Evening News Bulletin 3 August 2025
TRANSCRIPT:
The search continues for a woman missing in New South Wales floodwaters;
A former prosecutor of Donald Trump now being investigated in the US;
Australian rider Sarah Gigante into second place in the Tour de France Femmes. Police are urging people not to drive on submerged roads as the search continues for a woman swept away in floodwaters in the New South Wales Hunter Valley. Investigators say the 26 year old was with another woman visiting the Hunter from Sydney, but they had decided to return home due to their concerns about the area flooding. Hunter Valley police superintendent Steve Laksa says the pair attempted to cross a causeway before they were caught in the current. "Do not enter any waterway. If you need assistance, make sure you contact the SES or the NSW Police and seek that assistance." In the US, the Smithsonian has defended its decision to remove references to Donald Trump's two impeachments from an exhibit in Washington DC. The museum has released a statement on X saying the placard about Trump was always meant to be temporary and did not meet the museum's standards in appearance, location, timeline, and overall presentation. The revelation that Trump was no longer listed among impeached presidents has sparked concern that history was being whitewashed to appease the president. But the museum says it had NOT been asked by the administration or other government officials to remove the reference - and that a future and updated exhibit will include all impeachments. Federal officials have opened a probe into Jack Smith, the former special counsel who investigated then-candidate Donald Trump before his reelection for a second term. Mr Smith examined Mr Trump's part in the January 6 attack on the Capitol, as well as allegations of classified documents being mishandled. The Office of Special Counsel says it's looking into accusations made by Republicans — without offering evidence — that Smith violated federal law which bans certain public officials from engaging in political activity. Donald Trump himself has led those accusations. "This is a pure witch hunt for purposes of interfering with the elections of the United States of America. It's totally illegal. " The Australian Council of Trade Unions has stepped up its calls for the government to reform the nation's tax system. The union says tax concessions like negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount, which halves the amount of tax paid by those who sell assets owned for a year or more, have incentivised property investment and tied up capital that could otherwise be invested more productively. ACTU secretary Sally McManus says it's worsened housing affordability - with the result that people can no longer afford to live near to where they work. The ACTU has proposed limiting negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount to a single investment property. A Warlpiri elder has used his appearance at the Garma Festival to call on the Prime Minister to end Aboriginal deaths in custody. Reading from a letter penned to the PM, Ned Hargraves has said Anthony Albanese has the power to turn around the outcomes for his community. A coronial inquest found Kumanjayi Walker's death in 2019 was preventable, coroner Elisabeth Armitage saying she could not rule out that racism may have played a part in the teenager's death. Mr Hargraves has told NITV that his community of Yuendumu had lost trust in the police after that fatal shooting, as well as the death of his grandson Kumanjayi White in May. "You have no right to come and take my grandson's life away, and I feel very angry about it and frustrated. Because this is what had happened to him. No more like this happens again. So we say, enough is enough." Australian rider Sarah Gigante has surged into second place in the Tour de France Femmes after stage eight of the race. She is now 2 minutes and 37 seconds behind the leader Pauline Ferrand-Prevot. The previous yellow jersey holder was Gigante's AG Insurance Soudal team-mate Kimberley Le Court Pienaar.
She is now in 11th place after crashing on the descent from the Col du Frene with 63 kilometres remaining.
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