Morning news brief: Biden announces new COVID-19 vaccine mandates, UN dialogue with Taliban and more

US President Joe Biden has announced sweeping mandates to ''turn the tide'' in the battle against coronavirus pandemic. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko have agreed on economic policies that are aimed at integrating the two ex-Soviet countries more closely. United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres pleaded for countries to continue dialogue with the Taliban.

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'Turn the tide': Biden announces new vaccine mandates in COVID-19 battle

Lambasting the people who refuse to receive a vaccine Biden said in a harsh tone that ''your refusal cost us.''

'Must maintain a dialogue with Taliban', says UN Secretary-General

Guterres said that the world must avoid an "econnomic collapse" in Afghanistan.

Russia, Belarus agree on deepening economic integration

After talks in the Kremlin, Putin said the agreements mean the countries will eventually have a unified "macro-economic policy".

Australia's daily COVID-19 cases near 2,000 as Delta gains ground

Australia is in the grip of a third wave of infections with the Delta outbreak forcing officials to ditch their COVID-zero strategy in favour of suppressing the virus.