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Good morning!
Literally seconds prior to this newsletter being sent out, the semi-final match between France and Spain finished. I can’t tell you who won, because every time we reveal the result of a big game within the hours after it finishes, we get hate mail from those who haven’t watched it yet. So you’ll have to look that one up yourself!
But hopefully everyone has caught up on the World Cups of years past by now, so I can ask this for today’s trivia question: Which country has won the most men’s World Cups? Answer is in the titbit!
I’ve got 10 seconds
The quote: “You can imagine it would be quite traumatic for everybody in the school, everybody involved, and especially for the parents.” The CEO of a school in Brisbane, the Islamic College of Brisbane, speaking to 4BC after a teenage boy was arrested over the suspected stabbing of another boy at the school. The 17-year-old victim was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries. Police are investigating the incident.
The stat: 5.5 million. The number of cigarettes Tasmanian authorities have seized in the last financial year. As part of the government’s “crackdown on the trade of illegal smoking products”, it has also seized over 2,500kg of loose tobacco and nearly 30,000 e-cigarettes.
The big question:
Yesterday’s results: 77% of you said you “never” use ‘buy now, pay later’ schemes. Thanks for voting - your responses inform TDA's journalism and research. [1,988 votes]
I’ve got 30 seconds
Some headlines from this morning:
More than 4,500 Origin Energy customers have been promised refunds, following a consumer watchdog probe into deceptive power plans. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) alleges Origin misleadingly implied ongoing savings to some customers. The energy retailer has not admitted to breaking consumer law, but rather responded by committing to compensation and apologising to impacted customers. The offer in question has been scrapped by the provider, which had agreed to credits or refunds of roughly $60 for thousands of impacted users. ACCC commissioner Anna Brakey said “retailers should provide clear and accurate information about their plans to help consumers make informed decisions.” The watchdog launched its investigation following a complaint about Origin Energy from the consumer group CHOICE.
A new report by Australia’s online safety regulator shows significant gaps in how major tech platforms are responding to ‘sextortion’. Also known as sexual extortion, sextortion is a form of blackmail where a person threatens to share a nude or sexual image or video unless the victim gives in to their demands. eSafety received more than 2,000 sexual extortion complaints in the second half of 2025, with young men aged 18 to 24 revealed to be the most common victims of sextortion. eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant has accused platforms of failing to address blind spots when detecting this type of abuse, saying sextortion has reached “catastrophic proportions”. Instagram and WhatsApp were the most cited platforms of concern from complainants, with Apple's iMessage and Snapchat following close behind for users under 18.
Together with AAP.
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I’ve got 1 minute
CW: Distressing themes
A Sydney man facing hundreds of counts of alleged child abuse has been identified, a year after his arrest.
Hamish Tait, a 35-year-old former childcare worker, was charged with 329 offences allegedly committed over a 16-year period.
Tait was first arrested in July 2025, but media were unable to name him after a suppression order was requested by the Australian Federal Police (AFP).
More than 120 families across Australia and overseas have now been contacted, with the AFP alleging the matter involves at least 136 victims.
Charges
Tait worked at or attended 62 early childhood education facilities between 2009 and 2025. The AFP alleges he offended against children at five of them: four childcare centres and his own private business.
He now faces 329 charges, including producing child abuse material, using a child under 14 for its production, and intentionally sexually touching a child under 10. The most serious charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment.
Suppression orders
Australia’s judicial system is based on the principle of “open justice”. Court proceedings are normally available for the public to see and media to report on. However, suppression orders (also known as gag orders) can be introduced to restrict what is made public.
When a gag order exists, it becomes an offence to publish details the judge has asked to be kept secret. Anyone who publishes those details can face prison time or heavy fines.
The AFP sought a suppression order to keep Tait anonymous. The agency said it wanted to protect the investigation while it worked through a lengthy victim identification process and contacted affected families before news broke publicly.
The suppression order was ultimately lifted this week, with the AFP saying they now wanted to name Tait publicly to help locate 22 alleged victims who have not yet been identified.
“We urge any victim-survivors to seek support or talk to a trusted person if today’s news has caused distress,” AFP Acting Commander Luke Needham said.
Reporting by Elliot Lawry.
Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800
1800 RESPECT: 1800 737 732
Quick hits
🎧 On today’s TDA podcast, Features editor Emma and Editor-in-Chief Billi FitzSimons explain why phone outages have become normal. Listen or watch on Apple here, Spotify here, or YouTube here.
⚽ Need a way to stay across the FIFA men’s World Cup as it reaches its pointy end? Sign up to the TDA Sport newsletter here for an update in your inbox at 4:30pm.
I’ve got 2 minutes
U.S. President Donald Trump has launched strikes on Iran, notifying the U.S. Government that military action has restarted.
On Truth Social, Trump also declared the U.S. as the “guardians of the Strait of Hormuz”, adding that the U.S. will charge a toll on ships passing through.
It comes after strikes exchanged between Iran and the U.S. have escalated in the past week, with Trump recently saying the ceasefire deal, signed in June, is “over”.
Let’s get caught up.
Background
The U.S. and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran on 28 February, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. These strikes came after negotiations between the countries broke down over the future of Iran’s nuclear program.
Iran responded with retaliatory strikes on U.S-linked defence sites. Throughout the conflict, the global oil supply chain was significantly disrupted due to blockages of the Strait of Hormuz.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s busiest oil shipping channels. In March, Iran blocked the Strait, causing oil prices to significantly increase. While no single country officially controls the Strait, both the U.S. and Iran have attempted to control access to it throughout this conflict.
Ceasefire
On 17 June, a peace agreement was signed, which included a 14-point Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) detailing the conditions of the ceasefire. The MoU included the reopening of the Strait without tolls, and a 60-day negotiation process to create a more permanent deal.
The aim of the more permanent deal was to limit Iran’s nuclear capabilities, and lift all sanctions (e.g. financial restrictions and travel bans). The 60-day negotiation process was due to end in mid-August.
Declaration
Last week, strikes began escalating. Trump said Iran had struck several “neutral-flagged commercial vessels” in the Strait.
On Monday, Trump sent Congress a letter notifying it that hostilities with Iran had resumed. In the U.S, presidents are meant to consult with Congress before taking military action (although this interpretation of the law has often been disputed). Trump did not tell Congress before launching the strikes.
In a social media post on Monday, Trump also said the U.S. will be the “guardians of the Strait”, imposing a 20% toll on ships.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is a UN agency responsible for safe and secure global shipping. It said: “Passage through the Strait should remain free of any tolls”, in line with international law.
However, it's up to member states to uphold IMO conventions, as it has “no operational mandate”.
Response
Iran’s Foreign Ministry condemned the attacks, saying “since the signing of the agreement to end the war, the U.S. regime has openly violated almost all components of that agreement”.
Foreign Minister Araghchi said Iran has “always been the guardian” of the Strait. He added that a 20% toll is “of course too much,” saying that if Iran managed the passage it “will be fair.”
Under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, “states bordering straits shall not hamper transit passage.”
So, what’s next? Trump has said he will address the nation on Thursday evening (Friday midday AEST). This is a formal speech directly to the American people.
Reporting by Emily Donohoe.
In partnership with nbn
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A few simple changes could help things run more smoothly. nbn is here to help you get more from your internet, with practical tips to improve your setup.
Give me some good news
A wild koala has received a chlamydia vaccine implant for the first time, in what’s been described as a “massive breakthrough” for the species.
The implant, which applies two doses of the vaccine in one examination, was administered to a young female koala in Queensland. The 18-month-old was captured in the state’s south-east and taken to Currumbin Wildlife Hospital – where she received treatment from senior vet Dr Michael Pyne, with assistance from Queensland University of Technology (QUT) researchers. The koala was safely returned to her home in the bush wearing a GPS collar, so she can “be monitored for at least six months to assess the implant’s effectiveness.” Dr Pyne said: “We’ve seen such devastation from chlamydial disease in koalas in South East Queensland and New South Wales. It's absolutely critical the vaccine is rolled out en masse to at-risk populations to protect them.”
Reporting by Emma Gillespie.
TDA titbit
There’s sugar in space! (Kinda.)
Astronomers have detected the chemical fingerprint of erythrulose – a sugar found in raspberries and self-tanning lotions – in a giant gas cloud near the centre of the Milky Way.
The molecule was identified using radio telescopes in Spain and later confirmed through laboratory testing.
Researchers say the discovery suggests key ingredients for life can form on dust grains long before stars and planets emerge.
So, the next time you eat a raspberry, remember: its chemistry is written in the stars.
Reporting by Pavitra Ravi.
Trivia answer: Brazil, with five World Cup titles.
TDA asks
