Two universities have gone above and beyond current COVID Vaccine mandates, requiring students to be vaccinated for in-person learning to commence next month. 

The University Of Queensland, the state’s largest tertiary institution, and Griffith University are both requiring students to be fully vaccinated for face-to-face learning by the 14th and 18th of February respectively. 

Policies have been floated to discipline students who refuse to get the jab without a valid exemption, including the possibility of being unable to finish their degree.

Graziers in QLD’s Central West have seen the biggest drenching in 10 years as many had begun to sell off stock to cope with dry weather.

Between 50 to 100 mm of rain fell across the Hughenden and Richmond region yesterday, with Hughenden itself picking up 107mm, the heaviest rainfall seen in the area since February 2009.

Wet weather is expected to continue throughout the week, as a monsoon will linger over much of Northern Australia and will ease off as the weekend approaches

Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan has warned that the government will not be able to control the state’s outbreak of COVID-19, as the state recorded 24 new local cases yesterday. 

Nine of the new cases were from the Banbury area; tied to the Albermarle Lithium plant being constructed near the city, bringing the cluster in the region to 17 with the remaining cases being from the Perth Metropolitan Area.

The state’s efforts to keep COVID out have been all but dashed by the current outbreak since the state last week indefinitely delayed its border reopening.

The Nation of Indonesia has announced the name of their new capital as the government begins plans to build a sustainable city to replace the current capital of Jakarta that is integrated with its natural environment and has good public transportation.

The United States and its NATO allies have begun efforts to sure up military commitments in the Baltics and Eastern Europe as tensions with Russia over Ukraine reach a fever pitch.

Thousands of US troops are on high alert, France has offered to send troops to Romania, Spain is sending a frigate to the Black Sea and Denmark is sending fighter jets to Lituania in an effort to send a signal to Allies of the region that NATO would protect them from Russian aggression.