve now confronts the harsh realities of climate change. While fishing remains the primary livelihood, local cuisine and tourism provide supplementary income to the residents. Yet, intensifying tides and accelerating erosion threaten their existence.

For Ivanil’s son Jhonny, a fisherman studying biology at Universidade do Para, in the Marajo-Soure campus, these transformations are worrying. “The place where our houses used to be is now underwater,” he says. “For me, moving isn’t just about safety – it’s about protecting the place and the people who shaped my life.”

Meanwhile, residents like Benedito Lima and his wife Maria Lima have chosen to remain, despite their home now standing perilously close to the water’s edge. Leaving would mean surrendering their livelihood. “Every new tide shakes the ground,” Benedito says, gazing towards what used to be a safely distant canal. “This isn’t even the high-tide season yet.”

Climate adaptation here takes various forms. Some rebuild farther inland, while others adjust their daily routines to accommodate the sea’s advance. Community leader Patricia Ribeiro believes a collective resilience sustains Vila do Pesqueiro. “Our stories have always been passed down through generations,” she says. “This is our home, our ancestry. We want to stay here to protect what our families built. As long as we’re together, we won’t give up.”

As Brazil prepares to host the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in nearby Belem, communities like Vila do Pesqueiro exemplify what is at stake. Through its initiatives, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) says it supports efforts to enhance resilience, protect livelihoods, and ensure these families can continue living safely on their ancestral lands.

This photo gallery was provided by the International Organization for Migration.

Israel’s war on Gaza has not only razed entire neighbourhoods to the ground, displaced families multiple times and decimated medical facilities, but also poisoned the very ground and water on which Palestinians depend.

Four weeks into a fragile ceasefire, which Israel has violated daily, the scale of the environmental devastation is becoming painfully clear.

In Gaza City’s Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood, what was once a lively community has become a wasteland. Homes lie in ruins, and an essential water source, once a rainwater pond, now festers with sewage and debris. For many displaced families, it is both home and hazard.

Umm Hisham, pregnant and displaced, trudges through the foul water with her children. They have nowhere else to go.

“We took refuge here, around the Sheikh Radwan pond, with all the sufferings you could imagine, from mosquitoes to sewage with rising levels, let alone the destruction all around. All this poses a danger to our lives and the lives of our children,” she said, speaking to Al Jazeera’s Ibrahim Alkhalili.

The pond, designed to collect rainwater and channel it to the sea, now holds raw sewage after Israeli air attacks destroyed the pumps. With electricity and sanitation systems crippled, contaminated water continues to rise, threatening to engulf nearby homes and tents.

“There is no doubt there are grave impacts on all citizens: Foul odours, insects, mosquitoes. Also, foul water levels have exceeded 6 metres [20ft] high without any protection; the fence is completely destroyed, with high possibility for any child, woman, old man, or even a car to fall into this pond,” said Maher Salem, a Gaza City municipal officer speaking to Al Jazeera.

Local officials warn that stagnant water could cause disease outbreaks, especially among children. Yet for many in Gaza, there are no alternatives.

“Families know that the water they get from the wells and from the containers or from the water trucks is polluted and contaminated … but they don’t have any other choice,” said Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud, reporting from Gaza City.

Destroyed water infrastructure

At the COP30 Climate Summit in Brazil, Palestinian Ambassador Ibrahim al-Zeben described the crisis as an environmental catastrophe intertwined with Israel’s genocide.

“There’s no secret that Gaza is suffering because of the genocide that Israel continues to wage, a war that has created nearly a quarter of a million victims and produced more than 61 million tonnes of rubble, some of which is contaminated with hazardous materials,” he said.

“In addition, the deliberate destruction of sewage and water networks has led to the contamination of groundwater and coastal waters. Gaza now faces severe risks to public health, and environmental risks are increasing,” al-Zeben added.

Israel’s attacks have also “destroyed” much of the enclave’s agricultural land, leaving it “in a state of severe food insecurity and famine with food being used as a weapon”, he said.

In September, a UN report warned freshwater supplies in Gaza are “severely limited and much of what remains is polluted”.

“The collapse of sewage treatment infrastructure, the destruction of piped systems and the use of cesspits for sanitation have likely increased contamination of the aquifer that supplies much of Gaza with water,” the report by the United Nations Environment Programme noted.

Back in Sheikh Radwan, the air hangs thick with rot and despair. “When every day is a fight to find water, food, and bread,” Mahmoud said, “safety becomes secondary.”

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS WATER POLO

SOUTHERN SECTION PLAYOFFS
WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS

OPEN DIVISION
Pool A — Third Round
#1 Newport Harbor 12, #4 Oaks Christian 6
#5 JSerra 14, #8 Laguna Beach 6

Pool B — Third Round
#3 Corona del Mar 13, #2 Santa Margarita 11
#6 Mira Costa 10, #7 Long Beach Wilson 6

THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE
(Games at 5 p.m. unless noted)
Quarterfinals

DIVISION 1
Loyola vs. San Marcos at Dos Pueblos
Dos Pueblos vs. Buena at Rio Mesa
Mater Dei at Sage Hill
Harvard-Westlake at Westlake

Note: Divisions 2-5 quarterfinals Nov. 7; Open Division crossover round Nov. 8 at higher seeds; Divisions 2-5 semifinals Nov. 11; Open Division semifinals Nov. 12 at Woollett Aquatics Center; Division 1 semifinals Nov. 12; Finals (all divisions) Nov. 15 at Mt. San Antonio College.

Out of sheer darkness, the Batman logo was emblazoned across the 86-foot-wide screen and dazzled my young eyes.

From Hollywood, I was instantly whisked away to Gotham City. The iconic DC comic book came to life and the booming thuds of the Caped Crusader smashing a pair of common thieves was real.

These were my first vivid memories of watching a movie in the larger-than-life Cinerama Dome on Sunset Boulevard, and being amazed by the screen’s size and the sense of being transported into another galaxy.

But the dome is magical on the outside, as well as the inside. The concrete geodesic dome is made up of 316 individual hexagonal and pentagonal shapes in 16 sizes. Like Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, it’s a structure that has become a Hollywood landmark.

The Dome represented a special place for me, until it became just another of the dozens of businesses in L.A. that never returned after pandemic closures in 2020.

Ever since, there have been rumblings that the Dome would eventually reopen. Although nothing is definitive, my colleague Tracy Brown offered a bit of hope in a recent article.

What’s the latest

Dome Center LLC, the company that owns the property along Sunset Boulevard near Vine Street, filed an application Oct. 28 for a conditional-use permit to sell alcohol for on-site consumption at the Cinerama Dome Theater and adjoining multiplex. The application doesn’t mention an reopening date or any details about movie screenings returning to the dome but suggests that a reopening may be in the works.

Elizabeth Peterson-Gower of Place Weavers Inc., said Dome Center is seeking a new permit that would “allow for the continued sale and dispensing of a full line of alcoholic beverages for on-site consumption in conjunction with the existing Cinerama Dome Theater, 14 auditoriums within the Arclight Cinemas Theater Complex, and restaurant/cafe with two outdoor dining terraces from 7:00 am – 4:00 am, daily,” according to the application filed by the company’s representative.

This would would be a renewal of the current 10-year permit, which expires Nov. 5.

The findings document filed with the City Planning Department also mentions that “when the theater reopens, it will bring additional jobs to Hollywood and reactivate the adjacent streets, increasing safety and once again bringing vibrancy to the surrounding area.”

A representative for Dome Center LLC did not respond immediately Friday to a request for comment.

What happened to the Dome?

The Cinerama Dome opened in 1963 and had been closed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Since the closing, the news about the future of the theater has been ambiguous.

In April, 2021, the owner of Pacific Theatres and ArcLight Cinemas announced they would not reopen the beloved theater even after the pandemic ended. But then, in December, sources told The Times that plans were in the works to reopen the Cinerama Dome and the attached theater complex.

In 2022, news that the property owners obtained a liquor license for the renamed “Cinerama Hollywood” fueled hope among the L.A. film-loving community’s that the venue was still on track to return.

But the Cinerama Dome’s doors have remained closed.

Signs of life

At a public hearing regarding the adjacent Blue Note Jazz Club in June, Peterson-Gower reportedly indicated that although there were not yet any definitive plans, the property owners had reached out to her to next discuss the future of the Cinerama Dome.

Perhaps this new permit application is a sign plans are finally coming together.

After the kind of year Los Angeles has endured — with devastating fires and demoralizing immigration raids — it would certainly bolster the spirits of all Angelenos to have another local landmark reopen its doors to welcome movie-loving patrons like me.

Today’s top stories

California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks as he stands with First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom during an election night news conference at a Democratic Party office in Sacramento on Nov. 4, 2025.

(Godofredo A. Vásquez / Associated Press)

Voters approve Prop. 50

After World Series celebration, ICE and Border Patrol gather at Dodger Stadium once again

• Dozens of federal immigration agents were seen staging in a Dodger Stadium parking lot Tuesday morning, a day after the team returned home to celebrate its back-to-back championships with thousands of Angelenos.
• Videos shared with The Times and on TikTok show agents in unmarked vehicles, donning green vests and equipped with white zip ties in parking lot 13.
• Five months ago, protests erupted outside the stadium gates when federal immigration used the parking lot as a processing site for people who had been arrested in a nearby immigration raid.

Sen. Alex Padilla says he won’t run for California governor

• “It is with a full heart and even more commitment than ever that I am choosing to not run for governor of California next year,” Padilla told reporters outside his Senate office in Washington.
• Padilla instead said he will focus on countering President Trump’s agenda in Congress, where Democrats are currently in the minority in both the House and Senate, but hope to regain some political clout after the 2026 midterm elections.

What else is going on

Commentary and opinions

This morning’s must-read

For your downtime

A view of landscaping at the home of Susan Gottleib and her Gottleib Native Garden in Beverly Hills.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Going out

Staying in

A question for you: What’s the best hiking trail in SoCal?

Alexandra writes: “Sullivan Canyon, for sure.”

Rochelle writes: “Can’t ever go wrong in Griffith Park, but for overall exercise, killer views, artifacts, and entertainment without wearing yourself out, my hiking partner and I like the Solstice Canyon Loop in Malibu, 3.4 miles. The most popular hike in the canyon, for good reason!”

Email us at [email protected], and your response might appear in the newsletter this week.

And finally … your photo of the day

Joe Rinaudo hopes to host tours and educational opportunities at his home theater and museum through a nonprofit group dedicated to preserving photoplayers.

(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

Today’s great photo is from Times photographer Jason Armond at the home of Joe Rinaudo, the foremost expert on photoplayers, who is preserving the soundtrack to a bygone movie era.

Have a great day, from the Essential California team

Jim Rainey, staff reporter
Hugo Martín, assistant editor, fast break desk
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Andrew Campa, Sunday writer
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters

How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to [email protected]. Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on latimes.com.

Bello Gambur dreads going to the stream before 2 p.m. 

Every morning, he leaves home with a herd of over 30 cattle, with his staff slung across his shoulders as they head into the bush. For about five hours, he watches them as they graze, rest, and wander, but none can drink. The only stream in the community lies just a short walk away, yet he must wait until 2 p.m. to take them there.

Going earlier, he says, could have deadly consequences.

All his life, the forty-year-old has lived as a herder in Mararaban Bare, a small community in the Numan Local Government Area of Adamawa State, North East Nigeria, where his ancestors migrated and settled a long time ago.  

Over the years, the herders lived in peace with their host community, but in 2017, violence broke out over water. The clash claimed many lives, and several properties were destroyed. In October, security operatives stepped in to quell a similar incident. 

So, Bello doesn’t mind his herd enduring hours of thirst if it helps keep the fragile peace.

He leads the cattle to the stream when most locals have finished using it and are back at their homes. Bello and the other herders go there between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to prevent coming in contact with the locals who visit the stream every morning to bathe, wash, and fetch water for domestic chores.  

The rationing also requires the locals to leave before 2 p.m. 

However, this arrangement has not ended the clashes between the groups, as locals believe it does little to address deeper grievances.

Tension keeps building 

“Irrigation farmers use the water from the canal to farm. And other community members drink the water, the cattle also drink from it, so this is a problem,” Alphonsus Bosso, a 55-year-old farmer and resident of Mararaban Bare, told HumAngle.

He said the tension is unlikely to end soon, especially with the dry season approaching. This competition for access to the stream intensifies during this period.

Alphonsus said a lasting solution would be to provide the herders with their own water source “because we no longer co-exist”. In some other Adamawa communities, humanitarian organisations have already supported the creation of alternative water sources, which have helped ease similar tensions, a model yet to reach Mararaban Bare.

“We used to have canals that served as water sources for our cattle, and we barely used the stream until the canals began to dry up,” said Muza Alhaji Shenya, a 37-year-old herder in the area. He linked the recent drying up of water bodies in the area to industrial expansion, particularly the construction of embankments to store water for sugarcane plantations. HumAngle saw some of these embankments during a visit.

However, environmental experts say the problem extends beyond industrial activity.

Hamza Muhammed Usman, the Executive Director of Environmental Care Foundation, a non-governmental organisation in Adamawa State that promotes a climate-friendly environment, food security, and peacebuilding, explained that prolonged dry spells, erratic rainfall, and deforestation, among other factors, are responsible for the shrinking water bodies in the state.

He said that overgrazing by livestock and human activities such as excessive farming on the same location and mining reduce vegetation cover, which disrupts the natural flow of water into its channels and bodies, especially in local government areas such as Numan, Fufore, some parts of Madagali, Maiha, Gombi, and the southern zone. 

Hamza also noted that migration and growing birth rates in the affected areas have increased the competition for water. “There are people from Borno, Gombe, Taraba, and other places trooping into Adamawa for greener pastures. This leads to overdependence on the limited resources,” he said. 

‘They pollute the water’

Locals insist that sharing the water with the cattle is unhealthy. 

“The cattle are polluting the water with mud and urine,” said Silas Simon, the community leader. “We dilute the water with alum when we want to consume.”

Even this treatment becomes difficult during the dry season, which starts in October. 

During the season, the herders in Mararaban Bare are left with two options: lead their cattle to the local stream or trek six kilometres into Bare, the nearest village with multiple water sources. The journey takes about six hours, making the local stream the closest option for many.

One herder, who treks to Bare to avoid being attacked by locals, said his cattle often drink water once a day, mostly in the afternoon, and sometimes, in the evening while returning to their settlement. There, water is provided for them in small containers, but much priority is given to the calves since the water is not enough. 

“The cows are getting thinner; their health has deteriorated over the years,” he said. “Every water source is drying up.”

“If we can have alternative water sources, then we won’t go to the stream for water where the people drink from,” Muza said. 

There is a borehole in Mararaban Bare, but it barely functions. 

Silas noted that if the borehole was functional, locals would use it as a water source and leave the stream for the herders, which would reduce the clashes.

“The borehole barely works. If it ever pumps water, it ceases at any time, so one has to wait for hours before the water runs again. Sometimes, people queue up from morning to evening and get unlucky because it ceases anytime,” he said. 

‘No agreement’

Several meetings have been held between the locals and herders to resolve the conflict, but no lasting agreement has been reached apart from a temporary water-use arrangement. Silas said tensions remain high, as youths from both groups often act as the main instigators during clashes.

“We do not wish to provoke anyone; we are only after the welfare of the cattle,” said Alhaji Ngala, the chairperson of herders in the community. He also noted that farms have taken over grazing routes, leaving them with “no freedom”. 

“If we can have access to grazing routes and enough water supply, then our minds will be at peace,” Ngala told HumAngle. 

Hamza, the climate-friendly environment advocate, urged the government to invest in solar-powered boreholes as a way of promoting clean energy and sustainable water supply across communities facing similar challenges. He also called for stronger conflict-resolution mechanisms across the state.

“Water scarcity is not just an environmental issue but a driver of insecurity, because in a place where there is tension, certain groups can take advantage of the situation to infiltrate such communities and cause problems,” Hamza said. 

Although the state government has collaborated with civil society organisations to adopt measures like afforestation, small-scale irrigation projects, and awareness campaigns, among other initiatives, to address the recurring clashes over water and limited resources. Hamza noted that many communities still lack the technical capacity and financial support to sustain these interventions.

“Some of the measures, like afforestation and proper waste management, are not owned properly by the locals,” Hamza said. 

He further called for integrated water resource management and inclusive governance to protect watersheds and prevent further land degradation. “Degraded lands can be restored through rotation. Herders should not graze on the same spot for more than five years, and farmers should do the same,” he said.

He also stressed the need for interdependence; farmers relying on cow dung as manure, and herders being granted access to reserved grazing areas.

A historic drought in the country has culminated in a ‘100 percent drop in precipitation’ in the Tehran region.

The main source of drinking water for residents of the Iranian capital Tehran is at risk of running dry within two weeks, according to state media, due to a historic drought plaguing the country.

The Amir Kabir Dam, one of five that provide drinking water for Tehran, “holds just 14 million cubic metres of water, which is eight percent of its capacity”, the director of the capital’s water company, Behzad Parsa, was quoted as saying by the IRNA news agency on Sunday.

At that level, it can only continue to supply Tehran with water “for two weeks”, he warned.

The announcement comes as the country experiences its worst drought in decades. The level of rainfall in Tehran province was “nearly without precedent for a century”, a local official declared last month.

The megacity of more than 10 million people is nestled against the southern slopes of the often snow-capped Alborz Mountains, which soar as high as 5,600 metres (18,370 feet) and whose rivers feed multiple reservoirs.

A year ago, the Amir Kabir dam held back 86 million cubic metres of water, Parsa said, but there had been a “100 percent drop in precipitation” in the Tehran region.

Parsa did not provide details on the status of the other reservoirs in the system.

According to Iranian media, the population of Tehran consumes around three million cubic metres of water each day.

As a water-saving measure, supplies have reportedly been cut off to several neighbourhoods in recent days, while outages were frequent this summer.

In July and August, two public holidays were declared to save water and energy, with power cuts an almost daily occurrence amid a heatwave that saw temperatures rise beyond 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in Tehran and exceed 50C (122F) in some areas.

“The water crisis is more serious than what is being discussed today,” Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned at the time.

Water scarcity is a major issue throughout Iran, particularly in arid provinces in the country’s south, with shortages blamed on mismanagement and overexploitation of underground resources, as well as the growing impact of climate change.

Iran’s neighbour Iraq is experiencing its driest year on record since 1993, as the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, which flow into the Persian Gulf from West Asia, have seen their levels drop by up to 27 percent due to poor rainfall and upstream water restrictions, leading to a severe humanitarian crisis in the country’s south.