Australia

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

Two sailors have died in separate incidents on the first night of the 79th Sydney to Hobart sailing regatta, after they were both hit by sail booms; they mark the first deaths in the famed race since six men lost their lives in the 1998 event

Labor Party has announced plans to cap donations to prevent billionaires from buying elections; no draft legislation has been made public, but plans would limit donor spending to AUS$20.000, or USD12.500 per candidate/year and cap campaign budget

New law to ban social media for children under 16 passed after days of heated debate; Australia set a benchmark for jurisdictions around the world with one of the toughest regulations targeting Big Tech

For a study on the gut health of the population, the Australian government agency responsible for scientific research asked citizens aged 14 and over to collect data on their flatulence via an app called Chart Your Fart