Iconic comedian Barry Humphries, best known for his character Dame Edna Everage, has thanked fans for their messages of support after being hospitalised in Sydney following complications from hip replacement surgery.

"Barry Humphries is currently in hospital receiving treatment for health issues," his family said in a statement tonight.

"Barry would like to thank everybody for the support and good wishes he has received but would like more and more.

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"He would also like to thank the wonderful doctors, nurses and staff at St Vincent's Hospital."

The entertainer had surgery on a broken hip at St Vincent's Hospital in February.

It has been reported the 89-year-old was reaching for a book when he tripped on a rug and fell.

Nine's entertainment editor Richard Wilkins said Humphries' health "took a turn" this week.

"I have spoken to a few people close to Barry in the last couple of hours," Wilkins said on Wednesday morning.

"One of his very close friends and colleagues said that he spoke to him a couple of days ago and that he was in good spirits and in good shape.

"However, it appears that in the last little while, Barry has taken a turn for the worst and is back in hospital."

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Wilkins said Humphries is keeping strong spirits. 

"All we can do is cross our fingers," Wilkins said.

Wilkins added the comedian "aims to be back on stage again this year".

Entertainment reporter Peter Ford told Ben Fordham on 2GB Humphries was a "trooper" and would fight hard.

"He doesn't intend on giving up easily, in fact, he's got dates pencilled in to go back on stage at the end of this year," he told Fordham.

"Whether that's realistic or not, it's just important that you have a goal.

"And Barry certainly intends to keep on fighting."

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Ford said the fall had left the comedian in "absolute agony".

"A lot of it has got to do with the complications of hip replacement surgery," Ford said.

"He had a fall, just simple fall, tripping on a rug.

"And this has led to a sort of downward spiral.

"He was in absolute agony and I'm told things haven't improved at all."

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One person has been killed when a parking garage partially collapsed in New York City.

Five people were injured, Mayor Eric Adams said.

The three-storey building fell around 4pm local time (6am AEST) a few blocks from City Hall and the Brooklyn Bridge.

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It is less than a kilometre from the New York Stock Exchange.

Bystander video shows cars hanging precariously from a buckled upper deck of the building.

"It felt like an earthquake," Liam Gaeta, a student at nearby Pace University, said.

He said he heard "a large noise and a big rumbling, and then we all got evacuated".

Other Pace students described hearing screams and seeing cars falling in the building when it caved in.

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The Fire Department said there were reports of people trapped and that searches were being conducted to make sure everyone was accounted for.

At one point, firefighters were pulled out because of concerns about the building's stability, the department said.

More to come.

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A Melbourne man who murdered his daughter and son-in-law in cold blood because they didn't ask his permission to marry has challenged the life sentence he received.

One of the judges who will decide his case says it's difficult to imagine a more callous crime committed against one's own child.

Osman Shaptafaj was ordered to serve at least 35 years behind bars for the murder of 25-year-old Lindita Musai and her husband Veton Musai, 29, on December 31, 2019.

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The couple were returning home from a getaway celebrating their first wedding anniversary.

Shaptafaj, who had been estranged from his daughter for eight years, was not asked for permission or invited to the wedding – both things he later said were sore points.

Justice Phillip Priest said it was hard to find anything that mitigated his actions.

"These were cold-blooded killings, premeditated (and) carried out for what it seems no better reason than your client's dignity was in some way offended," he told Shaptafaj's barrister Rishi Nathwani on Wednesday.

"It's difficult to imagine a more callous crime committed against one's own child."

Shaptafaj lay in wait for nearly two hours for Lindita and Veton to arrive home on the night he killed them. As they approached their Yarraville front door he shot them in the head.

Justice Stephen Kaye said his actions were not spur of the moment. He had taken out his gun, loaded it, taken extra ammunition, driven to their home and waited.

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"He had every chance to desist. He had one-and-a-half hours. All he could do was think about murdering, cold-bloodedly executing his daughter for no other reason than they'd slighted him," he said.

Nathwani argued the sentence handed to Shaptafaj was manifestly excessive.

He said his client was entitled to a discount for having pleaded guilty, saving the court the expense of a trial, and further turmoil for Lindita and Veton's families.

Shaptafaj was also entitled to a sentencing discount because of his age, his lack of criminal history and a finding that prison would be more difficult for him, he said.

Priest said another way of looking at it was that some killings are so bad that nothing other than life is appropriate.

Prosecutor Diana Piekusis KC said given the enormity of Shaptafaj's crime, and his exceedingly high level of culpability, the sentence was within the range available.

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The appeal justices will hand down their decision at a later date.

Outside court Drilon Musai said he hoped people would remember his brother and sister-in-law for who they were, not what happened to them.

"The judges, they seemed understanding and I think they understand the gravity and the heinousness of the crime, so hopefully common sense prevails and we don't have to go through this again," he said.

If you need help in a crisis, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. For further information about depression, contact beyondblue on 1300224636 or talk to your GP, local health professional or someone you trust.

If you or someone you know is impacted by domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.

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Police have conducted five different searches across Sydney today, after charging Mohammed Khalid with the murder of a former bikie who shot in front of his wife just weeks after being released from jail.

Yusuf Nazlioglu was shot up to ten times as he stepped out of his car in the underground car park of an apartment complex in Rhodes in June last year.

Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty alleged Khalid set multiple vehicles alight after the murder and used an e-scooter to leave the scene.

"Police will allege in court he was involved in the planning and coordination of the murder," Doherty said.

"He performed a number of acts prior to, during and after the murder and acted in a joint criminal enterprise with others to murder Yusuf Nazlioglu.

Doherty said the accused acted in "complete disregard" for the safety of Nazlioglu's wife and others.

He said drugs, cash, electronics a car and clothing were seized in today's searches, along with an e-scooter. 

They also allegedly found a burnt-out and stolen Volkswagen, Mercedes and Range Rover used in relation to the murder.

At the time police described the shooting as a "targeted attack".

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At 6am today a 25-year-old man was arrested at a home in Blair Athol in Sydney's South West. 

Mohammed Khalid was taken to Campbelltown Police Station and charged with murder.

The charge comes after an investigation by Taskforce Erebus, which was established to probe several fatal shootings and criminal activities by organised crime networks across Sydney.

Nazlioglu, a former Lone Wolf bikie, was found not guilty in 2020 of the murder of former Comanchero boss Mick Hawi, who was gunned down outside a Rockdale gym in 2018.

His co-accused, alleged getaway driver Jamal Eljaidi, was also acquitted.

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After being removed by zoo staff, the man was taken into custody, police said.

A man has been airlifted to hospital following a boat fire in Sydney's Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park this afternoon.

The 32-year-old was on board when the fire broke out on the boat at Akuna Bay Marina, in Pittwater on the Northern Beaches this afternoon.

A worker was on board at the time, refuelling the boat.

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He received burns to his arms, legs and face.

Emergency services put out the blaze and the man has been taken to Royal North Shore Hospital.

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A woman is expected to be charged on summon over a hit and run in Melbourne's south-east that left a cyclist seriously hurt.

Robert Clarke's bike was dragged for 100 metres along Douglas Street in Noble Park after he was knocked off at 6.40am last Thursday.

The offending car allegedly fled the scene after hitting the 59-year-old.

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A 40-year-old woman from Dandenong came forward to police on Monday after footage of the incident was released by police, which showed a white Mitsubishi Lancer accelerating toward the cyclist and mounting the kerb to hit him.

She was interviewed by police and later released pending further investigations.

"Police have since located and seized further CCTV footage as part of their investigation to assist in determining who was allegedly driving the vehicle at the time," police said.

The woman is expected to be charged on summons tonight with several driving offences.

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The cyclist recounted the incident in tears on Monday.

"I could just see things flashing past, me as I'm tumbling and then I stopped," Clarke said.

"It was just this realisation, 'I'm still here', that's the first thing."

He suffered nasty cuts and bruises, with police saying he was lucky not to be badly hurt.

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The family of slain paramedic Steven Tougher has called for legislation changes to protect emergency service workers as they visited the Sydney McDonald's where his life was taken.

Steven Tougher, 29, was allegedly stabbed to death while on a break near the end of his shift with his colleagues in Campbelltown around 5.30am last Friday.

Members of the public have created a flower wall to pay respect to Tougher and offer support to the family.

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"This can't be allowed to be forgotten as just another incident," Tougher's father Jeff said at the scene on Wednesday. 

"Nobody deserves the grief that this has brought forward."

The father is demanding mandatory life sentences for any killers of emergency service workers on the job and mandatory prison terms for anyone who assaults one.

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"I propose the changes be called Steven's Law," he said.

Tougher's pregnant wife Madison, who he married five weeks ago, and his sister also visited the flower wall to mourn his death, which was described as one of the "darkest days" for the NSW Ambulance service.

Jordan Fineanganofo, 21, from Raby, was charged with murder and will remain behind bars until his case returns to court in June.

Earlier, Tougher's wife, parents and sister issued a statement on behalf of the entire family, saying the young paramedic's compassion was "exceptional".

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The 20-year-old is facing assault charges after the March 25 protest.

A train driver from Queensland has saved a snake from a potentially grisly fate after moving it off the train tracks.

Snake catchers said they'd take two hours to arrive when a carpet python was found on the train tracks at Brisbane's Roma Street Station on Monday.

So a train driver who was meant to steer a departing carriage decided to take matters into his own hands, using a stick to wrangle the 2.3m snake from the tracks. 

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The rescue was captured on CCTV and showed the driver leaning across the edge of the platform to aid the reptile. 

"From time to time our drivers are required to remove wildlife from the tracks to enable trains to run and for customer safety," Scott Cornish from Queensland Rail said.

"We're thankful our driver was able to protect both the snake and our customers by placing it safely out of the rail corridor.

"We're also happy to report the 2.3-metre carpet python has been rehomed to a lush new habitat in the bush."

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