the number of people killed in the los angeles wildfires doubles to ten. the authorities say there's no �*conclusive evidence�* the fires were started deliberately. this is the scene live from the city, where thousands of firefighters are still trying to control the flames. around 180,000 people have been ordered to leave their homes — it's estimated the cost so far could be up to $150 billion. thousands of firefighters are still trying to control the flames. many stayed in their homes despite the dangers. donald trump is set to be sentenced shortly in his hush money trial,

despite the us supreme court blocking his last minute attempts to suspend it. the national gallery in london says it will stay open all night next friday to give art lovers a final chance to see its vincent van gogh exhibition. hello, welcome to bbc news now. this is the scene in los angeles. the fire is still raging relentlessly. ferociously. they had been burning down parts of the city, reducing some of the most expensive and sought—after properties to ashes. the la county sheriff said it is like an atomic bomb has hit the city. ten people are now confirmed to have died — that's double the number reported earlier —

and nearly 10,000 structures destroyed. 0ne firefighter has been frustrated by fire hydrant is running out of water and their operations have been hindered by that. these are some of the latest pictures from la. the los angeles county sheriff says it hasn't been safe to reach many of the hardest—hit areas and the number of people who have lost their lives will definitely change. the biggest of the fires are clearly visible from space. here we can see how they contine to burn with thick plumes of smoke. this timelapse video shows that smoke being blown over the coastline and out over the pacific ocean. just some of the latest images there. let's speak to a local journalist in los angeles. alex silverman has been covering the wildfires for la based radio station, knx news. this macro —— thanks for

joining us. what is the latest on the attempt to control the flames? , , , ., on the attempt to control the flames?, , , ., ., flames? just before i went to net a bit flames? just before i went to get a bit of — flames? just before i went to get a bit of rest _ flames? just before i went to get a bit of rest for _ flames? just before i went to get a bit of rest for a - flames? just before i went to get a bit of rest for a first - get a bit of rest for a first time in a while, we heard the largest of the fires that are still burning, that you referred to, they finally are starting to get some containment, about 6% as of last night, which is not a big number but it is encouraging that they have managed to get a perimeter around at least part of that fire which has been burning out of control for about three days. that said, these fires are still burning uncontrolled in various parts of los angeles, and pacific palisades near malibu which has already burned up some of the most valuable real estate in the us, and the fire in the foothills of the san gabriel mountains to the north—east of los angeles, that is still

burning out of control, the us national guard showed up there this morning to guard the perimeter and make sure that people are out and you make sure that looting doesn't occur. you mentioned the los angeles county sheriff and he took a hard line on that front yesterday, saying a few people had been caught in that area and they will not tolerate it. what about the wind? that has been fanning the flames, the so—called devil winds, have they started to die down? the? they started to die down? they have. it they started to die down? they have- it has — they started to die down? they have. it has been _ they started to die down? they have. it has been up _ they started to die down? they have. it has been up and - they started to die down? tie: have. it has been up and down, right now the wind is calm but there is another santa ana wind event forecast for later in the weekend and into next week, so these fires are going to continue to burn and as it picks up and goes down, the wind, it has the potential to start new fires and cause further spread of the fires that exist already and the

national weather service in the us early in the week put out a warning like i had never seen before, enormous text that said dangerous and life—threatening situation, and they do not do that unless they mean it. we took it very seriously in terms of knowing it was going to be an unprecedented event and that is exactly what it turned out to be. ~ . is exactly what it turned out to be.~ . . is exactly what it turned out to be. ~ . ., _ to be. what about by the attempts _ to be. what about by the attempts to _ to be. what about by the attempts to deal - to be. what about by the attempts to deal with - to be. what about by the| attempts to deal with the flames from the firefighters? we heard from a captain in the la fire department saying they were frustrated by fire hydrant is running out of water. to what extent has that been a problem? it what extent has that been a problem?— what extent has that been a roblem? ., . ., , , problem? it has certainly been a problem _ problem? it has certainly been a problem that _ problem? it has certainly been a problem that they _ problem? it has certainly been a problem that they have - problem? it has certainly been a problem that they have not l a problem that they have not been able to get enough water on the fire, but the bigger problem, the municipal water system is not designed to deal with a fire this size, and the biggest problem is the fact they got to the intensity they

did, that was the unavailability of air support on tuesday night into wednesday because of the high wind, and we saw this, 36 hours ago, when anotherfire broke out we saw this, 36 hours ago, when another fire broke out in the hollywood hills in central los angeles which was very dramatic, right over my shoulder where i am standing, in fact. in that instance the wind died down and they were able to get about eight helicopters over it, scooping water out of the hollywood reservoir, dropping it on the fire, and within one hourfire that was threatening central hollywood which could have been an incredible disaster was averted, but they could not do that the other night so these fires in the palisades and pasadena, and the san gabriel valley, they blew up to enormous proportions. ibis valley, they blew up to enormous proportions. as a reporter, — enormous proportions. as a reporter, you _ enormous proportions. as a reporter, you are _ enormous proportions. as a reporter, you are doing - enormous proportions. as a reporter, you are doing your job, but on a human level, it must be devastating to see this

amazing city, one of the most amazing city, one of the most amazing on the planet, just being destroyed in this way? it is indescribable, and i was in malibu on the pacific coast highway where i had been on sunday afternoon, admiring the view, i went for a run, sunday afternoon, admiring the view, iwent fora run, one sunday afternoon, admiring the view, i went for a run, one of the most beautiful views in all of america, and to see that the other day, completely burned to the ground, smouldering, the sun setting behind it, behind what used to be restaurants, iconic restaurants, iconic businesses, multi—million dollar homes, it was just completely gone. he really is devastating. 0ne completely gone. he really is devastating. one of our reporters, theirfamily devastating. one of our reporters, their family lost their childhood home, and she had to go there and break the news to herfamily, after 18 hours of reporting. she came on the air to talk about the pain of processing that an hoping

she could help somebody else in the audience who are dealing with the same thing —— and hoping. i don't how she did that but she did. so many stories like that and it has been heartbreaking. you wonder about the future _ been heartbreaking. you wonder about the future with _ been heartbreaking. you wonder about the future with climate - about the future with climate change, could this kinda keep happening? can people still live and thrive and live happily in los angeles? it live and thrive and live happily in los angeles? it is auoin to happily in los angeles? it is going to be _ happily in los angeles? it is going to be a _ happily in los angeles? it is going to be a big _ happily in los angeles? it 3 going to be a big decision as to whether rebuild and we have seen a lot of things in los angeles, like the earthquake in 1994, but going forward we are going to see everything in terms of before and after january 2025, there will be people who say we have to rebuild these homes, and others who say, we can't do this any more, we can't build at the wild urban edges where there is

the potential for danger, wild urban edges where there is the potentialfor danger, we do not know how that is going to play out but that would be a huge debate.— play out but that would be a hue debate. . ., ,, ., huge debate. thanks to you for our huge debate. thanks to you for your time- _ huge debate. thanks to you for your time. thanks _ huge debate. thanks to you for your time. thanks for - huge debate. thanks to you for your time. thanks forjoining i your time. thanks forjoining us. alex silverman, a journalist covering the los angeles fires. for more on the latest, here's our correspondent helena humphrey. nothing prepares you for this amount of destruction. imean... there's no manual. there's no book. it's hard to put into words the level of devastation here, but the la county sheriff put it bluntly. in some areas, he said, it looks like a bomb had been dropped. so far land more than twice the size of manhattan lies in ruins.

and still these fires rage out of control. on thursday, a brief lull in those fierce santa ana winds allowed aircraft to streak across the skies, dropping water and fire retardant onto the flames. but there's no guarantee that that calm will last, with forecasters warning more winds could fan these infernos even further. some residents have ventured back, bracing themselves for what they'd find, only to discover their homes reduced to little more than ash. many told us they're simply too devastated to speak on camera. these fires don't discriminate, tearing through every kind of neighbourhood from lavish mansions to humble bungalows, all of them once a place of safety for someone. i can't describe it. what was it like? i really have... i have no words for what... i don't have any words for what it's like.

and for others, the scope of this catastrophe confirms their growing fears about the changing climate. this is obvious that stuff like this is happening because of global warming, and people thatjust want to deny it just don't know science and don't know how to research those things. so i think that humans are funny because they think anywhere they move in this world, they'll be safe, but the entire world has global warming. i guess pick your disaster and live there. what disaster makes you feel most comfortable? because that's the world we're living in at this point. here in altadena, fire crews are out battling these hotspots. you can see that many homes like this one are still smouldering, and you can see here that this entire neighbourhood, this entire community, has essentially been wiped out. we've been speaking to families here who have lived in these homes for generations, and injust a matter of hours, they've lost everything. and in some of the hardest hit areas, a night—time curfew is in place as some try to profit from the chaos.

looting has already led to multiple arrests. meanwhile, president biden has pledged his support for all those affected. to the families who have been impacted by this disaster, you're living through a nightmare, i know. and i promise you, we're going to help you get through this and eventually recover and rebuild. but rebuilding is hard to imagine right now when all these residents can do is wait, hoping and praying that the next gust of wind won't stoke the embers back into an inferno. helena humphrey, bbc news, los angeles. donald trump is set to be sentenced shortly in his new york hush money case. it comes after the president—elect lost a last—ditch appeal after the supreme court found he didn't have presidential immunity — because he isn't yet president.

judgejuan merchan will now hand down a sentence that's he indicated will be an unconditional discharge. but the conviction holds, meaning mr trump will become the first occupant of the white house with a criminal record. 0ur north america correspondent nada tawfik has the very latest from new york. trump has really fought all the way to the supreme court to avoid this long delayed sentencing, because once it happens, he will formally be a felon. and it's happening just ten days away from his inauguration. so he wanted to avoid carrying that designation into the white house. but nevertheless, the supreme court rejected that emergency reprieve request. and this will go ahead as planned. but thejudge has really signalled that he will sentence donald trump without any punishment. so this is expected to largely be a symbolic blow. donald trump is very unlikely, almost certainly not

going to face any prison time, any probation, perhaps not even a fine here. and that's because the judge said, with the inauguration coming with the start of donald trump's second term, that really is the most practical and favourable solution. it brings the case to an end. it also allows donald trump to go on to appeal the verdict, which he said he wants to do so that will be getting underway shortly here in new york. but very much i would say many see this as kind of a whimper rather than a bang to an end of what has been a historic and historic trial. and now, is he likely to appear because we're hearing he maybe will just appear virtually? donald trump is expected to appear virtually. that's right. thejudge had given him that option, kind of noting that he is in the middle of his transition into taking office and that this would be one of the least disruptive options.

i think the judge also extended that with an understanding that the supreme court, for example, other courts were going to be reviewing the sentencing and even the supreme court acknowledged that this was something, the ability to appear virtually, that really didn't put any impediments in the way of donald trump being sentenced while also preparing to take office. around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news.

now to venezuela, which has closed its border with colombia, on the day nicolas maduro is to be sworn in for a third term as president. the governor of the border state of tachira said it was in response to an international conspiracy. colombia is one of many countries in the region that has refused to recognise mr maduro's claim of victory

afterjuly�*s disputed election. 0pposition leader, maria corina machado, who'd been barred from standing in the election was forced into hiding. but she reappeared on thursday to lead demonstrations against mr maduro and was briefly detained. many venezuelans believe opposition candidate edmundo gonzalez won the poll — and their views have been supported by other countries including in europe and the us. let's cross over to spain to speak tojulio borges. he's a former presidential candidate and also a former president of the national assembly of venezuela. he's one of the many politicians and activists who have left venezuela in recent years due to government repression. the maduro regime issued arrest warrants for his detention. thanks forjoining us. what is

the significance of what is happening today for your country?— happening today for your count ? ~ . country? we are in the middle of a very _ country? we are in the middle of a very important _ country? we are in the middle of a very important process i country? we are in the middle. of a very important process and what we have to bear in mind, we won an election on the 28th ofjuly this year, and it was a huge outcome of people who voted against every obstacle that maduro put in the election and there is no kind of confusion or doubt about our triumph in that election, so maduro has rejected the will of the people, and in my view is opening a new chapter in which we will be in the same position as following other dictators like russia or in the case of iran. ~ ., , like russia or in the case of iran. . ., , .,, .,

like russia or in the case of iran. ., , ., ., iran. what can people do to chance iran. what can people do to change things _ iran. what can people do to change things in _ iran. what can people do to change things in your - iran. what can people do to i change things in your country and what will happen with the opposition leader, will he return to the country? irate opposition leader, will he return to the country? we have followed different _ return to the country? we have followed different roads - return to the country? we have followed different roads and i followed different roads and different steps, and the most important thing of these different roads is winning the election this year, and this is something that changed the whole situation in venezuela, so right now what we have to do is to increase the pressure. we are convinced the maduro regime has many different factors within the system, within the army force, within the political coalition, so we believe that maduro right now is in a very weak position because not even the army is with him in venezuela, and he lost the elections... with him in venezuela, and he lost the elections. . ._ lost the elections... how is he sta in: lost the elections... how is he staying in _

lost the elections... how is he staying in power _ lost the elections... how is he staying in power if _ lost the elections... how is he staying in power if he - lost the elections... how is he staying in power if he has - lost the elections... how is he staying in power if he has as l staying in power if he has as little support as you say? i want to make a very little support as you say? t want to make a very objective claim, the election in the electoral centres which the army and their families hold, and most of the people who are right now in prison come from the army force, and some of the leaders are injail. regarding your question, the main support from maduro is coming from outside, from russia, iran, cuba, which has built a system of repression in venezuela, so this is right now something thatis this is right now something that is very important for the west and democracy in order to see what is going on in venezuela, not only about controlling venezuela but also expanding their agenda in the region.

expanding their agenda in the reuion. ~ ., ., , region. what does the future hold for you _ region. what does the future hold for you question - region. what does the future hold for you question what i region. what does the future i hold for you question what you are now effectively in exile. do you think you will go back to venezuela? in do you think you will go back to venezuela?— to venezuela? in my case, in the case _ to venezuela? in my case, in the case of — to venezuela? in my case, in the case of many _ to venezuela? in my case, in the case of many political - the case of many political leaders, we have arrests that we will be —— we have warrants for our arrest, and so i would be arrested if i go back, but i'm very clear, and others like maria corina machado are making a very powerful stand, so we really believe and we are working very hard in order to make this finalfracture working very hard in order to make this final fracture in the regime and have the outcome of a transition in venezuela. brute

a transition in venezuela. we shau a transition in venezuela. we shall see _ a transition in venezuela. we shall see what _ a transition in venezuela. we shall see what the year holds for venezuela. thanks for joining us. back to the fires in los angeles. with evidence that climate change has played a significant role in the los angeles fires, new figures show that last year was the hottest year since records began. scientists from the european union climate monitoring body say temperatures were 1.6 degrees celsius higher than the pre—industrial average. they say it shows that a key warming threshold of 1.5 degrees — agreed in paris ten years ago — is now in danger of being permanently breached. here's our climate editor, justin rowlatt. remember the series of huge storms that battered the uk at the beginning of last year

and left large areas flooded? scientists judge climate change has made rain and snow on stormy days here in the uk 30% more intense. and we've had it relatively easy. remember those devastating floods in spain in october? or the historic drought in the amazon basin, which reduced river levels to a 120—year low. or how about the six typhoons that hit the philippines injust 30 days in november? these are just a few examples of the extreme weather, which affected the world last year, and which scientists say was linked to climate change. this map shows how the world has warmed since 1940. the blue shading is when temperatures are lower than average. red shows where it is getting hotter. as you can see, virtually the whole planet has got warmer over the last eight decades, with last year, 2024, the hottest ever recorded. today's figures show the last decade has included all ten of the hottest years on record.

"it represents a new climate era for our species," say experts. we're living in a climate that humanity hasn't experienced before. we can say with confidence when we look at ice core records, when we look at other data sets, that this is the warmest period for at least the last 100,000 years 01’ so. and when we look back at the ice core records, it's the highest concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere for the last 800,000 years or so. unless greenhouse gas emissions start to reduce, global temperatures will continue to rise, increasing the likelihood of extreme weather. "that presents a huge challenge for the uk," says the new head of the country's independent watchdog on climate. the climate change committee has been clear with government that we are in no way ready for the changing weather events, that this economy will face — increased flooding,

increased drought, extreme heat, orjust the kind of changing seasons and what that means for our existing infrastructure. she says 7% of the new housing planned for the uk will be built on flood plains, for example. the government told the bbc, strengthening the uk's resilience to a changing climate is one of its top priorities. it said it is investing billions in flood defences, and has launched a new climate service to help local authorities prepare for changing weather patterns. the fires in la are exactly the kind of event climate scientists have been warning about for years, and are yet more evidence of why we should all be worried about the way our climate is changing. stay with us here on bbc news. we will see you very soon.

hello there. it's been another cold day today, whether you've been seeing the sunshine or the cloud. we started off with some really low temperatures widely this morning. last night was the coldest night of the winter so far, with temperatures down to —15 at altnaharra in scotland, but all the way down to wisley in surrey temperatures were down to minus six celsius. that cold air is still in place for the start of the weekend, but gradually over the weekend, northern ireland and scotland should see milder air moving in, but that mild air doesn't reach the whole of england and wales until tuesday or wednesday, and it's cold through the rest of the afternoon. these are the temperatures struggling to get above freezing across much of scotland and northern england. it's mildest towards devon and cornwall but move into gloucestershire and after that frosty start and the cloud coming in, temperatures have been very reluctant to rise. we'll keep some cloud in the southwest. parts of wales, a little bit of rain here. thickening cloud will bring

some wetter weather towards northern ireland. 0therwise, we'll have clearer skies. showers near coasts and moving away but there will be some areas of fog developing and it's going to be another cold night for many of us. temperatures in inland scotland could get as low as —16 degrees. different sort of winter hazard, though, overnight and into tomorrow — freezing fog could linger through the midlands and eastern england into the afternoon and make for some hazardous travelling conditions. outside of the fog, many parts of scotland, northern england, down the midlands and eastern england will see some sunshine, but there is more cloud coming into the west. that rain clears away from northern ireland, pushes into the far west of scotland with a bit of wintriness over the hills. so, the higher temperatures will be mainly northern ireland, west wales and the southwest of england. elsewhere, it's still another cold day. temperatures 1 or 2 degrees. that cold air is underneath that area of high pressure, and it's doing its best to keep these weather fronts from impacting the uk. and it's also doing its best to prevent the milder air coming in as well. so it's only really across northern ireland

and western scotland that we'll see higher temperatures. on sunday, some early fog in northern ireland before the wind picks up, increasing the cloud. that cloud pushes into scotland. still the risk of some mist and fog patches across the midlands and eastern england. 0therwise, some sunshine on sunday. for many areas it's going to be cold — 4 or 5 degrees, but milder in the far west.

live from new york at the opening bell, this is business today. wall street opens in the red over fears interest rates may stay higherfor longer. this afterjobs growth for december blows through market expectations and unemployment dips. tiktok�*s last chance — the social media platform will make final a plea at the supreme court today to try to avoid a us ban. also coming up... counting the economic cost of la's devastating wildfires — losses are expected to exceed $135 billion as fierce winds threaten more destruction. welcome to business today, live from new york, i'm ritika gupta. we start here in the us where stocks are under pressure on the latestjobs numbers for december which have

come in much higher than many anticipated.