01/01/2018 BBC News at One

Good afternoon.

Air investigators in Australia say

it may take many months before

they know why a seaplane carrying

a prominent British businessman,

and four members of his family,

crashed on New Year's Eve.

Richard Cousins, who ran

the catering giant Compass,

was killed along with his two sons,

his fiance, her daughter

and the pilot.

Phil Mercer reports.

The wreckage of the seaplane lies 13

metres below the surface

of the Hawkesbury River.

One of the victims was the British

businessman, Richard Cousins,

the chief executive of the world's

largest catering firm,

Compass, who was due

to retire later this year.

The company confirmed his

death in a statement.

Mr Cousins, who was 58, died

alongside his fiancee, Emma Bowden,

and her 11-year-old daughter,

Heather.

Also on board the seaplane that

crashed into Jerusalem Bay,

William Cousins, 25,

who worked for Open Britain -

a pro-EU group set up

in the aftermath of the Brexit vote.

Colleagues said that they were

shocked by news of his death.

His brother, Edward, who was 23,

had recently graduated

from the University of St Andrews.

The pilot, Gareth Morgan, had done

more than 10,000 flying hours,

9,000 of which were on seaplanes.

The pilot had collected Mr Cousins

and members of his family

from an exclusive waterfront

restaurant and was heading back

to Rose Bay on Sydney Harbour

shortly after take-off,

the plane plummeted into the water.

Investigators say it quickly sank

and there were no survivors.

These are people who have come out

on holiday to visit Australia in one

of the most beautiful parts

of the world.

And for this to happen to them

in a place like that is nothing

more than just tragic.

It could take months to work out how

and why a routine sightseeing trip

could end in utter disaster.

Air crash investigators

have begun their work.

Their task won't be easy.

The wreckage of the seaplane has

been submerged in more

than 40 feet of water.

And although these idyllic bays

and inlets are geographically close

to Sydney, the crash site is tucked

away and hard to get to.

Sydney Seaplanes,

which owns the aircraft,

has suspended all its flights

until further notice.

Phil Mercer, BBC News, Sydney.

The leader of North Korea,

Kim Jong-un, has warned

the United States that he has

a nuclear button on his desk,

ready for use, if his

country feels threatened.

The comments came during a televised

New Year's Day speech

in which he also said that he wanted

to lower military tensions

with neighbouring South Korea,

from where our correspondent

Sophie Long reports.

Just after the first sun of 2018

rose over the Korean peninsular,

Kim Jong-un delivered his new year's

address live on state-run

television, with an

unsurprisingly defiant message

for the United States.

TRANSLATION:

The entire

United States is within range

of our nuclear weapons

and the nuclear button

is always on my desk.

This is reality, not a threat.

Perhaps more surprising

was the olive branch he appeared

to offer his neighbour,

South Korea.

He said he hoped the Winter Olympics

they're about to host

would be a success, and said

he was considering sending

a delegation to the Games.

That comes as music to the ears

of violinist Mun Kyong-jin.

For ten years he has tried

and failed to organise a peace

concert with these young

South Koreans playing together

with North Korean musicians.

He now hopes to make that happen

at the Pyeonchang opening ceremony.

We have hope that the Olympics

is coming and with the Olympics,

everyone is coming.

And it is beyond

political difficulties.

So I really wish North Korea

would come and especially

with the musicians and we will be

able to play together.

The South Korean government has

welcomed those words

from the North Korean leader,

saying it too was willing

to engage in dialogue.

After a year of nuclear tests

and missile launchers,

After a year of nuclear tests

and missile launches,

young Koreans welcomed

in the new year with hope that

tensions might now reduce, if only

in the very immediate future.

As a citizen of this country,

it's all I can really wish for.

It is obvious to anyone in the world

that we are in a very tense

situation right now,

and I think that means we have

hope for the future.

Sophie Long, BBC News, Seoul.

The Metropolitan Police have said

that four young men have been

stabbed to death on New Year's Eve,

in a series of apparently

unrelated attacks.

Three men, aged 17,18 and 20,

were killed yesterday.

A fourth victim, another

20-year-old, died after been stabbed

in the Old Street area

of East London in the early

hours of this morning.

Officer say the murders

highlight the scale of knife

Officers say the murders

highlight the scale of knife

crime in the capital.

Tragically, there are four families

who awake this morning

to the heartbreaking news that

they've lost loved ones

to the callous use of

knives as lethal weapons.

Detectives are working tirelessly

today and going forward,

to bring those who committed these

murderers to justice.

A huge fire has destroyed up to 1400

vehicles in a multistorey

car park in Liverpool.

The blaze at King's Dock,

next to Liverpool's Echo Arena,

is said to have started accidentally

in one car and spread to others.

Many people were forced

into temporary accommodation

as nearby buildings were evacuated.

Danny Savage is at the scene now.

Danny, what is the situation this

lunchtime?

The fire is out but you

can see how badly damaged this

multistorey car park is. There are

hundreds and hundreds of cars in

there that have been totally

destroyed. There was an

international horse show going on

with stabling on the ground floor

and the horses had to be led to

safety. On the open-air top level,

there have been cars left overnight

with dogs in them. Early this

morning...

It was shortly after dark yesterday

evening when fire took hold

in the multistorey car park

on Liverpool's famous waterfront.

It is understood a small fire

in one car spread rapidly,

destroying vehicles and then moving

on to all levels of the car park.

It was soon a huge blaze.

Merseyside Fire and Rescue say

it's one of the worst

they've ever dealt with.

All the car owners could do

was watch and accept they would

never see their vehicles again.

I've got a vehicle in there, yes.

I'm unsure at the moment

when it's going to be.

We can't get anywhere near it.

Do you hold out much

hope for your car?

Looking at the flames, no.

Nearby flats and a hotel

were evacuated too as the alarming

sight of the massive fire attracted

lots of onlookers.

The fire's still going on.

I can just see black

smoke everywhere.

The car park is attached

to the Liverpool Arena,

where an international horse show

was taking place.

All the animals were

quickly led to safety.

This morning, the blackened building

was surrounded by fire engines

as experts assess the site.

The concern is that the car

park may collapse.

This spectacular fire certainly

caused a huge amount of damage.

The insurance bill for

the cars alone will be

several million pounds.

The good fortune was

that no one was hurt.

Danny Savage, BBC News, Liverpool.

More protesters have been

killed in anti-government

demonstrations in Iran.

State-run media says ten people have

died in protests in the last week.

President Rouhani says people

have the right to protest,

but violence is unacceptable.

From Sydney to Hong Kong,

London to New York,

cities across the world have been

ringing in 2018 with

spectacular firework displays.

One of the biggest New Year's

parties was on the banks

of the River Thames,

where Caroline Davies'

report begins.

BELL CHIMES.

Even Big Ben couldn't

miss this party.

Despite being under repair, it rang,

marking the start of 2018 in London

along with 12,000 fireworks.

This year's soundtrack

was dominated by female artists.

2018 is 100 years since women

first got the vote.

Celebrations are planned.

Just one thing

the year has in store.

The best year ever.

We're going to get our careers.

We're going to get into university.

Get into university!

It's going to be good.

In Scotland, Storm Dylan had brought

winds of up to 70 mph but it wasn't

enough to dampen spirits

for Hogmanay in Edinburgh.

In Sydney, the Harbour Bridge lit

up in rainbow colours,

a tribute to the year Australia

voted to legalise same-sex marriage.

Around the world, cities

celebrated the start of 2018.

Hong Kong erupted.

Athens glowed.

And Moscow sparkled.

In New York, thousands

watched in Times Square

as the New Year's Eve ball dropped.

In Rio, more than 2 million people

gathered on Copacabana Beach,

welcoming in 2018 with high hopes

of a bright year to come.

Caroline Davies, BBC News.

That's it from me.

The next news on BBC One

is at 6.30, bye for now.