the RAAF mission to rescue Australians stranded in Afghanistan is now underway after the plane was seen briefly on a flight radar leaving the Afghan Capital before going dark shortly after.

The ABC reported that Australians were told to head to Kabul’s airport late last night, however, officials noted the airport was in chaos with thousands attempting to board flights to leave Afghanistan.

The death toll from the major earthquake that struck Haiti has surged to 1,941, while the search for survivors has resumed after the passing of a tropical storm.

Haitians that were affected by the severe earthquake are clamouring for food, shelter and medical aid as hospitals struggle to tend to all those injured.

Thousands are injured as many still remain under the rubble of fallen down buildings and houses. Authorities are expecting the injury and death toll to increase in the coming days.

New South Wales deputy premier John Barilaro has said lockdowns in regional parts of the state are the only way to contain the delta variant, given the number of unvaccinated people. 

About 60 percent of the 116 cases recorded in the region are Indigenous, with just nine percent of Indigenous residents there fully vaccinated.

Mr Barilaro said vaccinating vulnerable Australians had been a priority at the start of the year, but Indigenous populations and those in aged care had missed out.

Brisbane Ekka Public Holiday replacement is confirmed for Friday 29th October. 

Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe says he wants people to “Get out there and enjoy Queensland” and refrain from “spending the weekend bingeing on netflix"

Tasmania has reopened its borders to Queensland, excluding high-risk locations, from yesterday evening- but will maintain its strict borders with New South Wales, the ACT, the Northern Territory and Victoria. 

Premier Peter Gutwein warned residents yesterday, saying ““If you don’t follow the rules, we will catch you. You will be fined. If you come from a high-risk jurisdiction, you will be turned around”.

High risk arrivals will now also have to produce a negative test before arriving in Tasmania.

The Byron Bay Blues Festival has been postponed for the second time as COVID-19 cases cease to fall. 

Bluesfest director, Peter Noble, wrote in a statement: “We have rescheduled back to our usual timing with dates over the Easter long weekend next year” and assured festival-goers their tickets will roll-over for next year. 

New data has been released showing that 70% of Sydney’s COVID-19 cases were transmitted at home. 

The New South Wales Government has now opened up a 5th hotel to prevent more household transmission and house those who cannot safely isolate at home.

New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, has announced the country will go into a 3-day lockdown after recording it’s first community COVID-19 case in over 6 months. 

An unvaccinated man in his late 50s tested positive to the virus with authorities anticipating the highly contagious delta-strain. 

This will be New Zealand’s strictest lockdown with all businesses to shut, aside from essential services such as supermarkets and pharmacies.