A daily 5-minute news wrap for English learners.
This is SBS News in Easy English, I'm Biwa Kwan.
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Thirty-one former judges have written an open letter to Australia's politicians asking them to urgently establish a watchdog that would investigate corruption in federal politics.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been critical of the anti-corruption watchdog in New South Wales, which holds public hearings.
He says the federal government would prefer any federal anti-corruption body to hold hearings in private.
Mr Morrison says he is aware of the call from the judges, and they are entitled to their opinions.
"I express opinions on judges myself and on courts from time to time and it's free country, I'm happy for them to make their contribution but what I do know that we have a policy of 347 pages with extensive powers, which is part of our program to ensure that we can put an integrity commission in place."
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New data has been released showing wages in Australia have grown at a rate lower than predicted, increasing at just 0.7 percent in the March quarter.
Annual wage growth stands at 2.4 percent - versus inflation at 5.1 percent.
The Reserve Bank predicts it will take until late 2023 for wage increases to match the rising cost of living.
Wages have become a dominant issue during the election campaign, with the federal opposition promising to push for an increase in the minimum wage - if it wins the federal election on Saturday [[21 May]].
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New research shows Australians on the lowest incomes are falling behind on the cost of living.
Charity Anglicare Australia says that full-time minimum wage workers are left with just $29 after essential weekly expenses; while a family of four, with two full-time minimum wage earners, has no disposable income.
Analysis by the group has found that just 1.6 per cent of rental listings are affordable for a person on the minimum wage.
Anglicare Australia Executive Director Kasy Chambers says affordable housing is just one of many policies the government needs to address regarding low-income workers.
"We need to make sure the minimum wage is a living wage, so that people who are working full time can put food on the table and a roof over their heads. We need to raise Centrelink payments above the poverty line, they've fallen so far behind and have seen no real increase since 1997."
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Australia has targeted 23 Russian-associated individuals and entities in the latest round of sanctions against the Kremlin.
It comes as the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol appears to be close to falling under Russian control.
The sanctions target the first deputy chief of general staff of Russia's armed forces, Russian journalists and news anchors, and acting Russian ministers, as well as pro-Russian research and cultural institutions.
Australia has now sanctioned more than 800 individuals and 50 entities since Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine in late February.
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Women in Europe have praised the Spanish government's move to introduce a law on paid menstrual leave, which would provide female staff with the right to seek time away from work if they experience severe period pain.
The plans are part of a bigger package to expand women's rights in Spain; and the government approved a draft bill on Tuesday as part of its focus on women's issues.
Anka Dumitrache says it's a positive step, as women all over Europe call on their governments to also introduce paid menstrual leave.
"It is very good because the women at that moment are very tired and it is very difficult for them to make the tasks at their work job or I don't know... shopping.... (or) anything else. It is very good, it should be like that."
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To sport, Biniam Girmay has won the 10th stage of the Giro d'Italia, becoming the first black African to win a Grand Tour stage.
The 22-year-old from Eritrea had already made history in March when he was the first black African to win the Gent-Wevelgem race in Belgium.
Girmay says he is grateful for the historic result.
"Everybody I mean they did a super great job. And then Pozzo [[Italy's Domenico Pozzovivo]] was amazing you know, he just come, he said to me he just come the last 600 metres. He did a really good lead out. Amazing."
Girmay suffered an eye injury when a champagne cork hit his face on the victory podium and it's unclear whether he will start stage 11 of the race.
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This is SBS News in Easy English, I'm Biwa Kwan.
