1. Sinkhole swallows NSW home as more council areas get flood disaster pay.

A home along the Hawkesbury River in New South Wales has been partially swallowed by a sinkhole after recent floods ravaged the area.

Parts of the house, which was unoccupied at the time, crumbled into the sink hole when the ground gave way around 10am on Monday. The council is waiting for an assessment before repairs can get underway.

The property's owner, Mike, who lives in another house nearby, said it was the third time his riverfront property had flooded this year.

"The next shower comes along my house will be gone. I am wondering what is going to be done now," he told the ABC.

Image: Channel Seven.

Elsewhere in the state, more flood-hit areas are eligible for federal payments up to $1000 to help with recovery, including Cumberland, Mid Coast, Muswellbrook, Nambucca, Newcastle, Port Stephens, Randwick and Warren.

"This funding will help to provide for immediate needs, including temporary accommodation, food and clothing," said Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the federal and NSW governments were working closely together to support victims of the disaster, and more than 600,000 people affected by the floods had together received in excess of $514 million in payments.

2. VIC knocks back mask mandate as COVID cruise ship prepares to dock in Sydney.

The Victorian government has knocked back official COVID-19 health advice for mask mandates to return in schools, early childhood centres, retail stores and hospitality venues.

Acting Chief Health Officer Ben Cowie advised Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas to reinstate the mandates but she instead opted to strongly recommend Victorians wear masks indoors and in crowded outdoor spaces.

"I made a decision based on the advice that I had received that further mandating masks was not the most effective way to get the message out about the importance of mask wearing," she told reporters yesterday.

COVID mask mandate calls from Victoria's top public health official have been rejected by the state's Health Minister | @pamurrell pic.twitter.com/0zw7cI6B6k
— 10 News First Melbourne (@10NewsFirstMelb) July 12, 2022

Under new measures that came into effect from 11.59pm yesterday, people who test positive to the virus will now be exempt from testing - and isolating for four weeks instead of 12 - in line with Australian Health Protection Principal Committee advice. NSW Health has also revised the COVID-19 reinfection period down to four weeks.

Meanwhile, a cruise ship will dock in Sydney today carrying scores of people who have tested positive for COVID-19.

The outbreak aboard the Coral Princess has mostly infected crew, with 118 of them in isolation. Passengers will have to record a negative result on a rapid antigen test before disembarking, while crew will have to remain on board.

#Breaking: Passengers have started disembarking the Coral Princess. Three have already told me that no one checked to see their RAT tests were negative this morning @SkyNewsAust pic.twitter.com/9IKoqCT5It
— Julia Bradley (@_juliabradley) July 12, 2022

At the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, another Princess cruise liner - the Ruby Princess - was briefly linked to one in eight NSW coronavirus cases.

3. Face recognition tech at Bunnings, Kmart, sparks investigation.

Two major Australian retailers are being investigated by the privacy watchdog for their use of facial recognition technology in stores.

Kmart and Bunnings will be investigated over their use of the technology which captures images of shopper's faces and stores unique "faceprints".

The retailers say facial recognition is being used in some stores to protect shoppers and staff, combat anti-social behaviour and reduce theft.

But the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner has concerns over the companies' "personal information handling practices".

Listen to more on facial recognition:

The watchdog on Tuesday announced the investigation after consumer advocate group CHOICE raised the alarm about the technology being used without customer's knowledge or consent.

The information collected by the technology could be in breach of Australia's privacy laws, CHOICE consumer data advocate Kate Bower said.

Bunnings chief operating officer Simon McDowell said the company was aware of the opened investigation and would cooperate with the watchdog.

4. Japan farewells former PM Shinzo Abe.

With prayers, flowers and flags draped in black ribbons, Japan has said farewell to former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, after he was gunned down at a campaign rally last week.

Crowds packed pavements lined with a heavy police presence as the hearse carrying Abe, who died at age 67, departed from a central Tokyo temple on a procession through the city.

"Thank you very much for your work for our country!," one man repeatedly shouted.

Hundreds had filed into the temple where Abe's funeral was held on Monday evening and Tuesday morning, prior to the private ceremony, to pay their respects. His assassination on Friday by an unemployed man wielding a homemade gun stunned a nation where both gun crime and political violence are extremely rare.

Japanese have turned out in their hundreds to bid farewell to assassinated former PM Shinzo Abe https://t.co/L7DEMbyKIp pic.twitter.com/QgLVH4vvcV
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) July 12, 2022

The suspected killer, arrested at the scene and identified by police as 41-year-old Tetsuya Yamagami, believed Abe had promoted a religious group to which his mother made a "huge donation", Kyodo news agency has said, citing investigators.

Chief cabinet secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told a news conference on Tuesday that the Japanese government will consider whether there is a need to further regulate handmade guns.

5. Succession leads Emmy nominees.

HBO drama Succession has topped the list of Emmy nominees with 25 nods, including one for best drama series.

The rivals for best drama in television's highest honours include Netflix's South Korean thriller Squid Game, the first non-English language show to be nominated for an Emmy.

Netflix's sci-fi hit Stranger Things and HBO's Euphoria, about high school students navigating the world, also were nominated.

The #Emmy nominees for Drama Series are:@BetterCallSaul (@AMC_TV)@EuphoriaHBO #Ozark (@Netflix)#Severance (@AppleTVPlus)@SquidGame (@Netflix)@Stranger_Things (@Netflix)@Succession (@HBO)@Yellowjackets96 (@Showtime)#EmmyNoms #Emmys #Emmys2022 pic.twitter.com/5AuZqnNdKa
— Television Academy (@TelevisionAcad) July 12, 2022

Brian Cox, who stars as patriarch Logan Roy in Succession, will compete for best actor against Jeremy Strong, who plays his troubled son Kendall.

Squid Game actor Lee Jung-Jae is also in the running.

Contenders for best comedy actress include Rachel Brosnahan for her role as a 1950s housewife and comedian on Mrs Maisel, along with Issa Rae of Insecure and Hacks star Jean Smart.

Winners of the Emmys will be announced at a ceremony in Los Angeles on September 12.

You're all up to speed. We'll keep you updated with more of the top news stories throughout the day.

- With AAP.

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