Tag Archives: oceania

Bizarre alleged road rage attack on NSW street

2025-03-22 FreeNews

A ute has been used in an alleged road rage attack, repeatedly reversing into an already damaged car.

The tense confrontation unfolded about 4pm yesterday on Frewin Avenue in Woodbury, in the NSW Hunter region.

Footage showed the moments before the confrontation, which appeared to witnesses to erupt out of nowhere.

People on the street filmed as the incident escalated, with the ute repeatedly reversing into another vehicle as its driver attempted to leave.

The driver of the ute then left the scene, however police caught up with her an hour later.

A 38-year-old woman was charged with reckless or furious driving with intent along with being behind the wheel of an unregistered car.

She has been released on bail and will face court next month.

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‘Every woman’s worst nightmare’: Police hunt would-be kidnapper

2025-03-22 FreeNews

A 20-year-old woman has been left traumatised after she was grabbed from behind by an unknown man just metres from her home in Melbourne's west.

The university student was walking on Thames Boulevard after getting off a bus in Tarneit about 9.15pm on Wednesday.

Detective Sergeant Sean Nicholson said she was approached by a man, who grabbed her around the chest and attempted to drag her towards the road.

Police investigating attempted kidnapping in Melbourne

CCTV captured their struggle and the woman's screams before she managed to break free from her attacker.

The woman was just metres from her uncle Amid Saddi's front door when she was attacked.

Saddi heard his niece's cries of terror. By the time he ran outside she had escaped.

"She was so shocked, she could not even ring the bell, she was just standing there, trembling," he told 9News.

Prior to the attack, the university student had been getting the bus to and from class, using the stop just 60 metres from her uncle's home. She is now too traumatised to do so, Saddi said.

Nicholson said the victim was "extremely distraught and distressed".

He described the attack as "every woman's worst nightmare".

"It's disturbing. You are simply walking home at a reasonable hour at night and then set upon by an unknown male," Nicholson said.

"She was very brave in her reactions and quick and prompt, which no doubt saved anything further bad from happening.

"We are unclear of the motive at this stage of what the offender was trying to do. We are really trying to identify him and hold him to account so that any escalating behaviour is stopped."

The offender is described as being in his late teens or early twenties, about 160 centimetres tall with slim build and short dark hair.

Police said he fled south towards Melpomene Boulevard.

Police are seeking to speak to the driver of a dark-coloured 4WD that was seen in the area at the time of the attempted abduction.

Anyone with information has been urged to contact police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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Vintage plane flips after landing, pilot taken to hospital

2025-03-22 FreeNews

A man is recovering in hospital after a light plane overturned after landing in grassland on Melbourne's Mornington Peninsula.

Police were called just before 12pm following reports a vintage plane had flipped onto its roof after landing at Tyabb Airport.

The pilot and sole occupant of the aircraft managed to climb out of the plane without help.

He was taken to Frankston Hospital with non life-threatening injuries.

An Ambulance Victoria spokesperson confirmed a man in his 70s was in a stable condition with upper body soreness.

Tyabb Airport is located about 70km from Melbourne.

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Lotto Powerball: Are you New Zealand’s latest multi-millionaire?

2025-03-22 FreeNews

Big wins continue for Lotto players in 2025.

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Rescue mission after person feared to have fallen into silo in Melbourne

2025-03-22 FreeNews

A rescue mission is under way after a person is feared to have fallen into a silo at a worksite in Melbourne's east.

9News understands a high-angle rescue team along with paramedics, police and firefighters are at the scene on Canterbury Road in Montrose.

Emergency services were called to the scene about 4.30pm.

Images from the 9News helicopter reveal a significant emergency presence at the scene.

The condition of the person trapped inside remains unclear, and authorities have not confirmed how the fall occurred.

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Wairarapa homicide: One person dead in Carterton with gunshot wound, two in custody

2025-03-22 FreeNews

Two people are in custody after fatal shooting.

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AI-powered test to identify early signs of silicosis

2025-03-22 FreeNews

Sydney researchers have made a breakthrough in the fight against silicosis, with the development of an AI-powered diagnostic tool.

The non-invasive tool, which analyses a person's breath, can identify early signs of silicosis within minutes, which could be life-changing for at-risk workers.

Lead researcher Professor William Alexander Donald said the model works by distinguishing breath profiles of silicosis patients from healthy individuals with remarkable accuracy.

Silicosis is caused by inhaling fine particles of silica dust and is attributed to the introduction of artificial stone materials during the building boom of the early 2000s.

Engineered stone, a popular material often used for kitchen benches, has been linked to a surge in deadly lung disease due to its high silica content.

Australia moved to ban engineered stone last year.

Former stonemason Kyle Goodwin said early detection could have changed his life.

"If I had access to tests like this, I would have left the industry many years before I did," he said.

While a ban is in place, new cases of silicosis continue to emerge from other high-risk industries.

Alexander Donald said there was an urgent need for better diagnostic tools.

"Our study shows that the AI-driven model accurately distinguished silicosis patients from healthy individuals based on their breath profiles, providing a reliable tool for early detection," he said.

"This suggests that breath testing could be a practical tool for large-scale worker screening and early intervention."

A new trial is currently under way at mining sites in the Hunter Valley.

Alexander Donald said researchers would like to see the tool used in the workplace over the next two years.

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Australian tourist dies as snorkeling boat capsizes off Bali

2025-03-22 FreeNews

An Australian woman has died after she was onboard a snorkeling boat that capsized in rough seas off Bali on Friday.

Anna Maree, 39, from Canberra, was found in the waters unresponsive after a large wave overturned the tour boat.

The Sea Dragon 2, which was carrying 13 people, including 11 Australian tourists, was en route from a port in Bali to Nusa Penida, a popular nearby island, local police spokesperson Agus Widiono said.

Passengers sit on a boat carrying tourists including a number of Australians that capsized in the waters off Nusa Penida Island, in Bali.

The group was looking at underwater scenery when their boat was hit by a large wave that threw the Australian overboard.

It was followed by a second wave that capsized the boat, Widiono said.

Two of the other injured Australians have been identified as 28-year-old Gabriel Hijniakoff from Brisbane and 32-year-old Cintamani Warrington, an Australian national living in Bali.

Local police said one of the injured suffered burns on their upper thighs, possibly from engine heat.

A nearby boat rushed to rescue 12 survivors, including two local crews and two injured tourists.

Rescuers also found the body of Anna Maree, the spokesperson said.

Survivors were treated at nearby health clinic and are in stable condition.

A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson said they were providing consular assistance to the Australian family.

"We send our deepest condolences to the family at this difficult time. The department is also providing consular assistance to two Australians who were injured in the same incident," the spokesperson said.

Kelingking Beach, Nusa Penida

Maritime accidents have killed hundreds of people in Indonesia in recent years. Boats are often overcrowded, and safety regulations are poorly enforced.

The vast archipelago country spans more than 17,000 islands with a population of 280 million, and boats are a popular and relatively cheap form of transportation.