A military drone whose manufacturer says it can cruise for 20 hours at 15,000 metres was among Chinese warplanes, missiles and other weapons technology shown in public for the first time today at the opening of the country’s biggest air show.

The Chinese space program planned to unveil a rocket for crewed space flight capable of carrying a 25-ton payload to lunar orbit at the 13th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition.

The event, which runs until Sunday, was postponed from late 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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The ruling Communist Party is pouring billions of dollars into developing fighter jets, stealth technology, drones and other hardware for its military wing, the People’s Liberation Army, as it presses claims to disputed seas and other territory.

Powered by two turbofan engines, the CH-6 drone can carry early warning radar, air-to-ground missiles and other weapons, according to its manufacturer, the China Academy of Aerospace Science.

The newspaper Global Times, published by the ruling party, said the CH-6 is aimed at “high-end arms and dual-use markets” but gave no indication to which governments the company might try to sell it.

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The China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology planned to unveil a “next-generation manned carrier rocket and a heavy-lift launch vehicle," the Global Times said.

It said the 2000-ton, three-stage rocket would “support China’s manned lunar probes.”

Also at the air show, the PLA’s air force planned to display a J-16D electronic warfare airplane for the first time.

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp displayed an array of new missiles for the first time.

The China Academy of Aerospace Science also planned to show a mini-attack drone, the CH-817.

It said the 800-gram drone can be used by soldiers or released from a bigger drone.

With Associated Press

It's the riskiest place you could be a pandemic: inside a sealed room with the sickest and most contagious patients.

That's been the reality for 240 nurses caring for COVID-19 patients inside a negative pressure chamber at St George Hospital.

"On a day-to-day basis, it is many in, many out," Claire Loveday, the nurse manager of the ICU, says.

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"But in this time with COVID, that's actually increased phenomenally.

"From our perspective, that's become very challenging."

The Delta strain is delivering a far greater and a far younger collection of patients to the sealed segment of the hospital.

"It is a day-by-day basis," Ms Loveday says.

"We can't look too far ahead."

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If hospital staff did look into the future they would likely see an increased need for their services as NSW eases restrictions after 13 weeks locked down.

A range of rigorous extra precautions have been introduced to protect staff as they come in contact with more patients and higher viral loads.

Families are no longer allowed to visit.

"In normal times without COVID, I will be meeting with families directly," Ms Loveday says.

"I can actually give them a hug when they are crying.

"There's nothing more helpful than having that human touch.

"For us it's heartbreaking now because we can't do that physically."

The work is lifesaving but emotionally taxing.

The ICU nurse manager admits to extra "anxiety" but says her team lean on each other and their families.

"The nursing staff that I see out there every day giving it their all, they are humans too," Ms Loveday says.

"They are all having challenges at home too, with homeschooling their kids, looking after elderly parents.

"They still come to work, turn up with a smile on their face, in there in those pods caring for those really critically unwell patients.

"Life doesn't stop in a pandemic."

A Darwin tour guide has spoken out about the moment he was attacked by a crocodile while on the job.

St John Ambulance NT confirmed they received a call about 1.40pm yesterday that a 60-year-old man had been bitten by a crocodile.

Sean Dealy was attacked by the two-metre-long crocodile while on a tour cruising down the Adelaide River.

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Initial reports suggested the predator had been up to four metres in length, and Mr Dealy dismissed his two-metre attacker as a "little croc".

"There was a little croc around the corner of my boat, it just spun onto me and I just went, what the hell," Mr Dealy told 9News.

"I lifted my arm up…and I've got a croc hanging off me."

Mr Dealy said his customers got "a bit of a shock" when they saw what had happened.

"They were all facing forward and then went, 'oh Jesus'," he said.

Mr Dealy suffered injuries to his arm and hand, with bystanders rushing to provide first aid to the man.

One of the tourists was a nurse who was able to bandage him up.

Mr Dealy was taken to Royal Darwin Hospital.

Police and Parks and Wildlife will investigate the incident.

Perth burns survivor Dana Vulin is on a new mission to help others by healing their scars after surgery.

The 35-year-old has completed a masters degree to become a qualified cosmetic nurse, with the aim to use her traumatic experience to improve lives.

In 2012, Ms Vulin suffered burns to 60 per cent of her body after she was doused in methylated spirits and set alight.

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With such extreme physical trauma, doctors told her she wouldn't even be able to hold a pen.

"I just never thought I'd look like Dana again, let alone have such an immaculate steady hand, laser focus," she said.

Ms Vulin's determination helped her recover to this point and her high-level precision has given her the ability to perform paramedical services, such as cosmetic tattooing.

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"For caesareans scars, people who have had facelifts, or they've had a tummy tuck and they want to cover their scar, burns grafts," she said.

"When you get to the end of the road of scarring and your scar is dead flat white, all you can do for that scar is essentially colour it".

Her clients range from men after scalp aesthetics to new mothers and breast cancer survivors like Orlagh Byrne, who suffered scarring after surgery.

"She was very thorough, she went through colour pigmentation and everything with me," Ms Byrne said.

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"She has gone through a huge process and is still enduring scarring issues and for her to think of others after all she's suffered is an amazing trait".

Ms Vulin has also helped Dominique Alexander, who lost body confidence after having two children.

"Being a parent you take a few steps back and you don't look after yourself as much and it's nice to do things for yourself and feel amazing," she said.

Ms Vulin said the transformative power of her work gave her a sense of pride.

"I have pride for myself, just joy to watch somebody's life be transformed because I know how important that is," Ms Vulin said.

An apartment complex on Sydney's Northern Beaches has been locked down after being linked to a number of coronavirus cases.

Resident and guests at the Manly Waves Studios and Apartments, on the corner of Pacific and Malvern Avenue, have been ordered to isolate and get a test.

The source of the COVID-19 infection is still under investigation, a spokesperson from Northern Sydney Local Health District said.

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There are 26 dwellings inside the complex, and residents across five of them have already tested positive for the virus.

Health authorities are working to determine whether further transmission has occurred, and the residents are expected to be locked inside for a fortnight.

The block is located just one block back from the beach.

There were 863 new local cases of COVID-19 in NSW today, and seven people died with the virus.

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