Australian News

In short:

The H5N1 strain of bird flu has been detected in a sheep in the UK.

It is the first time in the world the variant has been found in a sheep, although cases have previously been recorded in dairy cattle and other mammals.

What's next?

Scientists are urging the federal government to invest more in preventing the disease from spreading to Australia's sheep meat industry.

In short:

The University of Wollongong is set to cut up to 10 per cent of its non-academic staff in Australia, or around 185 jobs.

It comes on top of a confirmed plan to cut 95 academic jobs, bringing to total number of job cuts to 276.

What's next?

Students are worried about the impact on their education and say there is growing disquiet on campus.

The university also said it planned to reduce its faculties from four to three, and cut the number of schools from 18 to 11, aiming to save between $22 million and $26 million.

In short:

Australia's efforts to secure an exemption from US tariffs on aluminium and steel have failed, the White House has confirmed on the eve of the tariffs taking effect.

The Australian government says it's still lobbying for a last-minute reprieve.

What's next?

The tariffs are due to take effect at 3pm Wednesday, AEDT. The Trump administration is developing plans for further tariffs under its "America First" trade policy.

In short:

The impacts of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred are still being felt along Australia's east coast with creek rises and flash flooding hitting some regions.

Queensland SES received a record number of calls overnight as attention shifts to the Lockyer Valley.

In NSW, a number of rivers are have flood watch warnings.

In short:

At 4am AEST on Tuesday, Tropical Cyclone Alfred is expected to become a category two storm.

Gales with damaging wind gusts of up to 120 kilometres per hour are expected to develop along the coast, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.

What's next?

The cyclone is likely to cross the Queensland coast late on Thursday or Friday, impacting residents in the state's south-east corner and in northern New South Wales.

The last tropical cyclone to cross the coast in south-east Queensland was ex-Tropical Cyclone Zoe in 1974.

In short:

The egg industry is warning supply shortages could last until at least 2028.

Analysts and farmers say increased consumer demand and ongoing avian influenza outbreaks are to blame.

What's next?

The price of eggs is expected to continue to rise.

Note that this is a few days old; I forgot to submit it earlier. Here's a couple of related articles that are a few days more recent:

• ABC News: Bird flu wipes out more than half a million Victorian farmer’s hens
• ABC News: How much has the price of eggs increased and who is worst hit?

I guess climate change isn't real /s

In short:

Antony Green is stepping down as the national broadcaster's chief election analyst after more than three decades.

He will continue to work behind the scenes on election-related projects.

Green joined the ABC in 1989 and has provided live analysis of about 100 state and federal elections.

In short:

ASIO has foiled plots by hostile foreign nations to assassinate or harm critics in Australia.

The spy agency's boss also expressed fears in his annual threat assessment that antisemitic attacks had not yet "plateaued".

What's next?

Diplomatic offices are being warned not to meddle in the coming federal election.

For the first time, the ASIO boss has also declassified parts of his organisation's most recent "futures assessment" that outlines threats out to 2030, and that he describes as "an uncomfortable assessment".

See also:

• The Conversation: ASIO boss expects more communal violence in worsening security environment in Australia

This story is getting talked about a lot in Perth this week. A well respected doctor: a week ago was going through a rough patch because he was sad his marriage had broken down. Otherwise had a pretty good life.

Now, through his own stupidity is likely to spend the next several years behind bars. Nobody has any sympathy for him - his high-flying career is likely a thing of the past.

Not that people should need reinforcement on the effects of impaired driving, but yeah - don't do that thing.

Worth mentioning: A young woman a week ago also had a pretty good life going on. Now, she is dead. 😞

Fuck, dude has so.e balls. Much as I think Russias actions are completely repugnant, I'm not that brave.

The government was informed of a glitch that caused more than a thousand people to be cut off from welfare payments but ignored it for more than three years because halting it would harm private providers.

The fuck is this :(

"When your time comes, I want you to remember my face so you can understand you will die the most disgusting death," she says, before adding that she won't treat Israelis.

"I won't treat them, I will kill them," she says.

The man then tells Mr Veifer he sends Israelis to Jahannam as he makes a threatening gesture.

"You have no idea how many Israeli dog[s] came to this hospital and I send them to Jahannam," he says.

In short:

Banks will be told not to count HECS-HELP and other student loans in debt calculations for home loans, and to disregard HELP repayments from serviceability assessments.

APRA will also update lending rules for housing developers to clarify that a block of units does not need to be fully sold off the plan to qualify for a loan.

What's next?

The Coalition is mulling its own move on lending requirements, with a proposal soon to come before shadow cabinet.

In short:

A microchip registry company used by vets and shelters around Australia has stopped operations, with a warning its website might go offline.

The identification data of tens of thousands of pets will no longer work if not transferred to another provider.

What's next?

A vet and cat shelter are urging owners of pets registered with HomeSafeID to transfer to another provider.

https://archive.md/afXxG

In short:

A fire at a factory in St Marys has been upgraded to the highest available alarm.

More than 150 firefighters are containing the blaze in Western Sydney, with the fireground still active.

Two firefighters have been treated for heat exhaustion, with nearby residents being evacuated from the area.

The fire, located at the Cleanaway Chemical Waste Recycling Facility in St Marys, is currently contained.

"We've got large quantities of chemicals and gas cylinders that are engulfed in fire and detonating with explosive force.