Traffic is backed up on the Northwestern motorway after a fire as Aucklanders gear up for the All Blacks v Ireland clash at Eden Park.Two westbound lanes were blocked under St Lukes Rd at around 4pm, while one lane re-opened at…

GameSir's X3 comes with an in-built fan that cools your phone but it comes with a hitch. 

You need to be plugged into a power source to use its cooling capabilities!

The $100 USD accessory which hasn't got an Australian price tag yet,  is being pitched to gamers as the "ideal solution for Cloud Gaming on Android smartphones" (sorry Apple users, there's always the Backbone One).

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Essentially, it turns your phone into a gaming tablet similar to the Nintendo Switch 

It opens up like a piano accordion to fit most phones. Both Google's Pixel 6 and the Samsung Galaxy 21 Ultra were perfect fits but my favourite option – the Samsung's Galaxy Fold 3 – is a little hard done by. 

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The GameSir X3 shifts the USB-C connector from the left hand side to right, which means the extra real estate on the Fold's screen hangs below the controller rather than above.

I got used to it after a while but it does feel a little unnatural. 

Like the Nintendo Switch, the GameSir X3 doesn't have handles for you to grip, which makes it a little less comfortable to hold than the Backbone One.

It doesn't have an internal battery either meaning it can quickly sap older phones dry.

Over WiFi, I easily got two hours out of Google's Pixel 6 and the Samsung Galaxy Fold 3. 

Playing over 5G does take more out of a phone's battery but those hoping for longer sessions can connect a USB-C cable to the underside of the right handle to charge your phone while you play.

It's a habit you'll need to get used to if you want to use the X3's cooling system at all. 

In the centre of the X3 is a 4000 mm² hexagonal pad that gets cold enough to provide up to a "24°C drop in (a phone's) surface temperature."

According to GameSir, it can also drop the temperature of a phone's CPU by up to 12°C.

That'll be music to the ears of anyone who knows how hot a phone can get while gaming but the cooling system only works when plugged into an external power source. 

The fan and its RGB lighting won't boot up at all when plugged into a phone by itself.

That may be a win for your phone's battery life but it's far from a portable solution. 

Portable power banks are your best friend here. I was able to keep the fan running for more than an hour using this excellent Boost and Charge power bank by Belkin.

The cooling works wonderfully; particularly on my Pixel 6 which has a habit of getting hot. 

Better still, it's quiet and looks excellent when the lights are fired up even if it is a bit of a novelty (how often will the player look at the back of their phone?). 

The GameSir X3 will be available to buy online in Australia by the end of July.

It'll fit almost every Android phone that charges with USB-C (assuming they're between 110 and 179mm tall) but will only work with those running Android 9 or later. 

It weighs just 270 grams and comes with a solid carrying case if you plan on throwing it in a backpack and don't want it to be damaged.

You also have the ability to mod the GameSir X3 with different thumbsticks and button combinations to swap in and out. 

And finally – while my tests exclusively focused on Microsoft's xCloud – the X3 also supports Google Stadia, Vortex, Amazon Luna, NVIDIA GeForce Now, Steam Link, and more; meaning it's compatible with most cloud games.

It's not the only option for Android gamers, the $169.95 Razer Kishi V2 is a popular and cheaper alternative, despite being a little barebones on modifications and features. 

By comparison, the GameSir X3 is notably bulkier (and heavier) thanks to its cooling fan.

But for those looking for a higher-end experience, there's nothing quite like it. 

We'll update this article with a price and exact release date once the team at GameSir locks those details in. 

GameSir provided 9News with early access to an X3 Type-C controller for the purposes of this review.   

Victoria Cross recipient Willie Apiata has featured in a short film to launch a new mental health policy initiative for Kiwi veterans in which he reveals a never-before-seen portrait of himself he describes as an image of a “broken…

The World Health Organisation's Europe chief has warned that monkeypox cases in the region have tripled in the last two weeks and urged countries to do more to ensure the previously rare disease does not become entrenched on the continent.

And African health authorities said they are treating the expanding monkeypox outbreak as an emergency, calling on rich countries to share limited supplies of vaccines to avoid equity problems seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.

WHO Europe chief Dr Hans Kluge said in a statement that increased efforts were needed despite the United Nation health agency's decision last week that the escalating outbreak did not yet warrant being declared a global health emergency.

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“Urgent and coordinated action is imperative if we are to turn a corner in the race to reverse the ongoing spread of this disease,” Kluge said.

To date, more than 5000 monkeypox cases have been reported from 51 countries worldwide that don't normally report the disease, according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

Kluge said the number of infections in Europe represents about 90 per cent of the global total, with 31 countries in the WHO's European region having identified cases.

Kluge said data reported to the WHO show that 99 per cent of cases have been in men – the majority in men that have sex with men.

But he said there were now “small numbers” of cases among household contacts, including children.

Most people reported symptoms including a rash, fever, fatigue, muscle pain, vomiting and chills.

Scientists warn anyone who is in close physical contact with someone who has monkeypox or their clothing or bedsheets is at risk of infection.

Vulnerable populations like children and pregnant women are thought more likely to suffer severe disease.

About 10 per cent of patients were hospitalised for treatment or to be isolated, and one person was admitted to an intensive care unit. No deaths have been reported.

Kluge said the problem of stigmatisation in some countries might make some people wary of seeking health care and said the WHO was working with partners including organisers of gay pride events.

In the UK, which has the biggest monkeypox outbreak beyond Africa, officials have noted the disease is spreading in “defined sexual networks of gay, bisexual, or men who have sex with men.”

British health authorities said there were no signs suggesting sustained transmission beyond those populations.

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A leading WHO adviser said in May that the spike in cases in Europe was likely tied to sexual activity by men at two rave parties in Spain and Belgium.

Ahead of gay pride events in the UK this weekend, London's top public health doctor asked people with symptoms of monkeypox, like swollen glands or blisters, to stay home.

Nevertheless in Africa the WHO says that according to detailed data from Ghana monkeypox cases were almost evenly split between men and women, and no spread has been detected among men who have sex with men.

WHO Europe director Kluge also said the procurement of vaccines “must apply the principles of equity.”

The main vaccine being used against monkeypox was originally developed for smallpox and the European Medicines Agency said this week it was beginning to evaluate whether it should be authorised for monkeypox.

The WHO has said supplies of the vaccine, made by Bavarian Nordic, are extremely limited.

Countries including the UK and Germany have already begun vaccinating people at high risk of monkeypox; the UK recently widened its immunisation program to mostly gay and bisexual men who have multiple sexual partners and are thought to be most vulnerable.

Until May, monkeypox had never been known to cause large outbreaks beyond parts of central and west Africa, where it's been sickening people for decades, is endemic in several countries and mostly causes limited outbreaks when it jumps to people from infected wild animals.

To date, there have been about 1,800 suspected monkeypox cases in Africa, including more than 70 deaths, but only 109 have been lab-confirmed.

The lack of laboratory diagnosis and weak surveillance means many cases are going undetected.

“This particular outbreak for us means an emergency,” Ahmed Ogwell, the acting director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control, said.

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The WHO says monkeypox has spread to African countries where it hasn’t previously been seen, including South Africa, Ghana and Morocco.

But more than 90 per cent of the continent’s infections are in Congo and Nigeria, according to WHO Africa director, Dr Moeti Matshidiso.

Vaccines have never been used to stop monkeypox outbreaks in Africa; officials have relied mostly on contact tracing and isolation.

The WHO noted that similar to the scramble last year for COVID-19 vaccines, countries with supplies of vaccines for monkeypox are not yet sharing them with Africa.

“We do not have any donations that have been offered to (poorer) countries,” said Fiona Braka, who heads the WHO emergency response team in Africa.

“We know that those countries that have some stocks, they are mainly reserving them for their own populations.”

Matshidiso said the WHO was in talks with manufacturers and countries with stockpiles to see if they might be shared.

“We would like to see the global spotlight on monkeypox act as a catalyst to beat this disease once and for all in Africa,” she said Thursday.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern talked up the strong connections between the UK and New Zealand during a packed visit to London on Friday in which she met Prime Minister Boris Johnson and reflected on her OE working for former Prime…

The Victorian Government will remove the mandate for gas connections to new housing developments in a bid to move to renewable energy solutions.

Minister for Energy Lily D'Ambrosio announced today the state will remove mandatory gas connections for developers building new homes in favour of introducing more electrical options for homeowners.

It comes as energy bills have skyrocketed in recent months due to gas and coal shortages, the war in Ukraine, and a disparity in the speed of renewable energies being put into the system.

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"All electric homes can save thousands of dollars in bills," D'Ambrosio said.

She added a roadmap for Victorians about gas substitution will be rolled out to guide residents on how to move to electric appliances instead of gas to save on their bills.

The state plans to phase out all gas products in 2023.

"The Roadmap outlines how we will use energy efficiency, electrification, hydrogen and biogas to drive down bills and cut carbon emissions," a statement about the program said.

"It will help empower Victorian households and businesses to embrace sustainable alternatives to fossil gas and enhance access to an affordable, secure, reliable, and safe supply of energy."

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D'Ambrosio added new incentives will also be included in the Victorian Energy Upgrades program to encourage residents to transition household appliances from gas to electricity.

"People can be saving thousands of dollars if instead of living in a duel fuel home they go electric," she said.

She said these initiatives form the government's transition to renewable energy sources.

The government says Victorian households can save up to $1020 per year off their energy bills through electrification and up to $1250 if solar panels are installed

Meanwhile, yesterday the government announced a one off $250 payment to Victorians to help with power costs amid the rise in the cost of living.

A Queensland mayor has been formally charged with drink driving after allegedly crashing into a tree while three times the legal limit.

Redlands Council Mayor Karen Williams was allegedly driving a Lexus station wagon when she veered off the road at the intersection of Queen and Wellington Street in Cleveland, then careered through a fence before crashing into a tree about 9pm on June 23.

Williams and a passenger, a 55-year-old woman, were not seriously injured.

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https://twitter.com/JordanFabris9/status/1543012743116386304

The pair were taken to hospital to be assessed.

Williams was charged after returning a blood alcohol reading of 0.177, which is more than triple the legal limit.

She will appear before court next month.

South African former athlete Oscar Pistorius has met with the father of Reeva Steenkamp, the woman he shot to death in 2013, as part of his parole process, Steenkamp's family lawyer said.

Lawyer Tania Koen said in a text message that Pistorius and Barry Steenkamp met face-to-face on June 22 as part of what's known in South Africa as a victim-offender dialogue.

It gives victims of crimes or their relatives a chance to meet with the offenders if they choose to before the offender can be eligible for parole.

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Koen confirmed the meeting but declined to give any more details.

She wrote in her message: “The dialogue is a private and confidential matter, hence we ask that our clients' privacy be respected.”

Pistorius, once a double-amputee athletic star who made history by running at the Olympics, became eligible for parole last year, eight years after killing his girlfriend in his home in the South African capital, Pretoria.

Pistorius, who is now 35, was ultimately convicted of murder in 2015 after a long and dramatic trial and numerous appeals.

He was sentenced to 13 years and five months in prison.

He has served most of his sentence at a prison in Pretoria but was moved to a facility in the southern city of Gqeberha, the Steenkamps' hometown, ahead of the meeting with Barry Steenkamp.

A parole hearing for Pistorius was scheduled for last year but it was cancelled because he hadn't yet met with Steenkamp's parents.

In South Africa, those convicted of a serious crime must serve at least half their sentence before they are eligible for parole.

Pistorius had already served time in jail after being initially convicted of culpable homicide – a charge similar to manslaughter – before an appeal by prosecutors resulted in that being overturned and him being convicted of murder.

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Pistorius must still attend a parole hearing, where department of corrections officials will decide if he should be released early.

Pistorius’ lawyer, Julian Knight, said last year that he had been “a model prisoner” and met the requirements for parole.

Pistorius was born with a congenital condition that led to both his legs being amputated below the knee when he was a baby.

He became a multiple Paralympic sprinting champion running on carbon-fibre blades, and even qualified to compete against the world’s best able-bodied athletes at the 2012 London Olympics.

But his image as one of the most inspiring figures in sports was shattered when he shot the 29-year-old Steenkamp multiple times through a toilet door in his house in the early hours of Valentine’s Day 2013.

He claimed he mistook her for a dangerous intruder but was convicted of a charge comparable to second-degree murder because he acted so recklessly by firing through the toilet door with his 9mm pistol.

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By Ashleigh McCaull of RNZ Wāhine Māori police graduates say they can help make a difference in their communities as a record number join the force this year amid a drive for more diversity.Out of 70 constables who…