The Australian military is closely tracking a high-tech Chinese surveillance ship making its way towards Queensland ahead of large-scale military exercises which begin this week. 

Australian Defence Forces are expecting the vessel to arrive on Friday to monitor the Talisman Saber 2021 war games involving Australia and the United States, which will be officially opened today.

Defence Minister Peter Dutton confirmed that the Chinese ship poses no threat to Australia and that the same sort of vessel was sent from CHina for the same reasons in previous years.

A Queensland Police Officer has been stood down after using a warrant to access data from the Queensland Check In App in attempts to locate a stolen gun and taser. 

Officials are concerned the public confidence in the app may have been harmed after the government specifically promised it would only be used for contract tracing. 

An ethical standards investigation is now underway looking into the event.

A public health alert has been issued for Queensland residents after a positive case which was announced on Tuesday had their infectious period revised. 

A public health alert is being issued for more contact tracing locations in Kenilworth, Noosa, Eumundi and Sunshine Beach.

Queensland Health has urged all Queenslanders to monitor their symptoms closely and also check the list of exposure venues regularly. 

Thousands of Cubans have taken to the streets in anti-government protests as the country is experiencing its worst economic crisis in 30 years with chronic shortages of electricity, food and medicine.

The protests have resulted in at least 100 protestors, activists and independent journalists being detained nationwide. Along with the economic crisis the worsening coronavirus situation is seeing the rate of infections explode in recent weeks causing some hospitals to the edge of collapse.

Federal Treasurer, Josh Frydenburg has denied any accusations of double standards in regards to a statement made by the Victorian Government about the support for New South Wales, saying he’s sick of the whingeing from the Victorian Government.  

The statement said it wasn’t the Prime Ministers job to be the “Prime Minister of New South Wales” and that “Victorians are rightly sick and tired of having to beg for every scrap of support from the federal government”.

Former Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, has denied leaking a letter releasing the details of his phone call to the chairman and chair executive of Pfizer about vaccine negotiations with Australia. 

This comes after an announcement from the Federal Government last week that the vaccine delivery date would be pushed forward earlier this year. 

Rudd’s letter was sent to current Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, stating he himself spoke to the chairman and secured the early access of 40 million vaccine doses by the end of 2021. 

Brisbane has unofficially been selected as the host for the 2032 Olympic Games, after gaining International Olympic Committee approval on June 10th, 2021.

While a Brisbane Olympics in 2032 has yet to be confirmed, the international olympic committee and the Future Host Commission argues that it’s a desirable location from an athlete’s perspective. 

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has asked Prime Minister Scott Morrison for more Great Barrier Reef funding as UNESCO considers their ‘in danger’ world heritage list. 

UNESCO’s world heritage Committee is set to discuss about how climate change might affect the great barrier reef and whether or not the Australian government should be investing more to protect it. 

Annastacia Palaszczuk wrote to Scott Morrison yesterday with a list of requests, requesting for more funding for renewable energy jobs and water quality projects. 

Residents are awaiting a decision from Annastacia Palaszczuk to see whether or not the Queensland Premier will close Queensland borders to New South Wales. 

It comes after other states impose hard border closures on New South Wales amidst the states unfolding COVID-19 outbreak. 

The Premier has urged Queenslanders in any part of NSW to come home, warning if the virus continued to spread to other parts of New South Wales, she "wouldn't hesitate" to introduce a hard border.