11 PEOPLE ARE CONFIRMED DEAD IN LOS ANGELES, AND THE DEATH TOLL IS EXPECTED TO RISE AS FIREFIGHTERS MAKE SOME PROGRESS BATTLING THE FIRESTORM RAGING ACROSS THE CITY. DONALD TRUMP WILL BE THE FIRST CONVICTED FELON TO TAKE OFFICE AS HE'S SENTENCED IN HIS SO-CALLED HUSH MONEY TRIAL. AND 13TH TIME LUCKY FOR GAEL MONFILS AS HE TAKES OUT THE ASB CLASSIC TITLE THE OLDEST ASB CHAMPION SINCE IT BEGAN IN 1990. AND 13TH TIME LUCKY FOR GAEL MONFILS AS HE TAKES OUT THE ASB CLASSIC TITLE AND AN AGE RECORD AT THE SAME TIME. CAPTIONS BY JOHN GIBBS AND JESSIE PURU. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2025 NAU MAI, HAERE MAI, MALO E LELEI ` WELCOME TO THREE NEWS. LOS ANGELES OFFICIALS ARE WARNING THE TRUE DEATH TOLL FROM THE UNPRECEDENTED FIRESTORM RAGING ACROSS THE CITY WON'T BE KNOWN UNTIL IT IS SAFE TO GO INTO EACH AFFECTED NEIGHBOURHOOD. 11 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED DEAD ON A DAY WHEN A CHANGE IN CONDITIONS HAS MEANT FIREFIGHTERS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE SOME PROGRESS. FOUR MAJOR WILDFIRES CONTINUE TO BURN; MORE THAN 166,000 PEOPLE ARE UNDER EVACUATION ORDERS; JUST UNDER 60,000 STRUCTURES ARE UNDER THREAT. THIS AFTERNOON THE L.A FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD TO ISSUE A NEW EVACUATION WARNING FOR THE PALISADES REGION. THE NATIONAL GUARD HAS BEEN BROUGHT IN ` AROUND 600 PERSONNEL FROM CALIFORNIA WITH MORE EXPECTED TO BE ACTIVATED OVER THE NEXT TWO DAYS. AND THE NEXT 24 HOURS ARE CRUCIAL, WITH WIND CONDITIONS EXPECTED TO WORSEN TOMORROW EVENING, AFFECTING THE ABILITY TO ATTACK THE FLAMES FROM THE AIR. SENIOR REPORTER JULIET SPEEDY HAS THE LATEST. OVERNIGHT, EMBERS BROUGHT TO LIFE NEW FIRES. THIS IS INLAND SOUTHEAST OF MALIBU IN THE SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS ` AN ENTIRE HILLSIDE NOW BECOMING A VOLATILE MIX OF ROARING FLAME AND GLOWING EMBERS WITH THE POTENTIAL TO REIGNITE. FOR NOW, THE WINDS HAVE CALMED. BUT IN THE COMING DAYS, FORECASTERS PREDICT THAT THE SANTA ANA WILL BLOW HARD AND FAST AGAIN. HELICOPTER AFTER HELICOPTER DROPPING RETARDANT. THE CITY OF ANGELS IS STILL GOING THROUGH HELL. WILDFIRES STILL UNCONTAINED; AT LEAST 11 NOW DEAD. CRIMINAL LOOTING TAKING PLACE. A NIGHT-TIME CURFEW ON NOW FOR THE WORST-HIT AREAS. TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE OUT OF THEIR HOMES; TENS OF THOUSANDS OF HOMES AND BUILDINGS DESTROYED. AND THERE ARE NOW INVESTIGATIONS INTO WHY THE FIRE HYDRANTS DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH WATER. ONE TOWN IN LOS ANGELES HAS COME TO SYMBOLISE THE OVERWHELMING SCALE OF DESTRUCTION. NEIGHBOURHOODS IN THE PACIFIC PALISADES ` ERASED. BLACK FERNS' CAPTAIN ALI RILEY POSTED THIS LATEST VIDEO OF HER TORCHED COMMUNITY. HOME AFTER HOME GONE, LIKE THIS PICTURE-PERFECT ALL-AMERICAN HOUSE BELONGING TO SARAH ` AN ENGINEER AND MOTHER OF FIVE. THIS IS NOW WHAT'S LEFT OF IT. I IMAGINE WHEN I SEE CHIMNEYS LIKE THIS, IT REMINDS YOU OF PICTURES OF CITIES HAVING BEEN BOMBED IN THE WAR. I ONLY CAN IMAGINE WHAT THEY WERE GOING THROUGH. WE HAD WARNING. PEOPLE HERE ARE DIGGING DEEP. FROM GOD, FROM JESUS AND FAMILY, FRIENDS, FAITH. (DEBRIS CRACKS) PRIVATE SECURITY CAMERAS IN THE TOWN CAPTURED THE FEROCITY OF THE FIRE, REVEALING HOW FENCING WAS THE FUEL AS THE FLAMES CONSUMED STREET AFTER STREET. A FEW MILES UP THE COAST IS MALIBU, WHERE THE FIRES HAVE DESTROYED SOME OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE BEACH PROPERTIES IN AMERICA. HOMEOWNERS LIKE PARIS HILTON, WHO POSTED THIS VIDEO AS SHE VIEWED THE REMNANTS OF HER HOUSE. BUT THIS IS NOT PRIMARILY THE STORY OF THE ULTRA WEALTHY, BUT OF WOMEN LIKE SARAH, WHO HAVE LOST SO MUCH, AND TENS OF THOUSANDS OF OTHERS. AND WE HAD JUST MOVED IN IN JULY, ON INDEPENDENCE DAY, NO LESS. AND IT TOOK US ABOUT TWO YEARS TO BUILD. REMINDERS OF A FORMER LIFE ARE EVERYWHERE ` SHEET MUSIC SOMEHOW ESCAPED THE FLAMES. OLYMPIC DREAMS TORCHED. I SAW FLAMES AT THE TOP OF THE HILL AT THE END OF THE STREET WHERE I LIVE AND SAW HOUSES GO UP. STARTED LOADING UP THE CAR. AND SAW HOUSES GO UP. AFTER MY FIRST TRIP OUT TO THE CAR, STARTED HAVING BURNING EMBERS RAIN DOWN ON ME AND SO GRABBED MY DOG, MY INSULIN. I HAVE TYPE 1 DIABETES. THAT WAS THE FIRST THING THAT CAME TO MIND. GRABBED THE MEDICATION THAT I NEED TO LIVE AND MY DOG AND GOT OUT OF THERE. IF GIVEN THE CHOICE BETWEEN RESCUING MY 10 OLYMPIC MEDALS OR MY DOG, I CHOSE THE DOG. CALIFORNIA NOW FACING TWIN THREATS ` A CLIMATE CRISIS AND AN INSURANCE CRISIS. UM, NOT INSURED LIKE 70% OF THE PEOPLE IN THE AREA. LAST YEAR, STATE FARM, MY INSURER, DROPPED ALMOST ALL OF THE CLIENTS, IN THE AREA. AND SO, SO MANY ARE IN A SIMILAR POSITION WHERE THERE'S NO, UM, YEAH... NO HOPE. HOPES AND DREAMS THAT USED TO RUN DOWN THE FABLED PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY. NOW IT'S SHUT TO ALL VEHICLES EXCEPT FIRE CREWS, POLICE AND JOURNALISTS. BUILDINGS BEYOND RECOGNITION FOR MILE AFTER MILE. DREAMS AND ROMANCE AND JUST PLAIN OLD LIFE FOR SO MANY NOW CHARRED, SMOKING RUINS. BACK HERE, FIREFIGHTERS ARE WORKING ON A LARGE SCRUB FIRE ON THE COROMANDEL THIS EVENING. FENZ SAYS IT HAS FIVE APPLIANCES AND ONE HELICOPTER ON THE JOB WITH ANOTHER ON THE WAY. IT BROKE OUT IN KUAOTUNU JUST BEFORE 4 THIS AFTERNOON. IT'S BURNING THROUGH PINE SLASH AND SCRUB AND IS ABOUT 300 BY 600M AT THIS STAGE. WHILE 2024 MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN THE HOTTEST EVER HERE IN AOTEAROA, IT'S JUST BEEN CONFIRMED LAST YEAR WAS OFFICIALLY THE WARMEST ON RECORD GLOBALLY. THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE WAS MORE THAN 1.5 DEGREES HOTTER THAN PRE-INDUSTRIAL LEVELS, THE FIRST TIME THE SYMBOLIC 1.5 THRESHOLD HAS BEEN BREACHED. IT'S YET ANOTHER INDICATOR THAT THE WORLD IS NOT DOING ENOUGH TO FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE. CHANNEL FOUR'S KRISHNAN GURU-MURTHY HAS MORE. HEAVIER RAINS, STRONGER WINDS AND UNBEARABLE HEAT ` EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS OF 2024 WERE EXACERBATED BY THE PLANET'S RECORD TEMPERATURES. THIS WAS VALENCIA IN OCTOBER; MORE THAN 200 KILLED IN THE DEADLIEST FLOODS SPAIN CAN REMEMBER. ACROSS SOUTHEAST ASIA, MORE THAN HALF A MILLION WERE DISPLACED BY TYPHOON YAGI. AND THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN ALMOST SIX MONTHS OF RAIN FALLS DURING JUST ONE WEEK IN SOUTHERN BRAZIL. 2024 WAS THE HOTTEST YEAR ON RECORD. WE SAW EXTRAORDINARY LAND AND SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURES, EXTRAORDINARY OCEAN HEAT, ACCOMPANIED BY, AS WE ALL KNOW, VERY EXTREME WEATHER AFFECTING MANY COUNTRIES. 2024 RECORD HEAT MEANS THE PAST DECADE HAS PRODUCED THE TEN HOTTEST YEARS ON RECORD GLOBALLY. IT ALSO MEANS THE PLANET IS OFF COURSE WHEN IT COMES TO MEETING THE TEMPERATURE TARGET OF 2015's PARIS CLIMATE AGREEMENT. IT'S NOT A SURPRISE THAT 1.5 HAS BEEN REACHED. THIS DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE PARIS AGREEMENT HAS BEEN BREACHED. THE PARIS AGREEMENT MAKES A REFERENCE, TYPICALLY OVER A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME OF 20, 30 YEARS, BUT WE ARE BOUND TO REACH 1.5 IN THE TERMS OF THE PARIS AGREEMENT AND EXCEED IT. AS LOS ANGELES CONTINUES TO BURN DUE TO CONDITIONS MADE WORSE BY CLIMATE CHANGE, THE QUESTION IS WHETHER THERE IS THE POLITICAL WILL OR GLOBAL AGREEMENT TO BRING THE HEAT DOWN ON PLANET EARTH. POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING THE UNEXPLAINED DEATH OF A MAN IN NELSON. OFFICERS WERE AT AN ADDRESS ON SUFFOLK ROAD IN STOKE LAST NIGHT FOR AN UNRELATED MATTER, WHEN THE MAN WAS FOUND. THEY BELIEVE HIS BODY HAD BEEN THERE FOR SOME TIME. MEANWHILE, AUCKLAND POLICE HAVE CHARGED A MAN WITH MURDER AFTER FINDING A WOMAN'S BODY AT A HOME IN AVONDALE OVERNIGHT. THEY WERE CALLED TO A HOLLY STREET PROPERTY JUST AFTER 1.30 THIS MORNING WHERE THEY FOUND THE WOMAN DEAD. A MAN (35) HAS BEEN ARRESTED AND WILL APPEAR IN COURT ON MONDAY TWO PEOPLE HAVE DIED IN A SINGLE-VEHICLE CRASH IN CLARKEVILLE, NORTH OF CANTERBURY, OVERNIGHT. EMERGENCY SERVICES RESPONDED TO THE CRASH ON BUTCHERS ROAD NEAR KAIAPOI JUST AFTER MIDNIGHT. THEY FOUND TWO PEOPLE DEAD, AND A THIRD WAS TAKEN TO HOSPITAL WITH MINOR INJURIES. THE CRASH DAMAGED A POWER POLE, LEAVING MORE THAN 100 PROPERTIES WITHOUT POWER UNTIL MID-AFTERNOON. DONALD TRUMP HAS AVOIDED JAIL AND A FINE AS HE WAS SENTENCED FOR FALSIFYING BUSINESS RECORDS IN HIS SO-CALLED 'HUSH MONEY TRIAL.' HE WILL BECOME THE FIRST SITTING PRESIDENT WITH A CRIMINAL RECORD WHEN HE TAKES OFFICE IN 10 DAYS. TV CAMERAS WEREN'T ALLOWED IN THE NEW YORK COURT, BUT PHOTOS HAVE BEEN RELEASED, AS HAS AUDIO FROM THE SENTENCING, WHICH THE PRESIDENT-ELECT JOINED VIA VIDEO LINK. TRUMP: THIS HAS BEEN A VERY TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE. I THINK IT'S BEEN A TREMENDOUS SETBACK FOR NEW YORK AND THE NEW YORK COURT SYSTEM. THIS IS A CASE THAT SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN BROUGHT. IT'S AN INJUSTICE. IT'S BEEN A POLITICAL WITCH HUNT. IT WAS DONE TO DAMAGE MY REPUTATION SO I'D LOSE THE ELECTION, AND OBVIOUSLY, THAT DIDN'T WORK. I'M TOTALLY INNOCENT. I DID NOTHING WRONG. THE JUDGE SAID THE SENTENCE OF UNCONDITIONAL DISCHARGE WAS THE ONLY APPROPRIATE ONE GIVEN THE OFFICE TRUMP IS ABOUT TO ASSUME. TRUMPS LAWYERS SAY THEY WILL APPEAL THE SENTENCE. JUST AHEAD ON THREENEWS, WHY AMERICA HAS PUT A NEW BOUNTY ON THE HEAD OF VENEZUELA'S RECENTLY INAUGURATED PRESIDENT IN SPORT, THE BLACK CAPS LOOK FOR A CLEAN SWEEP IN THEIR ONE DAY SERIES AGAINST SRI LANKA. AND A JUBILANT GAEL MONFILS WINS HIS 13TH CAREER TITLE NICHOLAS MADURO HAS BEGUN HIS THIRD TERM AS PRESIDENT OF VENEZUELA AS THE UNITED STATES ANNOUNCES A $45M REWWARD FOR HIS ARREST. MADURO WAS SWORN IN FOLLOWING AN ELECTION HIS OPPONENTS CLAIM HE LOST BY A LANDSLIDE. THE RESULTS WERE CONFIRMED BY THE COUNTRY'S TOP COURT, BUT MADURO HAS SPENT A DECADE FILLING THAT INSTITUTION AND OTHERS WITH ALLIES. OPPOSITION LEADER MARIA CORINA MACHADO WAS BRIEFLY DETAINED, AS SUPPORTERS AND CRITICS OF THE PRESIDENT RALLIED IN THE CAPITAL, CARACAS. POLICE BODYCAM FOOTAGE HAS BEEN RELEASED SHOWING THE NEW ORLEANS ATTACKER FIRING ON POLICE BEFORE HE WAS FATALLY SHOT HIMSELF. THE ISLAMIC STATE-INSPIRED TERRORIST KILLED 14 PEOPLE ON NEW YEAR'S DAY WHEN HE DROVE HIS TRUCK INTO CROWDS ON THE POPULAR BOURBON STREET. POLICE WON'T YET DISCLOSE HOW MANY SHOTS SHAMSUD-DIN JABBAR FIRED, BUT SAY THE OFFICERS INVOLVED HAD FOLLOWED PROTOCOL AND HAD BEEN ALLOWED TO RETURN TO FULL DUTY. TIME NOW FOR A LOOK AT THE DAY'S SPORT. HISTORY HAS BEEN CREATED AT THE ASB CLASSIC ` GAEL MONFILS (38) BECOMING THE OLDEST EVER TITLE WINNER IN ATP TOUR HISTORY AFTER DEFEATING ZIZOU BERGS IN STRAIGHT SETS. THE RESULT SEES HIM BETTER ROGER FEDERER'S PREVIOUS RECORD. GORDON FINDLATER WATCHED THE ACTION. GAEL MONFILS IS AGEING LIKE A FINE WINE. FINALLY, GAEL MONFILS MASTERS THE ASB CLASSIC. THE FRENCHMAN BRINGING UP ATP CAREER TITLE NUMBER 13 20 YEARS ON FROM HIS FIRST. YAHHH! AGE IS A NUMBER, BUT AS WE SAY, WE KEEP WORKING. I BELIEVE I CAN PLAY A HIGH-LEVEL QUALITY TENNIS THIS WEEK, SO I'M VERY HAPPY. MONFILS WAS IN CONTROL FROM THE GET-GO. OH, MORE SLICE THAN AN EDMONDS COOKBOOK. THE 38-YEAR-OLD BROKE EARLY IN THE FIRST SET AND CONSTANTLY PUT OPPONENT ZIZOU BERGS' SERVICE GAMES UNDER PRESSURE, MUCH TO THE BELGIAN'S FRUSTRATION. MONFILS GOING ON TO TAKE OPENER. IN A SHADE UNDER 50 MINUTES. THE FRENCHMAN THEN STARTING THE SECOND SET AS HE FINISHED THE FIRST. EXCELLENT, GAEL MONFILS READ THE OPPORTUNITY PERFECTLY AT THE NET. MONFILS BREAKING AGAIN EARLY IN THE SECOND, BUT BERGS WOULD HAVE HIS CHANCE TO DO THE SAME. ZIZOU BERGS IS NOT GOING AWAY QUIETLY HERE IN AUCKLAND. THREE BREAK POINTS FOR THE BELGIAN. BUT MONFILS WOULD CALL UPON ALL HIS EXPERIENCE TO FEND OFF ONE, TWO, AND THREE BREAK POINTS. LETS GO! ANOTHER ONE SAVED. 'LET'S GO,' HE SAYS. IT WOULD PROVE CRUCIAL. MONFIL'S GOING ONTO WIN 6-3, 6-4 IN ONE HOUR AND 37 MINUTES. EVEN AT 38, MONFILS PROVING AGE IS NO BARRIER. NO ONE WANTS ME TO STOP, AND, UH... (CHUCKLES) (LAUGHTER) IT'S NOT THAT I WANT TO STOP, BUT, ONE DAY, YOU KNOW, I WILL HAVE TO STOP THAT FOR SURE. UNTIL HE DOES, DONT EXPECT THE FRENCHMAN TO SLOW DOWN. TENNIS' GREAT SHOWMAN ` NOW THE SPORT'S IRONMAN. KIWI MICHAEL VENUS AND CROATIAN NIKOLA MEKTIC WON THE ASB CLASSIC DOUBLES TITLE WITHOUT TAKING TO THE COURT. THEY WERE DUE TO PLAY AGAINST AMERICANS CHRISTIAN HARRISON AND RAJEEV RAM, BUT RAM PULLED OUT WITH AN INJURY EARLIER THIS MORNING. THIS IS VENUS' 25TH CAREER TITLE AND SECOND ASB CLASSIC TITLE. THE WELLINGTON PHOENIX HAVE GOT ON THE SCORESHEET EARLY IN THEIR MATCH AGAINST ADELAIDE UNITED, BUT SADLY FOR THE WRONG REASON ` AN OWN GOAL PUTTING THEM 1-0 DOWN AT HALFTIME. AFTER SUFFERING FOUR DEFEATS IN THEIR LAST FIVE GAMES, THE PHOENIX COULDN'T HAVE HAD ANY WORSE LUCK THAN THAT TO START THE MATCH. ACROSS THE 6 YARD AREA, AND AN OWN GOAL ON ED SHERIDAN, FOR THE SECOND TIME THIS SEASON HE HAS DEVOTED THE BALL INTO HIS OWN NET EARLY IN THE SECOND HALF, THE PHOENIX HAVE NOW LEVELLED THE MATCH AT 1-1. THE BLACKCAPS HAVE JUST STARTED A CHALLENGING RUN CHASE IN THEIR FINAL ONE-DAY INTERNATIONAL AGAINST SRI LANK AT EDEN PARK ` NEEDING 291 FOR VICTORY. IT LOOKED LIKE THEY COULD BE CHASING MORE THAN 300 WHEN OPENER PATHUM NISSANKA STARTED HITTING IT TO ALL PARTS OF THE GROUND. HOWEVER, ANY CHANCES OF HIM REACHING THREE FIGURES WERE HAMPERED BY A HAMSTRING INJURY. HERE'S GORDON FINDLATER. THE BLACKCAPS WOULD HAVE STARTED THE DAY CONFIDENT OF A CLEAN SWEEP. SRI LANKA YET TO FIRE A SHOT IN THE SERIES. BUT THERE WERE EARLY SIGNS THING COULD BE DIFFERENT AT EDEN PARK. SHORT ONE, FIRST REAL SHORT ONE. AND IT'S BEEN HIT ALL THE WAY FOR SIX. SHORT ONE, FIRST REAL SHORT ONE. PATHUM NISSANKA GOING ON A BLITZ, MAKING THE MOST OF THE SHORT BOUNDARIES. CHARGING. AND YEP, THAT'S ALL THE WAY AGAIN. AFTER SCORES OF NINE AND ONE IN THE FIRST TWO MATCHES, THE OPENER WAS SHOWING WHY HE HAS A HIGHEST ODI TOTAL OF 210 NOT OUT. OH, BANG. HALFWAY UP THE TERRACES. BUT AS HE RAN, THE SINGLE WHICH BOUGHT UP A HALF CENTURY OFF JUST 31 DELIVERIES, HE WAS DEALT A CRUEL BLOW. CLEARLY INJURING HIMSELF. NASSANKA TRIED RECEIVING TREATMENT, OFF JUST 31 DELIVERIES, HE WAS DEALT A CRUEL BLOW. PULLING A HAMSTRING CLEARLY INJURING HIMSELF. NASSANKA TRIED RECEIVING TREATMENT, BUT IT WAS IN VEIN ` FORCED TO RETIRE HURT. HE LOOKED IN TOP FORM. AND HIS DEPARTURE WOULD HAVE AN IMMEDIATE EFFECT. THERE'S A FIELDER BACK THERE. CHAPMAN TAKES THE CATCH. SMITH PICKS UP NEW ZEALAND'S FIRST. BUT THE TOURISTS WOULD RALLY BACK. THAT'S PULLED AWAY. THAT'S INTO THE BEER GARDEN. OH, I LIKE THAT. I LIKE THAT. KUSAL AND KAMINDY MENDIS PUTTING TOGETHER A PARTNERSHIP OF 87 BEFORE THE BLACKCAPS REGAINED MOMENTUM. THIS ONE'S STRAIGHT UP WENT FOR MIDWICKET HOICK. EDGED, GOTTA BE. IT'S GONE, YES. THERE WAS A BIG NOISE. FOUR DOWN FOR 183 ` THAT BOUGHT A LIMPING NISSANKA BACK FROM THE PHYSIO ROOM. AND THAT'S NOT HALF BAD. STAND AND DELIVER. BUT HE WOULD ADD JUST A FURTHER 16 RUNS BEFORE BEING CAUGHT IN THE DEEP, HIS INNINGS LITERALLY HAMSTRUNG. SRI LANKA DID HAVE SOME WAG IN THEIR TAIL. PICKED UP. SLAPPED INTO THE ON SIDE. THAT'S A BEAUTY. BAT AND BALL GOING TIT FOR TAT IN THE DYING OVERS. OHH, GOT HIM. YES, HE'S GONE FOR THE YORKER. MATT HENRY FINISHING THE BEST OF THE BOWLERS WITH 4/55, SRI LANKA FINISHING 290/8. A TEST RUN CHASE NOW AWAITS THE BLACKCAPS. A WARNING ` SOME VIEWERS MIGHT FIND THIS NEXT STORY DISTRESSING. A SEAGULL HAS BEEN DEALT A FATAL BLOW AFTER GETTING IN THE WAY OF A CRICKET BALL AT A MATCH IN AUSTRALIA. THE SYDNEY SIXERS WERE BATTING AGAINST MELBOURNE WHEN JAMES VINCE HIT A LOFTY BALL THAT LANDED ON THE GULL, JUST INSIDE THE BOUNDARY ROPE. A SWARM OF SEAGULLS SWOOPED IN TO CHECK ON THEIR FALLEN MATE. THE PLAYERS LOOKED ON IN SHOCK AS A SECURITY GUARD REMOVED THE SEAGULL FROM THE FIELD. IT GOT TO 26.1 IN KAWERAU TODAY ` THE COUNTRY'S TOP TEMPERATURE. I'LL HAVE YOUR SUNDAY FORECAST NEXT. PLUS, WE MEET THE LOCAL STARS OF A LONG-RUNNING ` AND VERY SUCCESSFUL ` REALITY SHOW. WELCOME BACK, YOU'RE WATCHING THREE NEWS. HERE ARE OUR TOP STORIES FOR YOUR SATURDAY EVENING ` THE NATIONAL GUARD HAS BEEN BROUGHT IN AS THE L.A FIRE TOLL CLIMBS, THOUGH A SHORT-LIVED CHANGE IN WEATHER IS HELPING FIREFIGHTERS MAKE SOME PROGRESS. AND 2024 WAS OFFICIALLY THE WARMEST YEAR ON RECORD GLOBALLY. FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE WAS MORE THAN 1.5 DEGREES HOTTER THAN PRE-INDUSTRIAL LEVELS. AND DONALD TRUMP HAS ESCAPED JAIL AND A FINE IN HIS SO-CALLED HUSH MONEY TRIAL, BUT HE WILL BE THE FIRST CONVICTED FELON TO TAKE BECOME AN AMERICAN PRESIDENT. TIME NOW FOR A LOOK AT THE WEATHER. SUNNY WEATHER PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY TO REPAIR YOUR HOME FOR WET DAYS. CLEAR GUTTERS AND CUT BRANCHES THAT COULD CAUSE DAMAGE TO YOUR HOME. AMI INSURANCE BRINGING YOU THREE NEWS WEATHER. ON SUNDAY THE SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL START TO EASE IN THE SOUTH AS A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE SPREADS ON TO THE SOUTH ISLAND. MAINLY FINE IN THE NORTH AND WEST. ISOLATED SHOWERS ELSEWHERE, CLEARING LATE. AND A BIT OF CLOUD FOR EASTERN AREAS. SAME DEAL FOR EASTERN PARTS HERE ` CLOUD AND SOME SHOWERS TOO, ALSO IN THE SOUTH AND NORTHLAND. MAINLY FINE ELSEWHERE. CHANCE OF A MORNING SHOWER FOR THE FAR NORTH, SOME POSSIBLY HEAVY SHOWERS IN THE AFTERNOON FOR WHANGAREI, MAINLY FINE ELSEWHERE. FINE FOR TOKOROA AND TAUPO. JUST THOSE SOUTHERLIES ABOUT. THEN MORNING AND EVENING SHOWERS FOR EVERYONE ELSE. YOU'LL ALL REACH THE 20S THOUGH. NOT THE CASE FOR YOU HERE ` PARTLY CLOUDY, SOME MORNING SHOWERS INLAND AND A CHANCE OF AN AFTERNOON SHOWER ALONG THE COAST. FINE UP TOP. PARTLY CLOUDY WITH A FEW SHOWERS ELSEWHERE AND FRESH SOUTHERLIES. STRONG IN EXPOSED PLACES IN WELLINGTON WITH A HIGH OF JUST 15. TO THE SOUTH ISLAND ` AND YOUR SUNDAY SHOULD BE DRY, PARTLY CLOUDY. REEFTON, THOSE SOUTHERLIES WILL DEVELOP FROM AFTER LUNCH. A BIT OF CLOUD AROUND AND THE ODD MORNING SHOWER FOR MOST, AND AGAIN, LOOK AT THESE HIGHS. NOT TYPICAL SUMMER TEMPERATURES. SPEAKING OF ` DUNEDIN AGAIN WILL GET TO JUST 14 TOMORROW. 15 FOR OAMARU. FINE FOR QUEENSTOWN BUT PARTLY CLOUDY ELSEWHERE. A BIT OF RAIN FOR THE EAST COAST AND THUNDERSTORMS IN MELBOURNE. AND FINE HERE FOR NOUMEA AND NUKU'ALOFA. NOW LET'S LOOK AT YOUR EXTENDED FORECAST. A NEW ZEALAND-BASED REALITY SHOW IS NOW IN ITS 10TH SEASON, BUT THESE ROYAL STARS AREN'T WHO YOU MIGHT EXPECT. MEET THE NORTHERN ROYAL ALBATROSS, CAPTURED LIVE AS THEY BREED AND RAISE CHICKS ON THE RUGGED CLIFFS OF TAIAROA HEAD IN OTAGO. MILLIONS OF VIEWERS WORLDWIDE TUNE IN EACH YEAR TO WATCH THESE MAJESTIC BIRDS IN ACTION. THANKS TO SUCCESSFUL CONSERVATION, THE ALBATROSS POPULATION IS THRIVING, BUT THEY'RE STILL AT RISK FROM WARMING SEAS AND PLASTIC POLLUTION. WITH ONLY 1% OF THE WORLD'S 17,000 ALBATROSSES HERE, THEIR JOURNEY IS SLOW AND STEADY. THAT'S THREE NEWS 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 JOHN GIBBS AND JESSIE PURU. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2025