In this bulletin;
- US President Donald Trump says he expects to sign a critical minerals deals with Ukraine soon, as negotiations to bring peace to the country continue.
- The federal government defends its record on debt, with tonight's federal budget to return to deficit.
- Socceroo Cameron Burgess looks to follow the example of an injured teammate in tonight's key World Cup qualifier.
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US President Donald Trump says he expects to sign a revenue-sharing agreement on critical minerals with Ukraine soon.
As he met his cabinet, Mr Trump also told reporters, that the US is talking to Ukraine about the potential for American firms to own Ukrainian power plants.
A US delegation has met Russian officials Saudi Arabia today after holding talks with a Ukrainian officials yesterday, as Mr Trump pushes for a halt to Russia's three-year war against Ukraine.
The talks focused mostly on a Black Sea ceasefire, but Mr Trump says power plant ownership was also discussed.
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A Russian missile attack has damaged a school and hospital in Ukraine's northeastern city of Sumy.
It injured at least 74 people, including 13 children who were sheltering at the time.
Sumy's regional governor, Volodymyr Artyukh, says several high-rise residential blocks in the city centre were also damaged.
"An enemy missile hit the city centre. Some residential buildings were damaged. There's a school and the children were inside a protective structure, they are being evacuated now. They are alive and well. Emergency services are working at the site, they're putting out the fires. We're checking in on the people inside the residential buildings, to see if any of the injured need our help."
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The federal government is defending its record in paying off debt, despite confirmation that tonight's federal budget will return to deficit.
Major financial institutions are predicting Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers will announce a deficit of somewhere between 17 and 23 billion dollars in the budget, after two consecutive years of surplus.
But the government claims it has now saved Australia 60 billion dollars in interest payments on borrowing over the next eleven years.
Dr Chalmers is promising tonight's budget, which comes no more than eight weeks before Australians will have to vote in a federal election, will ease the cost living burden, as well as helping the fight against inflation.
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Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles says there will be an additional $1 billion in defence funding in the budget today.
The government previously planned to spend $9.6 billion in defence in the next four years.
Last year, Labor set a goal of increasing defence spending from around two per cent of GDP to over 2.3 per cent of GDP.
Mr Marles describes the increased budget as the most significant increase in decades.
"This is the most significant increase in defence spending in peacetime Australia since the end of second World War. Part of the $10.6 billion is bringing forward an additional billion dollars, and that's because of the need to accelerate Australia's capability development."
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Socceroos defender Cameron Burgess says he's looking to follow the example of injured colleague Harry Souttar in tonight's (10pm AEDT) key World Cup qualifier against China in Hangzhou.
Burgess has only played in ten of his club side Ipswich's 29 English Premier League games this season, but will be a key part of Australia's defence against the Chinese.
He says the prospect of having an impact at international level, despite not playing much at club level, much like Souttar has sometimes done for the Socceroos, is particularly exciting.
"You get a real buzz, because you're here to play games, right? And, obviously when you do get a chance to play, it's a great feeling. So, coming into camp to try and play minutes and help your team, you get that adrenaline buzz."
Australia is in second place in their group, just one point ahead of third-placed Saudi Arabia, with three games to go heading into tonight's match, making the contest absolutely crucial.
The top two teams of each Asian group will get automatic qualification in next year's World Cup.
