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Good morning!
Here’s my favourite fun fact to whip out at the water cooler when the Comm Games comes up.
Did you know that in a freestyle swimming event, competitors can technically swim any stroke? The stroke we associate with freestyle is actually called front crawl. Swimmers use it because it’s the fastest.
So if someone wants to doggy paddle their way down the pool? Technically legal. Just strategically questionable!
I’ve got 10 seconds
The quote: “We have done it.”
Abhijeet Dipke, the founder of the youth-led Cockroach Janta Party, celebrating after India’s education minister resigned following widespread protests. We’ve got all the background you need on the Cockroach Party explained here.
The stat: 23,100. The number of people still displaced a month after major earthquakes in Venezuela, according to UNICEF. The country sits near the boundary between two tectonic plates, making it prone to earthquakes.
The big question:
Friday’s results: 60% of you said you have done an unpaid university placement. Thanks for voting - your responses inform TDA's journalism and research. [1,744 votes].
I’ve got 30 seconds
Some headlines from this morning:
A woman has been killed and 29 people injured after an individual drove a vehicle into a crowd near Berlin's Pride celebrations. Hours after the attack on Saturday night, many details remained unclear, with a manhunt underway for the suspect. The suspect was killed during a police shootout overnight. Police announced: “The suspect is said to have rushed toward our emergency forces with a stabbing weapon, after which police firearms were used.” Police spokesman Florian Nath said the suspect was known to authorities and was released from youth detention in May 2026.
The Labor Party has backed the removal of legal barriers preventing the use of voluntary assisted dying via telehealth. The amendment, passed at the ALP national conference in Adelaide, clears the way to remove a provision in the federal criminal code that effectively bans telehealth consultations on voluntary assisted dying. Moving the amendment, Victorian MP Ryan Batchelor said the laws hindered care and caused unnecessary delays. Victoria was the first state to legalise euthanasia, with Western Australia, Queensland, NSW, Tasmania and South Australia following suit. The Northern Territory will vote to legalise voluntary assisted dying in August.
Together with AAP.
Recommendation of the day
You know the cash rate changed, but have no idea what that actually means? TDA Finance is a weekly newsletter that explains the money stories affecting your bank account, from interest rates to inflation. It's built for readers who want the context without the jargon and it lands every Wednesday morning.
I’ve got 1 minute
On Friday, the U.S. implemented a new tariff on some Australian goods, arguing Australia hasn’t done enough to stop products made with forced labour from entering the American market.
It came just over a week after the Australian Government announced stricter penalties for companies who fail to prevent modern slavery in their supply chains.
Australia’s Trade Minister Don Farrell called the decision “extremely disappointing,” saying Australia “takes the issue of modern slavery seriously”.
Background
In April 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump announced widespread tariffs, including a blanket 10% levy on most goods entering the U.S.
A tariff is a tax on imports. It’s applied to foreign-made goods brought into another country and paid by the importer.
The goal of tariffs is to encourage companies and consumers to buy locally produced products, boosting domestic industry.
Modern slavery
Modern slavery is an umbrella term for situations where people are forced to work against their will through threats, violence, or deception.
In 2018, Australia passed the Modern Slavery Act, which requires large businesses to report annually on the risk of forced labour in their supply chains.
However, the law is a reporting framework rather than a ban on importing products made with forced labour.
New tariffs
The U.S. has its own law prohibiting the import of goods made with forced labour. It wants its trading partners to have similar restrictions in place.
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said: “Today’s action will begin to correct what is both a human rights abuse and distortive trade practice to improve the welfare of workers everywhere.”
The Trump administration has now implemented a new 12.5% tariff on goods from dozens of countries, including Australia, arguing those nations have not done enough to prevent products linked to forced labour from entering American markets. This new 12.5% tariff replaces the previous 10% tariff.
Other countries such as Indonesia, Canada, and the UK will pay a lower rate of 10% because they have a partial import ban on goods produced using modern slavery, or they have committed to enforcing one.
Response
Shortly after the modern slavery tariffs were first announced in June, the Government unveiled a suite of changes to strengthen Australia’s laws.
This included proposing criminal penalties for companies with revenue over $100 million that fail to prevent modern slavery practices in their supply chains. The Government did not say this was in response to the threat of new tariffs.
On Friday, Trade Minister Don Farrell told Sky News: “These tariffs are unjustified and we call on the U.S. Government to reverse them.”
Reporting by Elliot Lawry.
Quick hits
🎧 On today’s TDA podcast, editor-in-chief Billi and multimedia journalist Elliot explain why U.S. President Donald Trump is accusing Australia of modern slavery. Listen or watch on Apple here, Spotify here, or YouTube here.
🎾 Want the latest on how Australia is going at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow? Sign up to TDA Sport here for a full rundown in your inbox at 4.30pm.
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I’ve got 2 minutes
Today at 2pm AEST, 1.30pm ACST and 12pm AWST, compatible mobile phones – along with some smartwatches and tablets – will sound an emergency alert.
The Federal Government is testing its new national warning system, AusAlert, ahead of its launch in October.
Domestic violence advocates have warned the test could expose hidden “safe phones”.
AusAlert
In February, the Federal Government announced AusAlert, designed to send targeted warnings during emergencies such as natural disasters, security threats, health crises and biosecurity incidents.
It uses cell-broadcast technology to alert compatible devices in areas as precise as 160 metres, without collecting phone numbers or location data.
Unlike SMS, the alerts can still be sent when mobile networks are congested, making AusAlert faster and more reliable than the existing system.
The system has two levels:
Critical - The highest warning level, meaning you may be in danger and should act immediately.
Devices will vibrate and sound a siren for about 10 seconds, even on silent or ‘do not disturb’. Users cannot opt out.
Priority - Signals a high threat level and changing conditions. Recipients should ‘watch and act’.
Devices may vibrate and sound for about 10 seconds, unless silenced or on ‘do not disturb’. Users can opt out in their settings.
Test
A test alert will be sent to every compatible mobile device nationwide today, ahead of the October launch.
The alert will clearly state it is a test, reaching devices simultaneously at 2pm AEST, 1.30pm ACST and 12pm AWST.
DV concerns
Domestic violence advocates have warned the test could expose hidden or “safe” phones used by people experiencing abuse.
The Centre for Women’s Safety and Wellbeing recommends turning these devices off or switching them to aeroplane mode one hour before the test, and leaving them that way for 24 hours afterwards.
The advice is also published on the AusAlert website.
Access concerns
Mobile networks reach more than 99% of Australians but cover only about one-third of the country, leaving significant black spots in remote areas.
Satellite phones can connect people beyond mobile coverage. However, Emergency Management Minister Kristy McBain confirmed devices connected by satellite rather than a mobile tower will not receive AusAlert notifications.
The existing Emergency Alert system, which can contact landlines, will continue through the high-risk weather season. States and territories can choose to use it alongside AusAlert.
Reporting by Emily Donohoe.
1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732
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Give me some good news
A live music program designed for people with dementia is delivering real emotional, social and intellectual benefits, according to a new study.
Northwestern University in the U.S. state of Illinois launched what it calls “Musical Museum”. The program pairs hour-long concerts with historical lectures and post-concert social events for both patients and caregivers. Familiar songs from participants’ youth are woven into the concerts deliberately, with research showing music from adolescence can improve memory and reduce agitation. Findings published in the Frontiers in Neurology journal showed program participants reported significantly improved mood, greater intellectual stimulation and stronger social connection.
Reporting by Emma Gillespie.
TDA titbit
Brunch lovers, rejoice: avos are set to get a lot more affordable. According to Rabobank’s Global Avocado Update 2026, Australia’s production is expected to reach a record 170,000 tonnes in the coming seasons, bouncing back hard after a dip last season.
That’s because avocado trees follow a “biennial bearing cycle”, meaning they produce more fruit every second year.
The abundant supply is expected to keep retail prices relatively low. Someone tell that guy who said we can’t afford a house because we keep buying avo toast.
Reporting by Elliot Lawry.
TDA asks
