United States considers extending the Afghanistan evacuation timeline 

President Joe Biden says the United States is considering extending the Afghanistan evacuation timeline.  

There are still upto fifteen thousand Americans alone who need to be evacuated from the country, along with fifty to sixty thousand Afghan allies.

Mr Bidan says he’s hoping that the operation would not have to be extended as a lot still could go wrong. 

The US says it is facing threats from ISIS in and around the airport.


 

QLD emergency health services crisis sees rise in ambulance ramping

Concerns are rising over the ongoing emergency health services crisis in Queensland.

Ambulance ramping, which when paramedics are required to continue care for patients in the ambulance, has grown to greater than 50% in eight Queensland hospitals.

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli has said the Labor Government is, “losing control of the health system.”

QLD/NSW Border town split by restrictions

A border town split between Queensland and New South Wales, is seeing locals struggle to manage with different restrictions in place.

Mungindi, about 550 kilometres south-west of Brisbane, has seen essential services, including the local grocery store, inaccessible for Queensland-side residents because crossing the border will mean a 14-day quarantine.

Locals want the border zone bubble to be reinstated, but it is still unclear when the community may be reunited.

New visa proposed to get foreign farm workers

A new visa will be in place from late next month allowing foreigners to work on Australian farms.

It would be offered to South-East Asian nations, however it still remains unclear which countries will sign up to the visa.

The visa would be available to workers in farming, fisheries, forestry and meat processing, and it could provide a pathway to permanent residency or regional settlement.

Afghan Australians lose hope of being rescued

Australians attempting to return home from Afghanistan are losing hope of being rescued.

Afghan Australian man, Zia says he is scared to try again after failing four times to get on to evacuation flights.

His toddler was pushed against the wall and brother whipped by Taliban fighters trying to battle large crowds at the airport.

Zia says he is afraid if he does not manage to evacuate soon the security situation at the airport will only get worse.

Copenhagen hosts WorldPride 2021 Conference

Copenhagen hosted The World Pride 2021 Human Rights Conference's largest in-person LGBTQI+ rights gathering since the pandemic began.

WorldPride 2021 Director of Human Rights Aron Le Fevre says that 215 activists received scholarships. Some of these recipients come from the 69 countries that criminalise homosexuality or have been forcibly expelled from their homes because of their sexuality.

This is the first WorldPride in history that includes, as part of the human rights forum, a full day international summit on LGBTQI+ refugees, borders and immigration.

Reaching vaccination targets, not a guarantee for total lifting of restrictions

Reaching vaccination targets, not a guarantee for total lifting of restrictions in Queensland.

Deputy Premier Steven Miles says talk of vaccination targets of 70 or 80 per cent resulting in lockdowns and restrictions completely easing is too simplistic.

Queensland Deputy Chief Health Officer James Smith says it’s not that we’ll be able to dial back completely on restrictions once we hit desirable vaccination targets but higher vaccination coverage will ease the restrictions.