'Definitely favourites': Finch singles out World Cup hosts England

Aaron Finch has nominated England as World Cup favourites but the Australian captain is confident his side is building momentum at the right time. Tournament preparations intensify on Saturday when England host Australia in a warm-up clash in Southampton. The Australians had a strong win over the West Indies on Wednesday but this latest clash…

New show The Spanish Princess: not quite accurate, but certainly exciting

With so many entertainment options, it's easy to miss brilliant TV shows, movies and documentaries. Here are the ones to hit play on, or skip. Loading Replay Replay video The Spanish PrincessStan* It's well known that Catherine of Aragon was the first wife of Henry VIII. But was Henry Catherine's first husband? Go to the…

Sydney shrouded in smoke again despite no new burns in 48 hours

The smoke haze that choked Sydney earlier in the week has returned, again shrouding the city in a thick fog even though the NSW Rural Fire Service halted hazard reduction burns on Wednesday due to the poor air quality. Weatherzone meteorologist Brett Dutschke said the combination of very light winds and a temperature inversion caused…

'A true man of the theatre', David McAllister vowed to never outstay his welcome

When David McAllister became the artistic director of the Australian Ballet in 2001 he made a pact to "never outstay my welcome" and to make sure he had "a nice departure". Some of his predecessors had been shown the door, but time after time McAllister's contracts were extended – until he made the big decision,…

37 dead of flu in NSW as parents urged to get children vaccinated

Health authorities are urging NSW families to get young children vaccinated against the potentially deadly influenza, with the infection killing 37 people in NSW so far this year. Three children have died of flu in Victoria and children are also among the 25 flu-related deaths, sparking concerns that children in NSW – especially under-five-year-olds –…

Player swap part of Tigers' ploy to snare Watene-Zelezniak

Wests Tigers are entertaining the prospect of a player swap in their attempt to lure Dallin Watene-Zelezniak away from the Panthers. Watene-Zelezniak was this week granted permission by Penrith to speak to other clubs after being dropped by coach Ivan Cleary and being made unavailable for Canterbury Cup duties. The New Zealand international may no…

Harvey Weinstein said to reach $63.9 million deal to settle lawsuits

Harvey Weinstein and his former studio's board members have reached a tentative $US44 million deal ($63.9 million) to resolve lawsuits by women who accused him of sexual misconduct and the New York state attorney general, according to two people briefed on the matter. Under the proposed terms, about $US30 million would go to a pool…

'We can do it!' Leaked Musk email puts Tesla on rollercoaster ride

Even by the standards of oft-volatile Tesla shares, Thursday morning will go down as one of the more memorable rollercoaster rides. Another bearish bit of analyst commentary about the Model 3 maker facing demand woes sent the stock tumbling as much as 5.6 per cent in early trading. Within an hour and five minutes, shares…