Rough unsealed roads are being used by locals – despite authorities’ pleas to stay home

A new God of War game, exciting trailers, and several major reveals — PlayStation's February State of Play was one of the strongest showcases in a while.

The final reveal of the hour-long showcase was the news of a God of War trilogy remake, in addition to an all new God of War game releasing today. 

God of War Sons of Spartan was a huge surprise. Rumour mills were turning about a 2D God of War title, but I didn't see it releasing the same moment it was announced.

READ MORE: The villa that ended one couple's corporate slog

It's already on the PlayStation store.

Kicking off the show, third-person action-adventure game Kena is back in Kena: Scars of Kosmora.

I don't think any of us had this on our State of Play bingo card — I'm excited! 

The first game was incredible; beautiful art style, creative mechanics and some brutal boss fights.

In Kena: Scars of Kosmora, Kena is a little older, more experienced, and venturing into a seemingly larger world. Very much looking forward to Kena’s next adventure. This one is coming to PlayStation 5 and PC later this year — a completely unexpected but welcome announcement.

READ MORE: 'Irresistibly charming.' An hour with Pokemon Pokopia

This multiplayer expansion to one of 2025's best games is bringing the action, with three mission types. Best part is it's free if you already own Ghost of Yōtei.

We also had a closer look at CONTROL: Resonant and it's shaping up to be an action-packed, wild ride.

READ MORE: Fallout game developers on how they weave in new ideas from the show

Protagonist Dylan's "shift" ability allows him to control the world and reposition gravity, meaning he can scale buildings and the world in a totally unique way.

Compared to the first CONTROL game, Resonant certainly looks to take the series forward in exciting ways. I'm very keen to jump into this one on PlayStation 5 later this year. 

Star Wars fans were given a closer look at Star Wars: Galactic Racer, something I'm particularly keen to play.

It looks like a modern Burnout title but with some of the galaxy's best vehicles and pod racers. 

READ MORE: New Avatar game update aligns with latest film

007 First Light is also shaping up. Coming May 27, this early look at Bond's story has a strong focus on action and story. 

We also had a quick look at Silent Hill: Townfall, the next big entry in the Silent Hill series. Creepy is an understatement.

Keanu Reeves is back as action hero John Wick in a video game simply titled: John Wick.

Wick fans have been longing for some up close John Wick action and we're finally getting it. This one is heading to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. 

Other highlights include a closer look at Marvel Tokon Fight Souls, Saros (which is releasing April 30), volume two of the Metal Gear Solid collection, Rayman: 30th Anniversary Edition, and demos for a bunch of great looking titles, including Darwin's Paradox — it's a huge showing from PlayStation.

Players now have plenty of reasons to be excited about 2026 and beyond, especially off the back of the recent Xbox Developer Direct which saw closer looks at Fable and Forza Horizon 6.

A big pack of Torres Selecta will set you back $15, and a small pack nearly $6.

Diana Tam, 44, died when her vehicle crashed on State Highway 1 near Oakleigh.

The barter deal ended badly when one farmer sent the other a large bill.

Residents living in the eastern suburbs received emergency alerts to their phones.

"Priceless" Egyptian artifacts have been stolen from a Queensland museum, police said.

A man smashed a window of Abbey Museum of Art and Archaeology in Caboolture in Moreton Bay near Brisbane around 3am this morning and made off with the treasures.

The museum said on Facebook it was"devastated to advise that the Museum was broken into last night, and several of our precious Egyptian artefacts have been taken."

LIVE UPDATES: Stubborn call that cost Scotty James gold in this crucial moment

READ MORE: Aussie state on alert for heavy rain and thunderstorms

"We are working closely with Queensland Police Service in the hopes to retrieve our objects" it said.

The museum is described as "a treasure trove of world history that engages young and old."

It says its Egypt collections include predynastic stone tools and pottery, Dynastic amulets, jewellery, figurines, painted panels and ceramics, as well as a "wonderful gilt cartonnage mask".

READ MORE: Man fighting for life after alleged stabbing on the Gold Coast

READ MORE: Man charged after multi-vehicle crash on Brisbane's Story Bridge

That was among the items stolen, alongside jewellery and a statue.

Cartonnage is a type of material used in ancient Egyptian funeral masks.

"Initial investigations indicate at approximately 3am, a man smashed a window of The Abbey Place property and took a quantity of priceless Egyptian artifacts before leaving the scene," Queensland Police said.

Police are appealing for information.

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 chilling videos of a masked man outside Nancy Guthrie’s home in Arizona before she vanished show just glimpses of the suspect, but for investigators they hold a mountain of clues.

And those images, from the suspect's gloves to his flashlight, could be what's needed to break the case.

“There’s a tremendous amount of information that this guy left,” said former FBI profiler Clint Van Zandt.

READ MORE: Donald Trump pardons five former NFL players

The FBI already has analysed the videos from Guthrie's doorbell camera to identify the suspect's backpack, posting an alert on Thursday with a photo of the brand and model in hopes of narrowing down tips flooding the agency.

It has been nearly two weeks since the mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie was believed to have been abducted.

Former criminal investigators say it's almost certain that authorities are building a physical and psychological profile of the suspect, using the footage released publicly on Tuesday that totals less than a minute.

Whether authorities recovered more footage isn't known, but technology will allow them to see more than meets the eye.

“Every single thing that is in the video is being digitally enhanced. Everything from the mask to backpack to the jacket,” said Ed Davis, the former Boston police commissioner during the marathon bombing and manhunt in 2013.

Here's what was captured in the footage and what clues each might yield:

The backpack

It probably didn't take long to pinpoint the type of backpack the suspect was wearing, Davis said.

Technology available today allows investigators to break down photos and videos to the pixel, he said, giving them images of the stitching and maybe the manufacturer or brand name.

The FBI described the backpack as a black, 25-litre “Ozark Trail Hiker Pack.”

The holster

The FBI says the man on Nancy Guthrie's porch was armed.

But the video shows he had an unusual holster setup, hanging over the middle of his waist and not on the side. It might be an indication that whoever it was has little experience with firearms.

“I've never seen anything like that,” Davis said.

The gloves

The footage gives a close-up view of the suspect trying to cover Guthrie's doorbell camera, first with a gloved hand and then with part of a plant ripped from the yard.

The black gloves appear to be thicker than most and shimmered in the light.

“I spend a lot of time in Home Depot, and I've never seen those gloves,” Davis said. “They're not very common.”

The clothes

The suspect's zip-up jacket, pants, shoes and mask don't immediately stand out. But identifying one or more of those items could be a key.

Because once that happens, investigators can start looking at where those items are sold and combing through receipts and store surveillance cameras, starting with stores in the Tucson area closest to Guthrie's home, said Van Zandt, who spent 25 years with the FBI.

TODAY IN HISTORY: The creepy motivation behind the world's second most popular website

Going through mounds of receipts and footage will take time and isn't something that would be done on most cases, but there's no shortage of people assigned to this one, he said. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department earlier this week said several hundred detective and agents have been assigned to the case.

“If all of the stars line up properly — and they rarely do — I find someone who was in there two weeks prior who bought the jacket, the shoes, the backpack all at the same time,” Van Zandt said.

The torch

In one of the videos, the suspect appeared to be holding a small torchin his mouth while in front of Guthrie's door.

Figuring out the type of torch might be difficult, but there's something else to look at there, said David Lyons, a former homicide detective and police commander in Lexington, Kentucky.

Not many people instinctively hold a torchin their mouth, but those who work in the trades might — such as an electrician or a plumber, he said.

“That’s a small thing,” he said.

“But at the same time, down the road, it could be something.”

The movements

Every step and movement the suspect made on the porch is worth a close look — from the way he walked, to how he seemed unhurried and how he grabbed the plant from the yard, Lyons said.

All of that will likely be used by behavioral analysts to create a profile of the suspect, he said.

“That’s what this will come down to,” Lyons said.

“Those small aspects added all together.”

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

Sussan Ley's resignation will trigger a hotly contested byelection in her long-held seat of Farrer, giving new Liberal leader Angus Taylor an early test following months of dire polls for the party.

The outgoing opposition leader has (mostly) comfortably held the rural southern NSW seat for 25 years and nine straight federal elections – the second-longest tenure in the electorate's history.

The Liberal Party's charmed run in Farrer could come to an end as voters head to the polls for what is predicted to be a messy contest, after the surging One Nation threw its hat into the ring.

READ MORE: 'Ticking time bomb' sitting under Angus Taylor's desk

The result – as well as that of the upcoming South Australian state election – could end up being an early hurdle for Taylor and the embattled party, or signal sunnier days ahead.

"(Taylor) has to get the team together," 9news political editor Charles Croucher said.

"Don't rule out things getting worse for the Liberal Party before they get better."

Ley's electorate has existed since 1949, but its current borders were drawn in 2016.

It comprises councils including Albury, Berrigan, Griffith and Leeton.

The Nationals have not contested the seat since Ley bested them in 2001 to become the local MP, but the junior Coalition partner may now take a run at the electorate alongside the Liberals.

Yesterday, Taylor refused to answer questions over which of the Liberals or Nationals – or both – will put forward a candidate.

"We know it'll be tough," he said.

"We know that because when we get out and about around Australia, the polls, we see the loss of confidence that there has been in the Liberal Party, and we've got to restore that confidence."

READ MORE: Who is Angus Taylor? The Rhodes Scholar's rise to new Liberal leader

He confirmed a conversation has taken place with Nationals leader David Littleproud, but did not say if a decision had been reached.

Even if only one of the Coalition parties puts forward a candidate, it could still prove a close contest.

Independent candidate Michelle Milthorpe was unsuccessful in her attempt to unseat Ley at the last election, winning 20 per cent of the primary vote, and falling short in the two-party preferred stakes by a little over 6 per cent – Ley's lowest margin since winning the seat in 2001.

Milthorpe has confirmed she will run again this year.

"For too long, the people of Farrer have been left wanting," she said yesterday.

"Party politics too often gets in the way of practical outcomes.

"Our communities deserve a reliable and relatable representative; someone who listens, understands our regional context, and is prepared to do the work in Canberra to make policy better reflect life in rural and regional Australia."

Pauline Hanson flagged One Nation will also put forward a candidate following the party's recent boost in the polls.

READ MORE: 'Delighted': Angus Taylor laughs off social media faux pas

"One Nation will soon select a candidate for Farrer, and we are calling on strong, community-minded locals to step forward," Hanson said in a statement.

"Farrer deserves an active, visible, and reliable representative, someone who will stand up for local families, farmers, small businesses, and communities in Canberra."

One Nation candidate Emma Hicks collected 6.6 per cent of the primary vote in the previous federal election.

It's unlikely Labor will contest the byelection given the party has not achieved a quarter of the primary vote since the 2007 federal election, said former ABC election analyst Antony Green.

"[It is] more likely Labor would sit out the contest and leave the field free for a conservative slugfest," Green said.

Glen Hyde was the ALP candidate for Farrer last year, and only secured 15.1 per cent of the vote in 2025.

READ MORE: Urgent deadline looms for thousands like Justin owed share in $475m

Taylor also has about 18 months to turn things around for the Coalition before the build-up to next federal election begins in earnest.

"What the party room has proven in the last nine months is it's not one for patience," Croucher said.

"Andrew Hastie remains nipping at his heels, he has to show change quickly to get himself to the next election. After that, it will depend on the result."

Hastie was shaping as another major leadership contender but withdrew from contention at the end of January.

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

Meteorologists are forecasting that a relatively weak spell of La Niña is on its way out, with a growing possibility of the first El Niño event in almost three years to follow shortly after.

The Pacific has been experiencing La Niña since November, which is a period in the El Niño–Southern Oscillation cycle that affects weather patterns worldwide.

It typically leads to cooler and wetter weather in Australia, but the event has been relatively weak this season. 

READ MORE: Two states brace for floods as weekend downpour looms

The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast that La Niña is weakening even more, with sea surface temperatures falling into the neutral range.

"Recent warming in the sub-surface suggests further decay is likely in the coming weeks," the bureau said. 

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration also forecast a 75 per cent chance of a transition to a neutral phase by March.

But it added there was a growing chance of El Niño from March to June.

"For longer forecast horizons, there are growing chances of El Niño, though there remains uncertainty given the lower accuracy of model forecasts through the spring," the administration said.

While the Bureau of Meteorology acknowledged that some models suggest a possibility of El Niño developing from June, it was a lot more cautious with its prediction.

"It should be noted that this is a very long lead time for such a prediction, and forecasts beyond autumn are highly uncertain, as reflected in the large spread across models and within ensemble members," the bureau said.

READ MORE: Reason why COVID vaccine caused serious blood clots revealed

Monash University's School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment adjunct professor Dr Andrew Watkins said it was still too early to predict El Niño, and forecasts will become clearer in the coming months.

"The second half of autumn, things start to become more settled, and it becomes predictions of what will happen for the rest of the year become more accurate," he said.

The last El Niño event was in late 2023, which was the second-hottest year on record and led to record-breaking temperatures across Australia.

Watkins said these cyclical events will be intensified by climate change, but are not the only factors leading to extreme weather events in Australia.

"Globally, we've just had 2025 come in at the third warmest [year] and yet it was La Niña," he said.

"In the old days, La Niña would give us a cooler year, not the third-warmest.

"We're moving away from having to have El Niño or La Niña to give us those extremes. Unfortunately, climate change is playing a bigger role every year."

READ MORE: Old social media blunder is coming back to haunt Angus Taylor

El Niño and La Niña are part of a natural cycle known as the El Niño–Southern Oscillation and are sustained periods of neutral, warming or cooling in the central and eastern tropical Pacific, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.

El Niño is associated with warmer weather, while La Niña is cooler.

The El Niño–Southern Oscillation cycle loosely operates over periods of one to eight years. 

These events occur when sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean become substantially warmer than average, disrupting weather across the world.

In simple terms, Watkins describes it as like "steam off a kettle".

"The El Niño really is a building up of warm water off South America, and we have cooler water near us, so the clouds form like white steam off a kettle, the clouds form over the warm water in South America," he said.

"When we get La Niña, the warm water is near us and the cool water is near South America and so we tend to get the clouds forming in our part of the world and it's wetter.

"The moisture follows the warm water."

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