AAP Rolling News Bulletin for June 15 at 1230
Legal: Bentley (SYDNEY)
A high-flying AI executive has lost his job and gained two criminal convictions after assaulting two musicians during a drunken night out.
Timothy Bentley faced Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court on Monday when his barrister was unable to convince the judge the cybersecurity expert should not attract marks on his previously faultless criminal record.
The former vice president of sales for Asia Pacific at tech behemoth Abnormal AI pleaded guilty to punching two musicians at the Ramblin' Rascal Tavern in the city centre in February.
He socked The Grand Union guitarist Stu Greenwood in the face after having had several drinks, according to the agreed facts.
When another musician, John Flaws of Bloody Legend, tried to intervene and stop the fracas, he copped a punch from Bentley directly on his mouth, the court was told.
Legal: Norway Royals (OSLO)
The stepson of Norway's Crown Prince Haakon will soon learn if he has been found guilty of charges of rape, domestic violence, assault and drug possession, among other crimes, in a case that has transfixed the Nordic country.
Marius Borg Hoiby, 29, who joined the royal family when his mother Mette-Marit married Haakon in 2001, pleaded not guilty to the most severe accusations against him, including those of rape, while admitting to some lesser charges.
If found guilty on all counts by the Oslo district court, he could be sentenced to seven years and seven months in prison, as requested by the prosecution, though the court can increase or decrease the length of the sentence sought.
The seven-week trial has gripped the country, detailing Hoiby's drug addiction, self-made videos of sexual encounters and more than 800 electronic messages entered into evidence. One alleged rape took place in the basement of the crown prince's family home, the court heard.
Social UK (LONDON)
Britain is expected to set out restrictions on social media for children under 16 which could include banning popular platforms and features that are deemed too addictive for the wellbeing of young people online.
Britain has increasingly toughened its approach to tech companies in recent years, urging or forcing them to impose age verification, adapt their algorithms and, most recently, prevent children from circulating nude images taken on mobile phones.
But with a growing awareness of the mental health risks posed by children spending too much time online, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has decided to go further after speaking to parents and considering evidence from Australia, which brought in a ban for under 16s last year.
Starmer, who is likely to face a leadership challenge in the coming weeks, said people rightly expected action.
Federal (CANBERRA)
Liberals concede their party has broken faith with voters as a new poll shows more Australians would prefer Pauline Hanson as prime minister than any other political leader.
The One Nation leader has now overtaken Anthony Albanese as preferred prime minister while the coalition's primary vote has plunged to a record low, according to a Resolve poll published in the Sydney Morning Herald and the Age.
Thirty-three per cent of voters said they wanted Senator Hanson to lead the country, compared to 29 per cent for Mr Albanese and 22 per cent undecided.
Just 16 per cent preferred Opposition Leader Angus Taylor for prime minister.
Liberal frontbencher Aaron Violi said voters were unhappy with the coalition after two breakups and a leadership change, but insisted there was plenty of time to reverse its political fortunes.
Ebola (KINSHASA)
The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo has increased to 782, with 181 deaths, the health ministry in the central African nation says.
However, the number of cases in Congo is believed to be higher because the outbreak was confirmed on May 15, weeks after it is suspected to have begun, and the contact tracing coverage rate is at 56 per cent, a sharp decrease from last week.
The latest Ebola outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, which has no approved vaccine or treatment, unlike the "Zaire virus", which was responsible for most of Congo's past 16 outbreaks of the disease.
Fifty-six people have recovered, and the current fatality rate of the outbreak is 23 per cent, the health ministry said in a statement on Sunday.
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.
In finance ...
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.
ASX (SYDNEY)
Australia's stock exchange operator has apologised and will pay a $20.5 million penalty to the corporate watchdog after admitting to misleading the market.
The deal means ASX Ltd will avoid a trial in relation to three statements made four years ago regarding the status of a multi-million-dollar project to upgrade its clearing and settlement system.
The work on CHESS involved replacing the 25-year-old technology with a distributed ledger, the same technology used by cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin and Ethereum.
ASX had told investors in a 2022 statement that the project was "progressing well", but the Australian Securities and Investments Commission took legal action, saying that and two other statements were misleading and "exposed market participants to the risk of financial harm".
In entertainment ...
Brazil Helicopter (RIO DE JANEIRO)
US singer and comedian Oliver Tree is believed to be among six people who died when two helicopters collided over Rio de Janeiro, crashing in the city's western zone.
Rio de Janeiro's Military Fire Department said that one of the helicopters crashed on Sunday into the parking lot of a car dealership, where several electric vehicles were parked, igniting a fire that was extinguished.
Officials said an investigation was underway to determine the cause of the collision.
Police said 32-year-old Tree was on the list of passengers handed to aviation authorities but the bodies had yet to be formally identified.
Recognisable by his signature bowl cut, Tree was known for his songs Life Goes On and When I'm Down.
He released his fourth studio album, Love You Madly, Hate You Badly in April.
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.
In sport ...
RL Origin NSW (MELBOURNE)
They are both dominant playmakers, but Mitchell Moses has revealed why his NSW halves combination with Nathan Cleary will work a treat.
Blues five-eighth Moses trained alongside Cleary at AAMI Park on Monday with his left hamstring injury healed and no uncertainty in his own mind about his fitness for game two of the State of Origin series at the MCG on Wednesday night.
As the week in camp has gone on Moses, who missed the 22-20 win in game one with the injury, confirmed the fit and healthy condition he was confident he would attain.
"There was no doubt in my mind. Obviously I had to tick a few boxes but it is all on track with two sessions left," he told AAP.
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.
Ends Bulletin
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