The 40-year-old woman admitted the incident after earlier denying the charge.

A whistleblower claimed there was ‘excessive’ alcohol consumption at the event.

Shoppers are being warned about a fake online store that has claimed to be based in Bondi and directly affected by the terror attack, citing the tragedy as the reason for the store's closure and discounted prices.

Isla and James claims to be an online fashion store based in Bondi.

The site references the shooting multiple times, including claiming the co-owner of the store, "James", was shot in the terror attack.

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However, the store has no contact number, trading address in NSW or any other evidence to suggest that the store is associated with a vendor at Bondi Beach.

An image of the store's founders also appears to be AI-generated.

NSW Fair Trading has claimed that the constant mention of the terror attack is being used to support the sale of discounted fashion items and accessories.

NSW Fair Trading Commissioner Natasha Mann is now warning shoppers about dealing with the business, claiming they may be committing multiple violations of the Australian Consumer Law, including misleading or deceptive conduct and unconscionable conduct.

Mann has also raised concerns about whether orders placed on the site will even be fulfilled due to its potentially deceptive nature.

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Over the past few days, the site underwent several changes before being taken down after being approached by NSW Fair Trading.

The commissioner is now urging customers to remain vigilant, noting the site could reappear under the guise of a new URL.

The site is being described as a "ghost store", which is an online business that claims to be based in Australia and is closing down, however, they are overseas drop-shippers usually selling low-quality items.

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A majority of surveyed Australians admit they don't own up to hitting parked or unattended cars, a new study claims.

Around 57 per cent of the drivers said they had hit another car and not reported the incident to the owner through a note or other means, according to a survey from Money.com.au of over 1000 Australians.

Incidents like this are far from uncommon, with one in four drivers reporting they had been involved in an incident involving a minor bump or scratch.

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However, not reporting the incident before leaving the scene could potentially lead to penalties.

Finance expert Sean Callery warned even minor incidents can lead to a financial burden to the impacted driver, which is made more difficult when the person at fault does not leave their details.

"[It] can lead to expensive repairs and insurance complications for the vehicle owner," he said.

"Depending on the size of the dent or scratch left, it can be a hit to a car's resale value."

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The study found younger drivers are less likely to report such an incident, with 84 per cent saying they had left the scene of a minor collision unreported.

This figure is far higher than Gen X, 56 per cent, and baby boomers, 40 per cent.

"Accountability appears to decline sharply among younger drivers," Callery said.

He also claimed it went against Australian values to fail to report a minor collision.

"Australians pride themselves on doing the right thing, so quietly driving off after hitting someone's car, even if there's no damage immediately visible, doesn't sit well with that idea," he said.

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A teenager accused of attempting to murder a supermarket worker by nearly stabbing her to death will ask a court if he is mentally fit to stand trial, a magistrate has heard.

The boy, then aged 13, allegedly approached a female Coles employee at Yamanto Central Shopping Centre in Ipswich, south-west of Brisbane, a year ago.

He then allegedly stabbed 63-year-old Claudia Campomaya Watt in the back with a knife before running away.

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The teen was arrested after being detained at the shopping centre by members of the public and security staff.

Campomaya Watt was taken to hospital in a critical condition and spent three days in intensive care.

The high-profile incident prompted the Queensland government to expand controversial "adult crime, adult time" laws to include more offences such as attempt to murder.

The case returned to Ipswich Children's Court today but the teen was not required to appear.

A forensic psychiatric report on the teen had been prepared by Dr Michael Beech and the case would be referred to the Mental Health Court, magistrate Grace Kahlert heard.

"Our office will consent to a short adjournment of two weeks to ensure a referral has in fact occurred," crown prosecutor Ashleigh Wakefield said.

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A criminal case can be referred to Queensland's Mental Health Court over claims that the alleged offender is or was mentally ill, or has an intellectual disability.

The court decides whether an accused was of unsound mind when they committed the alleged offence and whether they are fit for trial.

The teen's solicitor said she received the psychiatric report yesterday.

"There are then some extensive timeframes required by the (Legal Aid) mental health team process," the solicitor said.

"In two weeks we should be in a position where we can confirm to (prosecutors) that the mental health team has it and the referral is underway."

The teen allegedly used a knife stocked by Coles to attack Campomaya Watt.

Coles removed knives from sale at stores across Australia "out of an abundance of caution" after the stabbing.

Kahlert adjourned the matter to January 27 and remanded the teen in custody.

Up to 1000 passengers were forced to evacuate Brisbane Airport and flights were delayed due to a fire alarm this morning.

Testing of an air conditioning unit's heating element caused smoke, which triggered the fire alarm about 8am today.

All passengers on level four of the international terminal were evacuated as a precaution, which caused delays to departing flights and traffic congestion.

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A Queensland Fire Department spokeswoman said five crews responded to the incident and assessed smoke in a "steeling space".

They cleared the scene about 8.35am, and passengers were allowed back inside the terminal. 

https://twitter.com/johngoddard/status/2010837590174548275

Airport staff are processing the affected passengers in order of their flight schedules.

"Brisbane Airport apologises for delays as a result of this morning's evacuation," a spokesperson said.

There was no impact on the domestic terminal.

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A US dollar was worth about 70 Iranian rials during the Iranian Revolution in 1979.

Today the same US dollar is worth more than 1.4 million rials.

The Iranian currency has lost roughly 20,000 times its value in less than 50 years, and hit an all-time low last month, sparking protests across the country.

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What started as a strike from shopkeepers in Tehran's bazaars quickly spread to the streets of the nation's capital, then further afield into neighbouring provinces.

Within a few weeks the shopkeepers had been joined by university students and impoverished Iranians demanding relief from years of economic hardship.

They were met with force from the Islamic regime led by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Now activists are reporting death toll is more than 500 and the Australian government has warned Australians to flee Iran before it becomes impossible to leave.

But how did Iran get to this point?

Here's how a wobbly currency led to the deaths of hundreds and may yet topple an entire nation.

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Years of global sanctions

The 1979 Iranian Revolution saw the Imperial State of Iran overthrown and replaced by the Islamic Republic of Iran.

In the decades that followed, the value of the rial rapidly declined due in part to global sanctions and diplomatic isolation.

The US first imposed sanctions in 1979, after the Iran hostage crisis, when it froze billions in Iranian assets.

Those were lifted in 1981 but fresh sanctions were imposed in 1984 as a result of the Iran-Iraq war, and in 1995 in response to Iran's nuclear program.

The US imposed toughened or imposed additional sanctions multiple times in the decade that followed, including during both of President Donald Trump's terms.

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The European Union (EU) also has imposed multiple sanctions against Iran over the past decades.

It and the US currently enforce sanctions restricting cooperation with Iran in the following sectors:

• Arms industry
• Nuclear industry
• Energy industry
• Banking
• Shipping industry
• Trade
• Insurance

Sanctions have also been imposed by the UN Security Council to restrict Iran's nuclear program, enforce an arms embargo, freeze Iranian assets, and more.

The sanctions have been used to influence Iran's policies and have had a massive impact on the nation's economy.

The role of the Revolutionary Guard

Iran established its Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) after the 1979 revolution and it plays an economic role as well as serving as a military force.

The IRGC has firms across just about every profitable industry in Iran, from engineering and logistics, to oil and gas, infrastructure, transport, ports, telecommunications, and mining.

And those IRGC-affiliated firms tend to win major state contracts with limited competition or civilian oversight.

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The result is a 'parallel economy'.

While Iran's formal civilian sector struggled to operate under strict regulations and in the face of inflation and currency insecurity, it was a different story for the part of the economy dominated by IRGC-affiliated businesses.

They were able to access foreign currency, enjoyed security protection, and could use informal trade routes to get around sanctions.

As a result IRGC-affiliated businesses have thrived, amassing power and money while pushing out private businesses.

Inflation surging

Sanctions paired with systemic corruption has caused the value of the rial to decline rapidly over the past 10 years.

Iran already imports many essentials from abroad and decreased food production caused by years of drought have only made staples like bread more expensive.

By 2022, many Iranians could barely afford to feed themselves.

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About 10 million Iranians have fallen into poverty in the past decade alone, according to the World Bank.

Almost 30 per cent of the population were living below the poverty line in 2020, and 40 per cent are at risk of falling into poverty in the near future.

Iran's 12-day war with Israel and the US in June 2025 only made things worse.

The loss of nuclear and military facilities in the bombing cost Iran billions in reconstruction and lost income and had a devastating impact on the economy.

By December the value of the rial had hit a record low, kicking off weeks of protests which have left at least 500 people dead.

The death toll is only expected to rise.

How Iran is responding to protests

When protests first broke out, the newly-appointed head of Iran's central bank promised the government would address the "legitimate" issues affecting Iranians.

He offered citizens cash handouts of $US7 ($AU10) per month.

But the protests continued, leading Iranian authorities to crack down on protestors – sometimes violently.

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Hundreds of protesters and tens of security personnel have died since demonstrations began, but exact reports of what's going on in Iran right now are hard to verify.

The government already has a firm hold over local media outlets and restricts international outlets from reporting in Iran.

A communications blackout has also been implemented, cutting off the internet and phone lines – and, by extension, everyday Iranians' connection to the outside world.

Now there are fears the Iranian government could come down on protestors even harder and the death toll is predicted to continue to rise.

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Exclusive: Some Australian-British citizens are so upset by the United Kingdom's new entry requirements that they are forking out thousands to officially renounce their citizenship.

Nine.com.au reported on major changes coming for travellers visiting the UK from February this year, which will see British border security enforce the new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme.

Australians with British or Irish citizenship won't need to apply for a $20 ETA due to their right of abode, but they would have to prove their nationality if travelling with an expired UK passport – a small but important detail that has triggered widespread outrage.

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Do you have a story? Contact reporter April Glover at Google Play.

As Australian kids and teens start their first full year barred from social media, a new study has shed more light on how it affects young peoples' health.

The ban, which came into force on December 10, means age-restricted social media platforms need to take reasonable measures to prevent under-16s in Australia from opening a new account or accessing a pre-existing one.

Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, Twitch, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube are all considered to be age-restricted platforms.

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But a new Adelaide University study suggested the question of social media's impact on children's mental health was more complex than anticipated.

Researchers analysed the wellbeing and after-school social media usage of more than 100,000 Australian children in grades 4 to 12 over three years.

They were all categorised as non-users, moderate users, or high users of social media.

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For girls, non-users displayed the highest levels of well-being among grades 4 to 6, but by middle school, moderate users had the best well-being.

High usage was consistently linked to poor mental health among girls in general.

Among boys, the researchers found moderate users and non-users had similar wellbeing outcomes up to grade 6, but from grade 7 onwards, non-used was increasingly linked to poor mental health.

For grades 10 to 12, non-use was a bigger factor in poor mental health for boys than high usage.

Researchers said the findings showed both heavy use and social media abstinence may have risks for young people, who are at risk of social isolation.

Nonetheless, the federal government has hailed the ban as a world first and it has been noted by countries around the world, with global leaders suggesting they may enact their own version depending on how Australia's goes.

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Two divers have found themselves stranded in the ocean after surfacing to discover their boat missing off Perth.

Ryan Chapman and his mate were enjoying a beautiful day diving and fishing 3.5 kilometres off Mindarie on Sunday when things took a distressing turn.

"Where the f— is the boat?" Chapman can be heard saying in his GoPro vision as he emerged in shock.

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"Oi the boat … it's come off anchor," he yells to his mate.

"Originally I thought that the boat had sunk, so I was looking around for it," Chapman told 9News.

"And then that was when reality set in, like ugh.

"Like what do we do here? It's probably a diver's worst nightmare, losing their vessel."

The pair spotted another boat but it was about a kilometre away.

"I reckon we just try and swim closer to them, bro, and then we'll yell," Chapman says to his mate.

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An hour and a half after first entering the water the pair were finally spotted.

They were brought safely on deck and eventually tracked down their own vessel.

"A lot of swear words of relief … I think that came from everybody," rescuer Tahnee Forster said.

The rescued men have since realised they made two major mistakes yesterday: not securing the anchor with the correct knot and diving without a skipper on board.

"Especially in hindsight thinking about … like all jokes aside, it could have gone terrible, it could have been a lot worse than it actually was," Chapman said.

"If you are gonna go out without a decky, make sure you know how to tie knots I guess."