6:36am: All northbound lanes of the Hume Highway have been closed on the Wingecarribee Bridge at Berrima following a truck accident.
The lanes have been closed while emergency services work to free a trapped occupant of the truck, once this is completed one northbound lane is expected to reopen.
6:35am: A public walkway through an asbestos-riddled area of the Barangaroo development site has been closed following reports by the Sydney Morning Herald.
Gina Rinehart Photo: Claire Martin
6:33am: The Gina Rinehart drama is really just warming up. Following legal threats made against her yesterday, Fairfax journo Adele Ferguson has a cracking yarn in today's paper revealing emails between Ginia Rinehart and her estranged sister Hope.
"Why the hell don't you just take the $300 million dollars mum has repeatedly offered you and walk away," Ginia said.
The new chief minister, Adam Graham Giles.
6:31am: Moving to Australian news from overnight, the Northern Territory has joined the conga line of states to knife their leader and installed Adam Giles as the new chief minister and first Aboriginal head of state.
His predecessor Terry Mills was dumped via telephone while he was in Japan. Because that's how they roll in the north.
6:28am: The most heartbreaking aspect to the Syrian conflict has been highlighted by a children's charity who said more than 2 million Syrian children - akin to a stolen generation - have been afflicted by trauma, malnutrition or disease in the ongoing civil war.
6:25am: In South Africa, the remains of two youths have been exhumed, nearly 25 years after they went missing in an apartheid-era disappearance linked to Nelson Mandela's former wife Winnie.
National Prosecuting Authority worker digs up a grave for exhumation of two bodies, that are believed be those of young activists as police officer watch at Avalon Cemetery in Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo: AP
6:23am: In other less popey news from overnight, New Zealand's gay marriage bill is on track to become law after passing its second reading with a strong majority late on Wednesday night.
6:23am: News from the Vatican and the new pope is Argentine Jorge Mario Bergoglio who has chosen the name Pope Francis.
6:14am: On the roads:
At Wentworthville, there is a broken down vehicle westbound on the Great Western Highway at Emert Street.
At Prestons, traffic is building on the M5.
6:13am: There are no disruptions on the city train network this morning (yet).
On the Hunter Line, buses replace trains between Scone and Maitland and between Telarah and Maitland.
6:12am: And of course, what big news story doesn't get its own hashtag these days? The suspense as we wait for the new pope to appear on the balcony has spawned #reasonsthepopeislate
6:12am: On the front pages of the major newspapers:
The Age in Melbourne reports on Army commander Lieutenant-Colonel Chris Smith's claims that diggers in Afghanistan have distorted, fanciful view of war and themselves.
The Australian Financial Review says billionaire Kerry Stokes “violently” opposes the Labor government’s media overhaul and support is evaporating in parliament.
The Daily Telegraph has followed up the controversial front page yesterday with a report that cabinet has been cornered into backing the government's draconian media regulations during a special meeting on Tuesday.
The Australian reports that Labor is unveiling a spate of new policies that will help it secure the support of independent MPs for its controversial media reforms.
SMH front page, March 14
6:04am: On the front page of today's Sydney Morning Herald, a senior army commander has blasted the behaviour of some Australian soldiers in Afghanistan, saying they expected to be treated as ''Roman gladiators'' and had an image of war based on movies and computer games.
6:01am: Quickly to the big news this morning, we have a pope!
White smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel chimney about an hour ago in Rome (7pm local time) indicating that the 115 cardinals have chosen their man. The new pope is expected to appear on the balcony any minute now.
New pope elected ... white smoke emerges from the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel. Photo: AP
6:00am: Good morning to Sydney and to the new pope.
It will be a little cooler today with isolated showers during the late morning and a chance of thunderstorms this arvo and evening.
Top temp is 24 degrees in the city, 26 in the west. It's 22 degrees in the city now.
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