SYDNEY -- Australia's national carrier Qantas, with its eyes firmly set on the nation's ease of border restrictions next month, has launched its largest-ever range of bonus rewards for frequent flyers.

Qantas frequent flyers can use the points they have been holding onto during the pandemic lockdown to book one of millions of reward seats across Qantas, Jetstar and more than 45 international partner airlines with free changes and cancellations. (Australia-Airlines-Qantas)

- - - -

WASHINGTON -- Former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell died at 84 of COVID-19 complications on Monday, triggering heated debate over the effectiveness of vaccines in the United States.

"General Colin L. Powell, former U.S. Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, passed away this morning due to complications from COVID-19," the Powell family wrote in a Facebook post on Monday, noting Powell had been fully vaccinated. He was suffering from serious underlying conditions. (U.S.-coronavirus-vaccine)

- - - -

PYONGYANG -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) "successfully" conducted the test-firing of a new type of submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) on Tuesday, the official Korean Central News Agency reported on Wednesday.

The report said the test-launch was conducted by the DPRK's Academy of Defence Science on Tuesday morning. (DPRK-Missile)

- - - -

ROME -- Prime Minister Mario Draghi's cabinet on Tuesday passed a draft budget for 2022 worth some 23 billion euros (26.7 billion U.S. dollars), which would deliver expansionary measures including a sharp cut in income taxes.

The draft indicates the main policy framework the government intends to follow for next year, including the targeted budget balance and the projections for expenditure and revenue. (Italy-Budget-Draft)

- - - -

BAGHDAD -- The Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) said on Tuesday that the political blocs submitted up to 1,370 complaints against the preliminary results of the parliamentary elections.

Imad Jamil, member of the IHEC media office, told the official Iraqiya channel that the appeals period has ended after three days from the announcement of the full initial results on Saturday. (Iraq-Election-Complaints)