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Good morning!
After 286 days in space, Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams finally arrived back on Earth yesterday.
The pair had only intended to be there for eight days, but their journey home saw many delays. Fun fact: Their suitcases were removed from the Starliner (the Boeing spacecraft taking them over) last June, so that equipment to fix the toilet could go with them instead. So for the first couple of months, they had to rely on spare clothes in the space station, until a spacecraft carrying their own clothes arrived.
Safe to say it’s been a long journey. To learn more about why these astronauts have captured the world’s attention, listen to today’s podcast.
I’ve got 10 seconds
Quote of the day
“No matter how many times you view that footage it's not easy to watch.”
Jennifer Single SC, who is assisting the NSW Coroner in an inquest into the death of Lilie James. The 21-year-old was found dead in a school bathroom in Sydney's CBD in October 2023. Footage shared in the Coroner's Court shows Paul Thijssen preparing to murder his ex-girlfriend. Single described the attack as "overkill".
Stat of the day
$69 billion
The amount of money Australians spent online shopping in 2024, according to new data from Australia Post.
OTD
1854
The Republican Party was founded in the U.S. as the main opponent to the Democratic Party.
I’ve got 30 seconds
Some headlines from this morning:
The Australian and Canadian governments have signed a new defence deal worth more than $6.5 billion dollars. The agreement will see Australia develop a long-range surveillance radar system, giving Canada tracking capabilities across North America and the Arctic. Defence Minister Richard Marles said the system will become Australia’s “single biggest defence industry export” in history. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said with U.S. priorities shifting, his country “cannot and should not look first to others” to defend itself. Australia is considered a world leader in the development of what’s known as “over-the-horizon” radar technology. Carney said the new system will “detect and deter threats across the North”.
NSW Police has announced a new youth crime strategy, aimed at reducing juvenile offending rates in regional and remote parts of the state. The strategy will see 60 new dedicated youth crime officers and the launch of rapid response units to address escalating violence among 11-16 year-old offenders. NSW Police said the crackdown, known as Operation Soteria, will focus on theft, break-ins and ‘post and boast’ offences, where perpetrators “use social media to gain notoriety for their crimes.” Police Commissioner Karen Webb has promised high-visibility policing targeting repeat offenders in regional NSW.
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I’ve got 1 minute
Students with family incomes of less than $100k will be able to study at Harvard for free
Harvard University is increasing the number of students who attend for free.
Under an expanded financial aid program, students from families that earn less than $100,000 annually will have all their expenses covered. This includes tuition, housing, food, and activities.
Students from households earning between $100,000 and $200,000 will receive free tuition, but will need to cover other expenses.
More than half of the uni’s 6,700 current undergraduates have received some form of financial aid.
Program
The university said expanding its aid program is aimed at bridging financial gaps, particularly for “middle-income families.”
Dean of Admissions William R. Fitzsimmons said the school community is “strengthened by their presence and participation.”
“We know the most talented students come from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds and experiences, from every state and around the globe,” Fitzsimmons said.
Reporting by Achol Arok.
I’ve got 2 minutes
Russia and Ukraine have agreed to stop attacking each others’ power plants
Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to a U.S-led proposal to stop bombing Ukraine’s power infrastructure, but not a full ceasefire.
Ukraine has said it will also support the agreement, which also requires it to stop bombing Russian energy facilities.
It comes as the U.S. pushes to end the war that began in February 2022 with Russia’s widescale invasion.
Background
Since coming to office, U.S. President Donald Trump has pushed to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, which has lasted more than three years.
UN data shows more than 12,500 civilians have been killed in the war to date. Neither side releases updated data on soldier deaths.
Earlier this month, following a heated discussion with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trump cut off aid to Ukraine. His administration has also signalled it will not support some of Ukraine’s war-ending conditions.
Talks
In recent weeks, the U.S. has held separate talks with Russian and Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia about ending the war.
At the same time, European leaders have formed a ‘coalition of the willing’ — an improvised group of nations formed outside existing agreements like NATO and the G20. Australia, Canada, and New Zealand are part of the ‘coalition’, but not the U.S.
This group is working to end the war and organise support for Ukraine.
Call
On Tuesday (local time), Trump spoke to Putin. Following the phone call, Trump and Putin’s teams released separate statements.
The White House said the pair had discussed “the need for peace,” and that this process would “begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire”.
The Kremlin said the two leaders had “a detailed and frank” conversation, where Putin said a key ceasefire condition was the “cessation of foreign military aid and the provision of intelligence” to Ukraine.
Response
Speaking to reporters on an official visit to Finland, Zelenskyy said he supported the plan to stop bombing energy infrastructure.
He said he would be seeking more detail from Trump on the agreement, however.
Zelenskyy added: “There are two sides in this war — Russia and Ukraine. Trying to negotiate without Ukraine, in my view, will not be productive.”
Reporting by Lucy Tassell.
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Give me some good news
The Sydney Opera House has announced the roll-out of world-first technology to assist hearing-impaired patrons in its theatres.
Hearing aid users can now access broadcast audio “with full venue coverage” via bluetooth transmitters. The technology launched this week across the venue’s Drama Theatre, Playhouse and Studio. The Sydney Opera House said “this exciting new technology” will help “to remove barriers to the arts” and create a more inclusive venue.
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
A director has been arrested for allegedly stealing $US11 million ($AU17 million) from Netflix.
Carl Erik Rinsch sold a show he was working on, called ‘White Horse’, to the streaming company in 2018 for $US44 million ($AU70 million).
A year later, he asked for another $11 million to help finish the show.
Instead, it’s alleged he transferred the funds through a number of different bank accounts, ultimately spending them on investments and luxury items, including five Rolls-Royces and one Ferrari.
Rinsch was charged with wire fraud and money laundering, which could see him spend decades in prison.
Reporting by Rosa Bowden.
Want more from The Daily Aus? Listen to our podcast!
You’ve likely seen the news that astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore have arrived back on earth after an unplanned nine months at the International Space Station.
The capsule carrying the astronauts splashed down off the Florida coast yesterday, surrounded by dolphins on a beautiful sunny day.
It was an extraordinary ending to a saga that has captured the world’s attention.
Today we’re going to take you back to why the astronauts were in space for so long in the first place, and what happens now that they are back on earth.
TDA asks
