Headlines: Unemployment holds steady at 4.1%

Today's headlines include:

The unemployment rate held steady at 4.1% in February, according to the latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Australia’s environment is “showing signs of improvement,” according to the latest report card from the Australian National University.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accepted the terms of a 30-day ceasefire with Russia.

And today’s good news: A village in India has launched Diwali-like celebrations following the safe return of NASA astronaut Sunita Williams.

Hosts: Emma Gillespie and Billi FitzSimons
Producer: Emma Gillespie

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:05):
From the Daily Os.

Speaker 2 (00:06):
I'm Emma, I'm Billy.

Speaker 1 (00:08):
It's Thursday, the twentieth of March. Here's what's making headlines
this evening.

Speaker 2 (00:14):
The unemployment rate held steady at four point one percent
in February, according to the latest figures from the Australian
Bureau of Statistics. The unemployment rate reflects the percentage of
people who were looking for work but couldn't find any.
The ABS start shows there were fifty two eight hundred
fewer employed people in February compared to the previous month.

(00:35):
The ABS attributed this to fewer older workers returning to work.
In February, the participation rate decreased to sixty six point
eight percent, down from a record high of sixty seven
point three percent in January. This figure measures the percentage
of Australians who are either employed or actively seeking employment.

Speaker 1 (00:57):
Australia's environment is showing some lines of improvement, according to
the latest report card from the Australian National University. The
report found conditions improved slightly in twenty twenty four, with
Australia receiving a score of seven point seven out of ten.
It marks four consecutive years of above average environmental conditions

(01:17):
for Australia. After extremely low scores in twenty nineteen and
twenty twenty, most regions saw relatively good rainfall in twenty
twenty four, allowing vegetation to thrive and soil health to improve.
The report said. While environmental conditions were encouraging and new
researchers warned, major challenges remain following a year of record

(01:38):
breaking heat, mass coral bleaching, and declining biodiversity. As the
global climate emergency continues to escalate, it said Australia remains
highly vulnerable.

Speaker 2 (01:52):
Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski has accepted the terms of a
thirty day ceasefire with Russia following a call with US
President Donald Trump. Zelensky said lasting peace can be achieved
this year. According to the White House, the two leaders
also discussed a proposal that would give the US ownership
of Ukrainian energy infrastructure. It comes after Trump spoke to

(02:13):
Vladimir Putin on Monday, with a Russian president agreeing to
halt strikes on power stations. However, Russia has not yet
agreed to the US Ukrainian backed plan for an immediate
thirty day ceasefire on land and sea negotiations are expected
to continue this weekend.

Speaker 1 (02:33):
And today's good News. A village in India has launched
Dvali like celebrations following the safe return of NASA astronauts
Sinita Williams. Williams and her colleague Barry Wilmore spent more
than nine months in space after a journey that was
supposed to last eight days. Williams's father is from the
Indian village of Julasan in the country's Gujarat state. Locals

(02:56):
from Sinata's ancestral home have organized grand sell abrations featuring
fireworks and a procession honoring her return. Villagers are hopeful
the astronaut will visit the town in future, saying it
would be an honor to host her. And if you
want to hear more about Williams and her colleague Barry Wilmore.

Speaker 2 (03:17):
Also known as Butch nicknamed.

Speaker 1 (03:18):
Butch, we love that you can listen to Today's Deep
Dive because Billy tells you all about their amazing story
and journey home in today's podcast episode.

Speaker 2 (03:28):
I've been absolutely obsessed with that story and since I
did that Deep Dive, I then found that Butch Wilmore's
daughter is now posting tiktoks about what it's been like
having her dad away for nine months because he's been
in space.

Speaker 1 (03:40):
Oh my goodness, Interstella, eat your heart out.

Speaker 2 (03:42):
But a happy ending, a very happy ending. That's the
latest from the Daily Od's newsroom. We'll be back tomorrow
morning with another deep dive. Until then, have a great evening.
My name is Lily Maddon and I'm a proud Aarunda
Bungelung calcottin wim from Gadigol Country. The Daily oz acknowledges

(04:03):
that this podcast is recorded on the lands of the
Gadigol people and pays respect to all Aboriginal and Torrestrate
island and nations. We pay our respects to the first
peoples of these countries, both past and present.