We have a very special podcast episode this morning. All week, TDA’s co-founder Sam has been in the White House to cover Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s state visit as part of the travelling press pack.

During this trip, he managed to get one-on-one interviews with two very senior people at the White House: Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre (she’s the one who stands in front of dozens of U.S. journalists every day on behalf of the President) and National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby.

The interviews cover a range of topics including the growing conflict in Israel and Gaza as well as the importance of the US - Australia relationship.

You can listen here.

The quote
"I only have one regret about tonight, which is: I'm not quite sure how I top this for date night with Jodie at anytime, anywhere in the future. It's all downhill from here, my darling." – PM Anthony Albanese during his toast at his state dinner at the White House yesterday.

The stat
$16.9 million
Cricket Australia's losses in the last financial year. The organisation's governing body attributed the losses to 2022-23 being a non-Ashes year.

Today in history
2014: Singer Taylor Swift released 1989, which she described as her first “official pop album”. Today, she re-releases the album as part of her goal to own all of her albums herself, after the original 1989 song masters were sold to a private equity firm, which she publicly opposed.

Some headlines from this morning:

Police in Lewiston, a small city in the U.S. state of Maine, are searching for a 40-year-old man after a mass shooting yesterday.

At a press conference, Governor Janet Mills confirmed the shooter killed at least 18 people and injured 13 others.

The shootings took place at a restaurant and a bowling alley in Lewiston, which has a population of about 38,000.

The shooter remains at large, and authorities say they should be considered "armed and dangerous".

Residents in the city of Lewiston have been told to stay inside, as have residents of the nearby town of Lisbon, where a vehicle connected to the incident was found.

According to the Maine Information and Analysis Center, the person of interest is a trained firearms instructor and a member of the U.S. Army Reserve.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) has uncovered what it has described as "one of the biggest ever money laundering operations."

The AFP alleges a Chinese currency exchange business used dozens of its Australian retail premises as a front for illegal operations worth over $200 million.

Seven people have been arrested and more than $50 million worth of properties and luxury items have been seized.

What is money laundering?
Money laundering is the process of moving or 'cleaning' criminal money obtained through illicit activities, so that the funds appear to have come from a legitimate source.

Using a legal business model, a currency exchange service called Changjiang Currency Exchange (CCE) sent billions of dollars overseas on behalf of its Australian customers.

However, the AFP says this legitimate operation was a front to conceal criminal money laundering.

The allegation:
The AFP has accused CCE of processing almost $229 million of illegally sourced funds, which included money from cyber scams, illicit goods trafficking and violent crimes.

The operator allegedly coached criminal clients on how to create fake business paperwork and bought them fake passports so they could flee the country if they were found by law enforcement.

How did police find out?
Investigators became suspicious when CCE opened new stores during Sydney's COVID lockdowns, after many tourists and international students had left the country.

AFP Eastern Command Assistant Commissioner Stephen Dametto said "it was just a gut feeling — it didn't feel right."

However, CCE's public presence made it harder to detect its alleged criminal activity.

"It was not operating in the shadows like other money laundering organisations," Dametto said.

Raids and arrests:
On Wednesday, 240 AFP and 92 specialist officers executed 20 search warrants, leading to seven arrests in Melbourne's eastern suburbs.

Dametto alleges the seven "lived the high life", travelling on private jets and living in homes valued up to $10 million.

Get all the news you need to know today in your ears on The Daily Aus podcast!

Trams in Melbourne are set to become more accessible from next year.

Twelve additional level-access tram stops will be built in the Melbourne CBD, which will help elderly passengers and those with young children step onto the trams.

Picture this: a home-cooked dinner at a local cave home in Cappadocia, Turkey. Or, zipping around Vietnam, taking in the sights from the back of a motorbike with a local. How about learning to make loukoumi from a family in Greece?

As the end of the year approaches, there’s no better time to plan your next trip. If you're thinking of an adventure, but don't have a crew ready to jump in with, it could be time to think about a guided small group tour.

With more than 1,000 trips worldwide, Intrepid is all about immersive experiences with small groups that take you beyond where any Google search can take you. They plan your travel with local leaders who have deep connections to the destinations and people around you. Intrepid also ensures you’re travelling safely, securely, and with like-minded travellers (who might just become lifelong friends).

Book your next trip with Intrepid today!

Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe has produced a documentary about his former stunt double, David Holmes.

Holmes was injured when a stunt went wrong on the set of ‘Deathly Hallows Part 1’, breaking his neck and leaving him paralysed from the chest down.

“David Holmes: The Boy Who Lived” follows Holmes’ life, career, and experiences after his career-ending injury.

In an Instagram post about the doco, Holmes said he’s “only able to live because of the united love and support that I am fortunate enough to have had.”

Radcliffe and Holmes have been friends for years, with Radcliffe appearing on Holmes’ podcast, Cunning Stunts (say that five times fast), where he interviews stunt performers.

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