A talented young basketball player charged with assaulting police has claimed he is the victim of police brutality after an incident in Adelaide.

Akol Deng, 22, had trained with the Adelaide 36ers and played college basketball in the US.

He was out with a friend on Hindley Street early on Monday morning when he was stopped by police and accused of committing a crime.

Capsicum spray was ultimately deployed, and Mr Deng claimed he panicked and ran before being tackled to the ground.

He said he was left bloodied and bruised with a broken tooth.

The Sudanese immigrant said he had not been drinking and alleged he was targeted because of his race.

He spent 12 hours in custody.

Mr Deng plans to fight the police assault charge when he returns to court in March.

The head of the World Health Organisation said today that he is "disappointed" Chinese officials haven't finalised the permissions to allow a team of experts into China to examine the origins of COVID-19.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in a rare critique of Beijing, said members of the international scientific team began departing from their home countries over the last 24 hours as part of an arrangement between WHO and the Chinese government.

"Today, we learned that Chinese officials have not yet finalised the necessary permissions for the team's arrival in China," Gen. Tedros said during a news conference in Geneva.

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"I'm very disappointed with this news, given that two members had already begun their journeys and others were not able to travel at the last minute, but had been in contact with senior Chinese officials," he said.

Gen. Tedros said he "made it clear" that the mission was a priority for the UN health agency, and that he was "assured that China is speeding up the internal procedures for the earliest possible deployment."

"We are eager to get the mission underway as soon as possible," he said.

The experts drawn from around the world are expected to visit the city of Wuhan, which is suspected as the place that the coronavirus first emerged over a year ago.

Dr Michael Ryan, the WHO's emergencies chief, said the deployment had been expected to start today but that the needed approvals had not yet been granted, including for visa clearances.

The Chinese government has been strictly controlling all research at home into the origins of the virus, an Associated Press investigation found, and state-owned media have played up reports that suggest the virus could have originated elsewhere.

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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said recently that "more and more research suggests that the pandemic was likely to have been caused by separate outbreaks in multiple places in the world."

The UN health agency came in for searing criticism from President Donald Trump and other US officials over its alleged deference to and excessive praise of China's handling of the initial outbreak.

Dr Ryan said Gen. Tedros had "taken immediate action" and spoken with unspecified senior Chinese officials, and "has fully impressed upon them the absolute critical nature of this."

"We hope that this is just a logistical and bureaucratic issue that can be resolved very quickly," Dr Ryan added.

The WHO chief met with Chinese President Xi Jinping as the pandemic was emerging early last year.

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The former partner of a Melbourne mother has been charged with murder almost 14 years after the singer was allegedly strangled in her home.

Paul Charlton was arrested at his Casterton home, in Victoria's south-west, this morning and has since been charged with one count of murder over the death of his ex-girlfriend Joanne Howell.

Ms Howell's sister Lisa Hennessy said she and her family were going through a range of emotions today.

"As a family we've come together even stronger and we're going to see this through for Jo … happy and sad, mixed emotions," Ms Hennessy said.

Ms Howell was allegedly strangled and bashed to death before she died in her Poath Road apartment in Hughesdale on April 21, 2007.

The Melbourne mother was a well-known singer who performed on the ABC music show Countdown in the 1970s.

Ms Hennessy said she and her family never gave up looking for 'Jo's Justice' and over the years had never stopped thinking about their sister.

"We talk about it on any birthday, Christmas, on special occasions, Jo's birthday, the day it happened.

"We get together and talk about it as a family, so we have been waiting for that phone call to happen for so long that it's surreal."

Ms Howell's sister thanked police for their efforts over the years and hope they can "finally get the answers we need."

"We are so grateful as a family."

Ms Hennessy also hopes her sister's death was an opportunity to shine a light on violence against women.

Mr Charlton's arrest comes after police appealed for further information relating to the 51-year-old's cold case killing last month.

He faced the Hamilton Magistrates' Court this afternoon and has been remanded in custody until his next court date in June.

The prosecutor told the court police would need additional time to prepare the brief of evidence while telephone intercepts were transcribed.

At the time of Ms Howell's death, Mr Charlton was taken into custody and interviewed, but released without charge and has always denied being involved in her death.

Last month during the public appeal for additional information, head of the homicide squad Detective Inspector Tim Day said Ms Howell's death was violent and tragic.

"This was an incredibly brutal and tragic end to Joanne's life," he said.

Police believe Ms Howell died within a half hour window of 9pm on April 21 after a phone call about 8.30pm.

Neighbours have said they heard a loud noise coming from her home between 9pm and 9.30pm.

Anyone with information that could assist investigators is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit www.crimestoppersvic.com.au

NSW Health has confirmed COVID-19 testing is free after reports several people had been charged for the service at some private clinics in Sydney.

People who showed up to the clinics without a Medicare card were reportedly charged a fee.

NSW Health today said the service does not cost anything and those people will be reimbursed for what they paid.

"While you can provide your Medicare card at the clinic you attend for testing, you do not need a Medicare card to be tested and you will not be charged," NSW Health said in a statement.

NSW Health also confirmed they will continue to waive fees for suspected cases of COVID-19 in overseas visitors who are ineligible for Medicare and present to NSW hospitals for testing.

There are more than 350 testing sites available across NSW with many open seven days a week.

There is no charge for having a test done at any of these sites if you don't have your Medicare card with you.

READ MORE: Pandemic haunts new year as virus growth outpaces vaccines

https://twitter.com/NSWHealth/status/1346643824328601602?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

NSW Health said the only time there will ever be a charge for a COVID-19 test is "for the purposes of travel to other jurisdictions that require a negative test prior to travel".

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Prime Minister Scott Morrison has called a special meeting of National Cabinet this Friday to discuss strengthening Australia's COVID-19 protocols for returning travellers.

Announcing the unscheduled meeting via social media, Mr Morrison said the UK's new highly transmissible strain will be discussed.

It's thought measures such as mandatory testing of passengers before they board a flight to Australia will be considered.

READ MORE: Four new local cases of coronavirus in NSW

"This afternoon I contacted Premiers and Chief Ministers to convene a special meeting of National Cabinet on Friday morning," Mr Morrison wrote.

"The meeting is to consider a proposal that I requested through our Chief Medical Officer, Professor Paul Kelly, from our national expert medical panel, the AHPPC.

"The proposal is to further strengthen the COVID safety of end to end international travel processes (from arrival at Airport of embarkation in the exit country, to final clearance from hotel quarantine in Australia). This is being done particularly in the context of the UK strain."

Mr Morrison said the rollout of a vaccine within Australia will also be discussed.

READ MORE: 'You will not be charged for testing', NSW Health confirms

"The AHPPC has continued to meet every day during this most recent outbreak, and had an initial discussion of their proposal today," Mr Morrison wrote.

"They will discuss the proposal further tomorrow before making a formal submission to National Cabinet.

"The meeting will also provide an opportunity to further update National Cabinet on the Federal Government's vaccination programme, where considerable progress is being made over the break."

READ MORE: Singapore COVID-19 contact tracing data can be accessed by police

Debate between state governments has raged over the way internal quarantining of overseas travellers has been conducted.

Currently, Sydney accepts the majority of international travellers and that is where they undertake hotel quarantine before taking a connecting flight to their home state.

You can get up-to-date information from the Federal Government's Coronavirus Australia app, available on the App Store, Google Play and the Government's WhatsApp channel.

Beyond Blue's Coronavirus Mental Wellbeing Support Service is a 24/7 service free of charge to all Australians. Visit the site here or call 1800512348

For coronavirus breaking news alerts and livestreams straight to your smartphone sign up to the 9News app and set notifications to on at the App Store or Google Play.

People across the country have rallied together to help the owners of a beloved Auckland café get back on their feet after a burglary. Rockys Restaurant & Café was burgled earlier in the week. Read More Auckland cafe burglary:…

Flooding has occurred in parts of North Queensland after torrential rain from ex-Tropical Cyclone Imogen drenched the region.

Shops, cars and houses were inundated in Ingham, north of Townsville, after 122 millimetres fell in one hour this morning.

Dominic Zighoni spent the morning laying sandbags outside his seafood shop as the water rose.

The Ingham local told 9News this morning's downpour was unusually heavy.

"That was a bit of a wake-up call, I haven't heard one like that for a while," he said.

"It's unreal. Ten days a go we were in drought and now we've got 30 or 40 feet in the river running through."

The Severe Weather Warning for the region has now been cancelled but forecasters say the risk of severe thunderstorms and localised rainbands which may lead to flash flooding remains.

Drivers are being urged to take care, with dozens of roads still flooded across the state.

The SES has received more than 100 calls for assistance since Sunday.