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Our foreign correspondents on what’s making headlines around the world.
BRISBANE IN LOCKDOWN
Lockdown likely to be extended unless cases plummet
Queensland’s lockdown looks set to continue, according to health experts, unless there’s a dramatic decline in the number of cases, and lockdown measures prevent new ones.
Updated
Queensland Health
Full list: Logan Hyperdome and an Indooroopilly gym among new exposure sites
Locations across Loganholme, Shailer Park, Indooroopilly and Toowong were added to the list of SEQ exposure sites late on Wednesday.
Relaxation of will-making rules during COVID may leave elderly open to abuse
New pandemic rules enabling wills to be finalised remotely may increase the risk of elder abuse and coercion, researchers say.
Brisbane COVID-19 cluster hits children the hardest
Children account for 70 per cent of the present cluster’s cases, which experts attribute to the different way children move around the community.
US fast food giant sues Brisbane burger joint over trademark
The US burger giant is suing a Queensland business after it operated on Uber Eats, DoorDash and Menulog as “In-N-Out Aussie Burgers”.
Opinion
Regional Australia
Moving to the country? Your kids’ education could suffer
The city-bush divide is sadly reflected in the quality of school education. But the current population shift away from cities is Australia’s chance to fix this inequality.
Sean Barrett
Live
Tokyo Olympics
‘We inspired the whole nation’: Bol claims gutsy fourth in 800m final
Peter Bol has just been pipped for a medal in the 800m final. Bol led at the halfway mark and deep into the race but was overtaken in the home straight.
‘Crazy few days’: Australia bounce back for team pursuit bronze
Australia has bounced back from calamity in the earlier rounds of the team pursuit to secure bronze, while Italy won gold in world record time.
Opinion
Political leadership
Porter’s elevation betrays PM’s apathy towards survivors
To see Christian Porter assume the role of leader of the House of Representatives is an insult to all survivors of sexual abuse.
Grace Tame
‘Our group is pretty angry’: Three Wallabies dropped from Bledisloe opener after drinking session
Marika Koroibete, Pone Fa’amausili and Isi Naisarani have been stood down for Saturday’s Eden Park Test after a late-night drinking session.
Exclusive
Aviation
Virgin Australia set to stand down staff as COVID-19 lockdowns halt travel
Several industry sources say the lockdowns could affect more than 1000 staff at the airline.
Air passenger arrives taped to his seat after assault of flight attendants
Air flight crews say mid-flight hostilities have been increasingly common in recent months.
Power up: Will Meghan’s 40s be the decade she truly hits her stride?
As the Duchess of Sussex celebrates a significant birthday, many believe her next ambition is to take on Washington.
Listen and watch: why podcasts have become rich TV fodder
Want to know what the next TV hit will be? The answer may be on your podcast app.
Remix Lady Gaga, Dua Lipa in Apple’s latest Garageband update
For fans of pop who are just getting started with making music, Apple’s software is more compelling than ever.
Queensland
Design for new Breakfast Creek pedestrian and cycle bridge revealed
Should the first of Brisbane’s five new green bridges honour the significance of the Battle of the Coral Sea?
Updated
Coronavirus pandemic
New South Wales kills travel bubble for border residents
NSW Health has imposed a 14-day stay-at-home order for anyone who has been in south-east Queensland’s lockdown zone.
Cairns case –the furthest from SEQ –confirmed
An alert has been issued for contact-tracing sites in far north Queensland after health authorities confirmed they were investigating a new case of COVID-19 in Cairns.
Extra green space – and apartments – approved for Roma Street Parklands
An extra two hectares of green space will be added to the parklands, as well as four apartment blocks that will include social housing.
223,000 Queenslanders in Pfizer queue, with bookings to open for October
Health Minister Yvette D’Ath has asked the federal government to bring forward its August shipment of Pfizer so Queensland can ramp up vaccinations.
CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
Advertising blitz, not cash, to drive vaccine rate
A national advertising blitz will aim to spur millions of vaccinations by Christmas, but the federal government has ruled out using cash vouchers.
Updated
Qld health chief warns lockdown may be extended, as 17 new cases recorded
Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young has warned if people don’t do something “really, really, really special” the lockdown will be extended beyond Sunday.
Politics
Archives need to be brought into technological age: Fricker
The head of the National Archives says the laws governing archives need to be changed to account for new technologies such as WhatsApp and Facebook.
Business
Opinion
Fintech
Banks square up to Afterpay and Apple in payments fight
It’s becoming increasingly clear that the major banks have a fight on their hands, and the threat is coming from both fintechs and “big tech” players such as Apple.
Clancy Yeates
Banking reporter
World
The King’s gambit: Malaysian PM buys time after standoff with monarch
Enduring south-east Asia’s worst per capita COVID-19 outbreak, Malaysia’s political crisis has escalated, but Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin refuses to give in.
Opinion
Vaccine race goes around in circles
Julie Szego
Lapsed Catholics need to reflect their beliefs in the census
Monica Dux
Writer, columnist and social commentator.
Explore
Property bydomain
![This could be the bargain hoarder house you've been searching for](http://web.archive.org./web/20210804125747im_/https://res.akamaized.net/domain/image/upload/t_web/c_crop,h_606,w_981,x_44,y_147/c_fill,w_640,h_360/v1627970507/112_Francis_Street_West_End_2017164885_7_1_210730_065533-w640-h480_kj4mpu.jpg)
This could be the bargain hoarder house you've been searching for
A hoarder house filled to the brim has been deemed unsafe to enter but, this being Australian real estate, it seems buyers aren't bothered.
![Houses are earning more than surgeons, psychiatrists and CEOs](http://web.archive.org./web/20210804125747im_/https://res.akamaized.net/domain/image/upload/t_web/c_crop,h_520,w_851,x_173,y_248/c_fill,w_640,h_360/v1619052427/iStock-1126375861_ssfbrx.jpg)
Houses are earning more than surgeons, psychiatrists and CEOs
Home owners are out-earning some of Australia's top professionals, with price growth seeing house values climb by more than $1000 per day in some cities.
Life & Culture
How to pick the right rare flowers for your garden
From the Himalayan blue poppy to the duck egg blue ixia, here’s how to help those wildly desirable blooms thrive in your space.
Sport
Rugby League World Cup set to be postponed until 2022
Tournament organisers are scheduled to meet in England on Thursday morning (AEST) to discuss the next steps, but it appears a 12-month delay is inevitable.
Giants extend deadline for Kelly to make his call
Greater Western Sydney have extended a July 31 deadline for star midfielder Josh Kelly to make a decision on whether he accepts a massive eight-year deal or crosses to a Melbourne club.
Operation Relocation costing Sydney clubs $20m revenue
Sydney clubs are counting the cost of having to surrender blockbuster games in the run home to the finals.
Why Wallabies are excited, not daunted, by Eden Park double-header
Veteran James Slipper says the Wallabies’ young guns are not burdened by history.
Updated
Tokyo Olympics
Bol to go all out in 800m, McSweyn says he will have to lift in 1500m
Peter Bol will take a no guts, no glory approach in the 800m Olympic final on Wednesday night.
Fast response but Australia’s cyclists still off pace amid blistering medal battles
Within an hour, the existing Olympic record in the team sprint was broken six times inside the Izu Velodrome.
‘It will sink in soon’: Only a catastrophe will stop another Aussie sailing gold
Mathew Belcher and Will Ryan only need to avoid an absolute disaster to win another gold for Australia.
Have Your Say
Get on with it: Singleton’s NRL finals pitch to V’landys
The multimillionaire marketing mogul has a novel solution: cull some teams and start the finals now.
Roy Masters
Sports Columnist