AAP Rolling News Bulletin for June 5 at 1000
Tax (CANBERRA)
Ministers have denied tax-reform measures are being rushed through parliament despite just two days being set aside for an inquiry into the "once-in-a-generation" changes.
Changes limiting negative gearing to new houses from July 2027 and scrapping the 50 per cent capital gains tax discount to a rate based on inflation passed the House of Representatives on Thursday.
But the laws face an uncertain future, with the Greens yet to indicate if they will back the federal budget reforms through the Senate.
A two-day Senate inquiry will scrutinise the laws later in June before they go to the upper house, with the opposition and crossbenchers saying the measures are being rushed.
Assistant Treasurer Daniel Mulino said the laws were not being raced through as issues surrounding tax and housing had been on the agenda for a long period, alongside 17 hours of debate in parliament so far.
Mideast (GAZA)
Israeli strikes have killed at least 10 Palestinians, including five members of the same family, in separate attacks in the Gaza Strip, health officials say.
Medics said Israeli aircraft struck four apartments before dawn, including the family's home, killing nine people and wounding at least 15.
Later on Thursday, a separate air strike killed one person and wounded others near Wehda Street in Gaza City, medics said, taking the day's death toll to at least 10.
The Israeli military did not immediately comment.
Reuters footage after the first strike showed a blown-out building with charred and damaged furniture, with debris strewn across the road.
A video circulating on social media, which Reuters could not immediately verify, showed people entering an apartment with blankets to recover bodies.
Ukraine (MOSCOW)
Russian President Vladimir Putin says he does not rule out signing a peace deal with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, if an agreement can be reached.
Putin has previously said that Zelenskiy is not a legitimate leader because he has remained in office beyond the end of his elected term.
Ukrainian law forbids the holding of new elections under martial law, which was imposed after Russia's 2022 invasion.
Putin told foreign journalists in St Petersburg that if it came to a peace deal, Russia would sign an agreement with legitimate Ukrainian representatives, perhaps "even with Zelenskiy".
Putin also said on Thursday that Russia will strengthen its air defences to counter recent Ukrainian drone attacks, which have reached deep inside his country.
Legal: Williams (SYDNEY)
A psychic scammer who defrauded victims over two decades through fake blessings to combat curses and evil spirits has admitted running off with hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Maria Williams robbed people of significant savings and led to one woman being evicted from her home.
The now 50-year-old marketed herself out as a "Master Psychic" through pamphlets and newspaper ads offering spiritual cleansing from 2004 until her arrest in 2024.
Using the pseudonyms "Celina" and "Anna", she told her victims they had been cursed or affected by evil or ancestral spirits.
The Lakemba woman then asked for large amounts of money to be sent so they could be blessed and the bad luck cleansed away.
She promised each victim the money would be returned.
US Aust (CANBERRA)
Australia will likely be lumped with higher tariffs by the US, as analysts warn the nation doesn't stand a good chance of negotiating an exemption.
The US has proposed a 12.5 per cent tariff on Australian goods as part of plans for new levies on 60 countries, drawing condemnation from the nation's political leaders.
The White House says the taxes are in response to inadequate anti-slavery laws, but the move is widely considered to be a work-around after the Supreme Court struck down Donald Trump's original "Liberation Day" tariffs.
But Australian beef and gold will maintain their exemptions from the American levies.
While Australian diplomats would voice their concerns over the new measures, it would unlikely result in a carve-out, United States Studies Centre director of economic security Hayley Channer said.
Iran (DUBAI/BEIRUT)
The Iran-aligned Hezbollah movement has rejected a new ceasefire in Lebanon and Israel says it will not withdraw troops from the country, undermining US President Donald Trump's efforts to halt fighting there to forge peace with Iran.
Iran has made a ceasefire in Lebanon a condition for any peace deal with the United States, and has suggested in recent days that it could intervene directly in support of Hezbollah if Israel keeps up or escalates attacks there.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said the ceasefire would come into force within 24 hours of all concerned parties approving it.
However, Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem rejected the Washington DC declaration, insisting "resistance will continue".
There was no immediate response from Israel, Lebanon or the US to Qassem's remarks.
Iran (DUBAI)
Israel and Lebanon have agreed on a new ceasefire after US-mediated talks, raising hopes for progress towards ending the wider US-Israeli war with Iran.
Tehran has made a ceasefire in Lebanon a condition for any peace deal with Washington, and has suggested it could intervene directly in support of its proxy Hezbollah if Israel keeps up its attacks there.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said on Thursday the ceasefire would come into force within 24 hours of all concerned parties approving it, appearing to refer to Hezbollah, which has not commented on the agreement.
But casting doubt on the robustness of the truce, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said the military would continue to strike in Lebanon for the time being and would not withdraw from the south.
Al Ahmed (SYDNEY)
The man who disarmed one of the gunman during the Bondi terror attack has been caught up on the wrong side of the law after being charged with assault.
Ahmed Al Ahmed, 44, is accused of allegedly putting his father in a headlock on March 9.
NSW Police have confirmed he was charged on Wednesday for common assault and stalking.
The tobacconist rose to prominence after video captured the moment he crept behind one of the Bondi gunmen and tackled and disarmed him, slowing the attack and saving lives.
He was shot twice in the arm during the incident.
His heroic efforts garnered worldwide attention with a fundraiser reaching more than $2.5 million.
Al Ahmed was awarded with Keys to the City of Canterbury-Bankstown, where he lives, and Waverley.
In finance ...
TreasuryWine (SYDNEY)
As wine lovers shift to drinking less while spending big on luxury tipples, so too is one of Australia's premium vintners.
Treasury Wine Estates, which owns the globally recognised Penfolds brand, plans to operate with 30 brands, down from more than 70, across multiple markets.
The "meaningful reduction" over time would happen alongside a major investment in its top 10 "power" brands, chief executive Sam Fischer revealed on Thursday.
This segment, which includes Penfolds, California brand Daou and New Zealand heavyweight Matua, contributes 72 per cent of gross profit on 25 per cent of the listed company's wine volume.
"Our power brands will represent the largest growth opportunities," chief executive Sam Fischer told investors at a strategy day on Thursday.
Greensill (LONDON)
Britain will ban Australian financier Lex Greensill, founder of supply chain financing firm Greensill Capital, which collapsed with huge losses in 2021, from acting as a company director for nine years.
The company collapsed after one of its main insurers declined to renew its cover.
Its UK arm had liabilities of more than Stg1.6 billion ($A3 billion), causing heavy losses for investors and prompting lawsuits and regulatory probes.
"A nine-year ban is a significant period - above the average for director disqualifications - and reflects the serious nature of Lex Greensill's conduct," Insolvency Service chief executive Duncan Beach said in a statement on Thursday.
Greensill's conduct breached his legal duty under British rules to exercise reasonable care, skill and diligence as a company director, the agency's statement said.
In entertainment ...
Television (MELBOURNE)
Australia's once-thriving children's television industry is facing collapse despite a legacy of producing Hollywood stars and shaping generations of young people.
RMIT University research published on Friday reveals the industry remains under pressure due to a significant drop in investment paired with rising production costs.
The sector has helped shape culture for decades through programs such as H2O: Just Add Water, Round the Twist, Blinky Bill, and more recently, Bluey, launched in 2018.
Lead author Jessica Balanzategui believes screen policy settings are failing to support the local stories young audiences need.
"Commercial broadcasters have retreated, streamers are not commissioning new children's programs, and public institutions are being left to carry an increasingly heavy load," she said.
The report reveals there has been a 97 per cent drop in commercial children's television investment since a 2020 decision to remove commercial quotas.
Lipa (PALERMO)
Newlyweds Dua Lipa and Callum Turner have arrived in the Sicilian capital Palermo to prepare for what are expected to be three days of celebrations over the weekend to mark their marriage.
Pop star Lipa, 30, and actor Turner, 36, were pictured in the sunshine at the city's five-star Grand Hotel Villa Igiea, which is owned by British businessman Rocco Forte and his family.
The celebrity couple married last weekend in a simple ceremony in London, according to media reports, and are now throwing a party in Palermo for friends and family.
Lipa is a three-time Grammy Award winner, whose albums include Future Nostalgia from 2020.
Turner is a familiar face to British TV viewers through series including dystopian thriller The Capture and also starred in the film The Boys in the Boat.
In sport ...
Ten Open Aust (PARIS)
Maya Joint, Australia's No.1, has opened up on her calamitous year, admitting there have been moments during her alarming slump in form when she's asked herself if she should be playing at all.
But the 20-year-old Queensland-based youngster, given a boost by the encouragement of her BJK Cup captain Sam Stosur, is determined to kick start her revival this week in the Netherlands, promising "I'll be back."
Joint goes into the 's'Hertogenbosch grass-court tournament on a nightmarish run, her first-round thrashing by Anastasia Potapova in the French Open being her 10th successive defeat in an injury-affected losing streak that drags back to January.
It's all a far cry from last year when, as a teenager, she was arguably the breakout player on the women's tour, winning two tournaments and shooting up the rankings from 118 at the start of 2025 to No.28 by this February.
WC26 Aust (OAKLAND)
Ajdin Hrustic knows better than anyone how fleeting World Cups are.
Now 29, the classy playmaker is determined to help the Socceroos' wave of young guns seize their own opportunities on football's grandest stage.
"You see the young boys coming through, just like I was once young," Hrustic said on Thursday (Friday AEST).
"And I enjoy it. Like, I like having words with them, I do it with most of the boys.
"It's experiencing and enjoying that moment, right?
"The World Cup doesn't come around every day, so you've got to get ready for this one, because it's four years until you get the next one.
"The question is, will you be at the next one? So you've got to enjoy it and really get 100 per cent out of it."
Ends Bulletin
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