Singer Lizzo has spoken for the first time since it was revealed three former dancers were suing the Grammy-winning artist.

The trio accuse Lizzo of sexual harassment and allege the singer and her production company created a hostile work environment.

In a post on Twitter tonight, Lizzo denied the claims against her and said she had suffered immense hurt, declaring "I am not the villain".

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"These last few days have been gut wrenchingly difficult and overwhelmingly disappointing," she said.

"My work ethic, morals and respectfulness have been questioned. My character has been criticised.

"Usually I choose not to respond to false allegations but these are as unbelievable as they sound and too outrageous to not be addressed.

"These sensationalised stories are coming from former employees who have already publicly admitted that they were told their behaviour on tour was inappropriate and unprofessional.

"As an artist I have always been very passionate about what I do. I take my music and my performances seriously because at the end of the day I only want to put out the best art that represents me and my fans.

"With passion comes hard work and high standards. Sometimes I have to make hard decisions but it's never my intention to make anyone feel uncomfortable or like they aren't valued as an important part of the team."

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Lizzo went on to criticise her portrayal in the media in relation to the allegations and thanked people who had reached out in support.

"I am not here to be looked at as a victim, but I also know that I am not the villain that people and the media have portrayed me to be these last few days," Lizzo said.

"I am very open with my sexuality and expressing myself but I cannot accept or allow people to use that openness to make me out to be something I am not.

"There is nothing I take more seriously than the respect we deserve as women in the world.

"I know what it feels like to be body shamed on a daily basis and would absolutely never criticise or terminate an employee because of their weight

"I'm hurt but I will not let the good work I've done in the world be overshadowed by this.

"I want to thank everyone who has reached out in support to lift me up during this difficult time."

What the three dancers claim

The civil lawsuit filed on Tuesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court claims Lizzo pressured the dancers to engage with nude performers at a club in Amsterdam and shamed one of them for her weight gain before firing her.

Plaintiffs Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez make numerous charges including sexual, religious and racial harassment, disability discrimination, assault and false imprisonment.

The legal complaint seeks unspecified damages and names Melissa Viviane Jefferson, known professionally as Lizzo, her production company Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc, and Shirlene Quigley, captain of the performer's dance team.

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The court filing claims that after performing a concert in Amsterdam, Lizzo and her crew attended a sexually themed show at a club in the city's notorious Red Light District where "Lizzo began inviting cast members to take turns touching the nude performers". During the show, Lizzo led a chant pressuring Davis to touch the breasts of one of the nude women performing at the club, the filing states.

"Finally, the chorus became overwhelming, and a mortified Ms. Davis acquiesced in an attempt to bring an end to the chants," the complaint states. "Plaintiffs were aghast with how little regard Lizzo showed for the bodily autonomy of her employees and those around her, especially in the presence of many people whom she employed."

Lizzo, who routinely champions body positivity, is also accused of calling out Davis for her weight gain after accusing the dancer of not being committed to her role. Davis was fired in May for recording a meeting during which Lizzo had given out notes to dancers about their performances, according to the complaint.

Quigley, who served as a judge on the singer's reality show Lizzo's Watch Out for the Big Grrrls, is accused in the lawsuit of pushing her Christian beliefs onto dancers. The court filing claims Quigley referred to Davis as a "non-believer" and told co-workers that "No job and no one will stop me from talking about the Lord".

Earlier this year, Lizzo won the Grammy for record of the year for her hit About Damn Time. A global tour supporting her fourth studio album, 2022's Special, wrapped up last month.

– Reported with the Associated Press

The board responsible for the inquiry into the criminal justice system's handling of Bruce Lehrmann's prosecution for the alleged rape of Brittany Higgins leaked the report to the media ahead of its scheduled release.

The report by the inquiry, which was headed by a board including Supreme Court judge Walter Sofronoff KC, was allegedly leaked to certain media outlets including The Australian "under an embargo", an ACT government spokesperson confirmed.

"The ACT government is disappointed that the Sofronoff Board of Inquiry Report has been released to select media outlets," the spokesperson said.

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"The release of information about the Inquiry outside of the government procedures has affected the inquiry process and harmed people involved.

"It further contributes to the ongoing public discussion of the matter that has been very difficult for all of the individuals impacted.

The ACT said it was confident the report, either in draft or final form, was not obtained by the media from the government.

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The government has sought advice from the board of inquiry, which has confirmed it provided a copy to some media outlets under an embargo.

"This release was not authorised by or communicated to government prior to this release."

The spokesperson said the government would release the report formally along with the interim response to recommendations early next week instead of in a month's time.

The probe reportedly found ACT Director of Public Prosecutions Shane Drumgold had "lost objectivity" during the prosecution of Lehrmann for the alleged rape in Parliament House of Higgins.

The jury in that trial was discharged after juror misconduct and Drumgold elected not to pursue a retrial, citing concerns for Higgins' health.

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Lehrmann has always maintained his innocence.

He released a statement today after the report was leaked to the media.

"Much of what we are reading my brilliant criminal defence team led by Steve Whybrow SC suspected all along," the statement said.

"I owe everything to the lawyers who have surrounded me.

"This is overwhelming and alarming reading.

"It is a credit to Mr Sofronoff and his team for pulling back the covers and exposing what really is a dark chapter for the ACT justice system.

"I will have more to say in due course as the full report is made public by the Chief Minister."

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The report, the Australian has reported, found Drumgold made "untrue" representations to Chief Justice Lucy McCallum during the Lehrmann prosecution and committed a "serious breach of duty" by failing to disclose police documents.

"The result has been a public inquiry, which was not justified by any of his allegations, that has caused lasting pain to many people and which has demonstrated his allegations to be not just incorrect, but wholly false and without any rational basis," Sofronoff wrote, according to the newspaper.

"The cost of a six-month public inquiry – in time and money, in lost work, and personal and professional consequences – has been huge."

The ACT government spokesperson confirmed the ACT Attorney-General is in contact with Drumgold in relation to the report's findings.

"The individuals identified in the report and affected by its findings must be afforded procedural fairness, including the director of public prosecutions," the spokesperson said.

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A new medication for chronic migraine sufferers is now more affordable after being added to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

Vyepti targets a chemical in the brain called calcitonin gene-related peptide, which plays a role in triggering migraine attacks.

The treatment usually costs about $6000 a year but will now cost about $30 per script.

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Apprentice electrician and migraine sufferer Jenna Humphries used to experience about 18 migraines per month.

"From being an annoying headache to not being able to leave my bedroom… I would throw up every 20 minutes, tore my stomach lining multiple times from that," Humphries said.

The 38-year-old tried 15 different medications and natural remedies.

The breakthrough came during a trial of the new preventative treatment eight years ago.

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"It was absolutely life-changing," Humphries said.

"I got one infusion on it and I went for eight months without a migraine, prior to that I don't remember being migraine free."

The Alfred hospital neurologist Richard Stark said they found targeting the specific brain chemical was very important in the way migraines develop.

The infusion is given every three months.

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"We are all excited about the treatment options we have now," Stark said.

Federal health minister Mark Butler said more than 4500 Australian patients with chronic migraines are going to have access to this game changing treatment.

About five million Australians suffer from migraines with about 8 per cent experiencing frequent attacks.

There are two other medications in the same class that are subsidised for chronic sufferers but doctors say this latest listing gives patients more choice.  

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Police have referred her death to the coroner.

Snow settled on Mount Tarawera today.

When Kylie Christian was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease two years ago, her sights were firmly set on competing in the Paralympic Games in Paris.

The Victorian mother-of-three hopes by sharing her story, she can demonstrate athletes don't need to have an "overt" disability to compete.

"You know, every little girl that rides horses has a dream to go to the Olympics and yeah, my dream's now my goal," she told 9News.

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At 45, she was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease – a disorder of the nervous system.

Her diagnosis was the catalyst to pursue a lifelong ambition: to represent Australia in "para-equestrian", the dressage events at the next Paralympic Games.

Despite physical challenges, such as weakness and tremors, she has been long-listed for the 2024 Games in Paris, with the final team yet to be selected.

"I was in the hospital and looked at (the neurologist) and I just said, 'I'm going to ride para'," Christian said.

She wants to change the perception of what being a Paralympic athlete means.

"When you hear the word Paralympic you think of people with lost limbs or in a wheelchair, et cetera, but that's not the case for people like me."

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Christian is also an advocate for Shake It Up Australia, which raises funds in the search for a Parkinson's cure.

"I just hope that one of those dollars makes all the difference," she said.

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Two women have been arrested and an alleged underworld figure is on the run after police searched a home in Sydney's south-west.

Officers arrived at the home of Ahmad Alameddine to do a compliance check for his strict bail conditions on Narelle Crescent in Greenacre about 6am.

Police said when they arrived, the 33-year-old allegedly ran from the home.

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Police then deployed the Dog and Riot Squad and PolAir to locate Alameddine.

"During a search of the address, police located and seized a firearm, which will be taken for further forensic examination," police said in a statement.

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9News understands his partner and sister offered to assist police but allegedly tried to help hide Alameddine.

The two women, aged 28 and 35, were arrested at a service station on Waterloo Road.

They are expected to be charged with hindering the investigation.

Narelle Crescent was the site of two shootings just days apart last month.

9News is not suggesting Alameddine has any links to those shootings.

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A man has been found not guilty of murder as a woman's sentence can finally be revealed for killing a mother of two, leaving her body decomposing in a creek as she impersonated her victim asking for money.

Justin Kent Dilosa pleaded not guilty to murdering Danielle Easey at a home on the NSW Central Coast in 2019.

The NSW Supreme Court jury deliberated for almost 12 hours across two days before finding Dilosa not guilty.

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Easey's body was discovered at a creek near Newcastle in August 2019, more than a week after she had been murdered by Carol Marie McHenry.

McHenry has been jailed at least 15 years and six months, eligible for parole in March 2035.

Her maximum sentence of 22 years and six months was backdated to September 2019.

Easey's birth and death both made news.

Newcastle's "earthquake baby" came into the world on the day the NSW Hunter region was rocked by a rare tremor in 1989.

"She was born on the grass outside the hospital with sheets held up around us," her mother, Jennifer Collier, told a court when the woman who murdered her daughter approached sentencing in April.

McHenry sent text messages and asked for money, posing as Easey after her mother said she was going to report her missing to police.

"I believed you were her, and that plays on my mind nearly every single day," Collier told McHenry.

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Easey's sister said she has been filled with a consuming emptiness, falling into alcoholism and prescription drug abuse since the murder of her sister and "soulmate".

She can't work, socialise, or even experience joy.

"I can't feel it," she said.

She told "Carol" she had already experienced much hardship in her life.

"Congratulations, it was you who broke me. I will never be whole again due to your actions," she said.

Easey's brother asked a question from the witness box.

"There's nowhere for you to hide in this court, is there Carol?" Brendan Easey said.

She had to sit and listen to the family of the woman she murdered, the first of many consequences she would face.

His younger sister was a protective, loving mother and a fighter, Mr Easey said, telling the court she once chased off older bullies who had run him up a tree with a "big arse stick".

"That was my sister, fierce as hell."

"You are a coward," he told her murderer.

"I don't even think you're sorry. I think you might be sorry you got caught."

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He said Danielle was loved and respected by all who knew her, who will remember her for the rest of their lives.

"If you do get out (of jail) the world will have forgotten you, and no one will be sorry for you," he told McHenry.

McHenry and Dilosa each blamed the other for attacking and fatally wounding the 29-year-old Easey in McHenry's home.

The jury that found McHenry guilty was unable to reach a verdict for Dilosa, who was found not guilty following a second trial.

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The mayor has jumped the gun on his council’s planning processes for stadiums in Auckland.

An expert at Sydney's Taronga Zoo says a sun bear at a Chinese zoo, which viewers online have claimed was a human in a costume, is real.

Guests and viewers of viral social media clips have pointed to the animal's uncanny resemblance to a person while it was standing upright in its habitat as evidence of a conspiracy.

The creature also appeared to be waving at visitors.

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Hangzhou Zoo, located in the capital of China's Zhejiang province, denied claims the bear was a human dressed up.

Keeper Logan Dudley, who takes care of sun bear Mary at Sydney's Taronga Zoo, said she's certain the creature seen in the videos is real.

"I don't think it is a person in a costume," Dudley said.

"Our sun bear Mary displays that same behaviour and it is a natural behaviour that is displayed in wild sun bears as well.

"In the wild, sun bears will display the standing up behaviour like we've seen in the video.

"It's behaviour they do to reach food in the trees."

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Some bears might be rewarded with food for displaying behaviours such as waving at zoos, she added.

"Sun bears are very smart, she may have cottoned on to this," Dudley said.

She said the saggy skin on their behind is insulation plus is flexible so allows them to twist away from attackers.

Taronga Zoo has also responded to the debate with cheeky social media posts and said there has been an uptick in interest in Mary.

The zoo captioned a Facebook post: "Primates aren't the only ones who can stand two legs."

The zoo also posted footage of Mary making herself a bed, saying she's "putting to be any rumours about her incredible species".

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Why are they called sun bears?

A sun bear, also known as a honey bear, Malayan bear, dog bear, Biruang or "basidia ann tingle", meaning "he who sits high", is one of the world's rarest bears.

They're named after the unique shading on their chest which looks like a rising sun.

Standing up to 1.5m tall and weighing up to 80kg, they're a similar size to a human.

But they have long claws which can rip open logs and fend off predators like tigers, leopards and pythons.

Taronga Zoo also had another sun bear – Mr Hobbs, who died in 2021.

He was taken from his mother when she was killed by poachers in Cambodia.

He was rescued by expat businessman John Stevens from a restaurant where he was destined to become food, along with two others.

They were taken to the Free The Bears sanctuary in Phnom Penh and eventually came to Sydney, the zoo said.

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Perth Zoo and Canberra's National Zoo and Aquarium also have sun bears.

The bears live for around 25 years and are solitary creatures.

Sadly, thousands of bears are still been captured for their bile and meat in Asia.

They're also losing their habitat, with only around 2500 left in the wild.

Taronga Zoo said visiting helps support conservation projects to try and save them.

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