UK policeman gets life for Sarah Everard's murder.

A police officer has been jailed for life for abducting marketing executive Sarah Everard on a London street as she walked home from a friend's house then raping and murdering her in a case that shocked the United Kingdom and stirred protests over violence against women.

Wayne Couzens, 48, a serving London officer who had guarded diplomatic premises, had used his position to stop Everard, the Old Bailey court heard.

Couzens forced Everard, 33, into a hire car as she walked home after visiting a friend in south London on March 3.

Met Police officer who murdered Sarah Everard after kidnapping and raping her under the guise of an arrest has been handed whole-life sentence https://t.co/0AsvZWGSxR

— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking)

Her body was found in woodland about 80km away in southeast England.

A post-mortem concluded she had died as a result of compression of the neck.

His whole life sentence means he has no chance of parole.

"Nothing can make things better, nothing can bring Sarah back, but knowing he will be imprisoned forever brings some relief," Everard's family said in a statement.

"Wayne Couzens held a position of trust as a police officer and we are outraged and sickened that he abused this trust in order to lure Sarah to her death."

The murder prompted public rallies and outpourings of anger from women who have recounted their own experiences and fears of being out alone at night.

One witness saw Everard being handcuffed before her abduction and police investigating the case said he may have used COVID-19 protocols as an excuse to falsely arrest her before killing her.

Judge Adrian Fulford said Couzens had long planned a violent sexual assault on a yet-to-be-selected victim who he intended to coerce into his custody.

"I have not the slightest doubt that the defendant used his position as a police officer to coerce her on a wholly false pretext into the car he had hired for this purpose," Fulford said in sentencing remarks.

The Metropolitan Police Force, which investigated the murder and for whom Couzens worked, said it was "sickened, angered and devastated" by his crimes.

Australians to get choice of virus vaccine from today.

Australians aged over 60 have been given access to mRNA vaccines in a bid to get about 300,000 hesitant people over the line.

Pfizer and Moderna will be available to all Australians aged over 12 from Friday with the federal government now confident there are enough doses to offer vaccination choice.

Health Minister Greg Hunt announced changes to the national rollout on Wednesday, mirroring measures in states including NSW, Victoria and Queensland.

"This is the opportunity for every person over 60 to come forward, no matter what previous hesitation they may have had," he told reporters on Thursday.

All Australians over the age of 12 will now be able to receive Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. #COVID19AUS https://t.co/we34wqRJ2K

— The New Daily (@TheNewDailyAu)

Mr Hunt said the AstraZeneca vaccine was an outstanding world-class vaccine which had fuelled first-dose vaccine coverage past 94 per cent over people over 70.

"These vaccines - whether it's AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna - any one of them can save your life and it can save and protect the lives of those around you," he said.

"Please don't wait, please don't hesitate, please come forward."

It is estimated around 300,000 people aged 60 and above were waiting for access to a vaccine other than AstraZeneca.

The latest Therapeutic Goods Administration figures linked nine blood clotting deaths to AstraZeneca from almost 25 million doses in Australia.

Australia's double vaccination rate for over-16s is now 54.2 per cent, while 77.8 per cent have received at least one dose.

Postponement an option for NRL grand final.

The NRL could consider postponing Sunday's grand final in Brisbane if fans aren't allowed as a range of contingency plans are hashed out to deal with Queensland's COVID-19 outbreak.

The next 24 hours will be critical for the NRL decider to go ahead at Suncorp Stadium with league bosses wary of leaving it too late to make a call to either relocate the game or play on in Brisbane as planned.

It presents a logistical nightmare three days out from the grand final with capacity for Sunday's decider already reduced to 75 per cent after six new cases of coronavirus were reported in Queensland on Thursday.

"We're in the hands of the Queensland government, naturally, and we're confident in their ability," Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V'landys toldAAP.

The Queensland Government has announced the crowd at the NRL Grand Final will be capped at 75%. Refunds will be given to the final 25% of fans who purchased seats in each Grand Final selling allocation. Details: https://t.co/Hs0yQBdI3p pic.twitter.com/4QwmjSWI03

— NRL (@NRL)

"But we've got contingency plans for every scenario and we've just got to take each day as it comes and look at what's going on and make the appropriate decisions

"At this stage it's all systems go for Suncorp on Sunday with the capped crowd of 75 per cent and we're being advised that that's not going to change.

"We're hoping the outbreak doesn't get worse and we stay on course."

With the threat of lockdown bearing down on southeast Queensland, the NRL could be forced to act fast on Friday.

Big clean-up ahead after NSW tornado.

Residents have a big clean-up ahead after a tornado ripped through central west NSW, injuring three people, destroying homes and sheds and tearing down trees and power lines.

The violent storm travelled up to 30 kilometres on Thursday afternoon and demolished a house at Meadow Flat in the Bathurst region, while at least one other home along with sheds and other structures were also destroyed in the area.

Emergency services attended Meadow Flat before 2pm where a man in his 40s was treated for a laceration to his right arm.

The Bureau of Meteorology can confirm a tornado has occurred in the Central West of New South Wales early this afternoon. There are reports of damage to houses, powerlines and trees around the Clear Creek area, north north-east of Bathurst. @NSWSES @nswpolice 📷: Dean Whiting pic.twitter.com/5er71GrO2p

— Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW)

A woman at Clear Creek northeast of Bathurst suffered injuries to her back and neck and was taken to Bathurst hospital in a stable condition.

A man in the area was also assessed but didn't require further medical attention.

Bureau of Meteorologist senior climatologist Agata Imielska said there was damage over a 25 to 30km line, running roughly northwest.

A freak tornado smashed the NSW Central West yesterday, leaving a trail of destruction and injuring several people. More severe thunderstorms are forecast to hit today. DETAILS: https://t.co/V6zoi3FonO #9News pic.twitter.com/Be1T5IdO3L

— 9News Sydney (@9NewsSyd)

This included destroyed and damaged houses, cars, many fallen trees and powerlines across roads.

Around 120 homes were without power overnight.

The tornado is part of a larger weather system that has been causing severe thunderstorms around parts of the NSW and the ACT for days.

"We know everyone is fatigued." Victoria's AFL setback puts road out of lockdown at risk.

Victorians who attended illegal gatherings over the long weekend are being urged to come forward for testing after being blamed for a spike in COVID-19 cases.

The state saw cases surge by almost 500 on Thursday, with 1438 new locally acquired infections and five more deaths reported.

Health authorities believe at least 500 of the cases are linked to AFL gatherings last weekend across Melbourne.

COVID-19 Commander Jeroen Weimar said if the jump in numbers becomes a trend, Victoria will go from being just below the Burnet Institute's roadmap-linked case projections to the worst scenario of up to 2900 daily infections by late October.

"We know that everyone is fatigued, tired of this. But today is a significant setback in how we manage this outbreak," Mr Weimar told reporters.

"At least 500" of Victoria's record 1,438 cases have been linked to AFL Grand Final gatherings, health officials claim. COVID Commander Jeroen Weimar said people hosting parties and BBQs in their homes has resulted in