Morning Edition newsletter
Our guide to the most important stories, analysis and insights.
Trial by Water podcast
A new investigative podcast about one of Australia’s most controversial cases.
Target Time
Find the 9-letter word in our new interactive puzzle for premium subscribers.
Analysis
Sydney Metro
Why the new metro is a start, not the end point, of Sydney’s transformation
For once, the rhetoric is justified – but planning and policy choices will be required for Sydney to make the most out of its expensive and impressive new toy.
The metro will upend this Sydney suburb but not everyone’s on board
Waterloo will be the suburb the metro rail line helped revamp, if the state government can pull off its plan to redevelop the surrounding public housing estate.
Analysis
For subscribers
Ranking the toilets at the newest metro stations
The M1 line is flush with facilities: here’s your breakdown of the Sydney’s eight newest toilets, ranked from worst to best.
Updated
Defamation
Eleventh-hour bombshell as lawyers reveal Higgins won’t give evidence
Former staffer Brittany Higgins will no longer be called to take the stand in WA Liberal Senator Linda Reynolds’ defamation lawsuit against her after her lawyers considered it unnecessary.
Shamed unionists face lifetime bans in CFMEU takeover
Labor and the Coalition put aside days of sparring to pass a bill letting an administrator clean up the disgraced construction union.
Palestinians fear divisive debate will derail visa pathway
Labor sharpened its attack on Peter Dutton in the second week of rancorous debate over visas for people fleeing Gaza.
They went to space for eight days, are now stuck indefinitely, but don’t call them ‘stranded’
NASA now faces a difficult decision within the next week or so about the safest way to bring two US astronauts back to Earth.
Far-right influencers turn against Trump’s campaign
Disenchanted by his apparent slide in the polls, far-right figures are threatening a “digital war” against Trump’s aides and allies.
‘What the Kremlin hoped for’: Prominent author not given Australian visa
Acclaimed Russian-American writer Masha Gessen has not been allowed to enter the country over the weekend, following convictions in Russia handed down in absentia.
He won cycling medals for Australia in Paris. Now, he’s switched countries
Matthew Richardson has decided to change his riding colours from the green and gold to those of the place of his birth.
Black Caviar’s final foal dies days after champion mare’s death
The owners of Black Caviar confirmed the news in a tragic postscript to the sprinter’s death.
‘He’ll be booed’: Brooks prepares for Leichhardt return
Luke Brooks can expect a frosty reception like the one received by James Tedesco, Mitchell Moses and Aaron Woods when he plays his first game at Leichhardt since leaving Wests Tigers.
Analysis
Royal family
More questions than answers from Harry and Meghan’s Colombian visit
Colombia is not a country in which the former working royals are well-known and their four-day quasi-royal tour had no clear thread, no obvious aim.
Victoria Ward
Memes, TikTok and chicken: The new world of movie marketing
Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds have provided a perfect case study in how modern films are marketed, and for some reason it involves eating a lot of chicken.
Opinion
US Votes 2024
The Democratic love-in will be ecstasy, except everyone’s mad at each other
Top Democrats are bristling with resentments even as they are about to try to put on a united front at their National Convention in Chicago.
Maureen Dowd
New York Times columnist
Recipe collection
Traybake
14 of our favourite easy tray bakes to make this week
From 15-minute chickpea pasta to a bright and lemony Med-inspired chicken dish, these throw-together dinners are easy any night of the week.
Luxury goodies, fine food: What passengers get flying first class
If you’re paying nearly $20,000 to fly to London first class, you can expect a few luxuries. Here’s a sneak peek at what eight major airlines offer passengers.
Opinion
Literature
A Very Hungry Caterpillar costume won’t turn your kid into a bookworm
Book Week is upon us once again but if you want your child to embrace the joys of literature, don’t delude yourself with convenient fictions.
Cherie Gilmour
Freelance writer
NRL 2024
‘It’s not life and death, we move on’: The second act of Lee Hagipantelis
Lee Hagipantelis’ time at the Wests Tigers abruptly ended. He has returned in a different code, with different motivations.
Updated
‘Case closed’: Annesley hits back after O’Brien criticises referees
Graham Annesley has backed referee Gerard Sutton after Knight’s coach Adam O’Brien criticised two crucial decisions in the Knight’s loss to the Sharks on Sunday.
Sydney
Teen banned from club, punches thrown at two junior soccer matches
The 17-year-old boy has been charged with assault after he allegedly punched another player, who was taken to hospital with head injuries.
Body found in Georges River after man heard calling for help
Police received reports that a man had been heard calling for help before vanishing more than a week ago.
Exclusive
Sydney councils
‘Unbelievable’: Clover’s council slashes outdoor dining hours at hotspot pub
The discovery of stray kegs on the footpath has led the City of Sydney to order the venue to shut its popular outdoor area at 8pm.
Speakman rejects federal push to take over NSW Liberals after preselection debacle
NSW Liberal leader Mark Speakman has backed the party’s desperate legal fight to force the state’s electoral agency to reopen nominations for local government elections.
Byron ‘bomb-maker’ wanted to be ‘remembered before he goes’: court
A man plunged a NSW town into lockdown, as court documents reveal his family feared his mental health had been spiralling for a month.
SYDNEY METRO
Opinion
Sydney Metro is missing my favourite feature
Since May 2019, North West Metro commuters have been greeted by a series of questions, affirmations and the to-do list of a not very busy person.
Mary Ward
Reporter
How the metro has transformed people’s commutes
It’s been quite the journey to get to Monday’s opening of the second section of the M1 Metro. Here’s what commuters who use the north-western section of the line want you to know.
Politics
‘Payman is correct’: Senators call for staffing overhaul
Crossbench senators who would not usually agree on anything are united. They want the prime minister stripped of the power to decide MPs’ staffing levels.
Business
Fuel giant Ampol to miss target for electric vehicle charging bays
Australia’s top fuel supplier say its plan to install 300 electric charging bays by the end of this year is moving slower than expected.
World
Analysis
Russia-Ukraine war
Inaction man: As Kursk response shows, in a crisis Vladimir Putin freezes up
The Kursk incursion has humiliated Russia’s military and demonstrated Ukraine’s resilience, but it has not altered the fundamental situation, including Putin’s grip on power.
Robyn Dixon
Opinion
US Votes 2024
Kamala Harris is ascendant, but these minefields could still deny her victory in November
Bruce Wolpe
Senior fellow at the US Studies Centre and former political staffer
Opinion
The US is a decadent society that has lost all self-control
Ambrose Evans-Pritchard
In a post-truth world, can we at least be honest about Raygun?
Parnell Palme McGuinness
Columnist and communications adviser
Explore
Got a news tip?
Share information with our journalists securely and confidentially. Learn more
Property
Gordon house sells for $10.88m, nearly $2m more than reserve
More than 100 auctions were cancelled ahead of Saturday, and experts say Sydney’s auction market is weakening despite some stand-out results.
Exclusive
Title Deeds
Property magnate pays $35m cash for Double Bay house - to knock it down
As the mystery buyer of Double Bay’s pink house is revealed, in the Southern Highlands a high-profile buyer has bought at a big discount.
Good Food
Recipe collection
Traybake
14 of our favourite easy tray bakes to make this week
Lifestyle
‘Incorrect and damaging’: Babies as young as six months put on diets
Health professionals are often getting it wrong when it comes to our children’s weight, providing damaging advice, says obesity expert Dr Nick Fuller.
Culture
No aching thighs - Julia Zemiro celebrates the joyous side of walking
The actor and comedian is back presenting a new series of Great Australian Walks with help from Susie Youssef and Gina Chick.
Traveller
Drivedrive
From Our Partners
Sport
‘He’ll be booed … they booed him as a Tiger’: Brooks prepares for Leichhardt return
Luke Brooks can expect a similarly frosty reception to the one received by James Tedesco, Mitchell Moses and Aaron Woods when he plays his first game at Leichhardt since leaving Wests Tigers.
Updated
Around the clubs
‘Case closed’: Annesley hits back after O’Brien criticises referees
Graham Annesley has backed referee Gerard Sutton after Knight’s coach Adam O’Brien criticised two crucial decisions in the Knight’s loss to the Sharks on Sunday.
Analysis
Rugby Championship
What the Wallabies must learn from their Boks bashing
After a pair of heavy defeats to the Springboks on home soil, the Wallabies travel to Argentina for the next stage of their Rugby Championship campaign.
Black Caviar’s final foal dies days after champion mare’s death
The owners of Black Caviar confirmed the news in a tragic postscript to the sprinter’s death.
Olympic silver medallist Jack Robinson wants ‘boring’ wave pools kept away from Games
The Australian star was consigned to a silver medal when Teahupo’o went to sleep. But he’s still no fan of hosting the Olympics at a man-made wave.
Why white ball internationals are irrelevant as Cummins eyes India Tests
Pat Cummins believes he is more value to Australia using next month to prepare for this summer’s India Test series instead of joining the white-ball tour of the UK.
Bernard Tomic was kicked out of a match – and he wasn’t even playing
The Australian lost to Andy Andrade earlier in the tournament, refused to shake his opponent’s hand and then showed up at the final as a spectator and was eventually booted out of the match.
Have Your Say
Give the punters something, Joe: Wallabies fans need to see a cutting edge
It was always going to be hard to gauge the Wallabies in two Tests against the Springboks. But “work in progress” signs can’t stay up forever.
Paul Cully
Rugby columnist