If you were forwarded this email (hi! welcome!), you can sign up to the newsletter here.
Happy Friday!
It’s time for two truths and a lie! Here are three headlines, but one of them is fake. Can you guess which one?
After initially being called ‘the female Socceroos,’ the Matildas were nearly called the Soccertoos
Bob Dylan has said he declined an offer to sing with Taylor Swift on the Eras Tour because he doesn’t “get” her music
Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, has named her reconstructed breast 'Derek'
Answer is in the tidbit!
I've got 10 seconds
The quote
"Speaking at the unveiling of your prime ministerial portrait is the closest you come in life to being the after-dinner speaker at your own wake." – Former PM Kevin Rudd has returned to Parliament House for the unveiling of his official prime ministerial portrait. The painting by artist Ralph Heimans comes 10 years after Rudd left politics.
The stat
$3 million
The amount of money to be split between 55 investors caught in Melissa Caddick's alleged Ponzi scheme. It partly comes from the $9.8 million sale of Caddick's Sydney home. In May, the NSW Coroner concluded Caddick, missing since 2020, had died.
Today in history
2008: Airbnb was founded by Brian Chesky, Joe Gebbia and Nathan Blecharczyk.
I've got 30 seconds
Some headlines from this morning:
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed he’s accepted an invitation from Joe Biden for a trip to the U.S. in October. The three-day visit will include a state dinner with the President at the White House. It comes as Congress in the U.S. considers legislation on the AUKUS nuclear submarine deal.
A presidential candidate known for speaking out against corruption in Ecuador has been assassinated, less than two weeks before polls open. Fernando Villavicencio was shot dead after a campaign rally in the Ecuadorian capital. The country’s president, who isn’t seeking reelection, said his death “will not go unpunished”.
I've got 1 minute
Lebanon's Minister of Culture wants to ban the Barbie movie from local cinemas for promoting "homosexuality".
Minister Mohammad Wissam Al-Mortada argued the film contradicts Lebanon's moral and religious values.
The film does not feature any gay relationships. It is not scheduled for release in Lebanon until 31 August.
Details:
Al-Mortada revealed he has written to Lebanon's General Security agency, which oversees censorship, to "take all necessary measures" to prevent the release of Barbie.
Al-Mortada argues that Barbie also contradicts traditional values by "rejecting" and "ridiculing" the roles of fathers and mothers.
He also said that Barbie promotes "questioning the necessity of marriage and having a family", portraying them as deterrents to women's self-development.
Al-Mortada declared that "showing [Barbie] in Lebanon will have the worst effects and consequences, especially on children in particular and young people in general."
Political context:
Efforts to ban Barbie come amid growing anti-LGBTQIA+ sentiments in Lebanon.
Currently, Lebanon prohibits male same-sex sexual activity with up to one year's imprisonment.
It also criminalises the gender expression of transgender people.
Similar bans:
Kuwait has banned Barbie for similar reasons.
The Middle Eastern country says Barbie threatens Kuwait's "public ethics and social traditions".
According to the Ministry for Press and Publication, the film pushes "ideas and beliefs that are alien to the Kuwaiti society and public order".
Want more from The Daily Aus?
We’re about to release a book, ‘No Silly Questions’. This is the first time TDA has ever asked our audience to buy anything. And to be honest, we’re nervous!
It’s available to pre-order now. In book world, pre-orders are a big deal, because they send a message to book stores that people want to buy our book (…we hope?)
It means it will be delivered to your door when it’s released in early September. We don’t answer why pigs can’t physically look up at the sky, but pretty much everything else.
I've got 2 minutes
The Federal Government has announced it will refer to the territories of Gaza and the West Bank as 'Occupied Palestinian Territories'.
This marks a change from the language used by the Morrison Government, which referred to the territories as 'Palestinian Territories'.
Shadow Foreign Minister Simon Birmingham has accused Labor of making the decision because of internal party pressure, but avoided directly opposing the change.
Background:
The UN refers to the West Bank and Gaza as 'Occupied Palestinian Territories' in reference to their occupation by Israel since 1967.
The UN Security Council and successive Australian governments have considered the occupation to be a violation of international law.
Many countries, including Australia, support the eventual establishment of two separate states, Israel and Palestine, but talks have been stalled for years.
Government language:
Australian governments from both sides of politics have referred to the territories as 'occupied' since at least the 1980s.
However, in 2014, then-Prime Minister Tony Abbott said the word occupied was "loaded" and the territories should instead be called "disputed".
His Foreign Minister, Julie Bishop, confirmed this did not change the Government's view that Israel's occupation was illegal.
However, Coalition leaders continued to avoid the word occupied, and Scott Morrison used the term 'Palestinian Territories' as PM.
The change:
In Senate Question Time on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said restoring the word 'occupied' would "clarify" Australia's stance.
She said she was "deeply concerned" by the Israeli Government's recent expanded activities in the territories. She also condemned recent "terrorism and violence" against civilians in both Israel and the territories.
Political response:
Shadow Foreign Minister Simon Birmingham has avoided directly opposing the change, but said it "undermined" Australia's "consistency" on the territories.
Birmingham accused Labor of making the decision because of internal party pressure. Multiple media reports have suggested Labor members are planning to push for a policy more favourable to Palestine at Labor's National Conference this weekend.
In an ABC interview this week, Birmingham would not confirm whether the Coalition accepted the UN's view that Israel's 1967 occupation was illegal. However, he called Israel's recent settlement activity "unhelpful".
Acting Greens leader Mehreen Faruqi welcomed the change, but said it did not go far enough. "It doesn't even begin to recognise the daily injustice and apartheid [formal segregation] Palestinians face in their homeland... The bipartisan commitment to the denial of Palestinian rights and a minimisation of the crimes of the Israeli state must end."
Give me some good news
A 13-year-old soccer player has made history as the youngest American team sports athlete to go pro.
Da’vian Kimbrough signed a professional contract with Sacramento Republic FC after scoring 61 goals in his last two seasons. The club said they were excited to “support [Da’vian’s] professional dream”.
A message from our sponsor
We're all familiar with the importance of physical activity for a healthy life. However, let's not forget that, just like we nourish our bodies with exercise and good food, social interaction is equally as important for our well-being. According to a survey of 18-25 year olds, 81% admitted they considered their screen time to be "unhealthy."
Alongside VicHealth's Reality Check, we're here to remind you: prioritise those face-to-face moments!
Life can get busy, and sometimes, our social lives can take a hit. So, lock in those regular coffee catch-ups and trivia nights. It may sound simple, but it has a huge impact on your physical and mental well-being!
A TDA tidbit
After initially being called ‘the female Socceroos,’ the Matildas were nearly called the Soccertoos
This is true.
In 1994, when the team qualified for their first ever FIFA Women’s World Cup, they were called ‘the Female Socceroos’. However, after one of the matches, SBS and the Australian Women’s Soccer Association decided to run a viewer competition to find a name for the team, and the shortlist included ‘Soccertoos’. Because apparently women play soccer too? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
In unrelated news, I hear the Socceroos are considering changing their name to the Mantildas.
Bob Dylan has said he declined an offer to sing with Taylor Swift on the Eras Tour because he doesn’t “get” her music
This is false.
Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, has named her reconstructed breast 'Derek'
This is true.
After having an operation in June for breast cancer, the Duchess of York said on her podcast ‘Tea Talks’ that naming her new breast has helped her move forward.
"I am just coming to terms with my new best friend Derek - on my left, he's called Derek. He's very important because he saved my life."
She added: "Poor Eric on the right is feeling rather sad because he is not as perky as Derek on the left but I will get Eric balanced, don't worry."
Enjoyed the newsletter?
If you want your friends to wake up with us too, forward this email to them or send them your unique link: {{rp_refer_url}}
Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Sign up here (it’s free!)
The Daily Aus acknowledges the Gadigal peoples of the Eora Nation who are the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work. We acknowledge and pay respect to the past, present and future Traditional Custodians and Elders of this nation and the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.