The fire at Te Pā Eketū burned for 174 days as part of the whenua movement.

Exclusive: Restaurant bosses say they aren't surprised Menulog didn't survive after the service ceased operations in Australia, as more owners decide to ditch food delivery apps altogether.

Australian-founded but now Dutch-owned Menulog will wrap up business by November 26, ending a two-decade-long market share in the booming delivery app industry.

While UberEats continues to have a chokehold on the local restaurants – with 4.18 million Australian users in 2024 – plenty of businesses have now turned their backs on the apps.

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China's foreign ministry has rebuffed claims it has hackers working to disrupt Australia's critical infrastructure.

It comes after comments from Australia's top spy chief Mike Burgess, who yesterday identified two hacking groups which he said were capable of tapping into Australia's critical communications network and having a "disruptive [and] destructive" impact on the country.

He did not explicitly name the Chinese government, but said "one nation state — no prizes for guessing which one — [is] conducting multiple attempts to scan and penetrate critical infrastructure in Australia and other Five Eyes countries."

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However, a spokesperson for China's foreign ministry strongly denied Burgess' claims, asking for a full retraction and saying this was not the first time Burgess had attacked China.

"In recent months, the Australian official you mentioned has repeatedly hurled attacks at China, spread disinformation and deliberately sowed division and confrontation," Guo Jiakun told a journalist at a press conference in Beijing today.

"It's hoped that the Australian official can stop making irresponsible statements."

The two groups Burgess was referring to are called Volt Typhoon and Salt Typhoon, and Asio's Director-General said espionage breaches cause a $12.5 billion hit to the economy per year.

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"These groups are hackers working for Chinese government intelligence and their military," he said at an ASIC conference in Melbourne on Wednesday.

"Both groups were involved in the theft of sensitive information, but the real danger was the threat of sabotage – disruption to critical infrastructure."

Jiakun said China had lodged a protest with Australia, and hinted future outbursts of this nature could hinder the relationship between the two countries, which have been at loggerheads over trade and defence.

"China firmly opposes it and has protested with Australia," he said.

"[Burgess should] do more things conducive to the healthy development of China-Australia relations."

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A white humpback that created a buzz as Australia's second albino whale now has some concerned over its health and unusual migration pattern.

The famed Migaloo lost his title as the one and only true albino whale in Australia's east coast population when a white juvenile spotted off the NSW South Coast last week was confirmed to be albino.

But while humpback whales migrate thousands of kilometres south to Antarctica to feed, the albino, fondly named "Siale", is travelling north.

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Her 10-metre-long body also appears thin. 

Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans (ORRCA) spokesperson Pip Jacobs confirmed Siale had lost body condition.

"Based on the current information and footage we have of Siale, we can't draw any conclusions about her health," she said.

"It's unusual to see a humpback whale travelling north at this time of year.

"We're hopeful Siale will soon turn south as well, where she can feed and rebuild her strength and condition ahead of next year's migration."

Jacobs urged anyone who spots her to share footage, which can help experts get a better understanding of her health and movements. 

Humpback whales will return to warmer waters on the East Coast between April to November.

ORRCA was able to confirm Siale's albinism late last week due to her red eyes and total lack of pigmentation.

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"True albinism in humpback whales is extraordinarily rare, occurring in only about one in 40,000 births," the organisation said.

"The only other confirmed albino humpback on the Australian east coast is Migaloo, making this identification a truly historic moment."

Migaloo, an albino adult male first spotted in Byron Bay in 1991, has not been seen since the last sighting off Port Macquarie in June 2020.

ORRCA, with the help of Whale Discoveries, was able to identify Siale as a female calf first documented in Tonga.

Experts used previous and current footage to analyse her tail, which is unique to each whale, similar to a human fingerprint. 

Due to special legislation, white whales have an exclusion zone of at least 500m for swimmers, surfers and vessels and 100m for drones. 

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Australia's pesticide regulator has flagged fresh health concerns for young children over a chemical sprayed on berries.

With their high nutritional content, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries have become a favourite for families as part of healthier diets.

But the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) says existing regulations over using dimethoate – an insecticide widely used to stop berries being spoiled by fruit fly – need strengthening to keep people safe.

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In a decision announced this week, the national watchdog said children aged between two and six years old who ate berries treated with dimethoate within seven days or less of harvest risked exposure of the chemical beyond safe limits.

The APVMA ruled fruit growers must now wait at least 14 days after applying the pesticide before harvesting to give it more time to degrade.

It said existing label directions needed altering to ensure dimethoate's use on berries did not present "an undue hazard to people".

Until now, growers had to wait one day after spraying blueberries and seven days following the treatment of raspberries and blackberries.

Earlier this year, the APVMA began reviewing potential health hazards from dimethoate amid the growing popularity of berries.

Data from Food Standards Australia and New Zealand showed Australians' consumption of blueberries, blackberries and raspberries has jumped since the last review of the pesticide in 2017.

Health concerns over dimethoate resulted in European Union countries banning the chemical in 2019.

Industry body Berries Australia told 9news.com.au that figures it collected over the past five years showed dimethoate usage had fallen.

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Plenty of Australians have committed a crime without even realising, and it could cost more than $1200 in fines.

The crime in question is tucking a seatbelt under your arm in a moving car.

It's illegal in all Australian states and territories, attracting hefty fines and demerit point penalties.

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And with double demerits on the horizon as the holiday season approaches, the penalties will be even more severe.

Can you be fined for wearing a seatbelt under your arm?

Yes.

It is illegal to wear a seatbelt under your arm in all Australian states and territories, regardless of whether you're the passenger or the driver.

This is because wearing a seatbelt under your arm is considered incorrect seatbelt use.

"Motorists are reminded the lap portion of a seatbelt should lie low, flat and firm over your hips and the sash should be across your chest and mid shoulder – never under the arm," a Transport for NSW spokesperson told 9news.com.au.

"Too often we are seeing people wearing the seatbelt under their arm, which means an increased risk of death or injury in the event of a crash."

Wearing a twisted or slack seatbelt is also considered incorrect seatbelt use and may attract penalties.

Fines vary by state and territory, with penalties for an individual not wearing a seatbelt correctly in one state exceeding $1200.

Who gets a fine if the passenger is not wearing a seatbelt?

Both drivers and passengers may be fined if the passenger is not wearing a seatbelt.

Drivers will face fines and demerit points if they're caught with a passenger of any age not wearing a seatbelt correctly.

Only passengers aged 16 and above will face fines if they're caught without a seatbelt.

In some states, including NSW and Tasmania, a passenger caught without an appropriately fastened seatbelt can only be fined by a police officer.

Only the driver will receive an infringement notice if the passenger is caught by a seatbelt detection camera.

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How do seatbelt detection cameras work?

Seatbelt detection cameras operate alongside mobile phone detection cameras to photograph and identify drivers breaking the law.

Fixed and mobile seatbelt detection cameras snap images of all cars as they pass, including the registration and the front seat of the car.

The images are then reviewed by artificial intelligence (AI) software that automatically detects potential seatbelt offences.

Trained humans then verify that an offence has actually occurred before issuing an infringement notice.

Images that don't show any potential seatbelt offences are deleted.

Seatbelt detection cameras are currently in use in NSW, Queensland, Victoria, the ACT, WA, and Tasmania.

Are there exemptions for not wearing a seatbelt?

Yes – but only in very rare circumstances.

Drivers with a full licence don't need to wear a seatbelt when reversing.

Passengers don't have to wear a seatbelt if they're giving or receiving urgent and necessary medical treatment.

Drivers and passengers in garbage or delivery vehicles who have to exit regularly also don't need to wear seatbelts, provided the vehicle is travelling under 25km/h.

Some Australians may also be issued a seatbelt exemption medical certificate by a doctor for a medical condition or disability.

These certificates are valid for limited time periods and must be carried whenever in a vehicle.

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Can you dispute a seatbelt fine in Australia?

Yes.

If you disagree with a fine, you can contact the relevant state or territory revenue office to request a review.

Eligibility criteria and review requirements vary by state and territory.

Seatbelt fines and penalties by state and territory

NSW

Drivers who are caught not wearing a seatbelt correctly, or whose passengers aren't wearing a seatbelt correctly, may cop three demerit points and a $423 fine.

The penalty for driving with two unrestrained passengers is $855 and six demerit points.

It increases to $1361 and six demerits for three unrestrained passengers, or $1784 and six demerits for four unrestrained passengers.

Queensland

Penalties for all seatbelt-related offences in Queensland are four demerit points and a $1251 fine.

This includes drivers and passengers caught wearing a seatbelt incorrectly, e.g. under the arm.

Victoria

Drivers caught not wearing a seatbelt correctly by seatbelt detection cameras in Victoria face a $407 fine and three demerit points.

Drivers can face maximum penalties of up to 10 penalty units for seatbelt-related offences, which amounts to $2035.10 based on the current penalty unit value of $203.51.

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ACT

Seatbelt detection cameras are now in operation in the ACT and maximum penalties of up to 20 penalty units apply to those caught breaking the law.

Based on the current penalty unit value of $160 for individuals, the maximum fine for seatbelt-related offences is $3200.

SA

Drivers caught not wearing a seatbelt correctly or with a passenger who is not wearing a seatbelt correctly in SA face a $448 fine and three demerit points.

If more than one passenger is not wearing a seatbelt correctly, the penalty increases to $530 and five demerit points.

WA

Penalties for not wearing a seatbelt correctly in WA start at $550 for passengers aged 16 or over who are caught unrestrained.

Unrestrained drivers can cop a $550 fine and four demerit points.

That fine for unrestrained drivers increases if any passengers are unrestrained:

• one unrestrained passenger = $600 fine
• two unrestrained passengers = $700 fine
• three unrestrained passengers = $800 fine
• four unrestrained passengers = $900 fine

Fines and four demerit points still apply to drivers who are caught with unrestrained passengers, even if the driver is wearing a seatbelt.

The fine for restrained drivers with unrestrained passengers are:

• one unrestrained passenger = $550 fine
• two unrestrained passengers = $600 fine
• three unrestrained passengers = $700 fine
• four unrestrained passengers = $800 fine

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NT

In the NT, drivers caught not wearing a seatbelt properly or failing to ensure a child is appropriately restrained face a $500 fine and three demerit points.

Passengers aged 16 or over can also cop a $500 for not wearing a seatbelt.

Tasmania

Drivers caught without appropriately fastened seatbelts face a $410 fine and three demerit points in Tasmania.

The penalty is the same for drivers caught with passengers over the age of 16 not wearing their seatbelts correctly.

The fine increases to $461.25 if the passenger is under 16.

If a passenger is caught not wearing a seatbelt properly by a police officer, they and the driver will be issued an infringement notice.

If they are caught by a mobile phone and seatbelt detection camera, only the driver will be penalised.

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Top Trump administration officials have met with a key GOP lawmaker about an effort in the US House to force a vote on releasing Justice Department case files related to Jeffrey Epstein, according to multiple sources familiar with the meeting.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt acknowledged the meeting later Wednesday when asked about reporting that administration officials were huddling with GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert.

"Doesn't that show the level of transparency when we are willing to sit down with members of Congress and address their concerns?" she told reporters at the press briefing.

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Leavitt added: "I'm not going to detail conversations that took place in the Situation Room."

A source familiar confirmed the meeting in the Situation Room included Boebert, who has wanted the Justice Department to release its trove of Epstein files and has signed onto the effort in the House to force the vote compelling their release.

But after the White House meeting, the Colorado Republican is not expected to remove her name from the petition that would force such a vote, another source familiar with the meeting told CNN.

CNN has reached out to Boebert for comment. She wrote on X, "I want to thank White House officials for meeting with me today. Together, we remain committed to ensuring transparency for the American people."

Separately, President Donald Trump and Rep. Nancy Mace, another Republican who's signed the petition, have been playing phone tag. The South Carolina Republican previously told CNN's Manu Raju that rumours that she was planning to remove her name from the petition were untrue.

Both the meeting and Trump's efforts to talk to Mace underscore the administration's concerns around the Epstein saga, which roared back Wednesday morning when the House Oversight Committee released more documents it had obtained from Epstein's estate. (Leavitt said Wednesday the emails from that trove that mention Trump "prove absolutely nothing.")

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Besides Boebert and Mace, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is the other Republican who's signed onto the petition from Reps. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, and Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, to force the vote on the release of the files on the House floor. The pair is set to receive the 218th decisive signature from Democratic Rep. Adelita Grijalva on Wednesday afternoon, allowing the push to force a vote to move forward.

Should anyone remove their name from the petition, Massie and Khanna would no longer have the support needed to move forward.

Boebert had previously told CNN's Raju in September that she wouldn't be removing her name and wasn't getting pressure from the White House.

Under the arcane procedure of a House discharge petition, if 218 members of the House – a majority of all 435 districts – sign on, they can force a floor vote in the chamber on anything — even if leadership opposes it. Such an effort rarely succeeds.

The unreleased Justice Department files, which capture years of investigation into child sex trafficking, could include details the House hasn't obtained.

Ahead of the White House meeting, one source said it would also include Attorney General Pam Bondi, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, FBI Director Kash Patel.

A spokesperson for the Justice Department declined to comment, and the White House did not immediately return a request for comment.

Bondi was seen leaving the White House on Wednesday.

The controversy around Epstein and his contacts with other powerful people, including Trump, has divided the Republican Party in recent months, with Boebert being among the Republican House members publicly pushing for more transparency around the case.

Trump hasn't been accused of any crime, and longtime Epstein contact and convicted child sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell previously told Blanche in an interview this summer that she had seen no wrongdoing, including by Trump.

At least two women who say they are survivors of Epstein's abuse were expected to attend Grijalva's swearing-in ceremony Wednesday afternoon, sources with knowledge tell CNN.

READ MORE: Memoir by Prince Andrew's and Epstein's accuser reignites a scandal

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US hip-hop artist Akon was arrested last week in suburban Atlanta after he didn't show up in court to face a ticket for driving with a suspended licence.

Police records show Akon, whose legal name is Aliaune Thiam, was arrested Friday by police in Chamblee, just northeast of Atlanta.

Akon was taken to the DeKalb County jail, where he was handed over to the Roswell police.

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They in turn booked Thiam into another jail, after which he posted bail and was released the same day.

Akon, who was born in the United States to Senegalese parents, rose to RnB fame after his 2004 debut album.

The Grammy-nominated singer has performed on more than a dozen Top 10 hits, including Smack That, I Wanna Love You and Locked Up.

He has also been active in philanthropic ventures in Africa, having lived in Senegal as a child.

Representatives for Akon didn't immediately respond to requests seeking comment.

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Police reports from Roswell show Akon, who lists an address in gated community in neighbouring Alpharetta, was found September 10 in a disabled Tesla Cybertruck on a busy street. 

The police officer called for a tow truck.

While he was waiting, the report states the officer checked the licence plate and found Akon had no valid auto insurance and had a suspended driver's licence for failing to appear for a court hearing in January 2023.

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Police impounded the truck and cited Akon for driving without a valid licence, the report says, taking the licence he was carrying and releasing him.

Police also found and seized an "illegal vape," the report says.

Chamblee police told local news outlets they responded to a business called Tint World on Friday when a traffic camera alerted them that the Cybertruck was present and was connected to an outstanding warrant.

Akon is currently on tour in India.

He performed in Delhi on Sunday, two days after his arrest.

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Thunder and lightning could be seen from the top of the Northern Territory to the bottom of South Australia today as storm activity ramps up around the country.

The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast serious storm activity moving eastward from Western Australia through to the weekend, with Central Australia in the firing line today.

"Thunderstorms are possible all the way from the Top End into southern parts of South Australia," BoM meteorologist Jonathan How said in a Bureau forecast.

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"There remains an area where severe thunderstorms are possible across central Australia.

"In Queensland, thunderstorms start to dip a little further down into the southern interior and become more likely."

Tomorrow, a number of weather systems are forecast to merge, making thunderstorms possible over a "very broad" swathe of the country, including the west, the interior, and the east.

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This will include southern and south-eastern Queensland, north-east New South Wales, southern South Australia, and western Victoria.

"Saturday is the peak day for activity, with thunderstorms building through the day and peaking in the afternoon and evening," How said.

"By Saturday evening, thunderstorms are possible from central and eastern New South Wales up into Queensland and the north of the country. Severe thunderstorms may develop across populated areas during the afternoon and evening."

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However, he said, the weather maps were dynamic and likely to change, urging people to keep an eye on the BoM website for updates.

"Storms, particularly severe storms, can cause impacts," How said.

"Rain can wash away dirt and secondary roads, causing transport disruptions. Wind can cause damage to trees and property.

"Heavy rain and large hail can cause impacts to agricultural communities that are now starting to enter the harvesting season."

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A range of brightly coloured children's sand products have been recalled due to asbestos fears.

The recall was issued by the supplier, Educational Colours, for three products which were sold throughout Australia at Officeworks, Educating Kids, Modern Teaching Aids and Zart Art  between 2020 and 2025.

The products are labelled as Kadink Sand (1.3kg), Educational Colours – Rainbow Sand (1.3kg), and Creatistics – Coloured Sand (1kg).

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said the products were recalled because they may contain tremolite asbestos, a naturally occurring asbestos, which was detected in some samples after laboratory testing.

"The ACCC will continue to monitor developments in relation to the products and the recall notice may be updated as new information emerges," the watchdog said in a statement.

Asbestos is a prohibited substance in Australia.

"We have engaged with Officeworks, who is a major supplier of these products, and they advised that the products have been removed from sale. We expect they will take all the necessary steps to alert their customers," ACCC deputy chair Catriona Lowe said.

"We continue to engage with suppliers and expect all to provide appropriate support to consumers including responding to queries, and providing advice about arranging a refund.

"We urge customers who own any of the products to stop using them immediately and place the sand in a heavy-duty plastic bag and double tape it securely and keep it out of reach of children.

"When doing so, in an abundance of caution, customers should take precautions such as a wearing disposable gloves and a mask."

Customers are urged not to dispose of the product in general waste.

Information on the disposal of Asbestos waste, including disposal facilities in your state or territory can be found on The Asbestos and Silica Safety and Eradication Agency website.

Contact re*****@****************ge.com on disposal and for seeking a full refund.

A voluntary recall was also issued in New Zealand today for the same products.

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