The leaders of the United States, Japan, India and Australia will meet in first-ever joint talks tomorrow. 

The virtual meeting of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, known familiarly as the “Quad”, comes as all four countries see heightened tensions with China over a variety of issues. 

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the upcoming meeting is “an historic moment,” and that it “sends a strong message to the region about our support for a sovereign, independent Indo-Pacific”.

US President Joe Biden's $2.5 trillion COVID-19 stimulus package has passed the House of Representatives.

The American Rescue Plan aims to turbocharge the economy and help Americans impacted by the pandemic.

The package includes $1800 stimulus payments to most adults.

Republicans opposed the package due to concerns over its size and scope.

The ambulance union in South Australia has launched industrial action against the state government over a resourcing brawl.

As of this afternoon, union members will stop charging patients for ambulances if they arrive later than medical timeframes.

Secretary of the Ambulance Employees association Phil Palmer says lives are significantly at risk due to a shortage of ambulances.

"We'll be escalating [the action] over time if we don't get the outcome we want.

"We don't bargain — we're fighting for the community's safety."

Most major Australian cities will be far hotter than forecast in coming years, as a lack of vegetation creates "heat islands".

The report, Temperature Check: Greening Australia's Warming Cities, commissioned by the Australian Conservation Foundation, found green spaces in almost all major cities had declined in the last decade.

A recent report has revealed state government ministers wages have increased by 10.6 per cent. 

The Public Report of Ministerial Expenses revealed a $1.47 million wage increase from the same period in 2019 -- an increase at about 10 times the rate of inflation.

A government spokesman said the increase was related to “flow-on pay rises” that came into effect before the coronavirus-induced public servant wage freeze.

State government passed laws in June to freeze the wages of public servants for 12 months. 

A university chancellor warns China could take action against Australian universities.

University of Queensland Chancellor Peter Varghese says reports stating Chinese authorities are advising recruitment agents not to promote Australia as a study option are likely true.

This follows three warnings published by Chinese education outlets and state media in February, urging students to “think twice when considering studying in Australia”, citing the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, “frequent racial discrimination” and “questionable education quality”.

Libya’s parliament has voted in support of an interim unitary government to lead the country until it’s December elections. 

The country’s two rival political groups agreed to select Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh as interim Prime Minister, at last month’s UN-sponsored talks in Geneva. 

Libya has been divided between the east and west after a NATO-backed uprising overthrew and killed ruler Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

The federal government has announced they will halve eight-hundred-thousand airline tickets in an effort to encourage domestic holidays. 

The $1.2 billion packages will see a 50 per cent discount on tickets between April and July. 

The package aims to target locations with the highest dependence on JobKeeper and tourism, such as the Gold Coast, the Whitsundays region, and the Lasseter region. 

"This package will take more tourists to our hotels and cafes, taking tours and exploring our backyard," Prime Minister Scott Morrison said.