Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: The Australian High Commissioner to Pakistan has expressed appreciation for Pakistan&rsquo;s efforts to preserve its Sikh heritage after visiting one of the country&rsquo;s historic gurdwaras. In a post shared on social media on Friday, the High Commissioner, <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-issues-2856-visas-to-indian-sikhs-for-baisakhi-pilgrimage" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Timothy Cane</a>, described it as a privilege to visit one of Pakistan&rsquo;s &ldquo;stunning&rdquo; <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/indian-sikh-pilgrims-enter-pakistan-first-major-crossing-since-may-conflict" style="color:#0073e6;">gurdwaras</a> and learn more about the country&rsquo;s rich Sikh heritage.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2067838925453111404&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=d6c6917c3ab2aa32ea524d0a7a20f556dd76cf50&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 626px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="2067838925453111404"></iframe></div></div>The envoy said that the preservation of these sites reflects Pakistan&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/even-better-than-india-sikh-pilgrims-praise-pakistans-hospitality" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">diverse history</a> and highlights the importance of protecting places that hold deep meaning for communities around the world. The remarks recognized Pakistan&rsquo;s role in safeguarding religious and cultural heritage sites and preserving aspects of its diverse historical legacy.

Foreign Affairs

Says, 'the preservation of these sites reflects Pakistan’s diverse history & the importance of protecting places that hold deep meaning for communities around the world.'

Australian high commissioner highlights Pakistan’s Sikh heritage, preservation of Gurdwaras

NEW DELHI: Indian police are investigating allegations of embezzlement at a temple in the country&#39;s north that has been a focal point of Prime Minster Narendra Modi&#39;s Hindu-first politics, a top state official said Friday. The Ram Mandir temple in Uttar Pradesh state, built on grounds where <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/bjps-social-media-post-on-babri-masjid-highlights-antimuslim-bias" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Babri mosque</a> stood for centuries before being torn down by Hindu zealots, was inaugurated in 2024 with great fanfare by Modi himself.&nbsp;Cash syphoned of&nbsp;Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Y<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/outrage-after-hindutva-goons-threaten-to-demolish-delhis-jama-masjid" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">ogi Adityanath</a> said that a Special Investigations Team (SIT) had been set up to look into alleged syphoning of cash offerings made by devotees. &quot;We have set up an SIT inquiry on the recommendation of the trust&quot; the administers the temple, said Adityanath, a firebrand Hindu monk, at a public function. &quot;If anyone has any documentary proof, please provide it to the SIT,&quot; he added.&nbsp;Over $20MThe scale of the alleged embezzlement is unclear but opposition parties and local media reports say it could amount to more than $20 million. The construction of the temple cost an estimated $240 million, all of which was sourced entirely from public donations, according to the project&#39;s backers. According to The Indian Express newspaper, daily offerings from devotees, average around $10,000, going up to $60,000 on auspicious days. Devout Hindus believe that the god Ram was born in the town of Ayodhya -- home to the temple -- more than 7,000 years ago, but that the Babri mosque was built over his birthplace by a 16th-century Muslim emperor.&nbsp;Mosque&rsquo;s demolition&nbsp;India&#39;s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party -- then in the opposition -- played an instrumental role in public campaigning that eventually led to the mosque&#39;s demolition in 1992. The destruction helped propel the party, and eventually Modi, as unstoppable electoral juggernauts, displacing the secularist Congress party that had governed India almost without interruption since independence from Britain.

India

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath says a Special Investigations Team has been set up to look into alleged syphoning of cash offerings made by devotees.

India probes embezzlement allegations at temple built on Babri mosque

ISLAMABAD: Heavy security arrangements have been put in place across India&rsquo;s capital on Saturday ahead of the &ldquo;Cockroach Janta Party&#39;s&rdquo; second protest at Jantar Mantar, with police deploying extensive surveillance and crowd-control measures to maintain law and order, according to India media. India&#39;s &ldquo;Cockroach Janta Party&rdquo; (CJP) has held successful and <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/indias-cockroach-party-to-gather-in-amritsar-for-protest-over-education-policy-concerns" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">peaceful protests</a>&nbsp;in Lucknow, Delhi, Pune and Amritsar demanding the resignation of Education Minister <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/indias-cockroach-party-founder-arrives-in-lucknow-joins-protest-demanding-ministers-resignation" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dharmendra Pradhan</a>.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2068167961328635952&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=d6c6917c3ab2aa32ea524d0a7a20f556dd76cf50&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 801px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="2068167961328635952">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Paper leaks&nbsp;The CJP held its first major street protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, calling for Pradhan&#39;s resignation over major exam irregularities, including question paper leaks. The demonstration, led by CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, is scheduled to begin at 1 pm after authorities granted permission for the gathering.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2067653739344015654&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=d6c6917c3ab2aa32ea524d0a7a20f556dd76cf50&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 801px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="2067653739344015654">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Supporters are expected to arrive from different parts of Delhi and neighboring states. The protest stems from the CJP&#39;s evolution from a satirical online campaign launched after remarks made by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant during a court hearing last month.&nbsp;Social media traction&nbsp;The movement has since grown into an organized protest platform with significant social media traction. Multiple layers of barricades were erected around Jantar Mantar in Delhi and adjoining roads, while vehicles were checked at key entry and exit points across the city. Senior police officers were assigned field duties and reserve forces remained on standby, according to Indian media. Security was tightened at major transport hubs, including the airport, railway stations, interstate bus terminals and border points. Traffic diversions were planned in parts of central Delhi, though metro services continued normally.

The ‘Cockroach Janta Party’ earlier held its first major street protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, calling for Pradhan's resignation over major exam irregularities, including question paper leaks.

India's Gen Z 'cockroaches' to gather in Delhi today against exam fraud

Faraz Saeed

LAHORE: Indian Sikh pilgrims returned to India on Friday via the Wagah border after a 10-day visit to Pakistan for the 420th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Arjan Dev Ji and the annual Jor Mela, praising arrangements and calling for expanded cross-border religious access. Pakistan hosts thousands of Sikh pilgrims from around the world each year, particularly from neighboring India, for major religious festivals and commemorations held at some of Sikhism&rsquo;s most revered sites.&nbsp; Officials including Pakistan Punjab Minister for Minority Affairs Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora, Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB)&nbsp;Chairman Qamar Uz Zaman, and Additional Secretary Shrines Nasir Mushtaq saw off the pilgrims at Wagah. The ETPB, a statutory board of the Government of Pakistan, is a key government department which administers evacuee properties, including educational, charitable or religious trusts left behind by Hindus and Sikhs who migrated to India after partition. Speaking at the occasion, Arora said Pakistan would &quot;continue&quot; to welcome Sikh pilgrims highlighting ongoing restoration work at more than 70 gurdwaras, with 17 in an initial phase. He also urged renewed engagement on the Kartarpur Corridor. Arora added that in line with the vision of Pakistan&rsquo;s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Islamabad is ensuring the protection, preservation and beautification of Sikh religious sites while providing the best possible facilities and hospitality to visiting pilgrims.&nbsp;Mushtaq said Sikhs from India and across the world were eager to visit Pakistan&rsquo;s religious sites.&nbsp;&nbsp;He reaffirmed the Pakistan government commitment to serving and facilitating Sikh pilgrims and announced that another group of Indian Sikh pilgrims would arrive in Pakistan through the Wagah border crossing on June 21 to attend the death anniversary ceremonies of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.&nbsp;The visiting delegation described the arrangements as comprehensive and called for easier visa access and expanded people-to-people exchanges. Indian Jatha Leader Sardar Bhupinder Singh said the pilgrims were returning home with a message of love, peace and religious harmony from Pakistan.&nbsp;He appreciated the hospitality extended by the ETPB and the government of Pakistan adding that Sikh gurdwaras in Pakistan were now safer and more beautifully maintained than before.&nbsp;Home to numerous historic gurdwaras, including those in Punjab where the faith&#39;s founder Guru Nanak was born, Pakistan regularly facilitates pilgrimages with dedicated arrangements, welcoming devotees for events such as Baisakhi, Guru Nanak Gurpurab and other key observances that draw visitors from across South Asia, Europe, North America and beyond.&nbsp;Pilgrim experiences and cross-border sentimentPilgrims speaking to Pakistan TV Digital shared strong praise for their experience. Gurmeet Kaur said that negative perceptions about Pakistan were &quot;completely false&quot; adding that the people of Pakistan showed great respect in trade, food, gurdwaras and bazaars, and that the arrangements left no shortcomings. She added that Pakistan felt like their &quot;own country&quot; and urged people not to believe negative narratives without personal experience. Hardayal Singh said that he would India authorities that visa access should be improved so people from both sides could meet, exchange visits and share hospitality. Another pilgrim Thada Singh said Pakistan felt very welcoming and even better than India, adding that the arrangements and care were beyond expectations.&nbsp; Amrit Singh described the hospitality and support as exceptional, saying it deserved &ldquo;200 out of 100 marks.&rdquo; The pilgrims concluded their 10-day visit carrying messages of peace, religious respect and greater cross-border engagement between the two countries.

Culture

Indian Sikh pilgrims returned via Wagah after a 10-day Pakistan visit for religious events, praising hospitality, security and gurdwara maintenance.

'Even better than India': Sikh pilgrims praise Pakistan’s hospitality

LOS ANGELES: US director and television creator James Burrows, who worked behind the scenes on &quot;Friends,&quot; &quot;Cheers,&quot; &quot;Taxi,&quot; and many other beloved comedies, has died, People magazine reported on Friday. He was 85.&nbsp;&quot;We celebrate the extraordinary life and enduring legacy of James &#39;Jimmy&#39; Burrows, who passed away peacefully today surrounded by his loving family,&quot; his family said in a statement. The time and place of his death were not disclosed.&nbsp;Burrows won 11 Emmy awards for excellence in television and helmed more than 1,000 episodes of hit programs, working as a director, producer and writer.&nbsp;Burrows was among the early innovators of the multi-camera sitcom -- short for situation comedy -- when his prolific career began in the 1970s, directing episodes of &quot;The Mary Tyler Moore Show,&quot; &quot;Laverne &amp; Shirley&quot; and &quot;The Bob Newhart Show.&quot;&nbsp;His first Emmy came for directing &quot;Taxi,&quot; a groundbreaking comedy starring Danny DeVito, Andy Kaufman and Tony Danza, about the rough and tumble staff of a New York City taxicab company.&nbsp;He directed 236 episodes and also co-created &quot;Cheers&quot; with longtime collaborator James Brooks, as well as its spin-off &quot;Frasier.&quot; His other hit shows include &quot;The Big Bang Theory,&quot; &quot;Mike &amp; Molly,&quot; and &quot;3rd Rock from the Sun.&quot;&nbsp;Recently, Burrows took a rare step in front of the camera and starred as himself in &quot;The Comeback,&quot; reuniting with &quot;Friends&quot; star Lisa Kudrow for a show that pokes fun at life behind the scenes working on a sitcom in Hollywood.&nbsp;&quot;For more than five decades, Burrows was one of the most influential and beloved directors in television history. As a legendary director, mentor, and creative force, he helped shape generations of comedy and brought immeasurable joy to audiences around the world,&quot; his family said.

Film & TV

US television director and producer James Burrows, known for hit sitcoms including Friends, Cheers and Taxi, died at 85. The Emmy-winning creator directed more than 1,000 television episodes during his five-decade career.

James Burrows, prolific innovator in US TV comedies, dead at 85

TIJUANA: Iran&#39;s treatment at the World Cup in North America is a &quot;dark point&quot; in the history of the competition, a leading Iranian football official said Friday.&nbsp;Hedayat Mombeyni, the secretary general of the Iranian football federation, was speaking to reporters the day after his organization said it would lodge a complaint with FIFA, claiming the team was being subjected to travel restrictions that were jeopardizing its performance.&nbsp;&quot;This is a major international tournament. This sort of breaking of our rules and our agreements, in my opinion, calls football itself into question,&quot; Mombeyni told reporters at the team&#39;s training base in Tijuana, Mexico.&nbsp;&quot;I believe this will mark a dark point in the World Cup&#39;s recent history,&quot; Mombeyni added.&nbsp;Iran wanted to fly to the United States two days before their next match, against Belgium in Los Angeles on Sunday, because the match kicks off at midday local time.&nbsp;Iran&#39;s Belgian opponents were flying to California on Friday, two days before the game.&nbsp;But the Iranian federation said its request to follow suit was turned down.&nbsp;The US administration, which has just signed an interim deal to end its conflict with Iran, has pushed back against the Iranian claims.&nbsp;Andrew Giuliani, the executive director of the White House FIFA Task Force, said Iran had been informed in advance that they would only be allowed to enter the United States on the day before its games.&nbsp;&quot;The team will be allowed to come in, match day minus one, so the day before the match,&quot; Giuliani told CBS News on Monday.&nbsp;FIFA&#39;s rules for World Cups say teams should travel from their bases to the match venue on the day before a game, but can travel two days before &quot;in exceptional cases&quot;.&nbsp;Mombeyni hit out at the US organizers.&nbsp;&quot;Rules must be followed. Seems to me that (Giuliani) should have studied the rules much sooner. And people who are not capable of carrying out FIFA&#39;s rules should not be hosting, and FIFA should not select them to be hosts,&quot; he said.&nbsp;&quot;In my opinion, he should have studied the rules sooner, checked with people from Team Melli of Iran, and he shouldn&#39;t have created these problems.&quot;&nbsp;The 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, is the first in history in which a host nation must host on its soil the team of a nation it is at war with.

Football

Iranian football official Hedayat Mombeyni called World Cup travel restrictions a dark point, after FIFA complaint over denied US travel before Belgium match. Organizers said rules allowed entry one day before games, sparking further criticism.

Iran's treatment at World Cup 'a dark point' for football: Iranian official

COATEPEC: Mexican archaeologists unearthed ancient ruins with signs of Mayan culture as well as &quot;never before seen&quot; characteristics in the eastern state of Veracruz.&nbsp;President Claudia Sheinbaum called the discovery &quot;very relevant&quot; during her morning press conference on Friday, saying her government would allocate resources for the investigation and restoration of the site.&nbsp;The site includes a circular stone platform unlike any other unearthed in that part of Mexico.&nbsp;Researchers also discovered a monolith depicting a figure with potential Mayan features, the National Institute of Archaeology and History (INAH) said.&nbsp;&quot;It&#39;s a unique, unprecedented finding,&quot; said Lino Espinoza Garcia, an archaeologist for the INAH and one of the coordinators for the Campo Viejo site near the town of Coatepec.&nbsp;Dating back to the Early Classic period between 200 and 600 AD, the pre-Hispanic ruins include a flagstone and limestone platform adorned with almost squared lines or figures as well as the circular stones.&nbsp;These attributes have never been recorded in this region of Mexico, the INAH said in a statement.&nbsp;It&#39;s &quot;a very particular structure,&quot; said Alberto Vazquez, the other archaeologist responsible for the site.&nbsp;&quot;We don&#39;t have any records so far of a correlation with other (ancient) sites.&quot;&nbsp;The monolith stands 1.88 meters (6.16 feet) high, 1.47 meters (4.82 feet) wide at its broadest point and 68 centimeters (2.23 feet) at the narrowest.&nbsp;The stone depicts a scene of a symbolic character, according to experts.&nbsp;&quot;They are two characters who are requesting something, they have a bowl and are receiving something, we think it&#39;s a liquid. Obviously, in that context, it&#39;s a divine liquid, we think it would be water,&quot; Espinoza detailed.&nbsp;The archaeologist believes the image could reflect the era of a great drought in the region, which could explain why two members of the elite, one of them with Mayan traits, are depicted receiving the fluid from a divine entity.

Americas

Mexican archaeologists discovered ancient ruins in Veracruz featuring Mayan cultural signs and unique structures. The Early Classic site includes a circular platform and monolith depicting figures, offering new insights into regional history and traditions.

Archaeologists discover 'never before seen' pre-Hispanic ruins in Mexico

Web Desk/AFP

Middle East

US President Donald Trump discusses efforts that led to Islamabad MoU, which ended 110 days of conflict between US and Iran and establishing a 60-day framework for negotiations.

Trump praises PM Sharif, CDF Munir after Islamabad MoU

LONDON: One person has died and dozens were injured, 11 of them &quot;very seriously&quot;, after two passenger trains collided north of London on Friday, UK emergency services said.&nbsp;The crash occurred late afternoon near Bedford, a town around 56 miles (90 kilometres) north of the UK capital, and involved two London-bound trains on the same track, according to East Midlands Railway (EMR).&nbsp;&quot;There was a moment of being flung into the chair in front, and then I saw smoke. People were crying, screaming, people were so scared and confused,&quot; passenger Pete Knapp told the Press Association news agency.&nbsp;&quot;I saw a lot of people who were unable to speak, had broken legs,&quot; he added.&nbsp;In an update nearly five hours after the collision, the East of England Ambulance Service confirmed one person had died at the scene.&nbsp;&quot;A further 11 people suffered very serious injuries, 22 were seriously injured, and a further 56 people had minor injuries,&quot; it added.&nbsp;&quot;Those with minor injuries were treated at the scene or taken to hospital where needed.&quot;&nbsp;Prime Minister Keir Starmer said it was &quot;hugely concerning&quot; and his thoughts were &quot;with the family of the person who has sadly lost their life, and with those who have been seriously injured&quot;.&nbsp;&quot;I am grateful to the emergency services for their swift response to this tragic incident.&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;Air ambulancesUnverified footage posted to social media showed the aftermath of the collision, with passengers pictured walking along the tracks beside the two damaged EMR trains. Some people initially waited in a nearby field.&nbsp;The trains remained upright largely still on the track, though at least one carriage appeared to have left the rails, according to aerial footage broadcast by news outlets.&nbsp;Knapp posted images and video on social media platform Bluesky, noting he was &quot;in the front carriage&quot; of one train and &quot;in shock&quot; afterwards.&nbsp;&quot;I&#39;m ok with bloody legs and back impact. Others are not good,&quot; he added.&nbsp;Teresa Itabor told the BBC there was &quot;a massive bang&quot; and then her head hit the seat in front.&nbsp;&quot;I opened my eyes and that&#39;s when I saw people on the floor with blood everywhere,&quot; she said.&nbsp;An EMR spokesperson confirmed the collision involved two of its trains heading southbound for London St Pancras station.&nbsp;One service had first departed from Corby while the other originated from Nottingham, both in central England.&nbsp;EMR trains were &quot;unable to run in or out on London St Pancras for the remainder of this evening,&quot; the statement added.&nbsp;Crash investigators on-siteBritish Transport Police said a &quot;major incident&quot; had been declared and a multi-agency response at the scene was ongoing.&nbsp;The ambulance service noted it had dispatched more than 20 ambulances and six air ambulances.&nbsp;&quot;All patients with the most serious injuries have now been taken from the scene to hospital,&quot; it said.&nbsp;The Rail Accident Investigation Branch, which probes such incidents on UK tramways and railways, said a team of its inspectors was on site &quot;to start gathering evidence&quot;.&nbsp;Rail expert Tony Miles told Sky News it appeared to have been a &quot;relatively slow-speed collision&quot; and that the damage to the trains looked &quot;fairly minimal&quot;.&nbsp;But he cautioned &quot;even relatively low speed collisions can be dangerous for people that are on board&quot;.&nbsp;Train accidents, particularly fatal ones, are relatively rare in Britain.&nbsp;In September 2023, several people were injured after two trains collided at Aviemore railway station in the Highlands of Scotland.&nbsp;The crash happened on the Strathspey Railway, a heritage railway run separately from mass-transit public services, and involved a stationary carriage and another train in the station.&nbsp;In August 2020, an early morning service from Aberdeen to Glasgow came off the tracks, killing three people and injuring six near the town of Stonehaven, northeast Scotland, after a landslip caused by heavy rain.

United Kingdom

British Transport Police responded to reports of a train collision north of London near Bedford. Emergency services attended, with media reporting injuries, while authorities investigated the incident involving two trains.

One dead, dozens injured after two trains collide in UK

SEATTLE: The United States advanced to the World Cup knockout rounds with a game to spare following an impressive 2-0 win over Australia Friday, stoking the hopes of an already hyped host nation.&nbsp;The US join fellow tournament co-hosts Mexico as the first teams to progress, and could be assured top spot in Group D if Turkey fail to beat Paraguay later Friday.&nbsp;Excitement had been running high from last week&#39;s US thrashing of Paraguay.&nbsp;And a glorious day in the Pacific Northwest did not disappoint the red-and-white-clad fans who packed Seattle&#39;s Lumen Field and its surrounding streets and bars.&nbsp;Even before kickoff, chants of &quot;USA&quot; rocked a stadium best known as the raucous home of the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, but also a US soccer hotbed that hosts the local Sounders.&nbsp;Without injured talisman attacker Christian Pulisic, who failed to recover from a calf issue in time, coach Mauricio Pochettino switched to a 4-4-2 formation, bringing in second striker Ricardo Pepi.&nbsp;For the second game running, the US were gifted an early lead, thanks to an own goal in the 11th minute.&nbsp;Playing slightly wider than usual, star striker Folarin Balogun raced down the left and cut the ball back from the byline.&nbsp;Under pressure from a lurking Pepi, Aussie defender Cameron Burgess steered the ball into his own net.&nbsp;&nbsp;Toothless AustraliaHaving surprisingly dropped both goalscorers from their impressive opening win over Turkey, Australia looked toothless.&nbsp;The US controlled possession and were lively and dynamic on the attack, Weston McKennie and Sergino Dest combining well down the right flank.&nbsp;Alex Freeman doubled the US lead in the 44th minute from what was surprisingly his team&#39;s first shot on target.&nbsp;Taking a free kick from the right byline, Antonee Robinson ignored the scrum in the box and played the ball to Sergino Dest, wide open in the D, whose blocked shot looped up into the air.&nbsp;Freeman -- son of Super Bowl-winning NFL wide receiver Antonio Freeman -- was first to the ball, heading it past Patrick Beach. The offside flag went up. But it was overturned by VAR, and the stadium rocked for a second a time.&nbsp;Australia made three changes at the break -- sending on Connor Metcalfe and Nestory Irankunda, the goalscorers against Turkey -- and pushed higher up the field.&nbsp;They were nearly caught out immediately. Balogun raced onto a through ball for a one-on-one chance, but his shot was blocked after a heavy touch.&nbsp;Australia&#39;s best chance so far came in the 62nd minute. The dangerous Cristian Volpato -- who switched allegiance from Italy to Australia on the eve of the tournament -- skied his shot from Irankunda&#39;s cut-back pass.&nbsp;With the US sitting back, Metcalfe had a shot saved, a rampaging Irankunda was brought down by Richards, and Jason Geria&#39;s close-range effort was blocked in a nervy final phase for the hosts.&nbsp;But despite late-flaring tensions between the teams, the Americans held on for the clean sheet and will have the luxury of playing Turkey next Thursday, knowing their spot in the round of 32 is secured.&nbsp;With home advantage and sparkling form so far, US fans will be dreaming of a run to the quarter-finals, which they last reached in 2002, and even beyond.

The United States secured a 2-0 victory over Australia in Seattle, advancing to the World Cup knockout rounds with a game to spare. An own goal and Alex Freeman’s strike sealed the win, keeping the Americans unbeaten.

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