Tag Archives: oceania

Millions warned to brace for large hail, severe thunderstorms

Sydneysiders have been warned to brace for large hail and wild winds as severe thunderstorms develop in New South Wales this afternoon.

A severe storm was detected near Leppington and Bringelly, in Sydney's south-west, and is set to produce hailstones and damaging winds as it moves east.

"We've seen a lot of storm activity brewing in the last couple of hours," meteorologist Angus Hynes from the Bureau of Meteorology said.

READ MORE: Revealed: What Australians really think of Donald Trump

A severe thunderstorm warning for Sydney on October 17.

"Now imminently moving across the west of Sydney."

"We've just seen those warnings be expanded to include the entire Sydney metro area, and at the moment, there are two storm systems in particular that we're watching pretty closely," he added.

READ MORE: Woman randomly stabbed while walking to work in broad daylight

The storms and rain showers are developing following a hot day in which Sydney recorded a high of 34.7 degrees at the airport and in excess of 35 degrees out west.

Earlier today, Weatherzone had forecast that unstable weather was likely to develop as a cold front and low-pressure trough swept over the state and collided with a "much warmer" air mass.

READ MORE: Uber driver helped police find remains in search for missing Victorian woman

"An upper-level trough passing over southeastern Australia on Friday will also help to destabilise the atmosphere, resulting in an outbreak of thunderstorms across central and northeastern parts of the state," the site reported.

READ MORE: Underworld kingpin's case delayed after alleged jail cell discovery

"Isolated supercell thunderstorms are also possible on Friday, particularly over central eastern NSW," it added.

"If these supercells do form, they may cause destructive wind gusts in excess of 125km/hr and giant hail measuring more than 5cm in diameter."

DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Revealed: What Australians really think of Donald Trump

Far more Australians think Donald Trump's second term as US president is bad news than those who think it's positive, but they aren't ready to call for a rethink of the relationship with our most important ally.

Ahead of Trump's meeting with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese next week, the Sydney-based United States Studies Centre has released new polling, providing a snapshot of how the US and its president are viewed on this side of the Pacific.

The poll of more than 1000 respondents revealed that while 16 per cent of Aussies think Trump's second term has been either good or very good for Australia, more than triple that figure – 56 per cent – think it's been bad or very bad.

READ MORE: Hundreds of closures cutting off Aussies' access to cash

Anthony Albanese and Donald Trump

The proportion of Australians who view the United States as mostly harmful in Asia has also surged since Trump returned to the White House, up from 21 per cent last year to 33 per cent.

Despite that displeasure with the president, the research made clear that Australians remain supportive of the alliance with the US.

"Despite widespread unease about President Trump's second term, Australians remain committed to the alliance," USSC chief executive Dr Michael Green said. 

"This underscores the resilience of the relationship beyond any single administration, but there are warning signs."

READ MORE: Missing camper tells of miracle rescue after nine-day ordeal

President Donald Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House, Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington.

Far more of the survey's respondents thought the alliance makes Australia more secure than those who think it makes us less secure, and more than half disagreed with the idea of withdrawing from the alliance, compared to 17 per cent who agreed.

However, support for the United States in both questions had fallen from the year prior, when Joe Biden was president.

"Over the past four years, the majority of Australians consistently believed that the US alliance makes Australia more secure," the study found. 

"In 2025, only 42 per cent of Australians share this sentiment — a 13 percentage point drop from 2024 (55 per cent) and the lowest levels since USSC polling in 2022. 

"Nearly a third of Australians (29 per cent) now believe the alliance makes Australia less secure — a figure that has almost doubled since 2024."

READ MORE: Are we in an AI tech bubble and what happens if it bursts?

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during a press conference on Australia formally recognising the State of Palestine at the UN HQ.

The polling was released ahead of Albanese's trip to Washington, where he will finally sit down with Trump in a formal, bilateral meeting.

While the AUKUS pact, Australian defence spending levels, tariffs, and security in the Indo-Pacific region could all be raised during the summit, critical minerals could also emerge as a key talking point for the two leaders.

"When it comes to critical minerals, Australia has so much to offer the world," Treasurer Jim Chalmers said in Washington this morning. 

"We know that American companies desperately need critical minerals, and Australia is very well placed to service that need…

"No doubt it will be part of the discussions that Prime Minister Albanese has with President Trump next week."

DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Search for missing boy comes to an end with no new information found

A renewed search for four-year-old Gus Lamont has come to an end, with police and troops not finding any trace of the missing South Australian boy.

Search crews, including the Australian Defence Force and SES were out in the landscape surrounding Yunta, in SA's mid north, from first light this morning, searching for fresh clues to try and find out what happened to the boy who has been missing since September 27.

Today marked day four of an extended search under the name Task Force Horizon to try and find Gus, with the focus on a 5.5km radius around remote homestead Oak Park Station, where he went missing.

READ MORE: Inside Trump and Putin's two-hour phone call

Missing four-year-old Gus

Police searched 95 square kilometres on foot this week.

The original search area extended well beyond that, with the use of the mounted operations unit and Polair estimated to have searched 470sqkm.

Police have this afternoon confirmed that they found no trace of Gus.

"The fact Gus is a small child, the terrain is extremely rugged, harsh and subject to changing weather conditions has made the searching difficult and more challenging for those involved," a statement from SA Police reads.

"Each of these factors may have contributed to the lack of evidence discovered. The location also presents less opportunities for police searching for a missing person, compared with an urban environment.

"Police have been making every effort to return Gus to his family through detailed, meticulous and protracted searching of the property and this remains a priority."

READ MORE: Hero tradie foils alleged attempted armed robbery

Search for missing boy Gus from outback South Australia

The search for Gus has been one of the largest of its type carried out by SA Police.

Police say further searches will be considered.

SA Police said the family of Gus Lamont were continuing to cooperate fully with police and were being supported by a victim contact officer.

Gus was last seen about 5pm on Saturday, September 27 at his family's homestead Oak Park Station in remote South Australia, about 40km south of Yunta.

DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.

‘Arc de Trump’: Plans for Presidential arch unveiled

US President Donald Trump wants to leave his mark on the nation's capital by building a Paris-style arch just west of the Lincoln Memorial.

Trump unveiled the plan at a White House dinner for the wealthy businesspeople who have pledged money toward the $386 million ($US250 million) cost of adding a massive ballroom to the Executive Mansion.

Trump did not put a price tag on the cost of the arch.

READ MORE: Over 13,000 Nissan cars recalled over fuel pipe issue

President Donald Trump addresses a dinner for donors who have contributed to build the new ballroom at the White House, Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)

"It's going to be really beautiful," the US president said. "I think it's going to be fantastic."

Many presidents and first families try to leave their imprint on the White House, and Trump is already doing that with many of the design and construction changes he's made to the property, perhaps most notably by converting the Rose Garden into a stone-covered patio.

But the arch goes far beyond the White House, giving Trump a chance to leave another lasting monument in a city known for them. It would expand on his earlier talk of sprucing up the city by replacing its "tired" grasses, broken signage and street medians.

Trump seems to draw inspiration from the French.

READ MORE: Australia's deadliest industries revealed in new Safe Work Australia report

President Donald Trump addresses a dinner for donors who have contributed to build the new ballroom at the White House, Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)

The proposed arch bears a striking resemblance to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, the famous monument at the end of the Champs-Élysées honouring those who fought for France during the French Revolution and Napoleonic wars.

A military parade held in Washington earlier this year to mark the Army's 250th birthday was inspired after Trump witnessed a similar event down the famous Parisian boulevard eight years ago as a guest of France's president, Emmanuel Macron.

The White House did not immediately respond Thursday to an emailed request for more information on the arch, including the timeline for completing it.

Harrison Design, a local firm, is working on the project, according to a weekend social media post from Trump. A representative for the firm did not respond to an emailed request seeking comment Thursday.

It was unclear if the White House had presented the proposal to the National Capital Planning Commission, which has responsibility over planning and siting monuments, memorials and statues in the city. The commission's offices have been closed during the government shutdown.

L. Preston Bryant Jr., a former chairman of the commission, stated in an email that federal law requires that the proposed arch be reviewed and approved by the commission.

The arch would stand at the Washington end of Memorial Bridge, which spans the Potomac River from Arlington, Virginia. At the dinner, Trump showed off three different-sized models of the arch, which will feature a statue of Lady Liberty on top, and acknowledged that the largest one was his favourite.

Trump thanked his dinner guests for being "so generous in your contributions" to pay for the ballroom and said there might be enough money left over to cover the cost of building the arch.

"It's fully taken care of now and, in fact, we'll have money left over and we'll use that for something," he said. "We'll use that probably, maybe for the arch or something else that will come. But we love to fix up Washington."

The White House has said it will disclose information on who has contributed money to build the ballroom, but has yet to do so.

That project was announced in late July.

DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Judge slams man for fatally stabbing soon-to-be father after ‘minor disagreement’

A judge has slammed the vicious murder of a "blameless peacemaker" as he threw the man's killer behind bars for two decades.

Much-loved family man Mayiik Ring, 32, was fatally stabbed at a reserve in Melbourne's west as he tried to resolve an argument between his girlfriend and the killer.

He did not know his girlfriend, Nyaiek Anyang, was pregnant when he died in hospital from his wounds.

READ MORE: Search for missing boy enters what is expected to be final day

Mayiik Ring was stabbed to death during an altercation with a group of males in St Albans in December.

Malwal Aweng, 28, was found guilty of Ring's murder after his second jury trial in April.

Aweng and his girlfriend were sitting on benches with Ring and Anyang near the St Albans community centre after 10pm on December 30, 2022.

An argument broke out between Aweng and Anyang.

Ring tried to intervene and resolve the situation, but the fight became physical.

Aweng grabbed a knife from his girlfriend's bag and slashed Anyang across the neck, before thrusting the blade once into Ring's abdomen.

Ring stumbled to the community centre for help but collapsed at the entrance and was taken to hospital.

He died from his injuries about midnight on December 31.

Aweng, who was on bail at the time, fled after stabbing Ring and was later arrested and charged with murder.

He had admitted manslaughter, but denied he intentionally tried to kill Ring.

Two juries were empanelled this year, with the first unable to reach a verdict.

READ MORE: Missing camper tells of miracle rescue after nine-day ordeal

The man was sentenced for 27 years jail by a Victorian Supreme Court judge.

Aweng was found guilty of murder after his second jury trial on April 9, and he also pleaded guilty to intentionally causing injury to Anyang.

He stood and appeared to become emotional as Justice Andrew Tinney jailed him for a maximum of 25 years today for the "vicious" and "entirely uncalled for" murder.

"These were two blameless victims who did nothing to deserve your attacks on them," the judge said.

"Mr Ring in particular was a peacemaker … It is disturbing that for so little reason you sought to escalate a minor disagreement.

"You took away the life of a much-loved and valued member of the community, you removed him from the life of his partner and his unborn child.

"It is a tragedy for which you are fully responsible."

He noted Aweng's "significant and concerning criminal history", which included punching a man to the ground in 2017 outside Melbourne's State Library and stomping on his head as he lay unconscious.

READ MORE: Measles alert issued after confirmed case at primary school

Justice Tinney said the protection of the community had loomed large in his determination of an appropriate sentence.

He also described the stabbing of Anyang as "very dangerous conduct" and noted her injuries "will always serve to her as a reminder of what happened that night".

Aweng, who was supported in court by six family members and friends, will be eligible for parole in 19 years and has already served two years and seven months of his sentence.

DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.

‘Inconsistencies’ found during investigation into toddler’s susicious death

Detectives are renewing their calls for information about the suspicious death of a Queensland toddler in 2022 after discovering "inconsistencies" in information they were initially given.

A 16-month-old boy was found in a critical condition when paramedics were called to a home at Staaten Street, Burpengary about 2.40pm on December 30, 2021.

The toddler was transported to Queensland Children's Hospital in a critical condition before he passed away in hospital on January 8, 2022.

READ MORE: 'Inconsistencies' found during investigation into toddler's suspicious death

An investigation was initially launched by Pine Rivers Child Protection Investigation Unit in conjunction with Child Trauma Unit and Homicide Investigation Unit.

A 33-year-old man was then charged with one count of murder (domestic violence offence) on February 16, 2022.

Police have today advised that they have received new information in their investigation.

"Ongoing investigations have identified a number of inconsistencies from information initially provided," a police statement reads.

"Investigators are renewing their appeal for anyone who may have witnessed suspicious activity or concerning behaviour in the vicinity of Staaten Street involving a male child in the lead up to Thursday, 30 December 2021 are urged to come forward."

National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).