New York Governor, Andrew Cuomo, has declared gun violence a disaster emergency, a first for any state in the United States.

In order to prevent more gun violence, Cuomo unveiled a set of executive orders, such as border control with the southern states which are said to be where the guns are coming from. 

Federal MP, Matt Canavan, has criticized state governments saying that they have handled quarantine poorly and that the states wouldn’t have to halve the international arrivals if quarantine was handled better.

Large workplaces could possibly begin vaccinating their own staff from September, the same time the vaccination rollout also opens up to younger Australians, as the new COVID-19 taskforce boss works on an updated rollout plan.

The National NAIDOC Committee has announced NAIDOC Week celebrations will be held from the until the 11th of July. 

The theme for this year is Heal country and seeks substantive institutional, structural, and collaborative reform.

Queensland cafés and restaurants will be empowered to offer healthier menus for children, thanks to the state’s first Healthy Kids Menu initiative launched by Health and Wellbeing Queensland. 

The Palaszczuk Government has struck a deal to secure land for training of Australian and Singaporean military personnel in North and Central Queensland.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said growing Queensland’s burgeoning industry sector was an important part of the government’s COVID-19 Economic Recovery Plan.

Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine is appearing to be less effective in halting the spread of the Delta strain of the virus, but it is said to be shielding people against severe cases, according to data from Israel's government.

The vaccine protected 64% of people against the illness between June 6 and early July, down from 94% between May 2 and June 5, the Israel Health Ministry said.

The drop in effectiveness coincides with the government lifting virus restrictions at the start of June, just as the new variant was beginning to make inroads.

The Australian Government is under increasing pressure to evacuate Afghan staff who have supported its diplomats and soldiers across Afghanistan, as the US and UK announce plans to pull thousands of at-risk allies from the country.

A retired Australian officer who served Afghanistan told the ABC "If we don't get them out very soon... many of them are going to be killed".

All foreign forces are expected to be out of Afghanistan in under 100 days, by 11 September.