From heart-shaped pizzas and romantic tents over tables, which double as an extra layer against Omicron, New Zealand restaurants are doing all they can to lure Valentine’s Day diners.The hard-hit hospitality industry is hoping Cupid’s…

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Elon Musk's brain chip company, Neuralink, has been accused of running "invasive and deadly brain experiments" on nearly two dozen monkeys by an animal rights group.

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) — an American medical nonprofit organisation — has filed a complaint with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) against the University of California, Davis, for allegedly violating the Animal Welfare Act. The university received more than US$1.4 million ($1.96 million) from Neuralink to carry out the experiments.

In a statement released earlier this week, PCRM said the complaint is based on "almost 600 pages of disturbing documents", and that most of the 23 monkeys the experiments were conducted on between 2017 and 2020 had parts of their skulls removed.

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Additionally, according to Business Insider and other publications, only seven of the monkeys survived.

"The documents reveal that monkeys had their brains mutilated in shoddy experiments and were left to suffer and die," Jeremy Beckham, a research advocacy coordinator with the PCRM, said.

While Neuralink is yet to run trials on humans, a job listing last month suggested the company was nearing that stage.

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"You'll work closely with some of the most innovative doctors and top engineers, as well as working with Neuralink's first clinical trial participants!" the clinical trial director job advert said.

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1380315654524301315

Musk has previously stated a goal of merging artificial intelligence with humans, and said on Twitter his company's brain chips would allow people with paralysis to use a smartphone with their mind faster than anyone could with their hands.

He has also flagged the possibility of using the technology to restore brain and motor function for people with a disability or those who have been injured.

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A person has died in a house fire in Victoria this morning, police have confirmed.

Police are investigating the source of the blaze, which took hold of a property in Ballarat, 115km from Melbourne at around 6.30 this morning.

READ MORE: Booster now required to be fully vaccinated

Emergency services were called to the property on Almurta Street, in the suburb Alfredton.

"Firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze but there was significant damage and sadly a person, who is yet to be formally identified, was located deceased at the scene," a police statement read.

It is unclear how the fire started.

Anybody with information is urged to contact police.

READ MORE: Enslaved by ISIS at 11 years old, Roza feels she can't go home

A young Australian started teaching women in Afghanistan how to skateboard for their liberation and confidence.

Afghanistan has one of the highest concentrations of female skateboarders in the world despite the country's hostility and strict religious constraints.

Oliver Percovich learned to skateboard on the streets of Melbourne. When he moved to Kabul in 2007 he used an empty fountain as a ramp.

READ MORE: Enslaved by ISIS at 11 years old, Roza feels she can't go home

Young Afghan girls would crowd around him wanting to give it a go.

"I was amazed by how brave they were," he said.

"They weren't at school or flying kites or cricket like the boys, but they were skateboarding and I thought 'wow'. That blew my mind."

As time passed, the girls opened up and told Mr Percovich they wanted a better future and wanted to go to school.

So Mr Percovich built one for them and Skateistan was born.

"That was opened in October 2009, definitely the best day of my life," Mr Percovich said.

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His goal was simple: to grow the girls' confidence and give them a voice.

"They wanted to make things better for themselves but also their families and these were 10-year-old kids," he said.

Over 14 years, Mr Percovich established three schools and served over 15,000 children in Kabul.

But when the Afghanistan government fell to the Taliban in August last year and international troops pulled out, the schools were shut down.

"We suspended our program and the safety of all the people who started Skateistan was paramount," Mr Percovich said.

READ MORE: Booster now required to be fully vaccinated

Mr Percovich is determined to restart Skateistan in Afghanistan but can't until it's safe.

"It's a very difficult situation in Afghanistan right now, 90 per cent of the population doesn't have food security so there is a huge humanitarian challenge," he said.

In the meantime, Skateistan is expanding to 20 new locations including Jordan, Kenya, the Western Cape of South Africa and Bolivia, in addition to schools in Johannesburg and Phnom Penh.

Polls have closed after thousands of residents cast their votes in four state electorates during New South Wales' by-election Super Saturday.

After only a few months in the top job, the by-elections are the first test of Dominic Perrottet's premiership.

The four seats where residents voted today are Strathfield, Monaro, Bega and Willoughby, however results are not expected for some time.

EXPLAINED: NSW Premier faces litmus test in Super Saturday by-elections

The state government is at risk of being plunged further into a parliamentary minority, with three of the four seats being government-held.

If the government loses any of those seats, it means they will face a parliamentary minority.

Meanwhile, the deadline for postal votes has been extended to February 25 which means results could take longer than usual.

READ MORE: Former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian has a new job

Opposition Leader Chris Minns has made an appearance at Moruya Public School with local Labor candidate Dr Michael Holland in the Bega by-election.

He said the by-elections give residents the opportunity to send a message to the government.

"I do think it is a chance for voters to send a message to the NSW premier that they want to see him do a better job," Mr Minns said.

"Voters recognise you can't change the government in a by-election but you can send a message to the NSW premier and change the direction of the government."

Liberal candidate for Strathfield Bridget Sakr has arrived at Chalmers Road School to rally voters in their decision making.

Former deputy premier John Bariliaro will be popping up at Jerrabomberra Public School to show his support for the Nationals candidate Nicholle Overall for the Monaro by-election.

READ MORE: Booster now required to be fully vaccinated

Premier Dominic Perrottet will be showing his support for the Liberal candidate Tim James at Cammeray Public School for the Willoughby by-election.

He will also be campaigning at Homebush Public school to show his support for Ms Sakr in the Strathfield by-election.

The by-elections were caused by the resignations of Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Opposition Leader Jodi McKay, Deputy Premier John Barilaro and Transport Minister Andrew Constance.