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TRANSCRIPT
Welcome to SBS News in Easy English. I'm Biwa Kwan.
The United States says it has seized an Iranian cargo ship, after it attempted to breach a naval blockad in the Gulf of Oman heading to the Strait of Hormuz.
US President Donald Trump says the ship's crew ignored repeated warnings from a US Navy destroyer, which then proceeded to disable it with a shot into its engine room.
US Marines then boarded the ship and seized it.
The move comes as Washington increases pressure on Tehran, with Mr Trump again warning of possible strikes on Iranian infrastructure if a ceasefire is not reached.
He says US representatives are heading to Pakistan for talks aimed at easing the conflict.
Iran's state media says Tehran has "no plans for now to participate" in the talks.
Meanwhile, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the confrontation with Iran is not over.
"We have been engaged with the United States in a battle against the Great Tyranny of Iran, which ... seeks to bring down Western civilisation as we know it. We have achieved enormous things. It's not over yet. And any moment could bring us new developments."
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The Australian Trucking Association has welcomed the federal government's announcement of $1 billion in emergency loans.
The loan program offers zero-interest loans of up to $5 million for manufacturing and logistics business with an annual turnover of less than $100 million.
Industry and Innovation Minister Tim Ayres says the initiative is aimed at stopping any potential breakdown in the small business sector due to the fallout from the war in the Middle East.
"We have set this up for these smaller loans, so that businesses are working with their existing customer relationship with the banks, so we can deliver this as quickly as possible. So that is we think the smart way of delivering the economic resilience program. I am really grateful, I have to say for the fast work of the four major banks, and the two regional banks: Bank of Queensland and Bendigo Bank, for working to deliver this."
The CEO of the Australian Trucking Association, Mathew Munro, says the loan program is a lifeline for businesses struggling with cash flow due to the fuel crisis.
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Victorian commuters will receive another month of free public transport amid the fuel crisis triggered by the war in the Middle East.
Victoria's Transport Infrastructure Minister Gabrielle Williams says all rail, bus and tram fares will then be halved until the end of the year.
Ms Williams says beyond the month, the cost of the initiative, including free public transport during both April and May, is about $432 million.
The state government says there has been about a 10 per cent increase in metro and regional public transport use - since the free fares were introduced at the start of the month.
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Pope Leo XIV has prayed at a Catholic shrine located at the site of an important hub of the African slave trade during Portugal's colonial rule.
The pontiff travelled to the Sanctuary of Mama Muxima in Angola, which became a major pilgrimage destination after believers reported an appearance by the Virgin Mary around 1833.
But the Church of Our Lady of Muxima was originally built by Portuguese colonisers at the end of the 16th century as part of a fortress complex.
Pope Leo's own ancestors include enslaved people and slave owners.
Praying at the sanctuary, he referred to the "sorrow and great suffering" Angolans endured for centuries.
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The federal government is introducing free vaccinations for older Australians to ensure they are protected from the common and potentially deadly respiratory syncytial virus or RSV.
From May 15 Australians aged 75 and over can receive free vaccination, while Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are eligible from the age of 60.
Normally the single-dose shot would cost more than $300.
Eligible Australians can receive the vaccine through their preferred local health service including GPs, immunisation clinics, community and Aboriginal health services and participating pharmacies.
Federal Health Minister Mark Butler says vulnerable Australians should also access the free influenza and COVID-19 vaccine programs.
"I do want to take the opportunity as we head into the winter season to remind Australians to consider the benefits of the winter vaccines. COVID and flu in particular, particularly for over 65s, flu shots are available on the national immunisations program completely free of charge and are strongly recoomend by the medical community."
And that's SBS News in Easy English.
