The state government has committed $400,000 to the Refugee Immigration Legal Service (RAILS) to support immigration pathways for Afghan refugees. 

State Attorney general Shannon Fentiman says RAILS received 650 requests for assistance from members of Queensland’s Afghan community in the first fortnight following the fall of Kabul. 

The federal government has devoted 3000 places in Australia’s existing humanitarian intake for refugees from Afghanistan. 

That intake is down from last year, with 13,750 visas offered in 2021, compared to 18,750 in the previous year.

East Brisbane State School is set to be demolished and rebuilt for the 2032 Olympic Games, after the neighbouring Gabba sportsground was announced as the main Olympic stadium. 

The stadium is likely to be upgraded to increase capacity from 42,000 to 50,000 spectators, a redevelopment anticipated to cost around $1 billion. 

The 122 year old red brick school was added to Queensland’s Heritage Register in 1994.

 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.

The PNG courts in 2016 ruled the operation of the detention centres on its soil unconstitutional.

Australia has since replaced detention centres with ‘transit accommodations' that share some similar features. 

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. 

Taiwan faces a constant threat of invasion from China, who views the nation as a sovereign territory to one day be annexed.

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.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk described the news as unbelievable, and praised Queenslanders for doing the right thing by getting vaccinated.

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.

Ellume Chief Executive Dr Sean Parsons says the recall is localised to a small number of kits manufactured in between February and June, and were distributed from April to August.

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.

President of the Bylong Valley Projection Alliance Phillip Kennedy says he will fight tooth and nail to continue to protect his livelihood as a farmer, where his land has some of the highest quality soil in Australia.

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. 

Several protesters are concerned the mandate will cause harsher restrictions, which led to the rally in support of Australian citizens.