TRANSCRIPT
- Family members mourn those killed in South Korea's worst plane crash in 27 years.
- Out of control bushfires rage through Western Australia and Victoria.
- And in cricket, the final day of the Boxing Day Test between Australia and India to get underway.
----
Only two people have survived a plane crash described as South Korea's worst in 27 years.
The plane was carrying 181 people when landed on its belly, skidded off a runway and burst into flames.
South Korea's transportation ministry says an investigation will examine whether a bird strike caused the landing gear to malfunction.
Jeon Je-young's daughter, Mi-sook, was among the passengers on board the plane.
He says her death has devastated the family.
"When I saw the accident video, it seemed like out of control when the plane entered the airport. The pilots probably had no choice but to do it. My daughter, who is only in her mid-40s, ended up like this. This is unbelievable."
----
In Western Australia, fire authorities say they expect to be working for days to contain a bushfire south of Geraldton.
A Watch and Act is in place for nearby communities.
Meanwhile in Victoria, a fire continues to burn in The Grampians National Park.
So far, the fire has burnt 74,000 hectares, and is expected to continue for several days.
Resident Paige Adams says she had little time to gather essentials as fire and smoke headed straight for her home.
"I had to load up my dogs into the dog cage, trying to find my cat. Load my horse into the.. and get essentials from home and just drive straight out. I didn't have much time. Because the wind changed - so it was heading, I don't know which was it was going but then the wind changed and it was coming straight over to my house, so it was coming straight towards the house and property so then I was like okay it's time to go. Put the animals in, grabbed a couple of photos and left."
Cooler conditions in the Grampians have slowed the threat of the bushfire and allowed firefighters an opportunity to minimise further destruction.
Damage assessments have so far confirmed the loss of four homes, dozens of outbuildings and more than a hundred livestock.
----
A man has died and another man has been airlifted to hospital with serious injuries after their light plane crashed in the New South Wales Northern Rivers.
Emergency services, including several ambulances and a rescue helicopter, were called to Palmer's Island, about 8 kilometres west of Yamba following reports of a crash.
Police say the pilot of the recreational plane, believed to be a man in his 60s, died at the scene.
A New South Wales ambulance spokesperson says the passenger, a man in his 30s, was treated for head, spinal and arm injuries before being airlifted to Gold Coast University Hospital in a serious but stable condition.
----
The head of the World Health Organization has thanked his colleagues and airport staff who protected him, as Israeli air strikes hit Yemen's Sana'a airport and other targets earlier this week.
The WHO director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, says his team narrowly escaped - with no prior warning of the attack.
"I was not sure actually I could survive because it was so close, a few metres from where we were. And to be honest, a slight deviation could have resulted in a direct hit."
Dr Ghebreyesus' team was leaving Sanaa after a trip to negotiate the release of UN detainees.
At least six people were killed in the incident, and three of those fatalities happened at the airport.
Israel's military says it was targeting Houthi rebel sites.
----
In cricket, India will need a history-defying run at the MCG today if they are to retain the Border-Gavaskar trophy in Melbourne.
A spirited Australian late-order resistance has taken the home side to 9-228 and a lead of 333 ahead of the final day of play.
Nathan Lyon and Scott Boland have made 55 in a crucial last-wicket stand that shot Australia's lead well past 300.
It is unclear whether Australia will keep batting this morning or begin their hunt for India's wickets.
Nitish Kumar Reddy feels one good partnership could set up India for the win after he and Washington Sundar turned India's fortunes around with their epic eighth-wicket stand yesterday.
Reddy says achieving his maiden Test century was a special moment, top-scoring with 114 in their first innings.
"Feel so happy that it's my first century and my father is here. Representing my country and it's a special moment for me. Like, I helped my team in a difficult situation so we can fight back strong. So it's a special century for me and my father as well."
If India win today, they go 2-1 up in the series and as the reigning champions, they will retain the trophy regardless of the fifth Test next week in Sydney.
