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Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has welcomed the extension of the Iran ceasefire.
He has posted on social media that it gives diplomacy more time to work and increases the chances of a negotiated settlement.
“On my personal behalf and on behalf of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, I sincerely thank President Trump for accepting our request to extend the ceasefire to allow ongoing diplomatic efforts to take their course. With the trust and confidence reposed in Pakistan, we will continue our earnest efforts for a negotiated settlement. I sincerely hope both sides will continue to observe."
Pakistan has been playing a key role in mediating between the United States and Iran, with a second round of talks expected to take place in Islamabad.
The extension follows a request from Islamabad to allow negotiations to continue, as tensions remain high despite the temporary truce.
Lebanese armed group Hezbollah says it has fired rockets and drones into northern Israel, after accusing the Israeli military of violating a US brokered ceasefire.
A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah mediated by the US came into effect last Thursday but Israeli forces remain deployed in a belt of Lebanese land 5 to 10km deep along the entire border.
Israel has said it aims to create a buffer zone to shield northern Israel from attacks by Hezbollah.
The Israeli military has in turn accused the Iran-aligned militant group of violating the deal, saying earlier that Hezbollah had sent rockets towards its troops operating in southern Lebanon.
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The federal government has secured more diesel supplies for Australian companies.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the government is underwriting four additional cargoes from South Korea, Brunei, and Malaysia that will bring 200 million litres to our shores.
It follows the securing of an additional 100 million litres of diesel a week ago, under new powers that allow Labor to work with the market on supply.
The PM says the government wants to do everything it can to shield Australians from the worst of the impacts of the fuel crisis sparked by the conflict in the Middle East.
"Australians know - they see it on their TV every night - that we are in a very volatile environment. There are different announcements each and every day and sometimes over a matter of hours about what is happening in the Middle East. We can't control that because we're not participants in that conflict. What we can control is how we respond, and we respond by throwing everything at it. Everything at supply."
Aged care residents will not have to pay extra for basic support like showering and dressing after a government backdown.
Reforms introduced in November had been intended to improve the care levels offered for those receiving aged care services at home.
But those on Support at Home packages have had fees attached to services such as help with showering, which meant that in some cases, elderly residents were forced to choose between receiving help with showers at the expense of other care.
Health Minister Mark Butler is expected to outline the changes, alongside broader reforms to the National Disability Insurance Scheme, in a National Press Club address today.
A group of residents in the Northern Territory is suing the government over conditions in their public housing.
The Human Rights Law Centre says they are acting on behalf of four elders to file legal action against the Northern Territory Government.
They allege their homes in the remote Indigenous community of Papunya are putting their health at risk because extreme heat turns the houses into what they have described as 'ovens' - for months on end.
The Centre says the landmark case could force governments to provide public housing that protects residents from extreme heat.
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And in sport,
Formula One is rethinking its engine future, with a shift back toward hybrid and combustion power with sustainable fuel after major changes to the current motors.
F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali says the sport is now adapting to a wider automotive industry move away from fully electric ambitions.
“If you look at what is happening in the contours of the automotive industry, it is definitely totally different. Now, the automotive industry is going back to more hybrid engines, more internal combustion engines with sustainable fuel, which is the things that we always said since the beginning is very crucial for the future. Therefore, I'm expecting that the new power unit discussion that the FIA will have the role to coordinate and do decide, will definitely be different.”
He adds that driver input remains key as rules evolve, but is urging caution over public criticism.
The comments come as debate continues over the new engine era, with drivers including Max Verstappen raising concerns despite strong fan response to closer racing.
