AAP Rolling News Bulletin for May 30 at 0630
Epstein (WASHINGTON, D. C.)
Former US attorney general Pam Bondi has refused to answer questions from Congress on whether President Donald Trump was aware of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's activities that led to his criminal indictments, Democratic lawmakers say.
In a closed-door interview before the House of Representatives Oversight Committee on Friday, Bondi also said Todd Blanche, who now serves as acting attorney general, had been responsible for the documents' release.
"I did not lead every aspect of this effort or conduct that document review myself. I delegated oversight over this process to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche," Bondi said in a prepared statement obtained by Reuters.
Representative Robert Garcia of California, the top Democrat on the committee, told reporters Bondi refused to answer questions pertaining to Trump, saying a Justice Department lawyer sitting next to her "stepped in and told the former attorney general that she was not going to answer those questions".
Ukraine (MOSCOW)
Russian President Vladimir Putin says it is too early to say if a drone which crashed into an apartment block in Romania was Russian and suggested it could have been a Ukrainian drone.
NATO accused Russia on Friday of reckless behaviour and pledged to "defend every inch of allied territory" after Romania said a Russian drone had crashed into an apartment block in the military alliance member state during an attack on neighbouring Ukraine.
"Who in Romania says that this is a Russian drone?" Putin asked reporters at a news conference in Astana, Kazakhstan.
He said he had only just heard of the incident as he had been in talks all day.
"No one can say what the origin of this or that drone is until an examination has been carried out," he said.
Liberals (MELBOURNE)
The Liberal Party is hoping to rebuild its identity as a viable alternative government during a key national meeting of party leaders and powerbrokers.
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor will front the Liberal Party federal council meeting in Melbourne on Saturday.
Deputy leader Jane Hume and outgoing federal director Andrew Hirst will also address the gathering.
Senior party leaders told the meeting's first session on Friday while there were challenges ahead, the party could regain the trust of voters.
"It takes character to rebuild when the work is hard and the path is long," outgoing federal president John Olsen told the meeting.
Key party policies, including stemming migration and opening the door to nuclear power, were passed by delegates with almost no opposition.
Economy (SYDNEY)
Australian businesses are under fire from both sides as conflict in the Middle East drives up prices and weakens demand.
After first lighting a fire under fuel costs, the impacts of the US-Israeli-led war in the Middle East have begun flowing through the rest of the Australian economy, adding to price pressures, the most recent Deloitte Access Economics Retail Forecast found.
Fuel, energy, plastics and fertiliser prices have surged while the rising cost of living is squeezing household budgets and dampening consumer spending.
All of this is set to temper retail sector growth, with retail turnover expected to increase by 1.8 per cent in 2026, down from 2.3 per cent in 2025, the report found.
"Events over the first half of 2026 mean Australian retailers are facing a simultaneous attack from both flanks - rising costs and weakening demand," Deloitte Access Economics partner David Rumbens said.
Iran (WASHINGTON, D. C.)
US President Donald Trump says in a social media post he is attending a meeting in the White House Situation Room to make a final decision on a deal with Iran.
He also listed what a potential deal would need to include: Iran agreeing not to develop a nuclear weapon, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, the removal of any sea mines, the lifting of the US blockade on Iran and the removal and destruction by the United States of Iran's highly enriched uranium.
"No money will be exchanged, until further notice. Other items, of far less importance, have been agreed to. I will be meeting now, in the Situation Room, to make a final determination," Trump posted on Truth Social.
Ebola (BUNIA)
The World Health Organization says there are 906 suspected cases of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo, including 223 suspected deaths that are being investigated.
An outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola is continuing in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with cases also reported in Uganda.
There have been 125 confirmed cases of Ebola in the DRC, including 17 confirmed deaths in Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu.
There have also been seven confirmed cases of Ebola in Uganda, three of which were imported from the DRC, and one death.
However, no community transmission has been reported, the WHO said.
The rate of people who died among those confirmed to have the infection ranges from 30 per cent to 50 per cent, said Anais Legand from the High Threat Pathogens Team which is part of WHO Health Emergencies Programme.
China Aust (SINGAPORE)
China's decision to send only academics to Asia's biggest defence forum is a missed opportunity at a moment when countries need more "strategic reassurance" from Beijing, Defence Minister Richard Marles says.
Speaking ahead of the three-day Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Mr Marles said the meeting was an "incredible opportunity" for defence ministers and policymakers from around the world to exchange ideas and develop relationships.
"We've seen China engage in the biggest conventional military build-up in the world since the end of the Second World War, and that has not happened with a strategic reassurance for other countries," Marles told Reuters in an interview.
Officials in Beijing did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
For the second year running, China's Defence Minister Dong Jun has skipped the meeting and Beijing has said it planned to send a delegation consisting mainly of experts and scholars from the People's Liberation Army.
Liberals (MELBOURNE)
The Liberal Party remains the best hope for an alternative government despite undergoing an "existential crisis", newly elected president Tony Abbott says.
The former prime minister's role was made formal at the party's federal council meeting in Melbourne on Friday.
"I owe the Liberal Party big time and that's why I regard it as my duty to serve the party in this time of existential crisis," Mr Abbott told the gathering.
"As the last successful federal leader of the opposition, I do believe that I have the ability to help Angus Taylor to be the next successful federal leader of the opposition."
Mr Abbott led the coalition to a landslide election victory in 2013 before being replaced as leader two years later.
In finance ...
Economy (CANBERRA)
The divide between people who earn income from investments and those who work for a living could be exacerbated by the artificial intelligence revolution, economists at Australia's largest business lender warn.
While the adoption of AI is expected to boost productivity, without policy intervention the benefits will likely be unevenly felt across the economy, NAB chief economist Sally Auld and senior economist Taylor Nugent found in a research note released on Friday.
Essentially, AI could result in the economic pie getting larger but workers not receiving a larger slice.
"While economists often concentrate on the efficiency gains of AI, there are potentially significant distributional consequences," wrote Dr Auld and Mr Nugent.
"Indeed, one concern that many hold with the rise of AI is the risk that without careful policy decisions, AI may amplify income and wealth inequalities.
KPMG (SYDNEY)
The Australian head of a top-tier consultancy firm at the centre of data mishandling allegations by a whistleblower has fallen on his sword, forcing the firm to apologise to clients including the federal government.
KPMG, one of the Big Four accounting firms, made the shock announcement on Friday as it was targeted by a federal parliamentary joint committee grilling the corporate regulator.
Australian Securities and Investments Commission officials ended up confirming in real time the regulator had been investigating since April after being pressed by committee chair and Labor senator Deborah O'Neill.
As that happened, KPMG revealed its Australian head Andrew Yates had resigned along with audit head Julian McPherson.
Mr Yates took the fall over the treatment of a whistleblower, after an internal investigation into their allegations was found to have fallen short of the firm's expectations.
In entertainment ...
Valentine (SYDNEY)
A beloved radio presenter has been remembered for his kindness and artistry in a memorial service that paid tribute to his whimsical nature.
Best known for presenting the Afternoons show on ABC Radio Sydney for more than 20 years, James Valentine died in April after a two-year battle with cancer.
The 64-year-old chose to end his life using voluntary assisted dying after he was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in March 2024.
A public memorial held at Sydney's Town Hall in his honour on Friday paid tribute to his broadcasting and music career as hundreds lined up around the block.
Unlike typically sombre funerals, the upbeat and entertaining service was punctuated by loud cheers and laughs from the audience.
Comedian HG Nelson, who contributed to a segment on Valentine's radio show, opened proceedings with a rousing comedic routine that had the crowd in stitches.
Mirren (LONDON)
UK police are "reviewing footage" showing Helen Mirren being called a "evil Zionist bitch" by a man in London.
The footage started circulating on social media showing the Oscar-winning actor walking along a street in Tower Hill with her husband, American film director Taylor Hackford.
The video, which was filmed last year, showed the 80-year-old smiling and greeting the man filming and asking if he was OK.
However, he can then be heard swearing at Mirren over her support for Israel.
In the footage, the man said: "And there is Helen Mirren the avowed Zionist. You said Israel should last forever because of the Holocaust. And she was very happy the Palestinians' houses were gone.
"You are an evil Zionist bitch. And you (Hackford) as well, f*** you as well."
In sport ...
AFL Blues (MELBOURNE)
Patrick Cripps took a towering mark and kicked the match-winning goal as Carlton continued their remarkable revival under interim coach Josh Fraser with a stunning four-point upset of Geelong.
Cripps and fellow midfielder Sam Walsh starred in the Blues' thrilling 12.16 (88) to 12.12 (84) victory at the MCG on Friday night.
Cripps had 30 disposals and eight clearances, Walsh had 30 and seven, and young gun Jagga Smith (27 and six) also shone, while Will Hayward kicked three goals.
It was the Blues' third win from as many games with Fraser at the helm after former coach Michael Voss was sacked this month, improving their season record to 4-8.
Geelong (8-4) could slip out of the top four by the end of the round despite the efforts of Bailey Smith (35 disposals), Max Homes (25 touches) and Jeremy Cameron (four goals).
RL Sharks (SYDNEY)
A suspected broken arm to classy hooker Blayke Brailey has soured Cronulla's rousing 28-22 victory over Manly as the Sharks finally cracked the NRL's "Fozball'' code.
The Sharks burst Manly's bubble with some dazzling tries on Friday night, but the sight of Brailey trudging off midway through the second half was a major blow for his club and state.
The NSW hooker will await the result of scans before learning his fate ahead of State of Origin II in Melbourne on June 17.
With his superstar halves partner Nicho Hynes sidelined with a calf strain, Braydon Trindall delivered a playmaking masterclass to pilot the Sharks to back-to-back wins for only the second time in 2026.
Trindall bagged one try and had a hand or boot in three others as Cronulla wowed their home fans at Ocean Protect Stadium.
Ends Bulletin
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