AdvertisementSeptember 15, 2026 — 9:30am

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A Geraldton father who survived a shark attack yesterday is continuing to recover in hospital this morning after suffering serious injuries to his leg.

Mel Ismail was surfing alone at Glenfield Beach when he was mauled by a shark about 40 metres offshore. Another surfer, who spotted him in the water waving in distress, bravely risked his own life to rescue him and bring him to shore.

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Teenagers on the beach then made a make-shift tourniquet before Ismail was rushed to an ambulance on the back of a ute.

His family, in a Facebook post last night, thanked the community for their love and support.

Here’s what’s making news across the nation and around the world today:

  • Labor leveraged an invite-only $20 million fund to install CCTV networks across critical electorates, prioritising its own seats and high-value Coalition targets before the last election.
  • Australian fuel suppliers warn motorists could be heading for another petrol and diesel price shock after a critical Middle Eastern pipeline was forced offline, deepening the global oil crunch and piling pressure on the Albanese government to consider slashing the fuel excise yet again.
  • The children of Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, are to swap schools after just two days because of concerns over the security of transporting them, the couple’s spokesperson said.

  • Breakfast cereals and bread have been given a reprieve by nutritionists, who have admitted that some ultra-processed foods are not that bad for health after all.

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Good morning and welcome to our live news blog for this Tuesday, the 15th of September.

Making headlines today, police pulled over a motorhome in a rural West Australian town five years ago during an apparent routine traffic stop that allegedly uncovered almost $50 million worth of drugs stashed under the vehicle’s bed.

However, they claim there was more to the story. The rental van had crossed the border into the state from Melbourne in April 2021 and was being driven by a man and woman who were so overcome with anxiety after being pulled over by police, they had to be taken to hospital for treatment.

But police allege a third person masterminded the smuggling attempt – and at that point he was halfway down the highway, bound for Perth in a big, black Hummer.

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