Headlines: Early voting in the federal election is open

Early voting for the 2025 federal election opened around the country today.

Pope Francis' cause of death has been officially confirmed by the Vatican.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth reportedly shared details of the country's military activities with a Signal chat containing his wife and brother, according to The New York Times.

And today's good news: A 10-year-old girl has graduated from a California community college with two degrees.

Hosts: Lucy Tassell and Zara Seidler
Producer: Orla Maher

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Episode Transcript

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

Speaker 2 (00:06):
I'm Lucy Tassel, I'm Zara Seidler.

Speaker 1 (00:08):
It's Tuesday, the twenty second of April. Here's what's making
headlines this evening.

Speaker 2 (00:16):
Early voting for the federal election officially opened today. The
option is available for anyone who can't vote on election day,
which is of course, the third of May, for reasons
such as working, traveling, or illness. Early voting centers will
be open across the country every day until the election,
except for Anzac Day this Friday. You can find the

(00:37):
closest early voting center to you at AEC dot gov
dot AU. If you're going to be away on election
day and can't make it to an early voting center,
you can also apply for a postal vote about It
will be mailed to you, which must reach the AEC
by the sixteenth of May.

Speaker 1 (00:54):
Pope Francis died of cardiovascular collapse and a stroke in
the early hours of Monday morning local time. The Vatican
has confirmed the pope had been hospitalized with respiratory illnesses
earlier in the year, and had had part of one
lung removed when he was a young man against his
doctor's orders. Francis worked throughout Sunday meeting with US Vice

(01:15):
President JD. Vance. The pope also joined celebrations for the
Feast of Easter, the most important event in the Christian calendar.
In his final address, read for him by a senior official,
the Pope called for peace in several global conflicts and
for prisoners of war to be released.

Speaker 2 (01:34):
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth reportedly shared details of
the country's military activities in Yemen on Signal That's according
to The New York Times. The chat reportedly contained his wife,
his brother, and his lawyer. It comes a month after
The Atlantic revealed its editor in chief was mistakenly added
to another Signal group chat, which included heg Seth and

(01:55):
Vice President JD. Vance. Both Hegseeth's brother and lawyer worked
for the US Department of Defense, while his wife has
accompanied him on official trips. President Donald Trump told media
heg Seth is doing a quote great job, while heg
Seth himself attributed the reports to disgruntled former employees. US
outlet NPR has reported the Trump administration is looking for

(02:17):
a replacement for heg Seth.

Speaker 1 (02:21):
And Today's good News. A ten year old girl in
the US state of California has become a local community
college's youngest ever graduate. Community colleges are institutions which offer
two year courses for lower level qualifications called associates degrees.
Graduates can then progress to university or access more jobs.
Alisa Perals, who is homeschooled, is graduating with two associates

(02:44):
degrees in science and maths. She told local News she
studied the courses because they are quote very fun and
she enjoys learning.

Speaker 2 (02:52):
That's the latest from the dally O's newsroom. If you
are looking for something else, why not listen to today's
deep dive on Chinese warehouse videos that might have been
flooding your for you page.

Speaker 1 (03:01):
We'll be back tomorrow with another deep dive. Until then,
have a great evening. My name is Lily Maddon and
I'm a proud Arunda Bunjelung Kalkatin woman from Gadighl Country.
The Daily oz acknowledges that this podcast is recorded on
the lands of the Gadighl people and pays respect to
all Aboriginal and torrest Rate island and nations. We pay

(03:25):
our respects to the first peoples of these countries, both
past and present,