Good morning, it's Wednesday, April 13. Here's what you need to get going today.
One thing to know right now: Multiple people shot in Brooklyn, suspect on the run
Here's what we know:
- Ten people were shot and at least 19 in all were injured after a gunman set off a gas canister and opened fire on a rush-hour subway train. Five of those shot are critical but stable and expected to survive. At least 29 in all were treated at hospitals for gunshot wounds, smoke inhalation and other conditions
- Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell said the attack was not being investigated as terrorism, but that she was "not ruling out anything." Authorities say the gunman is still on the run
- Witnesses said there was panic and chaos. Sam Carcamo told radio station 1010 WINS:
One thing you’ll be hearing about today: George Christensen is running for One Nation
- That's the rogue Coalition MP who declared he would not contest the 2022 election for the Liberal National Party last week — now he's revealed he's running for Pauline Hanson's One Nation party
- The outspoken critic of COVID restrictions and vaccine mandates has held the North Queensland seat of Dawson since 2010
- Last week he announced on social media he'd quit the LNP, concerned the decision by the Nationals to merge with the Liberals in Queensland had led the party to surrender its conservative beliefs
- It's still unclear if he will re-contest his seat of Dawson, as One Nation has already selected a candidate
News while you snoozed
Let's get you up to speed.
- Vladimir Putin said peace talks with Ukraine were at a "dead end" and defended the war as "noble". He said Western sanctions on Russia would ultimately fail, citing the success of the Soviet space program:
- Labor is promising to fund 50 urgent care clinics to take the burden off hospitals, if it wins the upcoming federal election. It's expected to cost $135 million over four years. And the Greens have outlined the details of their policy to get dental into Medicare, costing nearly $80 billion over the next decade
- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been fined for breaking lockdown laws that his own government put in place. The fine relates to a birthday gathering held for the Prime Minister at Number 10 in June 2020 – which the Chancellor Rishi Sunak also attended. He's been fined too – as has the Prime Minister's wife, Carrie
The news Australia is searching for
- Coles recalls baby spinach: That's the news from late yesterday afternoon that there was possible salmonella contamination in three sizes of pre-packaged baby spinach (it can be returned for a full refund, in case you've got one)
- Flood South Africa: At least 45 people have been killed in floods and landslides in the South African city of Durban following days of heavy rain. Buildings have collapsed and it has been reported that only one helicopter has been available to lift stranded people to safety
One more thing: Comedian Gilbert Gottfried has died
If you have fond memories of Disney's original Aladdin, you might remember him best as the voice of parrot Iago.
The standup comic was known for his raw, scorched voice and crude jokes, and died at 67. He was known as an intentionally bizarre comedian's comedian, as likely to clear a room with anti-comedy as he was to kill with his jokes.
His publicist and longtime friend Glenn Schwartz said Gottfried died from recurrent ventricular tachycardia due to myotonic dystrophy type II, a disorder that affects the heart.
He had frequent appearances on MTV in its early days and a brief stint in the cast of Saturday Night Live in the 1980s, as well as frequent voice-acting credits. He also played accountant Sidney Bernstein in Beverly Hills Cop II. His friend and podcast co-host Frank Santopadre said:
That's it for now
We'll be back later on with more.
ABC/wires
