9000 BUILDINGS HAVE BEEN DESTROYED AND 60,000 MORE REMAIN UNDER THREAT AS L.A.'S WORST-EVER WILDFIRES CONTINUE TO BURN OUT OF CONTROL. THE CATCH-CRY WAS 'SURVIVE TILL '25', BUT 2500 BUSINESSES DIDN'T AS FIGURES SHOW A SURGE IN LIQUIDATIONS LAST YEAR. AND A RARE SHOW OF UNITY AS THE FIVE LIVING PRESIDENTS GATHER TO FAREWELL JIMMY CARTER ` BUT TRUMP STRUGGLES TO PUT HIS HAND ON HIS HEART. CAPTIONS BY MAEVE KELLY AND REBECCA SCHOLTZ. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2025 NAU MAI, HAERE MAI, MALO E LELEI AND WELCOME TO THREENEWS. THE STRUGGLE TO SAVE LOS ANGELES FROM THE WORST WILDFIRES EVER VISITED ON THE CITY STILL SEEMS LIKE A ONE-SIDED FIGHT. 120km2 ` AN AREA LARGER THAN HAMILTON ` OF BOTH SCRUBLAND AND PRIME REAL ESTATE HAS BEEN INCINERATED, TURNING AFFLUENT NEIGHBOURHOODS INTO LANDSCAPES OF ASH AND CHARRED RUINS. CBS IS REPORTING THAT 9000 STRUCTURES HAVE BEEN LOST. THE PALISADES, EATON AND HURST FIRES ARE STILL RAGING, WHILE A NEW BLAZE, CALLED THE KENNETH FIRE, HAS SPRUNG UP IN SAN FERNANDO VALLEY. INCREDIBLY, ONLY SEVEN PEOPLE HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED DEAD THANKS TO MANDATORY EVACUATION ORDERS AFFECTING 180,000 PEOPLE. SENIOR REPORTER JULIET SPEEDY HAS MORE. THE ROAD INTO PACIFIC PALISADES AND THE AFTERMATH OF THE WILDFIRE THE ROAD INTO PACIFIC PALISADES IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE WILDFIRE ` A SHOCKING JOURNEY THROUGH DESTRUCTION, AND IT SOON BECOMES CLEAR THIS FIRE IS STILL CONSUMING HOMES AND BUSINESSES ALL ALONG SUNSET BOULEVARD. THE SCENES HERE SHOW THAT THE MANDATORY EVACUATION ORDERS SAVED HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS, OF LIVES, AND FROM THE AIR, THE SCALE OF THE TRAGEDY BECOMES STARKER STILL ` ENTIRE NEIGHBOURHOODS LOST TO THE FLAMES. (WATER GUSHES) UNDER-RESOURCED FIREFIGHTERS WORKING IN STRONG WINDS AROUND THE CLOCK. (POP!) WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF WATER. THIS IS THE WORST ONE FOR ME, WORST ONE I'VE EVER SEEN. NO QUESTION. THIS RESIDENT HAS BRIEFLY RETURNED TO SEE THE SCALE OF THE DISASTER. IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS, THE NEIGHBOURHOOD ` GONE, LEVELLED, DISAPPEARED. I WAS IN TEARS WITH MY` STILL CHOKED UP. WITH MY DAUGHTER RIGHT NOW. IT'S... YOU KNOW, IT'S A LOT OF HARD WORK BUILDING A BUSINESS, AND SEEING THIS... IT'S TOUGH. VERY TOUGH. SOBS: YOU'D BETTER TAKE VIDEOS OF OUR HOUSE RIGHT NOW. FOR RESIDENTS DARING TO GO BACK JUST TO GLIMPSE WHAT THEY HAVE LOST, THE EMOTION IS OVERWHELMING ` ONE OF THE MOST DESIRABLE PLACES TO LIVE IN AMERICA NOW A HELLSCAPE. (SOBBING) IT'S LIKE ARMAGEDDON ` WHEN YOU CAN SEE THE FLAMES COMING UP OVER THE HOUSES, AND YOU'RE JUST GETTING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, AND THE SMOKE AND THE ASH IS SO THICK. I'M SURPRISED ALL OF US GOT OUT OF THERE. A MAILBOX, BUT NO HOUSE TO SERVE; A CHILD'S TOY AND THE ABANDONED REMAINS OF AN ATTEMPT TO LOAD UP A CAR. NATURE HAS HAD THE UPPER HAND IN THE CITY OF ANGELS. THE INFAMOUS SANTA ANA WINDS, GALE-FORCE AT TIMES, CHANGING DIRECTION WITH A FIERY TRAIL OF DESTRUCTION. IT'S EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO PREDICT. IT'S EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO CONTAIN. IT'S PRETTY MUCH LIKE A HURRICANE, EXCEPT INSTEAD OF RAIN, WE HAD FIRE. IT IS SAFE TO SAY THE PALISADES FIRE IS ONE OF THE MOST DESTRUCTIVE NATURAL DISASTERS IN THE HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES. A NEW FIRE GAINED TRACTION LAST NIGHT, THIS TIME IN THE HOLLYWOOD HILLS. THE PLACES WHERE YOU'D COME TO DREAM ` SUNSET AND HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD, MULHOLLAND DRIVE ` NAMES SYNONYMOUS WITH THE MOVIE INDUSTRY THAT IS L.A.'S BREAD AND BUTTER. IT'S MANY OF THOSE WHO'VE REACHED THE TOP WHOSE HOMES HAVE NOW BURNED TO THE GROUND. JAMIE LEE CURTIS WAS APPEARING ON A TV SHOW IN NEW YORK. THIS IS LITERALLY WHERE I LIVE. EVERYTHING. THE MARKET I SHOP IN, THE SCHOOLS MY KIDS GO TO. FRIENDS ` MANY, MANY, MANY, MANY FRIENDS NOW HAVE LOST THEIR HOMES. SPENCER PRATT, A STAR OF THE REALITY TV SHOW 'THE HILLS', LOOKED ON AS THE FLAMES APPROACHED HIS HOUSE, LATER FILMING WHAT WAS LEFT OF HIS ROAD. AND PARIS HILTON WROTE... THERE ARE ALSO HUNDREDS OF KIWIS LIVING IN L.A. ` LIKE FOOTBALL FERNS CAPTAIN ALI RILEY, WHO LOST HER HOME, POSTING THAT HER ENTIRE NEIGHBOURHOOD IS GONE AND THAT THIS RUBBLE WAS HER HOME AND SHE WAS THERE WITH HER PARENTS JUST DAYS AGO WATCHING THE SUNSET. EDEN WAIRUA-ORME LIVES IN HOLLYWOOD. THERE ARE A LOT OF US KIWIS HERE, AND WE'RE ALL DOING A REALLY GOOD JOB AT KEEPING OUT LOOKING FOR EACH OTHER. I'VE LIVED IN L.A. FOR SIX YEARS NOW, AND EVERY YEAR I HEAR ABOUT FIRES. I'VE BEEN HERE WHEN THERE'VE BEEN SOME REALLY ROUGH ONES IN MALIBU, BUT NEVER AT THIS SIZE, NEVER THIS MANY HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME. THE FIRES ARE NOW MOVING CLOSER TO HER. I STARTED TO SEE SMOKE FLYING DOWN TO THE HOLLYWOOD WAYS, WHICH HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE FROM ANY OF THOSE FIRES. SO THAT WAS THE FIRST MOMENT I WAS KIND OF GIVEN A CLUE THAT IT'S GETTING ROUGH, IT'S GETTING PRETTY BAD. I PACKED MY EVACUATION BAG AND I'M JUST GONNA LEAVE IT BY THE FRONT DOOR. THE CLIMATE CRISIS HAS CAUSED THE FIRES ` AND AN INSURANCE CRISIS. CALIFORNIA'S INSURER OF LAST RESORT, 'FAIR', IS NOW THE ONLY OPTION FOR THOUSANDS OF HOMEOWNERS ` BUT IT FACES EXPOSURE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA OF ALMOST $37b, AND THESE FIRES ARE EXPECTED TO COST UP TO $13b. BUT FAIR HAS SAID IT ONLY HAS RESERVES OF $385m TO PAY OUT CLAIMS. TO COVER THAT GAP, INSURANCE PREMIUMS WILL INEVITABLY SKYROCKET FOR EVERYONE. THE INSURANCE COMPANIES ARE GONNA HAVE A BIG PROBLEM, COS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BIG, BIG DOLLARS. BUT COULD IT BECOME TRUMP'S PROBLEM, WITH HIS MOTTO, 'DRILL, BABY, DRILL'? IN THE MEANTIME, PRESIDENT BIDEN SAYS THE U.S. GOVERNMENT WILL COVER 100% OF LA'S RECOVERY COSTS FOR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS. WILL COVER 100% OF L.A.'S RECOVERY COSTS FOR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS. THAT'S GONNA PAY FOR THINGS LIKE TEMPORARY SHELTERS, FIRST RESPONDERS' SALARIES AND ALL NECESSARY MEASURES TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. FROM THE PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY TO MALIBU, WILDFIRES CONTINUE TO RAVAGE AMERICA'S WEALTHIEST STATES. INLAND ALTADENA, NEAR THE EATON FIRE, THE SAME. LOS ANGELES HAS LONG FEARED ANOTHER EARTHQUAKE, BUT THIS TRAGEDY CAME FROM THE DESERT WINDS AND FROM SPARKS THAT IGNITED AN INFERNO. NEW GOVERNMENT FIGURES SHOW 2500 BUSINESSES WENT INTO LIQUIDATION LAST YEAR; THERE WERE 671 MORE COMPANY LIQUIDATIONS IN 2024 COMPARED TO 2023 ` UP BY A THIRD. BUT AS ZANE SMALL REPORTS, SOME BUSINESSES HAVE FOUND A WAY TO REMAIN SUSTAINABLE DESPITE TOUGH ECONOMIC CONDITIONS. AT FANTAIL & TURTLE ON AUCKLAND'S NORTH SHORE, TRAVIS FIELD PREPARES FOR A BUSY DAY AT HIS RESTAURANT OF SIX YEARS. WE'VE GOT TWO THIRTIETHS TODAY. THIRTIETHS ARE GOOD. WITH A DECADE OF EXPERIENCE IN HOSPITALITY, HE'S MANAGED TO STEER HIS BUSINESS THROUGH A DIFFICULT YEAR. I KNEW THAT MY CUSTOMERS HAD HIGHER COSTS OF LIVING; LOWER INTEREST RATES HADN'T COME THROUGH ` A LOT MORE JOB INSECURITY. THE RESTAURANT'S REVENUE IS DOWN 4.7%. I'M DOWN WAY LESS THAN WHAT I THOUGHT I WOULD BE, BUT THE COST FOR ME TO ACHIEVE THAT HAS BEEN... QUITE SIGNIFICANT. BUT I'M OK WITH THAT, AND I CAN AFFORD THAT. BUT NOT ALL BUSINESS OWNERS CAN. THE LATEST GOVERNMENT FIGURES SHOW 2500 COMPANIES WENT INTO LIQUIDATION LAST YEAR. THAT'S 36% MORE THAN THE 1829 IN 2023. HERE IN AUCKLAND'S CBD, VIVACE RESTAURANT, WHICH OPERATED FOR MORE THAN THREE DECADES, WENT INTO LIQUIDATION ON CHRISTMAS EVE, COSTING 20 JOBS. THE OWNER, MANDY LUSK, TOLD US SHE KNOWS OF AT LEAST FIVE OTHER RESTAURANTS IN THE SAME SITUATION. VIVACE'S LIQUIDATION PROCESS IS BEING HANDLED BY BLACKLOCK ROSE LTD., WHO SAY THERE ARE MULTIPLE INTERESTED BUYERS. OUR PREFERENCE WOULD BE TO SELL EVERYTHING TO ONE PERSON, BECAUSE THAT WAY, WHAT IS AN INSTITUTION IN AUCKLAND CAN CONTINUE. VIVACE'S OWNER PARTLY BLAMED PRESSURE FROM INLAND REVENUE TO PAY TAX DEBT. LAST YEAR, THE TAX DEPARTMENT SIGNALLED IT WOULD BE CRACKING DOWN ON TAX OBLIGATIONS. I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY TOOK A BIT OF A WAIT-AND-SEE APPROACH DURING THE PANDEMIC, AND NOW A LOT OF THE DEBT THAT'S ARISEN DURING THAT TIME, IT'S ESSENTIALLY BEING CALLED IN. YOU CAN SEE HERE HOW COMPANY TAX DEBT HAS BEEN STEADILY ON THE RISE, NOW SITTING AT ALMOST $5b. LAUGHS: ALWAYS PAY IRD ON TIME. FOR TRAVIS FIELD, NAVIGATING TOUGH ECONOMIC CONDITIONS HAS MEANT ADAPTING HIS BUSINESS. REGULARS WERE ALWAYS GOING TO BE DOWN, BECAUSE THEY'RE HURTING. SO HOW DID WE` HOW DID WE OFFSET THAT LOST INCOME? WE DID A LOT OF PRIVATE FUNCTIONS, A LOT OF BUSINESS FUNCTIONS. OPENING UP TO A NEW CUSTOMER BASE... GETTING READY FOR THE DAY AHEAD? YES. ...TO SURVIVE IN AN EVOLVING HOSPITALITY LANDSCAPE. IN A RARE SHOW OF UNITY, THE FIVE LIVING U.S. PRESIDENTS, INCLUDING DONALD TRUMP, HAVE GATHERED TO FAREWELL THEIR PREDECESSOR JIMMY CARTER AT HIS STATE FUNERAL IN WASHINGTON, D.C. JOE BIDEN LED THE TRIBUTES, PRAISING HIS FELLOW DEMOCRAT'S CHARACTER AND SAYING HE'D MADE 'A POWERFUL DIFFERENCE' AFTER HE LEFT THE WHITE HOUSE. ITV'S DAN RIVERS REPORTS. (BRASS BAND PLAYS 'HAIL TO THE CHIEF', GUNS BOOM) A 21-GUN SALUTE FOR JAMES EARL CARTER JR AS HE LEFT THE CAPITAL FOR THE LAST TIME. HIS JOURNEY TO WASHINGTON CATHEDRAL TOOK HIM THROUGH A CITY HUSHED AND STILL AS AMERICA MOURNED ITS OLDEST FORMER LEADER. INSIDE, ALL FIVE FORMER LIVING PRESIDENTS ` A MOMENT OF BIPARTISAN UNITY. THE SMALL TALK HERE APPEARED GOOD-NATURED AS AMERICA'S PAST AND ITS FUTURE GATHERED IN RESPECT FOR A MAN WHO EMBODIED DIGNITY AND SERVICE. AS THE CASKET ARRIVED, MOST SHOWED THEIR REVERENCE, DONALD TRUMP EVENTUALLY JOINING THEM, ALBEIT WITH A LITTLE LESS CERTAINTY. BLESSED ARE THE DEAD. EACH PRESIDENT WAS NOT ONLY SAYING GOODBYE TO JIMMY CARTER BUT ALSO GETTING A PREVIEW OF HOW THEY WILL BE BID FAREWELL BY THE NATION. PRESIDENT BIDEN TALKED OF CARTER'S DEEP FAITH. THE ABUSE OF POWER. THAT IS NOT ABOUT BEING PERFECT. BECAUSE NONE OF US ARE PERFECT. # YOU MAY SAY I'M A DREAMER. # THEN, A SONG WHOSE LYRICS EMBODIED CARTER'S IDEALISM AND BELIEF IN PEACE-MAKING ` A MAN WHOSE LEGACY MIGHT BE DISPUTED BUT WHOSE HUMILITY AND DEVOTION TO PUBLIC SERVICE CANNOT BE QUESTIONED. THE U.S. SUPREME COURT HAS REJECTED DONALD TRUMP'S BID TO HALT HIS SENTENCING FOR PAYING HUSH MONEY TO A PORN STAR. IN A FIVE-TO-FOUR VOTE, TWO OF THE CONSERVATIVE JUSTICES SIDED WITH THEIR THREE LIBERAL COLLEAGUES TO REJECT TRUMP'S CLAIM THAT HIS SENTENCING SHOULD BE AUTOMATICALLY STAYED. THE NEW YORK JUDGE IN THE CASE HAS SCHEDULED THE SENTENCING FOR TOMORROW, JUST DAYS BEFORE THE PRESIDENT-ELECT IS INAUGURATED, BUT HE'S INDICATED HE WON'T FACE JAIL TIME. STILL TO COME ON THREENEWS ` SHE'S ALREADY ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST POLITE CALVES, BUT WHAT SCIENTISTS REALLY HOPE IS THAT HILDA BECOMES THE FACE OF CLIMATE-FRIENDLY DAIRY FARMING. AND LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON ` MATTIAS COUTTS BECOMES OUR LATEST SAILING WORLD CHAMP. VENEZUELA'S OPPOSITION LEADER HAS EMERGED FROM MONTHS OF HIDING TO REAPPEAR IN PUBLIC AS PART OF A LAST-DITCH ATTEMPT TO BLOCK PRESIDENT NICOLAS MADURO FROM CLINGING TO POWER. SUPPORTERS SAY MARIA CORINA MACHADO WAS DETAINED AFTER LEAVING THE RALLY, BUT IT'S UNDERSTOOD SHE HAS SINCE BEEN RELEASED. THE PROTESTS ARE TAKING PLACE A DAY BEFORE THE RULING-PARTY-CONTROLLED NATIONAL ASSEMBLY IS SCHEDULED TO SWEAR IN MADURO TO A THIRD SIX-YEAR TERM, DESPITE EVIDENCE HE LOST THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. IT WOULD BE A BIT OF AN OVERSTATEMENT TO SAY THAT THE FUTURE OF THE PLANET RESTS ON HILDA THE CALF, BUT HER CAREFUL BREEDING IN SCOTLAND TO REDUCE HER METHANE OUTPUT IS A FIRST THAT WILL HELP REDUCE GLOBAL WARMING. ITV'S GERAINT VINCENT REPORTS. (CALVES MOO) MEET HILDA, A 2-MONTH-OLD HOLSTEIN CALF, BORN IN SCOTLAND AND BRED TO BE BETTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT ` AND TO HAVE MUCH BETTER MANNERS THAN YOUR AVERAGE COW. WE HAVE AN INTEREST IN BREEDING COWS TO PRODUCE LESS OF THE GREENHOUSE GAS METHANE, AND HILDA IS THE FIRST CALF BORN IN A PROJECT WHICH IS PURSUING THAT OBJECTIVE. METHANE REPRESENTS A LOSS OF ENERGY THAT WE WOULD LIKE THE COW TO USE FOR PRODUCING MILK, BUT IT'S ALSO A GREENHOUSE GAS. SO AGRICULTURE CAN PLAY ITS PART IN REDUCING` ER, FIGHTING GLOBAL WARMING BY REDUCING THE EMISSIONS OF GREENHOUSE GASES LIKE METHANE. IS IT BURPING OR FARTING THAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH THESE COWS? THIS IS OFTEN A MISUNDERSTANDING, BUT THE VAST MAJORITY OF METHANE IS PRODUCED BY BURPING, BY ERUCTATION. COME ON. COME ON. (CALVES MOO) HILDA AND HER YOUNGER SIBLINGS WERE SELECTIVELY BRED USING IVF TO TRY TO SOLVE ONE OF THE BEEF AND DAIRY INDUSTRY'S BIGGEST PROBLEMS. EACH COW IN THE UK PRODUCES MORE THAN 120kg OF METHANE EVERY YEAR. ALTOGETHER, THAT'S THE EQUIVALENT OF MORE THAN 18 TONNES OF CARBON DIOXIDE. THE PEOPLE LEADING THIS PROJECT THINK THAT SELECTIVE BREEDING COULD CUT GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS BY 20% OVER THE COURSE OF A DECADE. YEAH, THE THING ABOUT GENETIC GAIN IN, FOR EXAMPLE, LOWER METHANE IS THAT IT'S CUMULATIVE, SO EVERY YEAR THAT YOU` EVERY GENERATION THAT YOU GET A LITTLE BIT BETTER, THAT ACCUMULATES OVER TIME. SO OVER A FEW YEARS, YOU CAN HAVE A VERY SIGNIFICANT IMPACT. (CALVES MOO) THE TIME AND SPACE THAT IT TAKES TO REAR CATTLE STILL MAKES IT AN ENVIRONMENTALLY COSTLY BUSINESS, BUT HILDA IS THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS A METHANE-EFFICIENT HERD AND A MORE SUSTAINABLE WAY OF PRODUCING SOME OF THE WORLD'S MOST POPULAR FOODS. TIME NOW FOR A LOOK AT THE DAY'S SPORT. TAKE THE DRIVER'S SEAT WITH SUZUKI SWIFT SPORT AND THREENEWS SPORT. GAEL MONFILS IS JUST ONE WIN AWAY FROM ACCOMPLISHING WHAT WOULD BE A REMARKABLE TURNAROUND AT THE ASB CLASSIC. AFTER COMING BACK FROM A SET AND 5-2 DOWN IN HIS OPENING ROUND MATCH, THIS AFTERNOON HE BOOKED HIS SPOT IN TOMORROW'S FINAL, DEFEATING A RISING STAR HALF HIS AGE. JUST BELGIUM'S ZIZOU BERGS NOW STANDS IN THE WAY OF THE 38-YEAR-OLD AND HIS FIRST TITLE IN AUCKLAND. GORDON FINDLATER HAS MORE. EARLIER IN THE WEEK, NOT EVEN GAEL MONFILS WOULD'VE IMAGINED THIS HAPPENING. GAEL MONFILS IS THROUGH TO ANOTHER ATP TOUR FINAL. THE 38-YEAR-OLD RACKING UP CAREER VICTORY NUMBER 570, DEFEATING NISHESH BASAVAREDY (19) IN STRAIGHT SETS. I TRUST MY SERVE, TRUST MY FITNESS, AND I'M VERY HAPPY TO WIN THIS ONE IN TWO SETS. IT WAS A GRUELLING TWO SETS FOR MONFILS, THOUGH, THE OPENING EXCHANGES DECIDED BY THE BAREST OF MARGINS, THE FIRST SET GOING TO A TIE-BREAKER. OH, HOW ABOUT THAT RETURN FROM MONFILS, HAVING TO GO REALLY WIDE. THE HOUR-LONG SET WAS TAKING ITS TOLL, THOUGH, JUST CHANGING ENDS BECOMING A TASK IN THE SWELTERING HEAT. BUT MONFILS WOULD FIND ENOUGH. AND HE DOES TAKE IT! (CHEERING, APPLAUSE) RUNNING SEEMINGLY ON EMPTY, ON FUMES. IN THE SECOND SET, MONFILS SAW OFF FIVE BREAK POINTS BEFORE STRIKING HIS OWN. THERE IT IS ON THE SECOND SERVE. THE OLDEST PLAYER INSIDE THE WORLD'S TOP 100 GOING ON TO WIN IN AN HOUR AND 46 MINUTES AND BOOK HIS SPOT IN TOMORROW'S FINAL. TO BE HONEST, WITH THE ADRENALINE, YOU ALWAYS ARE... ALWAYS PUMPED FOR FINAL, SO I MEAN, I WILL ENJOY A BIT MYSELF. HE'LL FACE BELGIUM'S ZIZOU BERGS, WHO DEFEATED SEVENTH SEED NUNO BORGES IN THREE SETS. ZIZOU BERGS IS ON HIS WAY TO HIS MAIDEN ATP TOUR FINAL. AND AGAINST A PLAYER HE GREW UP ADMIRING. I HAVE TONS RESPECT FOR GAEL. HE'S A GUY WHO I WATCHED GROWING UP, OBVIOUSLY. I SOMETIME COPY A LITTLE BIT OF HIS TRICKS ON COURT, SO I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT MATCH. WHETHER IT'S THE MASTER OR THE APPRENTICE, THE ASB CLASSIC WILL HAVE A WORTHY CHAMPION. A 35m SCREAMER FROM ALYSSA WHINHAM AGAINST WESTERN SYDNEY HAS HELPED THE WELLINGTON PHOENIX ROCKET INTO FOURTH PLACE IN THE A-LEAGUE WOMEN'S COMPETITION. AFTER A GOALLESS OPENING 45 MINUTES, IT TOOK THE PHOENIX JUST SEVEN SECONDS TO SCORE IN THE SECOND HALF, WHINHAM HAVING A GO FROM LONG RANGE. SHE TRIES HER LUCK FROM DISTANCE ` A LONG, LOOPING EFFORT ` AND OH MY WORD! ALYSSA WHINHAM. THERE IT IS. THE PHOENIX HAVE FOUND THE FIRST GOAL OF THE AFTERNOON. NOT A BAD WAY TO SCORE YOUR FIRST GOAL OF THE SEASON. THE PHOENIX EVENTUALLY WENT ON TO WIN 3-0. AND FINALLY, THE APPLE HASN'T FALLEN FAR FROM THE TREE ` MATTIAS COUTTS, THE SON OF SIR RUSSELL COUTTS, HAS WON THE MOTH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS AT MANLY SAILING CLUB. THE 19-YEAR-OLD DOMINATED THE REGATTA FROM START TO FINISH, BEATING OFF A WORLD-CLASS FIELD WHICH INCLUDED SAIL GP CHAMPION AND SPAIN'S OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALLIST DIEGO BOTIN. I'VE BEEN DREAMING OF GETTING INTO THIS CLASS, YOU KNOW, WHEN I` FROM WHEN I FIRST SAW THEM, BACK IN LIKE` I DUNNO, WHEN I WAS 11 OR 10, YOU KNOW, I SAW THEM RIPPING AROUND. IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A DREAM. YOU KNOW, I NEVER... WELL, I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO GET TO THIS STAGE, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S... IT'S AMAZING. COUTTS JOINS ELITE COMPANY; THE ONLY OTHER KIWI TO HAVE WON THE MOTH TITLE IS PETER BURLING. KAWERAU TOOK OUT TODAY'S TOP TEMPERATURE, WITH 25.8 DEGREES. AND THERE WAS A STUNNING SUNSET IN HAMILTON LAST NIGHT CAPTURED BY LOGAN VOSS. WE'LL SEE WHAT SATURDAY'S FORECAST HAS IN STORE FOR THEM AND THE REST OF THE COUNTRY NEXT. Hi! Could you do something for me? # You've got what I need... # Thanks. # You got everything I need # You're like medicine to me... # VOICEOVER: Wonderful stories enter our stores every day. Find your wonderful. New World. WELCOME BACK. YOU'RE WATCHING THREENEWS. HERE IS OUR TOP STORY TONIGHT ` TWO OF THE LARGEST WILDFIRES RAGING THROUGH LOS ANGELES ARE STILL LARGELY UNCONTAINED. SEVEN PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED AND 120 SQUARE KILOMETRES ` AN AREA LARGER THAN HAMILTON ` HAS BEEN INCINERATED. TIME NOW FOR A LOOK AT THE WEATHER. PLANNING A ROAD TRIP? REMEMBER TO TAKE BREAKS, WHAT YOUR FOLLOWING DISTANCE AND PLAN YOUR ROUTE. AMI, BRINGING YOU THREENEWS WEATHER. A WEAK SOUTHERLY FLOW PERSISTS OVER THE COUNTRY TODAY BUT IS STRENGTHENED ABOUT EASTERN PARTS OF NEW ZEALAND AS A LARGE LOW DEEPENS EAST OF THE CHATHAM ISLANDS ON SATURDAY. EARLY SHOWERS TOMORROW FOR SOUTHLAND AND CANTERBURY; FINE FOR FIORDLAND, AND THOSE SHOWERS WILL PERSIST IN THE TASMAN AREA. FINE AND DRY FOR MOST ` A FEW SHOWERS IN EASTERN AREAS AND PARTS OF NORTHLAND AND A CLUSTER OF SHOWERS FOR BAY OF PLENTY, AND POTENTIALLY SOME THUNDERSTORMS TOO. A FINE START FOR AUCKLAND AND HAMILTON; CLOUDY IN NORTHLAND, WITH A CHANCE OF A SHOWER OR TWO IN WHANGAREI. FEW SHOWERS FROM THE AFTERNOON FOR WHITIANGA. DRY WITH SOME CLOUD IN THE MORNING; THEN THE SHOWERS ARRIVE ` POSSIBLY HEAVY FROM THE AFTERNOON, AND COULD BE THUNDERY FOR EVERYONE BAR TOKOROA AND TAUPO. AGAIN, A COOL EVENING AND EARLY MORNING FOR YOU HERE. CLOUD WITH A CHANCE OF A SHOWER AND SOUTH-WESTERLY WINDS DEVELOPING IN THE MORNING INLAND. CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF A SHOWER FOR MOST. FRESH MORNING SOUTHERLIES FOR KAPITI AND WELLINGTON, THE CAPITAL ONLY GETTING TO 16 ` WAY OFF THE 21-DEGREES AVERAGE FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR. NORTHERLIES DEVELOPING IN THE MORNING FOR NELSON; LIGHT WINDS ELSEWHERE, AND MOSTLY CLOUDY, WITH A FEW SHOWERS THAT SHOULD CLEAR BY EVENING. LOOK AT THE HIGHS HERE ` NOT A TROPICAL SUMMER SATURDAY FOR YOU. PARTLY CLOUDY FOR MARLBOROUGH AND NORTHERN CANTERBURY; A FEW SHOWERS ELSEWHERE WITH SOUTHERLIES. AGAIN, 14-DEGREE HIGH FOR DUNEDIN ` IT WOULD NORMALLY BE AROUND 21. MOSTLY CLOUDY FOR EVERYONE HERE, WITH SHOWERS MAINLY IN THE MORNING. TO AUSTRALIA NOW, AND SOME THUNDERSTORMS FOR BRISBANE AND SYDNEY. AND SIMILAR FOR NIUE AND SAMOA, WHERE THEY'VE HAD SLIPS AND SOME FLOODING. NOW LET'S LOOK AT YOUR EXTENDED FORECAST. THAT'S THREENEWS FOR TONIGHT. THANKS FOR JOINING US. YOU CAN GET IN TOUCH WITH US BY EMAILING newsroom@stuff.co.nz, OR HEAD TO THE STUFF WEBSITE. I'M LAURA TUPOU. PO MARIE. I'LL SEE YOU AGAIN TOMORROW. CAPTIONS BY MAEVE KELLY AND REBECCA SCHOLTZ. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2025