South Australian health authorities have been forced to issue early flu vaccinations in the wake of a sudden wave of influenza cases in the region.

There have been more than 26,000 diagnoses of the flu in South Australia in 2019, compared to only 7,000 each in Queensland and New South Wales.

90,000 South Australian school children will have access to the free vaccine through the state program, and distribution has already begun for people over the age of 65.

Tripoli's only functioning airport has been attacked as eastern forces continue to advance on the Libyan capital, despite worldwide appeals for an end to the violence.

Fighting between Libya’s two rival governments has already killed 25 people and wounded 80, with 2,800 residents displaced due to the clashes.

The attacks threaten to disrupt oil and gas supplies, trigger further migration to Europe, and interrupt the UN’s plans for an election to put an end to the rivalry between the country’s east and west.

American and European researchers have released the most comprehensive research paper ever published on Climate Change in the Arctic, combining overall climate measures with their physical and biological effects.

It paints a grim picture, finding that Arctic air temperatures warm 2.8 times faster than the Northern Hemisphere in the cold season thanks to increased moisture flowing into the region and sea ice freezing over later than it used to.

Education Queensland has decided to make changes to religious instruction classes run by volunteers in state schools after a 2017 review found some references to be inappropriate for young students.

Phrases referencing prostitution, animal sacrifice and beheadings will be removed from the classes, as well as activities that teach children to ‘disguise their secrets’.

Education Queensland is also planning to review the school chaplaincy system, with changes to be implemented later this year.  

A measles alert has been issued for the Brisbane and Sydney regions after a woman caught a train between the two cities earlier this month.

The woman arrived at Roma Street Station on April 6 and stayed in Highgate Hill. Metro South Health physician Dr Bhakti Vasant is calling for anyone with symptoms to report directly to a doctor, but to call ahead first to prevent further spread of the infection.

Anyone who is yet to be vaccinated for the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine is advised to visit their GP to receive a free vaccination.

Humpback whales have been spotted migrating north up the east coast of New South Wales in what is said to be the highest numbers ever seen this early in the year.

Whale watching season officially runs from June 1 to mid-August but up to 20 whales have already started the journey north for their breeding season.

Rescue groups say that this is likely due to an increasing humpback population but are preparing to be busy after already experiencing two entanglements in a year expected to bring over 35,000 whales along our east coast.

The Port Augusta City Council has run into strife after attempting to remove 500 shopping trolleys from beneath the Port Augusta wharf.

Retailers originally agreed to pay 90% of the removal costs, with the project estimated to cost $15,000. However, that cost has almost tripled due to delays caused by the weather, and a crane fault, forcing the council to ask for more money.

Some of the piles of trolleys are over six metres tall and pose a serious hazard to anyone who jumps or falls into the water.

The United Kingdom is currently facing an ever-declining nursing shortage, and Brexit has only worsened the situation.

In 2018, data commissioned by Britain’s Nursing and Midwifery Council found that the number of new nurses coming from the EU to work dropped by 87% since the 2016 Brexit referendum.

Britain’s current nursing gap could widen to 50,000 people once it leaves the EU and it is feared that its supply of critical medicines will be disturbed if the UK leaves the union without a deal.

At least 15 dolphins have been found dead on the eastern islands of Greece since the end of February after a 103 vessel training exercise by the Turkish navy during February and March this year.

Researchers in the area say that they can’t be sure that the Turkish navy exercise directly resulted in the death of the dolphins but suggest that the intense noise pollution from sonar and live ammunition use may have driven them to surface too quickly or beach themselves.