If you were forwarded this email (Hi! Welcome!), you can sign up to the newsletter here.
Good morning.
We’re starting today’s newsletter with a little bit of good news. Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, the astronauts who have been stranded in space since June last year, are finally returning to earth this month.
A NASA crew will be leaving earth March 12, heading to the International Space Station where the pair are. The return voyage is expected to take place a few days later.
Will they miss anything about space? “Everything,” Suni said in a press conference earlier this week.
I’ve got 10 seconds
Quote of the day
“Aotearoa is regularly used as a name of New Zealand... It appears on our passports and it appears on our currency... If other members do not like certain words, they don't have to use them. But it's not a matter of order and I don't expect to have further points of order raised about it.”
NZ Parliament Speaker Gerry Brownlee ruling against a request by Deputy PM Winston Peters to ban the use of the country's Māori name in proceedings.
Stat of the day
40 seconds
The amount of time remaining before take off when SpaceX's eighth Starship test flight was cancelled. The Starship is intended to carry up to 100 passengers on “interplanetary flights.”
TDA reader’s comment of the week
“Nice! They’re buying a Qatar of the company.”
A comment left on our post about Qatar Airways buying a 25% stake in Virgin Australia.
I’ve got 30 seconds
Some headlines from this morning:
Evacuation centres have opened in NSW and Queensland as authorities finalise preparations ahead of Cyclone Alfred making landfall. The Category Two system is expected to make landfall tomorrow. Residents across South East Qld and NSW’s Northern Rivers region are being told to brace for dangerous winds, heavy rainfall, flash flooding, and storm surges. The NSW SES has urged flood prone Northern Rivers communities to “consider relocating,” while police have been door-knocking to warn residents in at-risk areas of Brisbane. Hundreds of school-closures have been announced in both states. Domestic and international services out of the Gold Coast have been cancelled, with the airport now closed.
Lone-wolf attackers perpetrated the majority of terror incidents in Western democracies last year, according to new data. The 2024 Global Terrorism Index, out yesterday, describes lone-wolf attacks as terrorism perpetrated by “individuals acting on their own initiative,” compared to attacks by organised terror cells. The Institute for Economics & Peace report shows terrorist incidents were recorded in 66 countries last year, up from 58 in 2023. However, deaths from terrorism fell to 7,555 in 2024, down 13% from the previous year. The data also shows there’s been an increase in the number of attacks by under 18 year-olds.
Recommendation of the day
Transparency: This is a sponsored section of the newsletter. It's the best way we can keep this newsletter free for you
Reset with Oil Garden’s Complexion Boost and Lymphatic Boost Body Oils.
After hydration? Meet the Complexion Boost - it nourishes and restores glow to dry, dull skin.
Need a refresh? Lymphatic Boost supports circulation, reduces puffiness, and firms skin.
I’ve got 1 minute
A second nurse has been charged over an antisemitic video filmed at a Sydney hospital
NSW police have charged a second nurse over an antisemitic video broadcast from Bankstown Hospital last month.
The 27-year-old man has been accused of using a carriage service (e.g. a phone) to menace, harass, or offend.
He’s also been charged with possessing a banned drug.
It follows charges laid against the first nurse, a 26-year-old woman, who also appeared in the video posted to social media by an Israeli influencer.
The male nurse was charged under Strike Force Pearl, which was established to investigate antisemitic crimes across NSW.
15 people have now been arrested as part of this operation.
Both nurses were stood down from their roles at Bankstown Hospital after the video emerged, which allegedly shows them making threats against Israeli patients.
Speaking to media last month, NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said authorities are reviewing the two nurses’ conduct, but that there was “no evidence” so far they had harmed any patients.
Reporting by Harry Sekulich.
I’ve got 2 minutes
U.S. tariffs on imports from Mexico, Canada, and China have now come into effect
US President Donald Trump has pressed ahead with tariffs against Mexico, Canada, and China.
Trump initially vowed to bring in tariffs in February, but the measure was delayed for Mexico and Canada after a deal was reached.
Canada has retaliated with a legal complaint to the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the tariffs “very dumb”.
Tariffs
A ‘tariff’ is a tax on imports. It’s applied to foreign-made goods brought into another country, and paid by the importer.
It works like this: Country A and Country B make the same product. Country A wants its citizens to buy its own version of the product, not Country B’s, so it applies a tariff.
Importers in Country A now pay the tax when they bring in B’s product, and pass on the cost to consumers, making this version of the product more expensive to buy. It’s meant to encourage domestic production and purchasing.
U.S. tariffs
Last month, Trump signed an executive order to impose new tariffs on the U.S’ three largest trading partners: Mexico, Canada, and China.
The duties were initially slated to come into effect in February.
Trump delayed the tariffs after Mexico and Canada agreed to boost border controls and implement measures designed to curb the flow of fentanyl, a highly potent and addictive drug prescribed for pain relief.
Yesterday
The White House has now confirmed 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada will come into effect.
Trump has also doubled the tariffs on China from 10 to 20%.
In a statement, the White House said Mexico and Canada were given “ample opportunity to curb the dangerous cartel activity and influx of lethal drugs”.
“They have failed to adequately address the situation,” the statement read.
Canada response
In a press conference, Trudeau announced Canada would file a complaint with the WTO.
He added that Canada would impose 25% counter-tariffs on American goods.
Trudeau resigned as PM earlier this year, but stayed on until a new leader could be elected.
His replacement is expected to be announced later this week.
Mexico response
The White House also claimed Mexican drug trafficking groups “operate unhindered due to an intolerable relationship” with the country’s government.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum called these comments “offensive, defamatory, and without support”.
She added that Mexico will likely respond with retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods.
Trump said tariffs will increase by a “like amount” to counter-tariffs.
Reporting by Harry Sekulich.
A message from our sponsor
Want a brighter smile? We’ve got the perfect solution!
Say hello to a dazzling, dentist-developed smile with Smilie - Australia’s #1 at-home teeth whitening solution. Trusted by award-winning dentists and loved by thousands, Smilie’s cutting-edge formula delivers faster, more effective results while being gentle on enamel (even for sensitive teeth!).
🍊 Emma Raducanu has spoken after a stalking incident. Here's what she said.
🍊 Australia was eliminated from the Champions Trophy. More details.
🍊 LeBron James is the first NBA player to reach 50,000 points. Read here.
🗞️ Also in the Sport Newsletter: basketball and more…
Give me some good news
A team of researchers at Louisiana State University has developed a sustainable alternative to plastic Mardi Gras beads.
The beads are a popular element of the annual Mardi Gras festival in New Orleans, which is based on the Christian tradition of Shrove Tuesday (unlike the Sydney celebration at the same time of year). It’s estimated several tonnes of the colourful strands end up in landfill every year. Now, local scientists have developed an eco-friendly recycling solution to this problem. The “PlantMe Beads” are made up of several biodegradable outer shells, with plant and flower seeds stored within each bead. As the discarded chains break down in soil, flowers will grow in their place.
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
Adrien Brody has broken the record for the longest acceptance speech at the Oscars.
Brody won his second Oscar for Best Actor for his role in ‘The Brutalist’ on Sunday night (local time). His acceptance speech lasted five minutes and 40 seconds.
This beat the previous record set by actress Greer Garson in 1943, who spoke for five minutes and 30 seconds.
Brody sparked controversy for a few moments at this year's Academy Awards, including requesting the music playing him offstage be stopped so he could continue speaking, and spitting his gum out and throwing it to his partner (Georgina Chapman, a fashion designer, who also happens to be the ex-wife of Harvey Weinstein).
The actor also made headlines for his first Oscar for Best Actor, won in 2003 for The Pianist, by kissing Halle Berry after she handed over the trophy.
Reporting by Rosa Bowden.
Want more from The Daily Aus? Listen to our podcast!
Millions of residents in parts of Queensland and NSW are bracing for the arrival of Cyclone Alfred, which is due to make landfall early on Friday morning. Authorities are warning the rare weather event could bring with it significant rainfall and high winds. In today’s podcast, we’ll explain what we know, what’s been done to ready the communities at risk and how residents can stay informed.
TDA asks
