TRANSCRIPT
- Defence Minister Richard Marles attends AUKUS ministerial meeting with his US and UK counterparts
- Iceland becomes the fifth country to boycott Eurovision 2026 after Israel given the go-ahead to compete
- Hip surgery deals a blow to Soceroos veteran Mathew Lecki.
Defence Minister Richard Marles and British Defence Minister John Healey have attended the Pentagon in the United States for the first AUKUS ministerial meeting with US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth .
Delivering statements before their meeting, the three ministers celebrated recent reviews that supported the AUKUS pact, an agreement under which the US, Britain and Australia commit to providing a fleet of eight nuclear-powered submarines for the Australian military.
Mr Hegseth says the US has a continued commitment to the sharing of military technology with close allies and creating peace through strength with this military power acting as a deterrent.
Mr Marles says he's excited for the three defence leaders to work on next steps for the delivery of the AUKUS goals.
"This is a massive project, and there is so much more to do. And it's really important that we are looking at the ways in which we can now get on with this and deliver it. And I think delivery is very much the focus of the conversation that we will be having today. I'm very excited about what we can do together, the progress that we're making, and the challenges that we both need or all of us need to grab hold of."
Australia has recorded its largest number of Indigenous deaths in custody in over 40 years.
Official figures show 33 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people died in custody across the nation in 2024/25.
It is the highest number since 1979/80 and brings the total to 617 since the 1991 Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody.
Australian Institute of Criminology research manager Samantha Bricknell says this was largely driven by New South Wales recording nine deaths in 2024/25.
State coroner Teresa Harding pointed out the number of Indigenous deaths across New South Wales prisons in 2025 had reached 12 by October, calling it a profoundly distressing milestone.
Australia's social media age ban has garnered international attention, sparking conversation about similar measures overseas.
News of the ban made international headlines on Wednesday with outlets considering whether Australia might be setting a precedent for other nations.
As the reform garners global attention, Malaysia and Denmark have both flagged their intentions to follow suit in 2026.
Sydney parent Michael Bianchino says if the ban is successful, others will follow.
“I think the government has to do something and I think if it’s successful in Australia, which I think it probably will be. The rest of the world will probably follow. A bit like plain cigarette packaging on tobacco products. That was a successful outcome for Australia and I think lots of other countries followed on from that.”
Iceland's public broadcaster R-U-V has announced the country will not take part in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, becoming the fifth country to pull out after Israel was given the go-ahead to compete.
Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland and Slovenia all announced their withdrawal from the world's biggest live music competition last week, after strong criticism of Israel's war in Gaza.
Members of the European Broadcasting Union had been expected to vote on new measures brought in to tackle alleged irregularities in voting in previous events, but the competition's organisers said a vote was not necessary, paving the way for Israel to compete.
Eurovision director Martin Green said an estimated 35 countries would take part in 2026.
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has not received the Nobel Peace Prize in person as her whereabouts are currently unknown.
The 58-year-old's daughter received the award on her behalf at a ceremony in Oslo, but director of the Norwegian Nobel Institute, Kristian Berg Harpviken, says they don't know where she is.
She had been set to attend in defiance of a decade-long travel ban imposed by authorities in Venezuela after spending more than a year in hiding.
The Nobel Institute says she was still expected to arrive in Oslo in the coming hours after her long journey.
Outside the ceremony, protesters like the head of Stop NATO Kristine Mollo-Christensen say Ms Machado does not deserve the award.
"She is not... a peace person. she has supported the Trump administration and their actions against civilians outside Venezuela and also intervention in her country."
To sport now...
Socceroos veteran Mathew Leckie's 2026 World Cup hopes have been dealt a blow after undergoing hip surgery.
The Melbourne City star has just six months to regain his fitness and convince Socceroos coach Tony Popovic.
The Australians kick off their World Cup campaign on June 14th in Vancouver, playing the winner of UEFA Play-Off C, which could be Turkey, Romania, Slovakia or Kosovo.
