Craig Hill is mobilising tens of thousands of Australians to oppose Donald Trump's luxury Gold Coast hotel.

The Queenslander and Legalise Cannabis candidate launched a petition urging the local council and state government to block the US president's plans to erect a $1.5 billion tower, claiming it will cast a long shadow over the Surfers Paradise region.

At the time of writing, the Change.org petition against Trump International Hotel & Tower Gold Coast has surpassed 70,000 signatures – and Hill hopes the US president and his team notice the growing movement.

READ MORE: Panicked expats and 'ten pound poms': People impacted by passport rule

Do you have a story? Contact reporter April Glover at our breaking newsletter here

The fire broke out during a routine kerbside collection.

Northland Regional Council chairman Pita Tipene challenged Cabinet ministers at a forum.

Two patients died and four fell seriously ill after all contracting fungal infections while at Sydney's Royal Prince Alfred Hospital last year.

Sydney Local Health District (SLHD) has confirmed it is investigating a cluster of infections from a fungus called Aspergillus at the hospital's transplant unit between October and December.

SLHD acknowledged it is possible the fungal outbreak is linked to the $940 million redevelopment at the hospital. Construction on the project has been ongoing since 2023.

READ MORE: PM defiant as Australian children detained in Syria plead to come home

Aspergillus is a mould that can be found in soil, dust and damp environments like areas of high construction or demolition.

Serious symptoms of Aspergillus include breathlessness, coughing up blood, and respiratory failure.

READ MORE: Australia's biggest loyalty program is getting a major makeover

Six patients have confirmed to have been infected with the fungus. Two died and four others fell seriously ill.

A spokesperson from SLHD said people inhale the aspergillus spores every day without becoming unwell, however it can have a more harmful impact on immunocompromised people.

This includes patients undergoing organ transplant procedures.

"SLHD extends its deepest condolences to the families of the patients who died at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and acknowledges the impact on all patients and families," the spokesperson said.

"Even before the full extent of the cluster was known, multiple actions were undertaken as quickly as possible beginning with an investigation by infectious diseases clinicians."

READ MORE: Huge swath of the country facing increased bushfire risk in lead-up to winter

It added that "fungal infections are a known risk for patients who are significantly immunocompromised, including patients undergoing organ transplant procedures".

The ward was closed while an investigation took place, with transplant patients relocated and potentially at-risk patients contacted.

A panel of experts, including NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant, decided the ward could be reopened earlier this month after testing and analysis found no increased levels of the fungus remained.

"Additional patient safety measures were implemented, including a deep clean of the transplant ward, review of air intake points, upgrades to air filtration systems and comprehensive air quality testing," the spokesperson added.

NEVER MISS A STORY: Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.

Download the 9NEWS App here via Apple and Google Play

Make 9News your preferred source on Google by ticking this box here

Sign up to our breaking newsletter here

Richard Turner recalls the Chiefs’ 27-26 win over the Crusaders 30 years ago.

Alonzo Burton is back with the Hawks for the 2026 season.

A blind refugee detained by US border patrol has died on the street after he was released 8km from his home in sub-zero temperatures.

Nurul Amin Shah Alam, 56, was found dead on a street in Buffalo on Tuesday at 8.30pm.

At the time, temperatures in the upstate New York city were approximately -6 degrees.

READ MORE: Vance, Rubio respond after Cuban forces kill four on boat with US plates

A medical examination ruled out exposure or homicide as causes of death.

Alam, who spoke little English, had been declared missing by his family two days earlier.

Alam had been taken into Border Patrol custody last Thursday after leaving the custody of the Erie County Sheriff's Department.

Border Patrol said they dropped him at a coffee shop several hours later.

"Border Patrol agents offered him a courtesy ride, which he chose to accept to a coffee shop, determined to be a warm, safe location near his last known address, rather than be released directly from the Border Patrol station," the federal agency said in a statement.

"He showed no signs of distress, mobility issues, or disabilities requiring special assistance."

READ MORE: Trump in the unredacted Epstein files 'a million times'

But Alam's family had moved months earlier, and Border Patrol did not contact his family or his lawyer when releasing him.

It is not apparent when Alam died between his release last Thursday and the discovery of his body on Tuesday.

Alam had been arrested by Buffalo Police last February on assault, trespassing and weapons possession charges.

When getting lost on a walk, Alam ended up on the porch of a stranger who called the police.

When he did not drop the curtain rod he was using as a walking cane, police tasered him.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DVMtbFkEd3H/

Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan said Alam's preventable death was "deeply disturbing and a dereliction of duty" by Border Patrol.

"A vulnerable man — nearly blind and unable to speak English — was left alone on a cold winter night with no known attempt to leave him in a safe, secure location," Ryan said.

"That decision from US Customs and Border Protection was unprofessional and inhumane.

"US Customs and Border Protection must answer for how and why this happened."

Alam had lived in Buffalo for 15 months after coming to the USA as a Rohingya refugee from Burma. 

He is survived by his wife and two sons.

READ MORE: 'I can destroy the country': Trump's rant after Supreme Court strikes down key policy

• Download the 9NEWS App here via Apple and Google Play
• Make 9News your preferred source on Google by ticking this box here
• Sign up to our breaking newsletter here

NEVER MISS A STORY: Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.

Two major companies in the past two days have announced thousands of collective layoffs as they pursue AI-driven efficiency, and one expert says it's just the beginning.

WiseTech Global yesterday revealed that as part of its ongoing efficiency drive, about 2000 workers were expected to lose their job in 2026-2027.

The day before, it emerged Commonwealth Bank will cut 300 jobs of its own.

READ MORE: PM apologises to Grace Tame over one-word description

But TP Australia's vice-president of customer experience strategy, Richard Valente, who works with major businesses on AI customer experience transformation and workplace strategy, said these decisions weren't just about trimming costs, but fundamentally redesigning what an employee is.

"This isn't a cyclical job cut. It's a structural reset of the workforce," Valente said.

"The era of large, transaction-processing teams is ending. Banks are moving to smaller, highly specialised workforces who manage AI systems, interpret complex data and step in when things go wrong."

READ MORE: Alleged kidnapping victim recovered from Sydney property in covert operation

Valente said the recent announcements reflected a broader global trend of organisations racing to embed AI into customer operations while redefining human roles.

And he said the bar would be raised for those humans who remained onboard.

"The future frontline banker won't just process requests, they'll be problem solvers, relationship managers and trust builders," Valente said.

READ MORE: Why this beach was just crowned Australia's best

But it's possible the strategy, being adopted by businesses at an increasingly accelerated rate, could backfire.

Valente warned the biggest risk for businesses would be focusing too heavily on automation without maintaining customer experience standards.

"If organisations treat AI purely as a productivity tool, they risk eroding trust," he said.

"Customers will still want empathy, reassurance and human judgement, particularly when dealing with money, fraud or financial hardship."

Valente said successful companies would be those that balanced automation with investment in workforce capability.

"The real competitive edge won't come from AI alone, it will come from how effectively organisations retrain, redeploy and empower their people to work alongside it," he said.

"Organisations also need to ensure they show empathy and understanding to those who are being displaced to protect their own brand.

"Providing training, services and Australian AI platforms which assist displaced people to build their own future career path."

NEVER MISS A STORY: Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.

• Download the 9NEWS App here via Apple and Google Play
• Make 9News your preferred source on Google by ticking this box here
• Sign up to our breaking newsletter here

The experts on sun, sand, and surf have spoken, and Australia's best beach has been revealed.

Tourism Australia has released the annual Best Australian Beaches study for 2026, curated by the body's "beach ambassador" and conservationist Brad Farmer AM.

And after the arduous task of checking out coastlines around the country, Farmer handed the top gong to the beaches of Bate Bay, in Sydney's south.

READ MORE: Fashion favourite to close in shake-up by retail giant

"The community-minded Bate Bay Beaches are, quite simply, stunning with the vast 4.8 kilometre stretch of undeveloped sand at Greenhills, Wanda and Elouera (Sydney's longest) and to many other beaches such as Cronulla, Oak Park Beach and four more," Farmer said.

"With glorious golden sands and a cosmopolitan vibe, this picturesque stretch of coastline feels like a hidden gem right under your nose but is easily accessible by train from the city centre."

If Sydney's a bit far to go, never fear – every state and territory save the landlocked ACT is well-represented in the top 10.

READ MORE: One in six households struggling to pay power bills as rebates vanish

Tourism Australia's Top 10 Beaches for 2026

1. Bate Beaches, Bate Bay, NSW

2. Pinky Beach, Rottnest Island, WA

3. Beachcomber Cove, Cape Hillsborough, Queensland

4. Tallow Beach, Byron Bay, NSW

5. Hellfire Bay, Cape Le Grand National Park, WA

6. Godfrey's Beach (The Nut), Stanley, Tasmania

7. Inskip Point, Inskip, Queensland

8. Mount Martha Beach, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria

9. Smoky Bay Beach, Smoky Bay, SA

10. Ellery Creek Big Hole, Northern Territory

READ MORE: Childcare student deported over videos allegedly found on phone

The NT's contribution is not a coastal beach but a stunning waterhole found to the west of Alice Springs.

Farmer noted that the 2026 list has a selection of off-the-beaten-track gems that offer authentic experiences and "quiet, soulful spots".

"Whether it's the remote allure of Beachcomber Cove or Hellfire Bay, these beaches offer a 'slow-travel' experience," he said.

"They are places where you can still hear the wind and the waves rather than the crowds, providing a deep, authentic connection to the land and sea, with many First Nations stories."

READ MORE: Fashion favourite to close in shake-up by retail giant

Tourism Minister Don Farrell, this week in the US to promote Australia as a destination, said the country's beaches were a powerful lure for visitors.

"The flow of tourists between Australia and the US has never been stronger, with a whopping 745,000 Americans making the trip down under and spending over $2 billion in Australia last year," Farrell said.

Tourism Australia general manager Robin Mack said the beaches were also prime destinations for locals to explore.

"From the stunning sands of Bate Bay in NSW and Pinky Beach in WA to the iconic backdrop of The Nut in Tasmania and Ellery Creek Big Hole in the NT, these locations encourage both Australians and international visitors to explore more of Australia beyond the traditional hotspots," he said.

NEVER MISS A STORY: Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.

• Download the 9NEWS App here via Apple and Google Play
• Make 9News your preferred source on Google by ticking this box here
• Sign up to our breaking newsletter here

Long-running tensions between local sports clubs and young e-bike riders have reached a boiling point after a cycling triathlete had a bucket of gravel and water thrown at him at Runaway Bay on the Gold Coast.

Video of the incident shows Ryan Billingham unable to stop as he rides directly into the deluge.

"My brand new bike is a write-off," he told 9News.

READ MORE: Woman charged with $400,000 fraud over alleged illegal daycare

Luckily, Billingham himself was not physically injured.

"I feel very lucky but it can be a matter of days or a matter of time until somebody comes off way worse than I did," he said.

It wasn't an isolated incident, with multiple sports clubs having come into conflict with the young e-bikers at Runaway Bay Sports Precinct.

READ MORE: 'Highly unusual' weather system floods four states at once

Theresa Theaker from the T-Rex Triathlon Club accused e-bike riders of smashing athletes' glasses and pushing them off their bicycles.

Travis Harker from Runaway Bay Cricket Club said riders had also been known to interrupt ongoing matches.

While Madison Bland of the Gold Coast Cycling Club said the club had made the drastic decision to move all Runaway Bay training and race events to its Nerang facility.

READ MORE: Why burnt-out Americans think Aussies don't know how good they have it

"It's not all of us that ruin it though," one young e-bike rider told 9News.

"I think they should also make a track where we could just ride."

The local council is planning to add a BMX track and junior criterium track as part of the Runaway Bay Sports Precinct Master Plan.

But in the meantime, authorities are taking action

"The city will be moving to restricting the access of e-devices in a trial that commences on the 2nd of March," councillor Shelley Curtis said.

Police said a 15-year-old boy was being dealt with under the Youth Justice Act for the incident involving Billingham, while another boy is under investigation after video of the incident was posted online.

NEVER MISS A STORY: Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.

• Download the 9NEWS App here via Apple and Google Play
• Make 9News your preferred source on Google by ticking this box here
• Sign up to our breaking newsletter here