The Loop: Banks expected to lift interest rates, Socceroos win, and NASA to launch rockets from the NT

Hi there. It's Wednesday, June 8 and you're reading The Loop, a quick look at today's news.

Let's start here: The Biloela family are beginning their journey home

The Nadesalingam family are expected to leave Perth and fly to Brisbane today, on their way back to the Queensland town of Biloela.

Here's some background:

• The Tamil asylum seeker family of four have spent more than four years in immigration detention, much of it on Christmas Island, and had been allowed to move to Perth in community detention
• The new Federal Government approved their release on bridging visas last month
• The family is now expected to return to Biloela by the end of the week, where supporters with decorations and 'welcome home' signs are ready to welcome them home

The Nadesalingam family became known as "the Biloela family" as they fought to stay in Australia. (Australian Story: Robert Koenig-Luck)

What you'll be hearing about today: Interest rates and energy prices

• Yesterday the Reserve Bank lifted the official cash rate to 0.85 per cent, which if passed on in full by the banks will add $133 a month on a $500,000 mortgage, and $265 a month on a loan worth $1 million. Westpac was the first major bank to pass on the full rate rise to borrowers, and other banks are expected to follow — keep an eye out for those announcements as early as today

Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe has said the RBA will likely keep raising interest rates over the months ahead. (ABC News: Matt Roberts)

• Commonwealth, state and territory energy ministers are meeting today for the first time since Labor's federal election win. They're expected to discuss how they'll respond to rising energy prices, and the states and territories are also expected to push for a more unified, national approach to encouraging the take-up of electric vehicles

News while you snoozed

• The Socceroos are a step closer to qualifying for the 2022 World Cup after securing a must-win victory over the United Arab Emirates. After a conservative first half that saw both sides fail to create chances, Australia came out of the break on the attack, with goals from Jackson Irvine and Ajdin Hrustic securing a 2-1 victory. The Socceroos will now play a final knockout qualifier game against Peru next week, with the winner advancing to the World Cup finals later this year

• China warned Australia to stop "provocative" actions in the South China Sea region after a Royal Australian Air Force surveillance plane was dangerously intercepted in an area near the Paracel Islands. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the Chinese interception was an act of aggression, while China claims Australia has spread false information and advocated for confrontation

Here's what Australia has been searching for online

• Sri Lanka v Australia. Bowler Josh Hazlewood has helped set-up Australia's ruthless 10-wicket Twenty20 win to start the tour of Sri Lanka in imposing fashion, taking 4-16 as Sri Lanka collapsed from 1-100 to be all-out for 128 in Colombo. Australian openers David Warner (70*) and Aaron Finch (61*) backed up Hazlewood's dominance, powering Australia to 0-101 in the 12th over before heavy rain forced players off the field for almost an hour. When play resumed, Finch guided a six to third man for the winning runs as Australia passed Sri Lanka's total with 36 balls to spare

One more thing

• Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is set to announce today that American space agency NASA will be heading Down Under this month for a series of rocket launches in Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory. It will be the first time NASA rockets have launched from Australia in over 25 years

You're up to date!

We'll be back later with more Loopy goodness.

ABC/wires