TRANSCRIPT
In this bulletin;
- A second plane crashes in the US;
- The New South Wales Premier promises to progress hate speech legislation;
- And in rugby, the Wallabies score big over Bristol.
Another plane has crashed in the US.
A medical transport jet plummeted in Philadelphia shortly after take-off, resulting in a fireball that set nearby homes and cars ablaze.
The Federal Aviation Administration says two people were aboard the plane, which was en route to Springfield, Missouri.
The mayor of Philadelphia, Cherelle Parker, says the number of fatalities is not yet known.
"So right now, we're just asking for prayers for any and everyone who may have been affected. We do want to note that several dwellings and vehicles were impacted."
The crash site is less than 4.8 kilometres from Northeast Philadelphia Airport, which primarily serves business jets and charter flights.
It follows this week's collision of an American Airlines jet and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter over Washington, DC, which resulted in 67 deaths.
—
Premier Chris Minns says the government will progress hate speech legislation in the New South Wales Parliament and increase penalties for bad behaviour.
It comes as New South Wales Police have doubled Strike Force Pearl’s resources to combat rising antisemitic crimes in Sydney.
Overnight, 40 additional investigators have been deployed, and the number of patrols around schools and places of worship, increased to 80.
Mr Minns says the response to racist crimes needs to be proactive.
"I'm of the strong belief that violent acts don't begin with violent acts, they begin with hateful words at some point earlier in the process. Someone who is radicalised or incentivised to perform a terrible act on a citizen in New South Wales who is a complete stranger, somebody they've never met before, because of something somebody's said. So we need to combat it, and as a result we'll introduce that legislation."
—
The Trump administration has fired a group of prosecutors involved in an investigation of the January 6 riots on the U-S capitol.
They have demanded the names of FBI agents involved in those same probes so they can be possibly ousted, in yet another move by the administration to exert control over federal law enforcement and agencies.
An anonymous person familiar with the matter said about two dozen employees at the US attorney's office in Washington were terminated.
—
As Queenslanders brace for severe rain and flooding, other parts of Australia have been warned to prepare for extreme heat.
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued severe heatwave warnings for South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales border regions.
Above-average temperatures are forecast well into next week, with maximums in the high 30s to low 40s.
The heatwave comes as two fires burn at the southern and northern ends of the Grampians, in Victoria's west.
—
The Prime Minister and Opposition Leader have put politics aside to mark the Lunar New Year.
Both have travelled to the Melbourne suburb of Box Hill for celebrations.
In his address, Anthony Albanese hailed the stabilisation of Chinese-Australian trade relations.
"It means that families in Shanghai and Beijing are sitting down to enjoy a meal of Australian beef, perhaps with Australian barley making a contribution as well. Australian lobster, which is back big time than ever before. And of course, all washed down with the best wine in the world, Australian wine."
Mr Albanese also announced the federal government will provide $150,000 in funding for the annual Box Hill festival.
—
And in sport,
Wallabies back Filipo Dauguni has scored two tries in his return from a broken leg, warming up for the Super Rugby season with a huge 82-21 win over Bristol.
Daugunu had been on the sidelines since August, when he broke his leg during the early stages of Australia's loss to South Africa in Brisbane.
The Fiji-born speedster started on the left wing for the Reds in the first game of their United Kingdom tour.
The Reds next travel to Belfast for Friday's clash with Ulster, the second leg of a two-game UK tour.
