PM

A new COVID hotspot in Sydney and a sharp rise in cases dash hopes the outbreak is under control; and leading infectious diseases experts call for crowds to be banned from January's cricket test in Sydney.

Concern about undetected chains of transmission as more mystery COVID cases pop up well outside of Sydney's Northern Beaches; and 2020 saw a boom in new companies listed on the stock exchange and it's proving irresistible for novice investors.

New Year’s Eve in Sydney will look and feel a little different this year as COVID puts a dampener on the iconic harbourside celebrations; and health experts say windows that open are a must in hotel quarantine, to improve the mental health of returned travellers.

New South Wales’ residents take a record 60 thousand COVID tests on one day, and despite nine new cases, authorities warn the outbreak’s not yet shut down; and tributes for the health workers manning testing clinics and hospital wards while most others get to enjoy a Christmas break.

Christmas gatherings are limited to just 10 visitors across Australia's most populous city, with special rules for different parts of the Northern Beaches hot spot; but larger events are allowed in regional New South Wales and some locals are looking forward to hosting their relatives from Sydney.

New COVID cases are trending down across Sydney, raising hopes that Christmas upheaval will be limited; and advice for parents to look for the signs of cataracts in children, to prevent late diagnoses and developmental issues.

Another 15 COVID cases linked to Sydney's Northern Beaches outbreak, but will the need to crush the cluster also crush Christmas celebrations? And Queensland will re-build checkpoints at the border – states and territories are moving fast to block the virus, but they'll also be keeping out holiday visitors.

New South Wales urgently hunts the origins of its latest COVID outbreak, as new cases are confirmed; but why no hard lockdown or mandated mask wearing? Epidemiologist Tony Blakely says numbers are ‘explosive’ and he fears this could snowball.

Anticipation, as authorities race to find the source of Sydney's latest coronavirus outbreak; and no regrets and no apologies from the Victorian government, standing by its decision to lockdown nine housing towers in Melbourne at the start of it's second wave, breaching human rights.

Australia makes its first move against China's trade strikes, heading to the world trade umpire for a ruling on China's barley bans. There's every expectation Australia will have plenty of backing for its case; and a flurry of debate about quarantine rules for air crews after an airport transfer driver in Sydney tests positive for COVID-19;