It’s Thursday, June 25. My name is Aisha Dow. I’ll be keeping you across what’s making news this afternoon.
It’s been a busy start to the day. Here is what has been making the headlines.
Prime minister joins critics of Stefanovic interview: Today show host Karl Stefanovic is expected to leave Nine (owner of this masthead) amid continuing controversy over his now-deleted podcast interview with far-right figure Tommy Robinson. The prime minister and home affairs minister have joined a growing list of critics of the interview with the British anti-Islam activist.
New political party, new name: Teal independents Zali Steggall and Allegra Spender will form a new political party, this masthead revealed this morning. In making the case for the new “centrist” movement, Steggall said: “A lot of people feel politically homeless right now and very frustrated with the major parties’ ability to listen and deliver.” But there doesn’t seem to be a lot of love for the party’s name, Community Strong Australia. “Too long” and “awkward” were some of the verdicts from readers today.
Thousands feared dead after Venezuela earthquakes: The US Geological Survey said that “high casualties and extensive damage” were probable following two powerful back-to-back earthquakes that rocked Venezuela this morning. The agency has estimated a possible death toll of between 10,000 and 100,000. Rescuers are searching for survivors.
Final ‘ISIS bride’ set to return home: The last of the Islamic State-linked Australian women stranded in a detention camp in Syria has been granted a permit to return to Australia, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has said. Burke said that given the woman had formally requested to come back to Australia, the government could no longer prevent her from returning to the country. But the opposition says the government has not done enough to stop the return of the women.
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