Australia news LIVE Victoria records 1438 new local COVID-19 cases five deaths NSW records 941 new cases six deaths Queensland records five new cases

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Paris: Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been sentenced to one year in prison, pending a potential appeal, after being found guilty of illegal campaign financing of his unsuccessful 2012 re-election bid.

Sarkozy wasn’t present at the Paris court for the verdict’s announcement.

French former president Nicolas Sarkozy.Credit:AP

He is accused of having spent almost twice the maximum legal amount of €22.5 million ($36.3 million) on the re-election bid that he lost to Socialist Francois Hollande.

The court stated that Sarkozy “knew” the legal limit was at stake and “voluntarily” failed to supervise additional expenses. Prosecutors have requested a six-month prison term, as well as a six-month suspended sentence and a fine of €3750.

Sarkozy, France’s president from 2007 to 2012, has vigorously denied wrongdoing during the trial in May and June. He can appeal the decision.

Read this developing story here.

AP

New regional communities in Victoria are being put on alert after COVID-19 viral fragments were detected in wastewater samples.

There has been an unexpected wastewater detection in the Ararat area, in the state’s south-west, between September 26 to 28.

Residents in Ballarat are urged to get tested if they experience the mildest of virus symptoms. Credit:Penny Stephens

At Mildura, in north-west Victoria, the period of interest is the same - September 26 to 28.

There have been repeated unexpected detections in Seymour, north of Melbourne, between September 20 and 28.

In Ballarat, in the Central Highlands, the health department is keeping an eye on areas including Lake Gardens, Mitchell Park and Wendouree between September 15 and 28.

Additional unexpected detections were also found in the Ballarat suburbs of Alfredton, Cardigan and Lucas on 27 and 28 September 27 and 28.

The health department said detections could signal an undiscovered new case, or cases, or could be the result of one or more people in those areas who had recovered from COVID-19 but were still shedding the virus.

Anyone who lives in, works in or has visited the areas identified is urged to watch for the mildest of COVID-19 symptoms and get tested as soon as possible if any symptoms develop.

The detections come as 46 new cases of COVID-19 are recorded in parts of regional Victoria.

They include 12 in Mitchell, 5 in Greater Shepparton and six in Moorabool. A further four cases have also been added to Warrnambool’s tally and three in both Gannawarra and Baw Baw.

Vietnam will wind back the ultra-strict lockdown in its largest city on Friday, ending nearly three months of restrictions.

People in Ho Chi Minh City, a metropolis of 10 million, will be able to leave their homes, restaurants can serve take-away meals and other essential businesses can open, the city said on its website on Thursday.

Police officers remove barricades in Vung Tau, Vietnam, on Thursday, as the city prepares to wind back lockdown restrictions.Credit:Hau Dinh/AP Photo

For the past four weeks, Ho Chi Minh residents were banned from leaving their homes even for food - basic supplies were delivered door-to-door by the army.

A social distancing order will still be enforced. Schools are closed, public transport remains suspended, travel in and out of the city will be controlled and public gatherings of more than 10 people outside is banned.

People who wish to attend social activities will have to show proof of vaccination to be admitted to establishments, authorities said.

Ho Chi Minh City along with 18 southern provinces went into lockdown in mid-July when cases started to surge.

In the past three months, the delta variant of the virus has infected 770,000 people and killed over 19,000.

In the past week, Vietnam’s average new cases dropped by a third compared to earlier in the month when 14,000 were being recorded daily, the health ministry said.

In Vung Tau city, 70 kilometres from Ho Chi Minh city, barricades set up on the streets to control traffic during the lockdown were taken down as residents cheered.

“We will have to celebrate this day, that the city is removing the barricades so we can go out again and get back to our normal lives,” resident Pham Van Thanh said as he helped officers remove a barricade on his street.

Ho Chi Minh City’s health authority last week approved shortening the interval between two shots of AstraZeneca to six weeks to fully vaccinate people quickly.

The health ministry says 98.5 percent of the city’s adults have been inoculated and 48 per cent of them have received both shots.

However, Vietnam’s overall vaccination rate remains low with only 9.3 per cent of its 98 million people fully vaccinated. The authority said short supply is the reason for the delay of virus inoculation.

AP

The Tour Down Under cycling race, which draws international attention when it usually takes place in South Australia in January, has been dumped for the second year in a row due to the pandemic.

The event includes the men’s Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) World Tour and the women’s UCI Pro Tour races.

The Santos Tour Down Under was last held in South Australia in 2020.Credit:Getty

In a statement on Thursday, the event’s organisers said the race would not go ahead in 2022 due to international border closures and associated quarantine requirements for visiting international teams.

“The Santos Tour Down Under is a much-loved event on the world cycling and Australian sporting calendar and an important economic driver for South Australia, attracting 44,000 people, injecting 742 jobs and more than $66 million into the economy when last held in 2020,” Events South Australia executive director Hitaf Rasheed said.

“We have fully explored all avenues, but unfortunately in the end it was the border closures and quarantine requirements for more than 400 people that make up the international teams that proved to still be too difficult to overcome.”

The race will be replaced by the lower-key Santos Festival of Cycling event from January 21 to 29.

South Australian Premier Steven Marshall said Adelaide in January was “all about cycling and our cycling friends from all around Australia gathering here”.

“Although international major events continue to be challenging, we will celebrate cycling in January 2022 in the best way we know how and welcome visitors to Adelaide once again to kick off the new year.”

A childcare and kindergarten centre in south-east Melbourne has been listed as a tier-1 site for four consecutive days as health authorities released new COVID-19 exposure sites across the city and in regional Victoria.

The health department listed the Narre Kids Early Learning and Kinder on the Princes Highway, Narre Warren, as an exposure site on September 21, 22, 23 and 24 between 9am to 4.30pm after a case attended the centre.

Another similar site, Woodlea Early Education, on Ferneley View at Aintree, in Melbourne’s outer west, is listed as a tier-1 site on September 21 from 9.30am to 6pm.

An exposure time doesn’t mean a COVID-19 case was at the listed premises for that entire period.

The health department allows for extra time either side of a person’s visit if the location is indoors.

In regional Victoria, tier-1 sites have been listed across many parts of the state including Wodonga, Shepparton, Geelong and Kerang.

At Wodonga, the Chemist Warehouse at Wodonga Plaza is a tier-1 exposure site on September 23 from 2.30pm to 3pm.

The workshop at Geelong bus company McHarry’s Buslines in Breakwater is listed as an exposure site on September 27 from 7am to 5pm after a case attended the Reeves Court premises.

At Kerang in northern Victoria, the Exchange Hotel on Wellington Street is an exposure site on September 26 from 10.40am to 1.35pm.

There are two tier-1 sites at Shepparton. They are the Victoria Hotel’s gaming area on Wyndham Street on September 26 from 9pm to 11.59pm.

The town’s Nido Early Learning Centre on St Georges Road has also been listed as an exposure site on September 23 from 9am to 4.45pm and September 27 from 8.50am to 5.25pm.

Anyone who has visited these locations during these times must get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from the exposure.

A tornado has left a path of destruction in the NSW Central West, as the Bureau of Meteorology issued severe thunderstorm warnings for much of the state.

“There are reports of damage to houses, powerlines and trees around the Clear Creek area, north north-east of Bathurst,” the bureau said of the tornado on Thursday afternoon.

The tornado was spotted close to Bathurst on Thursday.Credit:OnScene

The bureau said reports of damage stretch 25 to 30 kilometres, with the path running roughly north-west.

A severe thunderstorm warning was issued at 5pm extending across the state, including Sydney, bringing destructive winds and hail.

“Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce damaging, locally destructive winds and large, possibly giant hail stones over the next several hours in parts of the Metropolitan district,” the bureau said.

Read the full story here.

Fully vaccinated people who visit NSW pubs, restaurants and shops will no longer be identified as close contacts and forced to isolate for two weeks if exposed to COVID-19, under a proposed overhaul of the state’s contact tracing methods.

Public health guidelines, which were last updated on September 28, shed light on options the state government is considering when dealing with COVID-19 exposures as the state begins to exit lockdown over the coming weeks.

The changes being considered would apply to fully vaccinated people who were potentially exposed to the virus at pubs, restaurants and shops.Credit:Bloomberg

The document, which is still subject to change, lists contact “risk assessment” protocols for offices, construction sites, hospitality venues, retail, universities, TAFE, supermarkets and warehouses.

It indicates fully vaccinated people will only be marked as casual contacts or “low risk” even if they come within close range or have direct physical contact with a case while infectious at indoor and outdoor venues. The document defines physical contact as “shaking hands, hugging or kissing”.

NSW crisis cabinet is expected to review measures contained within the document when it meets on Friday to discuss how the contact tracing system will approach the reopening phase of the pandemic.

Read the full story here.

Residents of Kyogle and Narromine local government areas in regional NSW will enter a snap lockdown from midnight until October 11 due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19 in the state’s north and west.

Heath authorities said on Thursday night that the stay-at-home orders would also apply to anyone who had been in Kyogle in northern NSW since September 21, and in Narromine near Dubbo since September 28.

“Everyone in these LGAs must stay at home unless it is for an essential reason, which includes shopping for food, medical care, getting vaccinated, compassionate needs, exercise and work or tertiary education if you can’t work or study at home,” NSW Health said in a statement.

“NSW Health will continue to closely monitor the evolving situation with COVID-19 and will not hesitate to update its advice to protect the health and wellbeing of the people of NSW.

“We urge people throughout NSW to continue to come forward for testing at the first sign of even mild symptoms. To find your nearest clinic visit COVID-19 clinics or contact your GP.

“High vaccination rates are also essential to reduce the risk of transmission and protect the health and safety of the community.”

The Snowy Monaro local government area, south of Canberra, entered a week-long lockdown at 3pm.

Lockdowns have been extended until October 11 for council areas including Bathurst, Dubbo, Central Coast, Queanbeyan-Palerang, Shellharbour, Kiama and Shoalhaven.

NSW authorities have urged residents to continue to comply with the state’s public health orders this long weekend, particularly in regional areas where travel is allowed and at any gatherings for the NRL grand final.

“We’ve all been traumatised by the lack of travel opportunities, by inability to see family and friends, and it is so close,” Police Minister David Elliott said.

Double demerit points will not apply this long weekend in NSW, but there will still be a heavy police presence.Credit:NSW Police

“Let’s not blow it when we can see the finish line.”

He asked anybody gathering to watch the NRL grand final together - within existing restrictions - on Sunday to be conscious of their blood alcohol level and to avoid drink-driving.

Residents of Greater Sydney and regional areas under lockdown restrictions are banned from having visitors to their home except for essential reasons, or “singles bubble” arrangements.

Double demerit points have been suspended for the statewide police operation, which starts at 12.01am on Friday, October 1 and concluding at 11.59pm on Monday, October 4.

Mr Elliott said there would still be a heavy police presence and officers would still be issuing fines to motorists doing the wrong thing.

“It’s just acknowledging the fact that we’ve come a long way, under very difficult circumstances.

“Those punitive punishments via the demerit points won’t be doubled and I think that is just an appropriate thing for motorists to breathe easy on this long weekend.”

Assistant Commissioner Stephen Hegarty said police would focus on preventing road trauma as 203 people had died on NSW roads this year, 147 of whom were killed in regional areas.

He urged anyone planning necessary regional travel to clarify the exemptions on the NSW government website.

“We have seen people who do push the boundaries, people [looking at doing maintenance on their] holiday place, yet they’ve got surfboards, motorcycles in the back of their car,” he said.

“We are stopping people for random breath testing as well. If we see those sort of things, we’re in a position, we can turn them around and send them back to the metropolitan areas.“

Victorian authorities said they believed about one-third of 1438 new COVID-19 cases recorded on Thursday were triggered by illegal gatherings, including AFL grand final parties, over the state’s long weekend.

People aged over 60 will not be able to receive Pfizer vaccines at Victoria’s state hubs despite the federal government’s announcement earlier on Thursday to expand eligibility.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said on Thursday that all Australians aged 60 and older would have access to the mRNA Pfizer and Moderna jabs from GPs and pharmacies from October 1.

Victoria’s state-run vaccination hubs will not administer Pfizer doses to older people.Credit:Penny Stephens

A spokeswoman for the Victorian government welcomed the move to allow older Australians, some of whom have been holding out for Pfizer, to receive mRNA jabs at GPs and pharmacist.

But state-run hubs will not administer Pfizer vaccines to older people.

“Victoria’s state run hubs continue to prioritise access to Pfizer for people under 60, including teenagers who have no alternative option for vaccination,” the spokeswoman said.

“We urge all eligible Victorians who have yet to do to get vaccinated as soon as possible.”

The expansion is facilitated by the more than 9 million Pfizer doses and 3 million Moderna doses expected to arrive in Australia in the month of October.

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