Luff is determined to make the most of long-awaited opportunity

TODAY'S opening race of the V8 Supercars season at the Yas Marina Circuit will be Warren Luff's first as a full-time driver since 2006, but he's back with plenty to prove piloting Lucas Dumbrell's Gulf Western Oil Racing team.

Superyacht marina looks for a belated facelift

MORE than a decade after the purpose-built superyacht marina hosted well-heeled visitors to Sydney's Olympic Games, plans have been lodged to expand the facility by adding restaurants, cafes, shops and a tavern.

Marina Berlusconi for PM?

ROME. Italy faces the possibility of a dynastic succession as calls grow for the millionaire daughter of Silvio Berlusconi to enter politics. In a move that would delight Mr Berlusconi's supporters but dismay his opponents, Marina Berlusconi (left) is being mooted as his possible successor as a prostitution scandal threatens to cut short his third term in office.

YAS GETS THE THUMBS UP FROM WINTERBOTTOM

"I THOUGHT it was incredible," V8 Supercars driver Mark Winterbottom said of his recent visit to the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi.

Sensitive Point

A proposed Morisset marina on Lake Macquarie, plus its substantial add-on frills, has some locals in an uproar. Damon Cronshaw reviews the battle lines.

This Year It's Coffs Here We Come

SPINIFEX rolled down the marina car park and slabs of warm VB gathered cobwebs on pallets all told, it was a pretty quiet start to the new year in Coffs Harbour last year, storm conditions having created a hiccup for the organisers of the annual race from Pittwater.

Questions On Timing

LAKE Macquarie City Council has been accused of delaying the rezoning of the controversial Trinity Point marina site at Morisset Park for political gain.

Marina Views

It's time to rediscover Maribyrnong River, writes Katherine Townsend.

A $200 Million Marina

? A $200 MILLION marina plan for Morisset Park must be assessed by the NSW Government for its climate change liability, Morisset Peninsula Precinct Committee vice-convenor David Lemcke said.

New Hands At The Helm

LAKE Macquarie businessman John Wood has paid $4.3 million for Marks Point Marina.

Russia's Railway Medics Give Speedy Service

A special train has become a lifeline for remote villages, writes Marina Kamenev.

Marina Keeping Memories Alive Through Song

MUSIC has become an important part of Marina Sabushimike's life since she left Burundi with her family a year ago.

Limitations On The Lake Preserve Lifestyle

But marina proposals are now with the State Government, writes Greg Piper. THE boating lifestyle is an essential part of living in Lake Macquarie for many residents and there has been publicity lately on plans to develop a new marina at Morisset Park and upgrade Marmong Point Marina.

This Latest Lady's No Tramp

LADY CHATTERLEY Rated: M Starring: Marina Hands, Jean-Louis Coulloc'h, Hippolyte Girardot. Critic's warning: Full-frontal nudity, sex scenes. Critic's rating: 7/10

Exxonmobil Backs Drillsearch For Explosive Results At Marina

Drillsearch Energy

The Dark Side Of Putin's Russia

Death of a Dissident By Alex Goldfarb and Marina Litvinenko Simon & Schuster, $49.95 A Russian Diary By Anna Politkovskaya Harvill Secker, $35

Russian Ghosts Awake On Fantasy Island

Lara O'Reilly found the perfect eerie space for her installation, writes Marina Kamenev.

Shell Cove 'as Big As Kiama'

EXPRESSIONS of interest are being called today to build the $80 million boat harbour and marina project at the centre of Shell Cove, a development expected to rival the size of nearby Kiama.

A Crucial Link To Marina

THE first stage of Harbour Boulevarde will be only 540m long, but it is heralded as an integral part of the Shell Cove infrastructure.

Marina Gets Go-ahead

SHELL Cove's $100 million marina has received the final go-ahead.