AAP Rolling News Bulletin for June 15 at 0730
Ukraine (WASHINGTON, D. C.)
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskiy each spoke by phone with Donald Trump, as he marked his 80th birthday and the war in Ukraine remained a flashpoint ahead of this week's G7 summit.
Putin's call with Trump lasted just under an hour, according to Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, who briefed reporters afterwards.
Zelenskiy's adviser Dmytro Lytvyn earlier told journalists that the conversation lasted around 30 minutes.
On Ukraine, Ushakov said Trump emphasised the need to end hostilities and stated his readiness to influence European allies and Kyiv toward that goal, including at the upcoming G7 summit.
Trump also said that recent strikes on civilian targets in Russia complicate a settlement — though the White House has not confirmed that, nor commented on the call — and said that ending the war quickly could open the door to "a truly new quality of US-Russian relations," Ushakov quoted him as saying.
Shark (CANBERRA)
Experts warn there is little evidence shark culls keep ocean-goers safer following the latest shocking encounter at a busy city beach.
A coastal community have been left shaken after a woman, understood to be in her 30s, was critically injured by a shark at Sydney's popular Coogee Beach on Saturday.
A great white shark, which is a protected species, is thought to have been responsible.
It follows a cluster of attacks nationwide, including several bull shark bites in Sydney Harbour.
The latest incident has reignited calls for culls to protect swimmers, which NSW Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty has not expressly ruled out.
Adelaide University program director of environmental science Brianna Le Brusque said harmful encounters with the predators were tragic and cull discussions an understandable response.
Economy (CANBERRA)
A majority of economists are tipping interest rates to remain on hold as the Reserve Bank begins deliberations.
The bank's board will begin two days of talks on Monday to determine whether the official cash rate will remain steady at 4.35 per cent.
Reserve Bank governor Michelle Bullock will announce the board's decision on Tuesday afternoon.
Despite persistent economic pressures from the Middle East conflict and inflation levels above the bank's preferred target range, a hold is considered likely.
A Reuters survey of 45 economists found 42 expected the bank would leave rates unchanged.
If the predictions hold, it will be the first time in 2026 the bank's board has not raised interest rates, following three consecutive increases in the first half of the year.
Tax (CANBERRA)
Changes to the capital gains tax will lower productivity and make Australia less competitive, business groups argue, as the contentious budget measures go under the microscope.
A Senate inquiry into the tax changes will hold its first day of hearings on Monday.
Under the changes, the 50 per cent discount for capital gains tax will be replaced with a rate tied to inflation and a 30 per cent minimum, while negative gearing will be limited to new houses only from July 2027.
In a joint statement issued ahead of the inquiry, business groups warned the changes were being rushed through and would discourage investment.
The statement from the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, AI Group, the Business Council of Australia and the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia said the changes must be rejected.
Iran (JERUSALEM)
US President Donald Trump has urged no further attacks by anyone after Israel's military said it launched strikes on Hezbollah targets in Beirut, potentially complicating efforts to finalise a deal to end the US-Iran war.
Smoke rose over the Lebanese capital, and the Civil Defence said it retrieved three bodies and six wounded people from the rubble.
Iran threatened a military response.
Trump reacted on social media: "We are very close to a Deal that will bring peace to the region".
"Let's not blow it!" he said.
The deal in its current form is a deep disappointment to Israel's government, which has been sidelined in negotiations led by Pakistan and others.
The last time Israel struck the Beirut suburbs a week ago, it set off the most serious escalation of fighting between Iran and Israel since the tenuous ceasefire took hold on April 7.
Mideast (DEIR AL-BALAH, GAZA STRIP)
The Palestinian death toll from the Israel-Hamas war has surpassed 73,000, despite a fragile ceasefire deal reached in October.
Confirmation came from Gaza's Health Ministry, with the total number of deaths since the beginning of the war reaching 73,001.
On Sunday, the ministry said, there were five deaths: two in the southern city of Khan Younis and one in central Gaza, in addition to two who died of earlier wounds.
More than 173,200 people have been wounded since the start of the war, which was ignited by the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
That attack killed some 1200 people and took 251 others hostage.
An Israeli strike on Saturday evening killed two Palestinians in Khan Younis.
The casualties were taken to Nasser hospital, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Ukraine (MOSCOW)
Ukraine has targeted industrial facilities across several regions in Russia while British forces have also moved to board a Russian vessel in the Channel.
In the Tula region, south of Moscow, Governor Dmitry Milyaev reported that debris from a downed drone fell onto the site of a chemical plant in Novomoskovsk.
Unconfirmed video footage and reports emerged on social media showing a fire, suggesting that the Asot facility, one of Russia's largest chemical plants, was hit.
The site is important to the Russian war economy. It produces mainly fertiliser, but also components for the production of ammunition in defence industries.
The governor initially gave no details about the extent of the damage or possible health risks to the population.
In the Yaroslavl region, Governor Mikhail Yevrayev spoke of a drone attack on industrial facilities used for fuel storage. A fire broke out, but there were no injuries, he said.
G7 (GENEVA)
Up to 50,000 demonstrators are expected to march through the Swiss border city of Geneva to protest against capitalism, exploitation and a range of other issues ahead of the G7 summit in the French town of Évian.
The protest on Sunday is being organised by a No G7 coalition of several dozen groups.
The demonstration is taking place in Geneva because France declined to issue permits for any protests near the G7 summit venue, the Geneva city government said, criticising the decision.
Geneva lies around 50km southwest of Évian.
Geneva airport will also serve as the arrival point for the leaders attending the summit and their delegations on Monday, as it is the nearest airport to the venue.
Geneva's city centre has been in a state of emergency for days: Hundreds of luxury shops and banks, as well as hotels and supermarkets, have boarded up their facades and shop windows with plywood panels out of fear of unrest.
In finance ...
Economy Preview (CANBERRA)
Mortgage holders could get a brief reprieve from further interest rate hikes, but economic uncertainty in the Middle East will still loom for the Reserve Bank.
Economists are tipping the central bank to keep the official cash rate on hold at 4.35 per cent when it meets on Tuesday.
Should the predictions hold, it would be the first time the Reserve Bank has kept rates steady since the start of 2026.
Despite inflation levels remaining above the Reserve Bank's target band of two to three per cent, economists expect it will consider the impact of consecutive hikes.
Westpac economists Luci Ellis and Neha Sharma said the mixed data on inflation and the labour market supported the case for a pause.
Markets (NEW YORK CITY)
US stocks ended higher on Friday as investors held out hope for a peace deal between Iran and the United States and as SpaceX shares surged in their debut, making it Wall Street's biggest public listing in history.
The United States and Iran signalled that an agreement to end their war was close, with a senior US administration official saying a draft proposal was in place that was liked by both sides. President Donald Trump has said several times since mid-March that a deal with Iran to end the war was close.
Market participants were glued to shares of Elon Musk's SpaceX , which began trading on the Nasdaq on Friday. Its shares closed up 19.2 per cent at $US160.95 ($A228.36), well above the IPO price of $US135 ($A192) apiece. Its market capitalisation was last at $US2.1 trillion ($A3 trillion).
In entertainment ...
MND (SYDNEY)
Stephanie de Sousa still remembers the ordinary moments most vividly.
Fish and chips at the pub on Friday night, laughter over crashing the wheelchair, evenings watching MasterChef, Survivor and The Crown.
They were all times spent with her sister, as motor neurone disease slowly stripped away her independence.
Therese died in 2022 after living with the terminal neurodegenerative condition, leaving de Sousa, the former MasterChef contestant-turned-cookbook author and social media sensation, with memories that have settled into "the good times".
"I honestly only really remember the good times now," de Sousa told AAP.
"I have blocked the awful parts out of my mind."
But those awful parts defined the reality of MND: progressive loss of movement, intense care needs and the gradual erosion of independence that affects not only patients but entire families.
Royals Harry (SAN ANTONIO)
Prince Harry has made a surprise appearance at the NBA Finals in San Antonio.
Harry, 41, was spotted in the crowd at game five of the finals series between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks on Saturday.
He attended the match with US Army veteran and Purple Heart recipient JP Lane and sat beside NBA Commissioner Adam Silver a few rows back from the court.
The duke was already in Texas for the Warrior Games - an event for wounded, injured or ill military personnel organised by the US Government.
Other recognisable faces at the match included Euphoria star Sydney Sweeney attended with boyfriend Scooter Braun, actor Timothee Chalamet and Ben Stiller.
Neither Meghan nor the couple's children were in attendance at the game, which ended with the New York Knicks claiming their first NBA title since 1973 on the back of a 94-90 win.
In sport ...
WC26 aust (VANCOUVER)
Take a bow, Tony Popovic.
The Socceroos boss is the toast of Australian coaching after turning in a selection and tactical masterclass to deliver a 2-0 upset win over Turkey.
Popovic dropped skipper Maty Ryan for young goalkeeper Patrick Beach and midfielder Jackson Irvine for Paul Okon-Engstler, while backing dynamo Nestory Irankunda from the outset.
"They were maybe shocks for a lot of people, but not shocks within our playing group or staff," Popovic said.
"Because we're all working together every day, and we can see the quality of these young boys. We've got Mo Toure, Nestory, Junior Okon, Patrick Beach, and many more.
"It's a team selected to perform well. You never know the result, of course - we're at a World Cup.
Ten Aust (LONDON)
Alex de Minaur's bid for a confidence-boosting title grab ahead of his looming Wimbledon campaign ended in heartbreak after slumping to Kamil Majchrzak in the final of the ATP's Dutch grass-court event in s-Hertogenbosch.
The Australian No.1 had opted to use the tournament in s-Hertogenbosch to rebuild his shattered confidence after his French Open setback when bowing to out Jakub Mensik in the third round last month.
But despite staging a gritty fightback to draw level with Majchrzak in the climax to the Rosmalen Championships on Sunday, De Minaur eventually lost out in a final-set tie-break to succumb 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (7-5).
The 27-year-old had looked in great shape this week when returning to his favoured grass surface after the clay of Paris, culminating in a resounding straight-sets victory over another previous winner in Frenchman Adrian Mannarino in Saturday's semi-finals.
Ends Bulletin
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