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| Australia live news: McCormack under pressure over Covid misinformation; Victoria records no new cases | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Doctors call on acting PM to stop MPs spreading medical misinformation; NSW races to solve 14 mystery cases. Follow all the latest news and information, live | |
| A German-led police sting has taken down the “world’s largest” darknet marketplace, whose Australian alleged operator used it to facilitate the sale of drugs, stolen credit card data and malware, prosecutors said Tuesday. | |
| At the time of its closure, DarkMarket had nearly 500,000 users and more than 2,400 vendors worldwide, as the coronavirus pandemic leads much of the street trade in narcotics to go online. | |
| Police in the northern city of Oldenburg “were able to arrest the alleged operator of the suspected world’s largest illegal marketplace on the darknet, the DarkMarket, at the weekend,” prosecutors said in a statement. | |
| “Investigators were able to shut down the marketplace and turn off the server on Monday,” they added, calling it the culmination of a months-long international law enforcement operation. | |
| A total of at least 320,000 transactions were carried out via the marketplace, with more than 4,650 bitcoin and 12,800 monero – two of the most common cryptocurrencies – changing hands, prosecutors said. | |
| You can read the full story below: | |
| Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is speaking with ABC now and has just been asked for his views on how the government should respond to politicians such as George Christensen and Craig Kelly who spread misinformation. | |
| So far the acting prime minister Micheal McCormack has refused to condemn them. | |
| It’s the news I look forward to every 8.04am. Victoria records zero new locally acquired cases. | |
| It’s not quite the “triple doughnuts” that we have come to know and love, as there are three cases from overseas travellers in hotel quarantine, but we shall forgive them for that. | |
| Australian cheese brand Coon has finally picked a new (less racially dubious) name – Cheer. | |
| Saputo Dairy who produces the cheese undertook a review of the Australian brand which took into account the “current attitudes and perspectives” after the community questioned the original name, which is also a racial slur. | Saputo Dairy who produces the cheese undertook a review of the Australian brand which took into account the “current attitudes and perspectives” after the community questioned the original name, which is also a racial slur. |
| The global head of Saputo Lino A Supato issued a statement: | The global head of Saputo Lino A Supato issued a statement: |
| The new name, Cheer, was chosen because it “signals happiness”, Saputo Dairy Australia commercial director Cam Bruce said. | The new name, Cheer, was chosen because it “signals happiness”, Saputo Dairy Australia commercial director Cam Bruce said. |
| Cheer cheese will be on the supermarket shelves nationwide from July 2021. | Cheer cheese will be on the supermarket shelves nationwide from July 2021. |
| Coon cheese has been sold in Australia since the 1930s and was originally named after the American who developed the maturation process, Edward William Coon. | Coon cheese has been sold in Australia since the 1930s and was originally named after the American who developed the maturation process, Edward William Coon. |
| Some left to see their nephew for the first time. Others to be a bridesmaid at a friend’s wedding. Or to see their family in Sydney again some 10 months after moving south without them. | Some left to see their nephew for the first time. Others to be a bridesmaid at a friend’s wedding. Or to see their family in Sydney again some 10 months after moving south without them. |
| And then they were stuck, among the thousands of Victorians who went interstate before Christmas and found themselves without a clear way home. | And then they were stuck, among the thousands of Victorians who went interstate before Christmas and found themselves without a clear way home. |
| The path is clearer since Monday when the Andrews government announced a permit system for travellers. As of Tuesday afternoon, more than 50,000 had been issued. | The path is clearer since Monday when the Andrews government announced a permit system for travellers. As of Tuesday afternoon, more than 50,000 had been issued. |
| But for some Victorians, confusion remains, as well as a lingering unease about being barred from their own state, and worry that others feel so strongly they should never have travelled interstate in the first place. | But for some Victorians, confusion remains, as well as a lingering unease about being barred from their own state, and worry that others feel so strongly they should never have travelled interstate in the first place. |
| You can read Nino Bucci’s full story below: | You can read Nino Bucci’s full story below: |
| In some good news a bushfire near the town of Cockburn, south of Perth has been downgraded to watch and act, which lets residents return home. | In some good news a bushfire near the town of Cockburn, south of Perth has been downgraded to watch and act, which lets residents return home. |
| Earlier, locals in parts of Atwell, Aubin Grove and Banjup were told to leave immediately under an emergency warning as fire crews and water bombers battled an out-of-control blaze. | Earlier, locals in parts of Atwell, Aubin Grove and Banjup were told to leave immediately under an emergency warning as fire crews and water bombers battled an out-of-control blaze. |
| But authorities are warning residents to remain aware as it was still possible that the fire could threaten to lives and homes if conditions change rapidly. | But authorities are warning residents to remain aware as it was still possible that the fire could threaten to lives and homes if conditions change rapidly. |
| “If you are well prepared and plan to actively defend your home, make final preparations now,” the alert issued on Wednesday said. | “If you are well prepared and plan to actively defend your home, make final preparations now,” the alert issued on Wednesday said. |
| Just a bit more information on those mystery cases in Syndey, courtesy of AAP. | Just a bit more information on those mystery cases in Syndey, courtesy of AAP. |
| NSW Health still has 14 recent coronavirus cases that they hope to link to known clusters. | NSW Health still has 14 recent coronavirus cases that they hope to link to known clusters. |
| All up, 12 cases found since 16 December are still being investigated by NSW contact tracers, including three detected before Christmas. | All up, 12 cases found since 16 December are still being investigated by NSW contact tracers, including three detected before Christmas. |
| A further two cases – from the Canterbury-Bankstown and Lane Cove council areas – have been fully investigated without any link found. | A further two cases – from the Canterbury-Bankstown and Lane Cove council areas – have been fully investigated without any link found. |
| NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian says it is unlikely any restrictions in greater Sydney will be eased this week. | NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian says it is unlikely any restrictions in greater Sydney will be eased this week. |
| She again backed the contact tracing teams, saying their work allowed her government to make decisions that didn’t place “unnecessary burdens” on residents. | She again backed the contact tracing teams, saying their work allowed her government to make decisions that didn’t place “unnecessary burdens” on residents. |
| She said the search to identify the case that sparked the northern beaches outbreak wouldn’t be stopped. | She said the search to identify the case that sparked the northern beaches outbreak wouldn’t be stopped. |
| Testing numbers reported on Tuesday were again below that of the day before, concerning officials. | Testing numbers reported on Tuesday were again below that of the day before, concerning officials. |
| Daily testing figures fell as low as 6,173 just before the northern beaches outbreak was discovered. | Daily testing figures fell as low as 6,173 just before the northern beaches outbreak was discovered. |
| NSW Health’s Jeremy McAnulty said this wasn’t good enough. | NSW Health’s Jeremy McAnulty said this wasn’t good enough. |
| NSW has more than 200 active coronavirus cases, including one person who is in hospital in intensive care. | NSW has more than 200 active coronavirus cases, including one person who is in hospital in intensive care. |
| Alerts remain out for dozens of hotspots, including a shopping centre in Warriewood, a post office in Hurlstone Park and a workers club in Blacktown. | Alerts remain out for dozens of hotspots, including a shopping centre in Warriewood, a post office in Hurlstone Park and a workers club in Blacktown. |
| Meanwhile, the ACT and Northern Territory have lifted travel restrictions for the Central Coast, Wollongong and some parts of Greater Sydney. | Meanwhile, the ACT and Northern Territory have lifted travel restrictions for the Central Coast, Wollongong and some parts of Greater Sydney. |
| Good morning all, Matilda Boseley here ready to take you through all the news that will undoubtedly unfold this Wednesday. | Good morning all, Matilda Boseley here ready to take you through all the news that will undoubtedly unfold this Wednesday. |
| If you see anything that you think belongs in the blog, make sure you send it through to me on Twitter @MatildaBoseley or by email on matilda.boseley@theguardian.com. | If you see anything that you think belongs in the blog, make sure you send it through to me on Twitter @MatildaBoseley or by email on matilda.boseley@theguardian.com. |
| Yesterday we spoke (at length) about the Nationals leader and acting prime minister Michael McCormack who managed to have an extremely controversial first 48 hours in the top job. (He is holding the reins of the country while Scott Morrison is on holidays). | Yesterday we spoke (at length) about the Nationals leader and acting prime minister Michael McCormack who managed to have an extremely controversial first 48 hours in the top job. (He is holding the reins of the country while Scott Morrison is on holidays). |
| McCormack has refused to condemn National MP George Christensen and Liberal MP Craig Kelly, after they spent the last few days spreading misinformation on Facebook. | McCormack has refused to condemn National MP George Christensen and Liberal MP Craig Kelly, after they spent the last few days spreading misinformation on Facebook. |
| Kelly on Monday night posted saying that mandatory mask-wearing was “child abuse”, citing a number of dubious statistics from a non-peer-reviewed study. | Kelly on Monday night posted saying that mandatory mask-wearing was “child abuse”, citing a number of dubious statistics from a non-peer-reviewed study. |
| These comments have been slammed by the Australian Medical Association and the federal opposition, but McCormack responded to questions about whether politicians should be censured for spreading misinformation by saying that “facts are contentious” and politicians are entitled to their own opinions. | These comments have been slammed by the Australian Medical Association and the federal opposition, but McCormack responded to questions about whether politicians should be censured for spreading misinformation by saying that “facts are contentious” and politicians are entitled to their own opinions. |
| (And if you thought one controversy just wasn’t enough, McCormack also repeatedly compared the deadly insurrection of the US Capitol building to Black Lives Matter protests across the world, and stated “All lives matter”, a popular anti-BLM catchphrase.) | (And if you thought one controversy just wasn’t enough, McCormack also repeatedly compared the deadly insurrection of the US Capitol building to Black Lives Matter protests across the world, and stated “All lives matter”, a popular anti-BLM catchphrase.) |
| In Covid-19 news, NSW is still scrambling to find the source of multiple mystery cases across Sydney as they continue to “mop up” clusters. | In Covid-19 news, NSW is still scrambling to find the source of multiple mystery cases across Sydney as they continue to “mop up” clusters. |
| Four weeks on from discovering the northern beaches outbreak, NSW Health is still trying to link 14 recent coronavirus cases to known clusters. Of the five locally acquired coronavirus cases reported on yesterday, the origins of four new cases – one on the northern beaches (who has infected a close contact of that person) and one in Blacktown (who has infected a close contact of that person) – are so far unknown. | Four weeks on from discovering the northern beaches outbreak, NSW Health is still trying to link 14 recent coronavirus cases to known clusters. Of the five locally acquired coronavirus cases reported on yesterday, the origins of four new cases – one on the northern beaches (who has infected a close contact of that person) and one in Blacktown (who has infected a close contact of that person) – are so far unknown. |
| All up, 12 cases found since 16 December are still being investigated by NSW contact tracers, including three detected before Christmas. | All up, 12 cases found since 16 December are still being investigated by NSW contact tracers, including three detected before Christmas. |
| NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian stated it was unlikely that any further restrictions would be eased this week. | NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian stated it was unlikely that any further restrictions would be eased this week. |