India started counting votes from its staggered, six-week election that was seen as a referendum on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decade in power and was expected to give him a third term in office.

Exit polls by major television channels have projected a comfortable win for the Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies over a broad opposition alliance led by the Congress party and its main campaign leader, Rahul Gandhi.

Nearly 970 million people – more than 10 per cent of the world’s population – were eligible to vote and turnout averaged 66 per cent, according to official data. The tallying at counting centers in 543 constituencies could stretch well into the evening before final results are announced, though substantial leads are likely to emerge earlier.

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Workers take heat precautions as votes are counted in temperatures expected to reach 41C

Temperatures in the Indian capital were down Tuesday from highs in the past week of 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit), but election officials and political parties were nonetheless taking precautions as votes were being counted.

Workers carried cases of water into one air-conditioned counting station in New Delhi early in the morning in preparation, while tents outside for security personnel and others were outfitted with industrial evaporative coolers.

Temperatures in the morning hovered around 37C in New Delhi and were expected to rise to 41C by the end of the day.

At the headquarters of the opposition Congress party, a tent was set up outside, equipped with evaporative coolers, for waiting media.

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Women are a key voting bloc in India's 2024 election

Indian women are a key voting bloc with more of them voting in recent elections than ever before. Most poll experts expect women voters to play a decisive role in determining the 2024 election results.

Political parties have been wooing them with monthly cash handouts, subsidized cooking gas cylinders and low-interest loans. Many such programs have particularly helped Modi’s Bharatiya Janata party widen its support among them, especially in rural areas.

The opposition alliance also tried to gain women’s votes by unveiling programs that promised financial aid of $1,200 per year to poor women, and promised to reserve 50 per cent of government jobs for women if voted into power.

Women make up nearly 49 per cent of India’s total electorate. Turnout has grown in each recent major election – of women who were eligible to vote, 53 per cent voted in 2004; 56 per cent in 2009; 65.5 per cent in 2014; and 67 per cent in 2019. Data for 2024 was not yet available but was estimated to resemble 2019’s female voter turnout.

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As vote are tallied, Indian markets open lower after surging the day before 

Indian markets opened lower Tuesday after closing the night before at all-time highs as exit polling projected a comfortable win for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party.

Modi’s business-friendly policies have won him widespread support among India’s corporations and industry. After a decade in power, Modi was widely expected to win a third five-year term.

In early morning trading India’s benchmark stock indices – the NIFTY 50 and the BSE Sensex – were both down by more than 3 per cent as India’s marathon election entered its final phase with the counting of some 642 million ballots.

The Indian market’s opening dip followed a broader trend in Asian markets, which retreated after a report showed US manufacturing contracted in May in the latest sign the economy is slowing.

Counting starts with postal ballots then moves to electronic ones

The counting of some 642 million votes cast in India’s election is being done at various locations around the country by government employees. Chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar said they were starting with postal ballots and then move on to combining the votes from India’s electronic voting machines.

The process is expected to be completed by the end of the day Tuesday.

India has close to 970 million eligible voters, and votes were cast at more than a million polling stations staggered over the last six weeks.

That brought the final phase into India’s hottest season, with temperatures higher than 45 degrees Celsius (113 Fahrenheit) in some parts of the country, and Kumar said the election officials learned a valuable lesson.

“We should have completed the election at least one month before,” he said ahead of the start of the counting. “We shouldn’t have let it continue into so much heat.”

The June long weekend is almost here, but not for everyone.

Better known as the King's Birthday, the public holiday marking King Charles' official birthday is still celebrated on different days from state-to-state, which can cause some confusion.

Here's a quick state-by-state guide for who gets to sleep in on Monday, June 10.

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Do I get a public holiday on June 10?

New South Wales

Yes.

All residents of NSW who are eligible for public holidays will be given Monday, June 10 as a public holiday.

Queensland

No.

In Queensland, the King's Birthday public holiday has been held on the first Monday of October since 2016.

This year that day will be Monday, October 7.

Victoria

Yes.

In Victoria, the King's Birthday falls on Monday, June 10 so it will be celebrated as a public holiday.

South Australia

Yes.

Most people in South Australia will enjoy a public holiday on June 10 and therefore a long weekend, however, it depends on your terms of employment.

Western Australia

No – Western Australia does not celebrate the King's Birthday on June 10.

That's because the state holds Western Australia Day on the first Monday of June.

The state spreads out its public holidays and this year the King's Birthday public holiday will fall on Monday, September 23.

Australian Capital Territory

Yes.

All residents of the ACT who are eligible for public holidays will be given Monday, June 10 as a public holiday.

Northern Territory

Yes, like all the states and territories except WA and Queensland, the Northern Territory celebrates the King's Birthday long weekend on Monday, June 10.

Tasmania

Yes.

All residents of Tasmania who are eligible for public holidays will be given Monday, June 10 as a public holiday.

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Why is the King's birthday in June?

King George II was the first English king to celebrate the King's Birthday holiday in 1748.

Edward VII, who later reigned from 1901-1910, moved the date to June in the hopes of enjoying the celebrations in better weather in the UK.

Since his actual birthday in October, was likely to see damp, cold conditions that could hamper outdoor events, he introduced a summer celebration instead.

Australia celebrated the official birthday on the same day as the monarch's actual birthday from 1788 until 1936.

After that, the government decided to follow the UK to a mid-year date to space out public holidays more evenly.

What will be open?

Unlike Christmas and Good Friday, most shops are open on the King's Birthday public holiday but may operate under altered hours.

Pubs, cafes and restaurants are allowed to stay open on the public holiday however some smaller venues may choose to close.

Public transport is also expected to be running as usual however may operate on a different timetable.

It's recommended to check your state or territory's public transport website to check for any changes.

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When is King Charles' real birthday?

King Charles was born on November 14, 1948.

However, throughout the UK and Commonwealth – which includes Australia, New Zealand and Canada – a different date was chosen to be the King's official birthday.

This official birthday was first celebrated during the reign of King George II in 1748.

Since then, the birthday has been celebrated on different days in different countries who acknowledge it.

Why do Australian states celebrate King's birthday on different days?

New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory all mark the King's Birthday on the same day.

WA and Queensland are the only states which celebrate the King's Birthday on a different day.

Those states spread out their public holidays so the decision was made to celebrate the monarch's birthday later in the year.

WA celebrates holds Western Australia Day on the first Monday of June.

In Queensland, the King's Birthday public holiday has been held on the first Monday of October since 2016.

A total of 755 roles are proposed to be slashed.

Luxon was treated to a stunning flyover of the island before landing.

My recent stage debut at Melbourne's Athenaeum Theatre in Club Vegas the Spectacle revealed there is so much more to a theatre production than what audiences ultimately see on stage.

When people go to the theatre they are transported into another world but behind the scenes there IS another world of busy cast and crew making sure everything is right on the night!

As a veteran reporter for 9News, I have covered Melbourne's vibrant theatre scene for decades, so I jumped at the chance when I was asked by production house Dion and Randall International if I'd sing and dance as myself in a Vegas-style variety show.

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Not only was I keen to strut my stuff but I was also incredibly curious to learn how such a show comes together.

It all started with a meeting in a hotel foyer where I was asked what types of songs I'd be comfortable singing. As an example, I suggested the opening theme song to the long-running TV series The Love Boat.

At the next hotel foyer meeting, the producers presented me with a playlist of curated songs, along with a sample track of the five-song medley I was ultimately to perform on stage. I also met with the choreographer at that meeting.

It was then over to me to go home and sing to the sample track to determine what key was most comfortable. Ultimately, it was decided the music was to come-down a couple of "semitones" so it was within my vocal range.

From there, the music track was digitally built in Sweden with the backing vocals done in France.

Those files were sent to the producers in Melbourne.

I then had to go into a recording studio in Melbourne to sing the medley so the base tracks could be finalised.

From there, the tracks were emailed to Queensland. The producer and I were at our separate homes in Melbourne and had a lengthy Zoom session with the Queensland-based engineer to build-in all the finishing touches including sound effects like whistles.

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I then had to practice the tracks at home, which I did at every possible occasion.

A couple of weeks out from the show, it was time to start choreography which I was looking forward to, as I used to dance a lot in my younger years.

It was at this point I got to meet and see the incredible talent of 10 young dancers in the show, which consisted of eight females and two males.

They'd been busily rehearsing themselves for a while before I was thrown into the mix.

I was in awe of their skills when I learnt they had to learn something in the order of 22 individual dances and in the show had to have something like 17 changes into elaborate costumes.

The dancers are the engine room of any show.

My choreography sessions were videoed so I could practise the steps at home by myself, which I studiously did.

While all this was going on, so was my everyday life and the lives of the other cast which included stage and screen star Sydney-based Rachael Beck who despite her years in the business had the extra challenges flying to and from Melbourne for choreography and costume fittings.

As one of my songs was The Love Boat, my costume was naval-based but exquisitely bejewelled with crystals, chains and brooches to really make it pop on stage and be able to compete with the flashy Vegas ensembles the females on stage were wearing.

While practising the songs and dances I was engaged to help publicise the show – which I loved because after all media is my profession.

There were a series of photo shoots, as well fun radio and TV interviews which included jumping on a 6am flight from Melbourne and Sydney to speak with my friends David Campbell and Sylvia Jeffreys on Today Extra, as well as chatting with my 9News Melbourne colleague Tony Jones.

Then two days before the opening curtain, the show "bumped in" to the theatre – costumes, props and technical equipment like giant digital screens were delivered and installed.

The day before "curtain-up" was set aside for technical rehearsals – dancers getting a feel for the stage having practised at home or in dance studios mocked up to mimic the stage.

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Sound was also tested and bedded down as was the lighting and the giant screens at the back of the stage which projected brilliant moving graphics throughout each act.

It was on this day all the cast and crew finally got to meet up in the one place to become an instant team!

The following day was the first full dress rehearsal ahead of the first preview show that night.

It was discovered during the day there were some issues with the screens that needed fixing – that chewed-into rehearsal time which meant the first and only full dress rehearsal finished a couple of hours before the curtain was set to rise.

The technical Gods were smiling on us as the screens were right on the night!

Thursday, May 30 was "media-call" day and the official red-carpet opening night.

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An overnight power outage messed with the digital stage screens which sadly meant they didn't function correctly when the media came along to record portions of various acts but again the Gods smiled on the show – the screens performed perfectly as the curtain rose to rapturous applause and the delight of the star-studded opening night crowd.

The following day the reviews came out which thankfully were favourable!

All up there were six shows in five days and while audiences were being dazzled by what was on stage, behind the scenes there was an army to help make the Vegas fantasy a reality.

Each performance I waited in the wings trying not to get my eyes poked out by the voluminous plumes of feathers on the colourful and crystal-encrusted costumes but once on stage it felt like a giant party akin to what you might experience in Ibiza or Mykonos.

I loved every minute working with Club Vegas the Spectacle which the Producers now plan to tour around Australia.

Sadly, it's an unfortunate reality that despite all the work and time put into the big stage shows, they seem to finish before they begin and you're suddenly thrust-back into your everyday life.

But I guess as they say – "That's Showbiz!"

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Rangers have captured the moment a sinkhole opened up near a popular camping spot in south-east Queensland.

A near-shore landslide, also known as a sinkhole, formed yesterday morning at Inskip Point, south of K'gari, the Department for Environment and Science said.

The sinkhole is eating into the sandy shoreline, which was seen slowly crumbling into the ocean. 

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"A near-shore landslip or landslide is a natural coastal event that cannot be predicted," the department said.

"They occur when a large body of sand moves quickly, forming an underwater scarp (or small cliff) that moves rapidly inshore as the sand debris moves out to sea."

There is a buffer zone around the area where no camping or vehicles are allowed and boundaries are in place.

A section of the beach remains open to pedestrians and day activities.

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Inskip Point – a body of land built by wind and waves – is sandy and rocky in nature and known for its common sinkholes.

As quickly as it loses sand in the phenomenon, it also constantly being replenished.

This is because ocean currents move sand and debris from where cliffs collapse along the nearby Cooloola coast to Inskip Point and K'gari.

A bus driver has been charged after a deadly crash with a pedestrian earlier this year.

Just after 5pm on March 8, police allege the bus was driving along Edward Street in Brisbane's centre when it left the road and hit a woman, aged 18.

Tia Cameron was pinned against a building and died at the scene.

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The bus driver and four passengers all sustained minor injuries and were taken to hospital as a precaution.

At the time, Queensland Premier Steven Miles extended his condolences to the family on social media.

"I'm saddened to hear the news that a woman has died after a bus was involved in a serious crash in Brisbane CBD this evening," he posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

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Today, following nearly three months of investigations, the 70-year-old bus driver was issued with a notice to appear in court on one count of careless driving causing death.

He is expected to appear at Brisbane Magistrates Court on June 26.

Stewart entered Parliament as a list MP for New Zealand First in 2002.

Accused murderer Greg Lynn demonstrated to police how he fought with missing camper Russell Hill over a knife before the older man was fatally stabbed.

The airline pilot's interview with Victoria Police was played to a Supreme Court jury on Monday, as he stands trial accused of murdering Hill, 74, and Carol Clay, 73, in March 2020.

It's alleged Lynn killed the couple at Wonnangatta Valley, in the state's northeast, and then disposed of their bodies in bushland before burning the remains months later.

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Lynn has pleaded not guilty to both counts of murder and maintains the deaths were accidental.

In his November 2021 interview, played to the jury, Lynn outlined to police the week he spent camping and hunting deer in the High Country, at times indicating his location on a map.

He first encountered Hill and Clay on March 19 when the couple arrived at his campsite, noting they had been very cordial and pleasant.

Lynn told police Hill acted less friendly the next morning as he prepared to go hunting, noting the older man pointedly mentioned a friend had been killed in a hunting accident.

Lynn said as he returned to the campsite hours later, he saw a drone hovering overhead and later realised it belonged to Hill.

When he confronted Hill about the drone, Lynn said Hill threatened to send police the footage of him hunting close to the campsite.

Lynn told officers he removed himself from the conversation but decided to blast music from his car stereo in what was a "childish thing" to do.

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Later that evening, Lynn said Hill approached his car and took his shotgun and ammunition from inside the vehicle.

Lynn told police he confronted Hill and the older man told him to "f— off" before shooting a couple of rounds into the air.

A struggle ensued over the gun, Lynn said, with another shot being discharged and striking Clay in the back of the head.

Lynn maintained he did not have a hand on the trigger at any point and Hill dropped the gun after Clay had been hit.

Lynn told police he returned the gun and ammunition to his car and turned off the radio when Hill came at him with a knife, yelling that Clay was dead.

The airline pilot said he blocked Hill's punch and another attempt to strike him with the kitchen knife, demonstrating how he grabbed Hill's arms.

Lynn told officers as he fell to the ground, the knife went through Hill's chest.

The older man tried to crawl away but died at the scene, Lynn said.

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Lynn told police he panicked and believed he was going to be blamed for the couple's deaths, so he placed their bodies in his car and burnt their campsite.

He admitted there was a lot of blood, both at the campsite and in his trailer as he drove the bodies to the Union Spur track and left them there.

Lynn told police he went back to the track in June 2020, once a COVID-19 lockdown lifted, to check on the bodies.

He returned in November of that year to burn the remains.

"There's not going to be much left for the families … there's not much to see," Lynn told police in the interview, the court heard.

Experts are imploring lawmakers to make downsizing more appealing for empty-nesters as fresh research has revealed the majority of older Australians are not interested in moving to a smaller home.

Despite AMP research proving older Australians want to help their children in today's challenging economic environment, it found four out of five Aussies aged over 65 are not interested in downsizing.

Experts believe empty-nesters choosing to stay in their family homes is stopping young families from moving into bigger homes and means retirees aren't getting a windfall of cash they can spend.

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AMP Director Ben Hillier said the reluctance to downsize was rooted in bad policy settings.

"Basically any money you have tied up in the family home is exempt from the age pension eligibility rules," Hillier said.

"However as soon as you release that equity and put it into another vehicle like superannuation or the bank, you start to get penalised in terms of how much age pension you're eligible for."

The research showed that while putting their home on the market was not a priority for older Aussies, they were determined to help their children in other ways.

One in five older Australians would be willing to accommodate their family, while 15 per cent would pay their bills.

More than one in 10 would cut back on their spending, including holidays, but just seven per cent would sell their home and use some of the money to help their family.

Experts hope the research will trigger some changes from state and federal decision makers to encourage retirees to spend more of their wealth.