Your afternoon Briefing

Victoria’s top cop says police can’t solve the state’s gang problem alone and a Sydney bureaucrat has been accused of funding IS.

Good afternoon, readers. Victoria’s top cop says police can’t solve the state’s gang problem alone and a Sydney bureaucrat has been accused of funding IS terrorists.

Police Press conference with Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton and African community leaders regarding the African gang crime across Melbourne. Picture: Alex Coppel

Police can’t clean up gangs

Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton says people are “looking in the wrong direction” if they expect police to clean up the Melbourne’s gang problem. He returns from leave to a politically charged debate on a spate of crimes linked to African youths.

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Members of the NSW Joint Counter Terrorism Team have arrested a 40 -year-old woman for allegedly financing terrorism. Picture: NSW Police

Bureaucrat ‘sent funds to IS’

A 40-year-old federal bureaucrat has been accused of financing Islamic State terrorists in Sydney, with police alleging the woman transferred upwards of $30,000 to extremists

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File- This Feb. 11, 2017, file photo shows Neil Diamond performing at the Clive Davis and The Recording Academy Pre-Grammy Gala at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. Diamond is retiring from touring after he says he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Days shy of his 77th birthday, the rock legend is canceling his tour dates in Australia and New Zealand for March. He was on his 50th anniversary tour. Diamond turns 77 on Wednesday and will get the lifetime achievement award at Sunday’s Grammy awards. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

Neil Diamond retires

Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Neil Diamond has announced his retirement from touring, cancelling the third leg of his 50th Anniversary tour, which was set to land in Australia and New Zealand this March.

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Federal opposition leader Bill Shorten visited Cairns to announce Labor's proposal for a Northern Australia Tourism Infrastructure fund and board, should the party win the next election. Picture: BRENDAN RADKE

Shorten cool on NZ pull factor

Bill Shorten has played down reports that New Zealand’s offer to resettle 150 asylum-seekers has prompted an escalation in people-­smuggling operations.

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SEATTLE, WA - JANUARY 22: Shoppers scan the Amazon Go app on the mobile devices as the enter the Amazon Go store, on January 22, 2018 in Seattle, Washington. After more than a year in beta Amazon opened the cashier-less store to the public. Stephen Brashear/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

The future of shopping

The launch of a new supermarket yesterday gave us an unsettling insight into the future of shopping, where cameras watch your every move and every choice.