SBS News In Easy English 18 March 2025

SBS News in Easy English episode

SBS News in Easy English Source: SBS News

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TRANSCRIPT

Welcome to SBS News In Easy English. I'm Catriona Stirrat.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says his party might hold a referendum on deporting dual nationals guilty of criminal offences, if the Coalition is elected to Federal Government.

The proposal would allow ministers to cancel the citizenship of individuals guilty of crimes such as terrorism.

It would form part of the Coalition’s plan to strengthen requirements for Australian citizenship.

A referendum is required, after the High Court ruled the ministerial power to remove citizenship is unconstitutional.

Speaking with Channel 7's Sunrise program, Mr Dutton said the move is in the interest of public safety.

"What we're proposing here is a discussion about whether we've got adequate laws, whether the Constitution is restrictive. Ultimately, what I want to do is keep the country safe and citizens safe. And I think there are a lot of Australians concerned with the rise of antisemitism and what we've seen in our country and elsewhere."



The World Health Organisation is warning the international community that cuts to global health funding could come at the expense of millions of lives.

That's after the US Government announced the suspension of funding for foreign aid.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the WHO, is urging the Trump Administration to reconsider the move.

He says removing directing funding from the US Agency for International Development and the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention could set the fight against diseases like HIV AIDS back 20 years.

The WHO is also warning that efforts to combat polio, malaria, and tuberculosis are in jeopardy.

"Almost 24 million people living in such crisis are at risk of not being able to access essential health services. More than 2,600 health facilities in 12 humanitarian crisis have already suspended services at least partially or will do very soon."



The Pentagon says the United States is planning more strikes on Yemen in coming days, targeting leaders of the Houthi rebel regime.

The strikes have killed at least 15 people over the weekend, with US military officials describing the sites as terrorist training camps and places where weapons were being manufactured and stored.

Lieutenant General Alexus Grynkewich, the Joint Staff Director for Operations at The Pentagon, says there is no evidence that any civilians were killed in the attacks.

"Dozens of military casualties so far. But I really can't characterise it much better than that at this point. We'll learn more as we go on the civilian casualty side. No indications of any civilian casualties. We, of course, have seen some of the accusations by the Houthis. We look at those closely when they do come in, but we have no credible indications of any sort of civilian casualties."

The strikes have come after the Houthi group threatened international shipping, as the group says its attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians as Israel strikes Gaza.

US President Donald Trump has warned Iran - which is the rebel group's main benefactor - that it will suffer consequences if the Houthis continue to launch attacks.



NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are expected to land back on Earth within hours - 9 months after would should have been an 8-day voyage.

The pair, who are 62 and 59 years old, have been stuck at the International Space Station since last June.

The Boeing Starliner they were testing on its first crewed flight developed propulsion problems on their mission and was deemed unsafe to fly them back.

In recent days, a relief team docked at the station, hugging and smiling Mr Wilmore and Ms Williams, who have been praised for their remarkable resilience throughout their ordeal, including broadcasting festive videos and thanking the public for its support in September last year.

"80% of the time you'd hear Suni and Butch. Butch and Suni, Suni and Butch, Butch and Suni. And I just want everybody to know how much we appreciate that."

"You asked what we miss, right? Of course, you know, the things that we always miss - our families. I miss my two dogs. I miss my friends. But you know what? Like Butch said, there are so many people on Earth that are sending us messages."

If all goes well, the astronauts will drop into the ocean off Florida in a capsule, before a recovery ship takes them onshore.

That was SBS News In Easy English. I'm Catriona Stirrat.

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