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Kris Swales

June 2021

Bondi Beach in lockdown mode.

Bondi cluster hits 112, Darwin locked down as virus spreads

NSW reported 30 new cases and Darwin entered a 48-hour lockdown, while Western Australia and South Australia have tightened border restrictions with other states amid concerns about an outbreak linked to a mining site. How Sunday unfolded.

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May 2021

Melburnians line up to receive their COVID-19 vaccine.

Contact tracing ramped up as Victoria records four local cases

As four members of the same family in Melbourne’s north tested positive, South Australia revealed vaccinations for regional over-16s will start tomorrow while national cabinet will hear a vaccine passport proposal in June. How Monday unfolded.

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March 2021

The guessing game over Cameron Smith’s future finally ended when he announced his retirement on Wednesday.

NRL’s need for speed on trial as Smith calls time

With the NRL season about to start, rules changes promise to make the game even faster – but the game’s most decorated player won’t be there.

January 2021

Rishabh Pant's counter-attacking knock led India to an unlikely victory in the fourth Test of the Australia-India series.

Pant leads India to unlikely series victory

Rishabh Pant has led India to a famous victory in the fourth cricket Test at the Gabba, giving India a 2-1 series victory to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

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Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Friday put greater Brisbane under lockdown until 6pm on Monday, after a cleaner working at one of the city's quarantine hotels tested positive for a new UK variant of COVID-19.

Promising signs from Brisbane lockdown as overseas cases mount

While Australia has just 315 active cases of the coronavirus and locked-down Brisbane reported no new cases, mass testing is under way to quash a new outbreak near Beijing as Britain's NHS nears breaking point. Here's how Sunday unfolded.

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U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Trump promises 'orderly transition' as Biden victory confirmed

The House and Senate certified President-elect Joe Biden's electoral college win shortly after 3.30am in Washington. The vote count was delayed after Donald Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol building, leaving four people dead. Follow updates here.

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Georgia senate candidates Raphael Warnock and Kelly Loeffler.

Democrat Warnock declared winner in Senate run-off

The Associated Press has declared victory for Democratic challenger Raphael Warnock over Republican incumbent Kelly Loeffler. The Democrats' lead is growing in the other race, which is still too close to call. Follow updates here.

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US President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally for Senators Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue in Georgia.

Trump uses run-off rally to air 'fraud' grievances

The President spent much of a rally in Georgia repeating false claims the election was rigged. Democrats hold a slight lead in the race to control the US Senate, but pollsters suggest the Georgia run-off is too close to call. How Tuesday unfolded.

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Shoppers including 'Paige' donned a mask at Bondi Junction in Sydney on Sunday as the NSW government imposed a new mask mandate.

NSW bottle shop cluster sends contact tracers scrambling

NSW is trying to trace 2000 customers of a bottle shop in Berala in Sydney's west, while Victoria's Deputy Chief Health Officer said he was 'encouraged' the outbreak in the southern capital was under control. How Sunday unfolded.

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Smile Buffalo Thai Cuisine restaurant on Beach Road at Black Rock in Melbourne's south-east.

Melbourne Thai restaurant cluster grows to 10

Two Victorians who tested positive in NSW are linked to the restaurant; Scott Morrison says Australia will not 'rush to failure' on the coronavirus vaccine; long delays expected on NSW-Victorian border and motorists are being told to leave now. Follow updates here.

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December 2020

President Donald Trump stands in front of the media while talking about the situation at the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, from his Mar-a-Lago property, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2019, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

Trump to miss own New Year's Eve party

The President is cutting short his Florida holiday to return to the White House; the Secret Service is changing the presidential detail that will guard Joe Biden; armed right-wing groups will rally in support of Donald Trump in Washington on January 6. How today unfolded.

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MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - DECEMBER 26: A shopper crossing the road at Bourke Street Mall during the Boxing Day sales on December 26, 2020 in Melbourne, Australia. Australians celebrate Boxing Day with many taking advantage of the post-Christmas sale prices in what is usually the busiest day of the year for retailers in Australia. Extra safety protocols have been introduced this year, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by Naomi Rahim/Getty Images)

Victoria issues list of exposure sites; UK approves Oxford vaccine

Three women have tested positive in Victoria, becoming the first local cases in 61 days; the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine is expected to roll out in Australia early next year.

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Steve Smith.

Push for crowd-free SCG Test grows

Leading epidemiologists have warned against the Australia-India cricket Test proceeding with fans in the stands, as the coronavirus outbreak on Sydney's northern beaches spreads across the city.

President Donald Trump waves as he boards Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base.

Trump's relief cheque request bounced, vaccine rollout stalls

The Trump campaign has taken its challenge of the Wisconsin result to the Supreme Court; the President's push for $2000 COVID-19 relief cheques was blocked by Republicans; a Republican congressman-elect has died of COVID-19. How today unfolded.

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NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian.

A third of latest NSW infections live outside northern beaches

As the number of mystery cases reached seven, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has warned of tighter social limits; Queensland has recorded a South African variant of the coronavirus; the Philippines has temporarily banned travellers from Australia. Follow updates here.

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NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian WA Premier Mark McGowan. Pictures: Supplied

Bitterness bubbles as hard borders tumble

The good news for Australians is that there is barely a hard border left to keep families separated. The bad news, unless you're WA, is that iron ore prices have split the states into the have and the have nots. This is Monday's virus briefing.

November 2020

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Border rush begins, unless you're stranded overseas

Debate rages about what the most effective form of quarantine is for coronavirus infections and overseas arrivals. Australians stranded overseas don't care where they stay upon landing – they just want to come home. This is Thursday's virus briefing.

Queues at a testing site in South Australia.

SA virus victims can become infectious in '24 hours or less'

Woolworths in South Australia will reintroduce product limits, as panic buying grips the state, which has recorded just two new cases of COVID-19 today. Follow live updates here.

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SA 'second wave' fears may cancel Christmas

South Australia's outbreak has become a cluster and some of the other states have thrown their borders back up, ignoring Prime Minister Scott Morrison's pleas. And the ASX thinks it's got problems. This is Monday's virus briefing.

Biden preaches unity as Trump maintains silence

President-elect Joe Biden has reaffirmed that he 'seeks not to divide, but to unify' the US, while Donald Trump is yet to make an official statement on the result. Here's how the weekend unfolded.

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Original URL: https://www.afr.com/by/kris-swales-p4yvid