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Ukrainian troops are leaving their positions in large numbers, dropping their weapons, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Thursday, citing intelligence.

“According to intelligence, the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ troops and service members are leaving their positions in large numbers, dropping their weapons. No strikes are being carried out on the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ units that have laid down their arms,” the statement reads.

According to the ministry, precision weapons are being used to disable military infrastructure facilities, air defenses, military airfields and aircraft.

On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a special military operation based on a request from the heads of the Donbass republics. The Russian leader stressed that Moscow had no plans to occupy Ukrainian territories.

Netball NSW is delighted to announce the athletes who have been selected for the 2022 NSW 17U Team which will contest the National Netball Championships later this year.

The final list of 12 players was selected after a rigorous selection process which brough the best of metro and regional talent together.

The squad will begin their campaign this weekend in preparation for the Nationals in Hobart in April.

“Head Coach Amber Cross and her players and support staff are looking forward to driving growth, cohesiveness and Waratah pride within this team of talented and determined athletes,” Margaret Hamley of Netball NSW said.

The team will benefit from the experience of three athletes returning from the 2021 campaign with Eugenie Little, Freddie Schneideman and Tumut local Grace Whyte selected again. All three are in the QBE Swifts Academy – which underpins the NSW Swifts – and they also play for the Manly Warringah Sapphires in the Origin Energy Premier League.

Talented shooter Monika O’Tai is in GIANTS Academy and will play for UTS Sparks in Premier League, while Hunter pair Hope White and Brooke Rooney play Premier League for the Central Coast Heart and Panthers respectively.

Eliza McKenzie is a proud Eastwood Ryde junior and will represent ERNA Hawks in Premier League while Nicola Barge, Nevaeh Matenga, Isabella Degei, Jayla Dicker (along with White) are all bottom-age athletes with big futures ahead.

Barge (Stingrays), Degei (GWS Fury) and Dicker (Panthers) will also play in Premier League and Matenga (Liverpool City) will foster her growth in the DOOLEYS Metro League competition.

Midcourt player Laicy Costigan will train with her local Hastings Valley team as they prepare for the HART Regional League competition and will travel the eight-hour return trip each week for State Team training.

In 2022 Netball NSW has also selected a 17U Train-On Squad. The squad of 15 athletes will train each Sunday for the next 11 weeks with a focus of individual growth and maximising readiness to progress on the Netball NSW Pathway.

Each of these athletes will have the opportunity to be a part of the Metro Emerging, Regional Emerging or Indigenous All Stars teams in a competition planned for later in 2022.

2022 NSW 17U Team

Brooke Rooney (Newcastle)
Eliza McKenzie (Eastwood Ryde)
Eugenie Little (Manly Warringah)
Frederika Schneideman (Randwick)
Grace Whyte (Manly Warringah/Tumut)
Hope White (Newcastle)
Isabella Degei (Penrith District)
Jayla Dicker (Penrith District)
Laicy Costigan (Hastings Valley)
Monika ‘Otai (St George District)
Nevaeh Matenga (Liverpool City)
Nicola Barge (Sutherland Shire)
2022 NSW 17/U Train-On Squad

Angelina Ballas (Baulkham Hills Shire)
Ashley Vasquez (Camden)
Ava Moller (Wagga Wagga)
Charlie Hawkins (Randwick)
Charlee Belcher (Baulkham Hills Shire/Newcastle)
Ellie Hart (Campbelltown District)
Hinemoa Boylan (Campbelltown District)
Katarina Sincek (Penrith District)
Laura Ashwin (Baulkham Hills Shire)
Maraea Paea (Wyong District)
Mia Blackett (Coffs Harbour)
Nicola Gastelaars (St George District)
Sara Kent (St George District)
Tahlia Robertson (Sutherland Shire)
Yasmeen Janschek (Randwick)

The IEU welcomes a letter from Catholic Employment Relations dated 27 January 2022 agreeing to commence negotiations for new enterprise agreements covering over 25,000 principals, teachers and support staff in NSW and ACT Catholic systemic schools. The previous agreements expired on 31 December 2021. However, up until this week, employers had stalled on commencing bargaining for pay rises and new agreements.
The Independent Education Union of Australia NSW/ACT Branch first wrote to the Directors of all 11 Catholic Dioceses on 30 November 2021 setting out its claim for principals, teachers and support staff employed in Catholic Diocesan schools in NSW and the ACT.
The IEU represents nearly 20,000 members in over 600 Catholic Diocesan schools throughout NSW and the ACT. The union’s claim for a new agreement mirrors the one made by the NSW Teachers Federation for teachers in government schools. It includes:

• a pay rise of 10% to 15% over two years for all members
• effective strategies to deal with the accelerating teacher shortage
• reduced teaching time to allow teachers time to plan, prepare and consult with colleagues
• easing excessive workloads by removing administrative tasks that don’t support teaching and learning.
• pay parity for support staff with their counterparts in government schools.

“Teachers’ salaries have slid steadily backwards since the NSW Government introduced wage caps more than a decade ago – wage caps in the government sector have a strong impact on the non-government sector,” said IEUA NSW/ACT Branch Acting Secretary Carol Matthews.
“The IEU believes the pay increase of 2.04% offered by Catholic Employment Relations in their letter of 27 January is not good enough. We look forward to robust discussions.
“Our members have gone above and beyond their duties for years, but especially in the past two, ensuring teaching and learning continued during the upheaval and anxieties of a global pandemic. Now is the time to recognise this in substantial pay rises and improved conditions.”
IEUA NSW/ACT Branch President Christine Wilkinson said: “It is time teachers were paid what they’re worth. Teachers’ workloads have steadily increased over the years while conditions continue to be eroded. This is not reflected in their wages.
“Young graduate teachers are leaving the profession in droves, intensifying the shortage of teachers. If the Government wants quality teachers, it is time to pay them what they’re worth.”

Beachgoers are being urged to take responsibility for their safety and swim between the flags, after NSW recorded an increase in the number of drownings this summer.
Since December 1, there have been 15 coastal deaths and drownings, including three rock fisherman, which is two more than the same time last year.
Premier Dominic Perrottet is reminding the public to swim between the flags, observe safety warnings and look after loved ones when close to the water.
“Australia Day is traditionally a high-risk holiday on our waterways. While our lifesavers and first responders are always vigilant, this is one of the days where more rescues and sadly drownings often occur,” Mr Perrottet said.
“Whether you’re at a beach, pool, river or lake, my message to swimmers is to know the risks, be aware of your surroundings and look out for each other.”
Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience Steph Cooke said beachgoers can take simple precautions in and around the water to keep themselves safe.
“A tragedy can unfold in seconds on our beaches. Please supervise children, swim between the flags, wear a life jacket when required and always listen to the warnings from emergency services,” Ms Cooke said.
“I want to thank the 75,000 Surf Life Saving NSW volunteers and 129 surf clubs who have worked tirelessly this summer to keep locals and visitors safe on our beaches.”
Member for Pittwater and Surf Lifesaver Rob Stokes thanked the Warriewood surf club for their tireless efforts, after a difficult summer holidays.
“Tragedy has struck here at Warriewood with the death of a rock fisherman on New Year’s Day. We ask all beachgoers be vigilant and make sure their trip to the beach is one to remember for all the right reasons,” Mr Stokes said.
Surf Life Saving NSW CEO Steve Pearce said despite the recent wet weather, Surf Life Saving NSW has had an extremely busy holiday period across the State.
“The NSW coastline boasts beautiful beaches and everyone can enjoy them safely by checking the conditions before swimming, wearing a life jacket when boating or rock fishing and remembering that alcohol and water activities don’t mix,” Mr Pearce said.
Over the Australia Day long weekend last year, surf lifesavers and lifeguards rescued 815 people, which accounted for 22 per cent of all rescues recorded in the entire year.
Since July 1, there have been more than 31 coastal drownings and deaths in NSW, including five rock fishermen.

Police are investigating an armed robbery where a man was wounded in the Hunter early this morning.
About 5.15am (Thursday 20 January 2022), three men entered a grocery store on Swan Street, Morpeth, and approached the tills.
The group began removing cash from the drawers before the employee, a 47-year-old man, approached the trio and challenged them.
One of the men struck the employee with an unknown object. All three fled the scene a short time later in a white sedan.
The injured man suffered a wound to his abdomen and was treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics before being taken to John Hunter Hospital for treatment.
Officers from Port Stephens-Hunter Police District attended and established a crime scene.
As inquiries continue, detectives are urging anyone who may have dashcam footage from the Morpeth area between 4.50am and 5.30amto contact Raymond Terrace Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

A man has been fined $10,000 after allegedly breaching a self-isolation direction in the Newcastle area.
On Monday (14 December 2021), officers from Newcastle City Police District received information from NSW Health in relation to a 20-year-old man who had been directed to self-isolate at a Newcastle property from Wednesday 8 December 2021, as he was a close contact of a positive COVID-19 case.
It’s understood the man subsequently attended a licensed premises on Wharf Road later that evening, and also attended a private residence in Adamstown on Saturday (11 December 2021). He has since returned a positive test to COVID-19 and is currently self-isolating.
Following inquiries, the man was issued with two Penalty Infringement Notices (PINs) totalling $10,000 for the offence of Fail to Comply with Notice Direction s 7/8/9 – COVID-19.
Inquiries are continuing.

With stay-at-home orders currently in place across NSW, shoppers are encouraged to jump online and support regional businesses without leaving their home by checking out the myriad of gifts available on the NSW Government’s Buy Regional website.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW John Barilaro said online gift shopping is a great way to support regional businesses during the lockdown, particularly with Father’s Day just around the corner.
“We know that businesses in the bush are doing it tougher than ever with the ongoing COVID-19 situation across the state, so now is the perfect time to support our country communities by buying direct from the producers online,” Mr Barilaro said.
“During this lockdown I’ve taken the opportunity to try out new recipes and I encourage others to do the same. What better way to indulge your taste buds than with a condiment gift pack from The Other Chef, or a carefully curated beer and snack package from the Riverina Hamper Co.
“It’s no secret that Buy Regional has an impressive array of farm-fresh meat, hand-distilled spirits and unique fashion and homeware design pieces, with more than 500,000 online shoppers visiting the website since its launch in 2019.”
Mr Barilaro said Buy Regional is a win-win for Sydney siders who can score a special present for their dad or a father figure this Father’s Day while supporting regional businesses at the same time.
“Buy Regional continues to go from strength to strength and provides critical economic stimulus to hundreds of businesses who have battled through drought, bushfires, floods and the continuing impacts of COVID-19,” Mr Barilaro said.
“Many rural towns are seeing good harvests after much needed rains across the state over the last year, but in the face of the pandemic they still need your support, and there’s no better way to help regional businesses than by giving them your business.”
To register your regional business or to lock in the perfect lockdown gift, head to www.nsw.gov.au/buyregional.

The NSW Government has announced additional fee-free TAFE NSW lockdown learning courses after more than 10,000 NSW residents enrolled to study in less than a month.
Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education Geoff Lee said the strong interest in the TAFE NSW courses showed that the people of NSW are looking to the future.
“It’s great to see many NSW residents take up the opportunity to boost their employability and gain new skills through TAFE during the lockdown,” Mr Lee said.
“TAFE NSW is offering these courses via online learning or virtual classrooms, which means that students can learn at home and stay safe while upskilling and getting ready for when the economy opens back up.
“Recently added courses include using drones in agriculture, starting a career in hairdressing, barbering or beauty, designing spreadsheets, and food safety supervision.
“All courses link to further training pathways so that students can get a head-start now to a full qualification later.
“There are a variety of courses available to study from different industries. I encourage all NSW residents to take advantage of the high-quality and COVID-safe training available.”
Recently added fee-free short courses include:

• Statement of Attainment in Start your Career in Hairdressing/Barbering
• Statement of Attainment in Start your Career in Beauty
• Statement of Attainment in Drones in Agriculture
• Statement of Attainment in Create and Design Spreadsheets
• Statement of Attainment in Food Safety Supervision

For the full list of courses and to view the eligibility criteria, visit www.tafensw.edu.au/fee-free-short-courses or call 131 601.

The Morrison Government has welcomed the passage through the Senate last night of the new Online Safety Act.
The Act provides stronger powers for the eSafety Commissioner to crack down on cyberbullying of children, toxic online abuse, harmful content and the non-consensual sharing of intimate images. It bolsters Australia’s world-leading online safety framework by introducing new and strengthened schemes to assist Australians when things go wrong online.
The Act also provides the eSafety Commissioner with stronger information gathering and investigative powers to unmask anonymous accounts.
Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, the Hon Paul Fletcher MP, said online safety was a priority for the Morrison Government and passing this new Act was a key commitment at the 2019 election..
“When we established the office of the eSafety Commissioner in 2015, it was the first agency in the world dedicated to protecting citizens from online dangers such as image-based abuse and cyberbullying,” Minister Fletcher said.
“In addition to managing those threats, eSafety has played a key role, along with its international partners, in fighting the scourge of online child sexual abuse material.
“The new Act represents a step-change for eSafety, tightening its powers in existing areas, and creating a new reporting scheme that will allow our eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, to take action to remove toxic cyber-abuse, when online platforms fail to do so.”
In concert with this Act, the Government has delivered its election commitment to strengthen penalties for online abuse and harassment by increasing the maximum penalties in the Criminal Code, including from 3 to 5 years imprisonment for those using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence.
The Government provided an additional $24.7 million to the eSafety Commissioner over four years in the May 2021 Budget. This brings the Government’s total commitment to keeping Australians safe online over the next four years to more than $125 million.
The Act is expected to pass through the House shortly and will commence six months after receiving Royal Assent.

From July 1, thousands of Australians and their families suffering from rare cancers and genetic disorders are set to benefit from expanded listings on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).
We are expanding the listing for Opdivo^® and Yervoy^® (nivolumab and ipilimumab), for the treatment of patients with unresectable malignant mesothelioma.
Unresectable malignant mesothelioma is an insidious cancer that cannot be treated surgically and can take decades to emerge after initial exposure to asbestos. Symptoms are often mistaken for less serious illnesses, which can complicate early diagnosis.
When used in combination, Opdivo^® and Yervoy^® helps the immune system to attack and destroy the cancer cells.
More than 700 patients a year will benefit from this listing. Without PBS subsidy, patients might pay more than $130,000 per course of treatment for this medicine.
Our Government is also expanding the listing of Kuvan^® (sapropterin) on the PBS to include treatment of maternal phenylketonuria (MPKU).
MPKU is a condition when a woman who has phenylketonuria is pregnant. During pregnancy, the levels of phenylalanine affect both the mother and the developing foetus.
MPKU is a genetic disorder requiring lifelong management that prevents the normal breakdown of a protein found in some foods.
This medicine works in combination with dietary restrictions, to help lower the amount of amino acid phenylalanine in the blood.
Kuvan^® reduces phenylalanine in the blood of people with phenylketonuria. Elevated levels can cause abnormal mental and physical development.
Around 30 patients each year will benefit from access to this treatment option. Without PBS subsidy, patients might pay over $215,000 per course of treatment.
Without proper treatment this condition can lead to problems with brain development and cause intellectual disability, difficulties with attention, and psychiatric disorders like anxiety or depression.
These treatments will now be available for as little as $41.30 per script, or just $6.60 for patients with a concession card.
Each of these listings has been recommended by the independent Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee.
Since 2013, our Government has approved more than 2,600 new or amended listings on the PBS.
This represents an average of around 30 listings or amendments per month – or one each day – at an overall investment by the Government of $13.2 billion.
The Morrison Government’s commitment to ensuring Australians can access affordable medicines, when they need them, remains rock solid.’