☕️ Heatwave about to hit Australia

And good luck with all those ‘just circling back’ emails.

“But when you find yourself having to fight against your own team, it becomes impossible to put those interests first.”
Victorian Liberal Party Deputy Leader and former professional tennis player Sam Groth announcing he will leave politics at the 2026 Victorian State Election. Groth successfully sued News Corp for defamation after the Herald Sun questioned the age of Groth’s now-wife Brittany when they met. In yesterday's statement, Groth cited “public pressure” on his family including from within his “own party” as the reasons for his departure.

12%
The percentage of 600 samples of MDMA, ketamine and cocaine that tested positive for unexpected psychoactive substances at pill testing sites across Victoria in December 2025.

Female chickens can selectively prevent fertilisation of their eggs if they don’t want a particular rooster’s offspring. Researchers found 'sperm ejection' occurred more often with male cockerels the female hens found 'socially subordinate'.

Families who receive Government financial support for childcare will now receive at least three days of subsidised childcare per week, under new laws that come into effect today.

The law, passed in early 2025, grants subsidies to parents who earn a combined income of up to $535,279 annually.

The Government estimates the changes will make an additional 100,000 families eligible for subsidised early learning.

The new system applies to all families who receive the Government’s Child Care Subsidy (CCS).

From today, all families will receive at least 72 hours of subsidised childcare per fortnight. Families caring for First Nations children, or who each work or study more than 48 hours a fortnight, can access up to 100 hours per fortnight.

Families earning under $85,000 will get 90% of childcare costs covered. The subsidy is reduced by 1% for every $5,000 earned over $85,000. There is no subsidy for families earning more than $535,279.

The new scheme scraps the previous Coalition Government’s childcare subsidy activity test.

That eligibility system, introduced in 2018, calculated how much government financial support families received based on a parents’ working or study hours.

The policy was designed to encourage greater workforce participation. A 2024 Productivity Commission report found the test did not directly help more people get into work.

Early Childhood Education Minister Jess Walsh said the reforms overhaul a system that left children “locked out of quality early education” because of their parents’ work or study arrangements.

The Coalition voted against the bill, arguing that parents who are working or studying are de-prioritised under this law.

In a statement to TDA, Acting Shadow Education and Early Learning Minister Jonno Duniam also said the new law “ignores... long waitlists and safety concerns at child care centres”.

Reporting by Achol Arok.

SPF50+, hats, sunnies – they’re not just summer accessories, they’re your skin’s best mates! 

Easy steps, big difference. Trust us on this.

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Heatwave warnings are in place for large parts of the country as temperatures are expected to reach high 30s to low 40s.

Below is what is expected for each part of the country.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has said large parts of NSW are set to experience a “prolonged period of heat” this week.

Extreme heatwave warnings (the highest level) are in place for the South Coast, Southern Tablelands and Snowy Mountains. Temperatures in these areas are expected to reach the high 30s to mid 40s in the coming days.

It is expected to ease over the weekend and early next week.

In Victoria, heatwave conditions are expected to peak today, tomorrow and Thursday.

The highest temperatures are expected in the North East and East Gippsland, where an extreme heatwave warning is in place (again, this is the highest level). Temperatures up to the mid 40s are expected in these areas on Wednesday and Thursday.

Conditions are expected to ease over the weekend.

In Western Australia, severe heatwave warnings are in place for the Kimberley, Pilbara, Gascoyne, Goldfields, Eucla, North Interior, South Interior and Central Wheat Belt.

Maximum temperatures are forecast in the high 40s in parts of northwest WA.

In South Australia, severe heatwave conditions will be in place for large parts of the state, including Adelaide, before easing over the weekend.

Maximum temperatures will reach the high 30s to mid 40s.

In Tasmania, heatwave warnings are in place for mid-week before easing later in the week.

Northern parts of the state are forecast to reach temperatures in the high 20s to low 30s over today and tomorrow.

(Note: Different states have different thresholds for heatwave warnings. The BOM says heatwave forecasts take into account what is considered hot for that specific location.)

A severe weather warning is in place across the entire territory, with maximum temperatures expected to peak in the high 30s later this week.

Areas likely to be affected include Canberra, Belconnen, Gungahlin, Tuggeranong and Woden Valley.

Conditions are forecast to ease over the weekend.

The Northern Territory is expected to be the least affected (although again, what is considered a heatwave in the NT is different to other parts part of the country.)

The BOM has issued a single severe heatwave warning in place for the Lasseter region.

Maximum temperatures are forecast to reach the low to mid 40s before easing over the weekend.

Reporting by Achol Arok.

A Women’s International Cricket series is coming — and it’s happening on home soil. Australia will take on India in the NRMA Insurance Women’s International Series, and it’s set to be huge.

This is the rivalry that once packed 80,000+ fans into the MCG, and after India’s recent World Cup triumph, the stakes are sky high. Across three T20Is, three ODIs and a four-day Test match, expect big-hitting moments mixed with the pure drama of international cricket.

It all gets underway at the SCG on Sunday 15 February. This series is where the next chapter of the rivalry unfolds. Tickets are on sale now – don’t miss out!

Snook won Best Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television with All Her Fault. In her acceptance speech, Snook said: “Thank you to everyone who looked after us. We had an awesome time with the crew while shooting really difficult stuff.”

Fellow Australian Jacob Elordi won Best Supporting Actor for Frankenstein.

Want more good news? Sign up to our weekly Good Newsletter here - we promise it’ll make your week better!

Reporting by Emma Gillespie.

A federal class action has been filed against McDonalds in the U.S.

For what you may ask? Allegedly the McRib sandwich contains no… rib meat.

Four complainants filed the lawsuit in December 2025, stating that the “rib meat” is actually made of combined cuts of pork shoulder, heart, tripe, and stomach.

The lawsuit suggests that McDonald’s has committed fraud in advertising the sandwich as the McRib, allowing customers to pay higher prices for lower quality meat.

The complainants are seeking financial compensation, and a court order to stop the chain from selling the McRib in its current state.

McDonald’s rejects claims in the lawsuit, telling The Independent: “This lawsuit distorts the facts and many of the claims are inaccurate.”

Reporting by Rosa Bowden.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is in a New York detention centre after ‍U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a raid to capture the South American leader and take control of the country and its oil reserves over the weekend. It followed an intense bombardment of Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, by U.S. forces.

Trump has said the U.S. will “run the country until such time as we can do ⁠a safe, proper and judicious transition”. Today, we're breaking down what happened, why the U.S. took this extraordinary action, and what it means for Venezuela's future.