Medical clinics across Brisbane have been asking patients and staff to wear masks as they prepare for widespread COVID-19 transmission.

Currently, masks are only mandated in airports and on domestic flights, but it's recommended that Queenslanders keep a mask with them in case they can't physically distance.

Queensland's Chief Health Officer says health authorities were "actively considering" reimposing a mask mandate as community transmission increases, and encouraged people to wear them indoors and on public transport.

Victorian Premier Dan Andrews is in isolation following a potential exposure to a positive COVID-19 case at an event over the weekend.

According to current Victorian guidelines, social contacts of a positive COVID-19 case are required to isolate until they receive a negative test result.

Mr Andrews has taken a test and is now awaiting results while following current health advice.

The Biden administration is planning to impose new sanctions on several Chinese surveillance and biotech companies.

The move will bar American companies from selling components to 11 research institutes that focus on using biotechnology to support the Chinese military.

The sanctions have been put in place due to the Chinese government's human rights abuses of Uyghur Muslims in the country's western region.

Twelve Canadian and American missionaries have been released in Haiti.

The group had been captured by a gang after visiting an orphanage on a trip organised by Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries.

The gang involved in the kidnapping had sought a ransom of one million US dollars for each of the hostages.

The COVID-19 vaccine mandate begins today in Queensland, limiting the movements of unvaccinated citizens in certain venues. 

Under the mandates, unvaccinated people will not be permitted to dine in at hospitality venues but will be permitted to order takeaway.

Queensland Police Service says any business owners experiencing difficulty implementing the mandate can contact the police for assistance.

Ipswich City Council will remove the name of former mayor Paul Pisasale from two pieces of local infrastructure, after a vote last week.

Pisasale was already serving a two year term for extortion when he was sentenced to a further 7 and a half years jail on 30 other charges including fraud, official corruption, perjury and two counts of sexual assault.

Six councillors voted to “de-name” the Paul Pisasale Bridge in Springfield Central and Pisasale Drive in Yamanto, a move current Mayor Teresa Harding says will erase a “source of embarrassment” for the city.

Two refugees were released yesterday from the Brisbane Immigration Transit Authority after eight years in detention. 

This release follows the release of two refugees in Melbourne earlier this week and the release of a-hundred-and-eighty-eight refugees in Australia since December 2020.

There are still seventy refugees remaining in onshore detention in Australia.

A New South Wales river has been dual named with its Aboriginal name and the name given to it by white settlers.

The river that has been known as the Macquarie river for the past two hundred years will now be officially recognised by its Wiradjuri name of Wambuul.

Bathurst Local Aboriginal Land Council Chief Executive Tonilee Scott says:

"Using the Wiradjuri language for this ancient river is a powerful and inclusive symbol of the broader community's appreciation of First Nations people's very long ties to Wambuul,"

Powerful winds have swept across midwestern US states creating ‘dust bowl’ conditions, less than a week after the region was devastated by several tornadoes.

The low-pressure system winds triggered power outages in four US states on Wednesday leaving over one hundred thousand without power in Colorado alone.

The weather system whipped up topsoil and dust, reducing visibility to zero in parts of Kansas, New Mexico and Colorado, forcing highway closures