AAP Rolling News Bulletin for May 26 at 1900
White (DARWIN)
A year after a disabled Aboriginal man's death in a supermarket, his family has learned the two plain-clothes officers who forcibly restrained him will not be charged.
Kumanjayi White, 24, died in Alice Springs in May 2025 after the officers held him down, sparking national outrage and rallies calling for an independent investigation.
Northern Territory Police confirmed on Tuesday that the Director of Public Prosecutions had provided advice on the investigation into the death.
Police Commissioner Martin Dole said advice from prosecutors was that there was "no reasonable prospect of a successful prosecution".
He said the decision would cause "distress, pain and anger" for Mr White's family and the broader community and he urged a peaceful response to the decision.
Legal: Freeman (MELBOURNE)
The deadly shooting of cop-killer Dezi Freeman has exposed that specialist police continue to work without body-worn cameras, eight years after a state force began to roll out the technology.
None of the officers who gunned down Freeman in March at a remote property in Thologolong near the Victoria-NSW border were wearing body-worn cameras.
The officers were members of Victoria Police's special operations group, who conducted covert surveillance on the fugitive's location for a week before moving in and attempting to negotiate with him over several hours.
Victoria Police confirmed to AAP on Tuesday body-worn cameras currently in use were not compatible with the officers' specialist operational equipment, although a trial was nearing completion.
"Findings from this evaluation will inform any future decisions regarding broader implementation across the unit," a force spokesperson said.
Antisemitism (MELBOURNE)
Online harassment and intimidation has been directed at witnesses who have appeared before the anti-Semitism royal commission, with at least one incident referred to police.
The commission is probing the intelligence and law enforcement response leading up to the Bondi Beach terror attack on December 14 which claimed the lives of 15 innocent people.
In a first block of hearings, witnesses from the Jewish community gave evidence about their experiences of anti-Semitism.
Commissioner Virginia Bell opened Tuesday's hearing with a warning to those engaging in online harassment and intimidation of witnesses.
"The commission is keeping a close eye on these instances and recording these offensive social media posts," she said.
"Quite what this undiluted level of hatred and bigotry directed towards members of the Jewish community is thought to benefit by those who post these remarks is lost on me.
Iran (DUBAI/NEW DELHI)
The US military has carried out strikes in southern Iran against targets including boats attempting to lay mines and missile launch sites, in what it described as defensive actions.
US Central Command said in a statement the strikes on Monday were designed "to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces".
"US Central Command continues to defend our forces while using restraint during the ongoing ceasefire," said Navy Captain Tim Hawkins, a Central Command spokesman.
The strikes came as Iran's top negotiator and its foreign minister were in Doha for talks with Qatar's prime minister on a potential deal with the US to end the three-month-old war, an official briefed on the visit said.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters in New Delhi earlier that the US would give diplomacy every chance to succeed before considering whether to deal with Iran in "another way".
Terror Aust (CANBERRA)
A second group of women and children linked to Islamic State are expected to face charges when they arrive back in Australia.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed seven women and 12 children have made plans to travel from Syria to Australia, after spending years in a Syrian refugee camp.
The so-called "ISIS brides", who are due to arrive in Australia on Tuesday evening, are expected to face charges upon their return.
"The government has not and will not provide any assistance to this group," Mr Burke said in a statement.
"These are people who have made the horrific choice to join a dangerous terrorist organisation and to place their children in an unspeakable situation.
"Any members of this cohort who have committed crimes can expect to face the full force of the law."
Energy (CANBERRA)
Energy bills for households and small businesses are forecast to fall by up to 10 per cent across parts of the eastern states.
The final Default Market Offer, which set out the maximum amount retailers can charge on plans, shows price reductions for households and even bigger drops for small businesses.
Household standing offer time-of-use prices will fall by up to 10.7 per cent across South Australia, NSW and Queensland's southeast.
Small business standing offer time-of-use prices are set to fall by up to 20.9 per cent.
The Australian Energy Regulator sets the default market offer as a benchmark for residential and small business electricity bills in NSW, southeast Queensland and South Australia.
The government said the 2026/27 determination is the first under a reformed framework designed to bolster protections for customers and deliver a better deal.
Federal (CANBERRA)
Creating a formal teal party could lead to messy leadership disputes or force members to vote for policies they don't agree with, one of Australia's first teal independents has warned.
Kerryn Phelps, who won the Sydney seat of Wentworth when former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull resigned in 2018, said having a party structure would allow teal independents to share resources and work together on policies but suggested the move could also alienate some supporters.
Multiple independent MPs have left the door open to creating a more formal political alliance - whether that be a party or a more closely aligned grouping - with Mr Turnbull reported to be involved in bringing them together.
Asked about the speculation, Professor Phelps said while some voters wanted independent MPs to remain independent, the political impact of creating a new party would largely depend on its structure.
Legal: VLAHOS (SYDNEY)
A fashion designer says her cousin threatened to wreck her life and reputation unless she coughed up $3.8 million.
But, in a court witness box on Tuesday, Danielle Vlahos was having to parry criminal accusations of her own.
Danielle was testifying against her cousin and former business partner Vicki Vlahos, who is accused of blackmailing her by threatening to reveal an affair she had with Vicki's ex-husband Issac Chami.
Vicki and Danielle had co-founded the wildly successful Australian fashion label Portia & Scarlett, which in 2023 was dressing contestants in the Miss Universe beauty pageant and being eyed by a buyer for millions of dollars.
During cross-examination in Sydney's Downing Centre District Court, defence barrister Tom Hughes grilled Danielle on whether she had engaged in criminal behaviour to maximise advantage over her older cousin.
In finance ...
AI Business (SYDNEY)
Australia is well-positioned to take advantage of the global boom in artificial intelligence but governments and regulators need to get the policy settings right so they don't stifle start-ups.
That's the message from two of the country's biggest entrepreneurs in the AI space, including the head of an infrastructure company that operates a network of energy-efficient data centres, which power the technology.
"This is unquestionably the significant industrial transformation in modern history," the head of stock exchange listed NextDC, Craig Scroggie, told a conference in Sydney on Tuesday.
Mr Scroggie echoed comments made earlier in the day by OpenAI founder and chief executive Sam Altman about Australia potentially sitting in a sweet spot in AI development.
Both noted the nation's stable security and political environment, clear regulatory regimes, and natural energy resources, which could underpin its future as a global leader,
Aroa (SYDNEY)
Sales of a high-tech wrap derived from sheep guts that assists in human healing is behind solid traction and profits in the United States for an ASX-listed Kiwi company.
Aroa Biosurgery made $NZ103.9 million ($84.9 million) in revenue in the year ended March 31, up 23 per cent from 2024/25, the company announced on Tuesday.
Its gross profit rose 23 per cent to $NZ88.8 million ($72.5 million) and Aroa posted normalised earnings of $NZ11 million ($9 million), beating guidance of $5 million to $8 million, in what the company called a "breakout year".
Sales of Aroa's Myriad collagen matrix, which is made from sheep forestomach tissue, were up 54 per cent to $NZ49.5 million ($40.4 million).
Aroa chief executive and founder Brian Ward told analysts the company makes a 90 per cent profit margin on Myriad sales and its healing properties are backed by strong clinical evidence.
In entertainment ...
Idol (WASHINGTON, D. C.)
British rocker Billy Idol has been honoured for a music career spanning 50 years that he thought would only last six months.
The Rebel Yell singer received the lifetime achievement accolade to a standing ovation at the American Music Awards (AMAs), held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Monday night.
The 70-year-old closed the glitzy star-studded ceremony with Eyes Without a Face, followed by Dancing with Myself, his first breakout solo hit back in 1981 after leaving his punk band Generation X.
"I've been able to live my dream, and it's really all because of you," he said, thanking fans after being presented with his award.
"When I started out in punk rock back in 1976, we thought it may only last about six months, let alone 50 years.
HuntingtonWhiteley (LONDON)
Roșie Huntington-Whiteley haș achieved a "lifelong dream" after visiting the Pyramids of Giza with fiance Jason Statham.
The model took to her Instagram page to share snaps of the Egyptian holiday, as she admitted the trip was one she had wanted to take for some time.
"The most incredible few days in Egypt. Visiting the Pyramids of Giza had been a lifelong dream," she wrote alongside the images.
The mum-of-two added that the pair had also gone to the Grand Egyptian Museum.
"Seeing the extraordinary ancient artefacts up close at the Grand Egyptian Museum was truly special," she wrote.
There was another reason for the Egyptian holiday too, as she praised the pair's kickboxer friend Rico Verhoeven following his fight with heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.
In sport ...
Bkb Aust (MELBOURNE)
Australian basketball great Joe Ingles believes the new-look Boomers are capable of anything as they set their sights on Olympic medals in Los Angeles and Brisbane.
Ingles, a veteran of five Olympics and four World Cups, is yet to completely shut the door on his own Boomers career.
But after returning to the NBL with Melbourne United following 12 seasons in the NBA, the 38-year-old is realistic about his prospects of featuring in LA in two years time.
Regardless of whether he gets there, Ingles is adamant a group now led by NBA stars Josh Giddey and Dyson Daniels, alongside Jock Landale, Matisse Thybulle and Josh Green, can do damage on the global stage.
The Boomers are set to head to next year's FIBA World Cup and the LA Olympics under new head coach Adam Caporn - a Washington Wizards assistant and former NBL guard - who has taken the reins from coaching legend Brian Goorjian.
RL Origin NSW (SYDNEY)
Mitchell Moses has been ruled out the State of Origin opener with Ethan Strange set to make his debut for NSW at five-eighth.
Moses trained with the Blues in Gosford on Monday but complained of soreness in his hamstring at the conclusion of the session.
The Parramatta playmaker was sent for scans with the results ruling him out of game one at Sydney's Accor Stadium on Wednesday.
"It's nothing major but it's too risky 48 hours out from the game," said Blues coach Laurie Daley.
"It's a big loss but Origin you expect nothing different, there's always unexpected things that happen.
"We've got a really good strong group of young men and nothing fazes them."
Canberra five-eighth Strange will partner Nathan Cleary in the halves in his Origin debut.
Ends Bulletin
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