Wednesday's news in under 5 minutes.

We’ve rounded up all the latest stories from Australia and around the world – so you don’t have to go searching.

1. Locals grieve after the murder suicide of Damien Little and his sons Hunter and Koda.

Family members have visited the makeshift memorial on a Port Lincoln pier where local father Damien Little drove himself and his two sons to their deaths.

The Advertiser reports that Little’s parents and brothers visited the site and left notes and flowers.

One note by his brother Shannon said “My brother Damo Thank you for the memories you left me with. Please watch over me you have now left me here to kick all the goals bro. Forever flying, Shanno & Kyra.”

His brother, Shannon, 36 who wept in front of the shrine to his brother and nephews and left a second note “Hunter, fly high you little man.

Watch over us all we will never forget you. Uncle Shannon and Aunty Kyra.”

Ken Little, Damien Little’s father told The Advertiser his son “very protective and very caring”.

“They were his life, his kids. You could not find better kids. Koda was really a lovely, chatty little boy.”

For help: Lifeline 13 11 14, Men’s helpline: 1300 78 99 78

2. #Cozzies out for Cole social media movement taking off.

Grieving friends of Queensland teenager and up-and-coming water polo player, Cole Miller have begun a social media campaign #CozziesOutForCole.

Brisbane Barracuda water polo teammates are encouraging people to hang out their swimmers as a mark of respect for the 18-year-old who lost his life after a one-punch assault in Brisbane during the early hours of Sunday morning.

“This is an initiative driven by our players,” Brisbane Barracudas Water Polo wrote on Facebook.

“Get behind us and put your Cozzies out for Cole, a champion taken too soon.

“In loving memory of this beautiful young man who lost his life.”

The two men accused of the assault that led to Cole Miller’s death appeared in court yesterday.

The Courier Mail reports that one of the men was celebrating his 21st birthday on Saturday night.

Daniel Maxwell’s lawyer said that he was “devastated by what’s occurred.”

“He feels nothing but the greatest sympathy for the family of the victim” Defence counsel Michael Bosscher told reporters after the New Zealand-born 21-year-old faced court on the upgraded charge of unlawful striking causing death.

“He’s only a young man himself. It was his birthday on the evening in question.

“He has no friends or family really here in Australia, they’re all in New Zealand, so obviously he’s doing it tough.”

3. A group of a 1000 men thought to be involved in sexual assault in Germany.

German police have described a group of around 1000 men who were involved in a series of sexual assaults against women in Cologne on New Year’s Eve as being a part of “a completely new dimension of crime”.

Cologne police chief Wolfgang Albers said witnesses described the assaults from a group of up to 1000 men whose appearance indicated they were of “Arab or North African origin”.

The Telegraph reports that women were robbed, groped, and had their underwear torn from their bodies, while couples had fireworks thrown at them.

Police received 90 criminal complaints, around a quarter of them for sexual assault, including one case of rape.

‘Katja L’, 28, told Der Express “When we came out of the station, we were very surprised by the group that met us there”.

“We then walked through this group of men. There was an alley through [the men] which we walked through. Suddenly I felt a hand on my buttocks, then on my breasts, in the end, I was groped everywhere. It was a nightmare. Although we shouted and beat them, the guys did not stop. I was desperate and think I was touched around 100 times in the 200 metres.

“Fortunately I wore a jacket and trousers. a skirt would probably have been torn away from me”.

4. President Obama unveils new gun control laws for the US.

US President Barack Obama has said excuses for inaction on gun control in the US “no longer suffice” in an emotional speech overnight.

Speaking surrounded by victims of gun violence Mr Obama said he wanted an “open discussion” with all parties and was not looking to “score points”.

“We do have to feel a sense of urgency about it,” he said.

“People are dying and the constant excuses for inaction no longer do. No longer suffice. That’s why we’re here today – not to debate the last mass shooting, but to do something to try to prevent the next one.”

“We do not have to accept this carnage as the price of freedom,” he added.

The White House outlined his plans for executive action, which focus on background checks. Most of the actions can be carried out without Congressional approval.

Among the proposals announced were:

• Anybody in the business of selling firearms must get a licence and conduct background checks, or face criminal prosecution
• This will apply to the internet and gun shows
• Background checks will be expanded to violent criminals who try to buy dangerous weapons via trusts and corporations
• Background checks system will become more efficient, with more people hired to carry them out
• 200,000 more ATF agents and investigators to monitor current gun ownership
• Better protection of domestic violence victims
• Congress being asked to invest $500m to improve access to mental healthcare in the US
•  Technological advances to make guns safer to help prevent accidents and track lost or stolen weapons.

During Mr Obama’s speech, comedian Amy Schumer, was in the audience. Two women died in a shooting at a movie theatre in Louisiana during a showing of her movie Trainwreck.

5. Perth toddler dies after hit by car driven by father.

A two-year-old girl has died after being hit by a car driven by her father in the driveway of their eastern Perth home.

The toddler was rushed to the Princess Margaret Hospital for Children in a serious condition following the accident about 4.25pm but later died from her injuries.

6. Dick Smith collapse leaves shoppers out of pocket.

Dick Smith announced this week its 393-store electronics chain had been placed into receivership leaving customers who paid deposits on goods or bought gift vouchers in the lurch.

Receivers Ferrier Hodgson announced that due to “the financial circumstances” of the company, “unfortunately” outstanding gift vouchers would not be honoured and deposits not refunded.

Choice spokeswoman Erin Turner told the ABC that customers do have rights.

She said consumers who had purchased gift vouchers or placed a deposit on an item using a credit card or the credit facility on a debit card may be able to receive a refund through a process called “chargeback”.

“They should contact their bank to find out what their options are,” Ms Turner said.

7. Soggy NSW battles through summer holidays.

Emergency services have received hundreds of calls for help after heavy rain in NSW.

Low-lying parts of Dungog – the town that flooded last April –  have been issued with an evacuation order.

Several rescues have had to be conducted with two people rescued on the South Coast and 21 people rescued in the Hunter region. The rescues led to warnings for people to stay clear of floodwaters and stormwater drains, with more rain on the way.

Yesterday the test match between Australia and the West Indies was washed out for the day.

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