Tensions are escalating between India and Pakistan in the disputed region of Kashmir after Pakistan’s military confirmed it shot down two Indian fighter jets and released video of the Indian pilot they captured.

The downing of the warplanes on Wednesday follows Indian troops firing mortar shells and conducting air strikes in the region.

There are no children left on Nauru after the last four were resettled in the United States.

The children and their families left the island country on Wednesday afternoon.

Immigration minister David Coleman said the government had been working on the resettlement quietly to avoid impacting Australia’s border protection policies.

Contingency funds have been deployed to cover any cost blowout in Brisbane City Council's $650 million Kingsford Smith Drive upgrade.

These funds will likely be spent as Lendlease, the company contracted to deliver the project, reported a $47 million blowout.

Under questioning from Labor about the project, Lord Mayor Graham Quirk acknowledged the project had seen delays and additional costs.

Councillor Quirk said all major projects have a contingency fund set aside to cover any unexpected financial shortfall.

The University of Queensland is looking at how the mother-baby bond might be affected by both shaming and compassion.

The study is being led by clinical psychologist Julia Caldwell who was inspired to undertake the project after she experienced “mum-shaming”.

She said that becoming pregnant should be a happy time, but many new mothers experience mum-shaming and self-criticism which makes parenthood difficult.

The Queensland Parliament has passed the Human Rights Bill into law.

The law enshrines protections for 23 human rights, including the rights to education, healthcare and the cultural rights of Indigenous people.

Queensland Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath said the laws aim to embed respect for human rights into the culture of Queensland’s public sector.

The Vatican has confirmed it is investigating disgraced cardinal George Pell over child sexual abuse offences which occurred in Australia.

The decision could see Australia’s most senior Catholic cleric removed from the priesthood.

Pell has been remanded in custody for the first time since being convicted of five child sex offences in December.

The high-profile case has been suppressed from media reporting, with details of Pell’s conviction only coming to light early this week.

France is now looking to capitalise on the $50 billion future submarine contract with Australia by sending a delegation to establish research deals with local institutions.

The delegation of over 50 officials, scientists and business leaders coming to Australia will sign approximately 17 agreements with Australian universities and institutions across the country, including the Australian National University in Canberra and Adelaide University.

Australians would be leaving capital cities in greater numbers if infrastructure was improved in regional cities and towns – that’s the finding of a new report by the Regional Australia Institute.

More than 400,000 people have moved from Australian capital cities to regional areas in the five years to 2016.

The regional Australia Institute said this size of the migration shows the federal government doesn't need to coax new Australians to move to regional areas.

The ABC is set to appoint media veteran Ita Buttrose as the new Chairperson of its board.

Ms Buttrose was not originally shortlisted during the five-month-long selection process by a panel which cost the government at least $160,000. 

ABC acting Managing Director David Anderson welcomed her leadership, while Prime Minister Scott Morrison described the former news editor and Australian of the Year recipient as ‘extraordinary’.