PM Sanae Takaichi says about 80m barrels of stockpiled oil to be provided to refiners – equivalent to 45 days of domestic demand

• Middle East crisis – live updates

Japan will begin the biggest-ever release of oil from its strategic reserves this week, the prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, has said, as the country braces for possible shortages caused by the US-Israel war on Iran.

The government last week approved the release of 15 days’ worth of private-sector reserves, amid concern that the conflict in the Middle East will continue to hinder the flow of tanker traffic along the strait of Hormuz.

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Speaking after signing trade agreement in Canberra, the European Commission president warns ‘situation is critical’ for global energy supply

• Middle East crisis – live updates

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The US and Iran must come to the negotiating table to immediately end the de facto closure of the strait of Hormuz and stop hostilities in the Middle East, the head of the European Commission says.

Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, said Iran’s efforts to block the strategic waterway via attacks on unarmed commercial vessels and critical infrastructure “must be condemned”.

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Iranian parliament speaker says ‘no negotiations’ held with US, as Trump postpones energy strikes for five days; European Commission chief says war must come to negotiated end

• Trump claims ‘productive’ talks with Iran but Tehran denies contact

• Israel launches new strikes on Tehran as Trump pauses Iran energy attacks

Nearly 150,000 New Zealand families will soon receive a weekly cash payment to help them afford petrol, the government has announced, in what is believed to be the world’s first fuel relief package that directly pays citizens since the Iran war began.

On Tuesday, prime minister Christopher Luxon and finance minister Nicola Willis announced roughly 143,000 families with children would get an extra NZ$50 ($29/£22) a week through a boost to the in-work tax credit – a payment to families with dependent children where at least one parent is in paid employment and neither parent receives benefits.

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In this project, we attempted to use individualized characters and give them exaggerated proportions, making them an important visual element to emphasize the free and cheerful nature of the music party. Adding 3D to the plane is our favorite form.

Met Trumpiaans optimisme probeert de Amerikaanse president het einde van zijn Iran-oorlog te bespoedigen. Maar gesprekken — laat staan vrede en een open zeestraat — zijn voorbarig.

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Sleeping Indigenous burning technique awakens in Cape Hillsborough. A practice that has helped care for land for more than 60,000 years returns to Yuwibara Country in north Queensland.