Hi there. It's Friday, May 20, and you're reading The Loop, a quick look at today's news.
Let's start here: It's almost election day!
It's the day before the 2022 federal election and we can almost smell the democracy sausages.
Here's what to keep an eye out for on the last full day of campaigning:
- Both leaders will be making their final pitches to voters across the country as wages, jobs and the cost of living continue to dominate the campaign's final days
- Prime Minister Scott Morrison begins his day in Perth. Labor's Anthony Albanese will be in Sydney and is due to be interviewed on the ABC's 7.30 this evening
- Early voting has been open since May 9, and more people will be getting their votes in today or preparing to make theirs tomorrow. You can use our helpful how-to-vote tool to see who is running in your electorate, and where and how to cast your vote
- The Australian Electoral Commission says thousands of people have put their hands up to work in voting centres on Saturday, helping to fill gaps from staff shortages
News while you snoozed
- Australian swimmer and Olympic gold medallist Zac Stubblety-Cook has beaten a time set by a Russian athlete to set a new world record in the men's 200m breaststroke during the final at the Australian Swimming Championships in Adelaide. He said breaking the record by 0.17 seconds was "a surreal moment"
- A 21-year-old Russian soldier named Vadim Shishimarin has asked a Ukrainian widow to forgive him for killing her husband. It came as a court in Kyiv met for a second hearing as part of the first war crimes trial to arise from Russia's invasion of Ukraine
What Australia has been searching for online
- Tom Cruise. The 59-year-old actor has been awarded an honorary Palme d'Or award at the Cannes Film Festival in France, which he's attended for the European premiere of Top Gun: Maverick, the sequel to 1986's Top Gun. Only about 15 honorary Palme d'Ors have been awarded before
- Monkeypox. There's increasing interest in the monkeypox virus amid cases popping up around the world, but experts have urged people not to panic, saying it "isn't going to cause a nationwide epidemic like COVID did". You can learn more about monkeypox in our explainer here.
One more thing
- Leigh Sales, who is preparing to host the ABC's election coverage again this Saturday, says the anticipation leading up to it is "killer and very stressful". If you're interested in a behind-the-scenes look at how the ABC puts together its election-night broadcasts, check out this great piece from Backstory editor Natasha Johnson
You're up to date!
Now go and enjoy that last full day of the election campaign.
ABC/wires
