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Find out the next TV, streaming series and movies to add to your must-sees.
Five deaths, 262 new local cases in NSW overnight; Hunter, Upper Hunter to go into snap lockdown
NSW has reported 262 new local cases on Thursday, the highest number of local cases ever recorded in the state in a 24 hour period.
Worst not over amid fears virus is spreading beyond metropolitan Sydney
With 1000 contact tracers working on stopping the spread of COVID-19 in NSW, authorities are concerned about the quantity of virus fragments found in regional parts of the state.
Opinion
Coronavirus pandemic
The Premier’s road map becomes a vicious circle
Gladys Berejiklian’s “humble guess” is this outbreak will get worse before it gets better. But NSW voters will note that life is getting better south of the border.
Alexandra Smith
State Political Editor
Opinion
Political leadership
Damaged not destroyed: PM’s fate is tied to Berejiklian
Morrison’s skill at triple backward somersaults could save him, unless it reaches the point where people no longer believe his smudging of fact and fiction.
Niki Savva
Award-winning political commentator and author
Coalition MPs speak out against COVID-19 vaccine passports
At least two Coalition MPs are threatening to cross the floor to vote against any plans to bring in vaccine passports in Australia.
Exclusive
Closing the Gap
Indigenous leader hails $1.1 billion plan to close gap
The Coalition of Peaks has praised the federal government’s Closing the Gap implementation plan but has warned much more needs to be done in the next decade.
Exclusive
Public transport
New Sydney ferries to only operate when the sun is up
Sydney’s problem-plagued River-class ferries will only be able to operate during daylight hours when they enter service more than a year late.
Breaking
Vale
Legendary broadcaster Brian Henderson dies aged 89
Legendary broadcaster and Australia’s longest-serving news presenter Brian Henderson has died aged 89 after a battle with cancer.
Live
Tokyo Olympics
Beach volleyballers play for a place in gold medal match
Australia’s Taliqua Clancy and Mariafe Artacho del Solar are on court playing for a spot in the women’s beach volleyball gold medal match.
Bol pushes pace on world’s best and provides a race to stop a nation
In the 53 years Australia has been waiting for another male Olympic running champion, the 800 metres has evolved, as has the world. Peter Bol is a perfect example of that.
‘Seems perfectly sensible’: Minister’s handwritten note on $30m land deal
Briefings about the $30 million Leppington Triangle land deal draw a picture of reluctant sellers who wanted to hold out for the best price for their farmland.
‘Whole lives ahead of them’: $1 million reward for information about young couple who disappeared
Stephen Lapthorne and his girlfriend Michelle Pope left his family home in Sydney’s upper north shore to make the 20-kilometre trip to Berowra in 1978, but they never arrived.
Rihanna is a billionaire now, but not because of her music
The multi-hyphenate star is now the wealthiest female musician in the world. It’s her side hustles that got her there.
Peak body satisfaction comes later in life. What does that tell us?
Men and women are happiest with their bodies after reaching the age of 60, a study has found.
★★★★
Review
Suicide Squad is a gory, sentimental, crass fever dream
Whether or not this brand of splashy horror-comedy floats your boat, it’s been put together by an uncommonly skilled filmmaker.
Tokyo Olympics
Olympic sprinter arrives in Poland after refusing to return to Belarus
- by Alicja Ptak and Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber
From the futon
Sport climbing
Climbing could learn from ancient Olympic sport of rugby league
- by Andrew Webster
Sydney
Exclusive
Coronavirus pandemic
NSW pharmacists wait up to two weeks for vaccine deliveries
Frustrated pharmacists say they are waiting for deliveries to arrive, with hundreds of the state’s pharmacies signed up for the vaccine program still waiting for jabs.
‘Kind-hearted’ man, 27, dies hours away from COVID-19 isolation freedom
Aude “Ady” Alaskar died on Tuesday night after what health authorities described as a sudden deterioration.
Government revives energy bill support during COVID-19 lockdown
The Berejiklian government has re-introduced a temporary measure that temporarily increases the amount households can apply for to help meet their energy bills during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Teenage boy in critical condition after bashing in Doonside
A teenager is in a critical condition after he was assaulted in Sydney’s west on Wednesday afternoon.
‘Ridiculous’: Government sits on forestry report as logging resumes
The Berejiklian government is refusing to release a report into logging after the Black Summer bushfires even as forestry work begins in a region of the NSW South Coast hit hard by the blazes.
Politics
Territory Stolen Generations survivors to share $380 million reparation scheme
Survivors of the Stolen Generation in the NT and ACT will now be eligible for $75,000 payments after the federal government reversed its position on compensation.
Business
SPC first Australian company to require its staff to be vaccinated
Fruit and vegetable giant SPC will be the first company in Australia to require all onsite personnel – including staff and visitors – to be fully vaccinated by the end of November.
World
Obama curtails 60th birthday bash after Delta variant surge
The party for the nation’s 44th president will go on, but only for family and close friends.
Opinion
The Premier’s road map becomes a vicious circle
Alexandra Smith
State Political Editor
Damaged not destroyed: PM in trouble but could again land on his feet
Niki Savva
Award-winning political commentator and author
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Property bydomain
Pullback in sellers 'obliterates' housing supply in pockets of Sydney
The number of homes hitting the property market has plummeted in pockets of Sydney, while it's almost business as usual in other areas.
The eight regions across Australia where house prices are falling
Amid the property boom raging on across the nation, there are only eight regions where prices haven't risen over the past year. And they're not all out bush, either.
Life & Culture
Inspired by real events, Newcomer tells the story of a victim in the making
Laura Elizabeth Woollett’s third novel is compelling and unsettling at the same time.
Sport
Live
Tokyo Olympics
Tokyo Olympics LIVE updates: Beach volleyballers play for a spot in gold medal game
The Boomers play the US for a place in the gold medal match; the Matildas play the US for the bronze medal, and the Kookaburras meet Belgium in the gold medal match.
‘Our group is pretty angry’: Three Wallabies dropped from Bledisloe opener after drinking session
Marika Koroibete, Pone Fa’amausili and Isi Naisarani have been stood down for Saturday’s Eden Park Test after a late-night drinking session.
Bol pushes pace on world’s best and provides a race to stop a nation
In the 53 years Australia has been waiting for another male Olympic running champion, the 800 metres has evolved, as has the world. Peter Bol is a perfect example of that.
Australian sailors end with an exclamation mark as they ease to Olympic gold
It might be Australia’s easiest gold medal of the Tokyo Olympics, but Mathew Belcher and Will Ryan won’t be able to defend their victory at Paris 2024.
From the futon
Tokyo Olympics
What climbing could learn from the ancient Olympic sport of rugby league
Sport climbing has made its debut at the Tokyo Olympics. Why?
Breaking
NRL 2021
‘I draw the line at racism’: Bulldogs winger calls out Instagram abuse
Canterbury winger Jayden Okunbor has called out shocking racist abuse directed towards him on social media during the Bulldogs’ loss to Gold Coast on Monday.
Opinion
NRL 2021
Why Manly and Souths – not Penrith – can trouble Melbourne Storm
To beat the Storm, you need a little magic. The Sea Eagles and Souths have plenty of players who can wave the wand.
Andrew Johns
League columnist
Have Your Say
My Olympics First XI: Ten bouquets and one brickbat
This doesn’t pretend to be an objective list. But for what it’s worth here are my first XI impressions from these fabulous Olympic Games.
Peter FitzSimons
Columnist and author
