Good morning. The Omicron variant continues to pose a threat ahead of the festive season as governments around the world take different approaches to restrict its spread. Australia looks to be in the clear and will avoid lockdowns ahead of summer holidays. And Sydney’s northern beaches begins cleanup efforts after yesterday’s storm.
A woman has died and three people have been injured when a tree fell in a car park during a storm on Sydney’s northern beaches. Police, NSW ambulance paramedics, Fire and Rescue NSW, and rescue helicopters responded to the incident at a car park on Ocean Street Narrabeen after reports a tree and powerlines had come down. A woman believed to be aged in her 70s died at the scene. Emergency services received multiple reports of storm damage across the area from 3.30pm on Sunday, with trees and powerlines down across suburbs from Mona Vale to Forestville.
Health minister Greg Hunt says it is unlikely Australia will follow the Netherlands and impose significant lockdowns to suppress surging Omicron infections, saying the circumstances in Europe are quite different to Australia. NSW premier Dominic Perrottet has ruled out reintroducing mask mandates or other restrictions, saying it is a matter of “personal responsibility”, despite the state setting another record for daily Covid infections.
The Omicron variant of Covid-19 has “extraordinary spreading capabilities” and promises to bring a bleak winter in the northern hemisphere as it continues “raging through the world”, says Dr Anthony Fauci. Many nations are debating increasing restrictions and lockdown measures similar to those introduced in the Netherlands as infection rates continue to soar. The UK saw a 72% jump in a week, with 82,886 new Covid cases on Sunday, and health secretary, Sajid Javid, said tougher Covid restrictions could be imposed in England before Christmas. Germany’s health minister ruled out a Christmas lockdown but said mandatory vaccination was the only way to stop the pandemic.
Australia is six wickets away from winning the second Test against England. At the end of day four, England were 83 for four, having been set 468 to win or, more realistically but scarcely more likely, 130 overs to survive. Despite being knocked behind for 24, England’s captain Joe Root has been praised for playing through the pain after his day was bookended by blows to his groin.
Australia
The Morrison government has been warned an interference campaign through social media is a serious risk to the looming federal election. It is “naive” to believe Australia is immune to incursions and the country lacks some of the tools necessary to respond, a committee has found.
An 11-year-old boy has died in hospital and become the sixth fatality of Devonport’s Hillcrest primary school tragedy. Tasmania’s top police officer said the investigation into the incident was ongoing and would be for some time.
Two men and two children have died after a light plane crashed into mangroves off the Queensland coast on Sunday morning.
The world
The French government has called on Boris Johnson to use David Frost’s resignation as Brexit minister to “rebuild trust” with the EU, as UK foreign secretary, Liz Truss, has been named as Frost’s replacement.
More than 30,000 people have been evacuated from their homes in Malaysia as the country battles some of its worst flooding in years. Downpours since Friday have caused rivers to overflow, submerging many urban areas and cutting off main roads.
Joe Biden’s $1.75tn Build Back Better domestic spending plan has been hit with a huge blow after West Virginia senator Joe Manchin voted “no” to the plan.
Hong Kong’s first “patriots only” legislative election on Sunday was marked by what could be a record low turnout – reflecting what critics said was widespread disapproval of recent changes to the electoral system and the wider national security crackdown in the city.
Recommended reads
2021 has been a great year in Australian music, and our critics have named their favourite albums of the year. They include Genesis Owusu’s Aria-sweeping debut album Smiling With No Teeth, “one of the year’s most inventive, indelible hip-hop records”, according to Shaad d’Souza. Brigid Delaney says the title track from Nick Cave and Warren Ellis’ Carnage “is hands down the most beautiful song of the year ... It’s the work of musicians at the height of their powers and peak of their wisdom.” And Michael Sun rates Banoffee’s Tear Tracks among his top picks – “both a primal scream on the dancefloor and a 4am heart-to-heart”.
“There was always going to be an outbreak [though]; you can only build a net, it’s never a wall, and eventually something will get through there,” says Dr Michael Novy, emergency department specialist at Parklea correctional centre in Sydney. Novy is one of the health workers to share their story with Guardian Australia who work with at-risk communities hidden from public view during the pandemic. “It was really interesting trying to deliver care through a metal door which was locked. A flap would open up, a finger would come out and you’d do a set of observations, you’d do a temperature [check] and make sure they were OK at least once or two times a day.”
Sara loved her baby. So why was she caught up in guilt, anxiety and resentment? Clinical psychologist Dr Barbara Rysenbry explores the many challenges faced by new mums, including the “iceberg” of unrealistically high expectations. “In her gathering of knowledge and preparation around becoming a parent, Sara had not seen there was a looming “iceberg” of unrealistic expectations that she would quickly bounce back physically and emotionally and resume her pre-baby life. Sara, like countless other new parents, had sailed straight into it.”
Listen
Breakthroughs in computing have changed how high-level chess is played, making draws all too common. The first five games in this year’s world championship in Dubai – which all ended in “perfect” draws. But Magnus Carlsen’s stunning performance in Dubai provided a symbolic win for humans over machines.
Full Story is Guardian Australia’s daily news podcast. Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or any other podcasting app.
Sport
Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai has denied that she had accused a former senior official of having sexually assaulted her. The claim apparently contradicted a social media post in November, in which Peng accused the former vice premier Zhang Gaoli of having coerced her into sex. The comments came as fresh footage of Peng emerged online on Sunday.
Media roundup
Families wanting to be reunited after two years of border closures face a longer wait as visitor visa-processing times have blown out, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. NSW premier Dominic Perrottet has revealed a major cabinet reshuffle, with nine first-time ministers, reports the ABC.
Coming up
Federal government aviation recovery framework will be announced.
Firefighters will give decommissioned fire hoses to a zoo.
And if you’ve read this far …
An American mother has given birth in the front seat of an electric smart car while it was driving on autopilot. Yiran Sherry’s waters broke while the family was stuck in traffic, leading to what is believed to be the world’s first “Tesla baby”.
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