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Good morning!
Just a quick question: Are you doing anything on the morning of 27 February?
If you’re free, you’re in Sydney, and you want TDA to buy you a coffee, come meet us at Cafe Freda’s in Darlinghurst to chat about all the good news happening in the world. Oh, and we’ll also provide the food. It would be rude not to!
If you’re interested in coming, register for the event here.
I’ve got 10 seconds
Quote of the day
"The royal commission [into child sex abuse] was a really painful experience for survivors but a necessary piece of truth-telling and reconciliation... Survivors including me appreciate it, a point I have never disclosed because I didn't want to be defined by it, because I didn't want to detract attention from those who, unlike me, didn't have a voice or didn't have access to power to tell their story."
Retiring Federal MP and Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones, in his valedictory speech to parliament. The MP revealed for the first time that he is a survivor of child sexual abuse.
Stat of the day
$5.1 billion
The net profit Commonwealth Bank made in the last six months of 2024, according to their half year report.
Today in history
2008
Then-Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd delivered a formal apology to First Nations people, particularly the Stolen Generations, on behalf of Parliament.
I’ve got 30 seconds
Some headlines from this morning:
Authorities have confirmed two NSW Health workers have been stood down, after they appeared in an antisemitic video bragging about allegedly killing and refusing to treat Israeli patients. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the footage circulating online as “disgusting... sickening and shameful”. He added: “They have rightly been referred to the NSW Police for criminal investigation.” NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said: “Those people subject to that investigation will not ever be working for NSW Health again." NSW Police visited Bankstown Hospital in Sydney’s south west yesterday as part of their inquiries.
The price of the average Australian mortgage has reached an all time high, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. National figures show the average owner-occupier home loan increased by $25,000 to $666,000 in the December quarter. The most expensive state is NSW, where average mortgages increased from $780k to $811k. Meanwhile, there was a 4.5% drop in the number of investors seeking home loans in the December quarter, compared to the September quarter. It’s the first time this figure has decreased since March 2023, the ABS said.
Recommendation of the day
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I’ve got 1 minute
Kanye West’s website selling antisemitic shirts has been shut down
American rapper Kanye West’s online store has been shut down after selling a t-shirt with a swastika.
West reportedly paid $AU11 million for a Super Bowl commercial slot to promote the website.
E-commerce company Shopify, which hosted the store, told U.S. news outlets the product “violated our terms”. This means the website is no longer accessible.
It comes days after West repeatedly posted antisemitic content on X.
Yeezy website
During the Super Bowl, West aired an ad directing audiences to his website, where the only item for sale was a white t-shirt featuring a black swastika.
This came days after West posted a series of antisemitic and misogynistic messages on his X account. The Daily Aus has deemed the antisemitic comments unsuitable for publication.
West has previously posted similarly antisemitic content, and was dropped by sportswear brand Adidas over those comments.
Fallout
Shopify has now shut down the Yeezy website. The t-shirt was available for purchase for more than 24 hours before the website was taken down.
Those trying to access the website are now met with a notice saying “this store is not available”.
West’s account is no longer available on X.
In response to comments about the pornographic nature of some of West’s tweets, X owner Elon Musk said: “You should not be seeing that anymore.”
West has also since been dropped by his talent agency, 33 & West.
In a statement posted to Instagram, music agent Daniel McCartney said the decisions come after West’s “recent harmful and hateful remarks.”
In a statement this week, West’s spokesperson Milo Yiannopoulos said: "[He] is an intergenerational artist and icon who continues to redefine the limits of creativity and free expression. He has deactivated his X account for the time being."
I’ve got 2 minutes
Saudi Arabia will host the first Esports Olympics in 2027
The world’s best video gamers will have a chance to compete for Olympic gold at the inaugural Olympic Esports Games in 2027.
In an announcement on Tuesday, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed the event will be hosted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The IOC said Olympic qualification events will begin as soon as this year.
Context
Electronic sports, aka Esports, is the term used to describe competitive video gaming.
In July 2024, the IOC announced it would facilitate the creation of the Esports Games.
It’s partnered with the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee to organise the inaugural 2027 Games.
The IOC also named the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) as the founding partner of the Esports Games.
EWCF is a non-profit organisation committed to fostering the growth and development of esports and gaming worldwide.
Why?
The IOC’s decision to invest in Esports is part of the governing body’s push to engage younger audiences.
It follows previous efforts to bring more contemporary events to the Olympics such as breaking, surfing, and speed climbing.
The growing popularity of Esports makes it an attractive investment area for the IOC, with the market expected to reach 869 million users by 2029.
IOC President Thomas Bach said this week’s announcement provides a “clear roadmap to the historic first-ever Olympic Esports Games.”
“The Games are becoming a reality,” he added.
Saudi Arabia
The Saudi Government has invested in securing several upcoming international sporting events. For example, hosting the ESports Games and the 2034 men’s soccer World Cup.
However, critics have accused Saudi authorities of ‘sportswashing’ to redirect attention from its poor human rights record.
According to the Australian Human Rights Institute, this includes “limited recognition of migrant, LGBTQ+ and women’s rights,” and limits on freedom of expression and protest.
Reporting by George Finlayson.
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🍊 The most watched TV event since the moon landing. Details here.
🍊 Rubiales says kiss with Hermoso was consensual. Read more.
🍊 A 5-time Olympian and an NRL star make big announcements.
🗞️ Also in the Sport Newsletter: cricket, basketball, and more…
Give me some good news
Funds from the sale of a 311-year-old violin will be used to pay for music scholarships for students in the U.S.
The violin was handcrafted in 1714, and fetched nearly $AU18 million at a recent auction. All proceeds will go towards a scholarship program at Boston’s New England Conservatory. The Conservatory said “while it has been a privilege to have one of the world’s finest violins, this sale will be transformational for our students… honouring our mission to educate and train the next generation of musicians.”
Want more good news? Sign up to our weekly Good Newsletter here - we promise it’ll make your week better!
Reporting by Emma Gillespie.
TDA tidbit
Are you watching Apple Cider Vinegar on Netflix?
Well, you’re not alone, with the Australian series making it to the top five of the streaming service’s charts globally. In the first week, it received 3.8 million streams.
The miniseries follows the rise of Australian wellness blogger Belle Gibson, as she seeks to treat her diagnosis of ‘malignant brain cancer’ with organic whole foods. But she doesn’t actually have cancer.
The one question the TDA team has been discussing this week: why do we have an American actor playing an Australian? The accent is impressive to say nonetheless. Beyond that, we love it!
Reporting by Rosa Bowden.
Want more from The Daily Aus? Listen to our podcast!
This week, an independent MP introduced a bill that would require the Government to consider the “economic, social, environmental and cultural wellbeing” of future generations when deciding national laws.
It’s the latest in a broader push to consider the rights and wellbeing of young people here in Australia. In today's podcast, we explain the proposal and if it will pass Parliament.
TDA asks
