Key Points
- A ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel extended by three weeks.
- First Nations Australians. concerned over NDIS reform
- Reaction to a proposal for Italy to replace Iran at the World Cup.
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TRANSCRIPT
Israel and Lebanon have agreed to extend ceasefire by three weeks, after talks at the White House.
The initial 10-day ceasefire, which took effect last Friday had been due to expire on Monday.
US President Donald Trump says the meeting between ambassadors of Israel and Lebanon to the United States went "very well".
"And we had a great meeting with the very high officials of Lebanon and very high officials of Israel. And we think that the president of Lebanon and the prime minister of Israel over the next couple of weeks will be coming here. They've agreed to an additional three weeks of, I guess no firing, ceasefire, no more firing. Let's see. We hope that happens. Not going to happen between them, but they do have Hezbollah to think about."
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First Nations Australians with a disability have called for real and meaningful engagement with their communities, as they voice concern over the NDIS reforms announced earlier this week.
Federal Health Minister Mark Butler used his National Press Club address on Wednesday to announce about 160,000 people will be moved off the NDIS by 2030 - and onto separate state-run support systems.
The First Peoples Disability Network Australia says it does not oppose reform, but it has serious concerns about the impacts of the changes.
The group says the community remains dramatically underserved, with one in three NDIS participants in remote and very remote communities unable to access the supports in their plans.
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A fresh tax on gas exports may not get off the ground in the federal budget.
Calls have grown on the federal government to impose a 25 per cent tax on gas exports in the May budget, as a Greens-led Senate inquiry questions industry executives today about the issue.
Resources Minister Madeleine King says there has been no change in the government's position on a tax for the sector.
But Independent senator David Pocock says it is important to recognise the need for a specific tax on gas exports - separate from corporate tax.
"I don't think we should have a system and you have these huge rates of compounding investment, you get the gas for free. Sure, that might be a deduction on your corporate profit. But at least pay us for the gas. I am talking about the actual gas. Who else in the economy, gets their input for free?"
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A 15-metre-long artwork by Walmajarri artist John Prince Siddon has been unveiled in the foyer of Sydney's Museum of Contemporary Art, where it will remain for two years.
The work is dedicated to children enduring conflict and features Sesame Street characters, along with kangaroos, birds and reef fish.
John Prince Siddon has told NITV News, says he drew on icon and images from his own childhood to produce the work.
"I call this Warramungah (transcription of Aboriginal word). It is about somebody gets shock and sees a painting of anybody like Ernie or Bert. They say warramungah. So I mix it up."
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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has distanced the US government from a proposal that Italy could take the place of Iran in the FIFA World Cup.
Earlier this week, Paolo Zampolli, a special envoy to Donald Trump, suggested Italy should be fast-tracked to the World Cup in Iran's stead.
The proposal has been dismissed by the Italian government and sports officials.
Mr Rubio says as far as he is concerned, Iran's footballers would be welcome.
"There is nothing from the US that has told them they can't come. I mean the problem with Iran, it would be no their affluence. It would be some of the other people we would want to bring with them. Some of whom have ties to the IRGC. We won't be able to let them in. But not the athletes themselves."
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To sport and in the AFL, Lance Collard has had his original ban imposed by the AFL appeals board reduced from an initial seven weeks to a fortnight.
During a two-hour hearing, Collard's defence has successfully argued the original sanction was manifestly excessive, despite this being the second time in three seasons Collard has been found guilty of using homophobic language in a VFL game.
The chair of the appeal board, Will Houghton, has said the AFL and tribunal are succeeding in their efforts to stamp out racist, sexist and homophobic language on the field - but added that those actions cannot be at the price of imposing what this board considers to be a crippling penalty on Collard.
St Kilda has called for greater consistency and clarity over the tribunal process, with the matter taking almost four weeks to resolve.
