AAP Rolling News Bulletin for June 7 at 0800
Ukraine (KYIV)
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to discuss ongoing support for Ukraine.
The Ukrainian leader will visit the United Kingdom on Sunday with the two other leaders, officials in Downing Street said.
It comes after a large-scale Ukrainian drone attack targeted St Petersburg, Russia's second-largest city, on Saturday, underscoring the country's growing ability to hit deep inside Russia.
Russia's defence ministry said on Saturday its anti-aircraft units had intercepted and destroyed 339 Ukrainian drones over a 13-hour period in various Russian regions including Moscow.
The ministry, posting on Telegram, listed 13 regions where the interceptions took place, plus areas over the Black Sea, between 7am and 8pm.
Iran (TEHRAN)
Lebanese army commander General Rudolf Haykal has left on a visit to Pakistan, Lebanon's army says, amid Pakistani efforts to mediate an end to the US-Israeli conflict with Iran that has also spilled into Lebanon.
The army said the visit was at the invitation of Haykal's Pakistani counterpart but did not immediately provide further details on its purpose or duration.
The surprise visit is notable given the insistence by the United States - and by Lebanese leaders including the president - that ceasefire talks for Lebanon remain separate from US-Iran negotiations mediated by Pakistan.
It comes as Iran's government again warned neighbouring countries against making their territory available for potential US military operations against it.
"The countries in the region should observe the principle of good neighbourliness and not use their territory for aggressive actions against Iran," the Iranian foreign ministry said on Saturday.
Mideast (HEBRON)
A seven-month-old Palestinian has been laid to rest in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, a day after he was shot dead and his parents were injured by the Israeli military near Hebron, according to family members who witnessed the shooting and the Palestinian health ministry.
Sam Fahd Abu Haikal, wrapped in a white shroud and a Palestinian flag, was buried in Hebron after funeral prayers were held at a nearby mosque.
The infant was killed on Friday while travelling with his family by car near the city of Hebron.
"What happened to us is not a matter of an apology. What happened is not that shots were fired by mistake and led to this tragedy," the child's father, Fahd, said on Saturday.
Ukraine (ST PETERSBURG)
Residents of St Petersburg have been told not to leave their homes after a "large-scale" Ukrainian drone attack targeted the city.
The attack on Saturday underscored Kyiv's growing ability to hit deep inside Russia and coming a day after the Russian president refused an offer to meet his Ukrainian counterpart.
St Petersburg governor Alexander Beglov advised the residents not to go outside and warned of possible disruptions to mobile internet service, while regional governor Alexander Drozdenko said 141 drones were shot down over the surrounding Leningrad region.
Russia's defence ministry said its air defences shot down 376 Ukrainian drones.
"Last night, our drones covered a distance of about 1000km to the St Petersburg region - to the enemy navy's arsenals and a base in Kronstadt," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy wrote of the attack on X.
Mideast (EAST JERUSALEM)
Israeli troops have killed a seven-month-old Palestinian baby boy after firing at his parents' vehicle in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry said.
Sam Fahd Abu Haikal was killed on Friday evening, and his parents were wounded while driving in the Tel Rumeida area south of Hebron City, according to the ministry.
The official Palestinian news agency WAFA said the infant was critically wounded after being struck in the jaw by the same bullet that injured his mother.
He later died of his injuries.
His father, Fahd Abdul Aziz Abu Haikal, a lecturer at Bethlehem University, was shot in the hand.
They were travelling from Bethlehem to visit family in Hebron when soldiers opened fire, the agency reported.
Shark (PERTH)
A man has died after being attacked by a shark while spearfishing with his family.
The 35-year-old was bitten by a suspected 4.5-metre shark at about 11.20am on Saturday off Michaelmas Island near Albany in Western Australia's south west.
"He was conveyed back to shore by boat where he was met by paramedics,'' WA Police said in a statement.
"Sadly, he was unable to be revived."
The death comes after father of two, Steven "Mattas" Mattaboni, was killed while diving at Horseshoe Reef off Rottnest Island near Perth in May.
The 38-year-old was pulled from the water after being bitten and was rushed by boat to a jetty at Geordie Bay on the north side of the island.
Paramedics were unable to revive him.
NZ Aust (CANBERRA)
Australia's diplomatic relationship with New Zealand is "in the best shape it has ever been" as the leaders of both nations meet to discuss trade, defence and foreign affairs.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon held the annual leaders' meeting in Noosa, Queensland, on Saturday.
Mr Luxon arrived in Australia on Friday for a two-day visit.
He told reporters the relationship between the two nations was "in the best shape it's ever been".
"At its core this is a relationship that is deeply integrated, it is highly practical and pragmatic," Mr Luxon said on Saturday.
"It's focused on delivering outcomes for both of our countries, and the priority for both of us is to continue to build on that strength, focusing on positioning Australia and New Zealand to make the most of the opportunities ... in spite of the volatility and the uncertainty."
Iran (DUBAI/WASHINGTON)
US forces have struck Iranian coastal radar sites after shooting down drones launched by Iran toward the Strait of Hormuz, the US military says, in the latest escalation complicating efforts to end the Middle East war.
The US military believes the four Iranian drones were targeting regional maritime traffic, a US official told Reuters.
US Central Command said on X the US then struck Iran's surveillance sites in Goruk and Qeshm Island, which are both on the Strait of Hormuz.
The US and Iran have been engaged in largely indirect negotiations to secure an interim deal to halt the three-month-old war that would leave issues including Iran's nuclear program to further negotiations.
As part of any agreement, Tehran wants access to billions of dollars in oil revenue, waivers on sanctions on crude exports, the lifting of a US blockade on its ports and leverage over the strait.
In entertainment ...
Duffy (LONDON)
Welsh singer Duffy has announced she will perform new songs at her first live concert in the United Kingdom in more than 15 years.
It comes weeks after it was announced she will feature in a new Disney+ documentary, narrating her rise to fame and subsequent kidnapping and sexual assault.
In an Instagram story on Friday, Duffy, 41, whose real name is Aimee Anne Duffy, said: "I'm doing a secret intimate gig in London on the 5th July, next month, and I would love nothing more than for some of you to attend.
"Please visit the link below and leave your details if you want to come.
"It's only small capacity so we can only select a few, but really looking forward to it, I will sing some new songs."
Swift (LONDON)
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are set to wed at Madison Square Garden.
The Life of Ophelia singer and the Kansas City Chiefs star have reportedly decided to tie the knot at the famed music venue - which has hosted many Taylor Swift concerts - in New York City.
"Everyone's been sworn to secrecy," a source told the New York Post's Page Six.
"Privacy was of number one importance to both of them."
The busy venue has no events booked from June 29 to July 6 and Swift's wedding is expected to take place on the weekend of July 3 to 5.
Page Six said "the potential plan would involve guests being transported to the venue on blacked-out buses and taking advantage of MSG's multiple entrances and highly secure infrastructure".
In sport ...
WC26 Aust (SAN DIEGO)
Nestory Irankunda has put on a show as the Socceroos claimed a 1-1 draw with Switzerland in their final warm-up game ahead of the World Cup.
The Swiss opened the scoring in the 14th minute before debutant Tete Yengi equalised in the 56th at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego on Saturday (Sunday AEST) in front of 6107 fans.
Irankunda, 20, started as a left-sided inverted winger and was by far Australia's most dangerous and explosive player before he was substituted in the 71st minute.
Fellow debutant Cristian Volpato, newly defected from Italy, headlined a youthful starting line-up, which with an average age of 24.6 was the youngest team of the Tony Popovic era.
Like last week's 1-0 loss to Mexico, Switzerland were on top early, with Australia only really settling after the drinks break in the 22nd minute.
Mot F1 (LONDON)
Flying teenager Kimi Antonelli has taken pole position at Monaco with a last-gasp "magic lap" but Oscar Piastri is resigned to being a bit player in F1's most garlanded race after McLaren struggled in their 1000th F1 grand priox .
The 19-year-old Mercedes ace Antonelli took pole by just 0.043sec on Saturday, powering around the famed street circuit to edge out two all-time greats, Max Verstappen (1min 12.094sec) in his Red Bull, and Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton (1:12.279).
Antonelli saved his inspired best for last to ensure Mercedes have taken pole for every grand prix this season, and the young championship leader couldn't stop beaming.
"It was one of those laps that we call a magic lap. I was able to put it all together," he smiled, having put on a particularly notable display considering teammate and title rival George Russell could only finish sixth.
Ends Bulletin
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