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Food for thought: Will Sam Mitchell coach Hawthorn next?

Kennett wants Mitchell to coach ‘one day’ but no guarantees

Jeff Kennett has staked out Hawthorn’s position on Sam Mitchell succeeding Alastair Clarkson: Kennett would like Mitchell to coach in the future but there are no guarantees.

  • by Jake Niall
A broken sign post that says ‘ETHICS’ being bombarded by a shower of meteors (some labelled ‘CRISIS’). Illustration / artwork for John Faine story by Matt Davidson

Crisis? What crisis? When power and criticism collide

Public criticism is dismissed as partisan, brushed aside because of who said it – regardless of whether it is accurate. The problem bedevils state and federal governments, whoever is in power.

  • by Jon Faine
Point Break turns 30.

The only thing worse than Point Break? Keanu Reeves’ acting in it

As with many surfers passing their peak, the film is still acting the teenager, more ludicrous with each year.

  • by Malcolm Knox
Sam Burgess after an appearance at Moss Vale court in February.
Analysis
NRL 2021

Rehab has changed my life, says Burgess

The former South Sydney star says his next ambition is to become involved in rugby league again.

  • by Danny Weidler
Latika Bourke

Australia is a beacon of multiculturalism. How did it lose its humanity?

It’s horrifying to see the ease with which leaders propose sending Australians to Christmas Island to quarantine at a detention centre so awful it’s meant to deter asylum seekers.

  • by Latika Bourke
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Tony Williams has apologised to the victim in the Jarryd Hayne sexual assault case after attacking her in an Instagram post.
Exclusive
NRL 2021

‘I can’t imagine what she’s going through’: Williams apologises for Hayne post

Tony Williams knew he had done the wrong thing well before his mother scolded him about how he would feel if his daughters were the victims of rape.

  • by Adrian Proszenko
Bill and Melinda Gates in 2001 at a tennis match in Seattle.
Opinion
Divorce

Bill and Melinda Gates: a modern twist on the marriage plot

The divorce of the American billionaire power couple has parallels that go back to Charlotte Bronte and her fictional creation Jane Eyre.

  • by Jacqueline Maley
Darebin resident Ruth Jelley is advocating for an extension of the cycling lane on High Street, Thornbury.

Pop-up bike lanes ripped up, stalled despite cycling upswing

Pop-up bike lanes planned at the height of COVID-19 to accommodate a huge increase in cycling have been ripped up or stalled in Melbourne’s inner-north, due to internal council politics and construction delays.

  • by Timna Jacks
Mother Leila Abdallah at the scene where three of her children died in Oatlands in 2020.
Opinion
Tragedy

Let’s honour these four lost children – and grieving mothers everywhere

Oatlands Golf Course has rejected a request for a memorial to the three Abdallah children and their cousin who were killed there. It’s not just a blow for the families, but for all grieving mothers.

  • by Helen Pitt
Greg Hunt has put together a women’s health package worth $354 million for Tuesday’s federal budget.

Woman-friendly budget: Funding for domestic violence prevention, health programs

The focus on women comes after a difficult three months in which the Morrison government was rocked by allegations of sexual assault and the poor treatment of women in the federal Parliament.

  • by James Massola
Jumpers

Clashes of the titans: The AFL’s murky uniform policies

Welcome to the opaque realm that is the AFL’s clash jumper policies, in which passions often run high and it is argued there are rules for some and rules for others.

  • by Daniel Cherny
Shaiz Javaid from Pakistan has given up any hope of returning to finish his Bachelor of Business in Australia and will try enrolling in the UK.

‘Forget Australia’: Britain snaps up stranded international students

Shaiz Javaid felt abandoned by Australia when borders closed. He is among thousands making up a record surge of university enrolments in Britain.

  • by Latika Bourke
How we eat our bread and butter matters for heart health.

How to eat for better heart health – bread and butter included

For many of us, bread and butter are among life’s greatest pleasures. And the pairing may be harmful to our heart depending on how we eat it – and how often.

  • by Sarah Berry
An Afghan school student is treated at a hospital after a bomb explosion near a school west of Kabul.

Blasts targeting Afghan school in Kabul kills dozens of students

Multiple blasts at a school in the Afghan capital Kabul on Saturday killed at least 40 people and wounded dozens more, mostly female students, officials said, in an attack President Ashraf Ghani blamed on the insurgent Taliban.

  • by Reuters
A woman receives the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine in Reading, England.

EU says US stand on patent virus waiver is no ‘magic bullet’

European Union leaders cranked up their criticism of the US call to waive COVID-19 vaccine patents Saturday, arguing the move would bring no short or midterm relief.

  • by RAF CASERT and BARRY HATTON
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Trucking boss Lindsay Fox has sought legal advice on rumours circulating about Dan Andrews fall.

Fox family seek legal advice to stop rumours over Premier’s fall

The family of trucking magnate Lindsay Fox sought legal advice over whether to sue an obscure Queensland website that posted scurrilous rumours implicating the wealthy family in the Premier’s fall.

  • by Annika Smethurst and Paul Sakkal
Aimie Goodwin, with partner David and baby Kingston, was cared for under the Royal Women’s Hospital’s Indigenous midwifery program, Baggarrook.

Indigenous midwifery care made all the difference for Amie

Culturally sensitive midwifery care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women is helping them feel safe in an institution which has not always been able to.

  • by Wendy Tuohy
SMH LETTERS DINKUS
LETTERS
Letters

A disturbing list

Age readers have their say.

Bill and Melinda Gates in 2001 at a tennis match in Seattle.

In the Christian covenant of marriage, there’s always a third party

One of the saddest bits of news this week, for me, was the announcement that Bill and Melinda Gates are separating after 27 years.

  • by Barney Zwartz
Olympians will start getting the Pfizer vaccine from next week ahead of the Tokyo Games.

Border Force on alert for fake vaccines as ACCC warns of scams

“You can’t pay for early access to the vaccine or to skip the queue, that’s just not how it works here.”

  • by Michael Koziol
Dr Katie Allen lost her mother when she was 28.

‘I wish she could see her grandchildren’: MP Katie Allen on the pain of losing her mum at 28

Motherless Daughters Australia says Mother’s Day can be a difficult day for women who have lost their mothers.

  • by Jewel Topsfield
Volleyball advocates Jack Lowenstein and Ilaria Marra front the Tamarama Beach Volleyball group at Tamarama Beach, Sydney. May 6, 2021: Photograph by James Alcock/SMH.

‘It’s just out of control’: Push to ban volleyball from the beach

Waverley Council officers will hit the beaches for face-to-face feedback about the volleyball nets, which a small group of local residents say have become a hazard. 

  • by Sarah Keoghan
Blues forward Harry McKay celebrates a goal.

Method or madness: Teague's plan for Blues to kick goals

David Teague says his Blues are more suited to a high-scoring style. While it’s debatable if this philosophy can deliver finals success, there is one legendary coach backing him.

  • by Jon Pierik
Patients who contracted the coronavirus lie in beds while connected to oxygen supplies in a  hospital in New Delhi.

India COVID deaths hit record high as stricter lockdowns imposed

India on Saturday reported its highest ever single-day COVID-19 death toll, as cases continued to rise and states imposed stricter lockdowns.

  • by Sudarshan Varadhan and Tanvi Mehta
Lance Franklin and Steven May square off on Saturday night.

As it happened: Dees outlast Swans; Power crush Crows; Pies edge North; GWS pip Dons; Saints overcome Suns

Follow along as we bring you all the key moments from Saturday’s AFL matches. 

  • by Ronny Lerner
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An Israeli police officer is taken away after being injured during clashes with Palestinian protesters in East Jerusalem on Friday.

200 Palestinians, dozens of Israeli police injured in Jerusalem clashes

Anger has swelled over a dispute in an Arab neighbourhood where Palestinians in six households face eviction in favour of Jewish Israelis who claim several properties as theirs.

  • by Steve Hendrix
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MAY 08: Tom McDonald of the Demons is congratulated by team mates after kicking a goal during the round eight AFL match between the Melbourne Demons and the Sydney Swans at Melbourne Cricket Ground on May 08, 2021 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Demons dig deep to keep Swans at bay

There will come a point this year when long-suffering Melbourne fans allow themselves to dream. That moment cannot be too far away after the Demons held off a late challenge from Sydney.

  • by Andrew Wu
James Troisi

Vintage Troisi display seals big win for Wanderers, as Sydney FC held by Jets

James Troisi was the star in the Wanderers’ 5-0 thrashing of Western United, while Sydney FC were held to a 1-1 draw by the Newcastle Jets after more VAR controversy.

  • by Dominic Bossi
James O’Connor is swamped by teammates.
Reds 19 Brumbies 16
Match report

O’Connor try after the siren seals Reds win in thrilling final

In one of the greatest finishes Australian rugby has seen, the Reds, well into extra-time, crossed the paint through the team’s inspirational leader.

  • by Tom Decent
Rob Friday and family decided to give away a large chunk of the $4.2 million he received for the sale of his Box Hill family home as they had noticed increasing homelessness.

Robin’s home sold for 150 times what he paid for it, so he helped homeless women

Robin Friday bought in Box Hill for less than $30,000. When developers came circling, he sold for a huge profit and is helping house family violence survivors.

  • by Wendy Tuohy
A deserted Bourke Street in locked down Melbourne.

Toughest lockdown? Melbourne’s dark 2020 in global context

Blunt lockdown comparisons can be misleading, so The Sunday Age turned to the University of Oxford to put Melbourne and Australia in context.

  • by Zach Hope
Restaurants are breathing a sigh of relief for this Mother’s Day.
Opinion
Editorial

Mother’s Day is more relevant than ever

Let us not forget Mother’s Day was originally conceived, in 1908, to recognise the sacrifices mothers make, both for their children and for society at large.

Bless Mulukwat Akoch was attacked just before 6pm inside Eagle Stadium in Werribee.

Teenager mourned after stabbing death at basketball stadium in Melbourne’s west

Friends and family are mourning the loss of a 17-year-old boy who was stabbed at a junior basketball game in Melbourne’s west on Friday night.

  • by David Estcourt
Sophie Dwyer makes a pass for the Giants against Collingwood on Saturday.

Giants make strong start to keep the Magpies winless

Kiera Austin’s teenage replacement Sophie Dwyer stood tall as the Giants continued their winning start to the new Super Netball season.

  • by Roy Ward
s

Saints surge to put sting in dour contest and grab victory

Suffice to say this was no affair to remember. But for coach Brett Ratten, all that will count is the result: a nine-point win to the Saints, who had trailed for the vast majority of the match.

  • by Andrew Stafford
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Multiple funeral pyres of COVID-19 victims burn as relatives perform last rites at a crematorium in Delhi, India.

Australian resident dies in COVID-ravaged India as country’s death toll soars

A Sydney woman said her father died from COVID-19 in India after being “abandoned” by the Australian government.

  • by Carrie Fellner and Nigel Gladstone
Jacob Hopper celebrates kicking a late goal for the Giants.
Giants 16.11 (107) Bombers 16.9 (105)
Match report

Giants strike late to hold off comeback by battling Bombers

Greater Western Sydney survived a brave fightback from Essendon, with a left-foot snap from Jacob Hopper at the death sealing a heart-stopping two-point win.

  • by Vince Rugari
Nathan Cleeary and the Panthers come to terms with a heavy loss to the Tigers during magic Round in 2019. The young Panthers have come a long way in two years.

Two years after hitting rock bottom, Panthers producing special kind of magic

It is impossible to think just two years ago Penrith were headed for the wooden spoon after an embarrassing night during Magic Round. They’ve come a long way since then.

  • by Christian Nicolussi
Women in Victoria are experiencing high levels of anxiety and depression and Women’s Health Services say support must be funded in the May 20 budget.

Women’s health CEOs demand gender-specific mental health funding

In all but two local government areas in Victoria, anxiety, depression and other mental health issues among women eclipse those among men “significantly”.

  • by Wendy Tuohy
French star Antoine Dupont.
Opinion
Wallabies

Why the Wallabies are now favourites against France

A few months ago, I said Australia should not expect to win a match in their upcoming three-Test series against France. I’d like to retract those comments.

  • by Andrew Mehrtens
Railway workshops, Newport

Rail volunteers steaming over plans to shunt them out of workshop

Volunteers who keep Victoria’s collection of vintage trains in working order could be moved on from the rail yard they’ve called home for decades.

  • by Rachel Eddie
Frank Rogers leaving the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Saturday.
Updated
Courts

Truck driver who hit pedestrians in Southbank gets bail

Truck driver Frank Rogers, 64 tells court he ‘felt a bump’ during a collision which left two people seriously injured in Southbank on Thursday evening.

  • by Ashleigh McMillan
Relatives perform the last rites for the cremation of a man who died after contracting Covid-19 on the banks of the Ganges river in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India.

India ban has shamed Liberals, but not enough for many to speak out against it

The decision to make it a criminal offence for Australians to try to return home from India has shamed Coalition MPs, but they fear speaking out against it.

  • by Rob Harris
Athletes take part in an Olympic test event in Shizuoka last month.

‘The Games will go ahead’: Coates shuts down talk of Tokyo cancellation

IOC vice-president John Coates said there was no ‘hypotheticals’ being entertained as he backed a vaccine program plus health protocols to see Tokyo succeed.

  • by Phil Lutton
A firefighting helicopter tackling a bushfire near Bairnsdale in Victoria’s East Gippsland in December 2019.

Victorian government pledges $500m to reduce bushfire risk, waives tourist entry fees for emergency workers

Described as a “small gesture to say a big thank you”, the four-week fee freeze on Phillip Island attractions will be open to police officers, firefighters, SES members and frontline medical staff.

  • by Annika Smethurst
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The Tributo  by Ferrari.

Man accused of spending COVID relief cash on Ferrari, Lamborghini

US federal agents have since seized the cars along with $US2 million from his bank account.

  • by Alma Fausto
Shai Bolton flies high.
Updated
AFL 2021

‘Enjoy the car’: Bolton’s stunning mark leaves the footy world in awe

Geelong defender Mark Blicavs joked to Shai Bolton that he hopes for royalty payments from images of the young Tiger’s incredible mark on Friday night.

  • by Peter Ryan and Jon Pierik
California Governor Gavin Newsom blamed the population decline on the coronavirus pandemic that turned everything upside down in 2020.

California population declines for first time in history

The drop halted a growth streak dating to its founding in 1850 on the heels of a gold rush that prompted a flood of people to seek their fortune in the West.

  • by Adam Beam
The grey whale off the coast of France this week.

Experts baffled by rare grey whale lost in the Med

With global warming opening northern routes, it is believed “Wally” became lost and swam into the Atlantic via the Arctic.

  • by Henry Samuel and Nick Squires
Tom Trbojevic had a try and two try assists against the Tigers two weeks ago.

‘They’ve started calling me Slats’: Trbojevic finally gets out of nervous nineties

Manly teammates have nicknamed Tom Trbojevic “Michael Slater” because he has been stuck in the “nervous nineties” for so long. Today he finally notches up his 100th NRL game.

  • by Christian Nicolussi
Former Maldives president Mohamed Nasheed is in a critical condition in hospital.

Maldives police say blast that hurt Nasheed act of terrorism

The bomb, planted on a motorbike, injured the Parliament Speaker and former president, and four others including a British national.

  • by Mohamed Sharuhaan
Chad Wingard of the Power runs with the ball during the match against the Crows.

From the Archives, 2013: Port stun Crows in a derby thriller

The final showdown at Football Park was arguably the best. A reinvigorated Port Adelaide led by a healthy 21 points at half-time. But the Crows dominated for the next quarter-and-a-half, booting 10 out of the next 14 goals. The Power, though, had made a habit of thrilling comebacks that season and kicked the next four goals to achieve a rousing win.

  • by Steve Larkin
One of the 12 stamps released by Britain’s Royal Mail to celebrate singer and songwriter Paul McCartney.

Pleased Mister Postman: Paul McCartney gets own set of Royal Mail stamps

The Royal Mail said it was paying tribute to “one of the most iconic and enduring music artists of all time”.

  • by Marie-Louise Gumuchian
Victoria Police
Updated
Crime

Boy, 15, released from custody after death of teen at basketball stadium

A 15-year-old boy has been released from police custody following the death of another teenager in Melbourne’s western suburbs on Friday night.

  • by Marika Dobbin-Thomas and Ashleigh McMillan
The reaction: Rafael Nadal.

Three straight: Zverev defeats Nadal again, but first time on clay

Alexander Zverev ended his winless streak on clay against Rafael Nadal, keeping the Spaniard from winning a sixth Madrid Open.

  • by Tales Azzoni
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Sydney and Melbourne players after the draw.

From the Archives, 2011: Swans hold on to draw with Demons

The Swans seemed off to a breezy beginning to their 2011 campaign, leading Melbourne at every change and holding a 14-point lead at the last break. But they could manage just one goal in the all-important final term, as the Dees created chances, with nine scoring shots and three goals. It was the first drawn round one match since 1982.

  • by Sam Lienert
Shane Edwards leaves the field injured in the loss to Geelong.

Tigers midfielder injured, Cats ‘the best side we have played all year’

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick said Geelong are the best team the Tigers have faced so far this season as they look to hang tough with key players missing.

  • by Peter Ryan
President Joe Biden said the US economic recovery would be a sprint rather than a marathon”.

‘The climb is steep’: Biden on defence after lacklustre jobs report

The US economy added just 266,000 jobs in April, well below economists’ expectations that around 1 million jobs would be created.

  • by Matthew Knott