The South Coast Regional Wrap | Tuesday, December 27, 2016

8.30am: That's a wrap for this morning. Remember to check in on your local paper's website for breaking news throughout the day.

8.26am: After a quiet start Wollongong shoppers and visitors have come out in droves for Boxing Day sales in the city centre. Read all about it.

8.17am: Sydney was gifted one of the most exhilarating starts to the 72nd Sydney to Hobart, as spectators flocked to the harbour foreshore on a glorious Boxing Day.

8.10am: I think I might get one of these for myself. Not that I’ll need to eat for a while after Christmas. 

8.05am: The iconic Tathra Wharf to Waves ocean swim carnival is fast approaching. 

Officials have set down January 14-15 for the event and are urging everyone to book the dates in their calendar as there is something for everyone on the day. Find out more.

8.00am: There’s no reason for school holiday boredom. Here’s a stack of stuff to keep ‘em entertained.

7.36am: A man has died after being pulled unconscious from the water in Shoalhaven on Monday night. Full story.

Partly cloudy. Medium (50%) chance of showers inland, slight (30%) chance elsewhere. The chance of a thunderstorm this afternoon. Light winds becoming E 15 to 20 km/h in the late afternoon then tending NE in the evening. Daytime maximum temperatures around 30.

For those hitting the road this morning we’ve got a clear run so far. Good news for train commuters, there are no delays on the South Coast line.

An Australian fur seal took the internet by storm when he wandered from an estuary onto the streets of Newstead on Boxing Day. 

Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment Marine Conservation Program wildlife biologist Doctor Rachael Alderman said it wasn’t that uncommon for seals to be found in urban settings during summer because they’re in the midst of their breeding season.

More than $23 million will be pumped into Victorian communities to help combat the impact of natural disasters.

Federal Justice Minister Michael Keenan and Victorian Deputy Premier and Minister for Emergency Services James Merlino announced the allocation, with the federal contribution part of the $52 million national partnership agreement on natural disaster resilience.

More than 100 shopping trolleys littered Maitland’s central business district on Christmas morning. 

Some trolleys contained the remnants of smashed bottles of alcohol, others were left empty and turned upside down in front of business houses.

When Roshani Priddis is asked where she calls home, her answer is unexpected.

“Our Toyota Hiace,” the 29-year-old says. 

Although she grew up in Tamworth, the singer-songwriter has spent the last two years busking around Australia with her partner, musician Tim Everett, living out of their car the entire time. 

'Don't wait treating me': Manus detainee Faysal Ahmed's final, desperate plea for help

Nine days before he died, a young Sudanese refugee's exasperation at what he saw as the inaction of the health providers at the Manus Island detention centre reached breaking point.

In broken English, Faysal Ishak Ahmed filled out a complaint form, demanding to know why more than 20 visits to the centre's clinic had not produced a diagnosis of his ailments, let alone a treatment plan.

One twin toddler dies, other remains in hospital after being pulled from swimming pool 

A young girl has died while her twin brother remains in hospital in critical condition after having been pulled from a backyard pool in northwest Sydney last week, according to NSW police.

Toddlers Robbi and Charli Manago, 23 months old, were found unconscious in the pool of their home on Charbel Place, Kellyville Ridge about 7pm on December 20.

Berlin Christmas market attack suspect Anis Amri passed through Lyon

The Tunisian suspect behind the truck attack that killed 12 people in a Berlin Christmas market last week appears to have passed through Lyon in France as he fled to Italy, a French judicial source said on Monday.

Russia focusing on pilot error or technical issues rather than terrorism in plane crash

The Russian investigation into the crash of a military transport plane that killed dozens of members of the Red Army Choir is focusing on pilot error or a technical fault, rather than terrorism, a top official said on Monday.

Sunday's crash was the second national tragedy for Russia in less than a week, once again in the shadow of the country's military involvement in Syria. Once again, the nation was left with more questions than answers.

1945 International Monetary Fund formally established by 29 member countries

1949 Queen Juliana of the Netherlands grants independence to Indonesia

1979 Soviet troops invade Afghanistan, President Hafizullah Amin overthrown

IN a country where a beef breeder is so prized she sleeps in the family home and the sale of just one calf would double a family’s annual income, one humble Australian charity is making big inroads in addressing poverty.

It’s not via handouts that Cows for Cambodia is making a difference, it’s via a hand-up. Read on