1 00:00:05,760 --> 00:00:06,680 Speaker 1: From the Daily Os. 2 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:08,240 Speaker 2: I'm Emma, I'm Billy. 3 00:00:08,640 --> 00:00:12,000 Speaker 1: It's Thursday, the twentieth of March. Here's what's making headlines 4 00:00:12,039 --> 00:00:12,600 Speaker 1: this evening. 5 00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:18,160 Speaker 2: The unemployment rate held steady at four point one percent 6 00:00:18,239 --> 00:00:21,120 Speaker 2: in February, according to the latest figures from the Australian 7 00:00:21,120 --> 00:00:24,880 Speaker 2: Bureau of Statistics. The unemployment rate reflects the percentage of 8 00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:27,760 Speaker 2: people who were looking for work but couldn't find any. 9 00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:31,400 Speaker 2: The ABS start shows there were fifty two eight hundred 10 00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:35,320 Speaker 2: fewer employed people in February compared to the previous month. 11 00:00:35,760 --> 00:00:39,680 Speaker 2: The ABS attributed this to fewer older workers returning to work. 12 00:00:39,680 --> 00:00:43,560 Speaker 2: In February, the participation rate decreased to sixty six point 13 00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:46,680 Speaker 2: eight percent, down from a record high of sixty seven 14 00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:50,440 Speaker 2: point three percent in January. This figure measures the percentage 15 00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:54,600 Speaker 2: of Australians who are either employed or actively seeking employment. 16 00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:01,840 Speaker 1: Australia's environment is showing some lines of improvement, according to 17 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:05,679 Speaker 1: the latest report card from the Australian National University. The 18 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:09,039 Speaker 1: report found conditions improved slightly in twenty twenty four, with 19 00:01:09,160 --> 00:01:12,600 Speaker 1: Australia receiving a score of seven point seven out of ten. 20 00:01:13,319 --> 00:01:17,800 Speaker 1: It marks four consecutive years of above average environmental conditions 21 00:01:17,840 --> 00:01:21,560 Speaker 1: for Australia. After extremely low scores in twenty nineteen and 22 00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:26,160 Speaker 1: twenty twenty, most regions saw relatively good rainfall in twenty 23 00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:30,640 Speaker 1: twenty four, allowing vegetation to thrive and soil health to improve. 24 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:35,039 Speaker 1: The report said. While environmental conditions were encouraging and new 25 00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:38,920 Speaker 1: researchers warned, major challenges remain following a year of record 26 00:01:38,920 --> 00:01:43,920 Speaker 1: breaking heat, mass coral bleaching, and declining biodiversity. As the 27 00:01:43,920 --> 00:01:48,360 Speaker 1: global climate emergency continues to escalate, it said Australia remains 28 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:49,600 Speaker 1: highly vulnerable. 29 00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:55,800 Speaker 2: Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski has accepted the terms of a 30 00:01:55,840 --> 00:01:59,480 Speaker 2: thirty day ceasefire with Russia following a call with US 31 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:03,360 Speaker 2: President Donald Trump. Zelensky said lasting peace can be achieved 32 00:02:03,440 --> 00:02:06,520 Speaker 2: this year. According to the White House, the two leaders 33 00:02:06,560 --> 00:02:09,600 Speaker 2: also discussed a proposal that would give the US ownership 34 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:13,720 Speaker 2: of Ukrainian energy infrastructure. It comes after Trump spoke to 35 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:17,280 Speaker 2: Vladimir Putin on Monday, with a Russian president agreeing to 36 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:21,519 Speaker 2: halt strikes on power stations. However, Russia has not yet 37 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:24,720 Speaker 2: agreed to the US Ukrainian backed plan for an immediate 38 00:02:24,760 --> 00:02:29,960 Speaker 2: thirty day ceasefire on land and sea negotiations are expected 39 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:32,880 Speaker 2: to continue this weekend. 40 00:02:33,919 --> 00:02:37,400 Speaker 1: And today's good News. A village in India has launched 41 00:02:37,440 --> 00:02:41,480 Speaker 1: Dvali like celebrations following the safe return of NASA astronauts 42 00:02:41,480 --> 00:02:45,359 Speaker 1: Sinita Williams. Williams and her colleague Barry Wilmore spent more 43 00:02:45,360 --> 00:02:47,799 Speaker 1: than nine months in space after a journey that was 44 00:02:47,840 --> 00:02:51,760 Speaker 1: supposed to last eight days. Williams's father is from the 45 00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:56,600 Speaker 1: Indian village of Julasan in the country's Gujarat state. Locals 46 00:02:56,639 --> 00:03:01,040 Speaker 1: from Sinata's ancestral home have organized grand sell abrations featuring 47 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:06,000 Speaker 1: fireworks and a procession honoring her return. Villagers are hopeful 48 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:09,160 Speaker 1: the astronaut will visit the town in future, saying it 49 00:03:09,200 --> 00:03:12,640 Speaker 1: would be an honor to host her. And if you 50 00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:17,240 Speaker 1: want to hear more about Williams and her colleague Barry Wilmore. 51 00:03:17,040 --> 00:03:19,360 Speaker 2: Also known as Butch nicknamed. 52 00:03:18,919 --> 00:03:22,000 Speaker 1: Butch, we love that you can listen to Today's Deep 53 00:03:22,040 --> 00:03:25,560 Speaker 1: Dive because Billy tells you all about their amazing story 54 00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:28,000 Speaker 1: and journey home in today's podcast episode. 55 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:30,240 Speaker 2: I've been absolutely obsessed with that story and since I 56 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:33,280 Speaker 2: did that Deep Dive, I then found that Butch Wilmore's 57 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:36,960 Speaker 2: daughter is now posting tiktoks about what it's been like 58 00:03:37,040 --> 00:03:39,480 Speaker 2: having her dad away for nine months because he's been 59 00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:39,960 Speaker 2: in space. 60 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:42,440 Speaker 1: Oh my goodness, Interstella, eat your heart out. 61 00:03:42,440 --> 00:03:45,880 Speaker 2: But a happy ending, a very happy ending. That's the 62 00:03:45,960 --> 00:03:48,640 Speaker 2: latest from the Daily Od's newsroom. We'll be back tomorrow 63 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:51,640 Speaker 2: morning with another deep dive. Until then, have a great evening. 64 00:03:56,200 --> 00:03:58,520 Speaker 2: My name is Lily Maddon and I'm a proud Aarunda 65 00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:03,560 Speaker 2: Bungelung calcottin wim from Gadigol Country. The Daily oz acknowledges 66 00:04:03,640 --> 00:04:05,760 Speaker 2: that this podcast is recorded on the lands of the 67 00:04:05,800 --> 00:04:09,600 Speaker 2: Gadigol people and pays respect to all Aboriginal and Torrestrate 68 00:04:09,640 --> 00:04:12,600 Speaker 2: island and nations. We pay our respects to the first 69 00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:15,120 Speaker 2: peoples of these countries, both past and present.