Dolphins have been spotted making their way across Wellington’s inner harbour this afternoon. They could be seen earlier leaping through the air alongside CentrePort’s container terminal. The pod has delighted Wellingtonians on…

William Tyrrell's foster mother has been charged by Strike Force Rosann detectives with giving false or misleading evidence to the NSW Crime Commission.

The 56-year-old, who cannot be identified, will face court on May 24.

Strike Force Rosann was set up to investigate the disappearance of William, who vanished from Kendall on the NSW Mid North Coast in 2014.

The boy's foster father was accused of the same crime earlier this year and has pleaded not guilty.

William has never been found and the most recent search for his remains concluded in December.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Opposition leader Anthony Albanese have both been quizzed about controversial social media posts made by key election candidates.

Labor's candidate for the seat of Hunter, Dan Repacholi, a former Commonwealth Games gold medallist for shooting, followed a series of sexually charged Instagram profiles.

He also suggested opponents of coal mining should "sit in the cold and freeze" in winter.

READ MORE: NYC subway shooting suspect charged with terror offence

"If everyone is held to account for what they might put on social media in their 20s, then I tell you what, in 10 years time, you will struggle to hold a press conference because there won't be candidates," Mr Albanese said at a press conference in Cessnock today.

"Were all of his social media posts perfect? No they weren't. He regrets that.

"This bloke is as real as they come and I look forward to him being in the Federal Parliament."

READ MORE: Russian soldiers forced 300 villagers into a basement

At 202cm, Mr Repacholi towered over Mr Albanese in the press conference.

Mr Morrison, meanwhile, is facing questions over past social media posts by candidate for Warringah, Katherine Deves.

He initially spoke in praise of Ms Deves when asked about his views on her advocacy for banning transgender women from competing in women's sport, saying she was standing up for "common sense".

"She's standing up for things that she believes in, and I share her views on those topics," he said.

READ MORE: Here's your Easter weekend weather forecast

However, News.com.au and The Guardian have both reported on past online comments by Ms Deves which appear to promulgate anti-transgender sentiment more broadly.

On now-deleted social media profiles, Ms Deves had reportedly in the past referred to transgendered children as "surgically mutilated" and claimed she was "triggered" by the Pride flag.

Ms Deves on Wednesday apologised in a statement, saying her language was "not acceptable".

However, she maintained that her stance was about protecting "women and girls and our entire community".

Both Ms Deves and Mr Repacholi are carrying a chunk of their party's hopes.

The Hunter is a long-time Labor stronghold that could be within the Coalition's grasp after former MP Joel Fitzgibbon clashed with his party-mates on coal.

And Ms Deves will be trying to recapture former Prime Minister Tony Abbott's seat of Warringah, which was captured by Independent Zali Steggall in 2019.

Ukraine's detention of fugitive Ukrainian oligarch Viktor Medvedchuk, the former leader of a pro-Russian opposition party and a close associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has been met with enthusiasm in Kyiv and irritation in Moscow.

Analysts are saying Medvedchuk will become a valuable pawn in the Russia-Ukraine talks to end the devastating war that the Kremlin has unleashed on its ex-Soviet neighbour.

Medvedchuk was detained on Tuesday in a special operation carried out by Ukraine's state security service, or the SBU. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has proposed that Russia could win Medvedchuk’s freedom by trading Ukrainians now held captive by the Russians.

READ MORE: Zelenskyy flags prisoner swap for Putin ally

The 67-year-old oligarch escaped from house arrest several days before the hostilities broke out February 24 in Ukraine. He is facing between 15 years and a life in prison on charges of treason and aiding and abetting a terrorist organisation for mediating coal purchases for the separatist, Russia-backed Donetsk republic in eastern Ukraine.

Medvedchuk has close ties with Putin, who is believed to be the godfather of his youngest daughter. His detention has sparked a heated exchange between officials in Moscow and Kyiv.

Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chair of Russia's Security Council and the country's former president, posted threats to Ukrainian authorities on the messaging app Telegram, referring to them as “freaks” and warning them to “carefully look around and firmly lock the doors at night.”

Zelenskyy's advisor Mykhailo Podolyak, in response, called Medvedev a “nobody,” and said his words were “nasty and, as usual, stupid.”

FULL COVERAGE: Federal Election 2022

“The friendly relations between Putin and Medvedchuk turn him into a valuable trophy for Kyiv, and in the Kremlin they spark fury and a dangerous desire for revenge,” Volodymyr Fesenko, an analyst at the Penta Center, told The Associated Press on Wednesday. “The fate of Medvedchuk will undoubtedly become a subject of bargaining and one of the points of undercover agreements between Kyiv and Moscow.”

Zelenskyy has released a photo of Medvedchuk sitting in handcuffs and wearing a camouflage uniform with a Ukrainian flag patch, in which he looks tired but visibly unharmed.

Medvedchuk’s wife Oksana Marchenko has appealed to Zelenskyy, calling for her husband to be released and given guarantees that “his life would not be in danger.”

“My husband is being persecuted for political reasons against the laws of Ukraine,” Marchenko said.

Medvedchuk is the head of the political council of Ukraine's pro-Russian Opposition Platform — For Life party, the largest opposition group in the Ukrainian parliament. He is one of its 44 lawmakers in the 450-seat Rada. The activity of his party has been was suspended for the duration of the war at Zelenskyy's initiative.

READ MORE: Russian oligarch's $800m yacht booted from Turkish marina

“The war automatically turned Medvedchuk into (Russia's) accomplice, since he personally advised Putin on Ukrainian affairs and directly or indirectly influenced many of the Kremlin’s decisions,” Fesenko said.

“Zelenskyy no longer needs to be careful, and by arresting Medvedchuk, he wants to show that he is not afraid of the Kremlin and is ready to bargain, having different cards on the negotiating table.”

Ivan Bakanov, the head of Ukraine’s national security agency, said Wednesday that the Russian security service, the FSB, had planned to evacuate Medvedchuk, disguised as a Ukrainian serviceman, to Moscow through the disputed territory of Transnistria in Moldova, where Russia has troops stationed.

READ MORE: Forced into a basement in Ukraine, residents began to die

The death toll has risen to at least 56, with 28 others missing, after a summer tropical depression unleashed days of pounding rain, causing landslides and floods in the central and southern Philippines, officials officials say.

Nearly 200 villagers were injured mostly in the landslides in the hard-hit city of Baybay in central Leyte province over the weekend and early Monday, officials said.

Search and rescue efforts increased on Wednesday with the arrival of equipment.

READ MORE: Nightclub releases security footage of COVID-positive man on dancefloor

Army, police and other rescuers were struggling with mud and unstable heaps of earth and debris to find the missing villagers.

More rescuers and heavy equipment, including backhoes, arrived in the landslide-hit villages in Baybay.

Its mayor, Jose Carlos Cari, said the weather cleared on Wednesday, allowing the search and rescue work to go full force.

"We're looking for so many more missing people," Cr Cari said, adding that authorities would do a recount to determine how many villagers were really missing and believed buried in the landslides.

READ MORE: California woman Sherri Papini admits she faked her 2016 kidnapping

Forty-seven of the dead were recovered from the landslides that hit six Baybay villages, military and local officials said.

Nine other people drowned elsewhere in floodwaters in four central and southern provinces, they said.

"We are saddened by this dreadful incident that caused an unfortunate loss of lives and destruction of properties," said army brigade commander Colonel Noel Vestuir, who was helping oversee the search and rescue.

READ MORE: Teen killed in Easter Show stabbing was expecting a child

Coast guard, police and firefighters rescued some villagers on Monday in flooded central communities, including some who were trapped on their roofs.

In central Cebu city, schools and work were suspended Monday and Mayor Michael Rama declared a state of calamity to allow the rapid release of emergency funds.

At least 20 storms and typhoons batter the Philippines each year, mostly during the rainy season that begins around June.

Some storms have hit even during the scorching summer months in recent years.

The disaster-prone south-east Asian nation also lies on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", where many of the world's volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur.

South Australian man Robert McGrory last saw his beloved pet Ollie two years ago.

The olive python escaped from his Roxby Downs home in 2020 and hadn't been seen since.

"I just assumed he had died because he'd been handfed, hand-raised since he was a yearling," Mr McGrory said.

READ MORE: California woman Sherri Papini admits she faked her 2016 kidnapping

"And yeah, thought it was all over."

But four days ago, there was a sighting on the outskirts of town.

Irene Vithoulkas spotted a two-and-a-half metre python on Olympic Way.

"I came across this massive snake that took up the whole road," Ms Vithoulkas said.

"I obviously swerved because I'd just seen it but I instantly turned around."

READ MORE: Teen killed in Easter Show stabbing was expecting a child

Ms Vithoulkas stopped traffic to make sure the snake could slither across safely.

"I parked my car in front of it so no one could hit it from my way and I put my hazards on and I flashed the other cars to slow down," Ms Vithoulkas said.

When Ms Vithoulkas posted the video on social media, Mr McGrory recognised his beloved pet of 10 years straight away.

He said he can't wait to have Ollie back at home and now that he knows he's close by, he will be heading out to look for him.

"I'll go looking for him again and there are a few friends who are going to come out with me looking for him," Mr McGrory said.

Mr McGrory is just hoping Ollie doesn't slip away from him again.

The Adelaide nightclub forced to close its doors after a COVID-positive man spent the night partying there has released CCTV of what it says is of him on the dancefloor.

Earlier this week, Ralph MacIntosh was fined $600 for breaching COVID-19 rules in December, forcing hundreds into isolation over Christmas.

Today, Loverboy nightclub posted and later deleted security footage set to the song "D—head" by UK singer Kate Nash.

Before going to the venue on December 17, MacIntosh had undergone a PCR test.

But he partied, Snapchatted and drank at the venue.

At one stage, MacIntosh appeared to lob a glass into the crowd as he danced with others.

At the time there was an unopened text message on the teenager's phone confirming he had tested positive to COVID-19, which he did not read until the next morning.

His attendance at the nightclub forced 150 people into isolation over Christmas.

Loverboy's management posted the video as part of a dispute over compensation.

The owners said they lost $60,000 and all their staff were in isolation for Christmas.

MacIntosh's lawyer today said posting the video was irresponsible but he doesn't intend to speak to the club about it.

The nightclub's claim for compensation has been rejected.

MacIntosh is from one of Australia's wealthiest families, which is associated with a giant wool exporter.

Premier Peter Malinauskas said he's seen the video and agreed the owners had a right to be angry.

"He had one of the best levels of legal representation that money can buy in our state and he walked away with a $600 fine… Loverboy had a $60,000 consequence, other people missed out on Christmas," Mr Malinauskas said.

Key Auckland motorway lanes will be closed from tomorrow night as Easter weekend kicks off while maintenance crews repair a damaged bridge joint on the Southern Motorway.Waka Kotahi has urged motorists heading north for Easter to…

A man alleged to be a member of a south-east Queensland bikie gang has been arrested and taken to a police watch house after allegedly assaulting an elderly man.

The 39-year-old alleged member of the Iron Horsemen is accused of attacking a 66-year-old man in Canungra in September last year, leaving him severely injured.

Police said the younger man had been involved in a minor traffic dispute with the alleged victim, before calling on six fellow gang members to ambush him.

READ MORE: Teen killed in Easter Show stabbing was expecting a child

The alleged assault, which occurred at the Outpost Café, was captured on video.

The seven men are seen attacking the older man, who was dining with his son, before fleeing the scene.

The older man was hospitalised with severe injuries.

READ MORE: Man dies at regional hospital while waiting for treatment

Police confirmed the victim and suspect were not known to each other.

This morning, police operating under Taskforce Maxima conducted a raid on the 39-year-old's Ipswich residence.

The man was taken in handcuffs to a watch house and has since been charged with affray, possessing a dangerous drug, possessing knuckle dusters and wearing a prohibited item in public.

He was bailed and will appear in Ipswich Magistrates Court on May 23.

Police are appealing to members of the public to help identify the remaining six men.

A video shared to Facebook from a Mahanga Bay occupier who helped skin and eat a seal says they “respected the seal’s life”. Earlier this week the Department of Consevation (DoC) launched an investigation after a seal was skinned…