The small town of Miriam Vale off the Bruce Highway between Rockhampton and Bundaberg has launched a highway art trail to invite travellers into town.

The art trail is a Queensland first, with big sculptures on the highway and smaller ones on the drive into town, all designed by local artists, and designed to bring in travellers to spend money.

Publican Mitch Brennan said small towns like Miriam Vale need visitors to stop and grab a coffee and buy fuel and the art trail already is making a huge difference in the community’s economy.

The African Communities Council has rejected a ruling that the Courier-Mail's 'enemies of the state' cover story from last year was not racist.

The Australian Press Council responded to complaints that the cover which featured two African Australian women on the front was racist and an act of ‘racial vilification.’ 

The APC said the Courier-Mail didn’t breach its standards of practice rules and that publishing their identities “reflects the seriousness of the women’s actions” and was not due to “personal characteristics”. 

At least 41 people have died from flash flooding caused by the remnants of Hurricane Ida in the New York area.

Hundreds of flights to and from New York were cancelled as terminals were fully submerged, and citizens described the rain as like living in a tropical jungle.

The record rainfall flooded basements, with low-income and working class residents said to be among the greatest affected.

A Sunshine Coast pilates instructor has started a pilates program to help tradies recover and rebuild their damaged bodies.

Research from the 2019 Tradies Health Survey reveals sixty percent of tradies often have aches and pains because of their job, and make up sixteen percent of Australians reporting back pain.

Gaby Shadforth said the pilates class is not exclusive to tradies but is more a class to educate men on how to do something about their pain in a comfortable setting and says it is also great social interaction to keep them mentally healthy too.

On Saturday, the mandate for no Queensland residents re-entering or people relocating from Covid interstate hotspots will ease slightly, with fifty rooms becoming available.

Chief Health officer Jeanette Young said around three thousand people are hoping to enter Queensland and priority will be given to those approved for early entry.

A Queensland Health Spokesperson said the decision to pause hotel quarantine has allowed them to find solutions and ultimately move forward at a more sustainable pace.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has defended her request for more data showing the impacts of reopening after lockdowns on unvaccinated children up to 16 years old.

The Federal government criticised the Premier's request and urged her to commit to the reopening plan.

However, Palaszczuk said there is not enough information to make decisions and that she wants a detailed paper to share with her cabinet and Queenslanders.

Figures from Ambulance Victoria show there are still hundreds of paramedics who have refused to be vaccinated against Covid-19.

256 ‘on road’ paramedics have declined the vaccine, which equates to about 4.6% of the total number of paramedics.

The Ambulance Union, who opposes mandatory vaccines, advises Australians to not worry about these numbers.

However, the Australian Medical Association calls for mandatory vaccines for frontline workers and their president says those who did not wish to be vaccinated should consider leaving their profession.

The UK’s Foreign Secretary Domonic Raab said evacuation flights from Afghanistan could resume in the near future when the Kabul International airport reopens.

Raab said the UK will not recognise the Taliban anytime soon but they must engage with the militant group to ensure UK nationals and Afghan allies can leave.

Raab also said the cooperation on the border crossings will be the first test of the Taliban’s relationship with the west.