SBS News in Easy English 6 June 2025
Listen to Australian and world news, and follow trending topics with SBS News Podcasts .
Welcome to SBS News in Easy English, I'm Camille Bianchi.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says world leaders should not show weakness to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Mr Putin has threatened to hit back at Ukraine, after it launched attacks this past week. Mr Zelenskyy has suggested a ceasefire with Russia, until a meeting can be arranged with Mr Putin. At a meeting, he said Europe, Ukraine and the whole world have a chance to end the war.
"My proposal, which I believe our partners can support, is that we agree a ceasefire with the Russians until the leaders meet. We offer a meeting any day starting from Monday … if there is no mutual understanding, if there is no desire for de-escalation, if there is no desire and vision how to put an end to it, then ceasefire will be over the same day."
Australia is hoping United States President, Donald Trump, will not put a thirty per cent tariff on Australian steel and aluminium imports. Mr Trump has announced every country except the U-K must have a 30 per cent tariff on steel and aluminium. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will meet with the U-S President soon and will ask. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt says trade partners are encouraged to come forward with tailored deals.
"Well, each country has unique advantages, unique challenges to it based on their markets and what they export to us and what we export to them. And so that's why the president smartly advised his trade team to engage in tailor-made deal making."
Western Australian Greens Party leader, Brad Pettit, says the state is now the climate change capital. Official figures show WA released 89.37 million tonnes of carbon dioxide in 2022 to 2023, almost as high as the record number of 89.64 million tonnes released between 2009 and 2010. WA Greens M-P Sophie McNeill says it is extremely concerning the state's Labor government has just approved decades more emissions from mining.
"The Cook Labor Government knows these numbers and they just don't care. They know that West Australia needs to drastically reduce our emissions that we are the worst climate laggard out in the whole country, and yet they are willing to open new gas projects in the face of this."
United Nations Security Council members have criticised the United States, after it rejected a vote calling for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and for charities to have full access to Gaza. Washington's United Nations representative Dorothy Shea says the plan would not be effective. 'Fourteen votes in favour, one against. The draft resolution has not been adopted, owing to the negative vote of a permanent member."]
The vote has sparked anger among members of the council.
The Hajj Pilgrimage in Mecca has begun, with more than 1.5 million Muslims from around the world travelling to Saudi Arabia to perform their religious duty. Palestinian pilgrims like Rajai Al-Kahlut from Gaza have gathered in Mecca.
"By God's grace and mercy, we were able to be among those who came for hajj this season, and this was the greatest gift from God for us. By His grace and mercy, He granted us this hajj. We pray to God for acceptance. Thank God. Our performance of hajj came at the right time so we can pray for our people in Gaza and to ask God to stop the war and end this great calamity that has befallen us."
That's the latest SBS News in Easy English.
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