TRANSCRIPT
Australia has been drawn in the same group as co-hosts in the United States for next year's football World Cup.
The draw for the tournament has been held in Washington in the presence of dignitaries including U-S President Donald Trump.
Australia is in Group D next June alongside the U-S, Paraguay, and the winner of next March's European playoff between Turkiye, Romaania, Slovakia, and Kosovo.
FIFA has clarified that exact dates, times, and venues for each match will be confirmed tomorrow.
The top two teams in each of the twelve groups, plus the eight best-ranked third-placed teams, will make it to the knockout stage of the newly-expanded 48-team men's World Cup.
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US President Donald Trump has become the first ever recipient of FIFA's inaugural peace prize at the 2026 World Cup draw.
Gianni Infantino, the head of world football's governing body and a close ally of the President, presented Mr Trump with the award during the ceremony.
In accepting the award, Mr Trump said it was one of the great honours of his life.
"We saved millions and millions of lives. The Congo is an example. Over 10 million people killed, and it was heading for another 10 million very quickly. The fact that we could do that, India, Pakistan, so many different wars that we were able to end, in some cases, a little bit before they started, just right before they started. It was going to be late, but we got them done."
Mr Infantino says Trump won the award for exceptional and extraordinary actions to promote peace and unity around the world.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin says he is ready to continue uninterrupted shipments of fuel to India, in spite of heavy pressure from the United States for India to stop buying oil from Moscow.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is hosting Mr Putin at a summit in New Delhi dominated by energy, defence and trade talks.
In his first visit to the country since Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine, Mr Putin was given a red-carpet welcome with an honour guard and 21-gun salute.
He says the countries pledged to develop multi-faceted relations - and boost trade and the supply of oil and gas.
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Dangerous fire conditions are set to continue across parts of eastern Australia with fears dry lightning risks sparking new blazes.
In Tasmania , authorities say it is not yet safe for residents affected by a fire at Dolphin Sands to return home, after more than a dozen buildings and cars were damaged and two firefighters injured.
But cooler temperatures and showers washing across the state [[on Saturday]] will likely bring relief to fire crews.
A fire on the New South Wales mid-north coast at Bulahdelah has been downgraded to advice but is not yet under control.
Total fire bans are in place across much of the state, with heatwave conditions set to remain throughout the day.
In Victoria, firefighters are working to contain a bushfire in Markwood, northeast of Melbourne, which has affected at least three properties.
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The National Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People has slammed Victoria's new 'adult time for violent crime' laws.
The legislation passed Parliament late Thursday [[041225]], allowing children as young as 14 to face life sentences for a number of violent crimes.
These include home invasion, carjacking and armed robbery, with the legislation mirroring similar tough-on-crime reforms in Queensland.
Commissioner Sue-Anne Hunter has told NITV that the laws breach Australia's human rights obligations and won't make communities safer.
"Because we're not addressing the underlying issues of whatever that is for that child, whether it be a health issue, undiagnosed, whether it be family violence at home, you know if we don't intervene early, this will continue to happen. Each time we choose punishment over prevention, we compound their trauma, fuel re-offending, and entrench the very behaviours that we claim we want to stop as a society."
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In cricket, Australia is on top after two days of the second Ashes test against England in Brisbane.
After dismissing England for 334 in their first innings early on day two, Australia is 6 for 378 in their own first innings.
That's a lead of 44 runs, with four wickets in hand entering day three.
The Australians, who scored at more than five runs per over, were helped by England dropping four catches in the final session.
Opening batsman Jake Weatherald top-scored for Australia, scoring 72.
Marnus Labuschagne was second-top score, getting 65.
He's told Fox Cricket Australia have set themselves up to bowl at England in favourable conditions on the evening of day three.
"You know, that was a crucial last hour there for us, to get to the end of play six down, it gives us a bit of time in the morning, in that day session, and then, obviously, pushes our bowling innings later, into the night."
