Tag Archives: oceania

NRL player Curtis Scott to defend domestic violence allegations

NRL player Curtis Scott will defend domestic violence allegations made by his former girlfriend.

The 24-year-old was arrested while playing a game of golf with his current girlfriend at Barden Ridge about 6pm on Wednesday.

He was taken to Sutherland Police Station where he was charged with eight offences against Tay-Leigha Clark, dating back to 2018 when Scott played for the Melbourne Storm.

They include "choking" and "assault occasioning actual bodily harm".

Scott's lawyer Sam Macedone told 9News his client "vehemently denies" the allegations.

He's been granted conditional bail and will appear in court for the first time on January 12.

Both the NRL and NSW Police have been aware of the domestic violence allegations for several years but Ms Clark had not acted on them.

In his short but successful NRL career, Scott has made plenty of headlines.

He's defending charges over a nightclub brawl in Canberra last year and will also sue police for wrongful arrest over an encounter in Sydney in 2020.

The latest incident comes amid talk of a new deal with the Parramatta Eels but it's understood the club told Scott not to turn up to the first day of pre-season training.

He is currently without a contract for the 2022 season.

Brother of notorious Sydney crime figure shot dead

The brother of a notorious Sydney crime member has been shot dead and a car has been found alight in South Wentworthville today.

Emergency services were called to Rawson Road at the intersection of the Great Western Highway after a 35-year-old man was found injured in a car parked on the street about 12.45pm today.

9News understands that man is Ghassan Amoun, the brother of convicted criminal Bassam Hamzy and cousin of Bilal Hamze who was killed in the city's CBD last year.

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Brother of Bassam Hamzy shot dead and car found alight in South Wentworthville.

NSW Ambulance paramedics started treating Mr Amoun however he died at the scene.

9News also understands police warned Mr Amoun that he was a target when he was released from jail earlier this week.

A car was also found alight nearby on Una and Smith Streets, South Wentworthville, and is believed to be related to the shooting.

Police released an image of a Mini Cooper that was allegedly stolen from Warrawee in November last year.

That same car was used in today's execution before it was torched.

Officers predicted it would be used in the city's ongoing gang wars.

Police are now calling for anyone who has seen this car to come forward.

Acting Superintendent Glen Fitzgerald said the shooting is "quite obviously targeted".

"Obvious connections to criminal networks are underway as far as investigations," he said.

READ MORE: Deadly brown snake leaves behind 'rare' gift for snake catcher

The brother of a notorious Sydney crime member has been shot dead and a car has been found alight in South Wentworthville today.The brother of a notorious Sydney crime member has been shot dead and a car has been found alight in South Wentworthville today.

Superintendent Fitzgerald said police have information about the burnt-out vehicle and may be looking for at least two offenders.

"There are appears to be a driver and a shooter that got out of one of the vehicles," he said.

Superintendent Fitzgerald said Mr Amoun was approached as he was getting into his car.

READ MORE: Djokovic detained at Melbourne airport, visa cancelled 

Brother of Bassam Hamzy shot dead and car found on fire in South Wentworthville.Brother of Bassam Hamzy shot dead and car found alight in South Wentworthville.

He described the shooting as a "very brutal attack" during daylight hours.

"Any type of incident like this is a worry," he said.

"This is what happens when firearms are in the possession of the wrong people."

Crime scenes have been established at both locations and police have started investigations.

Anyone with information about the shooting is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Djokovic to remain in Australia as he appeals his visa denial

Novak Djokovic will remain in the country as he challenges the Australian Government's decision to cancel his visa, with the appeal set to be heard in the Federal Court on Monday.

The star tennis player's case went before the court at 6pm, where his lawyer Nick Wood pushed for an interim injunction order to be granted to prevent Djokovic being deported before his appeal hearing at 10am on Monday.

No orders were officially made because Judge A Kelly did not have the documents before him.

But Commonwealth government barrister Christopher Tran said Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews did not oppose an interim injunction against deporting Djokovic today.

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It is understood the interim order will be made in chambers this evening.

The court also heard Djokovic was proposing to undertake damages of the appeal, which the judge accepted.

The tennis star is being held at a hotel in Melbourne's CBD. Already protesters have gathered outside it, calling for him to be freed.

Djokovic's case was previously addressed in the court at 4pm, after it had been adjourned from an earlier hearing.

However, the judge "emphasised without criticism" that he had not been able to make a ruling on Djokovic's application because the documents had not reached him since the court was adjourned earlier in the afternoon.

The court heard Tennis Australia would need to know by Tuesday if Djokovic can play at the Australian Open, to which the Judge responded: "The tail won't be wagging the dog here".

Novak Djokovic was not given any special treatment in regards to his application for a medical exemption, Tennis Australia says.

Earlier, Scott Morrison claimed Novak Djokovic's high-profile anti-vaccination stance was a magnet for attention at Australia's border.

The prime minister also explained that the evidence Djokovic had relied on for a medical exemption to enter Australia without being vaccinated was insufficient.

"He did not have a valid medical exemption," Mr Morrison said, explaining why Djokovic's visa was sensationally cancelled by Australian Border Force this morning.

There are reports the world number one will be deported on a flight tonight after he was taken to a Carlton hotel following his nine-hour detention at Melbourne Airport.

READ MORE: How the world reacted to Novak Djokovic visa cancellation

Supporters gather outside Park Hotel where Novak Djokovic was taken pending his removal from the country after his visa was cancelled by the Australian Border Force in Melbourne, Australia.  It's also which is also where refugees are held.Activists in support of the refugees held at Melbourne's Park Hotel,  where Novak Djokovic was taken pending his removal from the country after his visa was cancelled.

Mr Morrison said the ABF had acted on "intelligence", intercepting Djokovic at Melbourne's Tullamarine Airport.

"When you get people making public statements, of what they say they have, and what they are going to do, and what their claims are, they draw significant attention to themselves," Mr Morrison said. 

"Anyone who does that, whether they are a celebrity, a politician, a tennis player, a journalist, whoever does that, they can expect to be asked questions more than others." 

Mr Morrison laid the blame for the prolonged airport stand-off and visa cancellation on the world number one, saying the evidence for Djokovic's medical exemption was "insufficient".

"He provided information to the airline to allow his entry onto the plane but … that is not an assurance that they will be able to come through Australia's border at the other side.

"It is for the traveller to be able to assert and backup their ability to come into the country consistent with our laws."

https://twitter.com/Fi_Willan/status/1478885099999404034

Djokovic detained after Australian Open exemption

Djokovic was detained at Melbourne Airport this morning after being granted a medical exemption to play in the Australian Open.

It is understood Djokovic, who has won the nine Australian Open titles, including the last three, may appeal the decision in a Victorian court and could also reapply with a new visa.

In a statement, the ABF declared Djokovic had not complied with Australian laws and entry requirements.

"The ABF can confirm that Mr Djokovic failed to provide appropriate evidence to meet the entry requirements to Australia, and his visa has been subsequently cancelled," the ABF said.

https://twitter.com/ScottMorrisonMP/status/1478848008363991049

"Non-citizens who do not hold a valid visa on entry or who have had their visa cancelled will be detained and removed from Australia."

An investigation will almost surely examine why the Victorian government had approved a medical exemption which ultimately did not stand up under intense ABF scrutiny.

Djokovic's coach, Goran Ivanisevic, and support staff have been processed, it is understood, but they are choosing to remain at the airport.

Unless a court overturns the decision, Djokovic will miss the chance to become the most Grand Slam winning men's player in history.

Djokovic has won 20 Grand Slam singles titles, tied with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

READ MORE: Why are so many vaccinated people getting COVID-19 lately?

'Strong approach' on unvaccinated entries

Speaking on Today before the ABF Djokovic decision, Mr Hunt said the Federal Government was insistent on a "very strong approach to ensuring equity of the rules for everybody".

Unvaccinated people, as a general rule, cannot enter Australia unless there they have a medical exemption.

Serbia's Novak Djokovic will be deported from Australia, unless a court overturns a decision to cancel his entry visa.

"My understanding is that the Border Force is reviewing that," Mr Hunt said.

"We have taken a very strong clear approach on treating everybody the same."

The Djokovic situation is now set to escalate into an international diplomatic incident.

Just before the cancellation announcement, the Serbian president Aleksandar Vučić made a statement declaring that the whole of Serbia was with Djokovic.

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https://twitter.com/Fi_Willan/status/1478845678939824128

He said Serbian agencies were "doing everything to see that the harassment of the world's best tennis player is brought to an end immediately."

Two-time Australian Open quarter-finalist Tennys Sandgren, an American player and outspoken vaccine sceptic, called the Djokovic announcement "wild" and "astonishing".

He expected the reaction among players, fans and media to be a "mixed bag".

"I'm sure there will be people that are upset that there was even an exemption in the first place and I can see why," he told Today.

"But I know some people will be happy to see him play because he's one of the best ever to pick up a racket."

Health Minister Mr Hunt said the Commonwealth had requested information pertaining to the medical exemption from the Victoria Government.

"It will be a matter for them to explain that."

Djokovic's father claims tennis star 'held captive'

Speaking with Sputnik Serbia, the tennis star's father threatened to call a gathering on the streets if his son wasn't let into Australia imminently.

The tennis star's father said Djokovic was being held "captive" in a room with two police officers and had been without his mobile phone for a number of hours.

The ABF later rejected that claim, saying "Mr Djokovic had access to his phone".

"I have no idea what's going on, they're holding my son captive for five hours," Srdan Djokovic said.

Novak Djokovic.

"This is a fight for the libertarian world, not just a fight for Novak, but a fight for the whole world.

"If they don't let him go in half an hour, we will gather on the street, this is a fight for everyone."

Prime Minister Scott Morrison yesterday warned the controversial tennis star will be "on the next plane home" if the evidence for his medical exemption to travel and compete in the Australian Open doesn't stack up.

Mr Morrison said Djokovic, whose exemption sparked outrage from many corners, would not be treated differently to anyone else.

"If he's not vaccinated, he must provide acceptable proof that he cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons and to be able to access the same travel arrangements as fully vaccinated travellers," Mr Morrison said.

Djokovic revealed on Tuesday night he had been granted a medical exemption to compete in the Australian Open, which begins on January 17.

2021 the coolest and wettest year in Australia in years

Australia has broken records for the coldest year in almost a decade after the La Niña phenomenon caused wetter and cooler conditions across the country, however experts have said the year was still unusually warm.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) said 2021 was the coolest year since 2012 and the wettest year since 2016.

At the end of 2021, no large parts of the country were experiencing drought conditions for the first time in five years.

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Clouds and rain hang over Bondi Beach as more wet wether sets in for Sydney, 25 November 2021. Photo Jessica hromas

"For Australia, in 2021 the mean temperature was 0.56 degrees above the average, it made it the 19th warmest year since records began in 1910 but also the coolest year since 2012," senior climatologist Dr Simon Grainger said.

"2021 was actually almost 0.4 degrees cooler than the average temperature on record from 2011 to 2020.

"It was actually much cooler in 2021 than the last decade."

However Dr Martin Rice, the Climate Council's director of research, said 2021 was actually the warmest La Niña year on record.

"Last year was a standout because it was warmer than any previous La Niña year," he said.

"It is amazing to consider that 2021, a year influenced by a La Niña event, was the coolest year in only one decade, which shows you that 2021 is sitting on an exceptionally strong long-term warming trend," Climate Councillor Professor Will Steffen said.

"If you zoom out to the bigger picture — over a few decades or longer — there is an underlying, upward trend in temperature driven by human emission of greenhouse gases."

Temperatures were above average for most of northern Australia, Tasmania, and Western Australia's west coast while NSW saw below-average temperatures.

READ MORE: Djokovic detained at Melbourne airport, visa cancelled 

Despite showers of rain a rowing crew during training passes moored boats in Iron Cove near Lilyfield, NSW.

Not only was it the coolest year in a decade but it was also the wettest year since 2016.

Dr Grainger said the above-average rainfall helped ease the drought conditions the country had endured between 2017 and 2019, but it did mean there was more flooding.

"Rainfall overall was nine per cent above the average," Dr Grainger said.

Dr Grainger said November was the wettest month on record, particularly in NSW.

"November was the wettest November since national records began in 1900," he said.

Above-average rainfall was also recorded in eastern Victoria, southern and central west Queensland and the western parts of Western Australia.

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SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 24:  Flood affected areas are seen from a helicopter in the Windsor and Pitt Town areas along the Hawkesbury River on March 24, 2021 in Sydney, Australia. Recovery and flood clean up begins for parts of Western Sydney following days of continuous rain leading to dozens of communities declared disaster zones. (Photo by Lukas Coch - Pool/Getty Images)

This substantial rainfall caused "significant flooding" across eastern Australia in March and again in November and December.

The BoM said the major rainfall meant major dams, particularly in the Murray Darling Basin, had replenished water levels.

Ocean temperatures were however warmer than usual, with NSW marine temperatures currently soaring to levels not seen in decades.

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The 2010-12 La Nina cycle was powerful and devastating.

The increased rainfall was a result of the La Niña phenomenon that Australia has experienced for the past two years.

The condition also caused the lower than usual temperatures.

"The combination of La Niña events and the residual effects of Indian Ocean Dipole all contributed to Australia having its wettest November on record," Dr Grainger said.

NSW Premier flags suspension of elective surgeries as cases surge

The NSW Premier has warned elective surgery may be suspended after the state's health system buckles under the pressure of surging COVID-19 cases.

Dominic Perrottet told 2GB a suspension of elective surgery "may happen" after the state recorded 34,994 new infections in the past 24 hours.

"Yes it may happen. Just like it happened earlier this year and last year," he said.

"There's obviously significant pressure on the system."

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Victoria has already suspended elective surgeries, with only urgent procedures to go ahead to help hospitals deal with the rising number of COVID-19 patients.

NSW doctors said an elective surgery suspension will mean people are no longer being treated in a recommended time frame.

"Elective surgery is not elective," NSW AMA Dr Michael Bonning said.

"It is required for people to live full and active and healthy lives."

"It's surgery people need."

Health system under pressure

Paramedics have warned the government "for months" that hospitals would face a crisis as COVID-19 cases grow.

"Some of the worst cases we've seen for priority one cases are upwards of four, five and six hours for ambulances to arrive," Australian Paramedics Association Brett Simpson said.

"These cases could be people having heart attacks, strokes and difficulties breathing."

An ambulance arrives at St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney

With calls to emergency and hospitalisations steadily increasing, NSW Ambulance released a confronting new commercial in a bid to deter "trivial" Triple Zero calls.

NSW Health has also urged residents to "not placing any unnecessary burden on the health system."

"You should not call Triple Zero (000) or attend a hospital emergency department if you want to get a COVID-19 PCR test."

Six deaths including man in his 20s

A man in his 20s is one of six people who died with COVID-19 in NSW overnight.

The man, who was from the ACT, had been double vaccinated and had no underlying health conditions before passing away at St Vincent's Hospital, according to NSW Health.

The five other people who died were in their 60s, 80s and 90s.

The 34,994 new cases mark a slight drop from the record 35,054 infections recorded yesterday, however hospitalisations have increased again, with 1609 people being treated with the virus and 131 in intensive care.

That's 118 more people in hospital, and 12 more in the ICU than yesterday.

This comes as Victoria's coronavirus outbreak continues to grow.

Overnight, 22,197 new infections were recorded – an increase from the 17,636 yesterday.

Six more people in Victoria have died with the virus.

The Sydney suburbs with the highest active COVID-19 case rate have been revealed, with a number of beachside Sydney postcodes posting a high active case rate.

https://twitter.com/NSWHealth/status/1478848813334892550

Edmonson Park in Sydney's south-west has the highest active case rate in the state with 77 cases per 1000 residents.

Popular beach side postcodes, including Bondi, Bondi Junction, Coogee and Clovelly follow closely behind, while Schofields in the city's north-west is also one of the worst-affected areas with 53 active cases per 1000 residents.

A number of beachside suburbs boast a high active case rate.

Changes to testing requirements

In response to the surge in cases and amid mounting demand for PCR and rapid antigen tests, a trend being mirrored in other states, National Cabinet has brought in sweeping changes to Australia's testing requirements.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison yesterday announced rapid antigen tests would start being used at COVID-19 testing sites to speed up results, officially scrapping the requirement of a positive PCR test.

Mr Morrison said concessional free tests would also be available at pharmacies to those who have a Commonwealth seniors health card, a healthcare card, a low-income card, a pension concession card, DVA Gold card or a DVA white card.

Mr Morrison said rapid antigen tests would not be free for all citizens.

"Universal free access to tests was not agreed by any of the states and territories today, or the Commonwealth. I make that very clear," he said.

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Buying limits reintroduced

Demand is so high for rapid antigens tests even Australia's largest supermarkets who wield massive buying power can't keep up.

There's a warning that staff shortages sparked by COVID-19 will have a domino effect across NSW with Coles now imposing buying limits on a number of products in most states to combat food shortages.

Distribution centres are experiencing higher than usual absenteeism due to the high number of COVID-19 cases in the Greater Sydney community.

Woolworths says it is not put any restrictions just yet.

"We've seen the demand for (RATs) in the last seven days just explode," Coles chief operations officer Matthew Swindells said.

"We've got a good pipeline of stock coming through," the Coles boss said, "but the demand is extremely high."

Posters for COVID-19 rapid antigen test, outside a pharmacy in Sydney.

A Woolworths spokesperson said tens of thousands of RATs were being sent from distribution centres to its stores each day.

"But they're selling through very quickly with the recent surge in demand," the spokesperson said.

More rapid antigen tests are expected to arrive in Australia by mid-January.

'King and Queen of Darlinghurst': Two charged over 'kidnapping'

A couple who referred to themselves as "King and Queen of Darlinghurst" have been charged over an alleged kidnapping in Sydney.

Police were called about a noise complaint at the apartment on Dowling St in Woolloomooloo at about 8.30pm on Tuesday, January 4.

Police allegedly found an injured woman with facial lacerations inside the apartment belonging to Belinda Stoleski, 40, and her husband Matthew Bieganski, 38.

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An alleged kidnapping was busted after a neighbour's noise complaint led police to an injured woman in a Sydney apartment.

She was taken to St Vincent's Hospital for treatment.

Neighbours heard screams coming from the apartment and called the police.

"It was really scary," a neighbour said.

"We all look out for each other around here."

Police also allege the kidnapping took place over a drug dispute.

An alleged kidnapping was busted after a neighbour's noise complaint led police to an injured woman in a Sydney apartment.

Mr Bieganski and Ms Stoleski were arrested and charged with assault and kidnapping offences.

Ms Stoleski was also charged with drug offences.

The couple were denied bail at court today.

Russian rocket booster makes uncontrolled re-entry to Earth

An out-of-control Russian rocket stage has re-entered the Earth's atmosphere, according to the latest estimate from US Space Command, which has been tracking its descent.

The Angara-A5 heavy-lift rocket was launched from the Plesetsk spaceport in Russia's northwestern Arkhangelsk region on Monday, December 27. The launch was testing a new upper rocket stage, known as the Persei booster, according to the state-run TAS news agency.

Most space debris burns up on re-entry to Earth's atmosphere and poses an extremely minimal risk to humans, but it's possible that larger parts could cause damage if they landed in inhabited regions.

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But on Wednesday, US Space Command — which had tracked the rocket booster during re-entry — said the rocket re-entered the Earth's atmosphere at 2.08pm MST (Thursday 8:08am AEDT) over the Southern Pacific Ocean.

It may, however, be impossible to determine exactly where the debris landed.

Earlier on Wednesday, the head of the European Space Agency's Space Debris Office, Holger Krag, said the Russian rocket part had been travelling at 7.5 kilometres per second, and its re-entry latitude was likely to be between 63 degrees north and south of the equator.

Risk level

While it was highly unlikely that the rocket would cause damage or hurt anyone, "the risk is real and cannot be ignored," Mr Krag said.

In May 2021, NASA lambasted China for its failure to "meet responsible standards" after debris from an out-of-control rocket used to launch China's space station plunged into the Indian Ocean.

The Russian rocket part is thought to be smaller than the Chinese debris, weighing around 4 tons without fuel, compared to around 20 tons for the Chinese Long March 5B rocket, Mr Krag said.

READ MORE: Djokovic detained at Melbourne airport, visa cancelled

The Chinese Long March rocket was one of the largest objects in recent memory to strike the Earth after falling out of orbit, following a 2018 incident in which a piece of a Chinese space lab broke up over the Pacific Ocean and the 2020 re-entry of another Long March 5B rocket.

The Persei booster was about 10 metres long compared to the 32-metre Chinese Long March 5B rocket, according to Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Centre for Astrophysics — Harvard & Smithsonian. While it weighed less, it was carrying about 16 tons of propellant on-board, he said.

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The "total mass is about the same as the Chinese stage, but most of it is probably liquid and will burn up in the atmosphere, so the risk to the ground is significantly less. I think," Mr McDowell said via email.

Original intentions

He added the Russian rocket stage was not intended to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere in this way.

"It was meant to end up in an orbit where it would stay for many thousands of years. The rocket failed to restart. The Chinese stage re-entry was by design, they deliberately left it in a low orbit," he said.

Russia's space agency Roscosmos told CNN the launch was operated by the Russian Ministry of Defence, which did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

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Best international practice for spent rocket parts or spacecraft at the end of their life span was typically to make a controlled re-entry and fall to Earth in an uninhabited area — usually a remote part of the Pacific Ocean, Mr Krag said.

Mr Krag added that, on average, 100 to 200 tons of space junk reenter the Earth's atmosphere in an uncontrolled way every year. Only one person is known to have been hit by space junk — a woman named Lottie Williams in Texas in 1997. She was unscathed and lived to tell the tale.