the worst wildfires in the history of los angeles — this is what they have left behind. whole neighbourhoods raised to the ground, the national guard has been deployed amid reports of looting. this is the scene live from the city, where thousands of buildings were destroyed, and around 180,000 people have been ordered to leave their homes. some residents start returning to their burnt out homes to pick through the ashes of their lives. i of their lives. just wanted to see if anything ijust wanted to see if anything is left... i just wanted to see if anything is left. . .- i just wanted to see if anything is left... we had everything. _ anything is left... we had everything, like - anything is left... we had everything, like the - everything, like the sentimental things. everything, like the sentimentalthings. my everything, like the sentimental things. my mum passed away and we only had a few things of hers left.

donald trump's sentencing will go ahead later today, after his last ditch attempt to suspend the sentencing of his hush—money case was blocked by the us supreme court. and new figures show 2024 was the hottest year since records began. hello, i'm tadhg enright. we start in the us, where at least 5 people have been killed in the devastating wildfires in los angeles. these are live pictures of la, where around 180,000 people have been ordered to leave their homes. many neighbourhoods have been left unrecognisable. residents have described the firestorm as "apocalyptic". officials say thousands of homes and other structures have been damaged or destroyed. accuweather estimates the damage is expected to be at least $135 billion

and up to $150 billion. and the national guard has been deployed amid reports of looting. the biggest fires have been burning into a third night but fierce winds have eased, giving firefighters some respite. police say they believe one of the blazes in the west of the city was started deliberately. they're treating it as a crime scene. a suspect is in custody and set to be questioned. let's speak to our north america correspondent david willis who's in los angeles. tell us what is happening in altadena? iii tell us what is happening in altadena?— tell us what is happening in altadena? , ., ., ., altadena? if there is an area silence access _ altadena? if there is an area silence access the _ altadena? if there is an area silence access the site - altadena? if there is an area silence access the site of. silence access the site of their pasadena altadena fire. behind me is all that remains of what was once a wood framed family home. you can see,

really, it isjust family home. you can see, really, it is just their staircase leading to what was the upper floor. staircase leading to what was the upperfloor. 0ver staircase leading to what was the upper floor. 0ver there staircase leading to what was the upperfloor. 0ver there is a family car that is completely burned out and there is not a property on the street that has not been either completely destroyed or very badly damaged. earliertoday, destroyed or very badly damaged. earlier today, another fire broke out, a fast moving fire broke out, a fast moving fire to the west of us here and that was swiftly brought under control after its spread to encompass about 1000 acres of land, after firefighters used the dropping of water from helicopters and planes overhead. police are investigating the cause of that particular fire and they are questioning a man on suspicion possibly of committing arson. the biggest blaze of all is of course the pacific palisades fire. they grew to about 70,000 acres or so. the good news of

there is i hear some containment that has taken place. about 6% of that massive fire that of course destroyed hundreds of multi— million—dollar properties a few nights ago has now been contained. but there is a lot of work still to do and officials have been pinning their hopes on the fact that their hopes on the fact that the winds were due to stay fairly calm for the next few hours, before potentially weeping up again over the weekend, which could of course make theirjob or the more difficult. make their “ob or the more difficult. ., ., , difficult. the death toll is likely to _ difficult. the death toll is likely to rise. _ difficult. the death toll is likely to rise. the - difficult. the death toll is likely to rise. the latest l likely to rise. the latest count is five. what more can you tell us about those predictions?— you tell us about those predictions? you tell us about those redictions? a . , ., predictions? actually, a short while ago. — predictions? actually, a short while ago. it— predictions? actually, a short while ago, it was _ predictions? actually, a short while ago, it was said - predictions? actually, a short while ago, it was said that. while ago, it was said that death toll had risen to seven and officials are basically preparing people for the news

that it could grow and potentially quite substantially, once the sniffer dogs that are allowed into areas such as this, to try to track down evidence of human remains. there are reports that one 60—year—old man died very close to here, with a hosepipe in his hand, as the fires swept this sort of areas. a lot of these details are still to emerge, i think, these details are still to emerge, ithink, but these details are still to emerge, i think, but they are going to be pretty grim, it is clear. ~ ., going to be pretty grim, it is clear. ~ . ., , clear. what about the disaster management _ clear. what about the disaster management effort. _ clear. what about the disaster management effort. the - clear. what about the disaster management effort. the fires | management effort. the fires are burning into the third night. some firefighters have been struggling to get access even to water. how has that operation been ramped up? it is operation been ramped up? it is auoin to operation been ramped up? it is going to ramp — operation been ramped up? it 3 going to ramp up considerably in the next few days. indeed it

has over the last few hours and my colleague, ben, behind the camera at the moment, travelled here from nevada. he saw a convoy of firetrucks coming in from the state of nevada, as indeed they are being in from states all around here, 0regon, arizona, washington state and so on. we're talking about mechanisms as as machinery, organisms as well as manpower. 400 additional firefighters have been brought in over the last few hours and the federal agencies and the white house as saying that whatever is needed here will be provided, in order to get these sort of communities back on their feet. david willis in altadena, in the los angeles area. thank you for bringing us up today.

let's speak to patricia cosentino, who was evacuated from her home in pacific palisades on wednesday. thank you forjoining us. firstly, how are you and your family doing? i firstly, how are you and your family doing?— firstly, how are you and your family doing? i am 0k and a of my family _ family doing? i am 0k and a of my family is — family doing? i am 0k and a of my family is ok. _ family doing? i am 0k and a of my family is ok. we _ family doing? i am 0k and a of my family is ok. we got - family doing? i am 0k and a of my family is ok. we got out. l family doing? i am 0k and a ofl my family is ok. we got out. so we are safe. my family is ok. we got out. so we are safe-— we are safe. have you heard about what _ we are safe. have you heard about what has _ we are safe. have you heard about what has happened i we are safe. have you heard about what has happened toj we are safe. have you heard - about what has happened to your house? clearly that would be uppermost in your thoughts right now?— uppermost in your thoughts riahtnow? , ., , right now? yes, actually, there is a very tiny — right now? yes, actually, there is a very tiny postage _ right now? yes, actually, there is a very tiny postage stamp . right now? yes, actually, there is a very tiny postage stamp of| is a very tiny postage stamp of error in the pacific palisades island which is where the fire started, we assumed it was going to be worse for us but it went in the opposite direction and my townhouse is still standing. my husband actually bought an e bike and was able to go part of the barricades.

we have a car remaining there and we were able to fill it up with all the things we did not take when we left. it is a miracle because we are one of the only families that we know... everyone i know, everyone i know.- know... everyone i know, everyone i know. tell us more what has _ everyone i know. tell us more what has happened _ everyone i know. tell us more what has happened to - everyone i know. tell us more what has happened to your. what has happened to your friends and family in the area. when he rode through town, there is nothing left. when they say the fire is contained, i want to speak on that for one second, a failure is like something alive and it wants to eat and it started at our community and the wind blew it into the village and it only stopped because there is nothing left to eat. it has eaten everything in its path, all the weight to the water. every direction it went in, it just kept going and, you know,

there is nothing left, into the entire town. every school is gone, grocery stores, library, the theatre where my daughter did community theatre, every memory we ever made in 20 years, those places do not exist. all of our businesses. my exist. all of our businesses. my business was right in the village. it is burnt to the ground. every time i get on my phone, it is someone else, someone else, someone else, someone else, someone else, someone else. someone else, someone else, someone else-— someone else. patricia, the whole world _ someone else. patricia, the whole world is _ someone else. patricia, the whole world is so _ someone else. patricia, the whole world is so sorry - someone else. patricia, the whole world is so sorry to l someone else. patricia, the i whole world is so sorry to hear about what year, your family, your friends, about what year, your family, yourfriends, your neighbours your friends, your neighbours are yourfriends, your neighbours are going through and we do all hope you managed to restore your lives to some kind of normality very soon. thank you for sharing your experience with us today on bbc news. you're welcome.

there have been some incredible stories of rescues and bravery as people fled their homes. and many neighbourhoods now look like this — completely deserted for block after block. many people who escaped have talked of the speed with which the fire spread. including aaron sampson, who helped his father—in—law get out. here is their story. we've just been evacuated. we've just been evacuated from this good samaritans car. you got it, dad. we're having to walk. this is crazy. there's a fire right, right outside our car. we got it. no, not that way. dad! my father in law has parkinson's. he can barely move. this was a heroic effort on his part. very wobbly. here, let me try to get you some help. which way do i go? this way. dad. to the sidewalk. i went outside. i saw smoke and fire near my father in law's house and realised we need to go. the problem is, we didn't have a car. uh, by circumstance, we had no car in the house. iran up and down the

street where he was. glen haven finally found a neighbour who was willing to swing by and pick us up. most people had already gone at that point, and at that point, i grabbed his medicine. that's the only thing i could think to grab. turn around. dad, we got this. and at that point, wejumped in his car. this guyjeff, a neighbour we'd never met before. but, you know, salt of the earth saved our lives. as we're driving down, there's fires on both sides of the car. we're driving. we're suddenly seeing fires. you can feel the heat. and then the fires were getting closer and closer. surrounded by fire, these — the policemen started running up the street. "get out of the car, get out of the car!" and started screaming. you don't really realise how serious it is. you don't think this is a life, a life threatening situation. the story is there of how a man got himself and his father—in—law out to safety. we

will bring you the latest developments as those devastating wildfires in los angeles burn into a third night. staying in the us now. the us supreme court has denied a last—minute bid by president—elect donald trump to halt sentencing in his hush money case. the top court rejected mr trump's emergency application seeking to block friday's sentencing by a 5—4 vote. he'd been convicted by a new york court of covering up payments to an adult film performer. two conservative judges joined the three liberals to reject mr trump's bid to delay the hearing. this was his reaction to the decision. they have called for an appeal and as you know they acknowledged what the judge said, about no penalty and there is no penalty but we're going to appeal anyway just psychologically because frankly it is a disgrace, it is a judge that should not have been on the case, he is a highly conflicted judge and they called for an appeal

so i read it and i thought it was a fair decision, actually, so i'll do my little thing tomorrow, they can have fun with their political opponent. as you know i am under a gag orderfrom a judge — this is a first. this was an attack of a political opponent, and if you take a look at it, i'm not supposed to be talking about it, so i won't. the sentencing will be brought down later today. we spoke earlier to former federal prosecutor sarah krissoff gave us her reaction. i am not particularly surprised this is where they ended out. the 5—4 ruling shows again how divided the court is. i imagine it was a very contentious day there as they sorted this out. i am not surprised the court basically said you can appeal this case in the normal course of business. as every other criminal defendant does. "we're not going to allow you to hop scotch here "and bring this to the supreme court.

"we're not going to stop this from going forward. "if you have appallate issues to raise "you can raise them after the sentencing "like everybody else does." in many ways, i really think president trump is the luckiest criminal defendant in the world because he has a sentencing judge who has essentially already told him what is going to happen. most defendants go into sentencing as scared as can be because it is one of the most contentious and pressure—filled moments of their whole experience, but in this case we know what it is going to happen. judge merchan qualified his statements a little bit, and said "obviously i need to consider this and that "and that and follow all the rules but essentially "mrfuture president, you're not getting prison time "or a fine or any supervision by this court going forward, "we are ensuring this conviction stays in place." within the past hour donald trump has said he's arranging a meeting with vladimir putin.

he said the russian leader had wanted to meet. the us president—elect gave no timeline. mr trump has promised to negotiate an end to the war in ukraine, soon after he takes office. he has expressed scepticism over us military and financial support for kyiv. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news.

welcome back. last year, 2024, was the hottest year since records began, according to new figures from the european union's climate monitoring body, copernicus. the new figures show 2024 hit an average of 1.6 degrees celsius above pre—industrial levels, which also makes it the first calendar year to exceed the crucial figure of 1.5 degrees, agreed in 2015 as the limit above the pre—industrial

average. that all countries would be satisfied with. joining me now is henna hundal, national coordinator of climate live usa, and a four—time delegate of the un's climate change conference. thank you forjoining us today. that paris climate agreement and to keep warming temperatures within1.5 degrees of preindustrial levels. is that it now?— of preindustrial levels. is that it now? . ., that it now? have we failed? thank you — that it now? have we failed? thank you very _ that it now? have we failed? thank you very much - that it now? have we failed? thank you very much for - that it now? have we failed? i thank you very much for having me and thank you for covering this very important topic. in one way this was expected, we had the hottest summer on record, the hottest day on record, the hottest day on record so it is not too far of a stretch to imagine we had the hottest year on record but this does not diminish how concerning this is. let's remember the paris agreement was one decade ago, 196 parties from around the world, climate scientists from around the world gathered in france and said we had to keep global

averages will be two celsius and preferably under 1.5 degrees celsius and unfortunately we have continued to breach that mark and it is concerning that we're going to breach that in a long to way and the irreversible impact might be in the nearfuture so it is very concerning news. evenif it is very concerning news. even if the climate change conference parties actually put their heads together, reduce carbon emissions in a really meaningful way, carbon emissions in a really meaningfulway, can carbon emissions in a really meaningful way, can it be turned around? is there a way of turning back the clock on temperature rises? i of turning back the clock on temperature rises?- of turning back the clock on temperature rises? i think it is critical — temperature rises? i think it is critical to _ temperature rises? i think it is critical to remember- temperature rises? i think it is critical to remember that l is critical to remember that every degree, every fraction of a degree counts. even at 1.5 degrees should not be thought of as a rigid boundary but a critical reference point. 1.5

degrees, 1.7, two degrees, 2.5, every mark matters here so we have to keep fighting against this. it have to keep fighting against this. , . , , this. it is absolutely critical. _ this. it is absolutely critical. i— this. it is absolutely critical. i cannot i this. it is absolutely | critical. i cannot help this. it is absolutely i critical. i cannot help but acknowledge that you are coincidentallyjoining us from california. but link do you draw between climate change and the fires devastating los angeles right now? they are absolutely — angeles right now? they are they are absolutely devastating, i angeles right now? they are absolutely devastating, and | absolutely devastating, and unfortunately i have family i i they are i have they are i have family e unfortunately i have family members who have had to members who have had to evacuate. it hasjust evacuate. it hasjust members who have had to evacuate. it has just been members who have had to evacuate. it has just been brutal to watch the images brutal to watch the images emerging. 1.5 million people emerging. 1.5 million people without power, more than $50 without power, more than $50 billion in damages which will billion in damages which will make it one of the costliest make it one of the costliest disasters in us history and we disasters in us history and we have to look at the ways human have to look at the ways human induced climate change plays induced climate change plays into this. we know it really into this. we know it really creates a hot and dry creates a hot and dry conditions that have conditions that have effectively made california and effectively made california and many other parts of the world a many other parts of the world a tinderbox fire. we know the tinderbox fire. we know the length of fire seasons is length of fire seasons is

increased. we look at heat increased. we look at heat waves. the duration in frequency and intensity has increased. and also tropical cycle is. we are also noticing there is a greater proportion of tropical cyclones being category four and five which of the most severe. it is quite concerning. the most severe. it is quite concerning-— concerning. thank you for “oininr concerning. thank you for joining us _ concerning. thank you for joining us today. -

let's talk more about this. joining me now is dr maciej maselko, an associate professor in applied biosciences, at macquarie university in sydney. thank you very much forjoining us today. tell us more about how this new approach works. like you mentioned the basic idea really is engineering these males to make these fluids and when released into the wild and mate with females, the wild and mate with females, the females will die which prevents him from biting and transmitting diseases. i prevents him from biting and transmitting diseases.- transmitting diseases. i feel this is not — transmitting diseases. i feel this is not the _ transmitting diseases. i feel this is not the first - transmitting diseases. i feel this is not the first time i this is not the first time scientists have worked in a way to introduce a toxic partner. is this one different to others?— is this one different to others? , ., ._ is this one different to others? , . ._ , others? yes, the main way this is different _ others? yes, the main way this is different is _ others? yes, the main way this is different is that _ others? yes, the main way this is different is that with - others? yes, the main way this is different is that with all i is different is that with all the other techniques, the way they work is you release the males, they met with the females and then the females either have no offsprings or

only non— biting offsprings but there is a window of time those peoples can bite so the toxic male technique is looking to close that window to stop them biting as fast as possible. ii'ioig�*n�* biting as fast as possible. how is it would _ biting as fast as possible. how is it would be _ biting as fast as possible. how is it would be to _ biting as fast as possible. how is it would be to deploy this new breakthrough and what difference could it actually make? , ., ., , difference could it actually make? ., , ., , make? there is already a number of different _ make? there is already a number of different operations _ make? there is already a number of different operations outfit i of different operations outfit that are of rearing mosquitoes on a larger scale and releasing them so a lot of the infrastructure is already in place. when we did modelling, we found that we would have a reduction of about 60% in terms of biting, compared to other methods, which could have a really substantial impact in terms of disease transmission. we know that science has the ability if it wanted to, to eradicate mosquitoes entirely. understandably, there is some

hesitancy to go that far. what are your thoughts on that? to make it are your thoughts on that? trr make it clear, the technology we are working on is much more localised so it would not be something that would have the potential to eradicate an entire species and with respect to that question, there are over 3000 species of mosquitoes in the world and only a handful are responsible for the vast majority of human sufferings and ecology that have looked at the question of whether or not removing it would be a major problem, for the most part have come to the conclusion that it would not be. furthermore, a lot of these species, it is invasive in its range. doctor, thank you — invasive in its range. doctor, thank you for _ invasive in its range. doctor, thank you forjoining - invasive in its range. doctor, thank you forjoining us i invasive in its range. doctor, thank you forjoining us and l thank you forjoining us and sharing those insights into that breakthrough. the american singer chappell roan has been named bbc�*s sound of 2025. roan's eighties—influenced synth pop with lyrics centred on queer relationships,

has exploded in popularity in recent months. every concert on her us tour last year had to be upgraded to a bigger venue. the bbc sound of 2025 is voted for by 180 musicians and critics. london's national gallery will stay open all night, next friday, to give art lovers a final chance to see its vincent van gogh exhibition. more than 280,000 people have visited, van gogh: poets and lovers, so far. more than 60 works are on display, including sunflowers, starry night over the rhone, and van gogh's chair. it's only the second time ever the museum has stayed open overnight in its 200—year history. the experiment was first attempted for a leonardo da vinci exhibition in 2012. in fact, they have never been put together before. the opportunity has never arisen. exceptin opportunity has never arisen.

except in his studio one presumes. so it is a wonderful moment to begin to realise what vincent wasn't telling us about bringing his works together in decorative sequences. before i go less bring you up—to—date on the devastating fires in los angeles. we have learned the death toll has risen to at least ten and there are warnings it could rise even further. these are life pictures. forecasters warn more hi winds over the weekend could flame the fires further even though there has been a brief respite. an american medical examiner confirming at least ten deaths. the death toll is sadly absolutely going to change, that is what la authorities are saying. stay with us here on bbc news.

hello there. winter continues to hold a firm grasp across the country. so it will be a freezing friday in store. yes, a frosty start with some freezing fog as well first thing in the morning, gradually lifting to sunny spells. but as we head towards the weekend, something a little less cold on the horizon but still under the influence of high pressure. still the wind direction coming from the north. the only exception into the far southwest. here we've got cloud and showery outbreaks of rain, sleet and snow for a time down to the southwest, some freezing fog lingering in the southeast, and some icy stretches. they will lift to sunny spells into the afternoon. could still see a few coastal showers across the far north and east, but on the whole, not a bad afternoon. a little more cloud pushing through. wales, the midlands and southern england are showery rain continues to the southwest here. we'll see highs of seven degrees, but after that bitterly cold start, temperatures in manyjust

a couple of degrees above freezing and that is going to lead to another cold frosty start into the weekend. once again, our weather front starts to drag more cloud in from the west though, here preventing those temperatures from falling too far but in sheltered central and eastern areas once again, a widespread hard frost on saturday morning. so saturday will gradually see more cloud pushing in on this weak weather front. not that much in the way of rain on it. a few spits and spots of showery rain from time to time. central and eastern areas starting off crisp with some sunshine but clouding over from the west. a little less cold here, where we've got that blanket of cloud, but don't expect a dramatic change quite just yet. we're looking at highs of around 7 or 8 degrees, with the best of the sunshine again between 2 and 4 celsius. now, as we move out of saturday into sunday and the week ahead, it looks likely that the wind direction will change as southwesterly flow will drive in weather fronts

to the far north and west, but mild air right across the country. so we will start to see a change by the middle part of the week for all of us. takes its time in arriving across central and southern england, but by the middle of the week we're back to double figures. but there will be a little bit of rain to go with it. take care.

tiktok�*s last chance — the social media platform will make a final plea at the us supreme court today to prevent a new law which could shut it down in america. the uk bond market crisis deepens — chancellor rachel reeves heads to china after the pound fell to a 14—month low. also in the programme, nicolas maduro starts his third