Australia’s offshore processing centres in Papua New Guinea will officially close by the end of 2021.

Detainees and advocates have long criticised Australia’s system of mandatory, offshore indefinite detention for refugees and asylum seekers, which began in 2013.

Taiwan’s Defence Minister has warned tensions are building in the island nation’s relationship with China. 

Minister, Chiu Kuo-cheng said a record number of Chinese warplanes breached Taiwan’s airspace since Friday, and warns any miscalculations could spark crisis that may ultimately lead to the island’s invasion. 

Queensland has recorded zero locally acquired COVID-19 cases overnight, with three new cases found in hotel quarantine. 

The announcement comes as a welcome surprise, following concerns the NRL Grand Final at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday would lead to a super spreader event, and a recent mystery case in the community.

A Brisbane company’s at-home COVID-19 testing kits have been recalled in the United States after returning false positive results.

The kits developed by Brisbane Biotech manufacturer Ellume, which was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for emergency distribution last year, despite not being available for use in Australia.

South Korean Utilities company KEPCO is proposing the development of a new hydrogen project in New South Wales’ Bylong Valley.

The surprise announcement comes after several propositions for an open-cut coal mine by KEPCO were rejected by the Independent planning commission, however concerns are growing over the heavy emissions caused blue hydrogen.

Protesters on the streets of New York City have been heard chanting “Save Australia” in response to the current COVID-19 lockdowns.

The demonstration comes after New York Mayor Bill de Blasio introduced a new vaccine mandate for education workers, demanding they be vaccinated or be forced to take unpaid leave. 

The University of Queensland is launching a new research project to help improve the cardiovascular health of young people living with Cerebral Palsy.

The new “frame running” training program is the first of its kind worldwide, giving children afflicted with Cerebral Palsy the ability to run. Researchers can then monitor improvements on their cardiovascular health as they continue to train and grow.