‘Overseas actor’ planned NSW protests: cops

Police hold fears that lockdowns staged across NSW on Tuesday were organised online “by someone who wasn’t even in the country”.

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Taliban fighter dangles from Black Hawk

The Taliban is continuing to enjoy the spoils of war after taking back control of Afghanistan – specifically the vast amount of tech, vehicles and weapons left behind when the United States withdrew from the nation.

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Anti-vax Instagram influencer shamed

With a single post, Instagram influencer Kate Szepanowski has reminded us why you should ignore the Covid-19 views of social media influencers.

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Cops hit in frightening ‘hate crime’

Cops in Melbourne’s outer east have become the victim of a frightening hate crime after a swastika was drawn outside a police station.

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New iPhone 13 ‘leaked’ in TV show

Apple fans think they’ve spotted a huge hint that the next iPhone will come without an annoying notch.

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Teens escape injury in horrific taxi crash

Six people, including four teenagers, have miraculously escaped serious injury after the taxi they were in crashed into a brick wall of a business in Adelaide’s south.

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Withdrawal an ‘extraordinary success’: Biden

US President Joe Biden has hailed the “extraordinary success” of the withdrawal of US forces and nationals from Kabul as the war in Afghanistan officially ended after 20 years.

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New cut-price ute coming to Australia

Isuzu is expanding its popular D-Max ute range, bringing increased equipment and a cheaper entry-level model.

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Big change after baby dies in magpie attack

The Brisbane City Council has been forced to change how it reacts to aggressive magpies after a baby died in a swooping incident.

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Item now banned from Woolies, Coles

Queenslanders will no longer be able to use single use plastics, as part of the state’s crackdown on plastic pollution.

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Anti-masker’s vile Woolies rant

An anti-masker who filmed himself confronting a female police officer after brazenly flouting the public health rules has been lashed on TikTok.

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Taliban: ‘Victory belongs to us all’

The hard line Islamist Taliban have celebrated their total return to power on with gunfire, after the last US troops flew out of Afghanistan to end two decades of war.

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Soldier, 29, named as crash victim

A man who died in an army vehicle rollover near Townsville has been remembered by heartbroken friends and family as a proud soldier with a “heart of gold”.

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Coca-Cola’s and Microsoft’s Latest Gamble: A Giant CO2 Vacuum Cleaner

A Swiss startup has created a giant vacuum cleaner to capture carbon dioxide from the air, helping companies offset their emissions. WSJ visits the facility to see how it traps the gas for sale to clients like Coca-Cola, which uses it in fizzy drinks. Composite: Clément Bürge

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Early start to bushfire season hits NSW

More than 20 regions across NSW will enter an early bushfire season on Wednesday, with firefighters concerned about a dangerous mix of grass fires and above average maximum spring temperatures.

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Horror moment girl bitten by snake

A little girl visiting Russia’s Butterflies Park petting zoo recently learned that not all of the animals there are truly ideal for petting.

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Amputee denied parking permit

A doctor has issued a brutal take-down of a council officer who requested more evidence of his amputee patient’s need for a “blue badge”.

via Technology | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://ift.tt/3jvdSCh

New tech could reduce bus stop tragedies

Wireless communication between school buses and cars could reduce the likelihood of kids being hit by vehicles.

via Technology | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://ift.tt/3sYVZz5

Vaccine passport scam targeting Aussies

Fully vaccinated Australians are being urged to watch out for a scam message claiming to contain a link to a vaccine passport.

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Molan explains ‘love you long time’ gag

Erin Molan has rejected claims she peddled “ugly racial stereotypes” and mocked people for their accents in the years she spent co-hosting a rugby league show on 2GB radio.

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Girl loses finger in festival mosh pit

This is the shocking moment a festival reveller says she lost part of her finger while preparing to watch rapper Aitch’s set.

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Huge vaccine milestone days away

NSW could achieve a major vaccine milestone in the coming days, with more than 67 per cent of eligible residents now having received one dose of the Covid vaccine.

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‘Flipping out’: China’s harsh new ban

China has clamped down on the amount of time kids spend gaming by slashing the hours - and days - they are allowed the play.

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Major push to mandate Covid-19 jabs

Cleaners, receptionists and contractors across the health care system could be required to get the jab under a new proposal from the Australian Medical Association.

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‘We’re going to kill it’: Truckies’ ‘big’ protests

Truck drivers and “pro-choice” protesters from around the country have gathered outside council chambers and parliament houses and blocked major roads on Tuesday morning as a sign of defiance against vaccine and testing mandates.

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Try this car and you’ll be hooked

After a few months of living with the Nissan Leaf, I’ve come to the conclusion that very few people who take the plunge on an electric vehicle will go back to a conventional car.

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Apple Store vs. Repair Shop: What the Right to Repair Is All About

Apple said it would cost $999 to fix a MacBook Pro. An independent repair store did it for $325. WSJ’s Joanna Stern went on a journey to repair two water-damaged laptops and show how new legislation could provide more options for fixing our broken gadgets.

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Hurricane Ida claims first victim

Louisiana authorities have reported the first death from Hurricane Ida after a 60 year-old man was fatally injured when he was struck by a fallen tree.

via Technology | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://ift.tt/2V036uz

Apple, Google put on notice

Apple and Google have been put on notice as the government considers new powers that could see the tech giants forced to change their digital payment systems.

via Technology | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://ift.tt/3sWDgnH

Disturbing iPhone update warning

Apple users are being warned about a new update that allows iPhones to spy on their owners.

via Technology | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://ift.tt/3BlUON2

Billionaire actress no longer exists

She has millions of adoring fans. She’s worth billions of dollars. But Beijing has all but erased actress Zhao Wei from history. And they won’t say why.

via Technology | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://ift.tt/3DtNb99

Dad accidentally flashes son on call

Hilarious footage has surfaced of a video call between a man and his mum that takes a rude turn when his dad shows up bare-bottomed in the background.

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‘Rip into’: Shock emails about Erin Molan

An editor at the Daily Mail emailed a journalist about Nine broadcaster Erin Molan saying “Let’s rip into this sheila” before the site published an article that is now the subject of a bitter defamation battle.

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How to get a magpie to like you

Griffith University magpie expert Darryl Jones has revealed regular contact and food are the two ways Australians can win over the iconic birds.

via Technology | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://ift.tt/3BoSaGs

New type of car coming to Australia

Nissan is set to introduce a new type of engine that blends hybrid and electric capabilities like nothing else on sale.

via Technology | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://ift.tt/3sXg5tg

Horses manhandled in confronting images

Shocking images of horses being manhandled at a traditional Spanish event known as the Shearing of the Beasts have been released.

via Technology | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://ift.tt/3gLf17b

Reporters slammed for insane footage

Hurricane Ida is continuing to lash the US state of Louisiana as the devastating storm made landfall.

via Technology | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://ift.tt/3zrPhnG

Wild photos of apartment tower in flames

Fire ripped through a 20-storey residential building in Milan, northern Italy, on Sunday, leaving rescue workers scrambling to make sure no one had been caught in the spectacular flames and thick smoke.

via Technology | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://ift.tt/2Y2n2xP

20yo mauled to death by pack of dogs

A shepherd is being investigated for manslaughter after a pack of dogs being used to guard a herd of goats mauled a university student to death.

via Technology | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://ift.tt/3gJ3JjJ

Rogue truckies block busy Qld highway

Truck drivers have blocked a major southeast Queensland highway on Monday morning, in protest against Covid-19 lockdowns and mandatory vaccinations.

via Technology | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://ift.tt/3joTNO7

Luxury car has an amazing free feature

Hyundai’s luxury offshoot Genesis is rapidly expanding its Australian range as it ramps up its assault on the German luxury establishment.

via Technology | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://ift.tt/2WvyEca

Octopuses’ incredible response to mating act

Octopuses have devised a clever tactic to ward off unwanted sexual attention, opting to “throw” shells and silt at males that are harassing them.

via Technology | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://ift.tt/2Wzyb8X

Hero makes miracle escape in Afghanistan

Former commando turned animal rescuer Pen Farthing and his animals have been rescued from Kabul after the British Army helped him board a private plane.

via Technology | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://ift.tt/3ypoeIn

Is global phenomenon Peloton worth cancelling gym membership for?

Peloton - the interactive at-home fitness platform that’s taken the US by storm – has just launched in Australia but is it all it’s cracked up to be and does it make you work as hard as going to the gym?

via Technology | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://ift.tt/3jkGYo2

Woman’s alleged $31K puppy scam

A Victorian woman is set to face court after allegedly swindling $31,000 from victims by advertising and selling puppies online before ghosting the prospective buyers.

via Technology | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://ift.tt/3BjB2Sq

Land Rover’s tough new Defender tested

Land Rover’s re-imagined 21st century Defender has notched up more than 50 awards all over the world since its launch last year. The brand has also picked up a couple of less impressive achievements in that time, though.

via Technology | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://ift.tt/3BiHWXT

Monkey spotted wearing face mask

Coronavirus safety protocols haven’t just become second nature to most people, they seem to be rubbing off on the local wildlife too.

via Technology | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://ift.tt/3mEnPzx

‘Mistake’: Maskless influencer apologises

A Gold Coast influencer who has been “bleeding followers” since sharing her controversial views on Covid-19 vaccines and lockdowns has apologised after filming herself at Big W without a face mask on.

via Technology | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://ift.tt/3jnPXVe

Landmark ruling on climate change

In a landmark ruling, a court has ordered the NSW Environmental Protection Authority to safeguard against climate change.

via Technology | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://ift.tt/3mCwQJp

Amazing Holden collection up for auction

A collection of rare Holdens is expected to fetch eight figures at auction next month.

via Technology | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://ift.tt/3Bbim72

Deadly new dinosaur discovered

Scientists have discovered the 43 million-year-old fossil of a previously unknown amphibious four-legged whale species in Egypt that helps trace the transition of whales from land to sea.

via Technology | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://ift.tt/3zm0ztD

Protesters’ chilling posts targeting cops

Anti-lockdown protesters have taken their fight against police online, posting the personal details of individual officers and threatening retribution.

via Technology | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://ift.tt/3BgQv5I

Why more kids are committing crimes

There are 100 more youth offenders in custody in Queensland than a year ago, with social media being blamed for glorifying and encouraging juveniles to commit crimes, a juvenile crime taskforce has revealed.

via Technology | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://ift.tt/3mDZYzQ

Explosions derail animal evacuation

A suicide bombing at Kabul airport that killed dozens of Afghan citizens and members of the US military has derailed a former British Royal Marine’s campaign to evacuate hundreds of rescue cats and dogs from Afghanistan.

via Technology | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://ift.tt/3DpFdO8

Pfizer vaccine given green light for kids

The national advice for vaccinating children against Covid-19 has been updated, with Pfizer now recommended for everyone over the age of 12.

via Technology | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://ift.tt/3mJCklk

Mitsubishi’s breakthrough SUV revealed

Mitsubishi has revealed more details about its “all-new” Outlander SUV due to hit showrooms later this year.

via Technology | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://ift.tt/3mBA0wN

Massive new ute coming to Australia

General Motors’ successor to Holden has locked in plans to introduce an enormous new ute in Australia.

via Technology | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://ift.tt/3zoGORU

‘Not possible’ to keep evacuating Aussies

Defence Minister Peter Dutton has announced the Australian Defence Force (ADF) will not be returning to Afghanistan to evacuate more Australian citizens, stating the risk to our troops is now too severe following a devastating bomb attack on Kabul overnight.

via Technology | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://ift.tt/3sRBjsP

Chaos as Aussie truckies walk off the job

Thousands of Toll truck drivers will launch strike action on Friday after crisis talks between the transport union and the logistics giant failed to reach an agreement.

via Technology | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://ift.tt/2Wm0mrD

Action after girl, 7, attacked by pitbull

A young Tasmanian girl has been left with serious facial injuries after she was attacked by a dog.

via Technology | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://ift.tt/3DfLbRT

NSW’s major vaccination mandate

NSW has become the first state in Australia to mandate Covid-19 vaccines for healthcare workers, as its hospitals struggle with the Delta outbreak.

via Technology | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://ift.tt/3sU8Gej

Sneaky trick catching drivers out

Speaking to 2GB’s Ben Fordham this morning, drive.com.au national motoring editor Joshua Dowling said the fact drivers were getting caught out “is an outrage”, saying he believed the NSW government “secretly” reduced the tolerance on speed cameras to catch drivers travelling only a little bit over the limit. “This is an outrage, at the same time the portable signs around speed camera locations were taken away, they also lowered the threshold that people are tripped up,” Dowling said. “It means they’re catching way, way more people than before … To pick people off for a few kilometres over the limit is not about road safety, it’s clearly about getting the money in the bank.” Since the beginning of the year, $22 million in fines for low range speeding have been handed out – up 1500 per cent from the same period last year. One listener named Justin told Fordham that within the past month he’d been fined four times for travelling between three and six km/h over the limit in a 50km/h zone. “I’ve done the wrong thing, I don’t deny that, but I started to think that can’t be a coincidence … something must have changed,” he said, having driven in Sydney’s north shore for about 20 years.He added that it wasn’t a “good judgment call” from the state government to hand out such fines in the midst of Sydney’s Covid-19 outbreak and ongoing lockdown. “After this pandemic ends, there’s going to be fines everywhere,” he said. Bernard Carlon, head of Transport for NSW’s Centre for Road Safety, told news.com.au in a statement that the NSW government doesn’t comment on tolerance levels. “However, NSW speed camera tolerance levels are generally in line with other states,” he said. “Drivers have a legal responsibility to stay under the speed limit.” The decision to remove warning signs for mobile speed cameras in NSW saw drivers cough up $4 million in low-range offences during May alone. At the time, Opposition Leader Chris Minns slammed the state government for its “blatant cash grab”. “The NSW government has worked out a way to slug families with hundreds of dollars for low-range speeding offences by hiding the cameras,” Mr Minns said. The government ultimately backflipped on the move earlier this month, with Transport Minister Andrew Constance announcing that fixed warning signs would be reinstated across the state. “We are already seeing a change in driver behaviour, with 3.5 drivers caught by the cameras per hour of enforcement in June, compared with five drivers per hour in February, and we want that downward trend to continue with these new signs,” Mr Constance said. “Speeding is the biggest killer on our roads, with almost 50 per cent of fatalities last year caused by someone travelling at an inappropriate speed.” Various transport bodies also applauded the move, with NatRoad chief executive Warren Clark saying that “appropriate warnings are an essential part of road traffic enforcement, as is upgrading of road infrastructure”.

via Technology | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://ift.tt/38d8q0H

Reason for ‘nah he tweakin’ trend

The latest to send the net into a spin was the phrase “nah he tweakin”, which was trending across several social media platforms on Thursday.The three-word reply took both Twitter and Instagram by storm after Grammy award-winning artist Lil Nas X left it as a comment under a post about skateboarding legend Tony Hawk.Hawk featured in a post by Instagram account RAP TV, which shared how skateboards infused with the skater’s blood had been launched for $US500 ($690) each. Lil Nas X held the top comment position with his remark, “nah he tweakin”, with dozens of other verified accounts following suit. The announcement must have left a sour taste in the mouth of the Old Town Road singer, who copped major flack after selling a pair of customised Nike shoes allegedly containing a drop of blood. The launch saw Nike pursue legal action against New York-based MSCHF Product Studio Inc which developed the shoe in collaboration with the famous singer earlier this year.Nike claimed the alterations made to the shoes, which served as a promo for the singer’s song Montero (Call Me By Your Name) in March, infringed on and diluted its trademark.At the time, the 22-year-old faced fierce backlash for his use of overly satanic themes in his promotion of the song, which many thought played a role in Nike’s pursuit of legal action. He gave a bit more of a clue on his feelings towards Hawk’s skateboard launch in a savage post to Twitter. “Now that Tony Hawk has released skateboards with his blood painted on them, and there was no public outrage, are y’all ready to admit y’all were never actually upset over the blood in the shoes? and maybe u were mad for some other reason?” he wrote. Responses were largely from people arguing that backlash wasn’t fuelled by the blood issue, it was because people were upset at his heavy use of Satanic themes. “Sir, you’re very talented and smart. Please don’t continue to miss the point. Folks didn’t like your shoes because it was a Satan shoe. And the vast majority of people, regardless of their view towards your sexuality, don’t play with satanic imagery. No one’s out to get you,” one response read. “It's the fact that you tied it to ‘Satanism’ and put your blood into it. You bring in religion to anything and people will flip. Tony didn’t. That's why it was better received,” someone else said.

via Technology | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://ift.tt/3zw7qQY

Why this SUV signals the end of an era

Here is everything you need to know about the Jeep Grand Cherokee S-Limited.VALUEPrices for the Jeep Grand Cherokee start at about $65,000 drive-away for the Night Eagle version and rise to about $90,000 for the S-Overland. We are testing the mid-tier S-Limited priced at about $80,000 drive-away.That’s a lot of money, especially considering the Grand Cherokee is about to be replaced by an all-new version later this year. You can also buy a top of the range Kia Sorento or Mazda CX-9 for less money and the Grand Cherokee has only five seats as opposed to seven.But the Jeep trumps newer rivals in the engine department. Fans of old school Aussie-built sedans will love the 5.7-litre naturally-aspirated engine – it’s one of the last of a dying breed.The Grand Cherokee’s styling is another strong point. It looks handsome and muscular, with massive 20-inch alloy wheels and a pair of air vents on the bonnet that give it plenty of road presence.Inside, there is an 8.4-inch infotainment screen that displays Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and built-in navigation, while audiophiles will like the digital radio and a nine-speaker Alpine stereo with subwoofer.Jeep is trying to take the stress out of ownership and win back customers after some reliability and quality issues. The Grand Cherokee is covered by the brand’s capped-price servicing program, which costs $399 every 12,000km or 12 months for the first five years.Jeep also guarantees its vehicles for five years/100,000km.COMFORTThe comfy leather-wrapped front seats are heated and electronically adjustable, while vision is excellent thanks to a very high seating position.The interior shows the Grand Cherokee’s age. It’s well equipped but looks in need of a makeover and you’d expect a better fit and finish for the price. The new version due later this year makes a giant leap forward in tech and interior quality.The Grand Cherokee is set up for comfort on the road. Soft suspension soaks up bumps and corrugations of all sizes and a well insulated cabin does a good job of blocking out road noise.SAFETYThe Grand Cherokee is aimed at families and the American brand has made sure it is packed with safety equipment.It’ll automatically brake for cars if it detects a potential collision, while lane-keep assist will stop you wandering into other lanes. Blind-spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert keep an eye on hard to see places.DRIVINGThe S-Limited boasts eight cylinders of American muscle. The beefy 5.7-litre makes 259kW and 520Nm and is mated to a slick shifting eight-speed automatic that is adept at finding the burly engine’s sweet spot.There is no hiding the Grand Cherokee’s size, though. It’s almost five metres long and weighs about 2300kg.The Grand Cherokee’s hefty proportions and tall, soft suspension make for a smooth commute but lead to a fair amount of lean through corners. Grippy Continental tyres provide ample grip through the twisty stuff, though. It takes 7.3 seconds to hit 100km/h from a standstill, accompanied by a charming warble from the naturally aspirated V8. The V8’s non-turbo nature makes for smooth, linear power delivery ideal for long highway cruising. Fuel use is heavy at 13L/100km. We got close to that thanks to long stints on the motorway and Covid-19 induced free flowing city traffic.VERDICT 3/5Good looking with a charming V8 engine, but it’s thirsty and the interior looks a little dated. Push for a run-out deal.ALTERNATIVESKia Sorento GT-Line, about $67,000 drive-away No V8, but has a grunty and fuel-efficient diesel engine and an unbeatable list of standard equipment.Mazda CX-9 Azami LE, about $78,000 drive-awaySvelte looks and luxury interior, but has a thirsty engine and less practical layout.Hyundai Palisade petrol, from about $77,000 drive-awayHuge American-style SUV with seven or eight-seat capacity and plenty of luxe features. Thirsty V6 petrol engine.JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE S-LIMITED VITALSPrice: About $80,000 drive-awayEngine: 5.7-litre V8, 259kW/520NmWarranty/servicing: 5 years/100,00km, $1995 over five yearsSafety: 7 airbags, auto emergency braking, lane-keep and blind-spot assist, rear cross-traffic alert, radar cruise controlThirst: 13L/100kmCargo: 782 litres

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Electric cars to takeover by 2030

Electric cars are now more popular than petrol, with experts saying they will take over the automotive industry by 2030.

via Technology | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://ift.tt/38bISRz

Aussie farmer’s touching tribute to aunt

Sheep farmer Ben Jackson from Guyra, in the NSW New England region, wasn’t able to travel to Brisbane to be with his Aunty Deb Cowdery before she died following a two-year cancer battle, The Guardian reported.Feeling helpless when she passed away and unable to make the funeral service, Mr Jackson decided he would use his farming expertise to honour the life of his aunt from afar. “Especially in these Covid times, no-one can prepare for that border closure grief, not being able to say cheerio or be there when she passes. It’s pretty difficult,” he told the publication. After some trial and error and the first try looking like the “sh*t emoji”, he successfully filmed from a drone as his sheep gathered into a perfect heart shape below. The heartwarming clip, which played to Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon and Garfunkel, showed hundreds of sheep follow a line of feed that had been laid in a heart shape. The video was sent to his family in Brisbane to be played in front of guests at his aunty’s funeral. “When I saw [the final product] I would be the first to admit that there was plenty of waterworks … It was very lovely to have it as part of a send-off. It was certainly something that she would have loved and absolutely cherished,” he told the publication. Mr Jackson was confident his aunty would be “very proud” knowing his sheep art had brought a smile to the faces of many people. “Certainly the reaction online has been such that, yeah, hey there’s a lot of people doing it tough and need a smile on their dial,” he said.The video has received a huge reaction on Twitter where it was shared by James Jackson, with many admitting it had brought a tear to their eye. “This is my favourite video/tweet/post ever! Ben, what a wonderful tribute for your aunt. How lucky she was to have you as a nephew – such a big heart. Thanks for sharing,” one replied. “This is a beautiful, heartwarming tribute. Thanks so much for sharing, we need to see such special things like this,” another wrote. “Just love it, I tear up every time,” a third said.

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’He knows now’: Premier leaves PM in dark

Construction is now under way on the 1000-bed Howard-Springs-style facility at Wellcamp, west of Toowoomba, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced on Thursday. But, when asked whether Prime Minister Scott Morrison knew about the plans, she said “I’m quite sure he does now”. “You’re all getting it live at the same time,” Ms Palaszczuk said. She defended her decision not to tell the Commonwealth about the facility, despite needing their approval for the facility to be used. “If you build it, they will come,” she said. The Queensland government was not able to confirm whether flights will be redirected to Toowoomba’s airport, but if not people would be bussed from Brisbane. In response, Mr Morrison said he had made it “very clear” to Queensland that the facility “did not meet the national guidelines”. “But, the Queensland government was always in a position to go ahead with the facility, and to have people quarantine there rather than hotels,” he said at a press conference. “That is entirely a matter for the Queensland government … they could have done that months ago. “Good for them, I wish them every success.”The new facility, which will have 500 beds online by the end of the year, with all cabins built by the end of March, will complement the Commonwealth’s facility at Pinkenba. Ms Palaszczuk, who first floated the Toowoomba facility in January, said regional quarantine facilities were “no-brainer”. “Our hotels were not built to be the last line of defence for a global pandemic,” she said.“We are going to be dealing with Delta for some time.“And if we want to open up Australia, regional quarantine facilities are the second part of the answer. The first part is vaccine.”She said an agreement had been reached with Wagner Corporation chairman and landowner John Wagner to build it.“This is a commitment by the Wagner family, working with the Queensland government, to say to the people of Queensland, ‘We want to keep you safe’,” she said.Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said the government had been calling on the Commonwealth government to agree to building the facility “for months”, but finally had made the decision to go it alone. “The Doherty Institute is being talked about a lot, and their own report says (even with high vaccination rates), we will need to keep some public health measures in place – test, trace, isolate and quarantine,” Ms D’Ath said. “We will continue to need facilities. “We need to make sure they’re purpose built and keeping our community safe.”The facility will be made up of single, double and family accommodation in cabins with their own balconies. There will be no communal hallways, which authorities have attributed multiple hotel quarantine breaches to. Deputy Premier Steven Miles said the new facility would provide businesses around the state peace of mind. “When you consider the last lockdown alone cost more than $1b in economic impact and compensation, this is fantastic value,” he said.“If we can avoid just one lockdown, let alone more with this new facility … That would be fantastic.”Mr Wagner said the final design criteria was still being worked out to ensure the facility was the best the country had to offer. “This is also a great boost for Toowoomba,” he said. “This will create a lot of local employment … It will help get Queensland out of Covid-19 and on the road to economic recovery, recovery which we desperately need.”People who test positive to Covid-19 and cannot be treated in Toowoomba’s hospitals, will be transported to Brisbane for treatment.

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Riding the two-wheeled Tesla

1. This is Tesla’s two-wheeled cousinTesla wasn’t the first company to make an electric car. But it was the first company to take a fast, attractive and high-profile electric machine to drivers around the world. Harley-Davidson’s Livewire is the two-wheeled equivalent of Tesla’s Model S, combining stirring performance with sharp looks and techno-cool that lesser known and less powerful electric bikes can’t match. It’s nothing like a regular Harley, which is why LiveWire is set to break out and become a stand-alone brand.2. It’s not cheapElectric vehicles are usually more expensive than petrol counterparts, and the Livewire is no exception. Priced from $49,995 ride-away, the Livewire costs far more than an entry-level Harley, about $10,000 more than Ducati’s MotoGP-inspired Panigale V4S and almost as much as a four-door Nissan Leaf electric car. Electric motor aside, it comes with better hardware than a regular V-Twin from the American brand, including Brembo brakes, Michelin tyres and sporty Showa adjustable suspension. Cheaper models are on the way, and bargain-hunters might consider low-mileage dealer demonstrators spotted online for about $35,000.3. Or particularly practicalThe Livewire combines a 78kW electric motor with a 15.5kWh battery offering a claimed 200km range around town, where the ebb and flow of traffic helps recharge the battery. Cruising on the highway returns closer to 150 kilometres, which is bad news for folks who like long days on the road. Charging at home requires patience, as the machine takes on about 20 kilometres of range for every hour plugged in. Public fast-charging sites are a better bet, taking the Livewire from near-empty to an 80 per cent charge in about 40 minutes.4. But a lot of fun to rideSwing a leg over the Harley and you’ll find a relaxed if upright riding position and crisp digital dashboard. The big difference between the Livewire and regular bikes is that there is no clutch lever or gear shifter – you just turn it on, twist the throttle and go.The LiveWire’s motor is responsive and effortless, delivering seamless progress to rival big-bore sports bikes. Hang on tight and it will hit 100km/h in three seconds, making it more than quick enough for the cut and thrust of urban traffic. Though it’s heavier than most bikes this size, the LiveWire’s low centre of gravity helps it change direction with more agility than you might expect of motorcycles from Milwaukee.5. Though something is missingIn the same way that a silent but deadly Tesla can’t match the visceral fire and brimstone of red-blooded V8 muscle cars, the Livewire falls short of the emotional thrill offered by the best bikes. The rumbling exhaust, spine-tingling induction roar and decisive gear shifts of regular motorcycles are missing, short-changing enthusiasts. Constraints around charging times and infrastructure also erode the sense of freedom enjoyed by thousands of riders.That said, this Harley goes, stops and turns better than many other bikes. It feels special in its own way, perfectly suited to urban missions that play to its point-and-shoot strengths. Harley-Davidson LivewirePrice: $49,995 ride-awayMotor: Electric, 78kW/116NmBattery: 15.5kWh, CCS Type 2 chargerWarranty: 2 years (bike) 5 years (battery)Safety: Riding modes, ABS, traction controlPerformance: 0-100km/h in 3.0s, 177km/hRange: About 200km (urban)

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Tencent: Tech Giant Behind Videogame Favorites Faces Beijing’s Scrutiny

China’s Tencent is backing the developers of blockbuster videogames such as “Pokémon Unite,” “League of Legends" and “Fortnite.” But Beijing’s regulatory crackdown on its tech giants could affect the company’s global videogame empire. Photo composite: Sharon Shi

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Police get new powers to infiltrate dark web

Attorney-General Michaelia Cash said the increasing size and complexity of online criminal networks necessitated greater power being given to authorities.“The increasing use of the dark web and anonymising technologies has significantly degraded agencies’ abilities to identify and disrupt serious crime occurring online,” she told the Senate on Wednesday.The opposition agreed, stressing the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) were currently ill-equipped to fight serious online crime. “As the AFP Commissioner told the committee during our hearings: it’s like fighting crime with one hand tied behind your back,” Labor Senator Kristina Keneally said. The Surveillance Legislation Amendment (Identify and Disrupt) Bill 2021 was passed through both houses on Wednesday meaning the AFP and ACICI will have three significant new powers online.These include being able to delete data on the dark web to prevent child abuse material being shared and also being able to access or take control of a person’s online account to gather evidence.Ms Cash told the Senate that online child exploitation material was the reason the new powers were needed.“Child exploitation material is an absolute disgrace,” she said.“That is what we are looking at to frustrate the commission of serious offences online.”But while the major parties were in resounding support of the bill, the crossbench expressed concerns that it posed significant human rights issues. “This bill would allow spy agencies to modify, add, copy or delete your data with a data disruption warrant while also collecting intelligence on your online activities with a network activity warrant,” Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe said. “This bill highlights previous failures in Australian law, which do not afford innocent parties enough protection from being mistakenly targeted by increased police powers,” One Nation Senator Malcolm Roberts said.The Law Council of Australia also expressed significant concerns about the bill, stating the warrants had the potential to cause “significant loss, damage or disruption to lawful computer users who are not suspected of any wrongdoing.”

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‘Big cat’ caught on camera

The eerie footage shows a large animal walking alongside a small fence in a garden – which experts have confirmed to be a puma. The woman, who doesn’t want to be named, caught the creature taking a stroll at her home in Larkhall, Scotland, at roughly 3.55am on Saturday morning.A short video clip, filmed through her Ring doorbell, shows a creature moving around in the darkness.“My husband phoned me when I was in the house and asked if I saw the thing on our doorstep last night,” she told The Sun. “When I had a look I thought it must’ve been a fox or something, but he went ‘look at the size of it!’“Then I thought it was absolutely massive. The fence next to it is about four feet tall, so that gives an idea of how big it must’ve been to match the size of that.” She then went on to say she contacted different authorities to notify them about the “big cat”. “It happened on Saturday morning. I called the police, who told me to call the Scottish SPAC,” she said. “They told me to call Big Cat Sighting and I emailed everything over to them.” They then got in touch with the woman last night and confirmed the sighting. “They messaged me and are sure it’s an adult puma,” she said. She went on to say it was strange spotting a creature like that in her area.“It was strange because it was in a built-up area, but they told me there have been a lot of sightings confirmed,” she said. This comes after a number of big cat sightings in the UK over the last few months. Earlier this month, a big cat was caught lurking in a field in Rutland. Another “big cat” was spotted in Somerset a few months ago. Pumas are not native to the UK – but experts previously estimated that there are up to 250 of the large predatory cats in the wild.Pumas usually hunt at night and feed on everything from livestock including sheep and calves to rabbits and hares. This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission

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Electric car grant hits bump in the road

The rebate was due to kick in from Wednesday next week but parliament has been unable to sit due to lockdown, which means the relevant legislation has not been passed.Parliament isn’t expected to sit again until October, which means that prospective buyers will have to take a punt on the legislation passing if they buy a new EV in September.The government’s scheme also offers rebates on stamp duty for new EVs priced below $70,000.The incentives are part of a $490 million plan to encourage people to buy electric cars.Under the plan, the first 25,000 people to buy an electric car will be eligible ofr the $3000 rebate and stamp duty exemption.NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet says the government “will keep to our September 1 go-live date, however, it is important both the industry and those considering purchasing an EV understand the availability of incentives is contingent on the Electric Vehicles (Revenue Arrangements) Bill 2021 passing Parliament”.Car industry executives have raised concerns about the effect the uncertainty will have on buyer confidence, but NSW Environment Minister Matt Kean says he will ensure dealers will have all the necessary information at their fingertips when dealing with buyers.“We’re committed to ensuring that those rebates are available from the start of September,” he says.“Our aim remains to increase EV sales to more than 50 per cent of new cars sold in NSW by 2030 and for EVs to be the vast majority of new cars sold in the State by 2035,” he says.“Change is coming really fast. Our streets will be quieter, our air will be cleaner and we will be cutting our greenhouse emissions,” he says.Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries chief executive Tony Weber praised the government for the commitment to the rebate.“The NSW Government EV Strategy has the potential to deliver a financial reform and automotive incentive package that sets the precedent for other Governments to follow in its drive to increase electric vehicle uptake,“ Mr Weber says.Mr Kean says the government is considering other measures to encourage EV update, including ensuring that future apartment developments will provide adequate charging. “We’re targeting high density residential areas to ensure that people who live in those places are no further than 5km from ultra-fast charging stations,” he said.State planning laws will require new residential buildings to have the electrical infrastructure appropriate to install electric chargers in car parking spots.“We’re certainly thinking about other levers that we can pull to encourage the uptake of EVs and make them more attractive,” he says.The Electric Vehicle Council ranked NSW as the best state for green car policy in a new report card released this week. EVC chief executive Behyad Jafari said it was “Australia’s best electric vehicle policy to date”.“That $500m of investment and package of incentives to accelerate the uptake of zero emissions vehicles is finally something comparable with jurisdictions overseas,” Mr Jafari said.“I know the whole industry is buoyant about the effect it will have on electric vehicle availability and sales.“The movement across most states and territories is now generally positive and that’s providinggreater confidence to private sector investors, which will pave the way for more places to charge and better services to support e-mobility.”NSW scored 9/10 for its policies, narrowly ahead of the 8/10 awarded to the ACT. The NT and Tasmania scored 7/10, while Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia received 6/10 report cards. The EVC gave the Federal Government 3/10 for “failing to make meaningful inroads” toward electric car integration.

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‘Incalculable loss’: Bushfire inquest begins

The 2019-20 bushfire season was described as “without doubt one of the most catastrophic on record” by counsel assisting the coroner Adam Casselden SC in his opening address to the NSW Coroner’s Court on Wednesday.Mr Casselden said across the state 5.52 million hectares were burned, 2476 houses and three schools destroyed, more than 800 million animals killed and some $1.88 billion in damage done, according to estimated insurance claims.“These figures are important but they cannot capture the human tragedy that sits behind the numbers,” Mr Casselden said.He noted communities hit hard by bushfires had to deal with the onset of Covid-19 shortly after the season ended, and in some cases, with flooding later in the year as well. “Thus whilst Covid-19 has affected all of us, it is particularly important to recognise the people who had to try and take shelter during the 2020 lockdown in foreign accommodation,” he said.“Who bunkered down with family or friends, or who camped out in tents or caravans or sheds or makeshift shelters on their property, while trying to work out how to rebuild their lives, where to rebuild their lives, and how to keep safe from a pandemic.”Mr Casselden said the bushfire season defied prior knowledge about how bushfires burn and spread in Australia.The “extreme dryness” of fuel after a prolonged drought, ignition in remote locations and the significant progression of fires through the night and early morning were among the unusual factors of the extreme season, he said.The inquest will examine the deaths of Gwendoline Hyde, Robert Lindsay, Julie Fletcher, George Nole, Christopher Savva, Barry Parsons, Vivien Chaplain, Russell Bratby, Geoffrey Keaton, Andrew O’Dwyer, Samuel McPaul, Colin Burns, Patrick Salway, Robert Salway, John Smith, Richard Steele, Michael Campbell, David Harrison, Ross Rixon, Michael Clarke, Rick DeMorgan, Paul Hudson, Ian McBeth, Laurence Andrew and John Butler.The court heard September hearings slated for Cooma and Queanbeyan would have to be held at the Lidcombe court instead due to the Covid-19 lockdown.More to come

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40k people don’t know they were hacked

Service NSW chief executive Damon Rees told a parliamentary hearing on Wednesday the agency had been unable to reach more than a third of the 103,000 people who had their data compromised in the March 2020 cyber attack.Mr Rees said the “unstructured nature” of the data that hackers gained access to meant that it was difficult to identify exactly who had been affected and how to contact them. “It could be the content of an email, it could be a scan of a handwritten document, it could be a scan of a receipt,” Mr Rees said of the stolen data. He said the agency decided not to contact those impacted via phone or email, opting instead for posting letters, in order to not create further risk to the hacking victims. The agency sent a round of targeted messages to victims using secure registered mail, and then sent another round of letters with more general information to those hadn’t been reached. “If you put all that together, 63,500 customers were ultimately successfully notified out of the 103,000 (that were impacted),” Mr Rees said. Mr Rees said that because the hackers got access to emails, rather than managing to penetrate a “core system”, the data they got access to was scattered. That made it difficult to be certain of the identity of people mentioned in the emails.“(It impacted our ability) to correlate that information and recognise, that, you know, the information that looks like it relates to someone called Damon Rees in this email account, and the information that looks like it relates to Damond Rees in that email account, are actually the same Damon Rees,” Mr Rees said.A top NSW Police official has previously said investigators believed cyber criminals with “malicious intent” were behind the hack. Deputy Commissioner for Investigations and Counter Terrorism David Hudson said in February police had a “fairly good handle” on what happened and the investigation would progress pending the return of some information from the Australian Federal Police.“We believe there was malicious intent, which would make it a cybercrime,” he said.“Some data breaches are caused by human error. Certainly wasn't the case in this — it was malicious actors.”It wasn‘t immediately clear on Wednesday what the status of that investigation was. When Mr Rees answered questions about the hack at the same February parliamentary hearing, he said between 20 and 30 per cent of victims were still unaware they were impacted. By Wednesday‘s figures that percentage would have grown to nearly 38 per cent.Service NSW was established in 2013 and handles information on everything from bushfire relief and traffic fines, to contact tracing data and COVID-19 test results.

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Cyclonic winds smash NSW coast

Waves higher than 10m were recorded along the central stretch of the coast and gale force winds up to 130km/h hit Kiama, south of Sydney.Sky News Australia chief meteorologist Tom Saunders said those winds were “equivalent to the speed of a category 2 tropical cyclone”.Gusts of 128km/h were recorded at Montague Island, Point Perpendicular was hit by 124km/h winds, Wollongong 120km/h, Jervis Bay Airfield 107km/h and Ulladulla and High Range 100km/h.Sydney Airport has recorded more than 52mm of rain in the past 24 hours, while the city was drenched with 40mm falling.The Illawarra region recorded the highest totals, with 105mm falling at Mt WanganderryMr Saunders said it was all due to a rapidly forming east coast low but there would be some relief from Wednesday as it drifted away from the NSW coast.“It’s now moving away from the NSW coast and as a result the winds will drop below gale force on Wednesday morning,” he said.“That system will still generate gales offshore, so the large swells will continue.“The swells are still very dangerous on Wednesday, with maximum waves close to 10m. The absolute maximum will be over 10m.“There’s not much rain left over for eastern NSW from Wednesday afternoon onwards.“The heaviest rain is now off the coast, but the Gippsland area (in Victoria) through Wednesday and Thursday will still have moderate falls.”Mr Saunders said the dangerous swells would start to ease on Wednesday afternoon but there would still be hazardous surf conditions on Thursday afternoon.He said snow would continue to fall in the southern alpine areas, such as Perisher, on Wednesday and Thursday.A damaging winds and surf severe weather warning remains in place along the coast from Gosford down to Eden.Flood warnings are also current for the Severn, Peel, Bell, Lachlan, Murrumbidgee, Barwon, Darling, Belumbula, Cooks and Macquarie rivers.Elsewhere across the nation, an area of high pressure is dominating central and eastern parts of Australia, leading to cool conditions up to the southern tropics.Overnight temperatures have dropped over the last few days, with large areas of Victoria and central NSW falling below 5C. It is expected to be a frosty finish to winter on Friday and Saturday.jack.paynter@news.com.au

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Big recruitment to cope with huge boom

Weekend deliveries will also continue for the rest of the year, with half a million parcels expected to be dispatched every weekend from now until December 25.The hiring blitz comes as the most recent lockdowns in NSW and Victoria prompt Australians to shop online in record numbers.The new roles will include 3500 jobs in deliveries including drivers and sorting staff, 350 of which will be in regional areas, as well as customer support roles in Victoria and Queensland.The federal government-owned company has already opened up pop-up sites to help process mail, but the new recruits will keep deliveries moving as extended lockdowns and parcel volumes surge to heights not seen since last Christmas.“We’ll be hiring more than 4000 new team members across the country, helping process at our sorting facilities, helping customers online and on the phone, and out delivering for Australians,” Australia Post executive general manager of community and consumer Nicole Sheffield said.More than nine million Aussies shopped online in the year to June 30, a growth of almost 32 per cent year-on-year, according to Australia Post’s 2021 Inside Online Shopping e-commerce report.Victoria, which had the highest number of days in lockdown, also had the biggest online shopping growth in 2020-21, up 49 per cent year-on-year.And as lockdowns returned recently, shoppers again turned online, with online shopping in June up 4.7 per cent year-on-year and 11 per cent higher than May.Ms Sheffield said the vast majority of parcels were still arriving on time, despite challenges posed by Covid safety requirements, reduced airfreight capacity as a result of fewer passenger flights and a reliance on overseas postal and delivery services.“Our posties and drivers have been out there since March last year often delivering on most days like it’s Christmas,” she said.“We know Australians are relying on us more than ever and will continue to in the coming months, which is why we’re putting some key measures in place to be ready for our biggest Christmas ever.”Online purchases jumped 35 per cent in December compared to the previous year, with a record of more than 52 million parcels delivered.Ms Sheffield said the recruitment drive was part of measures to keep staff and customers safe.“While it means there might be some slight delays, Australians should know we’re working harder than ever to keep delivering their parcels safely,” she said.

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‘Biggest danger’ as storm hits coast

Emergency services have received hundreds of calls for assistance as the low pressure system moves across the coastline, whipping up huge waves, bringing down trees and damaging roofs. The state would be drenched in a month’s worth of rain on Tuesday alone, the Bureau of Meteorology said.But it was the winds and surfs that would be the most concerning. “I think the biggest danger right now would be the waves,” BOM meteorologist Melody Sturm said.“Especially right now, it’s getting worse with the formation of the low, and wind speeds are really picking up.” She said people would be safest to stay indoors. By Tuesday evening, the highest wave measured by a buoy off Sydney was 6.8m. People who live in places that tend to experience coastal erosion should be extra vigilant as the waves grew in size. The hazardous surf warning was issued for both Tuesday and Wednesday and directed at people living on the Hunter, Sydney, Illawarra, Batemans and Eden coasts. People in those areas were advised not to go fishing, swimming or boating in the swell. The Bureau also put in place a marine winds warning for NSW, a storm force winds caution for Sydney and Illawarra, a gale force winds warning for Sydney, Lake Macquarie and Hunter regions, and a strong winds alert for the Byron and Coffs coasts.Since the bad weather began, the State Emergency Service had received more than 350 calls for assistance, a spokesman said on Tuesday evening. Nearly 140 of those came from the Sydney area. “We are urging people to be aware of the risks, especially when it comes to weather systems like this,” an SES spokesman said. He said people should stay off the roads if possible, move their parked cars out from under trees, tie up loose items in backyards and on balconies, and to bring pets and animals under shelter. “Be vigilant, but not alarmed,” he said. Meteorologists who were tracking the storm as it moved in from regional Victoria at the end of the weekend were speculating it could develop into a so-called “bomb”, which is when a low-pressure system deepens at an unusually rapid pace.Sky News Australia chief meteorologist Tom Saunders said it was too early to tell.“We won't be able to confirm a bomb until tomorrow morning,” he said on Tuesday evening.

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Massive win for Aussie electric car owners

Blackrock, one of the world’s biggest investment firms, has invested more than $100m in Australian electric vehicle charging start-up Jolt Charge.The $100m investment is to fund a massive expansion of charging infrastructure in Australia.Jolt plans to roll out more than 5000 public charging stations nationwide.According to the Australia Electric Vehicle Council, Australia currently has more than 3000 public chargers, but only 470 of these are ultra fast DC chargers that can add hundreds of km of range in under an hour.Jolt offers the first 7kWh of charging free everyday, which the company said is equal to about 45km. Users then pay for any energy used after the first 7kWh.Doug McNamee the founder of Jolt said that investment was critical in developing Australia’s lack of charging infrastructure and it will help drive the uptake of electric cars and reduce emissions.“Australia has a critical role to play in advancing towards a net zero emissions future. We’re excited to be leading the way forward by building the vital infrastructure needed to power our roads, address range anxiety and help get more Australians behind the wheel of an EV,” said Mr McNamee.Charlie Reid, managing director of Blackrock renewable power, said there’s a huge amount of growth potential in electric vehicle charging in Australia in the short and long term.“We believe the electrification of transport plays a pivotal role in advancing Australia’s energy transition and we look forward to harnessing this through our investment in Jolt,” said Mr Reid. Electric vehicle sales are expected to accelerate in the near future, which would put stress on the limited number of public charging stations currently available.About 8700 electric vehicles were bought in the first six months of this year, which is close to 2000 more than were sold in all of last year. This still only accounts for about 1.5 per cent of all new cars sold in the first half of 2021.Tesla’s Model 3 makes up the vast majority of these sales.The sales boost could also be attributed to a number of more affordable options coming to market such as the MG ZS EV, new Nissan Leaf and the Hyundai Kona Electric.Several state governments have also begun offering thousands of dollars in rebates and stamp duty discounts. Victoria has introduced a new tax on electric vehicles.

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Big change to catching a cab

13 Cabs chief operating officer Stuart Overell said the option would be available to passengers in as soon as two weeks through its booking app.But drivers who did not wish to be vaccinated against Covid-19 would be moved into delivery roles where contact with other people was limited.“We are collecting the vaccination certificates of all of our drivers at the moment, and 20 per cent of active drivers responded in just two days last weekend,” Mr Overell said.“Two weeks will give us a good sense of where we’re at – because of the staggered vaccine rollout in various states it’s proving a challenge for some of our drivers to book in for a vaccination. “Victoria prioritised taxi drivers from the start, so we expect most Victorian drivers to be vaccinated in a fortnight, whereas it hasn’t been a priority for our drivers in Queensland for example – we don’t want to penalise anyone for things outside of their control.”Mr Overell said the response from drivers to getting vaccinated had been “overwhelming” but said 5 per cent of drivers had “no intention” to get the jab.“We do have a plan to move them into our delivery business which is contactless and a safer role for those who don’t wish to get vaccinated,” he said. Mr Overell said demand among passengers who wanted fully vaccinated drivers had surged in the past few weeks as the national conversation on the Covid-19 jab rollout ramped up. Doherty Institute modelling suggests there would be less chance of harsh Covid-19 restrictions such as lockdowns when 70-80 per cent of the country’s population is fully vaccinated. The commonwealth has framed its vaccine advice to Australians based on the modelling. “It’s a very common conversation with our passengers – they’ll frequently contact our call centre requesting fully vaccinated drivers and requesting proof drivers are fully vaccinated,” Mr Overell said.“We believe this is the right thing to do for our business and the right thing to do for Australia.”About 30.04 per cent of the country’s eligible population has been fully vaccinated.That figure is likely to hit 80 per cent by mid-November, according to the Department of Health.

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Victorians crash site in vaccine rush

The state government website to book a Covid-19 vaccine appointment crashed within minutes of Premier Daniel Andrews announcing any Victorian aged 16 and older will now be eligible for the Pfizer jab.Mr Andrews revealed Victorians aged between 16 and 39 would be able to book a Pfizer jab from 7am on Wednesday at the state-run vaccination centres.He also announced an extra 830,000 first dose vaccination appointments would be made available, which would be split about 50 per cent between the Pfizer and AstraZeneca jabs.When asked about the website crashing, Mr Andrews said they were never happy to see their systems overwhelmed but it just spoke to the number of Victorians who wanted to protect themselves against the virus.“I don’t know if you can build a website big enough for over 1.2 million people who want to get vaccinated,” the Premier said.The web page was back up and running just before 2pm.Mr Andrews said the vaccine appointments had been opened up as the government now had certainty the extra doses Prime Minister Scott Morrison secured from Poland would arrive.Victorians aged 16 and 17 years old will only be able to get the Pfizer jab as they are not eligible for AstraZeneca under the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation advice. Those aged 60 and over will continue to receive AstraZeneca.When people arrive for their vaccine appointment at one of the state hubs they will be offered both vaccine and will therefore be able to choose their jab.Those who have already made an appointment will also be offered both and don’t need to change or cancel their appointment.Mr Andrews again urged people not to cancel their existing appointments in order to book a Pfizer jab after more than 15,000 AstraZeneca bookings were binned on Monday.The government has a goal of more than one million doses in arms over the next five weeks and Mr Andrews said the state was on track to exceed that.“A booking is the most important way and the only way you can get into this system unless you are a priority worker,” he said.The expansion will result in an extra 2 million Victorians becoming eligible for the Pfizer vaccine, while about 1.7 million Victorians aged 16 to 59 have already received the jab.The announcement comes as Victoria recorded 50 new locally acquired Covid-19 cases on Tuesday, including 10 more mystery cases.The state’s health department confirmed the new locally acquired infections and said 40 of the 50 new cases could be linked to existing outbreaks.But alarmingly, only 11 cases were in isolation throughout their infectious period, meaning 39 were out in the community.Seven of the new cases were associated to the Shepparton cluster, which Covid-19 commander Jeroen Weimar revealed had now been genomically linked to the Glenroy outbreak in Melbourne.A further six cases were linked to the MyCentre Childcare in Broadmeadows, 12 were linked to the Newport cluster, six were linked to the Al-Taqwa College and Hobsons Bay outbreak, four were linked with the Royal Melbourne Hospital and five were known household and primary close contacts of earlier cases.Hopes of the lockdown being eased on September 2 are fading fast after the state recorded five straight days of 50 local cases and above.But when asked if there was any chance of getting a ring around the outbreak by September 2, Mr Weimar said he remained hopeful.“If we continue to work together, we have pulled six, seven outbreaks now in the last eight months, so collectively as a Victorian community we can absolutely do that,” he said.“We can cap the rising cases and get it down, because if we don’t, we are looking at the other side of the Murray River and that’s what is awaiting us.“Those primary close contact numbers will continue to rise but the onus is now on the wider community because this Delta moves frighteningly quickly.“We will go as hard as we possibly can but we need everybody to realise that if you continue to socialise, if you continue to see each other at home, if you continue to pop in and see your mum (there is a risk).”There are now more than 660 exposure sites in multiple suburbs across metropolitan Melbourne and more than 14,000 people remain in isolation across the state.There are now 522 active cases across the state, up from 494 on Monday.Mr Weimar said 113 of the 522 active cases were aged 9 and under, 101 were aged between 10 and 19 years old, and 92 were aged in their 20s.One new case were recorded in hotel quarantine on Tuesday.jack.paynter@news.com.au

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Tech tsar gives up US extradition fight

Eugeni “Zhenya” Tsvetnenko, 40, was charged by New York authorities with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering in mid-2016.The father of two wasn’t arrested until December 2018 and has been detained at Hakea Prison ever since, having lost three bids to secure bail after being deemed a flight risk.He was due to face a four-day extradition hearing in Perth Magistrates Court on Tuesday but instead gave his consent to surrender to US authorities.Tsvetnenko smiled broadly at his supporters in the public gallery before being led away.More to come

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Stark lockdown reality for unvaccinated

As the state celebrates six million doses of the vaccine now having been administered, Ms Berejiklian said it was incredibly likely that proof of vaccination would be required at a host of businesses. “There is no doubt that in the future as (chief health officer) Dr (Kerry) Chant said, we can assume that many private organisations for a long period say you can only come to my premise or fly on my plane or do X, Y and Z if you have the vaccine,” she said. “NSW has developed technology to allow us to check in and show our vaccine in one go. “My message to everyone is that if you want to get back to normal, get your vaccine. “If you want to do things, vaccination will be key as part of that process.” Ms Berejiklian and Dr Chant are discussing what freedoms fully vaccinated NSW residents will be able to enjoy come September and October. “We’ve got 60 per cent of our population with at least one dose. That gives you a certain level of protection,” Ms Berejiklian said. “In some parts of the world, they’re essentially living freely with these rates of vaccination. We’re more conservative here.”

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Classy budget European SUV has arrived

Styled after swooping coupe-like SUVs such as the BMW X6, Audi Q8 and Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe, the Renault Arkana brings premium looks to customers on a tighter budget.Priced from $33,990 to $40,990 plus on-road costs, the Arkana is based on the same platform as Renault’s compact Captur crossover.Power comes from a 1.3-litre four-cylinder turbo engine with 115kW and 262Nm, driving the front wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Renault claims 6.0L/100km fuel consumption for the reasonably compact machine.There’s no hybrid or performance version in the range – though that may change in the future.The brand does not hesitate to name premium machines such as the Audi Q3 Sportback as potential rivals, mainstream machines such as the Volkswagen T-Roc and Mazda CX-30 are closer competitors.The base Arkana “Zen” model has a 4.2-inch driver display and 7-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard. Climate control, faux leather trim, LED headlights and 17-inch alloys also feature in the cheapest version.Standard safety features include auto emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane keeping assistance and active cruise control. Mid-grade Arkana “Intens” models priced from $37,490 plus on-road costs add 18-inch alloys, heated and ventilated seats with leather trim, sat nav, rear cross traffic alert and more. The range-topping Arkana R.S. Line offered from $40,990 plus on-roads adds a sunroof, leather and suede trim, wireless smartphone charging and other niceties. A 10.25-inch digital dash is an optional extra on the top grades. Renault backs the car with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty and five years of capped price servicing.

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Horror moment TikTok star falls from roof

Horrifying footage shows the moment a TikToker plunged to her death from a rooftop after clambering up to get videos of the sunset.

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Why dangerous bird habit could increase

The intelligent creatures remember individual facial features and stop swooping those who enter their territory regularly.However, Covid-19 masks make it difficult for a magpie to learn a person’s face, and they are particularly territorial during spring breeding.Griffith University magpie expert Darryl Jones told Canberra’s The Riot Act that magpies could step up their swooping and Canberra was a hub for the birds.“Because they can’t distinguish between who they think is a real problem they start to think, ‘It’s one of these people hiding behind a mask, OK, I’ll hit the lot of them’,” he said.“The density of magpies in Canberra is higher than anywhere else (in Australia). It follows that more magpies means more attacks.”In NSW, University of New England magpie expert and author Gisela Kaplan told NCA NewsWire that swooping was a warning to strangers and lockdowns forcing people to walk through parks could be a reason for more swooping.“They are wonderful creatures and usually parks are the only places with trees thick and tall enough for them to nest,” she said.“With a lot more people walking through parks whom magpies don’t recognise, that could lead to more swooping.”South Australian government advice urges people to use caution while magpies breed between August and October.“Females will typically lay between three and five eggs in early to mid-August and will sit on them for three weeks until they hatch,” the advice reads.“It’s during these times that some males defend their nests – from the time the eggs are laid until the young birds are fledged. They will attack anything they consider to be a threat – from a sparrow to a dog to a human.”A five-month-old baby was killed when her mother fell while trying to avoid a magpie swoop at a park in Brisbane earlier this month.A Queensland Ambulance Service spokesman said paramedics were called to the park following “reports that a mum had fallen with a baby in her arms”.

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Cops aware of rogue truckie protest

A man identifying himself as a truck driver has claimed a group of his fellow truckies are planning to carry out protests against lockdowns on highways across Australia.Truck drivers are at breaking point across the country due to the exhaustion of Covid-19 testing, interstate border closures and deadline pressures.In the video circulating on social media, the man warns Australians to rush out to grocery stores and buy food “for the next week, or two” because supply chains would be interrupted.“It’s on. The truckies are doing it,” he said in the video.“The truckies are going to shut down the country; what that means is you need to go shopping now, get what you can for the next week or two, load your fridge, freezers.“The truckies are coming and they are going to pull this country down and we are all going to do it together and remove this shit government.“The vets (war veterans are in the truckies are in I’m in.”The man also airs anti-vaccination views towards the end of the video.The Transport Workers Union (TWU) said this protest was not sanctioned by their organisation but could understand why truck drivers are fed up dealing with the pandemic.Michael Kaine, TWU national secretary, told NCA NewsWire truckies were fed up with the federal and state governments.“Truckies have been the backbone of the Covid response, dealing with border chaos and closed roadhouses,” Mr Kaine said.“They are angry for a legitimate reason. The current testing regimen forces them to wait many hours, eating into already scarce time that should be used to earn an income.“By now, the federal government really should have built a more flexible and rapid testing regimen that recognises the reality of long-haul trucking.“This would make life a lot easier for people who are already doing it tough due to the pandemic.”A NSW Police spokesman said the force was aware of the planned protest. “NSW Police will continue to conduct Operation STAY AT HOME to ensure compliance with the public health orders,” they said.The TWU is sanctioning a separate protest planned for Friday, when 7000 drivers are expected to walk off the job site on Friday over an employment dispute with operator Toll.Paul, a truck driver from Victoria, told 2GB’s Ben Fordham “it stems from frustration”.“At the end of the day there’s a lot of people who lost their job, we’ve worked through the whole Covid (crisis),” he said.

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Aussies first in world to try new vaccine

A world-first trial on a possible “next-generation” Covid-19 vaccine will soon begin in Queensland, with scientists hoping they will be able to provide better protection against the virus.

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What will happen when Australia opens

The Doherty Institute has released modelling that predicts what will happen when Australia reaches a 70% vaccination rate and the states end lockdowns.

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Scary airbag claim in horror smash

A Melbourne woman is launching legal action against Fiat claiming none of the seven airbags inside her hatchback deployed when a truck ploughed into it.

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‘Weather bomb’ to strike coast

The NSW coast could be hit by a “weather bomb” this week as a low-pressure system continues to deepen at an unusually rapid pace.

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Shocking rate of offending revealed

Nearly 6000 Queenslanders were busted illegally using their phones behind the wheel in just three weeks amid a new crackdown on road safety breaches.

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Corporate titans feel social pressure

Keenly aware of intense scrutiny over their ESG (economic, social and governance) standing, Australia’s biggest listed companies appear to be getting serious about their climate change policies, with a big leap in those setting goals, a new report shows.

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Tesla’s Aussie dominance revealed

New sales figures reveal the extent of Tesla’s dominance in Australia.

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Chinese star blacklisted over Japan photo

A Chinese actor and singer is facing serious repercussions after photos emerged of him visiting shrines in Japan.

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Schools in chaos as Zoom crashes

Online learning has been thrown into chaos with technology giant Zoom reportedly suffering a widespread outage.

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Driven: Kia’s answer to Tesla

Kia is the latest brand to bring an electric car to Australia with its Niro electric compact SUV. We find out what it’s all about, here are five things you need to know about the Kia Niro Sport.

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Red Cross reveals where donations went

The Red Cross has revealed it has passed on the majority of the $242 million raised through charitable donations for Australia’s Black Summer Bushfires.

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Monster storm on a collision course

A swath of the US East Coast, including New York City, was under alert on Saturday as Henri was upgraded to hurricane status.

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Taliban mocks US with famous photo

The Taliban, newly armed with an array of weaponry following the chaotic withdrawal of United States forces from Afghanistan, has released a photo mocking the Americans.

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Breathing hazard as smoke blankets city

Sydneysiders have woken to smoke-filled skies for a second day as hazard reduction burns cause poor air quality in the city.

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What China really wants from Taliban

The Taliban may have been cut off from Afghanistan’s international cash reserves. But it’s sitting on a treasure trove of resources desperately needed to combat climate change.

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Head turning European car hits the road

Sedans are quickly going the way of the Dodo, but this one is one of the best on the road and has French style and flair to spare.

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Dozens more evacuated from Kabul

A third Australian Defence Force plane carrying 80 Australian citizens, permanent visa holders and local employees has touched down in Australia from Afghanistan.

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Google ‘founder’ took revenge on wife

In 2018, Google shirked off its unofficial motto, “Don’t be evil.” Maybe that was a sign.

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Baby horse lit on fire in ‘barbaric act’

Vets have been battling to save a seven-week-old horse set on fire in a mindless act of cruelty.

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Elon Musk unveils creepy ‘Tesla bot’

Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced Thursday evening that the electric carmaker is now branching out and working on a humanoid “Tesla bot” — with one analyst calling the project a “head-scratcher that will further agitate investors.”

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Tragedy strikes at SeaWorld as orca dies

SeaWorld San Diego just lost one of its own. The youngest orca who lived at the beloved marine animal theme park died suddenly.

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Dyson’s new device is a game-changer

REVIEW

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New Toyota HiLux ute tested

Australia’s best-selling Toyota HiLux has recently been updated and now has more power and suspension improvements to tame its bouncy unladen ride.

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Uber fined as worrying incidents uncovered

Rideshare company Uber has been hit with more than $200,000 in fines after a raft of incidents were not reported to the NSW regulator, with a transport union revealing these included alleged sexual assaults and collisions.

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Drivers stumped by simple road quiz

Motorists were stumped when asked to identify how many road rules were being breached in a single photo.

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OnlyFans stars react to bombshell ban

Australia’s most popular OnlyFans stars have reacted to the adult content subscription service’s announcement that it will ban sexually explicit material in the coming weeks.

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Cut price family SUV has arrived

MG is a brand on the rise, it has gone from obscurity to a top 10 selling brand in the past few years as buyers warm to its vehicles’ good looks and strong value. We test out its new top-shelf family SUV.

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Qld vaccine advice changes again

Queensland’s top doctor has eased the urgency on distributing the AstraZeneca jab because the state is “not in an outbreak”.

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China’s Tiangong vs. International Space Station: Tech, Design Unpacked

While the future of the 23-year-old International Space Station remains uncertain after 2024, China says its newly equipped Tiangong station will be up and running by next year. WSJ unpacks the design and technology of both space stations. Photo: CCTV; NASA

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Drastic rego plan could drive up fees

A Victorian government advisory group is pushing for car registration fees to be scrapped and replaced by a pay-per-kilometre system, according to new plans revealed in parliament.

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Woolies’ bold change to supermarket staple

Supermarket giant Woolworths is part of a $13 million project that could fundamentally change a core grocery staple.

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Bold new luxury SUV exposed

Genesis is joining the electric revolution.

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Bold new luxury SUV exposed

Genesis is joining the electric revolution.

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Man’s horror injury after crocodile attack

A man in his 20s has had several toes amputated and partially amputated during a terrifying crocodile attack in the Northern Territory.

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Wild requests from locked down city

Transporting adopted cats and fish tanks are among services being requested on outsourcing platform Airtasker that police have warned could breach public health orders.

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This could be the best car on the road

Once the big car makers put their energy into building an electric car it can be amazing, this car proves it.

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‘Chaos’: Inside Australia’s Kabul evacuation

The shambolic difficulties experienced in Australia’s evacuation in Afghanistan have been revealed as both Scott Morrison and Peter Dutton provided a blunt reality of the difficulty facing both foreigners and Afghans.

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Car-theft deterrent creates new criminal

A transponder that renders a vehicle useless when the key is not in the ignition is behind juveniles invading homes to steal a set of wheels, a leading motoring group has warned.

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Sign spring weather could be hectic

Spring is just weeks away and the early signs are that weather wise it’s going to be a literal damp squib.

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Horror alligator attack at kids’ party

Wild footage shows a powerful alligator named Darth Gator snapping hold of its handler and yanking her into the water at a kids’ party.

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Legendary sports car coming to Australia

This is the sports car Nissan fans have been waiting for.

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‘Common cause’: Ex-PM defends war on terror

Former prime minister John Howard has defended the US-led war on terror in the wake of Afghanistan’s rapid and violent fall to the Taliban following the withdrawal of US troops.

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Big change coming to AstraZeneca

The AstraZeneca vaccine is set to undergo a name change in Australia to make it easier for people who’ve received the vaccine to travel overseas.

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Taliban’s mystery man appears in world first

The Taliban’s “behind-the-scenes voice” has appeared for the first time among the world press, holding the group’s first press conference since their speedy takeover of Afghanistan.

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Kabul rescue plane’s huge fail

The first German military plane to land in Kabul since the Taliban takeover has evacuated only seven people, the government said on Tuesday, due to chaos at the Afghan capital’s airport.

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Why ‘ambitious’ target may be reached

A comparison of Australia and Canada’s Covid-19 vaccination approach reveals there is “good reason” to be confident Down Under will achieve its 80 per cent target by mid-November, a new paper suggests.

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Barnaby blasts China on climate change

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has avoided making a commitment to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by comparing Australia with China.

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‘Disappointed’: Joe Biden slammed

Australia’s former ambassador to Israel has slammed US President Joe Biden’s response to the tragic events unfolding in Afghanistan, saying he is unconvinced by his excuses for withdrawal.

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Exclusive golf club denies trying loophole

Sydney’s most exclusive golf club has dismissed reports it was encouraging members to exploit a loophole in public health orders by suggesting members from affluent north shore suburb Mosman take a water taxi to the Harbourside course.

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Tesla under investigation by US government

Tesla is being investigated by the US government.

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‘Inept’: Australia fails Afghan workers

A lawyer working to bring Afghan interpreters and their families to Australia has warned a public inquiry is needed to hold to account the “bureaucratic monoliths” for not acting fast enough to ensure the safe passage of those who worked alongside our armed forces.

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Plan for Australia’s biggest electric highway

The nation’s longest electric highway will be developed in Western Australia, with 45 spots to make up the electric vehicle fast charging network.

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Shock as snake spotted in Woolies

A cheeky snake has shocked shoppers inside a Woolworths after it emerged nonchalantly from the store’s spice shelf.

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Why this car is worth $28m

The majority of cars lose value over time, but a few special gems can make owners a tonne of money.

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China threatens war: ‘The US won’t help’

China has pounced on the United States’ botched withdrawal from Afghanistan, using it to threaten the island of Taiwan.

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Horror prediction for mouse plague

Mice are coming back in large numbers to plague farmers across several Australian states.

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Stunning photo inside rescue plane

WARNING: Confronting.

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Jacinda’s tough words for the Taliban

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has issued a blunt message to the Taliban as she announced the country will deploy military aircraft as soon as this morning for a rescue operation.

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Affordable sports car legend returns

Car enthusiasts around the world have welcomed news that Honda will bring back the Integra in 2022.

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Cops message to 3500 after man charged

Queensland child protection detectives are attempting to track down more than 3500 social media users allegedly contacted by a man charged with child exploitation offences.

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China savagely mocks US over Taliban

It’s a move known to have pleased Beijing: Washington’s surrender of Afghanistan to the Taliban is being met with delight by its troll-diplomats and media.

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Big change to buying a used car

Even a major purchase like buying a car is moving more online as the pandemic scuppers face-to-face negotiating, with vehicle marketplace Carsales.com.au saying Covid-19 has accelerated migration to digital platforms.

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Comedian broadcasts our problem to world

Australian comedian Celeste Barber has a way of cutting through the spin.

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‘Medieval’: Shocking Taliban photo

Photos have emerged of the Taliban parading men through the streets tarred in black and nooses as fears grow the militants will reimpose brutal Sharia law.

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‘Disgrace’: Outrage over Taliban tweet

Nationals senator Matt Canavan has been blasted online by members of his own party after a tweet about the situation in Afghanistan that’s been labelled “offensive” and “disrespectful”.

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New 1000-bed quarantine facility confirmed

A 1000-bed quarantine facility near the Brisbane Airport that will take the pressure off Queensland’s hotel quarantine system will be completed by next year, it has been confirmed.

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Wild new $5m-plus supercar exposed

Aston Martin’s new Valkyrie Spider could be one of the meanest and most expensive new cars on the planet.

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No plans to take Kabul ‘by force’

Taliban fighters are reportedly entering the outskirts of Kabul - the capital of Afghanistan.

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Country set to vanish from the map

The runway of the capital city’s airport jostles for space among the homes crammed around it, which themselves make way for two of the largest buildings – the nation’s parliament and the Princess Margaret Hospital – both with water views.

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Australia’s desperate rescue mission

Scores of Australian defence personnel are set to depart for Afghanistan in a last-minute dash to evacuate hundreds of people from the war-torn capital Kabul, which is set to fall to the Taliban.

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Tough new 4WD ready to tackle Australia

Ford has beefed-up its Everest range with the addition of a new BaseCamp edition that brings a bunch of off-road focused equipment. We find out what it’s all about.

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Call for new data to expose ‘failure’

Labor is calling on Scott Morrison to publicly release data on first nations vaccination rates which they say would expose his “failure” to protect the high-risk group.

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Fury at ‘apalling’ NSW lockdown move

Outrage has erupted after NSW’s leaders plunged the entire state into lockdown via Twitter on Saturday afternoon.

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Nifty feature hidden in iPhone update

If you’re an iPhone user and you’ve updated to iOS 14, chances are you’re not taking full advantage of all the awesome features that have come with the update.

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Inside crypto tycoon’s Sydney ‘castle’

A tech millionaire has opened up the doors to his $15 million Sydney oceanfront "fortress" for the first time after making his crypto fortune.

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The best cheap sports car revealed

THE QUESTION

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Apple’s Software Chief Explains ‘Misunderstood’ iPhone Child-Protection Features (Exclusive)

Apple’s tools for flagging child pornography and identifying explicit photos in kids’ messages caused backlash and confusion. In an exclusive interview, Apple software chief Craig Federighi sat down with WSJ’s Joanna Stern to defend the technology and explain how it will work. Illustration: Laura Kammermann/The Wall Street Journal

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Roberts-Smith’s conversation at Bunnings

Court documents have claimed a veteran private eye cut ties with Victoria-Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith over “threatening letters”.

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Bombshell photo in Roberts-Smith case

Ben Roberts-Smith denies burying any military files in his backyard – but his wife photographed the patch of dirt where she allegedly unearthed a box of USBs filled with sensitive information.

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Mums fined as cops swarm Sydney‘s east

Three pram-pushing young mothers have each been slapped with a $1000 for stopping to talk while in a busy Sydney park.

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Probe into fire that wiped out 86 homes

An independent review will be held into the devastating Wooroloo bushfire that destroyed 86 homes in the Perth Hills.

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‘Sex more likely to kill you than AZ’

Despite the 4.59 billion doses of Covid vaccines delivered straight into the arms of the global population, everyone in Australia seems to have their take.

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Shock call by Roberts-Smith’s wife revealed

“Are you sitting down?” - these are the words spoken by Ben Roberts-Smith’s wife the moment she came face-to-face with her husband’s alleged “mistress”, according to a trove of revealing court documents.

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Alleged Tinder stalker faces new charge

A South Australian man who was charged with stalking a woman he met through a dating app has been arrested for the second time this week and charged with the same offence.

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Albo‘s blunder on 102yo’s Centrelink bill

Anthony Albanese has clarified the meaning behind a now-deleted tweet misinterpreted as celebrating the plight of a 102-year-old pensioner faced with her Centrelink payments being withdrawn.

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YouTuber’s court setback against Barilaro

A popular YouTube commentator being sued by NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro has been ordered to rewrite his defence to the politician’s defamation claims.

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Man charged with killing 41 horses

Warning: Graphic images

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China unleashes on tiny European country

China has unleashed on the tiny European country of Lithuania over Taiwan.

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Aussie boss’ big global warming target

The head of the first manufacturer in Australia to mandate the Covid-19 jab among its employees is also unveiling a four-step action plan in a bid to slash the company’s waste to zero.

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Cut-price luxury SUV lands in Australia

Genesis is Hyundai’s luxury brand, created in the same way, and for the same reasons, that Lexus was spawned in the early 1990s as Toyota’s upper-class moneymaker.

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Map shows stunning Taliban takeover

The Taliban has seized two more key cities in Afghanistan, the tenth and eleventh provincial capitals to fall under its control in the past week.

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‘Shocking’ vaccine mistake revealed

Some of the most vulnerable communities in Australia were given incorrect Covid-19 information for months before the blunder was eventually exposed.

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Sad detail after tangled whale freed

The juvenile whale that became tangled in shark netting off the Queensland coast this week has been freed but will be forced to drag debris as it continues its seasonal migration.

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New Genesis GV70 tested

An all-new luxury car brand has landed in Australia with a high-quality SUV ready to take on the Germans.

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New LandCruiser: all the changes revealed

The new LandCruiser 300 Series shares plenty of DNA with the 200 Series it will replace soon, but a lot has changed.

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All-new Toyota LandCruiser 300-Series tested

The new Toyota LandCruiser has been years in the making and it is due to hit Aussie roads later this year.

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Truckie punches driver after rogue move

The driver of an SUV has been subjected to a vicious road rage assault after dangerously overtaking a truckie, who later appeared to punch the motorist in the face.

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Reddit fans lose their minds over outage

Users of popular social media site Reddit descended into panic on Thursday as the website shut down for about 90 minutes.

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Key upgrades for Toyota HiLux announced

Australia’s most popular new car is getting a range of new features.

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Sydney‘s proof vaccination works

Almost all of the 62 people who require intensive care treatment in NSW after contracting Covid-19 have not been vaccinated, NSW Health has confirmed.

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Heat record smashed with 48.8C day

Regional authorities in Sicily recorded temperatures of 48.8C yesterday as an anticyclone dubbed “Lucifer” swept in, which if confirmed would be a new Italian and European record.

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Australia strikes new weapons deal

Australia has announced a new partnership with the US to develop precision strike missile technology capable of hitting targets at ranges of more than 400km in an effort to bolster Australia’s military capabilities.

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Taliban going ‘door to door’ for ‘sex slaves’

Taliban fighters are “going to door to door” to round up young girls to be “sex slaves” for fighters in the terror group, reports claim.

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State to open Pfizer for 16-39s in days

South Australia will become the first state to open availability for the Covid-19 Pfizer vaccine to 16-39 year olds.

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Man ‘threatened to harm’ horses: cops

A Sydney man who allegedly threatened to harm police horses in the wake of last month’s violent anti-lockdown protests has been charged.

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Why this SUV is a sensible choice

The Honda CR-V used to be one of the most popular mid-size SUVs on sale, but has since dropped off. We find out if it is still a worthy competitor to the Toyota RAV4 and Mazda CX-5.

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‘Emotional’ race to save tangled whale

The “emotional” mission to save a humpback whale trapped in shark netting in waters off the southern Gold Coast has resumed on Thursday morning.

via Technology | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://ift.tt/3AyPjtV

Taliban taking Afghanistan by storm

The Taliban now controls 65 per cent of Afghanistan after a lightning blitz that caught Afghan forces by surprise.

via Technology | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://ift.tt/3xCQxCF

Teen who sparked lockdown cops abuse

The teenager who unwittingly caused the lockdown of a regional NSW town has desperately pleaded for thousands of daily messages of abuse to stop.

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Warm winter spell ‘won’t last’

The east coast of Australia is set to bask in the warmest day of winter as “desert heat” brings temperatures more like summer than the cold season.

via Technology | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://ift.tt/3s5NnWX