A Manning River turtle egg at Aussie Ark within the Australian Reptile Park on the Central Coast of NSW. The endangered turtles are being bred in captivity, which has never been done before, to be released back into the wild. Janie BarrettA Manning River turtle hatching from its egg.Janie BarrettThe program is aiming to boost the species’ chances of survival. Pictured here is a three-month-old Manning River turtle.Janie Barrett
But as TheSydney Morning Herald’s award-winning team of staff photographers and contributors discover on their travels across the state, country and globe to document history as it happens, there is light in the darkness.
Janie Barrett went underwater with Aussie Ark chief conservation officer Hayley Shute in the Barrington River, watching as Shute and her team released eight tiny turtles – the culmination of a years-long conservation effort to boost the species’ chances of survival – one by one.
Meanwhile, Lakemba locals laughed for Sam Mooy and Steven Siewert’s cameras as they prepared to welcome Sydneysiders – and tourists from all over, including cherry farmers from Young – to the Ramadan night markets, which started on Thursday. Last year, the month-long event attracted more than one million visitors to the south-west Sydney suburb that Hanson branded “unwelcoming”.
Read on to see this week in pictures from our team of photographers.
“The more you meet people, the more educated you get, the less scared you get,” Lakemba pharmacist Fatima Youssef said of Hanson’s comments.Sam Mooy
Lunar New Year dragon dancing group from Lion Dance Kids at Chinese Garden of Friendship Darling Harbour.Steven SiewertSiddikur Rahman, who runs several businesses in Lakemba, says he has experienced no problems with crime.Sam MooyHundreds gather at Hyde Park before marching towards Central Station in Sydney during a rally in solidarity with Iran on February 14.Audrey RichardsonSheikh Yahya Safi outside Sydney’s largest mosque, Lakemba Mosque, on the eve of Ramadan. It has received three graphic threats in less than a month.Steven SiewertAn early morning walk in Kirribilli, Sydney, on Tuesday.Sam Mooy
Laws that would criminalise two pro-Palestinian slogans, along with swastikas and the flags of terrorist groups, have been written in a targeted way to fight antisemitism and would “stand the test of time”, despite a shortened public consultation process, Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said at the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday.Alex EllinghausenTrump said on Friday he is likely to decide whether to launch strikes against Iran over the following 10 days.Audrey RichardsonChinese-Australian designer Leo Lin has created a collection for the Lunar New Year. He moved to Sydney from Dalian, China, in his teens, and honouring the holiday is a natural part of the brand’s DNA. Models wear pieces from the collection in this photo.Steven SiewertLuke Baker and Jason Thoroughgood’s Myuna coal mine jobs are hanging in the balance amid a dispute between Centennial Coal and Origin Energy over the terms of a deal to supply the Eraring power station until its new closure date of 2029.Steven SiewertNRL enforcer Haumole Olakau’atu’s simple goals for 2026 are to “play consistent footy for Manly, and terrorise the opposition”. Good luck trying to stop him now the right shoulder he dislocated twice last year is back to full strength.Wolter Peeters
NSW Police forensic officers process the crime scene established on Hunt Street in Guilford West after a car and residential house was impacted by fire. A crime gang has declared war on the son of ex-NRL star Matt Utai.Kate Geraghty
With Bronte Gossling
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