AAP Rolling News Bulletin for June 11 at 2230
Legal: Koletti (SYDNEY)
As 73-year-old Julie Brandon was walking her dog during a peaceful park stroll, she claims she was violently shoved to the grass.
Her alleged attacker, Anthony Koletti, is the husband of Melissa Caddick, a self-styled financial adviser who vanished in 2020 and is presumed dead after defrauding $23 million from family and friends.
The 44-year-old hair stylist is accused of shoulder-barging Ms Brandon from behind and failing to stop as he went on his own evening walk in July 2025.
"All of a sudden this person barged into my shoulder and then I fell over onto the ground," Ms Brandon testified during a hearing at Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday.
"I fell down onto my left butt cheek - I was quite shocked actually."
Unsolved (SYDNEY)
Missing evidence, hidden files and incomplete investigations are some of the challenges families of Ivan Milat's suspected victims say they have faced in their quest to find answers.
The family of Keren Rowland, who was found dead after disappearing one night in the early 1970s, haven't given up hope of uncovering the truth about what happened to her.
They believe she may have been the first victim of notorious serial killer Milat and argue if police made the connection early on he could have been stopped much earlier in his lethal campaign.
Ms Rowland's younger brother, Steve Rowland, appeared on Thursday at a NSW parliamentary inquiry into unsolved murders and missing persons between 1965 and 2010.
"We have and will continue to search for answers but we're finding it incredibly difficult to get the same support and help from the investigating authorities," he told the committee.
Ukraine (KYIV)
Ukrainian forces have struck the Russian-occupied port of Mariupol, the latest in a series of drone attacks on logistics across a critical stretch of Moscow-held southern Ukraine connecting Russia to Crimea.
The attack on the port, which Ukraine's military said plunged the site into a blackout, followed two strikes earlier this week on a bridge linking the Russian-occupied Kherson region to the Black Sea peninsula, which Moscow seized in 2014.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said his country's forces struck several military and energy infrastructure sites, including a military factory that he said supplied components for Russian drones and missiles.
In a post on social media, Zelenskyy said Ukrainian FP-5 Flamingo long-range missiles had hit the facility in Cheboksary, located in the Chuvashiya region more than 900km from the frontline.
Police NSW (MELBOURNE)
A culture of rampant bullying, sexual harassment and discrimination has been revealed across the NSW Police force in a wide-ranging review.
Many officers were too afraid to speak up against what they were experiencing, the review of thousands of current and former staff revealed.
Every woman who spoke to the review described experiences of overt or covert sexual harassment, undermining, and belittlement at some time during their service.
The review was commissioned in 2024 by then NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb following reports of a toxic culture across the police force and led by former Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commissioner, Kristen Hilton.
Current NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon accepted all 29 recommendations of the review.
The commissioner said he was committed to ensuring NSW Police was a safe and inclusive workforce.
Southerncross (SYDNEY)
The company that owns the Seven Network, Triple M and The West Australian is cutting hundreds of jobs amid a slump in TV advertising revenue.
Southern Cross Media Group said on Thursday it would cut 250 to 300 roles in a bid to save $145 million to $150 million.
The company, which merged with Seven West Media in January, said some of its business units had deteriorated more than anticipated in the fourth quarter, particularly its television division.
Southern Cross now expects to deliver earnings of $185 to $190 million in 2026/27, compared to its previous forecast of $200 million to $220 million.
"We must reset our cost base to meet current market conditions and capture the full benefits of scale across our trusted platforms for our audiences and advertisers, now and into the future," said Rohan Lund, Southern Cross's new chief executive and managing director.
Skaf (MELBOURNE)
Notorious gang rapist Mohammed Skaf has been hit with a string of fresh charges, including large-scale drug supply offences and directing a criminal group.
Skaf was released from prison in 2021 after serving 21 years behind bars for his role in a series of horrific pack rapes.
The 42-year-old was re-arrested in the southwest Sydney suburb of Greenacre on Wednesday after a police investigation into alleged drug supply activity.
During his arrest and a subsequent search, police allegedly found nearly $250,000 in cash, as well as cocaine, MDMA and several mobile phones.
A short time later, a 51-year-old man was also arrested at a unit in Bankstown and a 54-year-old woman was arrested at a unit in Newington.
Skaf was charged with 24 offences, including supplying a commercial quantity of drugs and knowingly directing the activities of a criminal group.
Legal: UK Stab (BELFAST)
Police have deployed water cannons on protesters in Antrim after they were pelted with bricks in the latest disorder following the Belfast knife attack.
A large Department for Infrastructure vehicle was in flames as demonstrators confronted the police after they gathered near the Sandyknowes roundabout in Newtownabbey to the north west of Belfast.
Footage showed dozens of men dressed all in black and wearing face coverings gathering on Antrim Road, where they could be seen tearing bricks from properties and smashing paving stones with sledgehammers to create projectiles to throw at riot police.
They could also be seen taking wheelie bins from outside homes and lighting fires in them.
Balaclava-clad rioters also broke open a metal fence to access the Sandyknowes Wastewater Pumping Station and removed a garden fence to use as a shield against the police water cannon.
Iran (WASHINGTON, D. C.)
The US military has begun another round of strikes against Iran after President Donald Trump said more were coming.
The escalating attacks threatened to derail efforts to end the war, with Trump warning that Tehran would "pay the price" for stalled negotiations.
US Central Command said in a social media post the military is striking "multiple targets in Iran" and it's being done "in response to Iran's unwarranted and continued aggression."
Speaking to reporters after being briefed by commanders at Central Command headquarters in Florida, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said Iran had been given a chance to make a deal but had not taken it.
"We will hit them hard on our terms on the targets that improve the environment for us to operate in and undermine the capabilities that Iran wants to have," Hegseth said.
In finance ...
Tax (CANBERRA)
Controversial tax changes for shares and businesses will prevent more money from being funnelled into existing homes, Treasurer Jim Chalmers claims.
Businesses have been relatively receptive to Labor's decision to wind back tax breaks for property investors.
But changes to the capital gains tax discount on share sales have been slammed by critics, who say it will discourage business investment and constrain productivity growth.
The treasurer has consistently defended the decision to extend the changes beyond property, arguing it would add another distortion to the market and result in capital being allocated for tax reasons rather than pure economic fundamentals.
Speaking at a summit hosted by investment bank Morgan Stanley in Sydney, Dr Chalmers revealed why the government chose not to distort the market in the other direction and give businesses a more generous tax treatment than existing homes.
Markets Aust (SYDNEY)
Australia's share market has resumed its downtrend, after Iran again closed the Strait of Hormuz following an escalation of attacks between it and the United States.
The S&P/ASX200 fell 37.2 points by midday on Thursday, down 0.43 per cent, to 8,616.1, as the broader All Ordinaries lost 42.7 points, or 0.48 per cent, to 8,813.7.
"The focus remains firmly on the Middle East after US President Donald Trump stated the United States would 'hit Iran hard' after it attacked US military assets in the region," Moomoo dealing manager Chris Strazzeri said.
"Markets are increasingly concerned that a prolonged conflict will extend the disruption in energy supply routes."
Local energy stocks advanced as West Texas crude surged by $US4 to $US92.80 a barrel, bolstering oil and gas giants Woodside and Santos by roughly two per cent each.
In entertainment ...
Aria (SYDNEY)
Australian music greats are reflecting on their journey to the top of the charts as they take in their immortality.
Six artists - Gurrumul, Jenny Morris, Kate Ceberano, Spiderbait, The Living End, and Vika and Linda Bull - were inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association Hall of Fame on Thursday night.
ARIA, which typically inducts one artist a year, elevated six to top-tier status on Thursday night as part of its 40th anniversary celebrations.
For Melbourne rockers The Living End, the honour signalled a rare moment to stop thinking about what's next and instead take stock of what the band had achieved in its decades-long career.
"We don't spend a lot of time in the rear view mirror, but this has forced us to do it," frontman Chris Cheney told AAP.
Arts Cartier (MELBOURNE)
Worn by the likes of Elizabeth Taylor, Grace Kelly, Princess Margaret and the Duchess of Windsor Wallis Simpson, Cartier is one of the world's most luxurious brands.
An exhibition of jewellery from the French design house is the latest instalment in the National Gallery of Victoria's winter masterpieces series, opening Friday.
"This is by far the largest show we've ever done on jewellery. It is truly epic," said senior NGV curator Amanda Dunsmore.
The jewellery house was founded in 1847 by Louis-Francois Cartier and expanded globally under his grandsons Louis, Pierre and Jacques.
The exhibition was originally staged at London's Victoria & Albert Museum in collaboration with Cartier, but with about 400 pieces on show the Melbourne version is significantly larger.
In sport ...
Com26 Swi (SYDNEY)
Despite ten years of trying, Australian swim star Kyle Chalmers is still in pursuit of the perfect race.
The Olympic gold medallist secured his spot at this year's Commonwealth Games by taking the men's 100m freestyle on Thursday night at Australia's swimming trials.
After qualifying fifth, Chalmers fended off a challenge from Finn Southam to touch in 47.59 seconds at Sydney Olympic Park.
Southam trailed by 0.3 seconds to finish runner-up, with Kai Taylor third (48.21).
The 27-year-old Chalmers had set a 100m butterfly personal best of 51.04 seconds earlier in the week, but pulled out of the final.
Inspired by 32-year-old Cameron McEvoy's newly-claimed 50m freestyle world record, Chalmers was adamant he could reach another level.
Chalmers will also compete in Saturday's 50m butterfly event.
RL Origin NSW (WYONG)
Mitch Moses has trained separately from his NSW teammates at the session Laurie Daley previously said would determine his hopes of lining up in State of Origin II.
But Blues hierarchy insists their star five-eighth is still ticking all the boxes he needs to recover from his hamstring injury in time for Wednesday's clash at the MCG.
Under the supervision of Blues physiotherapists Eddie Farah and Kenny Michalopoulos, Moses stretched and made it unscathed through personalised running drills in Wyong on Thursday.
But the Parramatta captain took no part in the first opposed training session of Blues camp against semi-professional side Mounties.
Left-centre Casey McLean also had limited involvement at training on Thursday, but this was expected given a minor ankle injury suffered on Sunday.
Ends Bulletin
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