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Good morning!
Did you catch the Olympics over the weekend? No, not those Olympics - the robot ones!
Yes, over the weekend the first-ever World Humanoid Robot Games were held in China. More than 280 teams from 16 countries competed over the three-day event.
If you ask me, they move like a daggy dad doing ‘the robot’ on the dance floor, rather than a futuristic marvel. But it’s early days!
I’ve got 10 seconds
Quote of the day
"There is a worrying trend emerging... particularly with young men thinking that women are getting too much and that [men’s] rights are going backwards, and there’s too much focus on women."
Federal Minister for Women Katy Gallagher speaking at the Women in Media conference on Friday, as reported by AAP.
Stat of the day
62
The number of years since the Wallabies, Australia’s rugby union team, have beaten South Africa at Johannesburg’s Ellis Park Stadium. That ended on Saturday night when the Wallabies came from 22-0 behind to win 38-22, recording their first win there since 1963. The two sides will play in Cape Town next weekend.
Today in history
1971
Prime Minister William McMahon announced Australia would withdraw its remaining troops from Vietnam.
I’ve got 30 seconds
Some headlines from this morning:
U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Alaska on Saturday morning (AEST) to discuss ending the war in Ukraine, but failed to reach any agreement after three hours of talks. Trump called the meeting “productive” but said the parties “didn’t get there” on a deal, while Putin said discussions were “constructive” but maintained the “root causes” of the conflict must be resolved to achieve lasting peace. The leaders delivered short statements to the world media without taking questions, with Putin suggesting future talks be held in Russia’s capital, Moscow. Trump later wrote on Truth Social that both sides agreed "the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a peace agreement" rather than a temporary ceasefire. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet with Trump at the White House on Monday (local time) for talks, with a number of high-profile European leaders also confirming their attendance.
The top legal officers in Australia have agreed to share information about whether a person has lost their Working with Children Check (WCC), in response to safety concerns in the childcare sector. Under the current rules, if a worker loses their WWC qualification, it’s not picked up across state and territory borders. In a joint statement, the Attorneys-General from each state and territory said they’ve agreed to overhaul working with children check processes by the end of the year. The change will alert all jurisdictions if a person has had their WCC revoked or declined. Federal Attorney General Michelle Rowland described it as a “banned in one, banned in all” system. The childcare sector has faced increased scrutiny after dozens of charges were laid against a 26-year-old Victorian childcare worker last month. It prompted the State Government to advise more than 2,000 children to “undergo testing for infectious diseases,” as a precautionary measure.
Recommendation of the day
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I’ve got 1 minute
NSW will spend $1 million to combat Islamophobia
The NSW Government has pledged $1 million to fight Islamophobia.
The funding will go towards a community program that will train police to respond to anti-Muslim hate, and run a hotline to report Islamophobic incidents.
A 2024 Government report showed a rise in Islamophobia and antisemitism in NSW since October 2023.
The state Coalition Opposition has welcomed the funding, describing hate as a direct threat to “one of the most vibrant places in the world”.
Islamophobia
Since Hamas’ 7 October 2023 attacks on Israel, and Israel’s ensuing war in Gaza, multiple reports have shown growing tensions and intolerance towards Muslim communities in Australia.
Australia classifies Hamas as a terrorist organisation. Mainstream Islamic authorities and traditions reject its use of violence and extremist tactics.
A 2024 report published by the independent Scanlon Foundation Research Institute showed the percentages of Australians who held “negative attitudes” towards Jewish and Muslim people rose between 2023 and 2024, rising from 9 to 13% for Jewish people, and from 27 to 34% for Muslim people.
State Government department Multicultural NSW has also found that “negative attitudes towards Muslims, which had been slowly declining in the years before 2024, remain by far the highest towards any single faith group”.
Funding
The NSW Government has pledged $1 million towards a community-run program to combat Islamophobia. The program includes a ‘Report Islamophobia Support Line’, community education, and case management for anyone impacted by anti-Muslim hate.
“Anecdotal evidence presented to me indicates that Islamophobia is far higher than what is reported,” Premier Chris Minns said in a statement.
Over the past two years, the Government has also funded Jewish community bodies that run programs combating antisemitism, including $5 million to the Sydney Jewish Museum in 2023.
The anti-Islamophobia program is run by a group of cultural leaders, the Australian National Imams Council (ANIC).
ANIC President Shadi Alsuleiman said the spread of hate “has left many Muslims anxious about engaging in their daily religious activities, such as praying in mosques or leaving the house wearing the hijab.”
In addition, Alsuleiman said: “We’ve seen an increase in micro-aggressions that are often brushed off as ignorance or rude behaviour.“
Reporting by Harry Sekulich.
I’ve got 2 minutes
Australia’s drug use has hit record highs, according to a study of our wastewater
Australians are using more cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and MDMA compared to last year, according to new analysis of wastewater.
The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) has been testing sewage for drugs since 2016. Its latest report is based on samples collected in August and October 2024. Here’s what else it found.
Report
In total, during the collection period, Australians consumed 22.2 tonnes of methylamphetamine (in ice and speed), cocaine, MDMA, and heroin. It was the highest amount recorded since the study began in 2016.
The ACIC attributed high consumption to the illicit drug trade bouncing back post-COVID.
Data modelling suggested consumption of these drugs is likely to continue to increase for the next few years, with the exception of heroin.
Cocaine
Nationally, there was a 69% increase in cocaine consumption in 2024.
This was the highest jump of any drug and the highest level of consumption ever reported.
Cocaine consumption increased in both cities and regional areas.
The Northern Territory saw the highest increase in consumption, up 222% from 2023.
Methamphetamine
Wastewater samples from 2024 found the use of methylamphetamine had increased by 21% compared to 2023.
This marked the highest levels of consumption since 2019.
The Northern Territory reported the biggest spike.
Other drugs
Cannabis is the most consumed illicit drug in Australia. Hobart had the highest consumption of any of the capital cities.
MDMA consumption increased by 49% across Australia, with domestic production on the rise. Average consumption was highest in Darwin and Sydney.
Heroin consumption also increased (14%) in use nationally, reaching record highs in regional areas. However, usage remains higher overall in major cities.
Lawful drugs
Alcohol and nicotine remain the most used legal drugs.
Over the course of the study, use of these drugs has outpaced all other monitored substances.
Average consumption of alcohol increased in both capital cities and regional areas between August 2023 and August 2024.
On the other hand, nicotine use decreased over the same period.
Cost
The ACIC also calculated the cost of drugs by measuring consumption levels against estimated street values.
The report estimated meth, cocaine, MDMA, and heroin cost Australians $11.5 billion in 2024, down from $12.4 billion the year prior.
The ACIC noted Australian drug prices are high compared to the rest of the world.
Reporting by Elliot Lawry.
A message from Hommey
Two looks, one doona
You spend a third of your life in bed – might as well make it worth it.
Hommey’s sell-out Versa Collection is finally back, and it’s basically the ultimate bedroom hack. Every quilt cover is reversible, so you get two completely different looks for the price of one.
Flip it for an instant refresh, mix and match the six colour pairings (Aster & Mulberry, Cloud & Mahogany… you get the idea) and layer them to suit your style. Made from super-soft, planet-friendly organic cotton, Versa nails comfort, style and value.
Give me some good news
A gardener in the U.S. has grown the world’s tallest sunflower.
The flower is currently standing over 10 metres high, officially surpassing the 9.17m Guinness World Record set in Germany in 2014. The sunflower, nicknamed ‘Clover’, was grown by Alex Babich. Babich is well known amongst the local gardening community for growing giant flowers with his two young children in northeastern Indiana. Sharing the news to Facebook, Babich said: “I am a first generation immigrant from Ukraine, where the Sunflower is the National flower. Words cannot explain how I feel right now; emotions are running very high.”
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 titbit
The UK Government has collaborated with an unlikely ally: TikTok.
It has launched a new online campaign to “give people clear, reliable advice before travelling overseas for cosmetic or medical treatments.”
The Government said many people are using apps like TikTok to research cosmetic surgery options overseas, which are “often cheaper” than in the UK. These social media videos may present a procedure in a way that does not “highlight the dangers of the surgery,” however.
Now, the Government and TikTok have partnered with health professionals on social media to create informed content on cosmetic procedures, their risks, and safety advice.
UK’s Health Minister Karin Smyth said: “By partnering with TikTok, we’re helping people make safer, more informed choices before they go under the knife – wherever that may be.”
Reporting by Anju Dhanushkodi.
Want more from The Daily Aus? Listen to our podcast!
Traffic to Pornhub in the UK has dropped by 47% since new age verification laws were enforced.
It’s all because of the UK's Online Safety Act, which requires adult sites to check the age of all UK users.
So how are they doing that? Today we're breaking down what these new laws involve and their immediate impact on online behaviour.
TDA asks
