The Crown ‘dropped the ball’ by failing to help the community deal with sexual abuse.

A potential cure for epilepsy may be uncovered as part of a world-first clinical trial run by Melbourne researchers.

A drug previously used for cancer treatment will be used to treat people with epilepsy, which causes recurrent seizures, in a Monash University trial that will run from October.

More than 150,000 Australians have the often debilitating medical condition, with the sodium selenate trial giving new hope to patients like Danielle Heaven.

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She, like one-third of those with the neurological disorder who struggle to control their condition with the anti-seizure medication currently available, said the trial could be "life-changing". 

"You have to really weigh up your quality of life and what medications are no longer tolerable," Heaven said.

Dr Lucy Vivash said the "ground-breaking" new research could soon change that.

"What we are hoping to see is a reduction in the seizures long term, even after the drug has been withdrawn," she said.

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"Despite the cost of the disease and the enormous amount of research into it, there has not been a single therapy developed to prevent the development of epilepsy or to mitigate its severity once established," head of Monash Neuroscience Professor Terry O'Brien added.

"Until now." 

Epilepsy is a life-long condition and Heaven said she'd never thought about the potential to cure her seizures.

"It does give me hope," she said

"I have actually really never been well.

"The idea of a cure is really something I thought perhaps wouldn't happen in my lifetime.

"I think the idea of a cure could actually change people's lives."

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A shipping company that made headlines in 2021 when a giant container ship it was operating became stuck in the Suez Canal is in the news again.

Taiwan-based Evergreen Marine Corporation is handing out staff bonuses equivalent to five years of salary to its 3100 workers, local media reports.

The company will spend $94 million in bonuses after a bumper year in 2022.

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Its mid-year bonus is expected to be 10 to 11 months' worth of workers' 2022 salary.

When it is added to the massive 50-month salary perk they received last December, workers will reap about 60 months, or five years' worth of pay, in bonuses alone.

Evergreen said they will be distributed based on workers' individual performance of workers.

The shipping giant's net profit after tax for the year ending 2022 was $22 billion a year-on-year increase of 39.8 per cent.

The figures are from Evergreen's 2022 financial report, published on March 14.

The whopping profits were thanks to the recovery of the global container shipping industry following the lifting of pandemic lockdowns in many nations, as well as soaring shipping prices, The Straits Times reports.

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In March 2021, the container ship Ever Given, operated by Evergreen, famously ran aground in the Suez Canal, seriously disrupting global shipping.

It was extracted after a massive six-day salvage effort by a flotilla of tugboats.

The blockage disrupted global shipping and world trade.

Hundreds of ships waited in place for the canal to be unblocked, while some ships were forced to take the much longer route around the Cape of Good Hope at Africa's southern tip, requiring additional fuel and other costs.

A decorated former Australian soldier has been charged with the war crime of murder after being arrested in regional New South Wales this morning.

Following an investigation by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the Office of the Special Investigator (OSI), Oliver Schulz was taken into custody.

The 41-year-old has been charged with one count of war crime – murder.

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9News understands the charge relates to the death of a man during a 2012 raid while Schulz was deployed to Afghanistan with the Australian Defence Force.

He is the first Australian serviceman or veteran to be charged with a war crime under Australian law, relating to the conflict in Afghanistan.

The maximum penalty for the charge is life imprisonment.

Schulz, a Special Air Service (SAS) veteran, was arrested after a years-long investigation into alleged war crimes in Afghanistan.

The AFP said it is continuing to work with OSI to investigate allegations of criminal offences under Australian law related to breaches of the Laws of Armed Conflict by Australian Defence Force personnel in Afghanistan between 2005 and 2016.

Schulz was refused bail this afternoon and will face a Sydney court in May.

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Last week some of Keen-Minshull’s supporters were seen giving Nazi salutes.

Spurned Tinder hopeful also threatened to accuse uninterested date of rape.

NZ may want to think about reopening its embassy in Baghdad – again.

But supporters say it was the doctor who was vulnerable and was being coerced.

The father of a 20-year-old Darwin bottle shop worker who was stabbed to death minutes before he was due to finish his shift said his son sent him a final text before he died.

The man, who didn't give his name, told a local radio station his son, who has been named as Declan Laverty messaged him, "love you, I've been stabbed," at 8.45pm last night after the attack at the BWS bottle shop in Jingili in the city's north.

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Police say the teen was attacked with a knife just before 9pm.

It's believed the alleged attacker was refused service.

The father said he rushed to the shop in an Uber, as his son had taken his car, to find emergency services there.

A security guard had tried to save his son, but he had already died, he told host Katie Woolf on Darwin radio station Mix FM.

He said his son, who had only lived with him in Darwin for two years since he moved from Cairns, had been looking for another job because of the issues at the store.

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He described his son, who he said he lived alone with, as "a wonderful, opinionated, strong lad."

"He loved his football, and he was really into music at the moment. He was trying to get some songs released and studying as well and working 30-odd hours a week at the BWS airport," he said.

He said he was struggling to deal with what had happened.

"It's just little things. When I come home his dinner is in the fridge from last night," he said.

A witness who arrived at the scene shortly after the attack described it one of the most confronting scenes he'd ever seen.

NT Police said the alleged attacker fled the scene in a car.

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A 19-year-old man was arrested this morning.

NT Police said he is expected to be charged later today.

The Endeavour Group, which owns BWS, has released a statement of support for the victim's family, friends and loved ones.

"We will offer counselling and support to all our team members in Darwin across BWS and AIH Hotels, and the team member's family," CEO Steve Donohue said.

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A body has been found in the search for a canyoner who disappeared in New South Wales' Blue Mountains.

Munib Dar, 39, was last seen in the Wollangambe River at Mount Wilson about 3pm yesterday, and a search was launched.

The father-of-one ran into trouble  on the Wollengambe Canyon 2 Track. His friend tried to help but was unsuccessful and left to find phone reception and call for help.

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A search started about 5pm but was suspended by 7pm due to poor conditions, and the weather also hampered efforts this morning.

The search, involving police rescue, PolAir, and NSW Ambulance, resumed at 9am today.

The body of a man, believed to be the missing 39-year-old, was found about 11am.

"He appears to have become wedged into some rocks and has submerged in the water," NSW Police Acting Inspector Lauren Martin said.

Recovery efforts have been hampered by thick fog which has reduced visibility making it unsafe for special operations teams.

Police will stay at the scene overnight with the body until they can try again tomorrow.

NSW Police said a report will be prepared for the Coroner.

Earlier, Today reporter Gabrielle Boyle said conditions were "very difficult" to contend with.

"We had very heavy fog, drizzling rain and pretty poor visibility making things really difficult for crews," she said.

"(It's a) very difficult time for the friends who were with the 39-year-old man at the time he got into trouble."

READ MORE: Millions of Australians to receive cash boost today 

The Blue Mountains is west of Sydney and is known for its soaring sandstone cliffs and remote bushland.

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