Daily Sudoku
Challenge yourself with today’s four difficulty levels.
The Watchlist
Find out the next TV, streaming series and movies to add to your must-sees.
Please Explain podcast
Expert daily insight into the stories that drive the nation.
Hailstorm brings white Christmas to central NSW
Five-centimetre hailstones broke windows and damaged cars as a low-pressure system headed towards Sydney.
Hybrid vehicle tax hike to add thousands of dollars to price tags
Pollution clampdown is driving a rift in the automotive industry.
Property market recovery lifts wealth to record levels - but there’s a catch
The turnaround in the property market has boosted Australians’ wealth levels. But the cost of living means they are spending more than they earn.
Exclusive
Australian cricket
Ashes regret, family loss and the innings that saved Warner: Cummins gives the inside story of 2023
Pat Cummins on an unforgettable 2023: winning trophies, losing his Mum and why David Warner kept his place in the Test team.
Exclusive
Boxing Day Test
Middle East reference was why ICC rejected Usman Khawaja’s dove logo
The dove is a universal symbol of peace, but Khawaja’s request to wear a logo of the bird during the Boxing Day Test was rejected because it referred to “the Middle East”.
Former Rabbitohs player dies after motorcycle crash in Cook Islands
Troy Dargan, who had recently joined the Canberra Raiders, was holidaying with family when the tragedy occurred.
King Charles calls for peace and care for environment
King Charles delivered his Christmas Day message, calling on people to compassion to one another, and to protect the environment.
Putin quietly signals he is open to a ceasefire in Ukraine
The Russian President says Russia’s war goals have not changed but, in a recent push of back-channel diplomacy, he is sending a different message.
Caravan of 6000 migrants marches towards US border
A sprawling caravan of migrants from Central America, Venezuela, Cuba and other countries is trekking through Mexico towards the US border.
‘Crying for 70 days’: Subdued Christmas for Palestinian Christians
Sydney’s Palestinian Christians are putting off Christmas celebrations this year, as many are still mourning the deaths of loved ones in Gaza.
Updated
Protests
Woman arrested after pro-Palestine protesters interrupt live Carols by Candlelight broadcast
Police said the 21-year-old woman had been issued with an infringement notice for possession of a controlled weapon
Opinion
Christmas
The horror of IS, then the gift of a child: My Christmas to remember
Andrew Hastie
Federal opposition spokesman for defence
The mum who saved Christmas with a roadside rescue mission
A Melbourne woman has made one little boy extremely happy after heeding a callout to search for his cuddly toy left behind in a toilet block.
Jealous of other people’s families at Christmas? You’re not alone
Christmas can be a difficult day for many reasons, making it easy for feelings of jealousy to arise.
New Year’s resolutions: The hope dose humanity needs
They start out as a goal and end like an empty shelf in a trophy case – but without them, we’d be a lot worse off. So go ahead, make your day!
Opinion
Global economy
Birkenstocks and Barbie: What social trends taught us about the economy
Some of the big cultural events taught us about the labour market, economic growth and the outlook for 2024.
Jeanna Smialek
★½
Review
Disney’s Wish feels like it was scripted during a team-building retreat
The artistic failure of Disney’s latest effort proves that vast amounts of money doesn’t always make a difference.
In one of the all-time biggest years for video games, these were the best of the best
From Final Fantasy and The Legend of Zelda to Starfield and Baldur’s Gate, 2023 was an enormous year for games.
Sydney
Warning from police as seven cocaine packages washed up on NSW beaches
Barnacle-encrusted packages suspected to contain cocaine have been washing up on beaches from Newcastle to Sydney.
‘Fight the height’: Holiday towns under threat from wave of development
Housing development is transforming coastal towns such as South West Rocks – and some residents fear it will ruin the character of their communities.
Pedestrian dies after being hit by car on Christmas Eve
A man has died after being hit by a car in Sydney’s south-west on Sunday night.
Updated
NSW weather
Twenty Sydney SES rescues as storms lash the state and homes inundated
Severe thunderstorms are lashing northern NSW and the South Coast on Sunday evening and parts of Sydney are at risk of flash floods.
Updated
Crime
Man charged following death of three on country NSW road
Emergency services rushed to the Kamilaroi Highway about 20 kilometres south of Gunnedah, after a sedan smashed into a tree.
SEE AND DO
This young adult fiction is good enough to get your teen off a screen this summer
There have been some standout books for young adults published in the past year.
★★★★
Real-life story of man who saved children from Nazis is heartbreaking
Anthony Hopkins’ silence speaks volumes as he delivers another powerful performance as Nicholas Winton.
Politics
Updated
Anthony Albanese
‘Many are doing it tough’: Leaders wish Australians a safe and happy Christmas
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has paid tribute to those who are giving up their day to help others.
Business
How Hermes became Europe’s biggest family fortune
Fifth and sixth-generation Hermes owners stopped the “wolf in cashmere” making their luxury brand another label in LVMH’s stable.
World
The secret to enjoying Europe’s spectacular Christmas markets
Pretend you’re an extra in a schmaltzy Christmas movie, and let Europe’s seasonal markets transport you into a winter wonderland.
Opinion
Albanese’s economic report card: Must try harder
Ross Gittins
Economics Editor
Explore
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Property
From a billionaire to a tennis pro, a who’s who of suburb records
Billionaires, sports stars and environmental activists came together this year to set house price records across NSW.
The year in auctions: Dad buys $7m pad for kids, young couple nabs $5.7m fixer-upper
Sydney’s wildest auctions of 2023 included 14 bidders on one Double Bay unit, multimillion-dollar fixer-uppers, and many interventions from the Bank of Mum and Dad.
Good Food
Lifestyle
How to make small talk more enjoyable, according to experts
From your distant cousin to new neighbour, here’s how to handle light conversations during the holidays.
Opinion
Christmas
All I want for Christmas is no whingeing – let’s be like Barnesy
Kate Halfpenny
Regular columnist
Culture
A nice voice? Narrating an audiobook takes a whole lot more
Audiobooks proved increasingly popular in Australia in 2023 – here’s how narrators tackle the task.
Traveller
Drivedrive
From Our Partners
Sport
Exclusive
Australian cricket
Ashes regret, family loss and the innings that saved Warner: Cummins gives the inside story of 2023
Pat Cummins speaks frankly on an unforgettable 2023: winning trophies, losing his Mum and why David Warner kept his place in the Test team.
Opinion
Australian cricket
Oh, what a feeling: Selectors don’t always get it right, but Warner gave them just what they wanted
The selectors have made some brave decisions in recent times, and supporting David was brave because the numbers weren’t demanding he be selected.
Mark Taylor
Former Australian cricket captain
Why the worst weather in Sydney to Hobart history hooked this sailor
A 103-strong fleet, including 10 international entrants and four 100-foot super maxis are preparing themselves for a calm start followed by wild weather.
Exclusive
Australian cricket
‘Like an AFL coach’: How injury helped Cummins mastermind World Cup win
Pat Cummins has spoken for the first time about how two games he didn’t play provided the blueprint for World Cup glory.
Opinion
World Boxing
The Magic Ticket: A free pass to the best moments in Sydney sporting history
Willy Wonka gave out Golden Tickets, but we’ve handed out Magic Tickets to give our journalists the Christmas gift of a free pass to any sporting event ever held in Sydney.
Former Rabbitohs player dies after motorcycle crash in Cook Islands
The 26-year-old footballer, who had recently joined the Canberra Raiders, was holidaying with family when the tragedy occurred.
Exclusive
Boxing Day Test
Middle East reference was why ICC rejected Khawaja’s dove logo
The dove is a universal symbol of peace, but Usman Khawaja’s request to wear a logo of the bird on the field in the Boxing Day Test was rejected because it referred to “the Middle East”.
Have Your Say
Christmas No.1s: We assess your NRL club’s fullback prospects for 2024
Which players have the fullback spot locked down? Which players need to pull up their socks? And which clubs have too many, or too few, to choose from.
