The World Bank has halted operations in Sudan following the military coup led by armed forces chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.

State oil company workers, doctors and pilots have joined civilian groups opposing the takeover. 

Mr Burhan says he acted to prevent Sudan slipping into civil war, dismissing the joint military-civilian council formed in 2019. The World Bank expressed grave concerns in a statement over recent developments.

The United States is calling for Taiwan to have greater involvement in the United Nations, citing its success as a democracy and for its handling of the Covid pandemic. 

China responded saying Taiwan has no right to join the UN and considers the island a part of the country.

These verbal spars between the superpowers, comes 50 years since the UN general assembly recognised Beijing as the representative of China over Taipei.

A Queensland nurse and 24 police staff are set to launch their legal cases against vaccine mandates enforced by their employers to the Supreme Court. 

Queensland Police were ordered to have their first dose of Covid vaccine by October 4 and the second by January 23, 2022. QLD Health staff had a deadline for September 30 for the first dose and a late October deadline for both doses. 

Both legal challenges will return to the Supreme Court in December for review, and are the second group of QPS and QLD Health workers to lodge their objection towards the vaccine mandate.

The Covid pandemic infamous for creating mass problems for businesses and individuals has seen many in Queensland try to take advantage of the situation. 

According to Queensland Treasury’s State Penalties Enforcement Register, over 3000 unpaid fines worth a total of $5.2 million have involved businesses and individuals accused of flouting the rules during the pandemic. The SPER says active enforcement by means of garnishing bank accounts/wages, registering charges over property, or suspending driver licenses have been conducted. 

Leaders on the Gold Coast have urged locals to get vaccinated under the message of ‘Doing it for Tourism’.

The call comes for people to get the jab by December 17, when Queensland opens up to Australia. Many Surf Lifesaving Clubs and theme parks will transform into pop-up vaccination hubs over the coming weekend.

The leaders have raised attention to the lagging vaccination rates the Gold Coast has compared to other LGAs.

The median house price of Hobart’s innermost suburbs has surpassed $1 million for the first time, according to the Real Estate Institute of Tasmania (REIT). 

490 properties have sold for over $1 million when compared to 163 the year prior, - a 200.6 per cent increase year on year.

A representative from REIT says Tasmanians are now becoming more accustomed to the idea their real estate market has caught up with the rest of Australia.

Senior officials from Afghanistan’s neighboring countries gathered in Tehran to discuss the current situation involving Taliban rule.

Representatives from Iran, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan as well as China and Russia (via video link) met for the one-day conference. 

The conference agreed on continued cooperation to avoid a collapse or civil war in Afghanistan, a strong need to form an inclusive government, further humanitarian relief and the lifting of American sanctions affecting the war-torn nation.

Two U.S senators have urged President Joe Biden to waive potential sanctions against India over its purchase of Russia’s S-400 air defence system. They fear sanctions against India will jeopardize growing cooperation with the United States.

In 2018, India signed a $5.5 billion deal with Russia for five surface-to-air missiles, upsetting the U.S who had passed a law in the previous year stating any country engaging with Russia’s intelligence and defense sectors could face sanctions.