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Federal Finance Minister Katy Gallagher has conceded she knew about allegations made by Brittany Higgins before they became public, but has denied misleading Parliament.

Gallagher has been facing accusations by the opposition that she misled Parliament two years ago by saying during a Senate estimates session on June 4, 2021 that "no one had any knowledge" of Higgins' allegations of rape against Bruce Lehrmann.

In a press conference today that lasted only a few minutes, Gallagher admitted to corresponding with Higgins' partner David Sharaz.

READ MORE: Leaked Higgins texts 'calculated to pressure witnesses', court hears

"I was aware of some allegations in the days leading up to the choice of Ms Brittany Higgins to make those allegations public," Gallagher said.

"Mr Sharaz provided me with information. I did nothing with that information, and I was clear about that at the time."

But Gallagher said there was "absolutely no issue here".

"I was responding to an assertion made by Minister Reynolds that we had known about this for weeks and had made a decision to weaponise it," the senator said.

"That is not true. That was never true."

She said she was not aware of the full allegations made by Higgins.

Speaking to Today earlier this morning, Indigenous Affairs Minister Linda Burney praised Gallagher.

"I have known her for a very, very long time," Burney said.

"She is incredibly competent. She is a woman of integrity and she is a woman with a very, very big heart."

Ex-Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann was put on trial over allegations he raped Higgins in an office in Parliament House.

His trial was aborted due to juror misconduct and a second trial was dropped by prosecutors in Canberra over concerns over Higgins' wellbeing.

No findings were ever made against Lehrmann, who has always maintained his innocence.

Readers seeking support can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or beyond blue on 1300 22 4636.

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Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).

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Iran is providing Russia with materials to build a drone manufacturing plant east of Moscow as the Kremlin looks to lock in a steady supply of weaponry for its ongoing invasion of Ukraine, according to a US intelligence finding released by the White House on Friday.

National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said US intelligence officials believe a plant in Russia's Alabuga special economic zone could be operational early next year.

The White House also released satellite imagery taken in April of the industrial location, several hundred miles east of Moscow, where it believes the plant "will probably be built".

READ MORE: Boris Johnson quits as UK MP after furious tirade over 'partygate'

President Joe Biden's administration publicly stated in December that it believed Tehran and Moscow were considering standing up a drone assembly line in Russia for the Ukraine war.

The new intelligence suggests that the project, in the Yelabuga region of Tatarstan, has moved beyond conception.

Iran has said it provided drones to Russia before the start of the war but not since.

Kirby said that US officials also have determined that Iran continues to supply the Russian military with one-way attack drones made in Iran: the drones are shipped via the Caspian Sea, from Amirabad in Iran to Makhachkala, Russia, and then are used by Russian forces against Ukraine.

As of May, Russia had received hundreds of one-way attack drones, as well as drone production-related equipment, from Iran, according to the White House.

READ MORE: Donald Trump allegedly described Pentagon plan of attack and shared classified map

"This is a full-scale defence partnership that is harmful to Ukraine, to Iran's neighbours, and to the international community," Kirby said.

"We are continuing to use all the tools at our disposal to expose and disrupt these activities including by sharing this with the public — and we are prepared to do more."

The Biden administration on Friday issued an advisory meant to help businesses and other governments put in place measures to ensure they are not inadvertently contributing to Iran's drone program.

The notice from the departments of commerce, state, justice and treasury said it was "critical that private industry be aware of its legal obligations" to abide by US export controls and sanctions.

The United States, the European Union and the United Kingdom in recent months all issued rules designed to cut off the flow of drone components to Russia and Iran.

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The Biden administration has repeatedly publicised intelligence findings that detail how Iran is assisting the Russian invasion.

The persistent drip of intelligence findings from the administration is intended to detail what US officials say is a deepening defence partnership between Russia and Iran.

It's also part of a broader administration effort to spotlight Moscow's prosecution of its war in Ukraine in hopes of further promoting global isolation of Russia.

The White House last month said Russia was looking to buy additional advanced attack drones from Iran after using up most of the 400 drones it had previously purchased from Tehran.

The Biden administration last year first publicised satellite imagery and intelligence findings that it said indicated Iran sold hundreds of attack drones to Russia.

For months, officials have said the United States believed Iran was considering selling hundreds of ballistic missiles to Russia but White House officials have said they do not have evidence a deal was consummated.

The White House has noted that Iran also has weapons flowing its way from Russia.

Iran is seeking to purchase additional military equipment from Russia, including attack helicopters, radars and YAK-130 combat trainer aircraft, according to the White House.

In April, Iran announced that it had finalised a deal to buy Su-35 fighter jets from Russia.

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A teenager has died and another was injured in a house fire in Adelaide's north-west.

Metropolitan Fire Services crews found a body inside a house on Murray Street in Angle Park after they extinguished the blaze about 2.30pm on Friday.

"A 19-year-old woman from the address was taken to the Royal Adelaide Hospital by paramedics for treatment," South Australia Police said in a statement.

READ MORE: Boris Johnson quits as UK MP after furious tirade over 'partygate'

"Her injuries are not considered life-threatening.

"A body located inside the house is believed to be that of an 18-year-old woman from Prospect, who is known to the other woman."

Police said the woman's death is not being treated as suspicious.

Anyone with information about the fire is urged to come forward.

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Two men have been rescued from floodwaters after driving into what they thought was a "large puddle" near Shepparton in Victoria's north.

Emergency services came to the rescue when the pair came into trouble along Ofarrell Road at Seven Creeks in Miepoll about 10.20pm last night.

"Their car quickly became bogged and the water level began rapidly rising as they called emergency services for assistance," Victoria Police said in a statement.

READ MORE: Slow start to snow season as mostly sunny long weekend ahead

"Police found the men clinging to the back of their vehicle in the fast-moving water.

"SES volunteers arrived at the scene with their rescue boat and pulled both men to safety."

The 73-year-old and 46-year-old men, who are both from NSW, were taken to hospital for observation.

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Four young children have been found alive after more than a month wandering the Amazon jungle, according to Colombia's President Gustavo Petro.

"A joy for the whole country! The four children who were lost 40 days ago in the Colombian jungle were found alive," Petro tweeted on Friday, attaching a image that seems to show search crews treating the children in a forest clearing.

The children, who appear gaunt in the photos, are being evaluated by doctors and will be evacuated for medical treatment.

READ MORE: How a girl survived her plane exploding above the Amazon

Lesly Jacobombaire Mucutuy, age 13, Soleiny Jacobombaire Mucutuy, 9, Tien Ranoque Mucutuy, 4, and infant Cristin Ranoque Mucutuy were stranded in the jungle on May 1, the only survivors of a deadly plane crash.

Their mother, Magdalena Mucutuy Valencia, was killed in the crash along with two other adult passengers: pilot Hernando Murcia Morales and Yarupari indigenous leader Herman Mendoza Hernández.

The children's subsequent disappearance into the deep forest galvanised a massive military-led search operation involving over a hundred Colombian special forces troops and over 70 indigenous scouts combing the area.

For weeks, the search turned up only tantalising clues, including footprints, a dirty nappy and a bottle. Family members said the oldest child had some experience in the forest, but hopes waned as the weeks went on.

Indigenous leader Lucho Acosta, the coordinator of indigenous scouts, credited the "extra effort" of search and rescue teams and local authorities to find the children in a statement on Friday.

"They all added a little effort so that this Operation Hope could be successful, and we can hope the kids will emerge alive and stronger than before. We have been hoping together with the strength of our ancestors, and our strength prevailed," he said.

"We never stopped looking for them until the miracle came," the Colombian Defence Ministry tweeted.

During a press conference Friday evening, Petro said the children would receive immediate medical evaluation and treatment, and that he hoped to speak with them on Saturday.

https://twitter.com/FuerzasMilCol/status/1667324165278277638

"The most important thing now is what the doctors say, they have been lost for 40 days, their health condition must have been stressed. We need to check their mental state too," he said.

"They will receive medical treatment and depending on what the doctors say they might be transferred to Bogota or Villavicencio. I'm going to try speak with them tomorrow," he said.

Petro, who was previously forced to backtrack after mistakenly tweeting that they had been found last month, described the children's 40-day saga as "a remarkable testament of survival."

"These are the children of peace and the children of Colombia," he said.

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The ski season is off to a slow start as minimal snow has fallen across Australia's alpine regions, with the majority of the country in for a sunny long weekend.

Mount Buller and Perisher have been able to open this weekend but Thredbo and Falls Creek have remained closed due to the lack of snow fall.

Angus Heinz from the Bureau of Meterology (BoM) said it was slim pickings for snow at the moment.

READ MORE: Teenager uninjured after driving car off three metre cliff in Victoria

"The snow we got in May has mostly melted away with the warm and wet weather since then," Heinz said.

"There was a bit of snow around Tassie yesterday.

"A couple of cool showers lowered the snow to 700m or so… Outside of that as I say slim pickings to start the snow season."

Mount Buller began operating its ski lift about 8am this morning with man-made snow, which has been in the making for about a month.

Heinz is expecting it to be "clear, dry and mostly sunny" for most of the country this King's birthday weekend.

READ MORE: Boris Johnson quits as UK MP after furious tirade over 'partygate'

"That is good for most outdoor activities but it is not music to the ears of those hoping to get the big bump of snow across the mountains," Heinz said.

Tasmania has a few damaging wind warnings as well as hail.

Perth should expect winds, showers and possibly thunderstorms.

Central Australia and tropical Queensland should also expect some showers.

Today's capitals are heading for a top of 18 in Sydney, 16 in Melbourne, 23 in Brisbane, 19 in Perth, 17 in Adelaide, 15 in Hobart, 14 in Canberra and 33 in Darwin.

Tomorrow Sydney is 18 degrees, Melbourne 16, Brisbane 24, Perth 17, Adelaide 17, Hobart 17, Canberra 17 and Darwin 33.

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The top ten is dominated by suburbs in Sydney with water views, with a couple from Victoria and one lone entry from Western Australia.