AAP Rolling News Bulletin for June 19 at 0730
Sudan (GENEVA)
The United Kingdom, Norway and a group of countries including Australia have raised the alarm at the United Nations Human Rights Council that the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in Sudan could imminently escalate their assault on the central Sudanese city of al-Obeid, possibly resulting in large-scale atrocities.
"We are deeply concerned at the risk of imminent escalation on the ground, leaving approximately 500,000 civilians at risk of falling victim to large-scale atrocities, including more than 100,000 internally displaced persons," Tormod Endresen, the ambassador for Norway, told the council in Geneva.
Norway shared a joint statement calling on the RSF to immediately cease its assault on al-Obeid.
The statement was presented on behalf of the Coalition for Atrocity Prevention and Justice for Sudan, comprising the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sierra Leone and Norway, which said they were also joined by 21 other countries.
Ukraine (KAZAN)
Russia will carry out "massive co-ordinated strikes on a regular basis" against Ukraine, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says after a major Ukrainian drone attack on Moscow.
Ukrainian forces struck a major Moscow oil refinery on Thursday for a second time in a week, sending huge plumes of black smoke over the capital and disrupting hundreds of flights at its airports in one of its biggest drone attacks, officials said.
The Ukrainian attacks left 17 people injured and damaged civilian infrastructure in the capital, local officials said.
The attack by dozens of drones came hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he had held "an important co-ordination call" with the presidents of the United States and France and had won key pledges of further support from this week's G7 summit.
Iran (WASHINGTON, D. C.)
US Vice President JD Vance says a 60-day window laid out in a memorandum of understanding approved by President Donald Trump and Iranian leaders has begun.
"I would say the 60-day period officially started today," Vance told reporters at a White House briefing on Thursday.
Asked what happens after the 60-day period in terms of governance of the Strait of Hormuz, Vance repeated the US view that the major supply route for oil and gas shipments should be free of tolls.
Iran largely closed the waterway during the war.
"The final negotiations can set the terms of what comes afterwards," Vance said.
During the 60 days, negotiators are expected to tackle some of the most contentious and unresolved issues that were left open in the initial accord.
Tax (CANBERRA)
Despite handing startups more concessions from capital gains tax hikes in the federal budget, the government has been warned that the changes will exacerbate a brain drain of top talent from Australia.
New carve-outs will allow "innovative businesses" to continue to access the existing 50 per cent capital gains tax discount, while eligibility for the existing 50 per cent active asset reduction for small businesses will be expanded.
Labor's May budget replaced the 50 per cent discount with an inflation indexation model and a minimum 30 per cent tax rate.
While sold as making the housing market fairer for first home buyers at the expense of property investors, the changes were extended to all assets, including shares and businesses.
Because startups often have a negligible initial cost base to index from, the proposed changes would double the maximum effective tax rate on capital gains to nearly 47 per cent, diminishing the incentive to take a risk and start a business.
NDIS (CANBERRA)
The delay of a major report into plans to overhaul the $56 billion National Disability Insurance Scheme has been labelled "disrespectful," as disability advocates plead for participants to be protected from harm.
A parliamentary inquiry into Labor's proposed changes will hand down its report on Friday afternoon, after a last-minute decision earlier this week to delay its release.
The Albanese government is trying to claw back billions in savings to stop the NDIS from continuing to grow at an "unsustainable" pace, under changes that will kick 160,000 people off the scheme.
Public hearings have been told by disability groups the reform would lead to people dying, while increasing complexity for support providers.
People with Disability Australia interim president Jarrod Sandell-Hay, also an NDIS participant, said he hoped the report acknowledged concerns aired during the inquiry.
KPMG (SYDNEY)
The leaders of a high-profile consultancy face a grilling from a powerful federal oversight committee after making an 11th-hour decision to withhold information from their interrogators.
KPMG, which has more than half a billion dollars in taxpayer-funded government contracts, is feeling the heat over an audit leak scandal and the treatment of a whistleblower, raising concerns about its governance and integrity frameworks.
Ahead of Friday's hearing, it told the committee it would not provide the requested documents linked to those matters because they were confidential, subject to professional privilege and could prejudice the "administration of justice".
"We appreciate that this is not the response the committee was seeking," chairman Martin Sheppard wrote in a letter tabled by Labor's Deborah O'Neill, the committee chair.
Iran (BEIRUT)
Three Saudi-flagged supertankers carrying six million barrels of crude have sailed through the Strait of Hormuz, hours after US President Donald Trump signed a deal with Iran to end the war that has disrupted global energy supplies.
But in Lebanon, where more than a million people are displaced by the fighting, Israeli forces launched fresh air strikes on Thursday morning, raising doubt about how far Trump will go to force his wartime allies to halt an offensive he has now pledged to end.
Trump put his signature on Wednesday on the "memorandum of understanding" to end the war, as did Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian, bringing it into effect two days earlier than previously expected.
It calls for the immediate opening of the Strait of Hormuz and lifting of a US blockade of Iran's ports.
Ukraine (KYIV)
Scores of Ukrainian drones have rained down on Moscow, hitting the Russian capital's oil refinery for the second time in days in what Kyiv cast as a demonstration of its growing capabilities that should force Russia to accept a peace deal.
Russia, for its part, fired missiles into Kyiv, also for the second time in days, following an attack that damaged Kyiv's landmark 1000-year-old monastery and drew international condemnation.
In Moscow on Thursday, Reuters saw flames and plumes of smoke over the densely populated southeastern district of Kapotnya where the refinery supplying the capital is located.
"Air defence forces continue to repel a massive attack. Several drones managed to reach the Moscow oil refinery," Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin said, adding that a shopping centre also suffered minor damage.
In finance ...
Tax (CANBERRA)
Capital gains tax concessions will be expanded for small businesses and tax changes rolled back for some trusts as Labor tries to ease the blowback from its contentious budget.
The new carve-outs, unveiled on Thursday, will keep the existing 50 per cent capital gains tax discount for "innovative businesses" following a vituperative campaign by startups and entrepreneurs.
"We back Australian small businesses and the important role that they play in Australia," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters in Sydney.
"They're the blood running through the veins of our local communities and they're vital for our economy."
One of four existing small business capital gains concessions, the 50 per cent active asset reduction, will be extended to all businesses with a turnover up to $10 million per year.
UK Economy (LONDON)
The Bank of England has held its main interest rate at 3.7 per cent as the inflation pressures on the British economy become more benign after the US and Iran signed a deal to sign deal to end their war.
Thursday's decision was widely anticipated after figures showed inflation did not rise as had been expected in May, holding steady instead at 2.8 per cent.
Though that remains above the bank's target of two per cent, it raised hopes that the upward pressure on prices emanating from the spike in oil and gas prices after the start of the Iran war on February 28 might have been less than anticipated.
Economists think rate-setters will opt against hiking rates over coming months, but only if the recent fall in energy prices is sustained.
In entertainment ...
Arts Avatar (MELBOURNE)
The benevolent Vishnu is all about defeating the forces of chaos and restoring harmony in the universe.
So in an era of global omnishambles, a major exhibition devoted to the Hindu deity couldn't be more timely.
"Vishnu is supposed to reappear at moments of crisis," said co-curator Associate Professor Chaitanya Sambrani.
"This might be quite a good time for him to make an appearance."
Avatar: Forms of Vishnu at the Art Gallery of New South Wales is the first Australian exhibition devoted to Vishnu, and the gallery's biggest display of South and Southeast Asian art in more than two decades.
Vishnu has endless forms, but there are 10 main avatars, including the hero of the Ramayana epic Prince Rāma, and the spiritual guide Krishna.
Obit Dreesen (LOS ANGELES)
Tom Dreesen, who along with partner Tim Reid formed one of America's first interracial stand-up comedy duos and later spent years as Frank Sinatra's opening act, has died at age 86.
Dreesen died on Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles, according to publicist Lori De Waal.
A cause of death was not provided.
After meeting in Chicago, Dreesen and Reid, who is Black, formed Tim and Tom in 1969.
Against a backdrop of simmering racial tension, they used humour to address social issues and promote understanding between audiences of different backgrounds.
They worked together until the mid-1970s.
Reid went on to solo success playing DJ Venus Flytrap on the popular TV sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati, where Dreesen was a guest star.
In sport ...
Gol Open (SYDNEY)
Adam Scott has risen to the occasion to be the leading Australian as Shinnecock Hllls bared its teeth early in the weather-hit US Open outside New York.
A two-hour fog delay kept the field waiting on Thursday before Scott ground out a first-round three-over-par 73 playing his milestone 100th consecutive major championship.
American Sam Stevens snared the clubhouse lead with a two-under 68 as once again the world's best players battled hard to deal with one of the sternest tests in golf.
Two birdies in his first three holes helped world No.2 Rory McIlroy take the early lead before the back-to-back Masters champion signed for a 69 to sit ominously one shot off the pace after the morning wave.
Starting at the 10th, McIlroy holed a 10-foot putt at the short but perilous 11th and then followed that up, holing from more than twice that distance at the long 12th.
WC26 Aust (SEATTLE)
Put the trash talking aside - the Socceroos don't need to have it laid out how important their World Cup clash with the United States is.
One sentiment came up multiple times ahead of the blockbuster at Seattle Stadium on Friday (5am Saturday AEST): this match is seriously "high-stakes".
Australia will want to silence the American pundits who have been lining up to have a crack at them - but there are bigger things on the line.
After shocking Turkey 2-0 first up and snagging three points, the Socceroos have earned themselves a golden opportunity.
Beat the US and they'll almost certainly top group D before even playing Paraguay.
Even a draw should at least guarantee progression, depending on how Turkey and Paraguay fare in their clash.
Ends Bulletin
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