An alleged would-be thief has suffered life-changing injuries after a homemade bomb was used to blow up an ATM in Melbourne's CBD overnight.

Three people used the explosives to break open the ATM at Melbourne's Queen Victoria Market on Victoria Street around 2.45am, police allege.

"The homemade device ignited in the face of one of the men, leaving him with serious and life-changing injuries," a Victoria Police spokesperson said.

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The trio fled on foot, before the injured man was found a short time later on Peel Street.

He was rushed to hospital under police guard with serious facial injuries, where he remains in a critical condition.

Arson and Explosives Squad Detective Inspector Chris Murray appealed for the other offenders to hand themselves in.

"I have said it before and I will say it again: fire and incendiary devices are volatile, unpredictable and incredibly dangerous in untrained hands," Murray said.

"Two other men present at the scene fled, leaving their associate severely injured.

"It is only a matter of time until you are identified and arrested – I would appeal to you to visit your nearest police station and hand yourselves in before then."

Police said the incident is not related to a spate of attacks on hospitality venues across Melbourne. 

The investigation remains ongoing.

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A French hantavirus patient is critically ill and is using an artificial lung to breathe, it's been revealed, as the number of people suspected to have contracted the deadly virus on board a cruise ship grows to 11.

Nine hantavirus cases have been confirmed worldwide, while there are a further two suspected, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has confirmed.

All cases were passengers on board the MV Hondius cruise ​ship.

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The ill woman is one of five French cruise ship passengers flown back from the liner and placed in isolation in Paris.

She is currently being treated in intensive care at Bichat Hospital in France battling a life-threatening case of the rare disease, Dr Xavier Lescure told local media at the French health ministry.

"The patient now has the most severe form of cardiopulmonary presentation," Lescure told the press conference.

"She is on an artificial lung and a blood bypass to allow her, we hope, to get through this stage."

The hope is that the device relieves enough pressure on the lungs and heart to give them some time to recover.

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Lescure called it "the final stage of supportive care".

She is older than 65 and has pre-existing conditions, he said.

With the evacuation of all passengers and many crew members completed, the MV Hondius is now sailing back to the Netherlands, where it will be cleaned and disinfected.

Despite the rise in hantavirus cases, the WHO says the risk of a wider outbreak remains low.

"At the moment, there is no sign that we are seeing the start of a larger outbreak," Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

"But of course the situation could change, and given the long incubation period of the virus, it's possible we might see more cases in the coming weeks."

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The latest person confirmed to be infected is a Spanish passenger who tested positive after being evacuated from the ship, Spain's health ministry said.

The passenger was in quarantine at a military hospital in Madrid.

Six people – four Australians, one permanent resident and a New Zealander – are currently in isolation in the Netherlands, preparing to board a specially chartered flight to Perth, where they will undergo a further three-week quarantine.

No vaccine or specific treatment exists for hantavirus.

The fatality rate for the disease varies by type but can be as high as 50 per cent, although early detection and treatment improve survival rates.

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Two key Iranian figures have insisted the country will be holding firm in their demands if – or when – peace talks with the USA resume.

He sought to frame the move as something hard and unpopular but necessary.

A man accused of plotting a mass casualty terror attack targeting public buildings and places of worship has been hit with a slew of new charges, including possession of child abuse material.

Jayson Joseph Michaels detailed his alleged plan for a violent assault on WA police headquarters, WA Parliament House and mosques in a diary, believing it would be worse than the Bondi Beach mass shootings.

The 20-year-old initially faced five charges, including acting in preparation for a terrorist act, after police seized the diary during a raid on his parents' home in the town of Bindoon, north of Perth, in February.

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But today, Stirling Magistrates Court in Perth heard he had been charged with the six new offences.

These were possession of a bulletproof vest, two counts of possession of violent extremist material on electronic devices, two counts of possession of objectionable material related to computer games, and possession of child abuse material.

Michaels, who appeared via video-link from Casuarina Prison, confirmed he understood the charges and wasn't required to enter a plea.

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He was remanded in custody to reappear in the same court on July 8.

Michaels' original charges also include three firearms and ammunition charges and one count of allegedly using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence.

His diary allegedly contained entries that amounted to a list of actions he planned to undertake, including making weapons and body armour for a "day of justice," prosecutors have previously told the court.

Michaels allegedly planned to buy a 3D printer to make a gun and got a job where he could access bomb-making materials, but left empty-handed after one day.

He also compared the Bondi Beach attack to his own terror plot and wrote notes about how it might impact it, Commonwealth prosecutor Kirsten Nelson told a failed bail application hearing in April.

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"What I want to do to both these groups pales in comparison to today," he allegedly wrote after the December 14 shootings that killed 15 and injured many more.

"What will they all think when my face is on TV?" he wrote.

Michaels allegedly accessed online material about extremist white supremacist ideology, some of which was described as a manifesto and instruction manual from a declared terrorist organisation.

He wrote about researching entry points and door locks at his target locations and considered using a van that looked like an ambulance to make his escape.

He also allegedly penned a note about buying a ballistic helmet, designing and building body armour or an Iron Man-style metal suit.

"I think I'm addicted to the (Watch People Die) website," he wrote in another diary entry.

The website was open on his computer when police burst into his bedroom, allegedly finding two guns, 900 rounds of ammunition and various knives.

The court has previously heard that Michaels was an isolated and depressed young man who had no intention to carry out the plan.

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As Americans were getting ready for work this morning, Donald Trump was busy on Truth Social, posting a flurry of AI-generated images.

Over a little more than an hour, the US president lashed out at the New York Times, Democratic rivals, Iran and Cuba.

He also posted an image of himself on the $100 bill, in which he replaced the phrase "In God We Trust" with the phrase "God Bless Donald Trump".

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While plenty of Donald Trump's posts on Truth Social make the news, it is difficult to convey just how prolific the president is on the site, especially late at night.

Among his posts overnight was an image fat-shaming Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, a vocal Trump critic.

"JB is too busy to keep Chicago safe!" the AI-generated image was captioned.

In the image, an exaggeratedly obese Pritzker is depicted simultaneously eating a burger and a large slice of pizza, surrounded by other unhealthy food.

Another AI image showed Barack Obama, a sleeping Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi bathing in a sewage-filled Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

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"Dumacrats love sewage," the image is captioned.

He also reposted a graph comparing the length of wars, with Afghanistan at the top of the list, and what he labels as the "Iran Excursion" at the bottom.

The graph states the "Iran Excursion" has been going on for six weeks, when it is now in its eleventh week.

And more AI images show a US warship destroying an Iranian plane with a laser, and a US drone destroying Iranian boats.

"Lasers: Bing, Bing, GONE!!!" one image is captioned.

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But his posts this morning come after a spree of dark conspiracy theories posted late at night Washington time yesterday.

In the space of a few hours from about 10pm to midnight, Trump shared posts on his site more than 50 times.

The president was mostly sharing screenshots of conspiracy theories about Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and the result of the 2020 election.

"FACT right here: 'OBAMA is the most DEMONIC FORCE in American politics in decades'," one screenshot read.

He also reposted a CCTV video of a man deliberately knocking over a waiter's tray of multiple plates of food, as well as a screenshot of another X commenter criticising him.

One particular screenshot came from a verified X account claiming to be John F Kennedy Jr.

"Barack Hussein Obama wiretapping Trump tower during the 2016 election was a million times worse than anything Nixon did during Watergate. It's time to arrest the Renegade," the account read.

"FOLLOW ME, THE NEXT DROP WILL BE SHOCKING."

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Kennedy died in a plane crash in 1999, well before X existed.

But adherents to the QAnon conspiracy theory believe Kennedy is still alive and will return to support Trump.

Another screenshotted tweet reads: "Arrest Obama the traitor".

The late-night screed came hours after Trump was accused of falling asleep in the middle of the day during an Oval Office meeting.

At an event promoting maternal health and fertility, the president's eyes appeared to become heavy.

As administration officials standing behind him were speaking, the president closed his eyes for an extended period of time.

A White House spokesperson insisted Trump was "blinking".

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A beloved seal who became a local icon on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula has died.

The body of a seal, believed to belong to Sammy the seal, was found near Coral Cove beach in Mornington yesterday afternoon

A spokesperson for Zoos Victoria's Marine Response Unit said there is a "strong likelihood" that the deceased seal is Sammy.

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"There is a strong likelihood that the seal is Sammy, but we can't confirm it definitively," the spokesperson said.

"DNA testing is not possible when we don't have an original sample from the seal in question."

The MRU told the ABC it is "horrible news" for the Mornington community.

Sammy was a regular roamer across the seaside tourist region, delighting visitors and even stopping traffic on occasion after wandering out onto the road.

The marine animal was so beloved, he even became the subject of a Facebook fan page with over 7800 followers.

Bec, the owner of Sammy's Facebook fan page, shared the sad news with a tribute to the town's "beautiful chonky sea sausage".

"I know so many of you are going to be devastated by this news because somehow this big beautiful boy became part of all our lives," she wrote.

"What started as a few little updates turned into an entire community loving him, looking out for him and smiling every time someone spotted him lounging around the Peninsula like he owned the place.

"Thank you to everyone who cared about him, checked on him, sent photos and loved him the way you all did. The beaches are going to feel a little quieter without our boy around.

"Rest easy Sammy. Stay moist forever little mate."

The MRU attended the scene yesterday and retrieved Sammy's body.

Seals are a common sight along the Mornington Peninsula, however Sammy sightings were of particular interest to locals and visitors.

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In April, Sammy caused traffic chaos after he was spotted sunbathing on Point Nepean Road in Dromana.

Before his death, fans were asked not to publicly share Sammy's location after several incidents where he was harassed or chased.

Sammy's cause of death remains unknown, and it may take several weeks for the MRU to determine it.

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WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this story contains the image of a person who is deceased.

Retired NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb will jointly lead a review into the Northern Territory's child protection system, sparked by the alleged murder of five-year-old Alice Springs girl, Kumanjayi Little Baby.

Joining her in heading up the review will be long-time NT public servant, Greg Shanahan.

The Northern Territory government announced the appointments this morning, at the same time outlining the scope of the review.

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The review will look at processes undertaken by child protection in the lead-up to Kumanjayi Little Baby's disappearance.

Minister for Child Protection Robyn Cahill told the ABC the aim was to "unravel what was done, what may not have been done [and] what should have been done".

The review will also consider more broadly whether child protection workers interpreted their obligations in a way that meant investigations weren't progressing "in the way that the community would expect".

The announcement comes at the same time as the government revealed new child protection legislation would be introduced to the Northern Territory parliament today.

The legislation proposes a new "universal principle" for child protection: that child safety is the primary consideration when making decisions about children's care.

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"The ongoing cycle of harm, risk and uncertainty needs to be addressed, and the only way to achieve that is to put the basic human rights of a child's safety before anything else," Cahill said.

"Under these amendments, there will be more consistent support and better outcomes for both children and their families."

Other proposed changes to child protection include reducing short-term protection orders to a maximum of two years and introducing a stricter structure of measures that must be met and upheld for children assessed at risk of being removed.

However, the proposed legislation has met with strong opposition from a number of Indigenous groups, including the Aboriginal Peak Organisations Northern Territory (APONT).

There are concerns that it would dilute the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement principle, which prioritises connection to Country and family.

"We strongly reject the NT Government's deliberate portrayal of Aboriginal families, communities, and culture as a risk to children's safety," APONT chair Theresa Roe said of the proposed legislation.

"This narrative is dangerous, ignorant, and wrong. It erases the love, strength, and protection that Aboriginal families, communities, country and culture provide every day."

Indigenous children in the territory are already more than 11 times more likely to be placed in out-of-home care than non-Indigenous children.

Despite this, NT senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price – who was also Kumanjayi Little Baby's aunt – called for legislative change in an emotional address to parliament yesterday.

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"For too long in this country, there has been silence around what is happening in too many town camps and remote communities – a silence driven by fear, a fear of causing offence, a fear of being labelled racist," she told Parliament.

"Vulnerable children are growing up in that silence, and it is killing our babies."

Senator Price also levelled criticism at what she described as a "hands-off culture" inside parts of the child protection system, claiming ideology and political sensitivities had been prioritised ahead of child welfare.

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An elite Melbourne football academy has thrown its support behind a Year 7 Melbourne schoolboy who was pulled onto train tracks in a horror accident after his bag became snagged.

The St Aloysius College student trains with Lustica Football, a high-performance soccer training academy for kids.

The academy said in a social media post that 12-year-old Chris was a "much-loved" member. 

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"Chris is currently receiving world-class care and ongoing medical treatment, surrounded by the support of his family and loved ones," Lustica Football said in the post, adding that Chris and his family were in their thoughts and prayers.

The young student was in a stable condition at the Royal Children's Hospital on Wednesday morning. 

Chris was at North Melbourne Station just before 4 pm on Monday afternoon when his bag became caught on the train, causing him to fall onto the track.

Firefighters spent more than 30 minutes using hydraulic jacks to lift the train wheels after the boy's leg became trapped underneath it, according to Fire Rescue Victoria.

"The extrication was lengthy, lasting between 45 minutes to an hour, however we were safely able to get the young person to Royal Children's Hospital," Ambulance Victoria paramedic Alex Hemsley said.

"Very traumatic scene for all involved."

"A fellow student pressed the platform emergency button and contacted Triple-Zero, while other students communicated clearly with transport authorities," St Aloysius College North Melbourne principal Mary Farah said.

Chris was rushed to the Royal Children's Hospital in a critical condition, which has since improved to stable.

Counselling is being provided to impacted students, staff and families, the college said.

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Donald Trump has brushed off the financial concerns of American voters when asked about his continuing war with Iran.

The president was asked by a reporter if he was motivated to make a deal with Iran because of the financial situation of Americans.

"Not even a little bit," he replied.

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"The only thing that matters when I'm talking about Iran — they can't have a nuclear weapon.

"I don't think about Americans' financial situation.

"I don't think about anybody. I think about one thing: We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon. That's all."

Democrats have pounced on Trump's remarks, which come months before November's midterm elections.

"Donald Trump just said it himself: He doesn't care about the American people," California Governor Gavin Newsom said.

Massachusetts Representative Jim McGovern was even more critical.

"This is what happens when you elect an out-of-touch narcissistic billionaire," McGovern said. 

"He doesn't give a s— about anybody but himself."

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Trump's comments come as inflation in the US jumped to 3.8 per cent, the highest jump in three years.

The inflation rise has outpaced income, meaning Americans are now losing money year-on-year.

The sharp rise in oil prices after the Strait of Hormuz was closed is now impacting grocery and energy costs in the US, like they are in Australia.

Washington pundits have been noting on social media that Trump's comment will likely feature heavily in upcoming campaign advertising from Democrats in November's midterm election.

Handling the economy was seen as Trump's greatest strength in his first term, but that has now changed dramatically.

A poll released this week by Reuters/Ipsos showed three-quarters of Americans blamed Trump for rising oil prices.

The same poll showed just 36 per cent of voters approved of Trump, compared to 62 per cent who disapproved.

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Just 26 per cent thought he was doing a good job handling the cost of living.

In the same gaggle with reporters, Trump lashed out at a reporter over the sharp rise in the cost estimate for his White House ballroom.

"We have a ballroom that's under budget. It's going up right here. I've doubled the size of it because we obviously need that, and we're right now on budget, under budget, and ahead of schedule," Trump said.

"The price has doubled," the reporter replied.

"I doubled the size of it, you dumb person, double the size. You are not a smart person." 

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