The spokesperson for Ukrainian President Vlodymyr Zelensky says the president’s request for a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin went unanswered amid rising tensions at the two countries’ shared border. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov denies having received the request and maintains that it is within Russia’s rights to deploy troops within its own territory as it sees fit. According to The Guardian, Russia now has eighty thousand troops stationed in the Ukrainian border region, its largest deployment in the area since it invaded Crimea in 2014.

Translink’s first 100% electrically powered bus made its first journey yesterday in the streets of Brisbane. Following impressive results during its trial period, the solar-powered bus took on the 254 route between Capalaba and Wellington Point. Queensland Transport Minister Mark Bailey says the bus’s introduction into the transport fleet is an exciting development that demonstrates the government’s commitment to a transition to clean energy.

Andrew Laming has been blocked from re-contesting the seat of Bowman by Queensland’s Liberal National Party after The Applicant Review Committee recommended they reject his application. Dr Laming is currently on medical leave for empathy training and counselling after Prime Minister Scott Morrison ordered him to take leave due to the harassment allegations against him. Dr Laming is also being investigated by The Australian Electoral Commission for potential breaches of electoral law.

European regulators have approved a Brisbane-based firm AnteoTech’s 15 minute COVD-19 test for use. While not yet approved for use in Australia, the reusable test is expected to be integrated into mass-testing programmes in Europe and the UK. AnteoTech says the saliva-based test works with 97.3% sensitivity and will effectively limit the further spread of COVID-19

A 21 year old woman from Adelaide is in a critical condition after contracting invasive meningococcal as South Australia Health says the strain of the disease has not yet been identified. A number of people who were in close contact with the woman have been identified with 6 of them directed to receive clearance antibiotics. This time last year only one case of invasive meningococcal disease had been reported in South Australia compared to the two so far this year.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif has accused Israel of being responsible for a cyber attack on an Iranian nuclear facility in Natanz last night in a suspected effort to undermine US-Iran talks on reviving their 2015 nuclear deal. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani was at the Natanz labs on the weekend to unveil the country’s new uranium enrichment technology. Zarif says Iran reserves the right to punish those responsible for what he called ‘nuclear terrorism’ and that it will take its revenge in due time.

In a bid to reduce carbon emissions French lawmakers are moving to ban short-haul domestic flights where there are train alternatives. Journeys that could be made by train in less than two and a half hours are to end however connecting flights will not be affected by this change. Before the measures become a law they must be voted on in the Senate.