Nine years ago William Tyrrell was running around his grandmother's house, a semi-rural property flanked by large trees and bush, in his Spider-Man suit.

And then, some time around 10.30am, the three-year-old vanished.

In a 2015 interview, William's foster mother described how she heard the boy playing on the deck of the house, making a roaring tiger noise, and then "nothing".

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What happened to William on that September morning in 2014 remains a mystery, but it's believed the boy, who would be 12 if still alive, is dead.

A $1 million dollar reward for information about William's disappearance is still on the table, unclaimed seven years after it was offered. It was a record reward at the time.

Today the group Where's William urged anyone who knows what happened to the missing boy to come forward, on the ninth anniversary of his disappearance.

"We will never give up," the group said in a statement.

"Today, as we mark nine heartbreaking years since the tragic day this precious little boy was taken from all those he loved and who love him; please light a candle for William and join us in maintaining hope that the person who knows what happened to him finds the courage to come forward and tell police what they know."

Strike Force Rosann, the operation set up to find William, is one of the largest investigations ever undertaken by the NSW Police Force.

But despite the huge resources thrown at the case, which has involved a team of full time investigators and analysts, there's not been a single significant breakthrough.

There have, however, been all kinds of twists and turns.

In June, 9News exclusively reported detectives believe there is enough evidence to potentially charge William's foster mother over the toddler's disappearance.

Detectives have been investigating allegations there was a deadly accident at the home in Kendall, on the NSW Mid North Coast, and the then-three-year-old's body was disposed of by his foster mother.

The now-58-year-old woman, who cannot be identified, has always denied any involvement in the little boy's disappearance.

Two years earlier, in 2021, teams of detectives and officers descended on the property where William was last seen, focusing on the area below the balcony in the backyard.

Hopes were high the cold case could finally be blown wide open.

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Officers searched gardens, a dam and bushland a kilometre from the house – an area ravaged by fire and flood – but there was no trace of any remains.

As leads went nowhere over the years, question marks began to hover over the investigation, and how it was carried out.

Gary Jubelin was appointed to lead the investigation five months after William disappeared, but the detective was sensationally removed in 2019.

One year later, Jubelin was found guilty of illegally recording four conversations with a person in relation to the case, and he was fined $10,000.

Last month a man maliciously pursued as a prime suspect in William's disappearance was awarded $1.8 million by a NSW court.

Tradesman Bill Spedding was wrongfully accused of historical child sexual abuse by police to pressure him to give evidence about the three-year-old's whereabouts.

The memory of William hangs over the town of Kendall.

Hawaii's Kilauea volcano began erupting again after nearly three months of quiet, with glowing lava flows bursting within one of its craters, according to the US Geological Survey.

The eruption started around 3:15 pm Sunday local time in Halemaʻumaʻu crater in Kilauea's summit caldera at Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, according to USGS. Kilauea is the youngest and most active volcano on the island, with several summit eruptions since 2020.

By Monday, USGS officials said the volcano alert level had been lowered to a "watch" instead of a "warning" due to the eruption stabilising. "The initial extremely high effusion rates have declined, and no infrastructure is threatened," the USGS said in a statement.

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Similarly, Kilauea's activation colour code was lowered from red to orange due to "no threat of significant volcanic ash emission into the atmosphere outside of the hazardous closed area within Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park," according to the statement.

When the volcano started erupting Sunday, it was "preceded by a period of strong seismicity and rapid uplift of the summit," USGS said Sunday night.

Video showed lava spewing from fissures at the crater's base, but the activity was confined to the crater.

"At this time, lava at Kilauea is confined to the summit and does not pose a lava threat to communities," the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency said Sunday.

With the volcano erupting, the primary concerns are volcanic gas and delicate strands of volcanic glass – called Pele's hair – that can float downwind, according to the agency.

"Strong winds may waft lighter particles to greater distances," USGS said in an alert. "Residents and visitors should minimise exposure to these volcanic particles, which can cause skin and eye irritation."

Kilauea last erupted briefly in June, putting on a dazzling display with lava fountain bursts about 60 metres high. The eruption ended on June 19, according to USGS.

Kilauea also erupted in January, after it stopped in December for the first time since September 2021, when there was an eruption in which lava was contained to Kilauea's summit crater.

But a previous eruption in 2018 was one of the most destructive in recent Hawaii history, destroying hundreds of homes and forcing evacuations of surrounding neighbourhoods.

"Since that 2018 activity, Kilauea has experienced nearly constant change with distinct episodes of calm, unrest, eruptions, and everything in between," USGS said.

Sunday's eruption at Kilauea serves as "a solemn reminder of the sacredness ingrained in this landscape," Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park said on social media.

"The privilege to witness the creative forces of a new eruption comes with a responsibility to approach this place with reverence," the national park added.

In native Hawaiian tradition, eruptions have spiritual significance and Kilauea's summit is sacred, believed to be the home of Pele the Hawaiian volcano deity, according to the National Park Service.

The red fire ant, one of the world's most invasive species, has been found in Europe for the first time, according to a new study.

The imported ant, which has the scientific name Solenopsis invicta, is native to South America but has spread throughout much of the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean, China, and Australia over the past century.

These insects can be aggressive when disturbed and they have a painful sting, which is irritating to the skin and can cause allergic reactions.

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The ant can also damage crops and local ecosystems.

Researchers said they had identified 88 red fire ant nests spread over 5 hectares near the city of Syracuse in Sicily, Italy.

"Finding this species in Italy was a big surprise, but we knew this day would come," Mattia Menchetti, a researcher at the Institute of Evolutionary Biology in Spain, said.

Menchetti called the ants "one of the worst invasive species" whose colonies "can spread alarmingly quickly".

While red fire ants had been discovered in imported products in Spain, Finland and the Netherlands, a colony had never been confirmed before this study, the authors said.

The colonies were found in a suburban area of Syracuse.

It was unclear how or when the fire ants got there.

The researchers behind the study believe the insects must have arrived at a transit point with lots of human activity, such as the city's port.

It's believed the ants arrived in Australia through the Port of Brisbane around 2000.

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Officials have tried to contain the ants to south-east Queensland, and eradicate colonies, but this year a nest was found within 5.5km of the New South Wales border.

Locals in Italy told the scientists that ant stings had increased since 2019.

The study suggested that wind could have transported flying queen ants from the northwest of Syracuse, where the commercial port is located.

Genetic analysis of the ants revealed that they had most likely spread from the United States or China, where the super pests are also an invasive species.

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The ants could soon spread all over Europe, the researchers warned, since 7 per cent of the continent — including large urban areas like Barcelona, Rome, London and Paris — has a climate suitable for the species, according to a model made by the study authors.

The study was published today in scientific journal Current Biology.

Invasive species cost the world at least $657 billion every year as they drive plant and animal extinctions, threaten food security and exacerbate environmental catastrophes across the globe, according to a United Nations-backed report released last week.

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A truck driver has escaped major injury in an explosive crash that forced the temporary closure of part of the main highway through the NSW Central Coast.

Fire crews remained on the scene late into Tuesday morning after the crash on the M1 Pacific Motorway northbound at Ourimbah, north of Gosford, about 9.20pm on Monday

The Tuggerah Rural Fire Brigade said a truck collided with the guard rail, causing an explosion.

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The vehicle was "severely damaged" and debris scattered across the road but the driver received only minor injuries and did not need further treatment, firefighters said.

Just before 10.30pm, Live Traffic NSW said the M1 Pacific Motorway was closed northbound.

One of the three lanes reopened in the following hours but it said traffic was heavy and urged drivers to use the Central Coast Highway and allow extra travel time.

Police confirmed the driver had suffered minor injuries and said Hazmat crews were involved in the clean up.

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The family of a Queensland man who died from a snake bite suffered after he helped remove the reptile from a friend's leg have thanked everyone who tried to save the victim's life.

Don "Donny" Morrison, 69, died after centenary celebrations at Koumala State School, south of Mackay, took a tragic turn on Saturday afternoon.

In a message shared on Facebook by the school's parents and citizens committee, the family praised the school and community for a "wonderful celebration".

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"We all enjoyed ourselves, especially Donny who was really happy to have caught up with so many old friends," they said.

"We would like to thank everyone involved with the incident involving Donny, people pulled together in an attempt to resuscitate Don but unfortunately were not successful.

"If you were involved directly in the emergency response please feel free to get in touch and also please seek help if you feel you need to talk through the events that transpired as it was a confronting situation for all."

The family said the father was a "well liked" member of the community who would be missed by many and even apologised for the event being shut down early.

The P and C Committee shared "thoughts and wishes" to Morrison's family and friends and urged locals to contact support organisations if necessary.

In another message shared on behalf of the family, they said "Don was surrounded by friends & family in his final moments".

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"Don & Leanne thoroughly enjoyed themselves catching up with old friends on what was to be Dons' (sic) last day," according to the post to the centenary celebrations Facebook page.

Clare Bertenshaw from Queensland Ambulance Service said the snake was wrapped around the leg of another man when the 69-year-old helped to remove it.

His condition rapidly declined after being bitten on the arm and paramedics worked on him for more than half an hour but couldn't save him from cardiac collapse.

Bertenshaw said it was likely a brown snake but that was "just a guess" based on symptoms.

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The man's friend is reportedly safe, after being taken to Mackay Base Hospital for treatment and discharged on Sunday.

Snake bites in Australia are relatively common with about 3000 occurring annually but fatal bites are rare.

Bertenshaw said there had been some early reports this snake season, which runs until April, "might be worse than usual".

"I think it is just human nature to try to assist a friend, but you can't really say how you are going to act in those sort of circumstances," she told Today on Monday.

"But the best advice in this circumstance would be to try to stay away from the snake – try and find something long to get the snake off with and shake your leg free."

A Sydney man thought he was meeting up with a woman for a date but it turned out to be a sinister trap when two armed men jumped in his car.

NSW Police said the 23-year-old man had organised over social media to meet a woman for a date at Oatley, in the city's south, on September 7.

He arrived and she jumped into the car as planned but two men hiding in nearby bushes entered his vehicle as well.

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One of the men put a double-barrel shotgun to his head and the other stabbed him while demanding he hand over his phone and wallet.

The 23-year-old panicked, accelerated the car and smashed into a parked car before escaping.

CCTV captured the group of up to five men and a woman leaving the scene after the crash.

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Locals filmed the aftermath as the distressed 23-year-old explained what happened.

"They cut me, they cut me everywhere," the man is heard telling locals.

"All of a sudden two guys jumped in the backseat, one has a f—— shotgun at my head, the other guy has a knife so I didn't know what to do, then the guy with the gun jumped out and said, 'Give me all your s—, give me all your s—.'

"Someone was in the back stabbing me with a knife. So I crashed and I jumped out the window and just ran."

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Residents are in shock by the crime occurring on their quiet street.

"It's really concerning to have this happen in the suburbs, late at night, when people are trying to go to bed," a resident said.

"It's rattled a lot of people, a lot of people don't feel safe outside their homes and we shouldn't have to feel that way," another added.

Anyone who saw a group of up to five men and a woman in the Oatley area late on Thursday night are asked to contact police.

Twenty-two years ago, an Australian police officer in the US found himself at the epicentre of one of the deadliest attacks in modern history, on his first day of anti-terrorism training.

Now-retired New South Wales police officer Patrick Stafford had just begun a work trip to train with the New York Police Department on September 11, 2001.

The experience informed the rest of his career, and now he is speaking publicly about the day that changed his life, and countless others, for the first time.

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"I was in the World Trade Centre for about 15, 20 minutes," Stafford told 9News.

"Leaving the building when the first plane had already crashed into Tower 1 above us." 

But he said he didn't notice.

About ten minutes later after arriving at the NYPD office in Brooklyn, Stafford's attention was glued to a television.

"I called out to the NYPD staff who were sitting behind me in various cubicles that did they know the World Trade Centre was on fire."

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As they all huddled around, they watched the second plane hit the south tower.

The emergency response immediately went into overdrive and every single first responder in the city was called in.

There was a mass evacuation and only firefighters, paramedics and police were allowed in the area, but roughly an hour later it all came down.

"When the tower collapsed, first tower one and soon after tower two the mood in the (NYPD) office got pretty violent… and they got pretty upset, they were tossing chairs, turning up tables, they were angry," Stafford said.

When he returned to Australia, the now-retired officer used his experience to teach others what to do and what not to do when the worst happens.

Stafford shared this insight with police across the country until he retired last July.

The elderly man who died in a car crash on Melbourne's Bourke Street on Friday night was a father, grandfather and philanthropist.

The 76-year-old was behind the wheel of his Hyundai when a car crashed into pedestrians and two other vehicles.

A 26-year-old Melton West man has been charged with murder after he allegedly drove through the mall before hitting a group of pedestrians and two other cars.

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The man who died dedicated his time and funds to a prestigious Melbourne high school, and had a scholarship in his name at a Melbourne university.

He also funded an award for women in the mathematics and science sector. 

The latest tragedy on the famous street has prompted suggestions that electric bollards. could be the solution to another incident.

RMIT professor of planning Michael Buxton said more needed to be done to improve safety standards, which were last reviewed in response 2017 Bourke Street tragedy.

Buxton said bollards blocking the entry point of the mall needed to be explored. 

"Bourke Street is a special case and it needs special treatment," he told 9News.

"The issue with Bourke Street is that traffic limitation measures are on the sides of the mall, but there needs to be measures to block cars from entering the middle."

Retractable bollards provided a feasible way to separate traffic, Buxton said.

"They can be retracted electronically so trams can go through and cars can be separated," he said.

"It needs to be installed there, we have to address the problem that the Bourke Street Mall creates and it's a question of identifying the threat and the best possible safety measures.

"Bourke Street is a glaring problem."

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The state government today said an investigation into the incident needed to happen before further measures could be taken.

"We will wait for the advice from Victoria Police before making further announcements or any actions," Deputy Premier Jacinta Allan said.

"It's about having that right balance between public safety measures and the movement of people, the movement of public transport services, trams, buses, rideshare, taxis, pedestrians.

"The CBD of Melbourne is an incredibly safe place."

A total of 131 steel bollards were installed along the strip as well as a public address system and more CCTV cameras following the 2017 rampage.

The $52.5 million works also included street furniture and planter boxes to provide a protective zone for pedestrians.

A Queensland home that last sold for $25,000 has hit the market with a million-dollar price tag. 

The Coorparoo property is a renovator's dream and the current owners hope it can be restored to its former glory.

The home, which was built around 1912 and can't be demolished, has been with the same family for three generations.

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The owner bought 25 Amelia Street from their grandparents for just $25,000 in 1977.

Fast-forward 46 years and it is up 5000 per cent, hitting the market at $1.3 million.

Despite holes in the roof and floor, renovators see a lot of potential in the 810-square-metre block due to its location.

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Michael Shean from Space Property said the house is situated in an ideal area about seven kilometres from the city.

"We're hoping someone is able to restore it back to its former glory, it's such a beautiful piece of Coorparoo history," Shean said.

Economists have predicted a brighter future for sellers as the market continues to recover.

"We are continuing to see very strong demand for homes and there's not a lot of stock available for sale across Brisbane at the moment and that's probably pushing prices up a little bit," Proptrack senior economist Angus Moore said.

The security guard needed costly reconstruction surgery afterwards.