TRANSCRIPT
Welcome to SBS News in Easy English. I'm Camille Bianchi
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At least five people are dead as a trio of fast-growing wildfires rage out of control near Los Angeles.
Thousands of acres and hundreds of businesses have been burned, with 70,000 people ordered to leave their homes.
In the Pacific Palisades, where many A-list Hollywood celebrities live, some houses have been destroyed.
Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone says the two deaths happened in Altadena, 40 kilometres northeast of Los Angeles.
"We have over 2000 acres burning at this time, and the fire continues to grow with 0% containment. We have over 500 personnel assigned, and unfortunately, we have two reported fatalities, to civilians, unknown cause at this time. And we do have a number of significant injuries. We have over 100 structures destroyed, and the cause of the fire is unknown and under investigation."
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Missing hiker Hadi Nazari has been found alive after 13 days lost in the Australian Alps.
He survived on berries and two muesli bars he found at a campsite.
State Emergency Services Chief Superintendent Benjamin Pickup says the 23-year-old bush walker was found in Kosciuszko National Park on Wednesday [[8 January]] afternoon by hikers.
"He called out to some hikers who were in the area. He told them that he'd been lost in the bush and was thirsty. Those people then contacted emergency services POLAIR [[police helicopter]], who was in the area, attended and winched him out back into the helicopter and took him back to the command post. At the command post, he was assessed by ambulance on the scene. He's in good health."
Mr Nazari is with his family and is expected to leave hospital today.
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Palestinian health authorities say Israeli airstrikes have killed at least five people in the Gaza Strip, including two babies and a woman.
In 36 hours, 51 people have died, as the Palestinian Health Ministry raises the official death toll to 45,936.
In Khan Younis, Sobhi Farahat says he was with a group of children just hours before a missile hit them.
"Are children your target, (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu? Is that your target, Netanyahu - that you, the world and (U.S. President-elect Donald) Trump threaten and slaughter our children for the sake of 200 hostages? What did these children do? What did we do?"
Meanwhile in Israel, family members of the hostages in Gaza continue to protest in the streets as ceasefire and hostage release deals make little progress.
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The Sydney home where famous band AC/DC was founded, has been mistakenly destroyed by a property developer.
Malcolm and Angus Young and their brother George, lived in the Burwood house while the band was created.
Bought by a developer in 2023 for 5.8 million dollars, the property was a popular destination for AC/DC fans until it was demolished in December.
The developer said it as unaware of the home’s history.
Historian Bronwyn Hanna spoke to Channel 9 about why the home had been listed as a home of cultural importance.
"This was the starting place, a very modest little starting place, and they went all the way to the top with their Rock and Roll. And this is a tiny little two-bedroom terrace, it's a very modest little house. It's not listed because it is a grand house, it's listed, because of the association with three of our most successful musicians."
Plans for the site include a 50-storey tower for hotel rooms and apartments.
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In boxing, Jai Opetaia has kept his I-B-F and Ring world cruiserweight title belts, after beating the previously unbeaten David Nyika on the Gold Coast.
Nyika, who is from New Zealand, started strong, but he was soon knocked out by a right hook and left uppercut.
This is what winner Opetaia said after the match.
"I was expecting to start boxing, you know, the first round was pretty intense, and then I wasn't expecting him to come so aggressively. And then, yeah, he just, you know, and then after the first round, I thought, oh, here we go. He's gonna start boxing here, you know, thought he was gonna just come out the first round, but he just kept coming forward. That's what happens. You know, it was good.”
I’m Camille Bianchi, that was the latest from the SBS newsroom.
