AAP Rolling News Bulletin Jul 02, 1130

Rolling News Bulletin 1130 AAP Rolling News Bulletin for Jul 02 at 1130

Virus (SYDNEY) Australia is on the precipice of the grim milestone of 10,000 COVID-19 related deaths, with more than 7000 fatalities reported in the last six months. Australia has reported 7677 deaths over the course of 2022, taking the country's total to 9930. There were also 909 COVID-19 related fatalities in 2020 and 1344 in 2021. "We are going to actually end up with about 14,000 deaths this year from COVID if we keep going at this rate," Program Director of Infectious Diseases and Immunology at Griffith University Nigel McMillan told AAP. "That will make COVID the number two or number three killer in the country of all causes of deaths. "Is this what success looks like for Australia in terms of its control of this virus? I would suggest no."

Williams (BRISBANE) A Queensland mayor and campaigner against drink-driving has a court date looming after allegedly returning a blood alcohol test of more than three times the legal limit. Redlands Mayor Karen Williams admitted crashing her vehicle into a tree east of Brisbane after a work function on June 23. Police have been investigating the incident and the 55-year-old was issued with a notice to appear for drink-driving after allegedly returning a blood alcohol test of 0.177 per cent. No one was injured when the car allegedly left the road, travelled through a fence and struck a tree. Local mother Judy Lindsay, whose daughter Hayley was killed in a crash involving a drink-driver in 2009, has launched a petition on the Queensland parliament website calling for Ms Williams' dismissal.

US Abortion Aust (BRISBANE) The blow dealt by the US Supreme Court limiting access to safe abortions has shone a light on the situation in Australia as protesters take to the streets in solidarity. Thousands of people have already turned up at marches in Brisbane and Adelaide, and big numbers are expected in Melbourne and Sydney on Saturday. Supporters are also expected to voice discontent in Perth, Hobart, Wollongong and Rockhampton on Saturday, and in Launceston on Sunday. The movement has been sparked by the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v Wade that has seen 27 US states move toward either banning or threatening to criminalise abortions. While much of the attention is on America, there is still work to be done on abortion access at home, contraception and safe abortion providers, MSI Australia says.

Quake Iran (DUBAI) At least three people have been killed by a magnitude 6.1 earthquake in southern Iran, state television reports. "Unfortunately up to now we have had three deaths and eight wounded," Mehrdad Hassanzadeh, head of emergency management in Hormozgan Province on Iran's Gulf coast, told the television. Iranian media put the strength of the Saturday morning quake at 6.1 while the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) said it had a 6.0 magnitude. The quake was at a depth of 10km, the EMSC said. Major geological fault lines crisscross Iran, which has suffered several devastating earthquakes in recent years.

Ukraine (SERHIIVKA) Russia has flattened part of an apartment building while residents slept in missile attacks near Ukraine's port of Odesa that authorities say killed at least 21 people, hours after Russian troops abandoned the Black Sea outpost of Snake Island. Locals in the resort village of Serhiivka helped workers pick through the rubble of the nine-storey apartment block, a section of which had been completely destroyed in the early-morning strike. Walls and windows of a neighbouring 14-storey apartment block were also damaged by the blast wave. Nearby holiday camps were also hit. "We came here to the site, assessed the situation together with emergency workers and locals, and together helped those who survived. And those who unfortunately died. We helped to carry them away," said Oleksandr Abramov, who lives nearby and had rushed to the scene when he heard the blast.

France Aust (PARIS) French President Emmanuel Macron doesn't want an apology from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese over the handling of the submarine debacle, because he "is not responsible for what happened". Mr Macron embraced the new prime minister after he arrived at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Friday, for their first official meeting after Australia scrapped a $90 billion submarine contract last year. Mr Macron was asked if Mr Albanese should apologise over the handling of the deal, but the French president indicated the relationship had mended. "We will speak about the future, not the past," Mr Macron said. "He (Mr Albanese) is not responsible for what happened." The previous coalition government's decision to dump the contract with Naval Group in favour of acquiring nuclear-powered submarines under the AUKUS partnership with the UK and US damaged the relationship.

Assange (LONDON) WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has appealed to the High Court in London to block his extradition to the United States to face criminal charges, his brother says, the latest step in his legal battle that has dragged on for more than a decade. Assange, 50, is wanted by US authorities on 18 counts, including a spying charge, relating to WikiLeaks' release of vast troves of confidential US military records and diplomatic cables which US officials have said put lives in danger. Last month, Home Secretary Priti Patel approved his extradition, with her office saying UK courts had concluded his extradition would not be incompatible with his human rights, and that he would be treated appropriately. Australian-born Assange's legal team have lodged an appeal against that decision at the High Court, his brother Gabriel Shipton confirmed.

Rain NSW (SYDNEY) Heavy rains are set to once again batter NSW, with multiple weather alerts in place warning of potential flooding and landslips. Intense showers are forecast for metropolitan Sydney, the Illawarra and parts of the Central Tablelands over the weekend, with the possibility of flash flooding. The Bureau of Meteorology warned of six-hourly rainfall totals of between 80 and 150mm across Saturday and Sunday, with some areas forecast to receive a month's worth of rain over the weekend. The weather system comes on the first weekend of school holidays in the state, and drivers are being asked to take extreme caution. "We know floodwater is extremely dangerous, especially for drivers. If the road is flooded, turn around and find another way," Transport for NSW's Roger Weeks says.

In sport ...

RL Storm (PERTH) Star playmaker Cameron Munster is expected to reaffirm his commitment to Melbourne on Saturday, shutting down talk of him shifting to the Dolphins for the 2023 NRL season. He will not though make an announcement on his playing future beyond that at a press conference called by the club, which coach Craig Bellamy is expected to attend. Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett raised the ire of the Storm with his comments on radio on Friday suggesting the Queensland State of Origin five-eighth could join the new NRL club for their inaugural season next year. "If we don't get him in 2023, which we believe we will, certainly 2024 is on the table for us and hopefully it's on the table for him," Bennett told SEN.

RL Warriors (AUCKLAND) New Zealand's most tested fanbase will be rewarded for their loyalty when the Warriors return home to Mt Smart Stadium on Sunday after a hiatus of 1000 days. Sixteen rounds into the NRL season, the Warriors host Wests Tigers in what is expected to be an emotional homecoming in front of a capacity crowd. To say the 2022 season has been difficult for the Warriors is an understatement, with various off-field issues including the departure of coach Nathan Brown contributing to a four-win, 11-loss record so far. Halfback Shaun Johnson says it's a relief to be back on home soil. "What's happened in the past couple of