Australian news live: Israel missile reportedly hits Iran, Joel Cauchi's unusual message to brothel

Have you ever wondered what these ramps at the side of highways are for? Well NSW Police have shown just how important they are following a truck driver's terrifying ordeal.

Early this morning a truck began experiencing mechanical issues on a 110km/h stretch of the M1 Motorway north of Sydney and the vehicle was unable to stop by itself. Luckily, it was able to come to a halt at the top of a safety ramp, as seen in the pictures below.

Police say they have caught several drivers parking at the base of the ramp. Drivers are prohibited from doing so and the offence can result in a $302 fine.

"Today's incident highlights the potentially tragic consequences of disregarding this rule," Traffic and Highway Patrol said.

The World Health Organisation says there is "enormous concern" bird flu will spill over to humans.

An outbreak of H5N1 bird flu, which has a high mortality rate in humans, began in 2020 has led to the deaths or killing of tens of millions of poultry. The virus has since spread within several mammal species including cows and goats, with experts now fearing it is more likely to be past on to humans.

“This remains I think an enormous concern,” WHO chief scientist, Jeremy Farrar, told reporters.

Yahoo's Environment Editor Michael Dahlstrom has covered the outbreak extensively and you can read his related stories below.

• Grave fears deadly bird flu to rip through millions of penguins after 'concerning' discovery

• Bird flu toll rises sparking concerns of a new pandemic: 'We need to be concerned'

• New Zealand prepares for threat of avian influenza as virus spreads to Antarctica

Flights have been cleared from the western side of Iran following reports of a missile attack by Israel.

Iran's Fars news agency reported three explosions were heard near an army base in the central city of Isfahan, Reuters reported. The city's airport has reportedly been closed, as have airports in Tehran and Shiraz.

Some international flights, as pictured in the X post below, made sudden U-turns as it moved away from the airspace. Commercial flights have been grounded in Iran's western and central regions.

Reports are emerging Israel has hit Iran with a missile strike.

Iranian state media reported an explosion in the centre of the country days after Iran launched a retaliatory drone strike on Israel.

Read more here.

In a disturbing update from police in Western Australia, four people, including a nine-year-old boy, have died after a ute they were travelling in struck a tree.

The silver Nissan Navara utility left the Great Eastern Highway at Clackline, east of Perth, in the early hours of Friday morning and hit the tree.

"Tragically, the four male occupants of the vehicle, aged 45, 21, 19 and 9, sustained catastrophic injuries and died at the scene," WA Police said.

Investigations are ongoing and police are appealing for anyone with dashcam footage to come forward.

What a picture this is from South Australia.

Royal Flying Doctor Service volunteer Mick Young said the kangaroo just wanted a bit of "human interaction".

Read the story behind the adorable moment here.

One of China's most notorious tabloids has now taken a swipe at Australia, telling Canberra it needs to stop conjuring up an "imaginary war" alongside the US.

It comes after the Albanese government revealed its national defence strategy and confirmed its defence budget would increase by $50 billion. The revelation was blasted by China's foreign ministry a day before the Global Times warned Australia about its "miscalculations".

“China and Australia have no historical grudges or fundamental conflicts of interest, and China has no intention of treating Australia as an enemy, but it is always described as a “threat” by Australia,” the Global Times has now said.

Read more here.

Spare a thought for this unlucky McDonald's customer after the fast food giant confirmed hundreds of tokens she'd collected are now worthless.

Canadian Vinnie Deluca collected 416 full loyalty cards over a number of years, each which entitled her to a free hot drink, CTV Toronto reported. Each card is complete with seven stickers that are given with every coffee purchased, meaning Deluca has bought nearly 3,000 coffees at McDonald's.

However McDonald's changed their rewards scheme and offers are now exclusively redeemable on its app.

McDonald's says it will not honour any of the tokens, stressing it gave ample warning to customers to use tokens before the change.

Do you think that's fair from McDonald's? Have your say below.

Bondi knifeman Joel Cauchi was described as "delusional" by a former brothel manager over his attempts to become a sex worker.

Cee Rodriguez told the Daily Mail Cauchi, 40, made an informal and “sloppy” application to work at the brothel she managed near the Bondi Junction Westfield shopping centre.

She said she only entertained the unusual application after he said he was willing to offer his services to men as well as women.

"If he hadn't said men I would have just laughed. I would have sent a laughing emoji and blocked him," she said.

"But since he said men and because I know the demographic and some of the clientele and their requests, I entertained the idea of a booking-only arrangement."

Cauchi also advertised his services as a male escort online.

With shoppers set to return to Bondi Junction Westfield today, one business owner has revealed he is "terrified" to start back less than a week after the fatal stabbing spree.

“I’m very nervous and actually I feel a bit sick in the stomach and I’m still a bit terrified, to be honest,” hair salon owner Bill Mohana told Today.

Visitors to the shopping centre have been urged not to ask workers about the attack, with the day expected to be confronting for many who were there last Saturday when Joel Cauchi stabbed multiple people, killing six.

Read more here.

Brittany Higgins has posted on social media for the first time since a Federal Court judge found her former colleague Bruce Lehrmann raped her.

Justice Michael Lee ruled that to the civil standard — that is the balance of probabilities — Mr Lehrmann had lied and had sex with Ms Higgins on the couch of Senator Linda Reynolds’ office in 2019 when she was too drunk to give consent.

His ruling meant Mr Lehrmann lost his defamation battle against Network 10 and journalist Lisa Wilkinson.

On Thursday, Ms Higgins posted a story on Instagram noting that submissions had opened for an Australian Law Reform Commission inquiry into justice responses to sexual violence.

Read the full story here.

The 16-year-old boy who allegedly stabbed a bishop at a Sydney church has been charged days after the attack on Monday.

Police allege the teen attacked the 53-year-old bishop and another priest during a live-streamed service at the Christ the Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley on Monday.

He allegedly travelled up to 90 minutes from his home to allegedly carry out the attack. He has been charged with committing a terrorist act under Commonwealth law.

Read the full story here.