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TRANSCRIPT
- Donald Trump extends the deadline he imposed on Iran by two weeks
- Ben Roberts-Smith appears in court after being charged with war crimes
- Alex de Minaur advances to the final 16 at the Monte-Carlo Masters
US President Donald Trump has agreed to suspend the bombing of Iran for two weeks - an announcement coming less than two hours before his deadline for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face widespread attacks on its civilian infrastructure.
In a post on social media, he has said he made the decision after speaking to Pakistan's Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, who had requested a fortnight's ceasefire.
Meanwhile, Iran's Supreme National Security Council says it also accepts the two-week ceasefire and will negotiate with the United States beginning Friday.
Iran's Foreign Minister has stated passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be permitted for the next fortnight under the management of Iran's military.
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Ben Roberts-Smith has made his first court appearance after being charged with war crimes.
The proceedings lasted just minutes, with lawyers for the decorated soldier not applying for bail.
The matter has been re-listed for June 4, meaning the Victoria Cross recipient will remain in custody for at least two months.
The 47-year-old is accused of the murder of unarmed civilians while deployed in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2012 as well as failing to stop members of his unit from killing three others.
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Anglicare Australia says the upcoming federal budget should include structural reform to the capital gains tax to support housing affordability.
A parliamentary inquiry last month found the Howard-era settings for the tax from 1980s is contributing to intergenerational inequality in Australia's housing market.
Economists say an option available to the federal government is cutting the discount from 50 per cent to 33 per cent, with potential limit of two negatively geared properties per person.
Anglicare Australia Executive Director Kasy Chambers says their latest report shows that there is growing public support for reform.
"Housing affordability gets worse and worse by the year. We know that together with negative gearing. It really drives investors into housing. And it is not driving affordable housing. It is also costing the Commonwealth, (and) therefore taxpayers, billions of dollars every year. In saving those dollars, we want to have it drive a fairer tax system. A tax system that looks at intergenerational and intragenerational fairness."
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A group of unions and trucking organisations say they are requesting intervention for more support for transport workers dealing with the increased cost of fuel.
The Transport Workers Union [[TWU]], Australian Road Transport Industrial Organisation, and the National Road Freighters Association are appearing before the Fair Work Commission today as part of an emergency hearing on the impact of the fuel crisis.
T-W-U National Secretary Michael Kaine says drivers, employees and trucking businesses are facing tough decisions about how to continue.
"Road transport is teetering on a debt cliff. That debt cliff becomes ever more apparent by the 21st of April. It is critical that before that time, transport operators and transport workers have the confidence of knowing that those who are paying their bills. Those behemoths at the top of the supply chains are going to do in the national interest. And that is pay their fair share. That is pay for these cost spikes."
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The four Artemis astronauts are making their return journey home after successfully completing a lunar flyby.
The group are due to splash down in the Pacific off the California coast late Friday.
The 10-day mission by the NASA Artemis Two crew is full of historic firsts, including breaking the record for the furthest distance travelled from Earth.
NASA administrator Jared Isaacman says this mission is part of a broader program paving the way for a Moon landing in 2028.
"A lot of people's rightful attention right now is on the crew of Artemis II, especially the recovery forces that are now making their way out to bring this crew back to our family. And for everybody else, we've got the other things to get done, including thinking about Artemis three... We can do we can undertake again, world changing missions like Artemis II right now and get ready for the next one's at the same time."
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In tennis,
Australian Alex de Minaur has advanced to the final 16 at the Monte-Carlo Masters, after defeating Britain's Cameron Norrie 7-6 (5), 2-6, 6-2.
