It's Friday! Here are this week's big stories and some that you might have missed
The big headlines
- Australia continues to top the leaderboard at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, while England and Canada are in a distant second and third place. With only a few days of the games left, Australian athletes are likely to continue to impress in the athletics and netball finals, among several other events.
- Unprecedented wildfires blazed across France and Spain this week, with another heatwave is set to hit Western Europe soon. In south-west France, the wildfire burnt through a region four times the size of Paris and encroached on the city of Bordeaux. Meanwhile in Spain, some 100, 000 people were told to evacuate their homes, with their worst wildfire on record.
- Jacinta Allan resigned as Victorian premier on Tuesday morning, prompting a leadership spill that resulted in the elevation of former deputy premier Ben Carroll hours later. The new premier’s first move was to announce a royal commission into the construction sector. This followed the controversial handling by the Allan government of alleged criminal infiltration of construction sites.
What else happened this week?
Didn’t receive the AusAlert? Here’s why
Emergency Services Minister Kristy McBain claimed 94% of cell towers successfully broadcast the alert / Wikimedia
Monday's test of the AusAlert emergency notification system left many confused, with some not receiving the alert at all. Authorities said that people shouldn’t worry, as likely reasons include a device turned off, in aeroplane mode or a lack of mobile signal, due to a damaged nearby tower.
Berlin Pride attack suspect killed
Saturday marked Berlin’s Christopher Street Day, one of Europe’s most celebrated Pride events / Wikimedia
A suspected Islamist terror attack on Berlin Pride on Saturday has left one woman dead and almost 30 injured. The suspect, 21-year-old Abdul Ballout, was shot and killed by police after he drove his van into the crowd and pursed others in a stabbing attack.
Data breach exposes 900,000 Origin Energy customers
Those affected are said to be contacted. / Shutterstock
On Tuesday, Origin Energy announced that around 900,000 current and former customers had their data accessed in a security breach earlier in the month. Origin Energy CEO Frank Calabria claims a criminal review is underway and apologised to customers publicly on Wednesday.
Indian Education Minister resigns after Janta Party protests
‘Cockroach’ protestors were caned and tear gassed by police as their march on parliament was shut down last week / Wikimedia
Indian Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resignedover the weekend after nationwide youth protests in New Delhi. Mr Pradhan took responsibility for the leaking of the national medical entrance exam in May, which forced two million students to resit the test.
Katy Perry condemns song use in Iran war video
Several other pop stars, including Olivia Rodrigo, Beyonce and Ariana Grande, have also criticised the administration’s use of their music / Wikimedia
Katy Perry has denounced the Trump administration for its use of her song Firework in a social media video depicting a US military strike on an Iranian naval ship. Perry released a statement on X criticising the White House for unauthorized use.
Labor advocates for assisted dying consults via telehealth
Despite the policy change, the prime minister it could undermine medical safeguards with potential for misuse./ Wikimedia
Labor’s policy around assisted dying changedat its recent national conference in Adelaide, as the party considered overturning the law banning consultations via telehealth services. Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young and Independent MP Kate Chaney both intend to introduce bills on the issue, aiming at improving access for regional areas.
Nganjuwarr people’s native title recognised in Kimberley
Native title acknowledges the traditional rights of Indigenous people, putting them in a better negotiating position with local companies / Wikimedia
The Federal Court ruled that the Nganjuwarr people in East Kimberley will have their native title rights recognised last week. More than 97 per cent of the region, including 960 square kilometres of land and waters, is now recognised.
Netanyahu accuses Mamdani of ‘fomenting hate’
Mamdani has since acknowledged his lack of legal power to arrest Netanyahu, who he called a "war criminal"./ Wikimedia
Benjamin Netanyahu has accused Zohran Mamdani of "fomenting hate" following the New York city mayor’s threat to arrest the Israeli Prime Minister under an International Criminal Court warrant when he visits the city in September.
US impose new tariff on Australian exports
Recently the Australian government committed to stricter consequences for companies not preventing forced labour in supply chains / Shutterstock
President Donald Trump announced a 12.5 per cent tariff on Australian goods last week due to claims that the Albanese government has failed to prevent modern slavery. The tariff extends to exports from 60 countries.
Hanson loses appeal against discrimination ruling
Hanson was found to have made an "anti-Muslim or Islamophobic" remark on social media / Wikimedia
Pauline Hanson lost her appeal against the federal court, which found she racially discriminated against Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi in September 2022. She intends to appeal the case in the High Court.
And now for some good news
Australia’s avo supply reaches record high as prices drop
Avocado toast will be on all the breakfast menus / Shutterstock
The annual Rabobank Global Avocado Update has declared that Australia’s supply will reach a record 170, 000 tonnes over the coming seasons. Retail prices are expected to stay relatively low due to the abundance. And maybe with the extra coin, avo-loving young people will be able to buy their first homes!