By Niva Chittock of RNZ A project being trialled in a part of the Marlborough Sounds is already helping boost the area’s marine life, researchers say.The researchers have been working with local marine farmers, iwi, and the…

A man has been taken to hospital after an explosion police say destroyed "several" Canberra shops and damaged others.

IT professional Mushtaq Ahmad said he was just 150–200m away from Turkish Kebab and Pizza on Rae Street, Belconnen — where he had planned to buy bread — when CCTV showed a huge blast tear off the roof and send parts of the building flying.

"All these debris (were) just flying in the air," he told 9News.com.au, describing a "massive bang".

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"And for a moment I didn't know like what happened and then when I went there, I saw the fire was engulfing and there was a massive fire inside the shop."

ACT Policing Detective Acting Inspector Emily McCallum said a man was taken to hospital after the blast about 7.30pm on Monday.

"It is in a very well-used area," she said.

"There are a lot of local takeaway places, service stations, things like that. 

READ MORE: Locals rescue family of nine after boat capsizes on Lake Macquarie

"So yes, obviously very, very grateful that there was only one person injured. It could have been a lot worse."

The detective said she believed the shop was closed at the time and it was too early to say what might have caused the "sizeable explosion".

Later on Monday, ACT Policing said while the full extent of the damage was still being determined, "multiple premises were gutted by the fire, and other stores nearby suffered considerable fire and smoke damage".

Mr Ahmad's footage from the scene shows a fire burning in the building, part of which has been reduced to an empty shell, and what appears to be significant damage to surrounding shops.

The Belconnen man said he considered himself "very lucky" not to have arrived earlier.

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"If I was happened to be like, within two minutes, not sure what's gonna what would happen here," he said.

ACT Fire and Rescue Commander Brett Slater said fire crews quickly extinguished the blaze and carried out a "primary search" of the building.

He expected one fire truck to stay behind to monitor the fire into the night.

Police will investigate the cause of the explosion once firefighters hand over control of the scene.

Firefighters had earlier said they were still working to extinguish two small areas of fire in the shop but weren't able to enter the building due to instability.

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Just after 9pm, emergency services said nearby residents who were earlier told to close their windows and turn off their air conditioning could open their houses again.

Several nearby roads were expected to remain closed into the morning.

It's been 25 years since the murder of six-year-old JonBenet Ramsey captivated the world.

Now, Boulder, Colorado investigators say they have analysed almost 1000 DNA samples to find the killer.

It reveals detectives' ongoing efforts after police say they have received, reviewed or investigated more than 21,000 tips, letters and emails.

READ MORE: NSW cases top 6000 again as hospitalisation rates spike

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Detectives have travelled to 19 states.

They have interviewed more than 1000 people.

They have processed more than 1500 pieces of evidence.

Still, the case remains unsolved. It seized the public interest, due perhaps to a mix of factors, including her involvement in beauty pageants for young girls, her family's wealth, and suspicion around her parents, who were never charged and later cleared by authorities through DNA testing.

On December 26, 1996, Jon Benet was reported missing from the family's Boulder home. Her mother, Patsy, told police she found a ransom note demanding $163,300 (US$118,000) for the girl's return.

Her body was found that day in a basement room of the home.

Police later revealed her skull had been fractured.

Patsy Ramsey died of ovarian cancer in 2006.

READ MORE: Sydney lab tells more than 400 COVID-positive people they are negative

In a statement marking the 25th anniversary of the murder, Boulder police said they actively "use new technology to enhance the investigation" and check regularly for DNA matches in order to solve this case.

"Thanks to the huge advances in DNA technology, multiple suspects have been run through the system to check for matches," police said.

"CBI (Colorado Bureau of Investigation) has updated over 750 reference samples with the latest DNA technology.

"The Boulder Police Department works closely with CBI on future DNA advancements."

Locals have saved a family from nearly experiencing a Boxing Day tragedy after a boat capsized on Lake Macquarie.

The family of nine, including a baby and a grandmother, were on a boat about 200 metres off Trinity Point, Lake Macquarie, just before 8pm last night.

The boat capsized due to the water's choppy conditions, plunging the family members, who are aged between six months and 89, into the lake.

READ MORE: Sydney lab told almost 1000 more people they were COVID-19 negative when results had not yet been determined

Luckily, locals on the water jumped to the family's aid.

"It was taking on water so I kind of hung around in the area and I thought there could be some trouble," Hayden Perks, one of the rescuers, said.

Mr Perks saw the family getting into trouble on the water while he was on his jetski, he rushed over and pulled the grandmother and baby to safety.

READ MORE: WA fires force evacuations, others warned 'leaving now would be deadly'

"I jumped on mine and flew out and rescued three people," James Ryan, another rescuer, said.

"They were very grateful, the old lady was hugging me as we got back into the marina here."

The whole family escaped serious injury.

READ MORE: What you need to know about NSW's renewed COVID-19 restrictions

The grandmother, mother and baby were taken to Wyong Hospital for observation.

Marine rescue commander Malcolm Drew said lifejackets helped save the family from catastrophe.

"They were very lucky there were passers-by," he said.

The NSW Government remains divided on decriminalising drug possession in the state despite almost two years passing since the inquiry into the drug epidemic.

It has been nearly two years since a Special Commission of Inquiry into the state's drug use and there's still no formal response from the state government.

The inquiry was sparked by multiple drug overdoses at NSW music festivals, and with another festival season set to begin, advocates are awaiting a decision.

READ MORE: Sydney lab told almost 1000 more people they were COVID-19 negative when results had not yet been determined

The report by Professor Dan Howard was delivered in January 2020.

The government gave an interim response a month later which rejected five of the recommendations, including introducing pill testing and ending the use of drug detection dogs.

Since then, there has been no response on the more than 100 other recommendations in the report.

"I hope I'll be able to say good things come to those who wait. I think a final response is imminent," Attorney General Mark Speakman said in November.

"I would be disappointed if it were not this year."

READ MORE: NSW cases top 6000 again as hospitalisation rates spike

Just four days until the end of the year, the NSW Government issued a statement concerning the inquiry.

"The government's response to the Ice Inquiry remains under active consideration," the statement said.

The lack of a decision on the recommendations has been criticised by the state opposition.

"There's no point in having an inquiry if you're going to wait years before you respond," Shadow Health Minister Ryan Park said.

"That's not good enough and the community deserve more and so do those families who are having to handle someone with a drug addiction."

READ MORE: What you need to know about NSW's renewed COVID-19 restrictions

Last year, the cabinet reportedly considered a three-strikes policy for low-level drug possession which would have meant those caught didn't get a criminal record until their third offence.

Recommendations that are being considered fall across several areas of government, including justice and health.

World leaders, religious figures and royals have paid tribute to Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the revered South African cleric who fought against apartheid for years.

The Nobel Peace Prize-winner has died aged 90 after years of health problems.

For six decades, Archbishop Tutu — known affectionately as "the Arch" — was one of the primary voices in exhorting the South African government to end apartheid, the country's official policy of racial segregation.

READ MORE: Desmond Tutu, anti-apartheid leader and voice of justice, dead at 90

After apartheid ended in the early '90s and the long-imprisoned Nelson Mandela became president of the country, Archbishop Tutu was named chair of South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

His civil and human rights work led to prominent honours from around the world.

US President Joe Biden led a chorus of tributes.

"Today, we are heartbroken to learn of the passing of a true servant of God and of the people, Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa," he wrote on Twitter.

"We send our deepest condolences to the people of South Africa who are mourning this great loss."

LIVE UPDATES: Nation might need to tackle Omicron differently, expert says

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UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was "deeply saddened" to hear of Tutu's death.

"He was a critical figure in the fight against apartheid and in the struggle to create a new South Africa – and will be remembered for his spiritual leadership and irrepressible good humour," he said.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed his condolences to the archbishop's family and friends, calling him "a patriot without equal".

"A man of extraordinary intellect, integrity and invincibility against the forces of apartheid, he was also tender and vulnerable in his compassion for those who had suffered oppression, injustice and violence under apartheid, and oppressed and downtrodden people around the world," Mr Ramaphosa said.

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres said Tutu had been a "towering global figure for peace" and an inspiration to generations.

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"During the darkest days of apartheid, he was a shining beacon for social justice, freedom and non-violent resistance," he said.

"Although Archbishop Tutu's passing leaves a huge void on the global stage, and in our hearts, we will be forever inspired by his example to continue the fight for a better world for all."

Former US President Barack Obama, who awarded Tutu the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009, also spoke.

"Archbishop Desmond Tutu was a mentor, a friend, and a moral compass for me and so many others. A universal spirit, Archbishop Tutu was grounded in the struggle for liberation and justice in his own country, but also concerned with injustice everywhere," he said.

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"He never lost his impish sense of humour and willingness to find humanity in his adversaries, and Michelle and I will miss him dearly."

In a statement, Queen Elizabeth II praised Tutu's "great warmth and humour".

"Archbishop Tutu's loss will be felt by the people of South Africa, and by so many people in Great Britain, Northern Ireland and across the Commonwealth, where he was held in such high affection and esteem," she said.

South Africa's ruling party, the African National Congress, issued a statement separate to that of the country's president.

"Indeed the big baobab tree has fallen," the ANC said.

"South Africa and the mass democratic movement has lost a tower of moral conscience and an epitome of wisdom."

Fellow spiritual leader and human rights activist the Dalai Lama said he had "cherished" his bond with the archbishop.

"Archbishop Desmond Tutu was entirely dedicated to serving his brothers and sisters for the greater common good," he said.

"He was a true humanitarian and a committed advocate of human rights."

The Vatican also issued a statement.

"His Holiness Pope Francis was saddened to learn of the death of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and he offers heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones," the statement read.

"Mindful of his service to the Gospel through the promotion of racial equality and reconciliation in his native South Africa, His Holiness commends his soul to the loving mercy of Almighty God."

Prime Minister Scott Morrison joined the chorus.

"Archbishop Desmond Tutu was the spiritual leader of the anti-apartheid movement," he tweeted.

"He believed in human dignity and the power of freedom to create a new nation. His deep faith was his powerhouse that made the world a better place. Thank you and 'well done good and faithful servant'."

With CNN and Associated Press.

New density limits in hospitality venues and fears of the spread of COVID-19 are causing ticket sales to plummet for New Year's Eve in Sydney this year.

Only one person per two square metres is allowed in indoor hospitality venues for the next month, with people urged to not "mingle" at pubs, clubs and cafes.

A front-row seat to the fireworks display is usually a hot commodity in the city, however, this year ticket sales have plummeted.

READ MORE: What you need to know about NSW's renewed COVID-19 restrictions

"Ticket sales were going well until about the middle of December, and the last two weeks it's fallen off the cliff," Sudhir Warrier from Australian Cruise Company said.

In the years prior to the pandemic, the Australian Cruise Company would sell about 2500 tickets across its 12 boats.

This year, the company is only running four boats and has sold just 600 seats.

"We were all hoping that this New Year's Eve would be a great success," Mr Warrier said.

"We didn't expect this 10 days ago."

Not only are the density limits impacting celebrations at hospitality venues this New Year's Eve, but the number of staff in isolation means some venues will not be open.

The Lord Gladstone in Chippendale and the Shell House in Sydney's CBD have shut up shop for New Year's Eve due to staff shortages as a result of COVID-19 isolation and close contact restrictions.

"Due to high rising case numbers in the local area and other venues close to us being affected by positive COVID-19 cases, we have made the difficult decision to shut up shop as of today through till NYE," The Lord Gladstone said on Instagram.

"The latest outbreak has been a blow to us and sadly means that we do not have the team members needed to provide the level of service we expect to deliver to all of our guests," the Shell House also said on Instagram.

READ MORE: Sydney lab told almost 1000 more people they were COVID-19 negative when results had not yet been determined

Businesses that are staying open are going out of their way to help patrons feel safe while celebrating this year.

Bungalow 8 at King Street Wharf has slashed capacity from 1800 to 800 so there's plenty of room for guests to space out.

"We're a fully outdoor venue so we didn't need to make changes but we still have made changes," Bungalow 8's owner, Jeremy Fraser, said.

"Just so we can make sure it's a super safe environment."

Not only have the new restrictions caused celebrations in the city to be downgraded this year, but the fears over the spread of the Omicron variant is also deterring spectators.

"It's too much to handle at the moment," one person said.

"We don't want to get stuck anywhere or put into isolation, it's easier to stay home this year," another said.

READ MORE: New Year's Eve celebrations to go ahead in Sydney

In 2020, foreshore vantage points were fenced off to stop crowds, however this year the parks will be open and ticketed.

The NSW Government does expect the number of spectators to be down due to the surge of COVID-19.

Both the 9pm and midnight fireworks will go ahead this year.

Briony Jenkinson is a little on the tall side at 6-foot-3.

So, when the single mum-of-two first saw a tiny home, she instantly wrote it off as something she could never possibly live in.

"I thought they were cute but not for me, and that I would be really claustrophobic living in something like that," Ms Jenkinson said.

Yet, not only did Ms Jenkinson change her mind, she is now one of the biggest advocates for tiny homes in Australia, having lived in her own "tiny" for three years now in central Victoria.

READ MORE: The Aussies breaking the mould to live in tiny mobile homes

Going tiny was, Ms Jenkinson said, "one of the best decisions of her life".

But almost anyone who has lived in a tiny home will admit that it's not for everyone.

Incredible advantages are tied up with dangerous pitfalls and there will be curveballs aplenty for anyone who takes the leap.

Glamorous photos on Instagram aside, we've taken a look at the reality of living in a tiny home.

Freedom from financial stress

One of the most powerful attractions of living in a tiny home is the promise of an escape it can offer from the mortgage or rental trap.

This was the case for Ms Jenkinson who was struggling to make ends meet in 2016, despite living in a unit where her rent was subsidised under an affordable housing scheme.

"The rent was what most people call affordable but when you're a single mum even that figure is a massive part of your weekly income," she said.

"It was awful, the financial stress day-to-day was just crippling.

"To have to tell your kids that you can't afford for them to go on school excursions or to have the day out with friends because you know you have only got $2 in the bank. It was heartbreaking.

"I had a big think about it and decided I could keep going with the rest of my life struggling for the sake of living in a regular house or I could make the big decision and sell up everything I had."

Ms Jenkinson made the huge decision to move herself and her two children – who are now 16 and 10 years – into a "daggy and old" caravan for a year.

It was a tough 12 months, she said, but the move allowed her to save up for their tiny home.

Ms Jenkinson then bought a block of land, and her tiny home from a young couple in NSW who had built the house themselves to live in but unexpectedly had to move overseas.

Ms Jenkinson said tiny living had delivered her the financial freedom she craved.

"As a single mum of two kids, working minimal hours – I lost both jobs I had to COVID – it has given me the flexibility to start my own business and build it up without the pressure," she said.

"I can list on one hand my overheads.

"I have thought about throwing it in and moving into a regular rental. And, as soon as I think about the bills that are involved and being stuck in one place, I realise I don't want to give this up.

"It's something I have worked really hard for and I can't stomach the thought of leaving it."

Do your research

Elle Paton co-founded the Australian Tiny House Association and now runs the Australian Tiny Houses Facebook page, which has 37,000 followers.

She has lived in her tiny house since March 2019. The 20-square-metre home built by Tinyhouse2go is in St Kilda, in Melbourne's south east, and was the first tiny home approved in an urban setting in Australia.

Although she was already involved in the industry before going tiny, Ms Paton said she did a tonne of research before she took the plunge.

She has recommended everyone else thinking about making the move do the same.

"I visited as many tiny houses as I could here in Australia. I went and did a tiny house building course as well to educated myself," she said.

"While on holiday in the US, I toured a lot of tiny homes there."

A month-long, practical experiment also gave Ms Paton an idea of whether she could live in a small space.

"I sectioned off a portion of my apartment once I knew what size of tiny house I was going to have, and I forced myself to live within the same square meterage," she said.

"Anything I had left outside the area I didn't use for that period of time. It forced me to think about culling what wasn't needed.

"It helped me get into the mindset of tiny living.

"Surprisingly, it was only the first few days when I was wanting to get things outside that sectioned off area.

"After that I was really liking that it reduced my choice and freed up my time."

Similarly, Ms Jenkinson found living in a caravan for a year was good preparation for tiny living.

"Even in the caravan with two kids I didn't find it restrictive at all," she said.

"I actually loved the feeling of freedom of not being a slave to my things and not having clutter.

"It was a really good test and it cemented in my mind that going tiny was the right decision."

'Not for the faint-hearted'

One of the biggest challenges people looking to move into a tiny home face is finding the land to put their house on.

The tiny home industry is unregulated and the homes themselves fall into a grey space between current building codes.

All of this can make it very hard to get council approval for a tiny home, Ms Paton said.

It took Ms Paton 20 months for her to get approval for occupancy from Port Phillip Council, who were supportive of her project.

"Going tiny is not for the faint-hearted because you have that lack of certainty when it comes to it being a council-by-council decision," Ms Paton said.

"Finding some land to place it on, it does require tenacity and commitment."

Ms Jenkinson said while she was fortunate to have been able to buy a block of land to put her tiny home on, she knew of others who had struggled to find land.

It was for this reason Ms Jenkinson decided to launch an online platform to connect land owners with people looking for a place to put their tiny home – ParkMyTinyHouse.com.au.

The toilet situation

Many tiny home owners will opt to live off the grid, which can be another steep learning curve, Ms Paton said.

Living off grid had taught her a lot about resource management, she added.

"If you are disconnected from the grid you can't rely on someone else to make sure your solar power reserves are okay," she said.

Then there is the small matter of sewage and waste removal.

While this aspect sometimes turned people off tiny living, it could be simply managed when you learned how, Ms Paton said.

Ms Paton has a composting toilet.

"All that is required is for me to go out and turn a handle a couple of times a week," she said.

"That unit will sit in place for eight months with no smell."

Once every eight months a canister needs to be replaced on the composting toilet, a job which can be outsourced if need be, Ms Paton said.

What about the mess?

No matter what Instagram would have you believe, tiny houses do get messy, and fast.

Ms Paton said she had been forced to alter her spending habits after going tiny.

"If I buy an item of clothing I will remove an item of clothing. If you go on a shopping spree, the space can get crowded very quickly."

Living in such a small space, wear-and-tear happened a lost faster, Ms Jenkinson said.

"I am the furthest thing from a domestic goddess. I do not clean and my house is not photogenic anymore.

"When there are three of us, living in 16 square metres, it gets dirty and it gets trashed really fast. That is the reality.

"If you imagine you have a section of carpet in your house that gets the most foot traffic, you have that worn track in your carpet, that is the entirety of a tiny house."

On the flip side, renovations are cheap, because of the tiny amounts of materials needed.

"I have to redo the floor in my tiny house, and I need about 10-square-metres of lino and I'm done," Ms Jenkinson said.

"Who can re-floor their whole home for under $1000? It's ridiculous."

Contact reporter Emily McPherson at em********@******om.au

South Australia has recorded 842 new cases of COVID-19 and its first death in more than 18 months.

There have been 5162 cases reported in South Australia to date.

SA Health confirmed a 94-year-old woman who tested positive for COVID-19 died in metropolitan Adelaide yesterday.

READ MORE: Victoria records 1999 new cases, three deaths

The women acquired COVID-19 in South Australia, but the cause of death is currently being determined by the coroner.

Her passing is the fifth death in South Australia of somebody who had tested positive to COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic.

Today's cases include 63 children, 49 teenagers, 362 women aged between 18 and 100, and 368 men aged between 18 and 92.

Of these, 82 cases acquired their infection in South Australia and are known contacts of a positive case.

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Meanwhile, 166 cases became infected in the state from unknown contacts, 15 cases acquired their infection interstate and 579 cases are under investigation.

There are 23 cases in hospital, of which four people are in ICU and one person is ventilated.

Of the hospitalised cases, 12 people are fully vaccinated, and 11 are not fully vaccinated.

Restrictions

South Australians woke up to new restrictions today.

Premier Steven Marshall announced new density limits for hospitality venues and gyms as Omicron cases surge in the state.

Gyms have reverted back to one person per seven metres, while density limits have returned for hospitality venues.

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One person per four square metres is allowed for indoor dining, while one person per two square metres is allowed in outdoor settings.

Only seated dining and drinking is allowed in hospitality venues.

Home-based activities are now capped at 10 people per household, a decrease from the previous restriction of 30 people per household.

"We know this is a difficult time of year to be putting these restrictions in place, we would not be doing it if we weren't concerned about the trajectory of the Omicron variant," Mr Marshall said.

Mr Marshall also urged people to work from home where possible immediately and to also reduce movement around the state.

"My strong message to everybody in South Australia is to wear a mask, do so in indoors in public areas and do so in your office environment," Mr Marshall added.

"My strong advice to people is to go and get that vaccination."

Crowd numbers were also slashed from 35,000 to 25,000 at the Adelaide Strikers Big Bash League New Year's Eve clash at Adelaide Oval, following a COVID-19 update on Christmas Day.

Long lines

There were long lines around the Wayville walk-in vaccination clinic, with many people waiting for a COVID-19 booster shot.

Some people returned early this morning after being turned away yesterday.

https://twitter.com/katelambe_/status/1475274008472223744

In the state, 92.2 per cent of eligible people have had their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

87.4 per cent of eligible residents have had their second dose.

By RNZ One of the rarest wading birds in the world has had a busy festive season, with 18 chicks hatched between Christmas Eve and Boxing Day.The kakī, or black stilt, are critically endangered and found mostly in the Mackenzie…