Tag Archives: oceania

headline

‘Now or never’: Police offer $1m to solve depraved cold case murder

A rare $1 million reward is being offered to help solve the 1981 cold case sex assault and murder of a 25-year-old Melbourne woman.

Haroula Kipouridou's body was discovered in a jammed lift about 2.30am on July 3, 1981, about 30 minutes after work friends dropped her to her mother's home in Richmond's commission flats.

Detective acting Sergeant Leigh Prados said the young singer had been bashed, strangled and left on the floor semi-naked.

READ MORE: Crews recover bodies of 9 backcountry skiers days after California avalanche

Haroula Kipouridou was working as a singer at a Greek tavern at the time of her murder.

"She had been violently attacked – whoever did this did it with a high level of brutality," Prados said today.

The cold case detective is determined to solve the 45-year-old cold case for Kipouridou's siblings, who are desperate for answers.

"The people who are left behind, who loved Haroula, that's why we do it," Prados said.

It's one of several cases police are confident they'll be able to solve.

"We have families out there who have lost loved ones who expect and want to know their investigations is still being looked at," Detective Inspector Dean Thomas said.

Several suspects have been interviewed and police are not ruling out links to other similar crimes of the era.

But time is of the essence.

READ MORE: Police probe burnt-out car as search for missing grandfather Chris Baghsarian continues

Haroula Kipouridou cold case

"It's an appeal to a person's conscience that after 45 years as people get older and we approach our own inevitable end, there may be witnesses who need to reflect on things they know, they saw, they heard or they were told, and to please come forward," Prados said.

"It really is a case of now or never."

The 25-year-old was engaged and working as a singer at a Greek tavern on Gertrude Street in Fitzroy at the time of her murder.

While the business no longer exists, investigators are hoping members of the public can cast their minds back to 1981, urging anyone who interacted with her on the night of her death to come forward.

"We will never, ever, stop trying to find you," Prados said.

"We will keep looking for you, try to hold you responsible for what you did."

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

headline

Police sergeant allegedly caught drink driving twice in one day

An off-duty police officer has been charged after allegedly being caught drink driving twice within hours.

The 53-year-old man, a sergeant at a Northern Region Command in New South Wales, allegedly gave a positive breath test at 11.30am on the Pacific Highway at Coffs Harbour.

He was arrested and taken to Woolgoolga Police Station where he had further breath analysis which returned a reading of 0.131.

READ MORE: Former 'American Idol' contestant charged with murdering wife, staging crime scene

He was given a Future Court Attendance Notice, charged with drive with mid-range PCA, and his driving licence was suspended.

Later, at 9.15pm police were called to reports members of the public had detained a driver on Red Rock Road, Red Rock, near Coffs Harbour after he was seen driving dangerously.

READ MORE: Police uncover 28 kilograms of cocaine hidden behind TV on luxury bus

The driver – allegedly the same one – allegedly tested positive.

He was arrested and taken to Coffs Harbour Police Station where he returned a breath analysis reading of 0.191.

He was charged with high-range PCA and drive motor vehicle whilst licence suspended.

He was granted conditional bail and will appear at Coffs Harbour Local Court on Tuesday April 7 2026.

The officer's employment status is under review, NSW Police said.

READ MORE: Australia is staring down the barrel of a dry, hot autumn

headline

Former ‘American Idol’ contestant charged with murdering wife, staging crime scene

Authorities in the US state of Ohio have arrested a former contestant on American Idol and charged him with shooting and killing his wife and staging the crime scene to mislead investigators.

Caleb Flynn, 39, pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, assault and tampering with evidence on Friday.

“I just want to take care of my daughters. I’m not a risk,” he told Judge Samuel Huffman in a video of his arraignment from jail.

READ MORE: Crews recover bodies of 9 backcountry skiers days after California avalanche

Caleb Flynn, 39, (right) was arrested and charged with his the murder of his wife Ashley Flynn (right).

The judge set his bond at US$2 million ($2.83 million).

Ashley Flynn, 37, was found dead on Monday after officers received a report of a burglary and shooting at a Tipp City home, according to a news release by Tipp City Police.

Her husband and two children were inside the home when officers arrived.

In a 911 call released by authorities, a frantic Caleb Flynn tells a dispatcher someone broke into his home and killed his wife.

He says she was shot multiple times in the head and he doesn’t know whether the intruder was still there.

“There’s blood everywhere, oh my god, oh my god, oh my god,” he said.

His attorney, Patrick Mulligan, said in a statement today he and Flynn were “disappointed and concerned about the short timeline and seeming rush to judgment in this case".

Police arrested Flynn on Thursday.

“When the government runs out of leads or can’t develop leads and looks at a surviving spouse in cases such as these, the chance of a wrongful conviction increases,” the statement said.

READ MORE: Police probe burnt-out car as search for missing grandfather Chris Baghsarian continues

Investigators said Mrs Flynn's husband and two children were inside the home when officers arrived.

Tipp City Police Chief Greg Adkins defended the investigation, saying in an email today that it had “not moved fast”.

“Rather, it has progressed at a pace dictated by a thorough and deliberate investigative process,” he said.

Ashley Flynn was a middle school volleyball coach and substitute teacher, Tipp City Schools said on its Facebook page.

“She was known for her beautiful smile, warmth, kindness, and the positive impact she had on so many—both in and out of the classroom and on the court,” the post said.

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

headline

Australia is staring down the barrel of a dry, hot autumn

Australia will sweat through a dry, hot autumn as long-range forecasts show above-average temperatures and below-average rainfall on the horizon.

There will be no relief at night either, with above-average overnight temperatures predicted across much of Australia for March, April and May.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) also currently rates the chances of an El Niño developing in the second half of the year at about 90 per cent, bringing more hot, dry conditions.

Here's what Australians have to look forward to in autumn 2026.

READ MORE: At least one 'ISIS bride' blocked from returning as minister confirms group has passports

Ocean swimmers head into the water at Coogee in Sydney as the sun shines on the water.

Autumn temperatures

The BOM is predicting temperatures are very likely (about 80 per cent) to be above average across most of the country from March to May.

It's expected that maximum temperatures will surge well above average in NSW, the ACT, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and WA this autumn.

Chances are a little lower in Queensland and the Northern Territory at about 50 per cent.

Temperatures will stay high when the sun goes down too.

According to the BOM, it's very likely overnight temperatures will be above average across much of Australia.

READ MORE: Mark Zuckerberg to testify in watershed social media trial

A map showing the chance of Australia's temperature exceeding the median from March to May 2026. It shows very high chances across most of the country.

Autumn rainfall

The BOM is predicting below-average autumn rainfall across most of Australia's southern regions, including NSW, the ACT, Victoria, South Australia, and most parts of WA.

North-eastern Tasmania and South Australia's interior specifically are forecast to receive unusually low rainfall.

The drier-than-average conditions could put some states on high alert for bushfire risk.

It's a slightly different story up north.

The rainfall forecast for March to May in much of northern Australia isn't leaning one way or another yet, meaning it could be below, above, or right on average.

And parts of Cape York Peninsula, the Top End and northern Kimberley are slated for above-average rainfall in March.

READ MORE: Man charged after alleged Melbourne school bomb scare

A map showing the chance of Australia's rainfall exceeding the median from March to May 2026. It shows very low chances for the southern half of the country.

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