The European Union and Russia both say they are optimistic that the US and Iran will successfully renew the two countries’ 2015 nuclear deal as negotiations draw to a close in Vienna. The expression of optimism comes as the US described the talks as ‘constructive’ and Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the two countries had reached a ‘new understanding’. The indirect talks in Vienna were organised with the goal of re-establishing limits on Iran’s uranium enrichment programme in return for the lifting of US economic sanctions.

The United Nations says 2021 must be the year of climate action ahead of US President Joe Biden’s virtual international climate summit at the end of this week. Biden invited 40 world leaders to take part in the climate talks as he tries to put climate action at the forefront of the international political agenda. The UN says despite initial optimism, the COVID-19 pandemic has failed to slow down global warming and the world is now running out of time to make a change.

Brisbane City Council is set to meet with residents in Eight Mile Plains amid strong community backlash over plans to build a new healthcare complex on a bushland area along Underwood Road. The proposed development would be built on the same area of bushland that was approved in 2014 for the construction of a new mosque, sparking community concerns about overdevelopment. There have been over eight hundred submissions to the new application so far, including one from the Bulimba Creek Catchment Coordinating Committee that said the development went against an earlier court judgement and would

A baby snake from Queensland has been found in a bag of lettuce at Aldi in Sydney after a one thousand kilometre trip from Toowoomba. The snake was found wrapped around lettuce leaves in a packet after a family bought it from a local Aldi supermarket. Aldi is still investigating the situation. The snake was driven back to Toowoomba after a week to be released where it came from by a team from the New South Wales Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service

Logan City Council is cracking down on the development of tiny housing lots by introducing a move to mandate a minimum lot size of 300 square metres. As one of south-east Queensland’s fastest growing regions a study found the housing lots are getting smaller and providing less housing choices.  The council’s decision to call time on developers taking advantage of the current scheme has some developers upset making complaints and not welcoming the move.

Tea Tree Gully Mayor Kevin Knight is being called to resign again after a report showed he allegedly engaged in inappropriate conduct towards a female councillor. Mr Knight denies the allegations in the report compiled by council lawyers Norman Waterhouse. He was also found guilty of breaching the council’s code of conduct by the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption. In 2019 Mr Knight was investigated due to another sexual assault claim from a female staff member and has been in the spotlight ever since.

Russian energy giant Gazprom says new US sanctions put its undersea gas project Nord Stream Two at risk. The controversial pipeline is set to supply Russian gas to Germany, however pipe-laying ship Fortuna and its owner have been caught up in the recent raft of US sanctions over Russia’s actions on the Ukrainian border and their treatment of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny. The US has previously criticised the eleven billion dollar pipeline, saying it will increase Europe’s dependence on Russia and damage the continent’s energy security.

German Greens Party co-leader Annalena Baerbock will be the party’s first ever candidate for chancellor in September elections, with growing support for the Greens suggesting she has a strong chance of winning. Worries about climate change and frustration over the ruling Christian Democratic Party’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic mean the Greens have closed the gap on the CDU from 22% this time last year to just 7% in recent polls. Baerbock is running on a climate action and social development platform as Germans seek a new, more progressive direction after 15 years of conservative rule.