deadly wildfires continue to rage across los angeles — ten people have been killed and officials warn more high winds could fan the flames. la's county sherriff says the suburbs look like they've been hit by an atomic bomb. 10,000 structures have now been destroyed. we will bring you the latest from our teams on the ground — we'll hear from people caught up in the chaos — and also from a us meterologist. donald trump prepares to be sentenced over hush money payments to an adult film star — just ten days before he re—enters the white house. these are live pictures showing the us supreme court, where tiktok is making a last—ditch legal bid to prevent a ban in america. and the uk home office is monitoring elon musk�*s social media posts — and accounts who engage with them —

as a possible security risk. welcome to bbc news. we're monitering three major live stories on the programme. major live stories we'll bring you the latest on the widfires in california. fire chiefs say they are still tackling five major blazes. the scale of the damage is collosal — we'll be on the ground in a moment. let me also take you live to new york. donald trump is about to be sentenced in the hush money case. he's appearing virtually. we know thejudge is not planning a custodial sentence. donald trump says the hush money case has been a tremendous step back from new york and the new york court

system. —— for new york. and the other major news story happening as we go on air — the us supreme court is hearing a last ditch appeal by tik tok, against a law banning the app in the country, unless it's sold by its chinese owners. we'll hear some of the legal arguement put forward in the new few minutes — and also get analysis. let's start with the fires in la. thousands of firefighters are still trying to control five blazes that have devastated los angeles, burning down swathes of the city and reducing some of the world's most expensive and sought after properties to ashes. ten people are now confirmed to have died — it's thought that figure could rise significantly. the los angeles county sheriff told the bbc that the city's suberbs looked as if they'd been hit by an atomic bomb. around 180,000 people

have been ordered to leave their homes. many neighbourhoods have been left unrecognisable. the destruction is expected to cost up to $150 billion and the national guard has been deployed. the biggest of the fires are clearly visible from space. there you can see the plumes of smoke — such is the size of what is happening. let me show you what fire fighters are battling. five fires continue to burn. a fire chief has told the bbc that — although investigations are continuing — there is, as yet, no evidience that the wildfires have been started deliberately. our first report this hour is from 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. we have the latest on the eaton

fire. i we have the latest on the eaton fire. ., ., , ., fire. i want to turn your attention _ fire. i want to turn your attention to _ fire. i want to turn your attention to the - fire. i want to turn your - attention to the management fire. i want to turn your _ attention to the management and the control objectives, and you can find those on the second page. get familiar with it and review this with your crew and make sure you understand what the objectives are for this incident. next we will have our assignments. incident. next we will have our assignments-— assignments. good morning. first i want _ assignments. good morning. first i want to _ assignments. good morning. first i want to say _ assignments. good morning. first i want to say for - assignments. good morning. first i want to say for the - first i want to say for the resources out there, coming back— resources out there, coming back after their rest, thank you — back after their rest, thank you for— back after their rest, thank you for coming back and we appreciate the hard work out there — appreciate the hard work out there. they

branch five, robin rice. charlie _ branch five, robin rice. charlie is mike seymour. branch five, _ charlie is mike seymour. branch five, continued the direct and indirect— five, continued the direct and indirect lines coming around the horn_ indirect lines coming around the horn into alpha and then we are standing up charlie today, trying — are standing up charlie today, trying to — are standing up charlie today, trying to stitch charlie together and figuring where we can go— together and figuring where we can go as — together and figuring where we can go as direct as possible. delia — can go as direct as possible. delta is _ can go as direct as possible. delta is brad. the ride in for the trainees is chris. thank you. — the trainees is chris. thank you. chris _ the trainees is chris. thank you, chris. same story for branch_ you, chris. same story for branch ten, direct as much as possible. _ branch ten, direct as much as possible, the priority is the mount_ possible, the priority is the mount wilson area and also protecting those at risk on the mountain— protecting those at risk on the mountain and trying to figure out stitching together direct and indirect lines. branch 20 isjake — and indirect lines. branch 20 isjake and rob is the trainee.

juliet— isjake and rob is the trainee. juliet is— isjake and rob is the trainee. juliet is matt barnes. is jake and rob is the trainee. juliet is matt barnes. studio: we are going _ juliet is matt barnes. studio: we are going to _ juliet is matt barnes. studio: we are going to come - juliet is matt barnes. studio: we are going to come away i juliet is matt barnes. studio: i we are going to come away from that briefing. we are juggling those three major stories. breaking news coming from new york. donald trump appearing virtually there but the judge has just sentenced donald trump. thejudge has decided to sentence him to an unconditional discharge over the conviction in the hush money case and he said he is imposing no jail orfinery but imposing no jail or finery but the imposing no jail orfinery but the sentence places judgment of guilt on the president elect�*s record. —— fine. thejudge guilt on the president elect�*s record. —— fine. the judge was keen to pursue this despite the last—minute efforts of donald

trump to block the sentencing, and that did not work, and the supreme courtjudges decided supreme court judges decided against supreme courtjudges decided against throwing out the last—minute bid from donald trump so today the sentencing went ahead and the breaking development, i will repeat it, thejudge decided to development, i will repeat it, the judge decided to sentence donald trump to an unconditional discharge over the conviction in the hush money case and he has imposed no jail time money case and he has imposed no jailtime and no money case and he has imposed no jail time and no fine but the sentence means it is a sentence of guilt on donald trump's record and i suspect thatis trump's record and i suspect that is why donald trump was so keen to go to the supreme court to avoid that eventuality. donald trump taken to court and convicted in the first place, that was the first for a living president, and these other scenes outside the court. our correspondent has been inside and we will talk to them very

shortly. donald trump made an appearance before we got the sentencing and it was the first time he was able to testify in this case. in may he did not testify that he used this as a chance to talk about the case and he said it was a terrible experience, and he talked about the facts on the charges involved and he said the case was brought to stop him from winning the election and boasting that he won the election in the popular vote and the electoral college. he says he is totally innocent and he did nothing wrong. as he was speaking and going through some of those same arguments we have heard over many months. the district attorney. he was watching donald trump on the screen and he was sitting in

the second row of the current room and he chuckled —— second row of the courtroom. he chuckled when donald trump said the district attorney did not actually want to bring this case against him. trump directly attacked the district attorney previously. donald trump highlighted his election win and claiming that the justice system had been weaponised and he called it lawfare and he said he was treated very unfairly and he thanks you very much. he had so many run—ins with the judge over the months with this case and because was convicted in may and it has taken all of this time to get to this stage, the sentencing stage, and to

explain the picture on the screen, that is outside the court room. the picture before was a snapshot of the screen which was showing donald trump and his virtual appearance. he was convicted in may and his legal team again and again delayed things in terms of getting to this stage but we had the supreme court appearance yesterday from his legal team which they lost and so today went ahead and today we have had the sentencing. the judge said he decided to sentence donald trump to an undisclosed dip dip —— unconditional discharge. but there is no fine and no reason sentence. we can talk to our correspondent. what was the moment like?— correspondent. what was the moment like? , moment like? this was the “udge doinu what moment like? this was the “udge doing what he i moment like? this was the 'udge doing what he said i moment like? this was the 'udge

doing what he said he fl moment like? this was the judge doing what he said he would - doing what he said he would sentencing donald trump to unconditional discharge in all 34 unconditional discharge in all 3a counts and this means that he will have the guilty verdict on his record, he is formally a felon, and he will face no further punishment whatsoever. no jail time, further punishment whatsoever. nojailtime, no probation further punishment whatsoever. nojail time, no probation and not even a fine, and the judge said this was essentially the only lawful sentence he could give without encroaching on the highest office of the land. he said never before had the court had to deal with such a unique set of remarkable circumstances. he kept a relatively brief, after giving the sentence, he wished donald trump god's speed as he takes on his second term. we saw more from prosecutors, a real rebuke of donald trump osman attitude throughout the trial, and

remembered he was held in contempt of court ten times for violating gag orders that prevented him from attacking the jury, prevented him from attacking thejury, court prevented him from attacking the jury, court staff, prevented him from attacking thejury, court staff, court family members, and donald trump prosecutors said had showed remarkable disdain for the judicial system, that they said has had a lasting impact outside of the courthouse. but it was quite something, a photo of donald trump on the defence table, appearing virtually on a monitor, and again launching into his regular talking points, telling the court and the judge that this was a witchhunt to stop him from taking the white house, that the voters saw through this and elected him and that he was innocent and had done nothing wrong. d0 innocent and had done nothing wronu. innocent and had done nothing wrona_ ., ,, innocent and had done nothing wron., ., innocent and had done nothing wroni, ., wrong. do i assume that he will a- eal wrong. do i assume that he will appeal against _ wrong. do i assume that he will appeal against this _ wrong. do i assume that he will appeal against this decision - wrong. do i assume that he will appeal against this decision at l appeal against this decision at some later stage?—

appeal against this decision at some later stage? despite the fact that he — some later stage? despite the fact that he did _ some later stage? despite the fact that he did not _ some later stage? despite the fact that he did not receive - fact that he did not receive any punishment, donald trump is very sensitive about the fact that he is now being marked a felon and he did not want to have to carry that into the white house which he will do on inauguration day in ten days. he fought all the way to the supreme court to prevent this long delayed sentencing with the appeal for an emergency to stay the sentencing but in a ruling the supreme court rejected that, saying he could appeal the case if he has issues of it, and the fact he was able to appear virtually meant there was little disruption to him taking office, and in reaction to the ruling, donald trump said he will appeal this case. we do expect that to be the next step because donald trump simply does not want to be labelled a felon. ., ., ., ,

felon. thanks for 'oining us. let me take _ felon. thanks for 'oining us. let me take you _ felon. thanks forjoining us. let me take you back - felon. thanks forjoining us. let me take you back to - felon. thanks forjoining us. let me take you back to the | let me take you back to the live pictures from los angeles, the other major story dominating the last few days. sunrise in los angeles. we will get the latest from the police in about 15 minutes and also talk to a us meteorologist in terms of the wind which is so critical in terms of whether the firefighters can get to grips with these major blazes. we will talk to those people and our correspondent peter bowes in a moment or two. around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news.

these are the live pitches in los angeles with huge plumes of smoke drifting across 50

los angeles with huge plumes of smoke drifting across— smoke drifting across so many acres of land _ smoke drifting across so many acres of land and _ smoke drifting across so many acres of land and so _ smoke drifting across so many acres of land and so much - smoke drifting across so many acres of land and so much of l smoke drifting across so manyj acres of land and so much of it has been destroyed, ten people have died. we are awaiting a further update from the authorities and joe biden will also be updated in the next hour. peter bowes is our correspondent, so what is happening around you? i correspondent, so what is happening around you? i am in santa clarita, _ happening around you? i am in santa clarita, the _ happening around you? i am in| santa clarita, the northernmost tip of s