AAP Rolling News Bulletin for May 24 at 0500
Iran (ISLAMABAD)
The United States and Iran are close to agreeing on a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the war, officials say, as America weighs a new round of attacks on the Islamic Republic.
Iran signalled "narrowing differences" in negotiations with the US after Pakistan's army chief held more talks in Tehran.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told journalists in India that "there's been some progress made" and "there may be news later today".
The officials and a diplomat expressed hope that a final decision on the Pakistan-prepared draft could come within 48 hours as both sides review it. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to brief the media.
They said Vice President JD Vance and envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner played significant roles in helping bridge remaining gaps, and that Qatar played a key role by sending a senior official to Tehran to support Pakistan's mediation efforts.
Ebola (BUNIA, CONGO)
A tent used for treatment of the Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo has been set on fire for the second time this week and 18 people suspected of infection escaped, a local hospital director says.
Unidentified people arrived at the clinic in Mongbwalu, a town at the centre of the outbreak of the Bundibugyo virus, a rare type of Ebola, on Friday night.
They set fire to a tent set up by the Doctors Without Borders charity for suspected and confirmed Ebola cases, Dr Richard Lokudi, director of the Mongbwalu General Reference Hospital, told The Associated Press.
"We strongly condemn this act, as it caused panic among the staff of the Mongbwalu Referral Hospital and also resulted in the escape of 18 suspected cases into the community," he said.
Ukraine (MOSCOW)
The death toll from a drone strike on a student dorm in the Russian-controlled Luhansk region of eastern Ukraine has risen to 16, with most of the victims young women, Russian officials say, after a heated UN debate on the incident.
Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his military to prepare options for retaliation against Ukraine on Friday after Moscow accused Kyiv of what it described as a deliberate drone strike on a college in the town of Starobilsk.
Ukraine's military denied responsibility for the attack, saying it had struck an elite drone command unit in the area and that its forces complied with international humanitarian law.
Putin said there were no military facilities in the area. Reuters was not able to independently verify what happened.
Mideast (PARIS)
France has banned Israel's far-right national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, citing his "unspeakable" behaviour targeting activists from a flotilla to Gaza who were detained by his police force.
French foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot called on the European Union to sanction Ben-Gvir.
"As of today, Itamar Ben-Gvir is banned from entering French territory. This decision follows his unspeakable actions toward French and European citizens who were passengers on the Global Sumud Flotilla," Barrot announced in a post on X.
"We cannot tolerate that French nationals can be threatened, intimidated or brutalised in this way — all the more so by a public official."
The Associated Press has sought comment from Ben-Gvir's spokesperson and the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
This week, Ben-Gvir sparked global outrage after promoting a video of himself taunting detained flotilla activists.
Ukraine (KYIV)
A Ukrainian drone attack caused a fire at another Russian oil terminal, officials in Russia's Krasnodar region say, in what appeared to be the latest attack on Moscow's vital oil industry.
Authorities in the city of Novorossiysk said falling drone debris sparked a fire at an oil terminal, injuring two people, without naming the facility.
Russia's Astra news outlet said Ukrainian drones struck the Sheskharis oil terminal and depot, the terminus for Russian state-controlled pipeline company Transneft's main oil pipelines in the region.
Images posted by Astra appeared to show smoke rising above the oil terminal, but they could not be verified.
Ukraine did not immediately comment on the attack.
Ukraine has expanded its mid- and long-range strike capabilities, deploying drone and missile technology that it has developed domestically to battle Russia's four-year-old invasion.
Ebola (KAMPALA)
Uganda has confirmed three new cases of Ebola, bringing the total number of infections in the current outbreak there to five, the health ministry says, as authorities step up contact tracing to contain the spread.
The World Health Organisation has declared the outbreak of the rare Bundibugyo strain a public health emergency of international concern, and said the risk of a national epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo is "very high".
Nearly 750 suspected cases and 177 suspected deaths have been recorded in Uganda's neighbour, the centre of the outbreak.
The WHO has said late detection, the absence of a vaccine or virus-specific therapeutics, widespread armed violence and high mobility among the population make Congo especially vulnerable.
The new cases reported in Uganda on Saturday include a driver who transported the country's first confirmed patient and a health worker exposed while caring for that patient.
PollVic (MELBOURNE)
Optimism is radiating from a state premier and her soft launch of an election campaign centred on economic growth and a vow to keep up the good fight.
Jacinta Allan addressed party faithful at Labor's Victorian state conference on Saturday, unveiling plans to fund a new generation of apprentices to address significant workforce shortages.
Doing so, she drew on the experience of her father, Peter Allan, who worked as a linesman at the State Electricity Commission.
The commission was revived by former premier Daniel Andrews in 2023 after it was privatised during Liberal Jeff Kennett's time as premier in the 1990s.
Mr Allan lost his job as a result of the commission's commercialisation.
"The SEC was a skilled job for life - then the Liberals got elected," Ms Allan said.
Senegal (DAKAR)
Senegal President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has sacked Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and dissolved the government, according to a statement read on the national broadcaster.
The decision follows months of mounting strains between the two allies-turned-rivals.
Sonko, a charismatic figure with a large youth following, had backed Faye in the 2024 election after a defamation conviction barred him from running.
The secretary general of the presidency said in the statement that the government had been dissolved.
The statement was read out on broadcaster RTS on Friday, local time.
In finance ...
Ethical NF (SYDNEY)
Driven by consumer demand, compulsory super and strict greenwashing regulations, Australia's record on ethical investment is well regarded.
Or at least it was.
Amid concerns over performance and a US-led anti-woke backlash, the nation's appetite for putting hard-earned savings into companies with a conscience has fallen off a cliff.
Driven mostly by younger investors, support for funds dedicated to strong environmental, social and governance, or ESG, frameworks was riding high until 2021.
Now, the sector is suffering green fatigue.
Trading has dropped 60 to 70 per cent, according to an examination of the 250 most-traded instruments on popular investment-tracking platform Sharesight.
"What we've found with ESG, in particular, is just a real drop in enthusiasm for the asset class," says Douglas Morris, chief executive of the Sydney and Wellington-based company.
In entertainment ...
Hardy (LONDON)
Tom Hardy has reportedly been axed from MobLand.
The actor will not appear in the proposed third series following "clashes with producers" while creating the second season of the Paramount+ crime drama, in which he plays fixer Harry Da Souza, according to a report.
Matthew Belloni, the former editorial director of The Hollywood Reporter, wrote in his Puck newsletter: "I'm told Paramount recently opted not to pick up Hardy for season three after his clashes with producers Jez Butterworth and David Glasser, among others, during the recent production of season two."
The entertainment journalist also claimed: "Hardy was apparently late to set a bunch, constantly asked to give notes on scripts, attempted to change dialogue, and expressed his displeasure that a series initially built around him was increasingly becoming an ensemble showcase for Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan and other co-stars."
Cyrus (LONDON)
A tearful Miley Cyrus has thanked her family after being honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The Flowers singer was recognised at a ceremony in Hollywood and couldn't keep her emotions in check when it came to thanking her loved ones for their support.
Cyrus was accompanied at the ceremony by her mother Tish Cyrus, sister Brandi Cyrus and fiance Maxx Morando.
"To my family, my future family, parents, my mom, my siblings, my friends, my collaborators, thank you for loving and supporting not only the choices that I make, but my fears, and then facing them with me," she said.
"Today is something that I'll never forget and I'm always going to cherish. I love you all so much, thank you."
In sport ...
Soc ALM Grand (AUCKLAND)
Auckland FC have claimed a historic A-League Men championship title with a 1-0 grand final win over Sydney FC.
New Zealand international and club inaugural signing Cam Howieson was the hero at a sold-out Go Media Stadium, firing the match-winner in the 60th minute.
Auckland became the first New Zealand team to win an ALM grand final, doing so in front of a raucous 28,374-strong crowd on home soil on Saturday.
A Sydney FC great, Auckland coach Steve Corica claimed his third championship after leading the Sky Blues to back-to-back titles in 2019 and 2020.
Corica is the first coach in the ALM era to win three grand finals, with Ange Postecoglou winning two National Soccer League championships and two in the modern league.
Super Reds (PERTH)
Jock Campbell has scored a try with just two minutes remaining as the Queensland Reds overcame a huge scare to beat Moana Pasifika 33-31 and all but secure a Super Rugby Pacific finals berth.
The Reds led 26-7 early in the second half of Saturday's match in Auckland, but Moana piled on the next three tries to take the lead as a boilover loomed.
Down by five points and with the clock ticking over to the 79th minute, the Reds made the most of a scrum by swinging the ball to fullback Campbell for the levelling try.
Ben Volavola made no mistake with the conversion from straight in front, with the Reds holding firm for victory.
"They came home with a wet sail. It was a set play for us, and thankfully it worked," Campbell told Stan after the match.
Ends Bulletin
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