AAP Rolling News Bulletin for June 7 at 2100
AUKUS (CANBERRA)
The AUKUS agreement is "full steam ahead", Prime Minister Anthony Albanese insists, despite renewed criticism over the nuclear submarine deal.
In the latest alteration to the defence agreement with the United States and the UK, Australia will receive three second-hand Virginia-class nuclear submarines from the US, despite the original terms of the arrangement stipulating two used and one new boat.
The setback has reignited scrutiny over the mega-money deal.
It showed the greatest strategic risk Australia faced at the moment was losing sovereignty to Washington over the defence of the nation, Greens defence spokesman David Shoebridge told the ABC's Insiders program on Sunday.
Australia risked being dragged into a conflict between the US and China as a result, Senator Shoebridge said, and questioned the need for nuclear submarines to defend Australia's maritime approaches.
Ukraine (KYIV)
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to discuss ongoing support for Ukraine.
The Ukrainian leader will visit the United Kingdom on Sunday with the two other leaders, officials in Downing Street said.
It comes after a large-scale Ukrainian drone attack targeted St Petersburg, Russia's second-largest city, on Saturday, underscoring the country's growing ability to hit deep inside Russia.
Russia's defence ministry said on Saturday its anti-aircraft units had intercepted and destroyed 339 Ukrainian drones over a 13-hour period in various Russian regions including Moscow.
The ministry, posting on Telegram, listed 13 regions where the interceptions took place, plus areas over the Black Sea, between 7am and 8pm.
Iran (TEHRAN)
Lebanese army commander General Rudolf Haykal has left on a visit to Pakistan, Lebanon's army says, amid Pakistani efforts to mediate an end to the US-Israeli conflict with Iran that has also spilled into Lebanon.
The army said the visit was at the invitation of Haykal's Pakistani counterpart but did not immediately provide further details on its purpose or duration.
The surprise visit is notable given the insistence by the United States - and by Lebanese leaders including the president - that ceasefire talks for Lebanon remain separate from US-Iran negotiations mediated by Pakistan.
It comes as Iran's government again warned neighbouring countries against making their territory available for potential US military operations against it.
"The countries in the region should observe the principle of good neighbourliness and not use their territory for aggressive actions against Iran," the Iranian foreign ministry said on Saturday.
Mideast (HEBRON)
A seven-month-old Palestinian has been laid to rest in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, a day after he was shot dead and his parents were injured by the Israeli military near Hebron, according to family members who witnessed the shooting and the Palestinian health ministry.
Sam Fahd Abu Haikal, wrapped in a white shroud and a Palestinian flag, was buried in Hebron after funeral prayers were held at a nearby mosque.
The infant was killed on Friday while travelling with his family by car near the city of Hebron.
"What happened to us is not a matter of an apology. What happened is not that shots were fired by mistake and led to this tragedy," the child's father, Fahd, said on Saturday.
Ukraine (ST PETERSBURG)
Residents of St Petersburg have been told not to leave their homes after a "large-scale" Ukrainian drone attack targeted the city.
The attack on Saturday underscored Kyiv's growing ability to hit deep inside Russia and coming a day after the Russian president refused an offer to meet his Ukrainian counterpart.
St Petersburg governor Alexander Beglov advised the residents not to go outside and warned of possible disruptions to mobile internet service, while regional governor Alexander Drozdenko said 141 drones were shot down over the surrounding Leningrad region.
Russia's defence ministry said its air defences shot down 376 Ukrainian drones.
"Last night, our drones covered a distance of about 1000km to the St Petersburg region - to the enemy navy's arsenals and a base in Kronstadt," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy wrote of the attack on X.
Israel Shooting (JERUSALEM)
One person has been killed and five injured in a suspected terror shooting in central Israel near the occupied West Bank, the Israeli ambulance service says.
The Israeli police said a suspected shooter in the attack was "neutralised", without providing further details.
The police did not immediately identify the suspected shooter.
"Large police forces remain at the scene, and searches are continuing," it said.
Israel's ambulance service said a 35-year-old man died of gunshot wounds, while five others were wounded, including two with what the ambulance service described as serious injuries.
The shootings took place in three separate areas in central Israel close to the Palestinian West Bank city of Qalqilya.
Palestinian militant group Hamas praised the shooting but did not claim responsibility for the attack.
Pope (MADRID)
More than a million people have filled the streets of Madrid and one of its main squares to catch a glimpse of Pope Leo as he made his way to an open-air mass as part of a week-long visit to Spain.
People waved flags and shouted, "Long live the Pope" as Leo was driven in the popemobile down Madrid's main thoroughfare Paseo de la Castellana toward Cibeles Square, where he was due to preside over mass.
Some tossed flower petals as he arrived in the square.
Some 1.2 million people were in the square and its surrounding streets, the Vatican and local organisers said.
"May Madrid remain a welcoming and inclusive city, where social life is inspired by genuine human values," Leo wrote in a guest book as he was handed the key to the city by its mayor.
Finke (MELBOURNE)
A motorcycle rider has died after crashing while competing in the outback Finke Desert Race.
The competitor was riding the first leg of the race from Alice Springs to Aputula/Finke on Sunday when the crash occurred after midday, Northern Territory Police said.
Police provided first aid until paramedics arrived but the rider died at the scene.
A crime scene has been declared and crash detectives are preparing a report for the coroner.
Finke Desert Race NT Police Commander Michael Budge said the incident was a tragedy for all involved.
"Our thoughts are with the rider's family, friends and all involved with the event at this difficult time," he said.
Race authorities have extended their deepest sympathies and condolences to the rider's family and friends and are providing ongoing support at both ends of the event route.
In entertainment ...
Noise (SYDNEY)
Gigs at one of Australia's most famous landmarks are set to get louder.
Along with lifting capacity limits, sound regulation for late-night concerts at the Sydney Opera House's forecourt will be raised to be consistent with settings for daytime gigs.
NSW ministers labelled the tweaks as common sense and said sound restrictions would no longer be determined by residents of the 'Toaster' - the nearby luxury apartment building whose residents have regularly complained about noise.
Notably, the Opera House copped a $15,000 fine after residents complained about the volume of a performance from English band Florence and The Machine in 2015.
"Over the decades it became a Sydney sport to move in next door to a pub and then campaign to close it down," Arts and Night-time Economy Minister John Graham said on Sunday
Arts Remote (MELBOURNE)
In the remote community of Papulankutja in Western Australia, diesel is $4.28 a litre, roughly double the price in capital cities.
One of the few sources of income in the community is its not-for-profit arts centre, but selling artworks at Aboriginal art fairs requires huge amounts of travel.
Making it to the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair in August, for example, is a journey of some 2500km, at a time when filling up the four-wheel-drive costs about $350.
"With fuel going up, prices are definitely more expensive and general travel costs have increased," arts centre worker Simone from Papulankutja Artists told AAP.
Papulankutja, also known as Blackstone, is 900km west of Alice Springs - it's a five hour drive to get to a bitumen road at Yulara, another five to Alice Springs and 15 more to Darwin.
In sport ...
RL Tigers (SYDNEY)
Nathan Cleary has inspired NRL juggernaut Penrith to the biggest win in the club's history - a 68-0 mauling of insipid Wests Tigers at CommBank Stadium.
Penrith's State of Origin stars excelled on return from a week off to reiterate the yawning chasm between the ladder leaders and their NRL challengers in 2026.
Cleary shone brightest of all with three try assists and a four-pointer of his own as the Panthers rode their largest halftime lead since 2010 - 36-0 - to a huge win.
Nine different Panthers scored tries on Sunday and with six and a half minutes to play, left winger Tom Jenkins crossed for his second to push the margin beyond 60 points.
The end result surpassed a 72-12 defeat of Manly in 2004 to become the biggest Penrith have posted since entering the competition in 1967.
AFL Magpies (MELBOURNE)
Collingwood and Melbourne need a response. It's not quite on the scale of what Neale Daniher did over the last 13 astonishing years of his life, but a response nonetheless.
The Magpies and Demons have hit significant mid-season turbulence ahead of the King's Birthday AFL blockbuster on Monday at the MCG.
Daniher's death a fortnight ago dramatically raises the importance of the occasion. This will be the 12th Big Freeze pre-game event, which raises awareness for the FightMND charity.
Established after Daniher's devastating motor neurone disease diagnosis in 2013, FightMND has helped raise more than $150 million to fight the incurable and fatal illness that he called The Beast.
Outside the grand final, it will be the biggest AFL game this season - an honour traditionally reserved for the MCG Anzac Day clash.
Ends Bulletin
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