TRANSCRIPT
- A truck has crashed into crowds in New Orleans killing at least 10
- New laws against wage theft come into effect
- Australia has been eliminated from the United Cup
A driver has crashed his truck into a crowd celebrating New Year's Day in New Orleans' French Quarter, then opening fire, killing 10 people and injuring more than 35, in an early morning attack the FBI is calling a potential act of terrorism.
Law enforcement officials say the suspect died after a shootout with police.
New Orleans Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick says the driver, who swerved around barricades, also fired at police and struck two police officers from the vehicle after it crashed.
"Last night, we had over 300 officers out here. And because of the intentional mindset of this perpetrator, who went around our barricades in order to conduct this, he was hell-bent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did."
A suspected improvised explosive device was found and the FBI is working to determine if it was viable.
**
The investigation into the crash of a South Korea passenger jet is gathering pace as bereaved families prepare for funerals.
The transport ministry says South Korean investigators have extracted data from the plane's cockpit voice recorder and will convert it into an audio file.
That will provide critical information to try to explain the few minutes that led up to the crash.
The plane's flight data recorder which is missing a key connector will be sent to the U-S for analysis.
All 175 passengers and four of the six crew members were killed on Sunday when the Jeju Air jet belly-landed and slammed into an embankment where it burst into flames.
**
New laws designed to protect workers from being intentionally underpaid by their employers have come into effect.
The new wage theft laws were developed in response to several reports made to the Fair Work Commission of companies failing to pay their staff their accurate entitlements.
The new laws will not only make it illegal for employers to withhold wages from their workers, it will also make it unsustainable for companies to do so.
Violators will face fines of up to $7.8 million or three times the amount that was withheld, and could also be sentenced to prison.
**
Two women have died in separate swimming incidents across Queensland on New Year's Day.
Emergency services were called to Wave Break Island on Wednesday morning, after a woman who had gone scuba diving was pulled out of the water unresponsive.
Despite receiving first aid treatment, she died at the scene.
A few hours later, a 53-year-old was found dead after water tubing at a campsite near Emu Creek.
The woman went missing on Tuesday, with a search being launched to discover her whereabouts and her remains being found a day later.
**
Cricket Australia and the McGrath Foundation have announced a major change to the annual pink Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground which has raised more than $22 million to support people with breast cancer.
From this year, all money raised will now support people experiencing any type of cancer.
The pink Test takes places over five days from Friday.
Former Test player Glenn McGrath says he's pleased with the change.
"To now be able to take that care to anyone with cancer, any family going through cancer is something I think absolutely incredible. I don't think you should be discriminated against because of what type of cancer you have to what type of support you get. So, to be able to now provide support for all cancers, is something I think is absolutely incredible. This will be the first pink Test out of the 17, the first pink Test that it's for everyone diagnosed with cancer."
**
And in tennis,
Australia has been eliminated from the United Cup despite Alex de Minaur winning both his singles and doubles matches.
Australia lost in a 2-1 defeat by Great Britain, but British player Katie Boulter may have mixed feelings about twisting the knife for the victors.
Alex de Minaur's fiancee starred for Team G-B, crushing Olivia Gadecki 6-2 6-1 in the opening women's singles match to leave Australia on the brink at Ken Rosewall Arena.
Australia had entered Wednesday night's tie needing to win 3-0 to top Group F and secure a path to the quarter-finals.
Instead Team G-B automatically advanced following Boulter's one-sided victory.
