Australia

Third largest pet store announced it would ban the sale of live animals across its 58 shops nationwide; Animals Australia figures show that about 15% of cats and dogs are purchased from pet shops nationwide, while the majority of pet sales are online

500 rescues were performed in New South Wales, with 50.000 people still isolated by the flood waters; over 120 alerts are in place for the region, including major warnings, as more rain is expected after 4 months of rain came in 48 hours

In 3 May Federal election for the 48th Parliament of Australia the PM Albanese Labor party won a second term over the opposition Liberal–National Coalition, led by Peter Dutton; Labor secured its highest-ever seat count in the House of Representatives

The aerial shooting of over 700 koalas in Budj Bim National Park in Victoria's west has begun; authorities claim they made the decision out of humane reasons, as the animals were dehydrated by a recent fire, the local community was horrified at the plan

Doctors threaten to walk off the job for the first time in decades upon a pay dispute and exhausting shifts; thousands say they will strike for three days next week in a move that will dramatically impact non-urgent care and defy a court order

PM Albanese on the first day of campaigning for the general election touted his Labor party's credentials on affordable healthcare, after an extra $5.3 billion for Medicare were allocated earlier this year for the protection of universal healthcare scheme

Australian lawmakers and experts say there has been an increase in both anti-Semitic and Islamophobic incidents since the war between Israel and Hamas began on 7 October 2023, in what its leaders call a 'national crisis'

Tennis Australia has relied on animation to illustrate its Australian Open YouTube feed, replacing players with AI-powered animated avatars, a practice inaugurated in 2024

The UN Human Rights Committee has ruled that Australia has violated the rights of asylum seekers held in migrant centres set up by its government in neighbouring countries, in breach of its international treaty obligations

The 50th anniversary of Hobart’s Tasman Bridge disaster, that cost the life of 12 people, was commemorated in the weekend; the bridge was lit in bright white and at 9:27 pm, for 30 minutes, the area of impact of MV Lake Illawarra changed to a dark blue