An Australian infectious disease expert says Chinese authorities refused to give raw data on early COVID-19 cases to a World Health Organization-led team probing the origins of the pandemic. The team had requested raw patient data on the 174 cases of COVID-19 that China had identified from the early phase of the outbreak in Wuhan in December 2019, as well …

Victoria’s hotel quarantine authority denies it knew a man took a nebuliser into the venue at the heart of the state’s current coronavirus outbreak. The use of the air compression device by the man for his asthma has been blamed for spreading the UK strain of COVID-19 through the Holiday Inn hotel at Melbourne Airport, leading to a five-day lockdown …

Ash Barty’s tilt at becoming the first Australian since 1978 to win the women’s singles championship at their home major has gained momentum courtesy of a straight-sets defeat of Ekaterina Alexandrova. Barty, again wearing a bandage and tape on her left thigh, was down a service break in both sets but recovered each time on her way to recording a …

Women’s world number one Ash Barty has sent a statement to her rivals with a 6-0, 6-0 thrashing of Danka Kovinić in the first round of the Australian Open. In a remarkable start to Tuesday night’s match at Rod Laver Arena, Barty won the first 16 points to race through the first set against the world number 82 in just …

Former Aussie player Sam Groth has hit back at tennis stars claiming their two-week hotel quarantine period affected their opening round Australian Open performances. Frenchman Benoit Paire and former Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber, who both lost their first round matches on Monday, each claimed hotel quarantine periods played a role in their exits, with their warm-ups for the event severely disrupted. …

A woman is recovering from surgery after she was seen desperately waving her hand through a broken taillight at the back of her own car as two other women allegedly drove along a NSW highway. A kidnapping investigation was launched after a truck driver saw a hand protruding out the boot of a white Holden Commodore travelling along the Hume …

Grace Tame will confront “heavy topics” and wants to dismantle the system of grooming used by predators as 2021’s Australian of the Year. When she was just 15 years old, Ms Tame was groomed and sexually abused. Ms Tame went on to fight for reform to Tasmanian laws that prevented survivors of sexual abuse from speaking publicly and self-identifying. As Australian of the …

Rafael Nadal has broken his silence on the Australian Open’s quarantine saga with a shot at Novak Djokovic’s “propaganda” tactics. Over a thousand tennis players and officials are now just days away from freedom, with a 200-strong group eagerly awaiting fresh air after being locked down in their hotel rooms. Their release will all but end a mess that continues …

Australia is joining international efforts to prepare for a changing climate ahead of the UN climate change conference in Glasgow later this year, but critics are still demanding it makes new commitments to reduce emissions. Australia has joined Canada and the EU in signing up to an international call for climate adaptation and resilience. It was originally put forward by …

The nation’s medical regulator the Therapeutic Goods Administration has approved Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for use in Australia. The decision paves the way for the rollout, scheduled to start in late February, despite global supply issues faced by vaccination producers. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said these problems were already having an impact on Australian supply, though the program was still on …