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A weekly newsletter for book lovers from books editor Jason Steger.
What in the World newsletter
Our foreign correspondents on what’s making headlines around the world.
‘A river under my house’: Suburban flash flooding during Brisbane storm
Brisbane recorded almost 25mm of rain in an hour, while Alexandra Hills in Redland City had almost 15mm in 30 minutes.
Australia buys 25 million Moderna vaccine doses, negotiates onshore manufacturing
Moderna has struck an agreement with the Morrison government to supply 10 million doses this year and 15 million booster shots in 2022.
Going viral: How a book on Amazon inspired the latest COVID conspiracy
The discredited theory that coronavirus is a bio-weapon created in a Wuhan lab is gaining new momentum. This is the conspiracy’s origin story.
Breaking
Emergency services
Armed man threatens police outside Queensland business
An armed man has made threats to police and an emergency declaration has been made at Ipswich, west of Brisbane.
Exclusive
Federal budget
Taxpayers carrying the budget at record levels as company tax slides
Workers will soon account for 52 cents of every dollar in tax raised by the federal government as the budget heavy lifting hits taxpayers.
Boosting mental health workforce is key with budget funding just the start
Tuesday’s budget had a $2.3 billion investment in mental health, but experts want to see more focus on the workforce.
Updated
Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Israel kills Hamas commanders as violence escalates
Israel also pounded three multi-storey towers as it hammered the Gaza Strip with airstrikes, and militants in the territory fired rocket barrages.
Trump takes aim at Cheney as she’s ousted from top post
Liz Cheney was removed after she rebuked Donald Trump for his claims of election fraud.
Ellen DeGeneres to end her TV talk show next year
The talk show host, who has seen a ratings hit after allegations of running a toxic workplace, has decided that her upcoming season will be the last.
Reynolds set to sign three-year deal with Broncos
The South Sydney captain has told those close to him that he will be taking up a three-year deal at Brisbane next season.
Exclusive
Wallabies
Gold standard: First look at the new permanent Wallabies jersey
The Herald has obtained a photo of this year’s Wallabies jersey, which is the same colour as Australia’s famous 1991 strip.
Alan Jones keeps barking questions at Rugby Australia. I’ve got the answers
Alan Jones’ favourite saying used to be “the dogs bark, the caravan moves on”. Now he’s the one barking.
FEDERAL BUDGET 2021
Treasurer challenges voters to make LNP seats marginal in budget response
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has also lamented the lack of funding for a regional quarantine hub in Toowoomba in the federal budget.
Analysis
Will the government’s big investments pay off?
Tory Maguire is joined by chief political correspondent David Crowe and senior economics correspondent Shane Wright for their insights.
Queensland
Watchdog finds police ‘discriminated’ against men for 50-50 gender equity
Queensland Police recruiters used “misleading and vague” statements while hundreds of men missed out on jobs with the service because of gender targets, the crime watchdog says.
Investigators battle surge in self-produced child exploitation material
Investigators fight an increase in the availability of encryption services making it easier for paedophiles to live-stream child abuse.
Graphic content
Government
Cops, medics and prison guards to get easier access to compensation for PTSD
A former prison officer has detailed the graphic and horrific scenes workers face inside Queensland’s jails.
PA Hospital ward 5D partially reopens amid bed stress across region
The ward, which was the source of two recent south-east Queensland virus clusters, has partially reopened to help deal with recent bed shortages.
COVID-19 passenger in Brisbane Airport had recovered
The traveller who arrived at Brisbane Airport from PNG had fully recovered and there was no need for Queenslanders to be concerned, the state’s Chief Health Officer said.
Politics
Research could take ‘decades to recover’ after budget overlooks universities
Universities warn with international students shut out from the country for another year, research programs are at risk and will be very hard to rebuild.
Business
Exclusive
Start up technology
‘We did very very poorly’: Airwallex vows to improve culture amid staff survey backlash
Airwallex scored a negative result in a survey that measures job satisfaction across its compliance and legal operations.
World
Internal emails reveal WHO knew of sex abuse claims in Congo
Young women working on the Ebola outbreak in 2019 claim they were offered or appointed to jobs in return for sex.
Opinion
Back to the future budget delivers jobs, but no pay rises
Jessica Irvine
Senior economics writer
Explore
Property bydomain
Burnt by the hot market: Aussie home-buyer sentiment dips
Rapidly rising prices and limited choice have begun to dampen buyer's spirits as their positivity about the market declines.
Brisbane's best property buys from just $399,000
Competition for well-priced properties is stiff, so here's our pick of some of the best to inspect when you're out this weekend.
Life & Culture
Wish you could solve a tricky crossword in under a minute? Dr Fill can
While 1000 solvers at a crossword tournament chewed pencils and sweated over grids, one entrant achieved the impossible at nano-speed.
Opinion
Streaming
Detective series Mare of Easttown is a hallelujah moment for TV
Craig Mathieson
Film, music and TV critic
Sport
‘Boutique quarantine’ for F1 drivers Australia’s best hope of hosting grand prix
The desperate COVID situation in Brazil has heightened concerns about the feasibility of Albert Park hosting the F1 drivers and their entourages a fortnight later.
‘Won’t last five rounds’: Swift Justis predicted in Gallen showdown
Paul Gallen’s fight with Justis Huni is scheduled for 10 rounds.
Afghanistan Test to be Ashes warm-up for stars with Perth to host series finale
The match will provide red-ball practice for Test stars Pat Cummins, Steve Smith and David Warner.
Is this two-metre-tall Scot the Socceroos’ next Premier League star?
Top-flight clubs are circling the Aberdeen-born defender with an Aussie mum.
‘Bats must consist solely of wood’: MCC rejects bamboo to replace willow
The club that maintains cricket’s official laws has rejected the idea because bamboo is grass.
Opinion
NRL 2021
No winners in de Belin situation – but even so, stand-down rule must stay
The Dragons forward faces a third trial for an alleged rape.
Andrew Webster
Chief Sports Writer
Analysis
NRL 2021
Brad Arthur has no qualms handing teenage son debut
Eels coach selects son for his NRL debut in a week in which he may not have a single training session.
Have Your Say
Howzat for innovation? Researchers say bamboo cricket bats could replace willow
In a development that could send shudders through the game, researchers say bamboo bats are lighter, stronger and offer a larger “sweet spot” than willow.