AAP Rolling News Bulletin for May 30 at 2200
AUKUS (SINGAPORE)
The United States, Britain and Australia are working together to develop unmanned undersea vehicles as part of their trilateral AUKUS defence pact, US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth says.
The program comes under AUKUS' so-called Pillar Two to develop advanced defence technology including quantum computing, undersea, hypersonic, artificial intelligence and cyber technology.
"The signature project will deliver a suite of highly adaptable multi-mission UUV payloads designed to support undersea operations and maintain our collective advantage in the maritime domain," Hegseth told reporters in Singapore on Saturday.
Formed by the three countries in 2021, AUKUS is part of their efforts to push back against China's growing power in the Indo-Pacific region.
China has called the AUKUS pact dangerous and warned it could spur a regional arms race.
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.
Afghan Truck (KABUL)
At least 18 people are dead after a truck carrying Afghan refugees returning from neighbouring Pakistan overturned on a highway in eastern Afghanistan.
Officials say among the dead were 10 children and five women with 35 people injured.
The accident occurred in Laghman province on the main highway linking Kabul, the Afghan capital, with Nangarhar province, said Abdul Malik Niazai, the spokesperson for the provincial governor.
He said the injured were taken to hospitals in Nangarhar for medical treatment.
Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban government spokesperson expressed his sorrow over the incident and offered condolences to the victims' families.
Traffic accidents are common across Afghanistan, where roads are poorly maintained and drivers routinely ignore traffic regulations.
The passengers were among thousands of Afghans who recently returned from Pakistan, which launched a crackdown on undocumented migrants in 2023 and has since deported or pressured many to leave.
Cyber (CANBERRA)
Australia's vulnerability to attacks on subsea cables that internet traffic flows through has been underlined by the deputy prime minister at an Asian security summit.
Richard Marles, also Australia's defence minister, has highlighted the "historically unprecedented" attacks on critical infrastructure on the ocean floor.
"It is striking that several cables have been severed across the Baltic and the Taiwan Strait since November 2024," he said at 2026 Shangri-La Dialogue, without levelling accusations at individual countries.
"Now, maybe these were accidents," he added at the Singapore defence meeting on Saturday.
"But even if they were, it highlights the vulnerability of this crucial part of the globe's infrastructure."
With roughly 99 per cent of Australia's internet flowing through just 15 subsea cables, Mr Marles said Australia was among the most exposed nations in the world to this "documented pattern of behaviour".
In finance ...
KPMG (SYDNEY)
A top-tier consultancy firm whose Australian boss resigned over the treatment of a whistleblower was hosting whistleblower support services for some of the nation's biggest corporations.
The revelation came to light during a federal parliamentary joint committee hearing into the activities of the corporate regulator chaired by Labor senator Deborah O'Neill.
Senator O'Neill told the hearing in Canberra on Friday that she had come across the National Australia Bank's Whistleblower Protection Policy of April this year.
The policy refers potential whistleblowers to KPMG's Fair Call Service, which is described as an "independently monitored external hotline and reporting services".
The evidence came as KPMG, one of the Big Four accounting firms, on Friday revealed its Australian head Andrew Yates had resigned along with audit head Julian McPherson.
US Inflation (WASHINGTON, D. C.)
Tomatoes, ubiquitous in everything from fast-food burgers to haute cuisine, are taking on a new role beyond the plate in the United States: a nagging reminder of rising costs.
Prices for those red orbs have soared more than any other food product over the past year for US consumers.
"The tomato has become a symbol of something much deeper," said Isaac Bernal Carbajo, a New York City chef who lamented life's "simplest pleasures" falling victim to price increases.
"Something as basic as buying fresh vegetables is starting to become a serious financial decision for many families."
Tomato prices are up about 40 per cent over a year ago, according to the latest US Consumer Price Index, dwarfing increases for other groceries, including coffee (up 18.5 per cent), beef roasts (up 17.8 per cent) and frozen fish and seafood (up 12 per cent).
In entertainment ...
Aerobatics (SYDNEY)
Tumbling through the sky at 400km/h means leaving all ego outside the cockpit, even for Australia's top aerobatic pilot.
Paul Bennet has spent decades carving up the skies, as he pulls off torque rolls, double hammerheads and flips to the delight of audiences hundreds of metres below.
Growing up at Old Bar on the NSW mid-north coast, Bennet later moved to Newcastle where he truly fell in love with the sport and began to stretch his wings.
"When you close the cockpit, the world changes," he told AAP.
"It's just you, the air and the airplane.
"You become one with the plane and your wings become your arms - it's pretty cool."
Bennet began competing in aerobatic championships during the 2000s.
Freud (LONDON)
A painting of Sue Tilley, who found fame after artist Lucian Freud depicted her in the nude, will be auctioned next month with a price estimate of up to $US47 million ($A65 million).
Sleeping by the Lion Carpet (1995-1996) is the last of four portraits the late British artist painted of Tilley, a benefits supervisor and considered among his greatest works.
Depicting her naked and sleeping in an armchair, the painting has been part of businessman Joe Lewis's family collection since 1996. It is being offered at auction for the first time at Sotheby's with a price estimate of $US33.56 million to $US46.99 million.
"It's made my life exciting," Tilley told Reuters at Sotheby's in London.
"I think that people can't believe that such a fat woman would take her clothes off and let someone paint her... I'm not really a vain person... everybody in the world is all different, all different shapes and sizes, so it's nice to have a nice big one up there."
In sport ...
RL Tigers (SYDNEY)
Wests Tigers have rekindled their NRL season with a 22-16 win over rivals Canterbury in which Bulldogs playmaker Lachlan Galvin was relentlessly booed and jeered by supporters of his old club.
Nearly a year has passed since Galvin walked out on Benji Marshall's side to move to Belmore, but the pain of his acrimonious exit has clearly not subsided for Tigers fans.
Galvin was booed with every touch from start to finish at CommBank Stadium on Saturday and received the biggest jeers from the 17,505 crowd when Jarome Luai sidestepped and later belted the Dogs' halfback.
The 20-year-old moved to Canterbury because he felt he wouldn't improve under Marshall's coaching, but since his arrival the Bulldogs' results have gone backwards.
AFL Lions (BRISBANE)
Fremantle's quest for a maiden AFL premiership is gathering steam after they knocked over the Brisbane Lions by 25 points at the Gabba.
The Dockers extended a club-record winning streak to 11, their 15.13 (103) to 10.18 (78) victory on Saturday leaving them a game clear on top of the ladder after 12 rounds.
Their only loss was to perennial contenders Geelong by 10 points in round one.
But the Lions' tilt at a second flag "three-peat" is well and truly on the skids, after yet another third-quarter fade-out when they gave up six goals.
Many of their best players - Lachie Neale, Hugh McCluggage and Josh Dunkley - were subdued.
They were blown away when the dominant Dockers slammed on five goals in 10 minutes that left the home crowd stunned.
Ends Bulletin
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