If you were forwarded this email (Hi! Welcome!), you can sign up to the newsletter here.
Good morning.
This time 25 years ago, the world was just hours away from witnessing one of the most shocking acts of violence in modern history.
9/11 changed the world. But you already know that. What you might know is that one of the masterminds behind the attack is still awaiting trial.
We explain it on today’s podcast on Spotify here and Apple here.
I’ve got 10 seconds
The quote: “The people building AI earnestly believe that it could kill us all by the end of the decade.” AI researcher Jacob Coxon in a post to X on the reasons for his resignation from Anthropic, the company behind Claude.
The stat: $3,499. The cheapest possible price for Apple’s new foldable iPhone, with 256GB of storage. The most expensive phone costs $5,899.
The big question:
Do you think social media platforms are addictive?
Yesterday’s results: 47% of you think you’ll be able to buy a home in the next 10 years, 38% don’t think so, and 16% are not sure. Thanks for voting - your responses inform TDA's journalism and research. [1,840 votes].
I’ve got 30 seconds
Some headlines from this morning:
U.S. President Donald Trump has promised $5,000 for every U.S. citizen if his Republican Party wins the upcoming midterm elections. The midterms are the elections for all seats in the House of Representatives and a third of the seats in the Senate, falling halfway into the four-year Presidential term. Speaking at a Republican Party convention on Wednesday (local time), Trump said his Government would make the payment to adult Americans if the party retains control of both houses of Congress, which would cost more than a trillion dollars. Trump also told voters to “pretend that I’m on the ballot” when they go to vote in November.
A fire has broken out on a passenger ferry in waters off the western Philippines, killing at least five people and leaving dozens missing. So far, 43 people have been rescued and efforts were ongoing, a coast guard spokesperson said on Thursday. The ferry had sailed from Manila and was near an island about 300km to the south when the fire started around 6.45pm on Wednesday. The coast guard tossed life jackets to survivors in the water and helped them to smaller boats to take them to shore. It’s still unclear what caused the fire.
Together with AAP.
Recommendation of the day
The housing downturn is spreading
Falling home prices are no longer just a Sydney and Melbourne story - Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide have fallen for months, prompting CBA economists to downgrade their outlook. They now expect national home prices to fall around 9% from their peak this cycle.
One upside for buyers: homes are taking longer to sell, giving them more time and choice.
Transparency: This is a sponsored part of the newsletter - the best way to keep the newsletter free for you.
I’ve got 1 minute
On Thursday morning, TDA spoke to the Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri about how the platform’s algorithm works.
It comes as social media companies are facing mounting legal and regulatory pressure over the design of their platforms.
Last month, Meta, which owns Instagram, agreed to pay $US17.1 billion ($AU23.8 billion) to settle a social media addiction lawsuit in the U.S.
As part of that settlement, Meta wasn’t required to admit fault.
Mosseri said: “I don't believe Instagram is addictive. I know that is controversial to say. I think we conflate the way we colloquially use the word ‘addicted’ – like, ‘I'm addicted to this show, and I'm binge-watching it’ – and clinical addiction...
“None of the science I have seen suggests that social media, or any media, is actually clinically addictive.”
TDA was one of several Australian outlets on a press briefing call with Mosseri, where he explained how Instagram’s “ranking” algorithm works.
It’s part of a broader push by Meta to promote transparency around their systems, including a feature called “Your Algorithm”, which shows you the topics Instagram thinks you’re interested in and lets you correct it.
Note: We were not allowed to ask about the proposed digital “duty of care” reforms announced by the Government this week.
Meta will review the draft law before it provides a full response.
Reporting by Elliot Lawry.
Good Finds
💸 Gen Z is investing younger than any generation before them. CommSec data on 2M+ customers shows they're 19% of active investors, and most hold ETFs. See how it works.
Transparency: This is a sponsored part of the newsletter - the best way to keep the newsletter free for you.
I’ve got 2 minutes
Earlier this week, the UK, Canada, and several European countries announced a ban on importing goods from illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
Now, Israel has announced it will close a UK consulate.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Australia would not join this ban, but will impose further restrictions to “deter illegal settlements”.
Background
Australia recognised the state of Palestine in 2025, which includes both Gaza and the West Bank.
In 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) found Israeli settlements in the West Bank to be unlawful.
In June, foreign ministers from countries including Australia and the UK released a statement on their collective efforts to sanction “extremist violent settlers”.
A UN dataset tracking civilian violence in the West Bank shows Israeli settlers have killed 37 Palestinians since October 2023, while Palestinians have killed 20 Israelis in that time.
Sanctions
On Tuesday (local time) UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced the country would ban goods imported from illegal Israeli settlements.
Miliband also said advertising illegal settlements would be banned, following “an expo advertising illegal settlement land” in the UK earlier this year.
Import restrictions have also been introduced or are being considered by Canada, Ireland, Finland, Spain, France, Denmark, Iceland, Poland, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden.
“I do not believe that the British people want us supporting the occupation by accepting products from settlements in our shops and supermarkets,” UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said in Parliament on Tuesday (local time).
Response
Responding to the sanctions, Israeli Foreign Affairs Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced the closure of the British Consulate in East Jerusalem.
The UK government considers this part of the city to be illegally occupied by Israel.
The UK embassy in Tel Aviv remains open.
Israel also announced the banning of 12 UK public figures and representatives from entering Israel, including former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Sa’ar called the UK’s move “outrageous lies” by a “hostile Labour government”.
Australia
On Tuesday, Labor MP Ed Husic encouraged Australia to join what he called a “seismic move”.
Husic said Australia “can’t say we’re for the state of Palestine... and ignore the fact that illegal settlements are undermining the ability for a state of Palestine to emerge.”
Foreign Minister Penny Wong told the Senate on Tuesday there will be no blanket ban on imports.
However, Wong said Australia will take “further targeted measures... to deter illegal settlements and settler violence.”
Reporting by Emily Donohoe.
A message from Contiki
Seeking a trip that's flexible and budget-friendly? You can have it all.
Travel is fun as an idea, but the budgeting and booking can very quickly turn you off. Fortunately, Contiki group trips take care of it all and keep costs in check. They're also offering one lucky reader $5,000 to put towards a trip, like their budget-friendly Northern India trip that takes you on overnight trains, tiger safaris in the Indian jungle, and all the classics (hello Taj Mahal).
Take the first step towards a trip and let Contiki take care of the rest. You deserve a getaway.
Give me some good news
A new study has shown dogs are capable of reading our facial expressions, and figuring out specific emotions.
Dogs are able to tell when we are scared, happy, or sad or angry, showing more nuance than it was previously thought they could detect. The study also showed dogs use a combination of body language and facial expressions to figure out what’s going on, with researchers saying their findings highlight “the significance of human social cues for dogs”.
Reporting by Lucy Tassell.
TDA titbit
Human beings might have been going on benders longer than we thought.
Archaeologists have uncovered evidence they say shows humans have been taking mind altering drugs a lot earlier in history than had previously been assumed.
A study of ancient teeth suggests people who lived 16,000 years ago in what is now Indonesia sucked on betel nuts, which are known to induce energy and feelings of euphoria.
Don’t get too excited - they’re also known to induce mouth cancer.
Reporting by Lucy Tassell.
TDA asks
