Chapter 1: What are the latest headlines impacting the UK and Australia?
a listener production. Hi, Natasha Belling with you and welcome to the afternoon edition of The Briefing. Coming up in our deep dive, just who is Peter Mandelson? We unpack who this powerful UK politician is and why he's at the centre of another explosive news scandal that could bring down the British Prime Minister. All those details in just a moment.
But first, let's check the afternoon headlines this Thursday, the 23rd of April. The Prime Minister has held another National Cabinet meeting with the leaders of the states and territories to discuss the ongoing fuel supply emergency.
Anthony Albanese has ruled out any rationing or change to the National Fuel Security Plan for now, saying Australia has diversified its sources of fuel with more resources now coming in from the United States, Argentina and Algeria. Here is the Prime Minister after the meeting earlier today.
Australia's fuel supply outlook remains secure in the near term, however we're working hard to prepare for contingencies in the event of supply disruptions in fuel and in fertiliser.
Meantime, latest reports claim the US military has intercepted three oil tankers in waters near India, Malaysia and Sri Lanka as the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz continues.
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Chapter 2: Who is Peter Mandelson and why is he controversial?
These latest intercepts are part of the United States' blockade of the Strait, which is meant to block Iran from exporting oil to the rest of the world. The US has now turned back 29 vessels as part of the ongoing blockade. It comes as Iran sees two cargo ships in the strait. President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed on social media that the blockade is costing Iran US$500 million a day.
Staying with the war in the Middle East, the Lebanese Prime Minister has accused Israel of war crimes after an Israeli strike killed a journalist. Amal Khalil is the fourth member of the press to be killed in Lebanon by Israel since March.
In other news this Thursday, Attorney-General Michelle Rowland has announced the Royal Commission into Anti-Semitism and Social Cohesion will be releasing an interim report next week. That Royal Commission was set up in response to the Bondi Beach terror attack last year. The CEO of Microsoft is in Australia giving a talk at the International Convention Centre in Sydney.
Sacha Nadella also met with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese this morning to announce that the tech giant will be investing $25 billion in new digital infrastructure across Australia, including building data centres. According to Microsoft, that money will be spent over the next three years.
Music
And tributes are continuing to flow for ABC radio host James Valentine, who has passed away. James hosted radio and television across the ABC for 30 years, most notably as the long-time presenter of The Afternoon Show in Sydney. He was also a talented musician. James was diagnosed with cancer two years ago and stepped down from his role at the ABC in February this year.
According to media reports, James died at home with voluntary assisted dying surrounded by his family and friends. James used his final broadcast earlier this year to thank all the people who made his show possible.
Look, I'm very tearful as well at this moment because it is big. It is sort of to have done it for so long and to have been able to be in something I love for so long is just really quite extraordinary. So thank you. Thank you to listeners. Thank you to producers. Thank you to the ABC.
And I mean that in the entire ABC, which is a support structure for this, for this from, from chair of the board all the way through to, through to the person who waves cheerily from the parking gate of a morning. It's, that's how this all gets, gets to where, and thank you to you for listening and thank you for letting me do it. Goodbye.
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