Hugely popular Bluey coins return with new $2 collection

Hugely popular Bluey coins return with new $2 collection

Australia's favourite blue heeler is back at the post office with today's release of a new $2 Bluey coin collection.

Australia Post, in partnership with the Royal Australian Mint and BBC Studios, has officially launched the first-ever $2 Bluey "Dollarbucks". 

The release follows the unprecedented success in 2024 of the Bluey $1 coin collection series, which became one of the most sought after - and controversial - collectibles in Australian history.

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One of the new Bluey $2 coins, now available at Australia Post stores.

What's in the collection?

The new $2 coins feature Bluey, sister Bingo, dad Bandit and mum Chilli, and were designed in collaboration with Brisbane's own Ludo Studio. 

Fans will recognise scenes from fan-favourite episodes, including Camping and Granny Mobile.

Collectors can snag individual uncirculated coins for $20, or opt for the five-coin tube and folder set for $34. 

The new collection of Bluey $2 coins is expected to be widely sought after.

For those feeling lucky, the sets offer a one-in-ten chance of containing a special "Sleepytime" coloured coin - a nod to the episode frequently voted by fans as the series' best.

Australia Post Executive General Manager Josh Bannister confirmed that special Bluey and Bingo coloured $2 coins will also be entering circulation through till change at participating Post Offices.

"Bluey is loved by families across Australia and the world," Bannister said. 

"These first-ever $2 coins are a fun way for fans to connect with the characters they love."

Bluey coin theft

While wildly successful, the 2024 launch of the Bluey $1 coins was briefly marred by a bizarre crime that made international headlines.

In July 2024, two men stole 63,000 unreleased Bluey coins - weighing several tonnes - from a warehouse in Sydney's west. 

Bluey coins found by police

The men, aged 47 and 44, stole the pallet of coins before they could reach the public, later selling them online to unsuspecting collectors for ten times their face value.

The theft sparked a major Strike Force investigation, eventually leading to arrests and the recovery of some of the loot. 

The rarity of the stolen coins only fuelled the frenzy, with some $1 coins still fetching massive premiums on the secondary market.

The new Bluey $2 Dollarbuck collection is available at participating Post Offices and online from today, May 6.

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'Dangerous tool': Italian prime minister shares deepfake lingerie photo

'Dangerous tool': Italian prime minister shares deepfake lingerie photo

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has slammed the release of AI-generated deepfake images of her, including one depicting her wearing lingerie and sitting on a bed.

Meloni said on social media the images were false and probably circulated by political opponents in an apparent bid to turn voters against her.

Meloni wrote on Facebook on Tuesday (Wednesday AEST): "In recent days, several fake images of me have been circulating, generated using artificial intelligence and passed off as real by some overzealous opponents.

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"I must admit that whoever created them … even improved my appearance quite a bit," she joked.

"But the fact remains that, in order to attack and spread falsehoods, people are now willing to use absolutely anything."

Meloni, Italy's first female prime minister, says she also hopes the release of the fake photos would tackle online critics who fell for the deception and criticised her.

But the Italian leader also addressed the wider use of deepfake images as a "dangerous tool" designed to harm their victims, who without her high profile have little opportunity to respond.

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https://twitter.com/GiorgiaMeloni/status/2051672420440764626?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

"The issue goes beyond me. Deepfakes are a dangerous tool, because they can deceive, manipulate and target anyone. I can defend myself. Many others cannot. For this reason, one rule should always apply: verify before believing, and think before sharing. Because today it happens to me, tomorrow it could happen to anyone," said Meloni.

Meloni has been the target of deepfakes before. The Italian PM was listed as an injured party in the case of a man in Sardinia last year accused of making deepfake pornographic images using her face and posting them online.

She took the unusual step of posting the current images as the European Union investigates technology firms for allowing users to access AI software that generates fake nude images.

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Sydney lord mayor cancels 'globalise the intifada' event

Sydney lord mayor cancels 'globalise the intifada' event

A pro-Palestine forum set to take place in a Sydney council building has been cancelled by Lord Mayor Clover Moore.

The event, called "Why is it right to say Globalise the Intifada", was set to be held at the East Sydney Community Arts Centre tonight, and was organised by the Stop The War on Palestine group.

However, Sydney's lord mayor has issued an eleventh-hour order to the city's chief executive to cancel the event due to fears it could cause unrest in Sydney.

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Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore, said she feared the event would create hostility and fear at a fragile moment in Sydney.

In a statement, she said events couldn't contribute to "hostility and fear".

"I have long supported the principles of peaceful assembly, protest and freedom of speech. However, these rights must always be balanced with a responsibility to ensure public safety and respect for all members of our diverse community," she said.

She claimed a media campaign has sought to stoke division based on the event, which could lead to heightened tensions, especially as the Royal Commission into Antisemitism begins this week.

"In recent weeks, we have seen a persistent media campaign by the Murdoch press against this event,' she claimed.

"The coverage has exploited trauma, painting complex issues in black and white and, in bad faith, demanded our communities take sides."

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SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 03: People, including Wikileaks founder Julian Assange and Craig Foster, march across the Harbour Bridge during a pro-Palestinian rally on August 03, 2025 in Sydney, Australia. Protesters in Sydney and Melbourne joined marches and actions globally, as pressure mounts on the Israeli government over a devastating humanitarian crisis unfolding as its war against Hamas continues. (Photo by Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images)

She insisted she supports the right to free protest, mentioning she participated in the pro-Palestine march across Sydney Harbour Bridge last year, and also accepted there had been rises in multiple forms of discrimination against multiple groups.

"The impact of violence in the Middle East has left many hurting and afraid," she said.

"Families have lost loved ones. Antisemitism, lslamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism has risen. Unthinkable evil terrorised Bondi."

She also claimed some media reporting looked to conflate any anti-war protest with being a criticism of Israel, which she denied.

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"Protesting the war is legitimate, and in no way affects my deep sympathy, solidarity and concern for Jewish communities," Moore said.

Pro-Palestine protests have been a source of controversy in Sydney, with several people being arrested by police after a demonstration outside Town Hall in February during the visit of Israel's president, Isaac Herzog.

This came after Premier Chris Minns passed special temporary laws to limit protests in the aftermath of the Bondi shooting and increase police powers to act during protests.

The laws were later ruled unconstitutional by the NSW High Court.

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Millions in path of wintry blast this week

Millions in path of wintry blast this week

A spell of warm and sunny weather across south-eastern Australia is forecast to come to a shuddering halt this week.

Tasmania, Victoria and southern NSW will feel much chillier by Thursday when a blast of cold winds from the deep Southern Ocean rolls in, reports weather data firm Weatherzone.

The weather system will begin its march on Wednesday, and over the following 24 hours, snowfalls can be expected in parts of the NSW Snowy Mountains, the Victorian Alps and the Tasmanian Highlands.

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The latter two could record falls as low as 800 metres, forecasters say.

A second cold front is due to arrive early Friday, extending the plummeting temperatures and gusty winds through the day, while snowfalls will be limited to higher ground.

But skiers and snowboarders shouldn't expect an early start to the winter sports season.

"Snow accumulations across the two days should amount to approximately 10-20cm across the Victorian and New South Wales major resorts and about 3-8cm across the Tasmanian Central Plateau and the higher peaks in south-west Victoria," according to Weatherzone.

"This should be ample snow cover for snow play, snowball fights and maybe a slide on a toboggan."

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Thredbo faces snowfall

Residents in south-eastern capital cities should be reaching for the winter woollies by Thursday when the mercury drops markedly.

Canberra is heading for a chilly maximum temperature of 8 degrees, Hobart 11 degrees, Melbourne 12 degrees, while Sydney can expect a far more pleasant 19 degrees.

Anyone heading outdoors should prepare to add an extra layer of clothing, with cold, gusty winds accentuating the chill factor.

The wintry blast is forecast to be brief, with seasonal average temperatures returning by the late weekend.

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Former New York mayor and Trump ally fighting for life in hospital

Former New York mayor and Trump ally fighting for life in hospital

Former New York mayor and close Donald Trump ally Rudy Giuliani is fighting for his life at a hospital in Florida.

The 81-year-old is critical but stable, according to his spokesperson Ted Goodman.

"Mayor Giuliani is a fighter who has faced every challenge in his life with unwavering strength, and he's fighting with that same level of strength as we speak," he said in a statement on Sunday night (Monday morning AEST).

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"We do ask that you join us in prayer for America's Mayor-Rudy Giuliani."

In response, US President Donald Trump labelled him a "true warrior" who was treated "so bad by the Radical Left Lunatics".

"Our fabulous Rudy Giuliani, a True Warrior, and the Best Mayor in the History of New York City, BY FAR, has been hospitalised, and is in critical condition," he said in a Truth Social Post.

"What a tragedy that he was treated so badly by the Radical Left Lunatics, Democrats ALL — AND HE WAS RIGHT ABOUT EVERYTHING!

"They cheated on the Elections, fabricated hundreds of stories, did anything possible to destroy our Nation, and now, look at Rudy. So sad!"

More to come. 

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Three dead after deadly disease outbreak on Atlantic Ocean cruise ship

Three dead after deadly disease outbreak on Atlantic Ocean cruise ship

Three people have died and another is in intensive care in South Africa after a suspected outbreak of the rare but deadly hantavirus on a cruise ship sailing in the Atlantic Ocean.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) said that of the six people on the ship exhibiting symptoms, only one of the cases had been confirmed on the vessel.

Associated Press, citing reports from South African media, said the ship was the MV Hondius, sailing from Argentina to Cape Verde, a small island nation off the coast of West Africa.

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The MV Hondius, which is reportedly suffering from an outbreak of the deadly hantavirus. Three people have died, and another is in intensive care in South Africa.

It is currently docked at Cape Verde.

People can become infected with Hantavirus through exposure to rodents' urine or faeces, and the disease can also spread from person to person, though this is rare.

Initial symptoms include fatigue, fever and muscle aches, but it can also lead to severe respiratory illnesses and death.

"Detailed investigations are ongoing, including further laboratory testing, and epidemiological investigations. Medical care and support are being provided to passengers and crew," WHO said in a statement published on X.

It added that it was coordinating a response to evacuate two symptomatic passengers from the ship, and supporting passengers still on board.

The MarineTraffic global shipping website identified the vessel as a Dutch-flagged passenger cruise ship. It said it was docked in Praia, the capital of Cape Verde, on Sunday night.

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The first victim was a 70-year-old man who died on the ship and whose body was removed in the British territory of Saint Helena in the South Atlantic, South Africa's Department of Health said in a statement. The man's wife collapsed at an airport in South Africa trying to take a flight to her home country of the Netherlands, the department said. She died at a nearby hospital.

The department identified the patient in intensive care in a hospital in Johannesburg as a British national.

It said that person fell ill near Ascension Island, another remote island in the Atlantic, after the ship left Saint Helena and was transferred from there to South Africa.

Around 150 tourists were onboard the ship at the time of the outbreak, South Africa's health department said. Several online tour operators said the Hondius, which is described as a specialist polar cruise ship, usually travels with around 70 crew members.

South Africa's National Institute for Communicable Diseases, meanwhile, was conducting contact tracing in the Johannesburg region to identify if other people were exposed to the infected passengers in South Africa.

MV Hondius is operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, a Dutch travel company that offers cruise packages that explore the Arctic and Antarctic regions of the world.

What is hantavirus?

Hantavirus are a group of viruses that can impact people, though there have been no human cases recorded in Australia.

The virus is found all over the world, including in Asia, Europe and the USA.

It gained attention last year  after the late actor Gene Hackman's wife, Betsy Arakawa, died from hantavirus infection.

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A photo taken by investigators during the search of the home of Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa.

Hackman died around a week later at their home from heart disease.

The virus can cause a severe and sometimes deadly lung infection called hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

There is no specific treatment or cure for hantavirus infections, but early medical attention can increase the chance of survival.

Reported with Associated Press.

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Donald Trump claims he is reviewing Iranian proposal to end the war

Donald Trump claims he is reviewing Iranian proposal to end the war

President Donald Trump said he was reviewing a new Iranian proposal to end the war.

"I'll let you know about it later," he said before boarding Air Force One, adding that "they're going to give me the exact wording now".

However, moments later, he elaborated on Truth Social, claiming "[I] can't imagine that it would be acceptable."

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President Donald Trump talks to reporters before he boards Air Force One at Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Fla., Saturday May 2, 2026, en route Miami. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)Donald Trump posted his thoughts on the proposal soon after speaking to media.

"They have not yet paid a big enough price for what they have done to Humanity, and the World, over the last 47 years.," Trump said in the post.

Two semi-official Iranian outlets, Tasnim and Fars, believed to be close to Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, said Iran has sent a 14-point proposal via Pakistan in response to a nine-point US proposal.

Trump rejected a previous Iranian proposal this week. However, conversations have continued, and the three-week ceasefire appears to be holding.

The president has also floated a new plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, where about a fifth of the world's trade in oil and natural gas typically passes.

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Donald Trump also pushed back against suggestions that he claimed no deal would be better than a deal with Iran to end the war.

The president also pushed back on remarks he made yesterday, when he said, "Frankly, maybe we're better off not making a deal at all. Do you want to know the truth? Because we can't let this thing go on."

"I didn't say that," Trump said today.

"I said that if we left right now, it would take them 20 years to rebuild. But we're not leaving right now," he told reporters before departing from Palm Beach to Miami.

While Trump reviews the proposal, he has also allowed the State Department to bypass congressional approval to sell billions in arms to several Middle Eastern allies, including Israel.

In several announcements made yesterday, the State Department said it had approved military sales to Israel, Qatar, the UAE and Kuwait totalling US$8.6 billion ($12 billion).

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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio looks on as he speaks to the press following a G7 Foreign Ministers' meeting with Partner Countries at the Bourget airport in Le Bourget, outside Paris, Friday, March 27, 2026. (Brendan Smialowski/Pool Photo via AP)

"The Secretary of State [Marco Rubio] has determined and provided detailed justification that an emergency exists that requires the immediate sale... of the above defence articles and defence services is in the national security interests of the United States," the statements read, adding that this meant the need for congressional approval was waived.

Israel received the Advanced Precision Kill Weapons System and "other related equipment", which will net the US about $1.4 billion.

The UAE and Qatar also received this system, while the latter will have its Patriot air and missile defence stocks replenished.

This will cost around $5.6 billion alone.

"There will be no adverse impact on US defence readiness as a result of this proposed sale," the State Department claims.

Reported with Associated Press and CNN.

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Two charged after Melbourne restaurant torched in arson attack

Two charged after Melbourne restaurant torched in arson attack

Two people, including a 16-year-old boy, have been charged after a Docklands restaurant was firebombed.

Police allege the two males smashed through glass doors at the Almina restaurant on Docklands Drive at about 3.30am yesterday.

They then allegedly poured accelerant inside the restaurant, before setting it on fire and fleeing the scene.

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The restaurant was set on fire yesterday morning.

The restaurant was lightly damaged, but the glass doors remain boarded up.

The pair attempted to get into an allegedly stolen car, but were disturbed by police who were patrolling the area.

They allegedly attempted to run from the scene, but were found hiding under the Bolte Bridge in Ron Barassi Snr Park.

They were arrested, along with a third male who was found in a car on Docklands Drive.

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It is not known if the fire is linked to several recent attacks on Melbourne hospitality venues.

Inside the car, police seized jerry cans.

A boy, 16, from the Glen Eira area, and a 22-year-old man were each charged with criminal damage by fire, reckless conduct endangering life and burglary.

The boy will appear before a children's court today, while the man will appear before Melbourne Magistrates Court today.

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The scars from the attack are still seen at the restaurant, with glass doors being smashed in.

The man, 19, who was arrested in the car was released pending further investigation.

Police are now investigating whether this attack is linked to a spate of recent firebombings and shootings on Melbourne hospitality venues.

The motive for the attacks is not known, but police believe they are being coordinated by an organised crime syndicate, which is using encrypted apps to recruit people, sometimes children.

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Man arrested after three people die in attack in Sydney home

Man arrested after three people die in attack in Sydney home

A man is in custody after three people died in a home in Sydney's south-west overnight in an alleged attack.

It was initially reported the trio were assaulted by someone known to them in the early hours of the morning at a home in Rosemeadow, with emergency services arriving at the house on Juliet Close just after 1.30am.

Inside, they found a 64-year-old man with serious head injuries, and the bodies of a man and a woman.

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Authorities were called to the home after reports of an assault.

The bodies found in the home are believed to be of a man in his 20s and a woman in her 60s.

They have not been formally identified.

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Two people died inside the home, while a man, 64, later died in hospital.A man was arrested after returning to the home at 2.30am in a silver sedan.

The injured man was treated by paramedics at the home and was taken to Liverpool Hospital, but he later died.

About an hour later, a silver sedan arrived at the home, and police arrested the driver, a 32-year-old man.

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He was taken to Campbelltown Police Station pending further inquiries, but has not been charged with any offences.

A crime scene has been established, with officers connected to the Homicide Squad beginning an investigation.

A report will be prepared for the coroner.

Anyone with information on the incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.

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