South-east Australia is going to swelter for days over an incoming heatwave, with temperatures set to rise from today.

Miriam Bradbury from the Bureau of Meteorology told Today that temperatures were currently sitting at four to eight degrees above average across the region.

"But across the weekend, especially going into early next week, those temperatures are going to push 10, 15 degrees above average, particularly across inland NSW," she said.

"Now, to put this into context, that means widespread temperatures in the high 20s at least."

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Sydney is going to get especially warm, with six days of more than 30-degree temperatures forecast from today, continuing through the weekend and into next week.

Predictions are for 33 degrees on Saturday and Sunday, and up to 35 or 36 degrees on Monday and Tuesday.

"We are expecting a cooler change to move through around mid next week. So likely we won't feel the cool weather return until around Thursday," Bradbury said.

The heat will be so strong that firefighters have been forced to stop hazard reduction burns around the city.

The burns have sent heavy smoke to linger over Sydney all week, but it's hoped that will clear somewhat in the coming days.

READ MORE: How harmful is bushfire smoke and what can you do to protect your health?

With 42,000 people registered for the Sydney Marathon on Sunday, authorities have reassured people that the air will be clean.

"We did put a pause on any new burns yesterday," Ben Shepherd from the Rural Fire Service told Today this morning.

"That's been extended through today as well."

He said strong winds should drive the remaining smoke out of Sydney tomorrow, and he thanked the community for its patience during the crucial work.

READ MORE: Australia is bracing for its worst fire season in years. This is what you need to know

"Over the past week, thousands of homes have been protected," he said.

"Thousands of lives potentially protected, and as we move into next week, we're likely to see high fire danger, if not extreme fire danger and we may see some total fire bans so it was really good to get that work in."

But even with the prescribed burns paused, there is an elevated risk of bushfires due to the incoming heat.

People have been urged to keep indoors and stay hydrated when the heat is at its peak.

Shepherd also urged people in vulnerable areas to consider their bushfire action plan.

The state government's heatwave health advice can be found online here.

Whether from backburning or bushfires, hazy smoke lingering over homes across the country is a regular part of summer in Australia.

But the clouds can be more serious than just an unpleasant smell – smoke can be a significant health hazard for many people.

This is what you need to know about the health risks, and what you can do to mitigate them.

READ MORE: What you need to know as Australia braces for another fire season

How harmful is bushfire smoke?

The smoke from bushfires contains tiny polluting particles that can prove harmful to humans.

Known as PM2.5, these particles have a diameter of 2.5 micrometres or less – that is, 2.5 millionths of a metre – and can be easily breathed in as they circulate through the air.

That can, in turn, exacerbate existing health conditions like asthma, and can contribute to heart disease and decreased life expectancy, even in small exposure levels.

"As a bushfire burns, a mixture of fine particles and toxic gases are released into the air as smoke, and these particles can go deep into the lungs, enter the blood and travel throughout the body," Lung Foundation Australia acting CEO Christa Bayer said.

"Short-term, breathing in these particles can exacerbate existing health issues, impair lung function, and increase hospitalisation and death rates. There is no safe level of air pollution.

"Exposure to these particles can cause lung cancer, as well as a range of other conditions including pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart disease, stroke, worsen asthma and other respiratory conditions, and has even been linked to diabetes, adverse pregnancy outcomes and neurological diseases."

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Is bushfire smoke carcinogenic?

Bushfire smoke is classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a possible (Class 2B) carcinogen for firefighters who are exposed to it as part of their occupation.

The Australian Health Department notes there is a "casual association" between bushfire smoke and lung cancer, but says there's no hard evidence linking the two – although the Lung Foundation Australia says smoke can cause cancer.

Who is most at risk from bushfire smoke?

People who have existing respiratory conditions, such as asthma, can be particularly vulnerable to bushfire smoke, but the Health Department says other groups are also at risk.

"As there is limited information about the long-term implications of prolonged exposures, research is ongoing to better characterise these longer-term health effects, particularly across groups at higher risk, such as those with chronic conditions, very young children, pregnant women and their babies," it says.

Lung Foundation Australia says people with heart disease or failure, and those who've previously had a stroke can be "very seriously" affected.

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What can you do to protect yourself from bushfire smoke?

Bayer said speaking with your GP to come up with a plan for dealing with smoke is a sensible step.

"For people living with lung health issues, it is important to work out a clear plan with your doctor for rapidly detecting and responding to any deterioration in symptoms," she said.

"Your plan should involve identifying and accessing cleaner air spaces – this can partially be achieved through closing doors and windows to minimise leakage into the house, or considering other indoor air quality purification like HEPA filters. "

Lung Foundation Australia lists a number of steps people should take if they're in an area that is "particularly affected" by bushfire smoke:

• Avoid physical activity outdoors (consider indoor activities instead)
• Rest more frequently
• Close windows and doors to minimise outside air coming into your home
• Switch your air conditioner (if you have one) to recycle or recirculate mode
• Follow your action plan and treatment advised by your doctor and keep your medicines close at hand
• Check the expiry dates and the supply of your commonly used medicines.
• Have your emergency plan ready in the event of an evacuation or the loss of essential services (such as power loss) during bushfires.

There are also masks available designed to filter out PM2.5 pollutants

The operator of a luxury cruise ship that ran aground in Greenland with 206 people on board says the MV Ocean Explorer has been "successfully" pulled free by a fisheries research vessel.

The ship's owner, Copenhagen-based SunStone Ships, said Thursday's high tide salvage was done "based on a pull from the vessel (owned by the Greenland government) and vessel's own power."

"There have not been any injuries to any person onboard, no pollution of the environment and no breach of the hull," the company said.

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It added that "the vessel and its passengers will now be positioned to a port where the vessel's bottom damages can be assessed, and the passengers will be taken to a port from which they can be flown back home".

The cruise ship ran aground above the Arctic Circle on Monday in Alpefjord, which is in the Northeast Greenland National Park, the world's northernmost national park.

The Bahamas-flagged cruise ship has about 90 passengers from Australia, as well as others from New Zealand, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Liz, from Wodonga in Victoria, told Today on Thursday about the lead-up to the cruise ship running aground.

"We were standing on our balcony because we had just taken off from the glacier and we realised very quickly that we were about to get stuck in the mud," she said.

"So having been a bit of a boatie myself, you could feel the pull of the boat as we pulled up and realised we were in trouble straight away."

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After a third failed rescue attempt earlier on Thursday the operator said at least three passengers had contracted COVID-19.

"These passengers are currently in isolation. They are looked after by our onboard doctor, medical team and crew, and they are doing well," the Australia-based Aurora Expeditions said in a statement.

Sydney couple Steven Fraser — who has come down with COVID-19 — and Gina Hill said the expedition crew was occupying passengers with talks and the restaurant was still operating.

"Everyone's in good spirits," Fraser told the Sydney Morning Herald.

"It's a little bit frustrating, but we are in a beautiful part of the world.

"We're sitting right near the glacier when we open our window."

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The others on the MV Ocean Explorer were "safe and healthy", Aurora said.

Earlier this week, the cruise ship made two failed attempts to float free on its own during high tide.

In a statement, the Arctic Command said its "first priority" was to have its larger inspection vessel Knud Rasmussen reach the site, saying the ship was expected Friday evening after it had to "slow down a bit" on its way because of the weather.

Denmark's Danish Maritime Authority have asked police in Greenland to investigate why the ship ran aground and whether any laws had been violated, a police statement said, adding that no one has been charged or arrested.

An officer had been on board the ship to carry out "initial investigative steps, which, among other things, involve questioning the crew and other relevant persons on board", it added.

The ship's owner, Copenhagen-based SunStone Ships, said in a separate statement that the cruise liner began its latest trip on September 2 in Kirkenes, in Arctic Norway, and was due to return to Bergen, Norway, on September 22.

It added that there was "no breach of the hull and no pollution" as a result of the ship's running aground.

The primary mission of the Joint Arctic Command is to ensure Danish sovereignty by monitoring the area around the Faeroe Islands and Greenland, including the Arctic Ocean in the north.

Greenland is a semi-independent territory that is part of the Danish realm, as are the Faeroe Islands.

Police in Spain have arrested a man on suspicion of sexual assault after he appeared to touch a TV journalist on the bottom as she was reporting live from the streets of Madrid.

The man approached Isa Balado, a journalist for the En boca de todos program on Spain's Cuatro channel, as she was reporting on an alleged robbery on Tuesday.

The man can be seen approaching her and then appearing to touch her bottom as she's talking to presenter Nacho Abad in the studio.

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Balado tried to continue with her piece to camera, but Abad asked her if the man had just touched her bottom.

When Balado said he did, Abad asked her to put "this stupid guy" on camera.

The camera then zooms out to show Balado and the man.

"Do you really need to touch my bum?" she asked, before telling him that she's live on television.

"I'd like you to let me work."

He continued to talk to her, before reaching his hand out to rub her on the head and then eventually walking away.

Balado then continued with the rest of her report.

In a later video segment, Balado commented on what had happened.

"It's very unpleasant, particularly when you are working," she said, before the camera panned to show the man standing on the street with another man.

He then approached Balado again and attempted to talk to her before she asked to cut the broadcast.

READ MORE: Stranded luxury cruise ship carrying dozens of Australians pulled free at high tide in Greenland 

Widespread criticism

The incident sparked condemnation from Spanish politicians, including Labour Minister Yolanda Díaz.

"Machismo means that journalists suffer sexual assaults like this and that the aggressors appear in front of the camera unrepentantly," Díaz wrote in a Tuesday post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"This can't go unpunished."

READ MORE: Tradies help police track down armed trio 

https://twitter.com/Yolanda_Diaz_/status/1701592320645210180?s=20

Equality minister Irene Montero also voiced support for Balado.

"Non-consensual touching is sexual violence," she wrote in a post on X Tuesday.

"Only yes means yes."

The man was later arrested and Spain's national police posted a video on X of him being led away in cuffs.

On Wednesday, he was released by the Madrid magistrate's court. The judge did not impose any precautionary measures as she did not believe there was any continued risk to the victim, the court said in a statement sent to CNN.

https://twitter.com/policia/status/1701574669617217739

A spokesperson for the High Court of Justice of Madrid told CNN that the investigation and criminal proceedings will continue.

Balado's colleagues criticised the decision to release him.

"This is the problem," said presenter Verónica Dulanto on Cuatro on Wednesday.

"He hasn't even been in there for 24 hours."

CNN has contacted Cuatro's parent company Mediaset Espana for comment.

The incident comes as Spain is facing a reckoning over sexual assault and gender based violence after Luis Rubiales, president of the Spanish soccer federation, was accused of kissing Women's World Cup winner Jennifer Hermoso without consent.

Rubiales resigned from his position on Sunday following weeks of fierce criticism.

The unwanted kiss on Hermoso came after the Spanish team's victory in the Women's World Cup final on August 20, and sparked condemnation in Spain and across the world.

The 46-year-old previously apologized and described the kiss as "mutual" – a claim Hermoso denied, saying she did not consent and was not respected.

Two tradies who stepped in to stop a trio of teenagers allegedly trying to rob a home have been praised for their bravery.

Connor and Jacob had been working on a home in Indooroopilly, in Queensland's south-east, last on Tuesday morning when an alarm went off a few houses down.

Their boss Travis Kesson said the pair could see straight away something appeared to be "suspect" and went to investigate.

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"The Porsche had been sort of backed in and then the doors had been kicked open," Kesson said.

"So one of the boys, Connor, sort of reached in and pulled the keys out of the Porsche so they couldn't take off."

Two of the young alleged bandits ran away while a third confronted the tradies with a knife while his face was covered with a balaclava.

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Kesson said the tradies never expected to run into someone with a knife but he couldn't be prouder of the way they handled themselves.

"They were able to avoid anyone getting hurt and help people with their property, get the property back and stop them from robbing the house," he said.

"It was good that they took it upon themselves to sort of pay attention to what's happening, not just ignore that something was going on in the community."

Three teenagers were eventually arrested by police.

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They have been charged with several offences including attempted break-in of a dwelling and attempted armed robbery.

Two of the teenagers are facing a charge of possessing a knife, while one is accused of possessing a dangerous drug.

One of the teenagers has also been charged over wearing a balaclava.

Police said the teenagers would be dealt with under the provisions of the Youth Justice Act.

For the past eight decades, poultry breeder Alf Woods has showcased his prized chickens with his family at the Melbourne Royal Show.

It's been a highlight of his year since he was 11 and he is one of hundreds of exhibitors and producers preparing for the show's opening next Thursday.

Over the years, the 95-year-old has plenty of change but the buzz of the show and love of animals has always stayed the same.

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"We love the show, (our) chooks love the show," Woods said.

"Come along to the Melbourne Royal Show and see these beautiful fowls.

"I love meeting the people. The other exhibitors. They show their fowls. It gives me a lot of pleasure.

"You talk, you get good memories of things that have passed and things that might happen in the future."

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Woods has been awarded thousands of ribbons over the decades but winning was never the main motivation.

"My dad was an exhibitor of poultry, my grandfather was an exhibitor of poultry, so it's been a long, long history and I just love the life," he said.

The Melbourne Royal Show will run from September 21 to October 1.

A single-storey house has been engulfed in flames in Sydney's Inner West.

Twelve firetrucks and 30 firefighters are at the blaze on Hilltop Avenue in Marrickville, which broke out just after 5.30pm.

Authorities say the structure's roof has collapsed and no one was inside when the fire started.

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More than 70 calls have been made to triple zero as the home burns.

More to come.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) is one of several government agencies impacted by a cyberattack.

The initial target of a major cyber breach in April was national law firm HWL Ebsworth, with data leaked about government departments and agencies later published to the dark web.

9News understands the AFP, a client of the law firm, is one of the many government agencies impacted.

READ MORE: Major Aussie bank to phase out cash in dramatic move

The Federal Police Association said they believe their members' information has been placed on the dark web.

The stolen information includes AFP officers' identities and email addresses.

The breach is now being investigated.

Drugs and more than $1 million worth of stolen goods have been seized from a Brisbane restaurant after police discovered a large and "sophisticated" alleged drug-trafficking ring.

Police believe the alleged drug dealer, or dealers, has been accepting stolen goods as payment for drugs, with the stolen items then on-sold to the community through local markets.

A 61-year-old Darra man been charged with trafficking dangerous drugs and possessing heroin, among other charges.

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Police uncovered "a quantity of dangerous drugs" at a house on Cintra Street in Darra before they allegedly found more drugs and more than $1 million worth of stolen goods at a restaurant on nearby Darra Station Road.

The stolen items included power tools, high-end designer clothing and accessories, electrical goods, alcohol, firearms and a large amount of cash.

Officers are working to try to identify the owners of the goods.

Police have said they believe they have infiltrated "a sophisticated syndicate where drugs were being sold to a large network of customers".

The 61-year-old man will reappear in the Richland Magistrates Court in November.

Anyone with information should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at www.crimestoppersqld.com.au.

None of the walls were straight and all the weatherboards had to be torn off and replaced.