South Australia Digest — local news from South Australia

South Australia has recorded its first confirmed case of H5 bird flu in an Australian sea lion, found at Seal Bay on Kangaroo Island. The state's environment minister, Emily Bourke, has confirmed the detection, which comes after a similar case in a fur seal was reported last month.

Two men died in separate crashes in Adelaide's southern suburbs on Saturday, bringing the state's road toll to 79. The incidents occurred in Coromandel Valley and Hackham, with investigations ongoing.

Afghan refugee Mohammad 'Mo' Mohammadi fell in love with Iran-based artist Fereshteh Ahmadi after connecting on Instagram. Their love story has been shaped by distance, war, and immigration struggles, but they're hopeful about their future together.

A patient has died after being forgotten in a backlog of paper referrals at a Victorian hospital, the state's shadow health minister has revealed. Up to 150 patients at Mildura Base Public Hospital were left waiting for care for longer than a year.

The South Australian government spent over $123 million last financial year caring for patients stranded in hospitals waiting for aged care beds. The state's health minister has called on his federal counterpart to do more to fix the "crisis".

A Sydney development worth hundreds of millions of dollars has been pitched as the site for Australia's first proton therapy unit, a highly specialised cancer treatment machine. But with construction imminent, the project remains uncertain due to a lack of funding and unclear involvement from key organisations.

Australian producers are tapping into the growing global fine-water market, with one South Australian couple turning their underground aquifer into a premium bottled water brand. The couple's water has gained recognition, with their still water scoring a perfect 100 points at an international fine-water-tasting event.

The luxury South Australian island resort, Rumi on Louth, has been listed for sale, leaving former staff and customers uncertain about outstanding superannuation and voucher entitlements. The resort's co-owner, Che Metcalfe, has acknowledged the outstanding superannuation contributions, but insists this does not change plans for re-opening and expansion.

Small businesses in regional Australia are struggling to stay afloat as rising costs and changes to card surcharge payments loom large. Clothing shop owner Francene Martin says she feels "constant pressure" from mega competitors like Amazon, Temu and Shein.