AAP Rolling News Bulletin Jul 06, 0930

Rolling News Bulletin 0930 AAP Rolling News Bulletin for Jul 06 at 0930

US Vote (MADISON) US President Joe Biden has mocked and criticised Donald Trump at a rally in a spirited speech meant to mute calls for him to quit the race because of his age. Biden travelled to Wisconsin, a political battleground state, to rally voters and sit for a television interview that will be closely watched after his debate with Trump prompted some Democrats and donors to question whether he can handle a second four-year term. "We had a little debate last week. Can't say it was my best performance. But ever since then there's been a lot of speculation. 'What's Joe gonna do? Is he gonna stay in the race? Is he gonna drop out?" Biden said. "Well here's my answer: I am running and gonna win again."

UK Vote (LONDON) New Prime Minister Keir Starmer has appointed David Lammy as the United Kingdom's new foreign minister and named Rachel Reeves as the country's first female finance minister as he begins putting together a team that will help him try to deliver on a promise to rebuild the UK. Lammy takes charge at a time of two global conflicts and has pledged to maintain continued support for Ukraine in its conflict against Russia and press for a ceasefire in the fighting in the Gaza Strip. Reeves, 45, a former Bank of England economist, spent her time serving in opposition mending relations with the business community that were strained under former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, and pitching to voters that the party could be trusted with their money.

Diabetes (ADELAIDE) A 20 per cent tax on all sugar-sweetened drinks should spearhead efforts to stem Australia's diabetes epidemic, a parliamentary inquiry has found. The year-long inquiry into the nation's fastest-growing chronic disease made 23 recommendations aimed at strengthening the government's response to diabetes and obesity. Committee chair and Labor MP Mike Freelander said the report tabled in federal parliament this week aimed to improve health outcomes for the 1.5 million Australians affected by diabetes, by seeking to raise awareness of major risk factors such as obesity. "The committee heard about ways the Australian government can improve access to new diabetes technology and life-saving medications for people living with different forms of diabetes," Dr Freelander said. "There are also many ways that we can support Australians to prevent, delay the onset of, and better manage this condition."

France Vote (PARIS) Parties across the political spectrum have urged French voters to vote massively to tilt the outcome either way as opinion polls forecast the anti-immigration National Rally will be the largest party but fall short of an absolute majority. Marine Le Pen's European Union-sceptic party topped the parliamentary election's first round with a third of the vote but after a subsequent series of tactical withdrawals of candidacies from mainstream parties aimed at boosting whoever is best placed to beat the National Rally (RN), several surveys have projected a drop in the number of seats it could win, making an absolute majority even harder to reach. Le Pen, who has said the "republican front" of mainstream parties shows disdain for her voters, urged them to prove pollsters wrong in the decisive run-off election on Sunday.

Iran Vote (DUBAI) Iranians have voted in a run-off presidential election to choose between a low- key moderate and a hardliner close to the supreme leader at a time of growing public frustration, regional tensions and Western pressure. Polling ended at midnight local time in Iran (6.30am Saturday AEST) after being extended three times for a total of six hours. The interior ministry said initial reports showed the turnout was around 50 per cent, higher than the first round. The final result will be announced early on Saturday, the interior ministry said. The run-off follows a June 28 ballot with a historically low turnout, when more than 60 per cent of Iranian voters abstained from the snap election for a successor to Ebrahim Raisi, following his death in a helicopter crash.

NAIDOC (BRISBANE) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across the nation are getting ready to mark a week-long celebration of culture, in the wake of last year's devastating referendum loss. NAIDOC Week recognises the significance of First Nations people and cultures and this year's theme will emphasise the need to 'keep the fire burning'. The event began on January 26, 1938, when about 1000 people marched through the streets of Sydney to protest the treatment of Indigenous people since colonisation. While Australia was celebrating the 150th anniversary of the landing of the First Fleet, Aboriginal people called it the Day of Mourning. "Our people held a march to protest that the 150 year celebrations basically denied Aboriginal people's existence, but also the lie that it was a peaceful colonisation of Australia," National NAIDOC co-chair Aunty Lynette Riley told AAP.

Ukraine (MOSCOW/BUDAPEST) Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has held talks on a potential Ukrainian peace deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin, angering some European Union leaders who warned against appeasing the Kremlin and say he does not speak for the EU. Hungary assumed the six-month rotating presidency of the bloc on Monday. Five days in and Orban has visited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kyiv and formed the "Patriots for Europe" alliance with other nationalist political parties. Then he went to Moscow on a "peace mission," days before a NATO summit that will address further military aid for Ukraine against what the military alliance has called Russia's "unprovoked war of aggression". It was the first meeting of an EU leader with Putin in Moscow since April 2022, two months after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and Orban's first since then, although the two have met elsewhere.

LNP QLD (BRISBANE) Opposition Leader Peter Dutton will rally the party faithful as the LNP sets its sights on the Queensland election before the party turns its head to winning federal office. Mr Dutton is set to elaborate on the party's ambitions during his speech at the annual LNP state conference on Saturday, where he is expected to champion state leader David Crisafulli ahead of October polls. Then he is set to turn his attention to his federal campaign next year. This includes addressing his back-to-basics economic plan and the campaign centrepiece of record nuclear energy investment. Queensland's shadow environment minister Sam O'Connor said the excitement to hear from the party's leaders was evident among the 900 delegates at the event. "There's very positive vibes in the room," he told AAP.

In sport ...

Wim Men (LONDON) Champion Carlos Alcaraz has ploughed through the first crisis of his Wimbledon reign, finding his best tennis at a precarious moment to turn the tide against his pal Frances Tiafoe and blast into the last-16. Watched under the roof of Centre Court by Rain Man star Dustin Hoffman amid a downpour outside, Alcaraz offered his best marathon man impression, getting stronger as a hugely entertaining match progressed before eventually prevailing 5-7 6-2 4-6 7-6 (7-2) 6-2 in three hours 50 minutes. But there was a genuine scare for the holder, who had a strangely sluggish afternoon against his great American friend until the real danger came when he was two sets to one down and 0-30 down on his serve at 4-4 in the fourth.

Mot Nascar (CHICAGO) Shane van Gisbergen prefers the countryside to a big city, so Chicago isn't exactly his type of place. Except for the Windy City streets. He likes those a lot. Van Gisbergen is back in Chicago this weekend, the scene of his career-altering victory just over a year ago. The 35-year-old New Zealand native is entered in the Xfinity and Cup Series races on the downtown street course tha