Mask wearing on trains and trams in Victoria is causing frustration and leaving people feeling unsafe as passengers are not wearing masks or wearing them incorrectly. 23% of train passengers were not wearing a mask in March compared to the 7% in November last year. Public Transport Minister Ben Carroll says mask wearing should be a priority and he is concerned by the figures. The data shows in the mornings mask compliance is stable but in the afternoons and evenings there is a drop from 83% to 65%. 9% are wearing their masks incorrectly.

Health officials in the Gaza Strip are warning the enclave is set to be overwhelmed as COVID-19 cases and deaths continue their sharp spike and oxygen supplies dwindle. The Israeli military blockade of the Gaza Strip that has been in place since 2007 has caused overcrowding and poor conditions that have exacerbated the spread of the virus. While Israel is being heralded as one of the world’s pre-eminent vaccination success stories, the Palestinian territories it occupies are not receiving adequate doses despite the rise in infections.

The Indian government is facing backlash after it ordered Twitter to remove posts criticising its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Posts from Indian politicians and celebrities questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s handling of India’s most recent outbreak and his decision to continue to hold mass political rallies have allegedly been removed. India recorded over three hundred and fifty thousand COVID-19 cases yesterday and is grappling with a severe shortage of hospital beds and oxygen.

Brisbane car free citizens are being investigated by University Of Queensland researchers asking why they have decided to shun the vehicles. Doctor Dorina Pojani and former student Hayley Paijmans spoke to twenty four residents. Only 6% of residents in Brisbane don’t own a car whether that be because of financial reasons, going green or for health and well being. Doctor Pojani says many of the people value their fitness and healthy lifestyle and want to reduce their ecological footprint but minimalists go car free to avoid costs, traffic and other car issues.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says the federal government will fund half of the 2032 Olympics should Brisbane be confirmed to host the event. Mr. Morrison says backing Brisbane’s Olympics bid will mean more jobs, better infrastructure and more tourism dollars for the city. Brisbane is currently the International Olympic Committee’s preferred candidate to host the twenty thirty two games.

Mununjali poet Ellen van Neerven has picked up three awards at the New South Wales Premier’s Literary Awards, including Book of the Year, for their book Throat. Throat deals with Australia’s colonial past as judges said the book marks “a key moment in the ongoing reckoning with colonial legacies and power structures.” Van Neerven says they are conscious of the way their writing can benefit their community and that the award is a boost for them to continue their work.

The Chinese Government has warned Australia not to send the wrong signals after Defence Minister Peter Dutton said conflict with China over Taiwan should not be discounted. The comments come after the Australian Financial Review reported earlier this month that the Morrison government was ramping up internal preparations for military intervention in the Taiwan Strait. China says any improvements to currently fraught Sino-Australian relations would require Australia’s acceptance of a One China policy as a prerequisite.