AAP Rolling News Bulletin for June 2 at 1000
Ebola (KINSHASA)
The head of the World Health Organisation has concluded his visit to Democratic Republic of Congo by briefing the president on the response to the Ebola outbreak, which an aid agency warns is likely much larger than official figures show.
The outbreak, already the third-largest on record, persisted for weeks undetected, say health officials, who are now behind the curve and struggling to bring it under control.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called for more international support to stop the disease's spread before he travelled to Congo's Ituri province where the first cases were confirmed.
There he said he saw some encouraging signs - including five certified recoveries - as well as the need to ramp up testing and treatment capacity and promote trust in health workers.
Hantavirus (AMSTERDAM)
A cruise ship that was at the centre of a hantavirus outbreak has been disinfected and is ready to set sail again with passengers, its operator says.
The Hondius is to depart on Saturday for the Norwegian Arctic archipelago of Svalbard.
From there, it is due to set off on June 13 on a voyage through the Arctic Ocean, the Dutch cruise line Oceanwide Expeditions said.
Specialists from Dutch health authorities carried out a comprehensive cleaning and disinfection of the ship.
Authorities cleared the vessel for service over the weekend, and there is no longer any risk of infection, the company said.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the hantavirus was brought aboard by passengers and did not originate on the ship, Oceanwide Expeditions said.
Iran (WASHINGTON, D. C.)
US President Donald Trump says Israel and the Hezbollah movement in Lebanon have agreed to halt their attacks on each other for the time being.
Trump also said Israel would not send troops into the Lebanese capital Beirut, despite earlier threats to do so.
The US president said the development followed a "very productive" phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a "very good" conversation with senior Hezbollah representatives.
"I had a very productive call with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, of Israel, and there will be no Troops going to Beirut, and any Troops that are on their way, have already been turned back," he wrote on Truth Social.
"Likewise, through highly placed Representatives, I had a very good call with Hezbollah, and they agreed that all shooting will stop - That Israel will not attack them, and they will not attack Israel."
Ukraine (KYIV)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's chief of staff Kyrylo Budanov says he believes agreeing a deal to end the war against Russia by the northern hemisphere winter is a "realistic" outcome.
Zelenskiy said in an interview aired on Sunday that he wanted to press on with talks on securing peace with Russia, which have stalled in recent months, before the onset of winter to take account of Ukraine's improved strategic position.
Talks brokered by the United States on moving toward a peace accord have ground to a halt as US officials have focused on the conflict in Iran.
Budanov said he expected a US delegation to visit Moscow and Kyiv in the near future, without giving details.
"This is the president's instruction: to try to end this war as soon as possible ... preferably before winter," he told reporters at a press conference.
Wages (CANBERRA)
Almost three million workers will learn how much their pay packets will increase as the industrial umpire hands down its highly anticipated annual wage review.
The Fair Work Commission's decision, to be revealed on Tuesday, sets the increase for minimum and award wage scales from July 1.
With the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz exacerbating already high inflation pressures, unions have been pushing the commission for a bumper pay rise to ensure workers don't go backwards.
Peak body the Australian Council of Trade Unions has called for an increase of six per cent, which would be the biggest increase to award wages on record.
"The Fair Work Commission must not allow low-paid workers like those in the hospo, retail and care industries to go backwards," said ACTU secretary Sally McManus.
Oly32 (BRISBANE)
For generations, Aboriginal Elders say the waters at Brisbane's Victoria Park have been a place of healing.
The heritage-listed site's "healing waters" were surrounded by fencing, earth‑moving machinery and police on Monday as work began on the $3.8 billion 2032 Olympic main stadium.
Before dawn, officers moved in to clear the last protesters from the park near the city's CBD, allowing the Games authority to formally take control of the site almost five years after Brisbane won its Olympics bid.
By mid‑morning, the park's long‑time users stood behind barricades as a cheerful Premier David Crisafulli turned the first sod, declaring "it's game on".
"Victoria Park will be the beating sport, cultural and green heart of Brisbane, and a place all Queenslanders can be proud of," he said.
Housing (CANBERRA)
Falling home prices in Sydney and Melbourne might just have signalled the end of Australia's 30-year housing super cycle.
Dwelling values fell 0.9 per cent in Sydney and 0.8 per cent in Melbourne during May, according to data from research agency Cotality.
Along with rising rates and poor affordability, the tightening of property tax concessions in the budget and a political shift towards lower migration might mean a decades-long upswing was nearing a close, AMP chief economist Shane Oliver said.
Financial deregulation, low mortgage rates, high migration, generous tax concessions for property investors and the growth of two-income households boosting purchasing power had fuelled a super cycle during the past 30 years, Dr Oliver said.
That took house prices from well below trend to 20 per cent above trend, resulting in record unaffordability.
Beaumont (BRISBANE)
The parents of murdered teenager Angus Beaumont say they escaped their burning home just in time as the family deals with another huge blow.
Ben Beaumont and Michelle Liddle said they fled as their house north of Brisbane was "burning to the ground".
The blaze was allegedly started by Corey Wardle, the 36-year-old son of Ms Liddle from a previous relationship.
He is in a mental health facility after being charged with arson and attempted murder, a Brisbane court was told on Monday.
In March 2020 the family lost 15-year-old Angus after he was fatally stabbed by two teenagers in a Redcliffe car park north of Brisbane.
Six years later they are again reeling after the suspected arson attack destroyed their Clontarf residence and gardening business.
In finance ...
Star (MELBOURNE)
Players were allowed to gamble non-stop for more than a day and a half at Sydney's Star casino, exceeding legal time limits by more than 24 hours.
Star Sydney has been hit with $10 million in fines for regulatory breaches, including exceeding gaming time limits and failing to properly vet patrons for links to criminal and terrorist activity.
The casino will be required to set a further $5 million aside to bolster its financial crime risk management operations by the the independent body behind the fines, the NSW Independent Casino Commission.
A $1.5 million fine was imposed for allowing customers to exceed gaming time limits on multiple occasions between May 2024 and April 2025, the commission revealed on Monday.
In some cases patrons were able to gamble for more than 36 hours straight, despite regulations limiting gambling to no more than 12 hours in a 24-hour period.
Anthropic (SAN FRANCISCO)
Artificial intelligence firm Anthropic, rival of ChatGPT developer OpenAI, may soon become a publicly traded company, allowing people to buy shares in it.
The company said on Monday it had confidentially submitted a draft registration statement for an initial public offering to the US Securities and Exchange Commission.
This means that business information will remain under wraps for now, while the documents are being reviewed by the regulator.
"The proposed initial public offering will depend on market conditions and other factors," Anthropic said.
Anthropic said last week it had raised $US65 billion ($A91 billion) in private funding that will push its valuation to $US965 billion, a number that makes the five-year-old maker of the Claude chatbot one of the world's most valuable startups.
In entertainment ...
Charli xcx (LONDON)
Charli xcx will release the Brat follow-up Music, Fashion, Film on July 24.
The Von Dutch hitmaker has a passion for all three sectors and has been involved in a string of movie projects, including her soundtrack album for Wuthering Heights and her Brat mocumentary The Moment, alongside upcoming roles in I Want Your Sex, The Gallerist, and Faces of Death.
The album artwork features a trio of heavy‑hitters: Velvet Underground legend John Cale, fashion designer Marc Jacobs, and filmmaker Martin Scorsese, signalling Charli's intention to blur the lines between pop, style and cinema.
Her new material has already stirred conversation. On the glitch‑driven Rock Music, Charli declares: "I think the dancefloor is dead," a line that instantly split listeners.
Minogue (LONDON)
Kylie Minogue realised she's "OK" with being single after her last relationship ended.
The Spinning Around star has confirmed she's unattached at the moment but she's fine with being alone because she would rather stay single than date the wrong person.
"No, I don't have a boyfriend. I was in a relationship and when that ended I realised I was OK on my own. I'm definitely getting pickier," she told The Sydney Morning Herald.
The 58-year-old went on to share her relationship red flag, adding: "Narcissists. I've dated one, and I'm very grateful I now have that knowledge. That's like my red hot 'no'."
She also confessed late INXS star Michael Hutchence - who she dated when she was in her 20s - was the true love of her life.
In sport ...
AFL Bombers (PERTH)
Essendon great Matthew Lloyd has strongly denied he is part of the push for James Hird to be the Bombers' next AFL coach.
Brad Scott's sacking last week, followed immediately by Hird's declaration that he wants the job, has fuelled a media frenzy around the embattled club.
Kevin Sheedy and Michael Long have backed Hird to coach Essendon again. Media speculation has suggested Lloyd, now a media commentator, is also supporting Hird.
"I don't know how I got dragged into that at all," Lloyd said on the Nine Network's Footy Classified program..
"I think James should be able to be part of the process. I'm not pro-James, I'm not against James, I just want James to be part of the process.
WC26 Aust (BERKELEY)
Cristian Volpato's dramatic last-ditch switch from Italy to Australia has been rewarded with selection for the World Cup as coach Tony Popovic declares his young, inexperienced charges can make an impact now.
Sassuolo playmaker Volpato, 22, headlines Australia's 26-man squad along with 25-year-old uncapped striker Tete Yengi - with both players earning World Cup selection before their respective debuts.
But it was heartbreak for veteran forward Martin Boyle, defender Kye Rowles - a starter in 2022 - forward Brandon Borrello and goalkeeper Joe Gauci, who were all cut.
Boyle was injured ahead of Qatar and again falls agonisingly short of playing at a World Cup.
Volpato knocked back Graham Arnold's pitch to join Australia's 2022 World Cup squad, then in March said he was waiting for a call-up from Italy's senior team, before his change of heart.
Ends Bulletin
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