Police in New Zealand have shared photos of a campsite they believe fugitive Tom Phillips was using with his three children before he was shot dead by police.

Two of the children were found by police at the site, 2km from where a shoot out occurred between Phillips and police.

In the campsite photo, there are two quad bikes covered with a sheet. Police say there was at least one firearm found at the location.

Phillips has been on the run with his children since 2021 and there has been very few sightings of the group.

Police commissioner Richard Chambers said previous searches for Phillips would have brought them "very, very close" to the location of the site found, The New Zealand Herald reported. It is believed Phillips and his children used several locations in the years they evaded detection.

The officer injured in the shoot out sustained "confronting" injuries and spent Monday in surgery.

The family of the Sydney surfer killed in a shark attack on Saturday has released a statement in the wake of the tragedy.

Attributed to Mercury Psillakis' wife Maria, his young daughter Freedom and the rest of his family, the statement said it was impossible to summarise what he meant to people.

"This is a statement that is so hard to write, as there are no words that can describe the amazing, humorous and beautiful man he is — everyone felt it. There is so much more to say, but it is impossible to describe him with justice in a statement," it said.

"Merc is deeply loved by everyone who knows him. He was Maria’s soulmate, our best friend and the most loving father to Freedom, his daughter who he is so proud of. Their bond was extraordinary and he always placed his family above everything else. His family meant the world to him.

"Merc is and will always be a hero, a loving and devoted husband, father and family man who could bring humour to every situation. We are devastated by this loss, but will forever carry his spirit, energy and joy in our hearts."

Democrats in the US House of Representatives have made public a birthday letter Donald Trump allegedly wrote to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein more than 20 years ago, though the White House quickly denied its authenticity.

The letter, the existence of which was reported by the Wall Street Journal in July, appears to have been signed by Trump, but he has denied doing so and has said it does not exist.

The birthday letter contains text of a purported dialogue between Trump and Epstein in which Trump calls him a "pal" and says, "May every day be another wonderful secret." The text sits within a crude sketch of the silhouette of a naked woman.

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich denounced the release, saying the signature on the letter was not Trump's and alluded to Trump's lawsuit against the Journal's parent company, News Corp.

"Time for @newscorp to open that checkbook, it’s not his signature. DEFAMATION!" Budowich posted on X.

The case of Epstein, who died by suicide in prison in 2019, has caused a political headache for Trump after many of his supporters embraced a slew of conspiracy theories surrounding the convicted sex offender.

There's an urgent warning in NSW after 10 people in the state were hospitalised after taking what they believed was cocaine.

NSW Health says they suffered suspected opioid overdoses, with three admitted to ICU. Health authorities say the cases are a significant increase on normal case levels.

Medical Director of the NSW Poisons Information Centre, Dr Darren Roberts, said it is important people recognise the signs of an opioid overdose early and know how to respond.

“Opioids such as heroin can cause pin-point pupils, drowsiness, loss of consciousness, slowed breathing/snoring and skin turning blue/grey and can be life-threatening,” Dr Roberts said.

“One of the dangers of illicit drug supply is the contents and strength of the substance you are getting is uncertain and can be inconsistent. An opioid overdose could quickly result from a single line.

“Opioids such as heroin can be sold as or found in cocaine, methamphetamine, and MDMA (ecstasy). You cannot always tell the difference between these drugs by appearance.

“In light of this detection, people who use drugs such as cocaine, methamphetamine, MDMA or opioids should carry naloxone.”

If you witness someone experiencing any unexpected symptoms after using drugs, you should call Triple-0 immediately or seek urgent medical attention. Naloxone should be given immediately if available.

Naloxone is an important life-saving medication that reverses the effects of opioids. It does not require a prescription and is free for anyone at risk of opioid overdose in NSW.

Well we hope this isn't the result of one too many drinks on Saturday night.

A mystery Keno winner has yet to come forward three days after winning a life-changing $1.5 million at an RSL on NSW's north coast.

The winning ticket bagged the Keno Classic 10 Spot in draw 748 and it was purchased at Sawtell RSL club.

Hopefully they can remember buying it.

"We’re sure that when they do discover their newfound fortune, they’ll be absolutely thrilled," lottery officials said on Tuesday.

The Gaza-bound flotilla says one of its main boats has been struck by a drone strike.

The Global Sumud Flotilla, which involves close to 1,000 people including environmental activist Greta Thunberg, shared vision on its Instagram account of the moment the drone struck and also damage the boat had sustained. In one of the videos two men can be heard screaming 'help' in the aftermath.

In a statement, the Global Sumud Flotilla said the boat's six passengers and crew were safe but said parts of the boat had been damaged by fire from the strike in Tunisian waters.

"Acts of aggression aimed at intimidating and derailing our mission will not deter us. Our peaceful mission to break the siege on Gaza and stand in solidarity with its people continues with determination and resolve," it said.

The fleet of 50 boats, which is carrying humanitarian supplies, is slated to reach the Gaza Strip within the next few days however previous attempts have been blocked.

Tuesday marks two weeks since Dezi Freeman was last seen fleeing into bushland in Victoria's high country after allegedly shooting two police officers dead and injuring another.

Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson, 59, and Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart, 34, died in Porepunkah, about 300km northeast of Melbourne, on August 26 and were farewelled on Monday and Friday respectively.

Police believe 56-year-old Freeman might be receiving help from people within his network, offering a $1 million reward for information leading to his arrest.

More than 100 properties have been searched for the fugitive, with hundreds of officers still in the area trying to track him down.

With AAP

The Sydney beach where a surfer was fatally attacked by a shark on Saturday has reopened.

Dee Why Beach and Long Reef Beach were both closed following the attack but have now reopened on Tuesday morning, Northern Beaches Council confirmed.

"Swimmer safety remains our highest priority. Council Lifeguards will continue water patrols via jetski, supported by Surf Life Saving NSW drone surveillance," council said.

Mercury Psillakis, 57, suffered critical injuries after he was bitten by a large great white shark at Dee Why Beach, about 300m north of the surf club, shortly before 10am on Saturday. Surfcam from the beach on Tuesday morning showed there was no one in the water bar the jet ski patrol.

The government in WA has been forced to shut down a false claim circulating online which suggests elderly drivers were about to be hit with a curfew.

"There have been AI-generated articles and videos claiming that there is an Australia-wide driving curfew coming for people aged 60+," Transport WA said, calling the claim "completely fabricated".

Transport WA urged people to check with official government bodies to verify such claims, and said grammatical errors as well AI-generated images and voiceovers were red flags.

Australians can report dodgy websites to ScamWatch.

The Murdoch family has reached a deal that will see Rupert Murdoch's politically conservative eldest son Lachlan Murdoch cement control of the family media empire which includes Fox News and the Wall Street Journal.

The deal ends a family brawl over who will control one of the highest-profile global media groups and puts to rest questions of succession within the Murdoch family after its patriarch's death.

Under the agreement, Rupert's children James Murdoch, Elisabeth Murdoch and Prudence MacLeod will receive cash from the sale of about 16.9 million shares of Fox Class B stock and about 14.2 million shares of News Corp's Class B common stock. The amount of the payment was not disclosed.

Citing an unnamed source, the New York Times reported each of the children is expected to receive about A$1.7 billion in proceeds.

They agreed to sell their personal holdings in Fox and News Corp over a period of six months, according to the announcement.

A new family trust will be created to benefit Lachlan Murdoch, and his younger siblings, Grace Murdoch and Chloe Murdoch, who are Rupert Murdoch's children from his marriage to Wendi Deng Murdoch.

This trust, worth about A$5 billion, according to the Times, will hold all the Murdoch family's remaining shares of Fox and News Corp.

News Corp declined to comment on the New York Times' valuation of the new family trust's holdings, or the amount the departing Murdoch children would receive. Fox did not reply to a request for comment.

A teenage girl who has been fighting for her life has succumbed to her injuries in hospital, days after being savagely mauled by a dog while visiting a friend’s house.

Annalyse Blyton, 17, was at the home of a friend on Broughton Street in Singleton, in the New South Wales Hunter region, when a large "dog of mixed breed" attacked her on Thursday.

She was treated at the scene by paramedics and later airlifted to John Hunter Hospital in a critical condition. Police, with permission from the animal's owner, destroyed the dog at the scene.

It's understood the animal, aged 10, lived at the home.

The teen victim suffered extensive wounds to her head, neck and body with police praising bystanders for trying to help save the girl during the attack.

NSW Police announced on Tuesday morning that Annalyse had passed away on Monday.

A report will be prepared for the information of the coroner while police investigations continue.

They're the market leaders when it comes to electric vehicles in Australia, but buying a second-hand Tesla or BYD can be a less-appealing opportunity for some.

The biggest concern about buying a used EV is what sort of state the battery is in, and it can be hard to tell for many.

But the NRMA is looking to ease that anxiety with a new service, offering a battery health check.

“Nobody wants to end up buying an EV with a poor battery. Our EV Battery Health Check gives buyers the confidence and transparency to purchase a used EV knowing exactly what they’re getting,” NRMA Executive General Manager Roadside Carolyn Darke said.

NRMA says it will use advanced diagnostic tools to measure the battery’s condition and remaining capacity. It will allow them to identify signs of degradation or irregular charging behaviour and provide a comprehensive report that can be sent between seller and buyer.

It will be available in Sydney and then Canberra, costing members $150 and non-members $200.