Shane Jones says crayfish can’t keep declining in the popular fishing area.

Allen has 178 convictions and has devoted herself to helping Northland addicts recover

A mammoth operation stretched into the night yesterday as authorities struggled to remove a huge part of a wind turbine wedged under a bridge on a major highway north of Brisbane.

The oversized vehicle slammed into the Mount Crosby Bridge, about 45 minutes from Brisbane on the Warrego Highway, about 1.30am on Friday, taking off chunks of concrete as it became stuck under the 5.5-metre overpass.

Authorities said the oversized truck was under police escort but the driver failed to follow the pilot vehicle.

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"It was very scary to wake up to," one resident told 9News.

The jam caused traffic to backup for kilometres on the highway.

It was soon realised it would not be a quick fix, with tow truck drivers the first to attempt to pull out the jammed piece but damaging the road in the process.

By last night, at least 18 hours after it had become stuck, about 10 tow trucks were at the scene as authorities continued their bid to remove the blockage.

"It's a bit of a shemozzle, it's going to be closed for a while," one witness said as crowds flocked to the unusual sight on what was a public holiday in Ipswich for the local show.

Police believe the truck's driver failed to follow the pilot and escorting vehicles, which took an off-ramp specifically designed for the transport of parts to the Wambo Wind Farm project.

Logistics company Qube said it was fully cooperating with authorities.

"Early this morning, a truck carrying wind tower components under escort made contact with a bridge on the Warrego Highway," a Qube spokesperson said.

"The exact circumstances that led to this incident are under investigation and Qube is fully cooperating with relevant authorities.

"Fortunately, no injuries were sustained and Qube was able to deploy specialist equipment to support the recovery effort."

The truck driver, aged in his 50s, was checked over at Ipswich Hospital.

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The first direct Russia-Ukraine peace talks since the early weeks of Moscow's 2022 invasion ended after less than two hours on Friday, and while both sides agreed on a large prisoner swap, they clearly remained far apart on key conditions for ending the fighting.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he discussed the results of the talks with US President Donald Trump and the leaders of France, Germany, the UK and Poland. In a post on X from a European leadership meeting in Albania, he urged "tough sanctions" against Moscow if it rejects "a full and unconditional ceasefire and an end to killings".

At the brief Istanbul talks, Kyiv and Moscow agreed to exchange 1000 prisoners of war each, according to the heads of both delegations, in what would be their biggest such swap.

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Both sides also discussed a ceasefire and a meeting between their heads of state, according to chief Ukrainian delegate, Defence Minister Rustem Umerov.

Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, who headed Moscow's delegation, said both sides agreed to provide each other with detailed ceasefire proposals and Ukraine requested the heads of state meeting, which Russia took under consideration.

During the talks, a senior Ukrainian official said Russia introduced new, "unacceptable demands" to withdraw Ukrainian forces from huge swaths of territory. The official, who was not authorised to make official statements, spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. The proposal had not been previously discussed, the official said.

The Ukrainian side reiterated it remained focused on achieving real progress — an immediate ceasefire and a pathway to substantive diplomacy — "just like the US, European partners, and other countries proposed", the official added.

The two sides sat opposite each other at a U-shaped table in the Dolmabahce Palace but remained far apart in their conditions for ending the war. Trump, who has pressed both Moscow and Kyiv for an end to the conflict, said a meeting between himself and Russian President Vladimir Putin would happen "as soon as we can set it up".

"I think it's time for us to just do it," Trump told reporters in Abu Dhabi as he wrapped up a trip to the Middle East.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan opened the talks by urging the delegates "to take advantage of this opportunity", adding that it was "critically important that the ceasefire happens as soon as possible".

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In a social media post afterward, Fidan described the POW swap as a "confidence-building measure" and said the parties had agreed in principle to meet again.

Zelenskyy was in Tirana, Albania, with leaders of 47 European countries to discuss security, defense and democratic standards against the backdrop of the war. He met with French President Immanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

"Pressure on Russia must be maintained until Russia is ready to end the war," Zelenskyy said on X, posting a photo of five leaders during the call, the second for the group since May 10.

Diplomatic maneuvering

Both countries engaged in diplomatic maneuvering this week as they tried to show Trump that they are eager to negotiate, although he has expressed frustration over the slow progress and threatened to punish foot-dragging.

On Thursday, Putin spurned an offer by Zelenskyy to meet face-to-face in Turkey. Zelenskyy accused Moscow of not making a serious effort to end the war by sending a low-level delegation.

Ukraine has accepted a US and European proposal for a full, 30-day ceasefire, but Putin has effectively rejected it by imposing far-reaching conditions.

Commenting on a possible Trump-Putin meeting, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov appeared to indicate that momentum for such a summit is building. He told reporters that top-level talks were "certainly needed", but added that preparing a summit would take time.

Fighting continues in Ukraine

Russian forces, meanwhile, are preparing a fresh military offensive, Ukrainian government and Western military analysts say.

A Friday morning drone attack on the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kupiansk killed a 55-year-old woman and wounded four men, said Oleh Syniehubov, head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration.

Russia's invasion has killed more than 12,000 Ukrainian civilians, the UN says, and razed towns and villages. Tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers have died, and likely a larger number of Russian troops, officials and analysts say.

On the battlefield, one Ukrainian soldier said he wasn't hopeful that the talks would bring a swift end to the war.

"I don't think they will agree on anything concrete, because summer is the best time for war," he said, using only the call sign "Corsair", in accordance with the rules of the Ukrainian military. "The enemy is trying to constantly escalate the situation."

But he told AP that many of his comrades "believe that by the end of the year there will be peace, albeit an unstable one, but peace".

Before the talks, Ukrainian officials met with national security advisers from the US, France, Germany and the UK to coordinate positions, the senior Ukrainian official told AP. The US team was led by retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, Trump's special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, while Umerov and presidential office chief Andriy Yermak represented Ukraine, the official said.

A three-way meeting between Turkey, the US and Ukraine also took place, Turkish Foreign Ministry officials said. The US side included Secretary of State Marco Rubio as well as Kellogg.

On Thursday, Rubio said "we don't have high expectations of what will happen" at the Russia-Ukraine talks.

He said he believed a breakthrough was only possible in a meeting between Trump and Putin.

Grammy-winning singer Chris Brown's upcoming tour was thrown into question on Friday as a British judge ordered him held in custody while facing allegations that he beat a music producer with a bottle in a London nightclub in 2023.

Brown, 36, appeared in Manchester Magistrates' Court to face one count of causing grievous bodily harm and was ordered held until his next hearing June 13 in London — the same day he's due to take the stage in Frankfurt, Germany, on the third date of his world tour.

Judge Joanne Hirst rejected Brown's bail request after prosecutor Hannah Nicholls said that the crime was "extremely serious".

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Brown was on tour in the UK in February 2023 when he launched an unprovoked attack on producer Abe Diaw, striking him several times with a bottle at the Tape nightclub in the swanky Mayfair neighbourhood in London, Nicholls said. Brown then chased Diaw and punched and kicked him in an attack caught on surveillance camera in front of a club full of people, she said.

Defence lawyer Grace Forbes argued that the American performer wasn't a flight risk and should be released.

Brown was flanked by court officers in the dock. His hair was bleached blonde and he wore sweatpants and a black T-shirt. He confirmed his name and birth date, and said that his address was the local Lowry Hotel, where he was arrested early on Thursday and taken into custody.

His case was transferred to Southwark Crown Court in London.

Brown's representative didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press.

Brown, often called by his nickname Breezy, burst onto the music scene as a teen in 2005 and has become a major hitmaker over the years with notable songs such as Run It, Kiss Kiss and Without You.

He won his first Grammy for best R&B album in 2011 for F.A.M.E. and then earned his second gold trophy in the same category for 11:11 (Deluxe) earlier this year.

The singer is due to launch an international tour next month with artists Jhene Aiko, Summer Walker and Bryson Tiller, opening with a European leg on June 8 in Amsterdam before starting North America shows in July.

Warning: This story contains images and details that some readers may find distressing.

A senior gang member has been shot and left for dead outside a Perth hospital, with police believing someone also tried to burn off his gang-related tattoos.

Police believe it was Leslie Grantham's attempt to leave the Comanchero Motorcycle Gang that prompted his comrades to unleash the horrifying attack.

Detective Senior Sergeant Anthony Thompson said the 51-year-old was found collapsed outside the Rockingham Emergency Department at 9.55pm yesterday with gunshot wounds and burns to his legs.

Police released graphic images showing the extent of Grantham's burns in a bid to demonstrate the consequences for anyone "thinking of joining an outlaw motorcycle gang".

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"Think again," Thompson said.

"This person has now been left with life-changing injuries and this is solely because he was a member of an outlaw motorcycle gang."

Thompson confirmed the man was a "very well-known" senior member of the Comancheros.

"This is another timely reminder that the outlaw motorcycle gang community is dangerous and harmful," Thompson said.

"They are violent criminal gangs who cause significant harm to our community."

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Grantham had gunshot wounds to his upper body and legs.

"We believe he was dropped off and just left there … which is a rather callous to deal with someone with life-threatening injuries, and further demonstrates the nature of these people and how they regard human life," Thompson said.

Thompson said it was a targeted attack and there is no ongoing risk to the community.

However, police will be monitoring bikie gangs closely over the next few days. 

Grantham was transported to Royal Perth Hospital in a critical but stable condition.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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A Sydney mother-of-two has been remembered as someone who lit up every room before she was murdered by her partner at home.

Vincent Carlino, 40, pleaded guilty to the murder of Shereen Kumar in July 2022.

Carlino wrapped his partner's body in black plastic bags before he dumped her in bushland near their home in Dural in Sydney's north-west.

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He then told police she went missing after going for a walk in her pyjamas.

Speaking outside the NSW Supreme Court in Sydney, friend Erika Wadlow-Smith said Kumar had a kindness that is not often seen.

"She was a very measured, capable woman, who was there for other people, loved everything, especially dogs," she said on Friday.

"She was extraordinary, she lit up every room that she walked into."

Wadlow-Smith said politicians must work to address domestic violence, and to stop more women from losing their lives.

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"That is at the root of so many relationships going on in homes around Australia and the world at the moment," she said.

"We have to look to rectifying it and stopping this onslaught."

Justice Sarah McNaughton was brought to tears in court as she recalled a victim impact statement read by a family member.

Carlino was sentenced to 21 years in prison, and 15 years without parole.

READ MORE: Driver avoids jail after his two mates drowned in flooded NSW creek

"This was an attack on a woman in her own home where she was entitled to feel safe and secure," she said on Friday.

Carlino did not intend to kill Kumar but he did intend to cause grievous bodily harm, Justice McNaughton said.

She described his steps to cover up the murder as "deceptive".

Carlino had no previous convictions and was medicated for anxiety and depression.

On the day of Kumar's death, he tried calling her more than 120 times in less than an hour.

"It's clear that Mr Carlino will require ongoing support and therapy, especially if he is with another domestic partner," Justice McNaughton said.

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Multiple factors can affect whether toxins inside death cap mushrooms kill those who consume them, Erin Patterson's triple-murder trial has been told.

This includes the person's age, weight, their tolerance to the mushroom's poison and the amount that they consume, toxicologist Dimitri Gerostamoulos told a Supreme Court jury in regional Victoria today.

Patterson, 50, has reached the mid-way point of a trial where she is accused of murdering three of her estranged husband's family members by deliberately poisoning them with a beef Wellington.

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She has pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder and one of attempted murder over the July 2023 meal which led to the deaths of Don and Gail Patterson, 70, and Heather Wilkinson, 66, and hospitalisation of Heather's husband Ian.

Patterson claims the deaths were all a terrible accident.

She took herself to hospital two days after the lunch and claimed she had eaten the same meal as her in-laws but was found to be well enough to be discharged by doctors on August 1.

A child protection worker yesterday said Patterson told her she'd eaten half of her serve of the beef Wellington, and complained of feeling unwell and experiencing loose bowel movements.

Defence barrister Colin Mandy SC today cross-examined Dr Gerostamoulos, the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine's chief toxicologist.

He asked whether some individuals could be "less severely affected than others" after consuming death cap mushrooms because of the amount they had ingested.

"Yes that's possible," Dr Gerostamoulos said.

"The age of the individual might be a factor?" Dr Mandy continued.

"That can be a factor," he replied.

Dr Gerostamoulos also agreed that the weight of the person may be a factor, as could the individual's tolerance to the toxin.

Prosecutor Sarah Lenthall then re-examined the toxicologist.

"If two adults with no serious pre-existing health conditions consumed the same amount of the same meal, which contained death cap mushrooms, and one person dies – what are the health outcomes for the person who did not die?" she asked.

"There likely would be adverse outcomes for the person who survived, the severity of which may vary," Dr Gerostamoulos replied.

More photos of the poisoned beef Wellington were shown to the jury today, as Plant Health Victoria diagnostics manager David Lovelock gave evidence.

He performed a second test on remains of the meal and found no sign of death cap mushrooms.

Dr Lovelock said he did find death cap mushrooms inside a food dehydrator, which had been seized by police from a tip days after the meal.

Another scientist, Camille Truong, also found no sign of death caps in the meal when examining it under a microscope.

However, Dr Gerostamoulos told the jury today he found death cap mushroom toxins inside the meal's remains when he performed chemical testing.

Justice Christopher Beale sent the jury home for the weekend with a warning after one of their fellow jurors was dismissed for discussing the case with family and friends.

"I don't want to sound like a broken record but only discuss the case with your fellow jurors in the privacy of the jury room," he said.

The trial will resume on Monday.

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Say Grace is the latest podcast from Nine and The Age. Join journalists Penelope Liersch and Erin Pearson as they take listeners inside the case that's grabbed global headlines. You can listen on Apple here and Spotify here.

The federal government is pushing the Fair Work Commission to deliver pay rises for almost three million workers to catch up with inflation price rises.

The Australian Government made a submission today to the annual wage review, recommending that "the Commission award an economically sustainable real wage increase to Australia's award workers".

"This is all about ensuring that three million Australians can get the decent pay that they need and deserve to provide for their loved ones," Treasurer Jim Chalmers said.

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The government also argued that economic conditions had "turned a corner," making it safe to increase wages, with inflation moving into the target range set by the Reserve Bank of Australia.

They said that along with low unemployment figures released yesterday, interest rates were falling.

"Low-paid workers and their families are particularly affected by cost-of-living pressures, because they typically have limited liquid asset buffers to draw on to cover rising costs and they are less able to deal with unexpected expenses," the government said.

The government also said this increase would help narrow the gender pay gap, which currently sits at 11.9 per cent on weekly wages.

But business groups say it's not just workers who are doing it tough. 

"It's very easy for a politician in Canberra to decree that there should be higher salaries and higher wages," Council of Small Business Organisations spokesperson Luke Acherstraat said.

"But who foots the bill? It's small businesses, the mums and dads, many of whom are struggling.

"Small businesses will need to pass these costs on."

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Economists say any wage increases need to come with better productivity, or it could push prices up.

"Any wage growth that is significantly in excess of growth of labour productivity will lead to higher inflation and probably higher unemployment as a result, neither of which are things that we want to see," Economist Saul Eslake said.

Australia's productivity has been sluggish in recent years, worry economists about the nation's future prospects.

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A father-of-five who decided to drive through a flooded creek causing his two friends to drown has avoided being sent to jail.

District Court Judge Julia Baly, sitting in Newcastle, said Jawad Al Hussein, 43, had miscalculated the risks when he drove his Mitsubishi Triton ute into the floodwaters as his two friends stood on its tray with a German shepherd dog.

Al Hussein managed to drive two metres before the ute stalled, and he felt the vehicle moving to the left and he lost control.

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His two friends could not swim and they either fell or jumped from the ute as it was swept downstream by the fast-moving waters.

Their bodies were found days later having been carried up to two kilometres from the Preston Creek causeway near Goulburn in southern NSW.

"To my mind, the risks were very obvious," Judge Baly said today when sentencing Al Hussein to a 10-month intensive corrections order, 350 hours of community service and two years' disqualification from driving.

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An ICO is considered by the courts to be a prison sentence served in the community under strict supervision.

"It was dark, the weather was bad, some roads were closed, it had been raining, at times heavily, the causeway was flooded and the water was flowing.

"Mr Al Hussein had not drunk alcohol or used drugs and he must have been alive to these conditions. He proceeded notwithstanding these obvious and significant risks."

The judge said, in her view, Al Hussein had been overconfident in the ute and his own ability to navigate the situation.

"Further, it was highly negligent to have two passengers on the tray of the ute knowing that they could not swim and would be directly exposed to the elements."

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Judge Baly said there had been no rush to cross the causeway to get to Al Hussein's hobby farm a few minutes away when he decided to drive into the floodwaters.

"The offender was not exercising the degree of care that a reasonable and prudent driver would have exercised in the conditions that prevailed."

Al Hussein pleaded guilty to two counts of negligent driving causing the deaths of his friends, Ghosn Ghosn, 30, and Bob Chahine, 32, on the night of October 31, 2022.

He had been found not guilty of manslaughter and dangerous driving causing the deaths after a trial in Goulburn District Court in February.

The judge said Al Hussein was completely devastated and deeply remorseful over the deaths of his two friends and would have to live with what he had done for the rest of his life.

Al Hussein and another man who were in the cab of the ute were able to escape through the car windows and swim to safety before watching their terrified friends disappear into the darkness.

Al Hussein walked for almost an hour trying to get phone reception after the accident before calling triple zero pleading for help.

"Please help, please help. There's two people dying," he told the operator.

"They went. They're gone. We lost them. I wish we could see them."

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