The Daily Aus

Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church, has died at 88 of a stroke and a heart attack. His death means a process called the papal conclave is about to begin, where senior Church leaders will gather in the Sistine Chapel, sequestered from the world, to elect a new Pope. In today’s episode, we’ll explain what we know about this mysterious process, who the contenders are, and why this all comes down to different colours of smoke. Hosts: Lucy Tassell and Zara SeidlerProducer: Orla Maher Want to support The Daily Aus? That's so kind! The best way to do that is to click ‘follow’ on Spotify or Apple and to leave us a five-star review. We would be so grateful. The Daily Aus is a media company focused on delivering accessible and digestible news to young people. We are completely independent. Want more from TDA?Subscribe to The Daily Aus newsletterSubscribe to The Daily Aus’ YouTube Channel Have feedback for us?We’re always looking for new ways to improve what we do. If you’ve got feedback, we’re all ears. Tell us here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Early voting for the 2025 federal election opened around the country today. Pope Francis' cause of death has been officially confirmed by the Vatican. U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth reportedly shared details of the country's military activities with a Signal chat containing his wife and brother, according to The New York Times. And today's good news: A 10-year-old girl has graduated from a California community college with two degrees. Hosts: Lucy Tassell and Zara SeidlerProducer: Orla Maher Want to support The Daily Aus? That's so kind! The best way to do that is to click ‘follow’ on Spotify or Apple and to leave us a five-star review. We would be so grateful. The Daily Aus is a media company focused on delivering accessible and digestible news to young people. We are completely independent. Want more from TDA?Subscribe to The Daily Aus newsletterSubscribe to The Daily Aus’ YouTube Channel Have feedback for us?We’re always looking for new ways to improve what we do. If you’ve got feedback, we’re all ears. Tell us here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you've spent any time on TikTok lately, you might have come across videos from people claiming to be Chinese warehouse operators selling products directly to consumers. These videos, part of a trend called "TikTok Warehouse," promise to deliver products from well-loved brands for a fraction of the usual retail price. In today’s podcast, we're going to explain what's happening with this trend, why it's controversial, and if it has fundamentally changed the relationship between retailers and consumers. Hosts: Zara Seidler and Sam KoslowskiProducer: Orla Maher Want to support The Daily Aus? That's so kind! The best way to do that is to click ‘follow’ on Spotify or Apple and to leave us a five-star review. We would be so grateful. The Daily Aus is a media company focused on delivering accessible and digestible news to young people. We are completely independent. Want more from TDA?Subscribe to The Daily Aus newsletterSubscribe to The Daily Aus’ YouTube Channel Have feedback for us?We’re always looking for new ways to improve what we do. If you’ve got feedback, we’re all ears. Tell us here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025 is not a climate election. Young people voted in droves in 2022 for change, in what was dubbed the ‘climate election’. Yet new polling shows the number of younger Australians listing climate as their top concern has halved since the last election. In its place, cost of living dominates. TDA unpacks why climate change and the environment have subsided as top concerns for young voters, who are instead focusing on how politicians can help reduce financial stress. Hosts: Harry Sekulich and Emma GillespieProducer: Orla Maher Want to support The Daily Aus? That's so kind! The best way to do that is to click ‘follow’ on Spotify or Apple and to leave us a five-star review. We would be so grateful. The Daily Aus is a media company focused on delivering accessible and digestible news to young people. We are completely independent. Want more from TDA?Subscribe to The Daily Aus newsletterSubscribe to The Daily Aus’ YouTube Channel Have feedback for us?We’re always looking for new ways to improve what we do. If you’ve got feedback, we’re all ears. Tell us here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, the UK Supreme Court handed down a landmark decision, finding that a woman is defined by biological sex under the law. It means transgender women with legal documentation reflecting their transition are not entitled to the same sex discrimination protections as “biological women”.Today, we’ll be breaking down the decision, how it came to be, and what the response to it has been. Want to support The Daily Aus? That's so kind! The best way to do that is to click ‘follow’ on Spotify or Apple and to leave us a five-star review. We would be so grateful. The Daily Aus is a media company focused on delivering accessible and digestible news to young people. We are completely independent. Want more from TDA?Subscribe to The Daily Aus newsletterSubscribe to The Daily Aus’ YouTube Channel Have feedback for us?We’re always looking for new ways to improve what we do. If you’ve got feedback, we’re all ears. Tell us here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An audit of a Sydney hospital has found it “failed” to address significant safety concerns. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the U.S. tax service, is considering whether to revoke Harvard University's tax-exempt status, according to U.S. media reports. Australia’s unemployment rate increased slightly from 4 to 4.1% in March, according to new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. And today’s good news: Scientists have captured footage of a colossal squid in its natural habitat for the first time. Hosts: Zara Seidler and Billi FitzSimonsProducer: Orla Maher Want to support The Daily Aus? That's so kind! The best way to do that is to click ‘follow’ on Spotify or Apple and to leave us a five-star review. We would be so grateful. The Daily Aus is a media company focused on delivering accessible and digestible news to young people. We are completely independent. Want more from TDA?Subscribe to The Daily Aus newsletterSubscribe to The Daily Aus’ YouTube Channel Have feedback for us?We’re always looking for new ways to improve what we do. If you’ve got feedback, we’re all ears. Tell us here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Harvard University is facing a major financial blow after the Trump administration froze $2.2 billion in federal funding this week. The prestigious institution has refused to comply with a series of government demands relating to antisemitism and diversity policies. Today, we're unpacking what's happened in this unprecedented standoff between one of America's most elite universities and the White House. Hosts: Zara Seidler and Sam KoslowskiProducer: Orla Maher Want to support The Daily Aus? That's so kind! The best way to do that is to click ‘follow’ on Spotify or Apple and to leave us a five-star review. We would be so grateful. The Daily Aus is a media company focused on delivering accessible and digestible news to young people. We are completely independent. Want more from TDA?Subscribe to The Daily Aus newsletterSubscribe to The Daily Aus’ YouTube Channel Have feedback for us?We’re always looking for new ways to improve what we do. If you’ve got feedback, we’re all ears. Tell us here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today's headlines include: Housing Minister Clare O’Neil and Shadow Housing Minister Michael Sukkar have clashed over affordable housing policy during a debate at the National Press Club. Chinese airlines have reportedly been ordered to pause all purchases from U.S. aviation manufacturing giant Boeing.  Rebel forces in Sudan have declared a rival government, two years since civil war broke out in the region.  And today’s good news: Two men have set a new speed climbing record in the Swiss Alps.  Hosts: Emma Gillespie and Lucy TassellProducer: Emma Gillespie Want to support The Daily Aus? That's so kind! The best way to do that is to click ‘follow’ on Spotify or Apple and to leave us a five-star review. We would be so grateful. The Daily Aus is a media company focused on delivering accessible and digestible news to young people. We are completely independent. Want more from TDA?Subscribe to The Daily Aus newsletterSubscribe to The Daily Aus’ YouTube Channel Have feedback for us?We’re always looking for new ways to improve what we do. If you’ve got feedback, we’re all ears. Tell us here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The story of an IVF mixup that led to a woman giving birth to a stranger’s baby has made global headlines this month. The Brisbane fertility clinic at its centre has launched an investigation, blaming the bungle on “human error”. In today’s deep dive, we’ll explore what happened, the legal questions raised by this story, and what it could mean for the future of Australia's assisted fertility industry. Listen: Can Australia keep up with the booming IVF industry? Hosts: Emma Gillespie and Billi FitzSimonsProducer: Orla Maher Want to support The Daily Aus? That's so kind! The best way to do that is to click ‘follow’ on Spotify or Apple and to leave us a five-star review. We would be so grateful. The Daily Aus is a media company focused on delivering accessible and digestible news to young people. We are completely independent. Want more from TDA?Subscribe to The Daily Aus newsletterSubscribe to The Daily Aus’ YouTube Channel Have feedback for us?We’re always looking for new ways to improve what we do. If you’ve got feedback, we’re all ears. Tell us here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister and the Opposition leader have responded to reports that Russia is seeking to base its aircraft at an Indonesian military airport. The Victorian Government has announced the entire board of the state’s school curriculum authority have been fired.  The Trump administration has canceled $US2.2 billion in grants to Harvard University, after the institution refused to comply with a list of demands from the White House.  And today’s good news: The International Cricket Council has announced an initiative to support the development of Afghanistan’s Women’s cricket.  Hosts: Emma Gillespie and Billi FitzSimonsProducer: Elliot Lawry Want to support The Daily Aus? That's so kind! The best way to do that is to click ‘follow’ on Spotify or Apple and to leave us a five-star review. We would be so grateful. The Daily Aus is a media company focused on delivering accessible and digestible news to young people. We are completely independent. Want more from TDA?Subscribe to The Daily Aus newsletterSubscribe to The Daily Aus’ YouTube Channel Have feedback for us?We’re always looking for new ways to improve what we do. If you’ve got feedback, we’re all ears. Tell us here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.