Australia – BRIANSWORLD

Surge in counterfeit cash sparks warning from police

South Australian police have issued a warning over a surge in counterfeit cash being handed over the counters at Adelaide businesses.

Just last month there were 124 reports to police of counterfeit cash, with criminals making small purchases – most commonly with $50 and $100 notes – to gain large amounts of legitimate currency back as change.

The disturbing trend has police urging the public to think twice about what they've been handed.

"It's important that people are aware of this practice that is increasing," SA Police acting Assistant Commissioner John De Candia said.

"We certainly don't want businesses to be short-changed or any other innocent members of the public to be short-changed as well."

The rise in counterfeit cash has coincided with an increase in cash transactions, according to some businesses.

"When we are busy, it's very hard to keep track of what's going through the till," Pas, the owner of Mitico Cafe, said.

"We are just hoping that we give the right change and that's about it."

The financial impact of counterfeit cash can be substantial, particularly for small businesses.

"You are just trying to get through the day and those small hits can make a big difference, especially for hospitality," Pas said.

For businesses and workers who believe they've been handed a counterfeit note, the advice from police is to compare it with a known legitimate note, and refuse to accept the currency if in doubt.

"What we want you to do if anyone actually does have the notes, is minimise the handling of them as much as possible and put them in an envelope because we will be able to get some forensic evidence from them," De Candia said.

This article was produced with the assistance of 9ExPress.

Oktoberfest closed after bomb threat and deadly explosion

German police have closed the Oktoberfest fairground following a bomb threat from the suspected perpetrator of an explosion in northern Munich, city officials say.

At least one person's death was believed to be connected to the explosion at a residential building early on Wednesday, which Munich police said was deliberately set on fire and part of a domestic dispute.

It was not immediately clear whether the deceased was the suspected perpetrator or someone else.

Another person, who was not considered to be a danger to the public, remained missing.

Specialised teams were called to the scene to defuse booby traps in the building, police said. Photos from the area also showed a burned-out van.

Officials discovered the bomb threat to Oktoberfest in a letter from the alleged perpetrator. Police searched the fairgrounds for other explosive devices and asked workers to leave the area.

Authorities said the festival would be closed at least until 5pm on Wednesday (1am Thursday AEST).

This year's Oktoberfest began on September 20 and ends on October 5.

The world's largest beer festival usually attracts up to 6 million visitors.

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'Not necessarily the best time': What the US government shutdown means for Aussies

The US government has been shut down for the first time in more than six years after Democrats and Republicans failed to agree on federal funding by midnight on October 1 (2pm today AEST).

Democrats voted down a Republican bill to grant temporary funding earlier this morning, which would have prevented the shutdown, as both parties remain in a deadlock about health benefits.

Federal agencies were ordered to make preparations hours before the deadline, as hundreds and thousands of federal workers will have their pay impacted.

Here is exactly what that means.

What is a government shutdown?

Federal agencies across the country will be shuttered, with non-essential workers, like park rangers, put on leave without pay.

Essential federal workers, like the military, immigration and airport security, will continue to work but will not get paid until after the shutdown.

About 750,000 workers will be furloughed each day in the shutdown, with the total daily cost of their compensation reaching $US400 million ($600 million), according to Congressional Budget Office estimates released yesterday.

UNSW international relations professor William Clapton said the shutdown was "more of a pause".

"What normally happens is that there's a core set of services that don't stop, and that's things like defence, law enforcement, social security, Medicare. Those have generally continued through all the previous shutdowns," he said.

Shutdowns usually arise over disagreements about the federal budget, but can also be used as a negotiation tool and political tactic.

"The American people get caught up in the middle, because they lose access to services that the government normally would provide," Clapton said.

When was the last US government shutdown?

The last shutdown was sparked by US President Donald Trump's multibillion-dollar request to build a wall on the US-Mexico border during his first term.

It lasted a historic 34 days from December 2018 to January 2019, with about 800,000 of the 2.1 million federal workers furloughed.

"That's obviously a massive impact for those people, their ability to pay their bills, to live their lives," Clapton said.

Former president Bill Clinton held the previous record of the longest shutdown in US history, 21 days in 1996.

There were two other shutdowns during Trump's first term, one lasting three days and the other lasting just several hours.

There have been 21 US government shutdowns in the past 50 years.

"There's kind of an inherent instability at times with regards to government funding in the US," Clapton said.

"It's not the first shutdown, and the fact that it kind of keeps happening sort of speaks to, yeah, the complexities and the pitfalls, if you will, of America's peculiar and unique system of government."

Why is the US government heading towards another shutdown?

Democrats are fighting the Republicans on healthcare benefits and are making good on their threat to shut down the government if their opponents do not extend tax credits to subsidise health insurance.

Those credits are set to expire by the end of the year.

Both sides have been at an impasse in the days leading up to the start of the new fiscal year on October 1 — the date when the Senate was set to pass a new appropriations bill.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said Republicans are trying to "bully" Democrats by refusing to negotiate the extension and other priorities.

Trump and his fellow Republicans said they would not make any changes, arguing that their bill is a stripped-down and "clean" legislation that should be non-controversial.

Senate Republican Majority Leader John Thune said Republicans "are not going to be held hostage" by the Democrats' demands.

This morning, the Republicans introduced a bill that would keep funding the government for seven weeks while legislators finish working on the appropriations bill, but it was voted down by the Democrats.

The Republicans hold the power in the Senate, but needed 60 votes to pass the bill to avoid a filibuster, meaning some Democrats would have had to support it.

"It seems that the Democrats have used that as leverage to kind of try and get the Republicans to meet their demands with regards to health care funding in particular," Clapton said.

It set the path for the shutdown.

Federal agencies are making their preparations ahead of the start of the business day.

When does the shutdown start?

The shutdown started at 12.01am today (2.01pm AEST).

It's hard to say how long the shutdown will last or what the effects will be, and it will largely rely on how quickly Democrats and Republicans can come to an agreement.

"I think the really interesting question now will be how the negotiations between the Democrats and the Republicans play out, and the ways in which the key players kind of use this for political advantage," Clapton said.

Previous shutdowns lasted an average of eight days.

What makes this shutdown different from the others?

Trump has signalled that he may use a shutdown to cut the number of federal workers, ordering federal agencies to draft plans for sweeping layoffs if both sides cannot reach an agreement.

He said it could include "cutting vast numbers of people out, cutting things that they like, cutting programs that they like".

Clapton said he believes the administration has some leeway with funding decisions that may allow Trump to fire workers across several departments.

"That is within the authority of the president," he said.

Trump's threat comes at the same time as more than 100,000 federal workers are set to resign from their roles after accepting Trump's deferred resignation program as part of his effort to reduce the federal workforce.

It is shaping up to be one of the largest mass resignations in US history.

https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/1973207951692407085

Will a shutdown affect travel to the US?

No, immigration and airport security are deemed essential services and will continue to run throughout the shutdown.

It should not affect any Australians travelling to the US, but could impact the quality of the visit, as many federal services like national parks and museums likely be closed.

"It's not necessarily the best time to be going to the US," Clapton said.

"People aren't going to be able to access some of those landmarks of the American government that you normally would if the government was functioning as it usually does."

— With Associated Press 

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Nicole Kidman files for divorce from Keith Urban after 19 years of marriage

Nicole Kidman has filed for divorce from Keith Urban after 19 years of marriage, bringing a surprising end to a long and seemingly successful union that brought together two superstars from the worlds of movies and music.

The 58-year-old Oscar-winning actor petitioned on Tuesday to end her marriage to the 57-year-old Grammy-winning country singer in a Nashville court. The documents state the couple has undergone "marital difficulties and irreconcilable differences."

Kidman and Urban, two of the biggest stars to come out of Australia in recent decades, have been red carpet fixtures throughout their two-decade relationship, with Urban joining his wife at the Oscars and Kidman attending music events like the Academy of Country Music Awards.

The filings include a marriage dissolution and childcare plan agreed on by the couple and submitted for a judge's approval.

"The mother and father will behave with each other and each child so as to provide a loving, stable, consistent and nurturing relationship with the child even though they are divorced," says the permanent parenting plan, using language common in the state's divorces.

"They will not speak badly of each other or the members of the family of the other parent. They will encourage each child to continue to love the other parent and be comfortable in both families."

The plan asks that Kidman be the primary residential parent to the couple's two daughters, ages 17 and 14, having them for 306 days per year with Urban taking them for the other 59.

The girls have lived in Nashville all their lives, and the documents give no indication that will change.

The marriage dissolution plan lays out a roughly equal division of joint assets, with each keeping all the assets that are in their own name, including the copyrights and royalties for their artistic work.

The detailed agreements suggests that the divorce had been in the works for well over a month at the least. Urban signed the parenting plan on August 29, Kidman on September 6.

It will take at least 90 days for the divorce to become final under Tennessee law.

Representatives for Kidman and Urban did not respond to emailed requests for comment on Tuesday.

Both raised in Australia, Kidman and Urban met in 2005 at a Los Angeles event honouring Australians and were married in Sydney the following year.

The marriage was the first for Urban and the second for Kidman, who was married to Tom Cruise from 1990 to 2001. Kidman also has two older children with Cruise.

The couple had publicly but lovingly described some marital difficulties, but there were still few if any signs they were headed for divorce. Media reports of their separation came just a day before the divorce filing.

Last year at the premiere of the Netflix series The Perfect Couple, Kidman told The Associated Press the term didn't apply to her and Urban.

"You're heading for trouble if you consider yourselves the perfect couple," she said. "I'm not a believer in perfect."

A few months earlier, Urban paid tribute to Kidman, and brought her to tears, when she received the AFI Life Achievement Award.

Urban said she showed him "what love in action really looks like" when his substance abuse problems emerged almost immediately after they wed in 2006.

"Four months into our marriage, I'm in rehab for three months," Urban said. "Nic pushed through every negative voice, I'm sure even some of her own, and she chose love. And here we are 18 years later."

Kidman's film roles have included Days of Thunder, Eyes Wide Shut, Moulin Rouge and The Hours, for which she won an Academy Award for playing author Virginia Woolf.

She has more recently worked in television, including the series Nine Perfect Strangers and Big Little Lies, for which she won Emmys as both actor and producer.

Urban has been a major country star since the 1990s, with hits including Somebody Like You and Blue Ain't Your Color. He has won four Grammy Awards and more than a dozen ACM Awards.

Their split was first reported by TMZ.

Multibillion-dollar stoush erupts over government hospital funding pledge

The federal government has been accused of failing to stump up tens of billions of dollars in health funding it had promised to the states and territories.

The Council for the Australian Federation (CAF) today released a statement from its most recent meeting, in which it claimed the Commonwealth is failing to honour a 2023 national cabinet agreement struck in December 2023.

Under that arrangement, the states and territories agreed to spend more on disability care to take pressure off the NDIS, which has quickly become one of the most expensive – and fastest-rising – items in the federal budget.

In return, the federal government pledged to fund 42.5 per cent of public hospital costs by 2030 and 45 per cent by 2035.

However, the deal is yet to be formally signed off, with negotiations still ongoing.

CAF, which is composed of all state premiers and territory chief ministers, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's fellow Labor leaders Chris Minns, Roger Cook, Jacinta Allan and Peter Malinauskas, said the government's latest offer fell well short of its initial promise.

"First ministers … are concerned that the Commonwealth does not intend to honour the December 2023 National Cabinet agreement, including the commitment that states and territories would be better off overall," the CAF communique stated.

"States and territories remain committed to the deal struck in December 2023 – a key part of this deal was the Commonwealth's commitment to fund 42.5 per cent of public hospitals' costs by 2030 and 45 per cent by 2035.

"Under the arrangement now proposed by the Commonwealth, the actual share of Commonwealth funding will be closer to 35 per cent, falling tens of billions of dollars short of what is needed."

A federal government spokesperson denied the claims that it wasn't adequately contributing to the states' and territories' health bills, pointing to an extra $20 billion in funding it had put on the table.

"The Commonwealth remains committed to the December 2023 National Cabinet deal; and we are committed to making a fair contribution under the hospital funding agreement to give Australians better access to health services they need, when they need them and to reduce pressure on hospitals," the spokesperson said.

"The Commonwealth's most recent offer to states included an additional $20 billion over five years in Commonwealth funding for public hospitals.

"This is a $7 billion increase from the Commonwealth's most recent offer to states.

"The additional $20 billion on offer is on top of the $195.1 billion the Commonwealth is already expected to contribute to public hospitals over the five years from 26-27."

However, premiers and first ministers said the offer put forward would leave the states worse off financially and Australians without the hospital services they "rightly expect".

"States and territories are acutely aware of the need to manage growing cost pressures and activity demands on public hospitals. First Ministers noted that these increases are largely driven by factors outside the states' control …

"States and territories cannot address these issues alone.

"While first ministers recognised the Commonwealth's efforts to improve access to care and reduce pressure on hospitals, these efforts will not shift the dial quickly enough."

The government said it was ready to negotiate in good faith and wanted a final deal signed off by the end of the year.

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Pregnant L-plater faces court after police pursuit with baby on board

A pregnant 19-year-old woman faced court today after a high-speed police chase with a 10-month-old on board, reaching speeds of 168km/h in the NSW Hunter region yesterday.

At around 12.10pm yesterday, Kirsty Lee Parker, who was on her L-plates, led police patrolling the M1 motorway in Somersby into a pursuit after being spotted going 168km/h in a 110km/h zone and failing to stop.

At one point, a passenger in the vehicle was allegedly spotted hanging out of the speeding car, filming the pursuit before it was later posted to social media.

Police deployed road spikes north on Swansea Bridge, but the vehicle dodged them.

Shortly after, police deployed road spikes again in Pelican, which were also avoided by the vehicle as it continued towards Belmont.

The car came to a halt after allegedly crashing into another vehicle while turning onto Lake Road on the Pacific Highway.

Police later located the vehicle abandoned out the front of the driver's home on Moorilla Close in Windale.

Five people were located near the vehicle and arrested, including a 10-month-old baby who was in the vehicle.

There were no reported injuries following the incident.

Police have told 9News that they were unaware the baby was in the vehicle, and if they did, they would have approached the incident differently.

Parker is facing an array of charges, including learner driver exceeding speeds of 45km/h, driving with two passengers without fastened seatbelts, driving recklessly, and not complying with directions to stop the vehicle.

The four passengers were released without charge.

Parker faced court today by video-link, yawning and handcuffed from Newcastle police station.

Police prosecutors opposed a bid for bail, stating there was a risk Parker could pose further damage to the community.

It was her second court appearance this week after being sentenced to an 18-month community corrections order for shoplifting on Monday.

The court was also told that she is 11 weeks pregnant and that her criminal record contains multiple driving offences.

Parker was denied bail despite her lawyer, Adam Ryan, arguing that she was vulnerable in custody due to her young age and background.

"The police did see her getting out of the driver's door, however, nothing in the facts says she was actually seen driving the vehicle," said Ryan.

She is set to face court again on October 8.

Rape charges to be dropped against high-profile Aussie sportsperson

Exclusive: Rape charges against a high profile Australian sportsperson are set to be dropped, 9News can reveal.

The well known identity had been charged over an alleged incident in 2023 and faced Geelong Magistrates Court about the matter only a fortnight ago.

A wide ranging suppression order prevents publication of the name and any identifying details of the man.

The high-profile man was facing several charges of sexual assault, including rape, but throughout had denied all charges against him.

He had been accused, along with a friend, of coaxing an intoxicated woman into her car before driving off and raping her.

However, it's understood the drawn-out matter is set to come to an abrupt end, with the process under way for the charges against him to be dropped.

The prosecution has filed paperwork with the court, indicating its intention to discontinue the matter.

The process will be formalised at a court hearing in the coming weeks.

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

These are two of the best video games ever made

Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2 are two of the greatest games ever made.

It's taken 15 years but Nintendo is finally offering them as part of a bundle.

Yes, it's $89.95 on the Australian eShop. Outrageously, they're available separately for $59.95! That's a lot of money for any 15-year-old game, even ones as good as Super Mario Galaxy.

But with a 4K touch-up, new storybook pages and a Super Mario Galaxy movie on the way, it's a price that I – and many other Nintendo fans – will happily pay.

If you've never touched either of these games before, you won't be disappointed.

And if you've bought them before, this is the definitive way to replay them.

I don't need to "review" the quality of these games. They're both sitting at a 97 on Metacritic. They are as close to perfect as two video games can be.

"Mario in space" is selling these games short.

The way Nintendo plays with gravity across a seemingly endless supply of creative worlds, backed up by the company's first – and arguably best – orchestral score, is an experience every gamer should have.

So what's new in this bundle?

Better resolution: up to 1080p on Nintendo Switch and 4K on Switch 2
Extra story book pages, including an all new book in Galaxy 2
An assist mode to make the game easier for newer players
Mouse mode support for a second, helper player

Having just played Super Mario Galaxy in Nintendo's 35th anniversary bundle, I jumped straight into Super Mario Galaxy 2.

After 50+ hours in Hollow Knight SIlksong, Mario felt like a truck at first blush.

His moveset is jarringly limited compared to Super Mario Odyssey and Nintendo's recent hit Donkey Kong Bananza, and it will take a few levels to get used to.

Initially, I picked up my Pro Controller to play but moving both hands around to collect star bits felt unnatural and I quickly swapped to the Joy Cons to more closely mimic the Wii.

Pointer controls are a massive part of Galaxy 2. Eating enemies and shooting them back out as Yoshi relies on it. More demanding platforming sections also demand a level of speed and accuracy as you fling Mario into the air with floating flowers.

The Switch 2 gyro controls hold up pretty well but your pointer will drift occasionally. It's hard to say why because at times it works flawlessly and at others my cursor would be floating off toward the right of the screen.

Thankfully, it's very easy to reset it back to the middle of the screen with a tap of the right shoulder button. I've gotten into the habit of hitting it every time I want to use the cursor now. I don't find it too annoying, but I'm sure others may feel differently.

If you're playing handheld, the touch screen works as your pointer. It's super accurate but you'll have to remove your hand from the controller to do so.

As for the graphics, it's a mixed bag.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 has never looked sharper. A few textures have changed to meet a 4K standard but you won't notice unless you're doing a side-by-side comparison with the original Wii game.

Overall, it's an excellent upgrade and the fact that levels and character models hold up on screen 15 years later is testament to excellent art design. However, part of me wishes Nintendo invested a little more.

Some character models (Toad especially) look very jagged in 4K.

The fur effects which were perfectly blurred at 480p on the Wii are a little too sharp in 4K.

Lighting effects on some objects could also use a Metroid Prime: Remastered-level overhaul. Instead of being "lit", some 3D elements are noticeably shaded in different colour gradients but – at 4K – there's a noticeable line that separates the levels like rings on an elevation map.

None of these will affect the fun you have playing this game. Far from it. This is still the prettiest Super Mario Galaxy 2 has ever looked.

I've been waiting for an excuse to replay Super Mario Galaxy 2 and on Nintendo Switch 2 it is better than ever.

These 15-year-old masterpieces hold up remarkably in 2025 and it's crazy how well they compare against titles like Astro Bot which, in my review, I basically called it Super Mario Galaxy 3.

With The Super Mario Galaxy Movie on the way, here's hoping Nintendo rips off that band-aid and gives us a true sequel before too long.

Nintendo provided 9news.com.au with an early copy of Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2 for Nintendo Switch 2 for the purpose of this review.

Bearcat spotted as police operation unfolds in manhunt for accused cop killer

A police operation is under way in a regional Victorian town as part of the continued manhunt for accused cop killer Dezi Freeman.

Victoria Police confirmed a number of police and specialist resources are currently in Benalla, located around 103 kilometres from Porepunkah, for a planned operation.

Bearcat and police officers were seen in Benalla and the nearby town of Goomalibee.

"There is no immediate risk to community safety and further information will be provided once operationally appropriate to do so," a police spokesperson said.

"This forms part of the ongoing investigation in the Porepunkah area in the search for Desmond Freeman."

There has been no official sighting of Freeman since he allegedly gunned down police officers Neal Thompson, 59, and Vadim De Waart-Hottart, 34, on August 26.

Police on Monday confirmed the number of officers on the ground in Porepunkah and surrounding regions had been scaled back since the shooting over a month ago.

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush said over 200 officers were still in the area, marking less than half the amount of authorities that were combing the area for Freeman weeks ago.

Bush provided an update on the hunt during a memorial for fallen officers in Melbourne, where he said police officers around the country are still "hurting".

"At the height we had nearly 500 officers up there conducting the search, investigating and providing reassurance to the community," Bush said.

"At the moment, we have in excess of 200 officers there.

"We will continue to rotate police officers through there, a) conducting searches, b) continuing the investigation and c) providing reassurance to the community who needs it."

Bush said police have so far searched 40-square-kilometre area by foot and air to find Freeman.

The month-long search has involved mineshafts, caves, huts and properties in Porepunkah and surrounding regions.

"It's extremely challenging. We have to often revisit things we've already searched to make sure we haven't missed anything," Bush added.

"And we will not give up until we find that person."

A $1 million reward for any information which leads to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible remains on offer.

'I wish I had died': Girl reveals suffering after truck crashes into school bus

A young girl has described wishing she had died instead of suffering a crippling foot injury, as a truck driver faced court for ploughing into her school bus.

"I am very glad I'm alive, but then none of my pain, or my suffering would be here," the girl, who cannot be identified, told a Melbourne court between tears.

"I'm so tired of it and I wish I had died."

The truck driver who caused her debilitating injuries did not face the girl, nor any of his 35 victims in court today, at a County Court pre-sentence hearing.

Brett Michael Russell, 63, appeared by video link from prison, crossing his arms and appearing emotionless as he pleaded guilty to 12 charges including negligently causing serious injury.

He was driving a prime mover truck towing two trailers – all of which had defective brakes – from northwest Victoria to Melbourne when he collided with the Loreto College Ballarat bus in 2022.

Russell, prosecutors say, knew all of the brakes were faulty but drove the truck anyway.

About 3.16am on September 21, the truck hurled into oncoming traffic and collided with the bus, which had 32 passengers on board including 27 school students, on the Western Freeway.

The group were on their way to Melbourne Airport for the trip of a lifetime to NASA camp in the US.

Russell's truck hit the back of the bus, which had slowed for traffic management and was pushed through a roadside barrier, down a steep embankment and then rolled several times.

Three passengers were ejected from the bus and the rest were trapped inside, with traffic management workers rushing to their rescue before emergency services arrived.

Russell pleaded guilty to 10 counts of negligently causing serious injury to seven students, whose ages ranged from 14 to 18, and three staff including Suzanne Fraser, 52, and Narelle Mulrooney, 49.

He also pleaded guilty to reckless conduct related to driving the B-double truck while knowing the truck and trailers' brakes were defective, placing the bus driver, Wayne Orr, who is yet to return to full-time work, and 21 other passengers in danger of serious injury.

Russell further admitted a 12th charge of reckless conduct endangering serious injury relating to three roadside workers – Liam Ryan, Brendan Morris and Rodothea Kalisperis.

About 50 people are attending today's hearing, including victims and their loved ones, with many of them due to read out statements on how the crash impacted them.

A 15-year-old girl described in her darkest moments wishing she had died in the crash, so that she did not have to suffer from extreme pain in her leg and foot after undergoing several surgeries.

"I don't want a funky-looking leg, I want a normal leg," she told the court.

"I just want to be like everyone else."

Russell admitted to police when he was interviewed about the crash that he knew there was a risk in towing two trailers and driving a truck with defective brakes.

"Yes. And I still took the risk," he told police, prosecutor Jim Shaw told the court.

Shaw said Russell breached his duty of care by being criminally negligent and fell greatly short of the standard of care a reasonable person would have exercised in continuing to drive the truck.

"He knew that he would be driving on parts of the road which had steep descents that would be difficult to navigate with brakes that did not work," the prosecutor said.

"He also knew the risks to other road users if he were unable to stop the truck."

The pre-sentence hearing continues this afternoon.

﻿What is a government shutdown?