Prince William and Kate began their visit in Anglesey, the place they once called home as newlyweds, for the first time since taking on their new titles as Prince and Princess of Wales.

A series of unusual leaks on two natural gas pipelines running from Russia under the Baltic Sea to Germany have triggered concerns about sabotage, overshadowing the inauguration of a long-awaited pipeline that will bring Norwegian gas to Poland to bolster Europe's energy independence from Moscow.

Seismic stations in Sweden, Norway and Finland registered two explosions on Monday near the leaks.

Bjorn Lund, a seismologist with Uppsala University who is part of Sweden's national seismic network, said the first explosion was recorded in the early hours southeast of the Danish island of Bornholm. The latter and stronger blast that night was northeast of the island and equivalent to a magnitude-2.3 earthquake.

READ MORE: Vladimir Putin grants Edward Snowden Russian citizenship

"We know very well what an underwater blast looks like. And so in this case, there's no doubt this is not an earthquake," Lund said.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki called the events "an act of sabotage", while Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said she could not rule it out after three leaks were detected over the past day on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, which are filled with gas but not delivering the fuel to Europe.

By Tuesday afternoon (Wednesday morning AEST) Frederiksen said her government viewed the gas leaks off a Danish island in the Baltic Sea as "deliberate actions".

Asked whether it was an attack on Denmark, Frederiksen replied that the leaks happened in international waters and "the answer is thus no".

On Wednesday, Danish defence minister Morten Bodskov will travel to Brussels to meet with NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg to talk about the gas leaks.

An energy standoff over Russia's war in Ukraine halted flows on Nord Stream 1 and prevented them from ever starting in the parallel Nord Stream 2.

Frederiksen, Morawiecki and Polish President Andrzej Duda symbolically opened a valve of a yellow pipe belonging to the Baltic Pipe, a new system that will bring Norway's gas across Denmark and the Baltic Sea to Poland.

EXPLAINER: What is the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, and why does it matter?

"The era of Russian domination in the gas sphere is coming to an end," Morawiecki declared. "An era that was marked by blackmail, threats and extortion."

No official presented evidence of what caused the Nord Stream problems, but in central Europe, where distrust of Russia runs high, there were fears Moscow sabotaged its own infrastructure out of spite or to warn that all pipelines are vulnerable to attack. The leaks emerged off the coast of Denmark and Sweden, raising the stakes on whether energy infrastructure in European waters was being targeted and leading to a small bump in natural gas prices.

"We can clearly see that this is an act of sabotage, an act that probably means a next step of escalation in the situation that we are dealing with in Ukraine," Morawiecki said.

Anders Puck Nielsen, a researcher with the Centre for Maritime Operations at the Royal Danish Defence College, said the timing of the leaks was "conspicuous" given the ceremony for the Baltic Pipe. He said perhaps someone sought "to send a signal that something could happen to the Norwegian gas".

"The arrow points in the direction of Russia," Puck Nielsen said.

"No one in the West is interested in having any kind of instability in the energy market."

Kremlin calls for ugent probe

The extent of the damage means the Nord Stream pipelines are unlikely to be able to carry any gas to Europe this winter even if there was political will to bring them online, analysts at the Eurasia Group said.

"Depending on the scale of the damage, the leaks could even mean a permanent closure of both lines," analysts Henning Gloystein and Jason Bush wrote.

They noted that undersea pipelines are designed in a way that they are not accidentally damaged and leaks are rare.

"Leaks of this size are a severe safety and environmental hazard, especially should Russia not stop pumping gas into the system," the analysts said.

READ MORE: Russian military recruiter shot amid fear of Ukraine call-up

Puck Nielsen said of possible sabotage that "technically speaking, this is not difficult. It just requires a boat. It requires some divers that know how to handle explosive devices."

"But I think if we look at who would actually benefit from disturbances, more chaos on the gas market in Europe, I think there's basically only one actor right now that actually benefits from more uncertainty, and that is Russia," he said.

Asked if the leaks may have been caused by sabotage, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said "no version could be excluded".

"This is an unprecedented situation that requires an urgent investigation. We are extremely worried by this news," he said in a conference call with reporters.

The Danish and Swedish maritime authorities issued navigation warnings after the leaks in the pipelines were detected northeast and southeast of the Danish island of Bornholm.

Denmark established a prohibited area to ensure that ships do not go near the leaks. Ships may lose buoyancy, and there may also be a risk of ignition above the water and in the air, authorities said.

Europe struggled for answers

The Nord Stream pipelines have been at the centre of an energy clash between Europe and Russia since the invasion of Ukraine in late February. Plunging Russian gas supplies have caused prices to soar, pressuring governments to help ease the pain of sky-high energy bills for households and businesses as winter nears. The crisis also has raised fears of rationing and recession.

European countries have struggled to find other supplies of gas, which heats homes, generates electricity and runs factories. Poland, for example, was on track to free itself of Russian gas after working for years to secure other sources, including liquefied natural gas, or LNG, from the United States and Middle East. Germany, in contrast, is only now racing to build LNG terminals.

The Baltic Pipe is a prominent element in the European Union's search for energy security and is to start bringing Norwegian gas through Denmark and along the Baltic Sea to Poland on October 1.

Simone Tagliapietra, an energy expert with the Bruegel think tank in Brussels, said the leaks "can't be a coincidence" and speculated they could have been caused by Russian sabotage or anti-Russian sabotage.

One possibility is Russia signalling it "is breaking forever with Western Europe and Germany" as Poland inaugurates its pipeline with Norway, he said.

"In any case, this is a stark reminder of the exposure to risk of Europe's gas infrastructure," Tagliapietra said.

Polish energy expert Andrzej Sikora said he has been warning of the possibility of attacks on pipeline infrastructure since the construction of Nord Stream 1 in 2010. The significant drop in pressure caused by the leaks was clearly not the result of "a bad weld," said Sikora, head of the Energy Studies Institute think tank.

He has been urging steps to ensure the security of the Baltic Pipe, which at one point crosses paths with both Nord Stream pipelines.

Two teenage boys and two teenage girls have been charged after a man died following a crash involving an allegedly stolen car in Brisbane's east.

Police said one of the boys and one of the girls were inside the car involved in the incident at the intersection of Kianawah and Youngs roads in Wynnum West about 9.20am. While the other boy and girl were following behind in a second allegedly stolen vehicle.

Michael Warburton, the 59-year-old motorcyclist from Hemmant in Brisbane, was rushed to Princess Alexandra Hospital in a critical condition but later died.

READ MORE: Woman carried nine metres into the air after being hit by roller coaster

The father-of-three and Penrith Panthers fan was hit as he rode his moped home from the gym.

His community has created a makeshift memorial at the bus stop near the crash site.

It's filled with photos of the beloved dad as well as flags and bunting for his NRL team ahead of their grand final game on Sunday.

His devasted family told 9News they want people to know he was the most loving husband, son and father.

Inspector Lindsay Kilpatrick said the crash happened when the car, a Nissan X-Trail, crossed onto the wrong side of the road and tried to pass the motorcyclist "at speed".

"Another vehicle that was proceeding in the same direction behind (the motorcyclist) has crossed onto the wrong side of the road and, at speed, began to pass him," Kilpatrick said.

"As he turned right, there was a collision between that vehicle and the motorcycle."

He said the collision caused "very, very extensive" damage to both vehicles.

Kilpatrick said the crash was witnessed by a driver travelling behind the motorcyclist.

READ MORE: Man falls five storeys to his death at Brisbane hostel

He said police would allege that the two people who had been in the car at the time of the crash were a 15-year-old girl and 15-year-old boy. They were arrested two streets away after "the assistance of the community" and the dog squad.

"It's a tragic event," Kilpatrick said.

Those teens and two others have been charged.

A 15-year-old Wynnum boy, the alleged driver of the vehicle, has been charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death (fail to remain at scene of crash), unlawful use of a motor vehicle (used in indictable offence), burglary, fail to remain at scene of a crash and unlicensed driving.

A 16-year-old girl from Wynnum West, who it is alleged was a passenger, has been charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death (fail to remain at scene of crash) and unlawful use of motor vehicle (used in indictable offence).

A 15-year-old girl, also from Wynnum West has been charged with unlawful use of a motor vehicle, wilful damage and two counts each of stealing and obstruct police.

Another 15-year-old boy, from Alexandra Hills, has been charged with unlawful use of a motor vehicle and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.

The car involved in the crash was allegedly stolen from a home in Wynnum West, in Brisbane's east, in the early hours of this morning.

A second vehicle, a VW Arteon allegedly stolen from Carina in Brisbane overnight, was found in Wynnum West, near where the teens were arrested.

A small community near Whangārei is rallying around a family who lost a child in a tree-climbing accident.Declan Halford, 10, died on his family’s 4ha block on SH14 in Wheki Valley on Saturday afternoon.A family friend of…

Armed police blocked two roads in Taupo this afternoon after three police vehicles were damaged.The initial incident occurred at 2.30pm in central Tokoroa, a police spokesperson confirmed. The vehicle’s occupants fled from police…

By Lucy Xia of RNZ A “how to vote” article posted by a social media account that claims association with Auckland mayoral candidate Wayne Brown has been found to have breached the electoral law.The article, which appeared on…

A mother whose personal details were leaked during the Optus data breach is facing another threat after being sent a text message by a supposed hacker.

Belinda Smith is being blackmailed by someone asking for $2000 because the telco giant refused to pay a ransom.

"I got a text message from a supposed hacker asking for $2000 cash because Optus haven't paid their ransom of the $1 million," she told 9News.

READ MORE: Optus hacker's 'bizarre' backflip after $1m threat

To make matters worse, her five-year-old son has cancer.

The text Belinda received last night read: "Hello, Optus has left security measures allowing us to access the personal information of their customers including name, email, phone number, date of birth, address and license (sic) number.

"Optus has since not responded to our demand of paying the $1m USD ransom.

"Your information will be sold and used for fraudulent activity within 2 days or until a payment of $2,000 AUD is made then the confidential information will be erased off our systems."

READ MORE: Melissa Caddick's husband had 'no idea' of fraud

https://twitter.com/cokeefe9/status/1574645439462506501

The text then has bank transfer details and asks the recipient to send a screenshot once the transaction is complete.

"I guess they are just trying to pressure people into paying the $2000, because I assume I'm not the only one who received that text message and hope that some people send them the money," Smith said.

This afternoon the Commonwealth Bank said it has identified and blocked the account soliciting deposits in exchange for data erasure.

READ MORE: Young Russians flee country as conscripts for Ukraine war handed rusty weapons

Earlier, an anonymous online account claiming to be behind the Optus cyber attack bizarrely apologised for the hack, pledging not to make public the information of almost 10 million Australian customers.

Hours before that, several cybersecurity experts flagged a post by the same anonymous account in which it claimed to have already publicly released the stolen private information of 10,000 customers.

That post also included a threat to release more batches each day for the next four days unless demands are met.

The federal government has been scathing in its criticism of Optus, following the leak of millions of users' personal data.

It was revealed this morning that Medicare numbers were exposed in the data breach. 

Previously Optus revealed the leak had included names, dates of birth, email addresses, phone numbers, postal addresses, drivers' licence numbers and passport numbers.

READ MORE: Hacker claiming Optus attack apologises in new online post

But it had not revealed Medicare details had also been compromised.

"Medicare numbers were never notified as forming part of the breach," Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said.

"Consumers have also got a right to know exactly what individual personal information has been compromised in Optus's communications to them."

Dreyfus said the Australian Federal Police is "devoting huge effort" to catch the culprit.

State and territory police as well as the USA's FBI have also been involved.

How do I know what data has been exposed?

The onus is on Optus to tell you if your data has been breached. So far the telco has informed many customers and former customers their information has been exposed.

But the telco is yet to say specifically what data was breached from what user.

The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) said people can check the Optus website or contact the telco via the app or by calling 133 937.

You can also make a privacy complaint to the OAIC, but you will need to contact Optus first.

READ MORE: Optus could face class action over massive data breach

What do I do if my data has been hacked?

Optus has engaged the cybersecurity company IDCare to support customers with their data exposed.

The IDCare website has a form customers can fill out as a first step.

But the company has warned their case managers are dealing with a high number of calls because of the breach.

Visiting the Australian Cyber Security Centre will give useful information to find out if my data has been exposed.

You should not use non-government sites to check if your data has been exposed.

Sites which ask for your personal details to find out if you have been hacked are often just data gathering sites for nefarious actors.

READ MORE: What to do if you've been targeted by the Optus cyber attack

What can happen if my details are hacked?

For most people, the biggest risk will be identity theft.

A person could use your data to open a bank account or the like, and possibly seek a loan.

Victims have also been blackmailed from the Optus breach, with some customers contacted already demanding money to keep their data private.

But Alastair MacGibbon from CyberCX told 9News there could be fatal consequences.

"If you were a person that has fled a violent relationship and you are currently in hiding from your former partner, and your address has now been basically stolen by a criminal," he said.

"For the vast bulk of us, it means we are more likely to be scammed, have things like our identity stolen, but for a certain subset of people, it does pose a threat to their safety."

What should I be on alert for?

If your data has been leaked, you may become a target for scammers.

Dreyfus has urged all Optus customers to be vigilant.

"Do not click on any links in a text message," he said.

"Check all website sources – just check that it is an official website before taking any future action.

"If you are unsure about why you are being asked to divulge private information, stop and verify who the person or organisation is that is making that request of you."

Has my account definitely been leaked?

If you have been an Optus customer anytime between 2017 and now, your details are most likely in the hands of the hacker.

So far, 10,000 Optus customers have had their details leaked in a way that is publicly accessible.

Earlier on Tuesday the purported hacker claimed the remaining details had been completely deleted.

It is somewhat doubtful the data has been actually deleted. For many nefarious operators, it is better if people believe their personal details are secure.

READ MORE: Optus knew of cyber attack 24 hours before alerting media

Can I change my details?

You can only change certain details among those leaked in the Optus hack.

Obviously you can't change your date of birth, and you'd have to move to change your home address.

If you renew your passport, your new one will have a different number.

But if you get a new Medicare card, it will have the same number on it.

NSW Customer Services Minister Victor Dominello said people in the state can get a new digital drivers licence issued instantaneously via the Service NSW app. A new plastic card will be issued within ten business days.

The new licence will cost users $29, with "reimbursement advice will be issued by Optus to customers in the coming days".

In Victoria, you won't be able to change your driver's licence unless you can prove actual identity fraud has taken place with it, while Queenslanders who were affected by the breach can have a new license provided to them without charge.

Each jurisdiction has different rules about driver's licence numbers.

Should Optus pay the ransom?

The telco has already said it will not pay the $US1 million ransom demanded of it by the purported hacker.

"It is already possible that someone has paid the ransom," MacGibbon said.

"I said earlier that Optus needed to consider the concept of paying the ransom if indeed it would help reduce the chance of threats to the safety of this small subset of people whose data clearly has been stolen.

"It may be that someone has already bought the data from the criminals, which is why they say they have taken it down."

By Niva Chittock of RNZ A Consumer New Zealand investigation has found some rental property agencies are collecting unnecessary, and in some cases potentially illegal information, from prospective tenants.Earlier this year,…

A Melbourne woman is facing criminal charges after more than $10 million was mistakenly transferred into her bank account by a cryptocurrency trading platform.

In May 2021, Crypto.com intended to refund Thevamaogari Manivel $100, but the 37-year-old was instead erroneously transferred $10,474,143.

The company did not notice its mistake for seven months, until December 2021.

READ MORE: Optus hacker's 'bizarre' backflip after $1m threat

Crypto.com commenced legal action against Manivel and others in the Victorian Supreme Court's commercial division in February this year.

The company was granted a freeze on her Commonwealth Bank account, but by then most of the money had been transferred into other accounts.

About $1.35 million was used to buy a home in Craigieburn, with the ownership of the property transferred to Manivel's sister, Thilagavathy Gangadory, who lived in Malaysia, the court heard previously.

READ MORE: Young Russians flee country as conscripts for Ukraine war handed rusty weapons

Manivel faced Melbourne Magistrates Court on Tuesday after being charged with two dealing with proceeds of crime offences.

She appeared by video link from prison.

Defence lawyer Jessica Willard said Manivel was told she had won the money by one of the co-accused offenders.

She has been charged with dealing with proceeds of crime "namely $10,474,143 AUD mistakenly transferred into her bank account from Crypto.com while being negligent as to whether or not it is proceeds of crime", court documents reveal.

READ MORE: Melissa Caddick's husband had 'no idea' of fraud

Manivel has also been charged with dealing with $11,750 of cash, suspected to be the proceeds of crime, in Tullamarine on March 17, 2022.

The matter will return to court on October 11.