Latest from News.com.au
News.com.au
20 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Police urge public help after body discovery
A major investigation is underway after the body of a woman was discovered near railway tracks. Police said the woman was located around 9.45am on Fridsay in Townsville on Railway Ave by a member of the public, who immediately contacted emergency services. The area has been declared a crime scene and detectives are treating the death as suspicious. Detective Acting Inspector Phil Watts said investigators were still working to formally identify the woman and had not yet determined her age. Officers are urging anyone with information or dashcam footage captured between Monday, June 17, and Friday morning around Doorey St and Queens Rd to come forward. 'We're very early on in this investigation so any information from the public would be greatly appreciated,' Inspector Watts said. 'We have a number of investigation areas and (are) following up on a number of different lines of inquiry.' A forensic team remains at the scene conducting a detailed examination, which Inspector Watts said would take time to complete. 'It takes a degree of time and we're still working through that, it has to be done methodically,' he said. 'We're not ruling anything out.' While the cause of death remains unclear, police have reassured the community there is no evidence of an ongoing threat. Inspector Watts said the fact the woman was found in a public location made any information from witnesses or passers-by all the more important. 'Particularly given the case the deceased was located in a public area,' he said. Police have asked that people stay away from Railway Ave until 9pm while the forensic investigation continues. 'We will leave no stone unturned to ascertain what happened here,' Inspector Watts said. Railway Ave has been closed to all traffic, with police cordoning off the road and advising motorists to seek alternative routes. Queensland Rail has temporarily closed the rail line, although train services have not been impacted at this stage. Anyone who was travelling through the area this morning is urged to check their dashcam footage and report anything suspicious to police.
News.com.au
26 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Update on investigation into Brisbane baby coffee attack
Queensland police have revealed they have not given up on finding the man responsible for pouring scalding hot coffee on a baby boy last year. The random attack on nine-month-old Luka at a Brisbane park in August sparked a public outcry and a police manhunt for the assailant, who is believed to have fled the country. On Thursday, Acting Commissioner Shane Chelepy told radio station 4BC that investigations into the 'horrible incident' were ongoing almost one year on. 'This isn't something we've parked in a corner; this was a very serious offence, and we're working hard on it,' he said. 'What I can say is we're still working with our international partners to progress this matter and to get a resolution here. 'We've got a range of investigative strategies.' Acting Commissioner Chelepy said the incident 'struck our investigators pretty hard' and paid tribute to their efforts in finding the culprit. The man is believed to be a 33-year-old Chinese national who left Australia and returned to China via New Zealand shortly after the incident. Radio host Peter Fegan asked the acting commissioner if Queensland Police had sent detectives to China, which he declined to answer. 'I don't want to compromise investigative strategies,' he said. Luka sustained burns to 60 per cent of his body when the man tipped a thermos of hot coffee onto the boy's face during a picnic at Hanlon Park on August 27. The man was captured on CCTV footage fleeing the scene but authorities were unable to track him down before he left the country. It is believed the man had been in Australia on multiple visas and worked at various sites along the East Coast, according to Chinese media reports. Luka's mother told the Courier Mail in November that her little boy had become 'a bit wary of people' since the incident. 'In those first few weeks, we had no idea what his future was going to look like, especially because the burns were so significant,' she said. 'He's healed really well and baby skin is amazing and the synthetic skin graft that they did worked really well.' His father said the prominent burns seen on Luka's body after the incident had healed 'better than we ever thought'. 'Hopefully by the time he becomes a teenager you won't even be able to see the scars anymore,' he said.
News.com.au
38 minutes ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Trainer Peter Snowden banking on gear change bringing out best from Xidaki in Eye Liner Stakes
Sydney trainer Peter Snowden hopes another gear change will do the trick for his underperforming gelding Xidaki in the $200,000 Listed Eye Liner Stakes at Ipswich on Saturday. The Ciaron Maher -trained Warnie ($2.40) is definitely the horse to beat in the 1350m race but Xidaki poses a genuine threat if he can rediscover the form that led to his last victory, in the $300,000 Group 3 Winx Guineas (1600m) at Caloundra last July. Snowden decided to put a cross-over nose band on the gelding this campaign because the four-year-old was 'over-racing badly' but the results have been lacklustre. Xidaki finished seventh in the Group 3 Hall Mark Stakes (1200m) at Randwick in April, ninth in the Listed Takeover Target Stakes (1200m) at Gosford on May 10 and seventh in the Group 3 BRC Sprint (1350m) at Doomben two weeks later. He is rated as a $7.50 chance in the Eye Liner Stakes behind Warnie and the Tony Gollan -trained Devastate ($7). 'I've had a cross-over noseband on him this time in because he was struggling last time in and I felt it cost him a couple of races,'' Snowden said. 'But it seems he has been resenting it this preparation because he's been getting too far back in his races. 'So I've taken the noseband off for Saturday and hope he can settle closer in the run. 'Ipswich is a track where you have to stay positive and he has drawn five. I don't want him to get too far back from there. 'I'm confident he has the tactical speed to be in the first five or six in the run. 'He's going great at home and I can't believe he won't be running well on what he has been showing me in his trackwork.' Lindsay Park star War Machine emphatically won the BRC Sprint before impressively taking out the $3m Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) three weeks later at Eagle Farm. Xidaki crossed the winning post almost five lengths behind War Machine in the BRC Sprint but on the bright side, Snowden was pleased with how his galloper hit the line. 'He got too far back last start and had a lot of work to do but he was one of those finishing hardest late,'' Snowden said. 'The horse that won it (War Machine) went on to win the Stradbroke Handicap. 'If he can hold his spot on Saturday it will go a long way to helping his chances at Ipswich.'' It will also comfort Snowden knowing that Xidaki was a narrow runner-up to Ostraka in the $1m Group 3 Silver Eagle (1300m) at Randwick last October but finished ahead of the Ben, Will and JD Hayes -trained War Machine. It's fair to say that Snowden is due for some luck in this Queensland winter carnival. His mare Tashi has twice just missed the chocolates - in the Listed Helen Coughlan Stakes (1200m) and Group 2 Dane Ripper Stakes (1300m) - while the appropriately named gelding Need Some Luck finished half a length behind winner Compelling Truth in the Listed Hinkler Handicap (1200m) last Saturday at Eagle Farm.
News.com.au
41 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Charlie Sheen's daughter Sami accuses ‘disgusting' sister Lola of being ‘homophobic and transphobic'
Sami Sheen accused her sister Lola Sheen of being 'homophobic and transphobic' after the OnlyFans star was blocked on social media by her sibling. The eldest daughter of Denise Richards and Charlie Sheen ranted about Lola's alleged bigotry in a video posted to her TikTok on Thursday. 'My mum did an amazing job raising me and my sister to be very accepting of everyone's sexuality and gender identity and everything else under the sun,' Sami began in her rant. 'That's why it is so sad for me to see that my own sister is homophobic and transphobic now,' she continued. Sami admitted that she wasn't going to 'take to the internet' but addressed that Lola's re-posts are 'public for everyone to see.' The model was referring to Lola re-posting a video of Christian podcaster Bryce Crawford claiming that being transgender is a sin. 'She has been re-posting this man's stuff,' Sami said. 'It disgusts me because it's so sad that she's this confirmed to her religion that she thinks like this.' Sami also said that her sister re-shared a video of Crawford mocking people at a Pride parade. 'I asked Lola if she would want to come to a Pride party with me and she laughed in my face,' Sami claimed. Sami, 21, also claimed that Lola, 20, 'got really weird' when she asked her how she would feel if she married a woman. '[She] was like, 'Well, I mean I guess I would come to the wedding but I think every woman needs a man to provide for them,'' Sami alleged. Sami emphasised how 'sad' she was to be related to 'someone like this', despite being raised the same way. 'I am a part of the f***ing LGBTQ+ community and I wish my sister was a f***ing ally,' she said. 'It's just honestly disgusting, close-minded behaviour.' Sami is hoping that Lola will 'snap out of this eventually' and admitted that she was making the video because her sister blocked her on the app. 'She can't even have the decency to respond to me,' Sami said, showing a screenshot of their private messages, in which she asked Lola why she re-posted the video of Crawford. 'Lola, if you're watching this, I urge you, just for five minutes, put the bible down. It's gonna be OK, you can live without it for five minutes and pick up a Pride flag and support the f***ing community,' she said. Sami begged her sister to 'do better' and said that she was 'embarrassed' to have an alleged homophobic sister. The older sibling said she understands people have their own beliefs but they shouldn't force them on other people. 'Someone's sexuality and someone's gender identity should not affect you. Who gives a sh*t what someone identifies as?' Sami said. 'If that makes them happy, let them be. Stop trying to tell people that there's something wrong with them because they identify a certain way.' Lola has been open about her Christian faith and shared earlier this year that she got baptised after hitting 'rock bottom.' Sami and Lola both starred in their family's Bravo reality show, Denise Richards and Her Wild Things, which premiered earlier this year. Page Six reached out to Lola's rep for comment.
News.com.au
42 minutes ago
- Health
- News.com.au
‘Life-changing': Sydney couple saved from medical deportation
A Sydney couple facing deportation because of a medical diagnosis have received an 11th-hour reprieve. Rob O'Leary and Jessica Mathers were on track to be sent back to Britain following Ms Mathers' multiple sclerosis diagnosis despite having arrived in Australia in 2017. However, Immigration Minister Tony Burke has allowed the couple to stay. 'We are proud to announce we are Australia's newest permanent residents!' the couple posted online Thursday. 'This morning, we received the life-changing news we've been hoping for – our visa has been granted!' 'There are so many things we've put on hold – just in case we had to leave. But now, with this door wide open, we feel more focused and excited than ever to build our future in the country we love.' Their families are already planning a celebratory visit. 'Here's to new beginnings, big dreams, and a bright future ahead.' The pair documented their situation via an online petition. They had applied for permanent residency; however, Ms Mathers was diagnosed with MS in Sydney in 2020. 'Our PR application was rejected based on perceived future healthcare costs due to Jessica's condition,' Mr O'Leary said. Ms Mathers was treated under the reciprocal healthcare scheme Australia shares with 11 countries, and MRIs showed her condition had not progressed since the diagnosis. 'Jessica built her life here well before her diagnosis,' Mr O'Leary said. 'To now be told she has to leave because of her condition feels discriminatory. It's as if all of her contributions are suddenly irrelevant because of a health condition that is being successfully managed.' Mr O'Leary owns a crane and carpentry business, and Ms Mathers works in marketing and has received recognition for her musical contributions to the Bondi creative scene. They unsuccessfully challenged their rejected permanent residency bid at the Administrative Appeals Tribunal in 2023. The defeated tribunal appeal was then escalated to the Immigration Minister. 'We were over the moon to hear from our local MP, Allegra Spender, who has been incredibly supportive throughout our journey,' the couple posted on Thursday. 'She shared that the Minister for Immigration, Tony Burke, personally contacted her to confirm the decision. 'This marks the end of a nearly four-year-long, emotional road – and the beginning of an exciting new chapter. 'Rob has proudly called Australia home for nearly 10 years, and Jess for eight. We're so grateful that our contributions have been recognised, and that we can finally move forward with clarity and security.'
