AAP Rolling News Bulletin for June 15 at 1600
Legal: Stevens (MELBOURNE)
A former AFL star has been jailed for defrauding multiple families who paid him to install pools, leaving some with giant holes in their backyard.
Ex-Carlton and Port Adelaide footballer Nick Stevens, 46, was convicted by a jury on 12 charges of obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one of using a false document.
He was acquitted of one charge.
Stevens stole about $158,000 from six families in regional areas through his pool business in 2017.
While he installed six legally compliant pools under the supervision of a registered builder, he then went out on his own without the required licence, registration, permits or insurance.
He took money from the families, but left some with non-compliant pools and for others failed to install a pool at all, leaving them with unfilled holes in their yards.
Accent (SYDNEY)
A British retailer has lobbed a zero-premium takeover offer at Australia's largest shoe store chain after their partnership went south, in hopes of at least gaining more influence over its board.
Frasers Group is offering 65 cents a share for Accent Group in an on-market takeover offer that values the Platypus, Hype DC and The Athlete's Foot owner at $390 million.
Accent Group shares, which closed at 65 cents on Friday, jumped almost 12 per cent to 73 cents by noon on Monday.
Frasers owns the UK-based sporting goods giant Sports Direct, which Accent began launching in Australia in 2025 in partnership with Frasers as part of what was initially going to be a 50-store rollout over six years.
That target was downgraded in May to eight stores by December and 30 stores within three years, with the 50-store goal deferred to an undefined time frame, apparently disappointing Frasers executives.
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.
In finance ...
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.
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 ...
Com26 Swi (SYDNEY)
The lure of a home Olympics could be the driving force to convince Australian swim star Kaylee McKeown to keep competing.
Five-time Olympic gold medallist McKeown will head to Glasgow in July for her final Commonwealth Games as she mulls on her future beyond the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
Competing at her third Commonwealth Games, the 24-year-old backstroke ace had cited the need for a mental reset.
McKeown - the 50m and 200m backstroke world record holder - has previously spoken about suffering through severe mental lows after her successful Paris Olympics campaign.
In 2024, McKeown became the first swimmer to successfully defend Olympic 100m and 200m backstroke titles and the first Australian to win four individual Olympic gold medals.
She heads to Glasgow looking to defend her 100m and 200m crowns won at the 2022 Birmingham Games.
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.
Ends Bulletin
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