The US says Israel and Lebanon agree to a 45-day ceasefire extension; Hantavirus quarantine patients spend their first night in Australia; and in sport, Tassie Devils VFLW side to play first match.
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TRANSCRIPT:
- The US says Israel and Lebanon agree to a 45-day ceasefire extension
- Hantavirus quarantine patients spend their first night in Australia
- Tassie Devils VFLW side to play first match
The US State Department says Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a 45-day ceasefire extension.
The department says the extension follows what it described as "highly productive" talks this week in Washington aimed at preventing a broader escalation.
Negotiations will resume on June 2 and June 3.
The meeting in the US was the third round of talks held since since Israel intensified strikes on Lebanon after Hezbollah fired missiles into Israel on 2 March, during the U-S-Israeli conflict with Iran.
Clashes have continued despite the ceasefire that has been in place, with the United Nations reporting heavy military activity and multiple Israeli airstrikes.
United Nations spokesperson Farhan Haq says UN positions were also hit during recent shelling in the south.
“Yesterday, three mortar shells fired by the Israel Defense Forces impacted approximately 70 metres southwest of a UNIFIL position near Rumaysh in Sector West. Earlier this morning, UNIFIL peacekeepers reported one impact inside, and another near a UN position in Al Bayyadah in Sector West, resulting in material damage to buildings within the position. We reiterate our call on all to uphold the inviolability of United Nations premises and ensure the safety and security of UN personnel at all times.”
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US President Donald Trump says he is open to a deal that would suspend Iran’s nuclear program for 20 years, but insists Tehran’s commitment must be “real”.
Speaking after talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, Mr Trump says the two leaders discussed Iran extensively and agreed that a nuclear-armed Iran would be dangerous.
The US President also said both sides want the Strait of Hormuz reopened, claiming Mr Xi had offered to help find an end to the conflict.
However, Mr Trump adds he did not ask the Chinese leader to pressure Iran into reopening the strategic waterway, saying that would have been asking for a favour.
"I'm not asking for any favours, because when you ask for favours, you have to do favours in return. We don't need favours. We've wiped out their armed forces, essentially. We may have to do a little clean-up work because we had a little month-long 'ceasefiring' issue, call it. But we have a blockade that's so effective. That's why we did the ceasefire. We really did the ceasefire at the request of other nations. I wouldn't have really been in favour of it, but we did it as a favour to Pakistan."
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The federal government says the six passengers now in quarantine after returning from a Hantavirus-stricken cruise ship will be regularly checked for signs of the virus.
Health Minister Mark Butler says the six have tested negative both before leaving the Netherlands and returning to Australia.
The risk of them developing Hantavirus is regarded as being very low, as they complete their mandatory three-week quarantine.
But the Minister says there are already protocols in place with Perth hospitals to deal with the possibility of that changing.
"Obviously they have the highly trained staff to deal with it - doctors and nurses and other staff to do it. But they also have the physical facilities to deal with a case like a Hantavirus case that would need to be isolated. Again I don't rate that as at all likely, but of course we have put in place arrangements with the WA government to deal with that eventuality, if it were to happen."
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The deadline for submissions has been extended for an inquiry into racism, hate and violence directed at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
The federal parliamentary inquiry is being run by the Joint Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, which has members from the Labor Party, Coalition and Independent MPs.
The deadline for submissions is the beginning of next month, with public hearings planned around the country until August.
Speaking to NITV News, Aboriginal Labor Senator Jana Stewart says submissions can come in many forms.
"There are a number of ways people can make submissions to the inquiry, some people opt for long, multi-page documents, other people opt for a simple one-pager, there are some people who submit poems and artwork, whatever way you feel is appropriate for you to tell your story and have your story heard by the parliament, we're happy to hear it."
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In sport, the Tassie Devils will make their debut in the VFLW today, playing their first game of the season against the Casey Demons at North Hobart oval.
Captain Meghan Gaffney has been ruled out for the entire season after rupturing her ACL in a practice match against Carlton.
Georgia Hill will take over captain duties.
In a double-header the men’s side take on Southport in the round eight VFL clash.
