Morning mail: Covid restrictions ease in NSW and Victoria, Biden warns on Ukraine, calls for calm after shark attack

Friday: Restrictions introduced to curb the spread of Omicron, including bans on singing and dancing, will be eased over the next week in NSW and Victoria. Plus: how we can repel threats to Australian democracy

Good morning. The US president, Joe Biden, has warned the threat of a Russian invasion into Ukraine is imminent. Covid restrictions in New South Wales and Victoria begin easing from today, and marine scientists call for calm after a fatal shark attack in Sydney.

Restrictions introduced to curb the spread of Omicron across Australia's two most populous states will be eased over the next week as cases continue to drop in NSW and Victoria. The changes, similar across both states, will begin to take effect from Friday. However, the lifting of the indoor mask mandate remains another week away. In Victoria, from 6pm on Friday, density limits at hospitality and entertainment venues will be removed, dancefloors can reopen and QR code check-ins will no longer be required in retail settings, schools and many workplaces. In NSW, from 12.01am Friday, density limits will be scrapped, QR codes will remain only for nightclubs and music festivals with more than 1,000 attenders, and singing and dancing can resume at venues other than at festivals.