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Two trains have crashed in southern Egypt, killing at least 32 people and injuring 108, authorities say, in the latest of a series of deadly accidents on the country's troubled railways.

Someone apparently activated the emergency brakes on the passenger train, and it was rear-ended by another train, causing two cars to derail and flip on their side, Egypt's Railway Authorities said on Friday (Saturday AEDT). 

The passenger train was headed to the Mediterranean port of Alexandria, north of Cairo, the statement said.

READ MORE: Skyscraper-sized ship could be blocking Suez Canal for weeks

Video showed twisted piles of metal with passengers covered with dust trapped inside – some bleeding and others unconscious. 

Bystanders removed the dead and laid them on the ground nearby. One passenger was heard shouting on the video "Help us! People are dying!" 

Dozens of ambulances rushed to the scene in the province of Sohag, about 440 kilometres south of Cairo, and the injured were taken to four nearby hospitals, the Health Ministry said in a statement. 

Their injuries included broken bones, cuts and bruises, it said.

Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly's office said he and five members of his cabinet would go to the scene.

President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi said he was monitoring the situation and those responsible would receive "a deterrent punishment."

"The pain that tears our hearts today cannot but make us more determined to end this type of disaster," he wrote on his Facebook page.

Egypt's rail system has a history of badly maintained equipment and mismanagement. Official figures said there were 1793 train accidents in 2017.

In 2018, a passenger train derailed near the southern city of Aswan, injuring at least six people and prompting authorities to fire the chief of the country's railways. 

The same year, Mr el-Sissi said the government needed about 250 billion Egyptian pounds ($20.8 billion) to overhaul the rail system. 

Those remarks came a day after a passenger train collided with a cargo train, killing at least 12 people.

A year earlier, two passenger trains collided just outside Alexandria, killing 43. 

In 2016, at least 51 people were killed when two commuter trains collided near Cairo.

Egypt's deadliest train crash was in 2002, when more than 300 people were killed after fire broke out in a train travelling from Cairo to southern Egypt.

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A widespread septic leak has forced the evacuation of dozens of homes in a town on the NSW Mid North Coast.

The situation, believed to be sparked by the recent heavy rainfall in the area, will be assessed daily but police have warned residents could be kept away from the area for as long as seven to 10 days.

Police said at least 45 homes were affected by septic systems discharging into yards and streets at Stuarts Point, about 45 kilometres north of Kempsey.

READ MORE: Thousands return home to piles of debris left behind after unprecedented flood disaster

NSW Health is treating the incident as a public health risk due to the risk of faecal matter and bacteria in the discharge

The local emergency operations controller issued an evacuation order at 9.30pm on Friday, impacting homes on Ocean, First, Second, Third, Fifth, Seventh and Ninth avenues.

Police said emergency services would be door-knocking in the area to tell residents to evacuate and get assessed by NSW Health staff at a nearby evacuation centre, which has been set up at a nearby youth centre in Yarrahapinni.

Even those who have somewhere else to stay for the night will have to be assessed before they leave.

Police warned vehicles in the affected water would be detained.

"Vehicles outside the contaminated area can be moved but occupants must undergo decontamination and evacuation registration prior to departure," police said.

Steve Irwin's daughter, Bindi Irwin, has welcomed her first child with husband Chandler Powell.

The couple welcomed daughter Grace Warrior Irwin Powell yesterday, on their first wedding anniversary.

Grace was born at 5.52pm on March 25, weighing in at 3.37 kilograms (7 pounds, 7 ounces) and measuring 50.8 centimetres in length, her proud parents revealed.

READ MORE: Robert Irwin 'can't wait' to show his niece the ropes

The new mum, 22, shared a series of photos across social media including their first family photo.

"Celebrating the two loves of my life," Irwin captioned the image.

"Happy first wedding anniversary to my sweetheart husband and day of birth to our beautiful daughter."

Explaining the genesis of their daughter's name, Irwin said "our graceful warrior is the most beautiful light."

"Grace is named after my great-grandmother, and relatives in Chandler's family dating back to the 1700s," she said.

"Her middle names, Warrior Irwin, are a tribute to my dad and his legacy as the most incredible Wildlife Warrior.

"Her last name is Powell and she already has such a kind soul just like her dad.

"There are no words to describe the infinite amount of love in our hearts for our sweet baby girl. She chose the perfect day to be born and we feel tremendously blessed."

Irwin and Powell, 24, first announced they were expecting back in August, with Irwin telling fans she wanted to keep them involved throughout her pregnancy journey.

"Baby Wildlife Warrior due 2021," she captioned an Instagram photo holding a tiny Australia Zoo uniform.

"Chandler and I are proud to announce that we're expecting! It's an honour to share this special moment in our lives with you. Though I'm still in my first trimester, we really want you to be part of our journey from the beginning of this new life chapter.

"We couldn't wait to share the news as this beautiful little being has become the most important part of our lives. Your support means the world to us. Please let me know your best advice and send good vibes & prayers to our little sweetheart. Love & light."

Irwin and Powell married in a ceremony at Australia Zoo on March 25, 2020, just before lockdown restrictions kicked in across Queensland.

"We held a small ceremony and I married my best friend," Bindi confirmed on Instagram following the wedding.

"There are no words to describe the amount of love and light in my heart right now."

The couple announced their pregnancy just five months later.

The newborn is the first grandchild for Terri Irwin and the late Steve Irwin.

Genomic testing has confirmed Queensland's latest locally acquired COVID-19 case is the more-infectious UK strain linked to the Princess Alexandra Hospital cluster announced on March 12.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk confirmed the news, with the Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young saying it was likely there was one unidentified intermediary who had passed the virus onto today's positive case.

The newest case is a 26-year-old man from Stafford in Brisbane, who returned a positive test result yesterday.

READ MORE: Coronavirus detected in Queensland sewerage system

Testing revealed he had the B117 variant of coronavirus — colloquially known as the UK variant because of where it was first identified — prompting restrictions on aged care homes, hospitals and prisons and new requirements for departing travellers.

The man, who is a landscaper, has been infectious in the community since last Friday.

"We will know more in the next 24 hours, but in the meantime, those identified as visiting the locations in today's Public Health Alert should immediately get tested and isolate until you receive your results. Additionally, anyone identified as a close contact will be contacted by the Public Health Unit and required to quarantine," Dr Young said.

"The detail from the genomic testing is getting faster and better – we know that the gentleman who tested positive on late Thursday night was highly contagious.

"We therefore cannot afford to be complacent – if you have any COVID symptoms at all, please come forward and get tested."

READ MORE: WA quarantine restrictions for Queensland travellers

Ms Palaszczuk said there was "no need for alarm", but there are a number of venues of concern including a Bunnings, fresh food market stalls and a shopping centre.

From midday, aged care homes, hospitals and prisons will be closed to visitors across the Brisbane City Council and Moreton Bay Regional Council areas.

Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeanette Young said she was "hopeful" there would be no further restrictions put in place however this will depend on whether any further cases are identified over the next 48 hours.

"I think Queenslanders know what to do," she said.

"We're just on the cusp of having to put in restrictions and having people vaccinated."

Exposure sites revealed

The man visited a number of exposure sites while infectious which authorities are concerned about.

They include:

• Carindale Shopping Centre on March 20 from 11am
• Baskin Robbins Icecream Everton Park from 8am
• Market Organics at Gasworks in Newstead on March 21
• Mammas Italian Waterfront Restaurant Redcliff on March 21 at 12:20pm
• Genki Mart at Alderley on March 21 at 10.30am
• Guzman y Gomez drive through at Stafford 12.30pm on March 22
• Bunnings Stafford at 1pm on March 22
• Aldi Stafford at 8.30am on March 25
• Nundah Respiratory Clinic at 11.15am on March 25

Low-risk venues include:

• Gasworks Plaza at Newstead at 9.50am on March 21
• KFC Everton Park at 7.55pm on March 22

On March 22, the man worked while potentially infectious.

Dr Young said it was unlikely he passed the virus to anyone else during this time.

Queensland Health asked for people to watch carefully for updates with specific time-frames where community transmission may have occurred.

Anyone who visited possible infection sites will be required to isolate immediately.

People living in Brisbane and Moreton Bay have been urged to monitor carefully for symptoms of COVID-19 and anyone who becomes unwell in the next 14 days has been told to come forward for testing.

https://twitter.com/AnnastaciaMP/status/1375338486249623559

READ MORE: Infected man visited Bunnings, shopping centre

Other states react

Victoria's Department of Health and Human Services has moved to an orange alert level under it's traffic light system for those coming from Brisbane and the Moreton Bay region.

As a result, anyone entering the state from that part of Queensland, except for "during transit to the airport", must apply for a permit and immediately self-isolate until they receive a negative coronavirus test result.

Anyone already in Victoria who had been in either of the regions since March 12 must immediately self-isolate and get tested within 72 hours, the Department said.

Channel 7 broadcasters Wayne Carey and Luke Hodge were removed from the coverage of the Geelong Cats' clash with the Brisbane Lions as a result of new restrictions, commentators said.

Later on Friday night, the AFL said Brisbane Lions players, coaches and officials — which includes Hodge — had been granted an exemption to the self-isolation direction.

https://twitter.com/AFL_House/status/1375387890729975810

Meanwhile, starting from 12.01am on Saturday, anyone entering NSW who has visited Brisbane or the Moreton Bay region in the past fortnight must fill out a passenger declaration form, including confirmation of whether or not they have visited any of the public exposure sites.

The NSW Health said anyone who had been at a venue of high concern should not enter NSW and anyone already in the state should immediately self-isolate and call the department on 1800 943 553.

Search for answers

It is not yet known how the man became infected.

Dr Young urged people to "go out and enjoy the outdoors" this weekend instead of indoor events.

Ms Palaszczuk urged people living and visiting Brisbane City Council and Moreton Bay areas who are in crowded areas to wear a mask.

She also urged people to remember to socially distance.

"People are not social distancing. We really need people to social distance and the other thing that's coming back is everyone is doing handshakes again," Ms Palaszczuk said.

"Please, we are still in the midst of a pandemic.

"Now is not the time to break our social distancing, our good hand hygiene and the handshakes. So I'm sorry everyone."

COVID-19 fragments detected in wastewater

Earlier, Queensland Health issued a statement saying COVID-19 fragments had been detected in Brisbane.

"Fragments of SARS-CoV-2 have been detected at the Luggage Point (servicing the Brisbane North area and some inner-city Brisbane South suburbs) wastewater treatment plant," it said in a statement.

https://twitter.com/qldhealthnews/status/1375219931831099396?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

US President Joe Biden has warned that there would be "responses" if North Korea continues to fire ballistic missiles, following their second launch in less than a week.

Asked about the launches at his first formal news conference, Mr Biden said: "We're consulting with our allies and partners and there will be responses if they choose to escalate. We will respond accordingly."

The President also said that he agreed with then-President Barack Obama who warned in 2016 while leaving office that North Korea is the biggest foreign policy threat and issue, answering simply: "Yes."

READ MORE: Why North Korean 'sabre-rattling' won't bring Biden to negotiating table

Mr Biden said that he's also "prepared for some form of diplomacy with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, but it has to be conditioned upon the end result of denuclearisation."

The US President said China's ambition of becoming the wealthiest and most powerful country in the world is "not going to happen under my watch."

Mr Biden said that he'd look to help counter China's rise by increasing American investment in science and research. It's an area where he says China is thriving while the US hasn't kept pace.

The president also says he's made clear to Chinese leader Xi Jinping that the United States will continue to call out Beijing in an "unrelenting way" on human rights violations.

READ MORE: US, China spar in first face-to-face meeting under Biden

Mr Biden also said he was building a coalition of Pacific allies – including Australia – to counter China's rising power.

"Earlier this month, and apparently got the Chinese attention, that's not why I did it, I met with our allies and how we're going to hold China accountable in the region; Australia, India, Japan, and the United States, the so-called quad. Because we have to have democracies working together."

Aiming for 200 million vaccine doses

Mr Biden pledged to have 200 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines administered by the end of his first 100 days in office. That's double the goal he set in December and reached earlier this month before his 60th day in office.

Mr Biden's goal seems ambitious, but it actually amounts to a continuation of the country's existing pace of vaccinations through the end of month. The US is now averaging about 2.5 million doses per day.

"I know it's ambitious, twice our original goal, but no other country in the world has even come close, not even close, to wat we're doin we're doing. I believe we can do it," Mr Biden said.

A rate even greater than that is possible. Over the next month, two of the bottlenecks to getting Americans vaccinated are set to be lifted.

The US supply of vaccines is on track to increase and states are lifting eligibility requirements for people to get the shots.

Border migrant surge 'happens yearly'

Mr Biden claimed the current surge in migrants at the US southern border is not unprecedented.

"Truth of the matter is nothing has changed. … As many people came, 28 per cent increase in the children in the border in my administration, 31 per cent in the last year in 2019 before the pandemic in the Trump administration.

"It happens every single solitary year," he said.

Mr Biden said he wants to rebuild the immigration system, adding that the US is sending back the "vast majority" of families showing up at the border.

The US President said he expects to announce his next major infrastructure initiative on Friday (local time) in Pittsburgh that will aim to rebuild both the "physical and technological infrastructure in this country so we can compete and create significant numbers of really good-paying jobs."