Thursday's news in 5 minutes.

1. The man accused of murdering NYC jogger has allegedly detailed her horrifying final minutes.

CHILLING CONFESSION: Karina Vetrano’s accused killer Chanel Lewis says he “just lost it” https://t.co/yKhJWmSTrU pic.twitter.com/2cmjmIZHxQ

— New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) April 18, 2017

Warning: this story includes details of an assault, and may be triggering for some readers.

The man accused of murdering Karina Vetrano while she was out for a jog on August 2, 2016, has allegedly confessed to police the attack was completely random and he just wanted to “let his emotions out”.

According to the New York Daily News, 20-year-old Chanel Lewis told police how the final minutes of Karina’s life unfolded. Detailed transcripts of his interviews – some of which were videotaped – with police were made public on Tuesday at a Queens Supreme Court hearing.

Lewis told police that he “grabbed [Karina] by the shoulders” when he saw her running with her phone in her hand.

“I crouched over her and I punched her in the face multiple times,” Lewis allegedly said in a police interview.

“One of the punches broke her tooth…While I was hitting her, she scratched my face. I put both my hands around her neck and strangled her…I grabbed both of her wrists and pulled her off the path and into the weeds.”

Police say they were told the crime was over in just five minutes.

When asked for the motivation behind the terrifying attack, police say Lewis told them Karina “didn’t do anything” to provoke him.

“I was just mad at that time. I beat her to let my emotions out. I didn’t really meant hurt her,” he allegedly said in police interviews.

“It just happened.”

Despite his alleged confessions, and DNA evidence linking him to the young woman’s murder, Lewis has entered a plea of not guilty. If convicted, he faces life in prison without parole.

2. Turnbull announces crackdown on requirements for Australian citizenship.

Turnbull to make Australian citizenship requirements tougherhttps://t.co/ol035fahj7 pic.twitter.com/S5cINW5ghW

— 7News Yahoo7 (@Y7News) April 19, 2017

The Turnbull government is tightening the requirements for Australian citizenship, with applicants to face a stand-alone English test and asked to commit to embracing Australian values, AAP reports.

Applicants will also be required to have lived in Australia as a permanent resident for at least four years (up from one year) and will only be allowed to fail the citizenship test three times.

At present, there is no limit to the number of times a person can fail the test.

Malcolm Turnbull’s citizenship crackdown, to be announced on Thursday, comes just two days after the Prime Minister outlined an overhaul of the 457 temporary foreign worker visa system.

“Membership of the Australian family is a privilege and should be afforded to those who support our values, respect our laws and want to work hard by integrating and contributing to an even better Australia,” he said.

“We must ensure that our citizenship program is conducted in our national interest.”

His government is also pursuing several other citizenship reforms, which will apply to all new applicants, including:

• Applicants must show the steps they have taken to integrate into and contribute to the Australian community (evidence of employment, membership of community organisations, school enrolment for all eligible children);
• The citizenship test will include “new and more meaningful questions” about an applicant’s understanding of and commitment to Australia’s shared values and responsibilities;
• Applicants who cheat during the citizenship test will automatically fail.

Any conduct inconsistent with Australian values will be considered as part of the citizenship process.

“Criminal activity including family violence or involvement in organised crime is thoroughly inconsistent with Australian values,” Mr Turnbull said.

Prospective citizens with a permanent or enduring incapacity, as well as those aged under 16, would be exempted from the English reading, writing and listening test.

3. Welsh doctor already jailed for life for sexually abusing young patients found guilty of assaulting more as their parents waited outside.

GP Robert Wells has been jailed after sexual abusing young patients while examining them. #Wales https://t.co/AtShCKl1nj

— Mark Williams-Thomas (@mwilliamsthomas) April 18, 2017

Robert Wells, 65, is already serving a 15-year jail sentence for sexually abusing young patients. Now, he has admitted to four more counts of indecent assault.

According to Wales Online, the Welsh doctor was found guilty of sexually abusing three girls “under the pretext of medical examination”.

Wells was jailed for 15 years in 2004 after he was convicted of nine counts of child sexual abuse. He was arrested after police discovered he had drugged two sisters, aged five and 11, and filmed himself abusing other children.

After his conviction, three more victims came forward with claims of abuse.

Prosecutor Matthew Roberts told the court Wells would ask the children’s parents to wait outside his consulting room while he examined them.

“It is hard to imagine a more serious and grotesque breach of trust,” Roberts said.

In a statement read out in court, one victim said Wells had “destroyed my life”.

Another described her ordeal as “terrifying” and told the court she had developed post-traumatic stress disorder since the abuse.

Wells has been jailed for a further seven years.

4. Tragedy as brother and sister are killed in a crash on the way home from a visit to family.

Siblings returning from Easter trip home when tragedy struck https://t.co/mVaidLOu1A pic.twitter.com/pgDc7gku5n

— Brisbane News (@BrisbaneBrk) April 19, 2017

Two people killed in a car crash on Monday near Maryborough in Queensland have been revealed to be brother and sister, the Brisbane Times reports.

Sarah Walker, 30, and her 22-year-old brother Daniel, were travelling back home to Brisbane after visiting their hometown of Bundaberg over Easter.

The siblings were killed instantly when their car was hit head-on.

Sarah’s 14-year-old son and her 25-year-old friend, Peter Knowles, were also in the vehicle at the time of the accident.

The teen is still in a critical condition at Royal Brisbane Hospital, with Knowles recovering from surgery after he suffered serious injuries.

Mum Kerri Walker is heartbroken at losing two of her children in the accident.

“My two beautiful babies are gone and I can’t even see them,” she said.

“My grandson’s fighting for life…It’s the worst time of my life.”

5. 12-year-old nipper hailed a hero after saving a drowning father from a rip.

Hero nipper saves man twice his size https://t.co/PPxqgxgX2z pic.twitter.com/b6pqijYEUU

— Brisbane News (@BrisbaneBrk) April 19, 2017

Twelve-year-old Jayke Menefy has been hailed a hero after he braved a treacherous rip at a Sunshine Coast beach on Easter Sunday to save a drowning man.

According to the Courier Mail, Jayke – who weighs just 42kg – pulled a 38-year-old, 100kg man from the ocean at the unpatrolled Teewah beach.

His mum, Nicole Menefy, said just three words to Jayke before he headed out into the dangerous water: “You’re up mate”.

“It might seem strange to some parents that I told Jayke to grab his board from the car and head out into dangerous water, but he has been a nipper since 2013 and is a very strong swimmer,” she told the Courier Mail.

“I know his capabilities.”

Nicole said her family saw a group of people standing at the water’s edge, with a little girl hysterical that her dad was stuck in a rip and was being dragged out to sea.

“My husband had just had a knee reconstruction and couldn’t help and Jayke is a stronger swimmer than me, so there was no hesitation,” she said.

“I wouldn’t recommend it to just any 12-year-old.”

Queensland Police Service and Surf Life Saving Queensland have commended Jayke for his brave actions, which likely saved the man’s life.

6. Former NFL star serving a life sentence for murder found dead in his prison cell.

A once-promising NFL star ended his life in a jail cell. The rise and fall of Aaron Hernandez https://t.co/pkjx6itG92 pic.twitter.com/4QGiCcTYNX

— CNN (@CNN) April 19, 2017

Former NFL star Aaron Hernandez has been found dead in his prison cell while serving a life sentence for murder, US authorities say.

Hernandez, 27, was found by guards at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Shirley just after 3am on Wednesday, Massachusetts Department of Correction spokesman Christopher Fallon said in a statement.

The former New England Patriots tight end was pronounced dead at a hospital about an hour later, AAP reports.

His death comes just days after he was acquitted of a double murder and on the same day the Patriots were set to visit the White House to mark their Super Bowl win. The team had no immediate comment.

Hernandez was in a single cell in a general population housing unit in the maximum-security state prison when he took his own life and tried to block the cell door from the inside by jamming it with various items, Fallon said.

Fallon said he’s not aware of any suicide note written by Hernandez.

He said officials had no concern that Hernandez might take his own life, and said if they had had any such worries, he would have been transferred to a mental health unit.

Hernandez was moved to tears on Friday after he was acquitted of the 2012 fatal shootings of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado in Boston.

Before his acquittal, Hernandez on Wednesday was seen blowing kisses to the little girl he fathered with fiancee Shayanna Jenkins. Cameras captured the tender exchange.

But Hernandez was still serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole for his conviction in the 2013 shooting of Odin Lloyd, a semi-professional football player who was dating his fiancee’s sister.

Hernandez grew up in Connecticut and played for the Patriots from 2010 to 2012. The team released him in June 2013, shortly after he was arrested in Lloyd’s killing.

If you or someone you know needs help you can call Lifeline on 131 114, the Black Dog Institute on 9382 2991, or Beyondblue 1300 224 636.

7. Dozens of brides left devastated as fire destroys Queensland dress store.

Brisbane bridal shop blaze: Wedding dresses destroyed, mannequins melted and an owner simply heartbroken. More on #7news at 6pm. pic.twitter.com/sWLOkOIh53

— 7News Yahoo7 (@Y7News) April 19, 2017

Queensland brides are devastated after fire destroyed almost 200 dresses at an Ipswich bridal store on Tuesday night, 7 News reports.

Store owner Chris told 7 News that tears filled his eyes just looking at what was left of his store, which he only opened with his wife Noi in January of this year.

“It was like I had swallowed my heart,” he said of seeing the damage.

Some of the dresses were custom-made one-offs that are unable to be replaced. Despite facing a $140,000 damage bill, Chris said he is now focused on making sure each bride gets her dress for her special day.

“We’ve got to notify the customers to let them know that we’ll get their order to them, it’s just a matter of ordering and waiting,” he sad.

It’s suspected the fire began from a fuse box located inside the store.

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