Two Queensland boys, aged 3 and 5, found dead in river, & more in News in 5.

-With AAP.

1. Missing Queensland boys found dead in river.

The bodies of two boys who went missing in Townsville have been found in a river.

An amber alert was issued by Queensland Police on Monday afternoon after the three-year-old and five-year-old when missing from the suburb of Cranbrook, with both found in the Ross River this morning.

“The Queensland Police Service have sadly located the bodies of two boys who went missing from Cranbrook yesterday,” a police spokesperson said in a statement.

The boys, aged 3 and 5, went missing from a home on Brett Street about 5.30pm on Monday.

The boys were seen on CCTV walking along Brett Street towards the Ross River.

More than 60 police officers were involved in the search for the boys, with their bodies found just before 7am.

2. Young mum granted bail after being charged over alleged barbaric attack of two Victorian policeman.

EXCLUSIVE: We speak to the witness who filmed this disgusting attack on two Snr Constable police officers at St Kilda. He was fearful the officer being smacked into the ground was going to die. I’ll be live at 6 with an update on their injuries #7newsmelb pic.twitter.com/Sd9AmjeJz8

— Teegan Dolling (@tdolling) February 24, 2019

The barbaric attack of two policemen in Melbourne has disgusted and outraged senior officers as well as Premier Daniel Andrews.

Childcare working and mother-of-one Kayla Potts, 25 and her fiancé Jack Houldcroft, 27, brother Trent Potts, 26 and 38-year-old relative Phil O’Donnell had been out celebrating a birthday in St Kilda.

Police were called to Fitzroy Street about 3am on Sunday after a woman was assaulted. Mr Potts is accused of kneeing a woman in the genitals.

As officers arrived and tried to arrest him, Ms Potts allegedly hit an officer on the head. She was struck with a policeman’s torch and video shows blood streaming down her face.

Mr O'Donnell is accused of slamming one of the officer's head repeatedly into the road.

The four accused are all charged with two counts of assault police, affray, violent disorder, intentionally cause injury and other assault-related offences.

Appearing in court yesterday, Ms Potts was granted bail. Her fiancé made no bail application and Mr O'Donnell is expected to make a bail application tomorrow. Her brother Mr Potts is yet to face court.

If convicted, each face a mandatory six month prison term for assaulting an emergency officer.

Deputy Commissioner Shane Patton called the assault "disgusting" and "unprovoked".

"I can't explain the outrage I felt when I saw the footage yesterday," he told reporters.

"That type of attack, that type of barbaric behaviour just cannot be tolerated.

"When you see a member's head being smashed into the road, we are fortunate we aren't seeing much more serious charges flow from this."

Both officers have since been released from hospital.

One has eye inflammation and swelling, cuts and abrasions while the other has a torn bicep, cuts and abrasions.

Mr Patton said both were shaken but in good spirits.

Investigators still want to identify a man in a brown shirt who spat on officers during the incident and two women captured in security footage.

Mr Patton denied the initial police response was heavy handed, saying officers acted appropriately but the attack on them was vicious.

"We've already described them as acting like animals in their behaviour and I think that descriptor is totally appropriate," he said.

Superintendent Tony Silva told 3AW the attack was among the worst he had seen in more than 30 years on the job.

"I have seen absolutely the best of the community and I see absolutely the worst of the community and that was right up there with the worst," he said.

Victoria's Police Association secretary Wayne Gatt labelled it "horrendous and shocking".

"It is only sheer good fortune that people punched or assaulted in that manner are not killed," he told 3AW radio.

Mr Gatt said there is a concern in some cases, the penalties attached can be lower than what they should be.

Mr Andrews said the incident was "disgusting".

"We've got no time for this, no tolerance for it and I'm confident Victoria Police will be doing the work necessary to see those people face the full force of new laws I'm very proud to have written," he said.

3. A Chicago judge has set R Kelly's bond at AU$1.4 million.

Singer R. Kelly due back in court Monday on sexual assault charges https://t.co/mdRS8b9o3w pic.twitter.com/6i1aaKGOxK

— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) February 25, 2019

A Chicago judge has set R&B singer R. Kelly's bond total at $US1 million for the four cases of criminal sexual abuse levelled against him.

The singer, 52, must put forth $US100,000 ($A140,000) to make bail.

He appeared at the Leighton Criminal Court Building on Sunday wearing a black hoodie and jeans, according to the Chicago Sun Times, "and a frown that creased his face".

Kelly stared at the ground as Assistant State's Attorney Jennifer Gonzalez read off a proffer of evidence against him in four separate cases of alleged sexual abuse between 1998 and 2010.

The alleged victims - three of whom were minors - were identified only by their initials in the press conferences and legal documents.

If he posts the bond for his release, Kelly will be ordered to surrender his passport and not contact anyone under 18.

The next court date in the case is scheduled for Monday, at which Kelly will make a plea and be assigned a judge.

As of Sunday, Kelly had not posted bail, owing partially to the difficulty in obtaining that sum on a weekend and also because he owes some $US169,000 in child support, according to CNN.

His attorney Steve Greenberg told reporters the singer "really doesn't have any money at this point" due to "mismanagement ... hangers-on and bad deals".

During a press conference following the hearing, Cook County State Attorney Kimberly Fox read off details and graphic descriptions of the charges against the singer.

They involve a girl who met Kelly at a restaurant while celebrating her 16th birthday; a hairdresser he attempted to force to perform oral sex; a girl he met outside his 2008 child-pornography trial; and another forced to watch a videotape of him having sex with a girl who said on the tape she was 14.

The documents claim to have DNA evidence connecting Kelly to the incidents.

"I think all the women are lying," Kelly attorney Steve Greenberg told reporters.

"Mr Kelly is strong, he's got a lot of support and he's going to be vindicated on all these charges - one by one, if it has to be."

The indictment came just days after sex tape reportedly surfaced featuring Kelly engaging in sexual acts with an underage girl, according to CNN and the New Yorker.

Kelly has multiple allegations of sexual misconduct against him dating back 25 years, although he has never been convicted.

Kelly has consistently denied any wrongdoing.

4. The mum of the baby girl whose body washed up on a Gold Coast beach has faced court.

Lawyers for the mother of a baby girl whose body washed up on a Gold Coast beach after drowning in the Tweed River have asked for a lengthy adjournment to consider the case.

The woman, who cannot be identified, is charged with failing to provide her daughter with the necessities of life.

Wearing jeans and an olive jumper, the woman sat impassively as her case was adjourned for mention on April 1 in Tweed Local Court.

The 23-year-old has been in a mental health facility since she was granted bail in December and has a history of mental illness, court documents reveal.

The documents refer to diary entries made by the mother where she wrote that her daughter was "evil" and an "abomination".

The mother-of-two was allegedly heavily influenced by religion and believed she was Mary, the mother of Jesus.

Her family has been supporting her and waited outside the courtroom as her case was mentioned.

The woman's defence team said the prosecution's brief of evidence was more than 3500 pages and asked for a lengthy adjournment.

Her bail was continued on the provision she return to the mental health facility.

The baby's father, a homeless 47-year-old, was charged on November 22 with murdering his daughter.

He was not required to appear as the charge was mentioned on Monday and was remanded in custody to appear on April 29.

It was alleged the infant was thrown into the water at Tweed Heads in NSW, where she drowned before her body drifted north for about 30km.

The couple's second child, a two-year-old boy, remains in foster care.

5. Nauru refugees were told their only options were to 'go home or stay here'.

The widow of a refugee who set himself on fire in Nauru has described the desperation they felt leading up to his death. A coroner is investigating why it took more than 30 hours to evacuate Omid Masoumali, and if more could have been done to prevent the tragedy.@AmberAW pic.twitter.com/2hrxX0laIb

— 10 News First Queensland (@10NewsFirstQLD) February 25, 2019

Refugees on Nauru feeling hopeless and frustrated about their situation were told their only options were to stay on the tiny Pacific island or "go home", an inquest has heard.

Three Australian government contractors have testified being aware of the general poor morale of refugees and asylum seekers ahead of the death of Iranian man Omid Masoumali, who set himself on fire in April 2016.

The frustration stemmed from feelings of being voiceless and a lack of information about their status, Connect Settlement Services (CSS) housing officer Billal Soubjaki told Brisbane Coroners Court on Monday.

"You start to develop the frustrations of the refugees. You kind of start to demand answers from your superiors," said Mr Soubjaki, who was working on Nauru when Mr Masoumali self-harmed.

"It kind of got to a point where I would be instilling hope in refugees all over the island as much as I could.

"The ABF (Australian Border Force) wouldn't recommend that. They would be like, 'be honest with them and tell them that they're here because of a policy and we do not how long they're going to be here for'."

That refugees and asylum seekers had two options - "go home or stay here" - was a "definitely a key message", Mr Soubjaki claimed.

His testimony was supported by Wilson Security worker Russell Badley, who was also on Nauru when Mr Masoumali self-immolated.

"Certainly that was what asylum seekers believed was their choice," Mr Badley said.

The inquest into Mr Masoumali's death has heard the 24-year-old set himself on fire after his partner became frustrated with a conversation with United Nations representatives about their plight.

His partner, who cannot be named for legal reasons, testified becoming "upset and frustrated" when she believed the organisation approved of their treatment by the Australian government.

After the conversation, Mr Masoumali became "angry" when he saw the woman was upset and poured petrol onto his clothes and lit them in front of the UN refugee officials.

The pair had been on Nauru for almost three years.

CSS manager Alan Beattie said he was aware the refugees' sense of hopelessness could have been exacerbated by the UN's visit but admitted nothing was done to reduce risks of self harm.

"It certainly wasn't anticipated to have the impact it had," he said.

"But it was anticipated people would certainly have emotions and want to express them to the UNHCR."

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6. NSW premier says it's "horrific" that children were allegedly dealing drugs at a Sydney dance festival.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian says it is "horrific" that children as young as 13 were allegedly dealing drugs at an under-18s Sydney dance festival. #9Newshttps://t.co/Tl9HQ8GQfk

— Nine News Melbourne (@9NewsMelb) February 25, 2019

The NSW premier says it is "horrific" that children as young as 13 were allegedly dealing drugs at an under-18s Sydney dance festival.

Three teenagers - two aged 17 and one 13 - are among 16 alleged dealers expected to front court after police operations at three Sydney music festivals on the weekend.

The three teenagers were allegedly caught carrying MDMA capsules at Goodlife Lost City at Sydney Olympic Park on Saturday.

They were arrested and charged with drug supply. A 16-year-old was also charged with drug possession.

"I can't think of anything more horrific if the allegations are correct," Gladys Berejiklian told reporters in Sydney on Monday.

"It concerns me at any age but particularly at that age where children are so vulnerable."

Drugs are believed to be a factor in three of the ten hospitalisations from the Lost City festival, a spokeswoman for NSW Health told AAP on Monday.

All patients have been discharged.

The premier said the arrests showed young people needed to be better educated about drug use and illegal activities at school.

"It's not about stopping fun, it's about stopping people dying," the premier said.

The youth festival was not among the 14 events identified as "high risk" by the state government at the weekend.

But Sunday's Ultra Music festival at Parramatta Park - where 10 people were charged with drug supply - was.

Police searched 395 people at the event, which drew a 20,000-strong crowd.

Officers laid 45 charges and refused bail to four alleged suppliers.

They were expected to appear at court on Monday, while the other six are due at a later date.

Ultra ended with 13 people rushed to hospital, drugs are believed to be factors in nine of those cases.

Five of the 13 people hospitalised were in critical conditions.

Two men remain in serious but stable conditions in hospital while a female is due to be discharged on Monday afternoon.

A third festival, Secret Garden, was responsible for three further drug supply charges over its two-day run in the city's south west.

Among them was a 22-year-old man allegedly found with 32 tabs of LSD along with smaller suspected amounts of dexamphetamine and MDMA on Saturday.

Two women, aged 27 and 32, were charged at Secret Garden on Friday and ordered to appear in court in March.

Ms Berejiklian said striking a balance between tough policing and the freedom of citizens was a challenge when it came to the high-risk events.

"On one hand the government has been accused of being heavy handed with the high-risk festivals but I think recent events demonstrate why we want to keep these festivals safe," she said.

She said the vast majority of festivals have "nothing to worry about".

"But we're saying to the high risk festivals if the health department thinks that there aren't enough medical supervision on site, please work with us to fix that," the premier said.