☕️ ADF to begin recruiting foreign citizens

Today’s riddle is another one of my favourites from our ‘Picture This’ emoji riddle game.

What insect is this?

👨🏻⛷️🦶

Answer is in the tidbit!

P.S. You’ll see below that today is Global Running Day and to celebrate, we are giving away three pairs of running shoes from HOKA. All you have to do to go in the running (pun intended) is sign up to TDA’s free sport newsletter, which you can do by clicking here!

“Like most people, Trump is often wrong. Unlike most people, however, he is never in doubt. A powerful narcissistic self-belief has given him the strength to defy not just his many enemies but even reality itself... There has never been such an effective and relentless gaslighter.”
Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, in an essay for Foreign Affairs magazine about former U.S. President Donald Trump. Turnbull and Trump disagreed on refugee policy while both were their countries’ leaders.

$300,000
The salary of a professional speechwriter contracted to work for the Minister for Government Services and the NDIS, Bill Shorten. The salary was revealed during Senate Estimates this week. On Channel Nine, Shorten said he is “not responsible for negotiating a contract”.

1968
Robert F Kennedy, a U.S. Senator and former U.S. Attorney General, was shot in Los Angeles and died the following day at the age of 42. He was the brother of John F Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963.

Convicted child sex offenders in the U.S. state of Louisiana could be punished with surgical castration — an irreversible procedure that removes a person’s testicles or ovaries.

Both houses of the State Legislature have approved a bill. It will now need to be signed off by Louisiana’s Republican Governor before it comes into effect in August.

Here’s what it would mean.

Castration is used in some U.S. states as a criminal punishment to reduce a person’s sex drive.

It can be administered as an injection to reduce hormone production. This is known as ‘chemical castration,’ and was legalised in Louisiana to punish child sex offenders in 2008. It is also used in Florida, Texas, and Alabama.

Chemical castration requires ongoing injections to remain effective. Surgical castration is considered a more invasive procedure. For a male offender, it can permanently block testosterone production.

Democrat Senator Regina Ashford introduced a bill to allow judges to sentence convicted child sex offenders to surgical castration in Louisiana earlier this year.

Under the legislation, a court-appointed medical expert will assess an offender to determine their suitability for surgery.

If an offender refuses surgical castration, they could face an additional five years imprisonment for failing to follow court orders.

The bill was debated in both houses, leading to an amendment ensuring offenders under 17 cannot be surgically castrated.

The final bill can be used against offenders found guilty of sexual abuse of a child under 13. It passed on Monday with the support of both major parties.

The legislation will now need final sign-off from Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry before being signed into law.

Human rights advocates have criticised the use of castration as criminal punishment.

The American Civil Liberties Union argue that forced castration violates the U.S. Constitution’s Eighth Amendment which bans “cruel and unusual punishment” in the justice system.

The National Patient Advocate Foundation has previously raised concerns about medical interventions as punishment, saying that “medical decisions should remain between a patient and their provider.”

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) will begin recruiting foreign citizens as part of efforts to increase its numbers.

The plan will be rolled out in two phases. New Zealanders living in Australia can join the ADF from July.

Applications will then open up to eligible residents from the UK, U.S. and Canada in January.

Here’s how it’ll work.

In 2022, the previous Coalition Government committed to boosting ADF personnel from around 60,000 to 100,000 by 2040.

Since then, the ADF said its workforce has expanded but remains around 4,400 people short of current targets.

It’s also focused on keeping people in the ADF, after it estimated 6,600 people would leave the force in 2022/23 but only 5,700 would join.

In April, the Government announced a National Defence Strategy focused on these concerns.

This week the Government announced that eligible non-citizens will be able to join the ADF, as part of its recruitment push.

The plan includes New Zealand, U.S, UK and Canadian citizens who have lived in Australia for at least 12 months.

Applicants must meet security eligibility criteria, not have served in a foreign military in the previous two years, and be eligible for citizenship.

The ADF will also expand overseas recruitment of skilled personnel.

The Government has committed over $765 billion over 10 years to the Defence Force.

“Recruiting from a wider pool of people will help ensure our Australian Defence Force reflects the full diversity of Australia and is able to draw on the talents of the entirety of Australian society,” Defence Personnel Minister Matt Keogh said.

A recent report from an independent think tank, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, said Australia risked falling behind in its ability to defend the country from regional threats.

It argued the Government was not acting quickly enough to boost defence capabilities.

The Opposition said the focus should be on boosting ADF numbers here in Australia. Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Birmingham said young people “don’t have the confidence” to join the ADF because of “dysfunction” in the Government’s defence policy.

How much do you know about pigmentation?

Considering up to 50% of people experience pigmentation*, we wanted to break down exactly what it is.

Everyone has pigmentation and the amount you have determines your natural skin, hair and eye colour.

Hyperpigmentation is when an area of skin on your body is darker than your normal skin tone.

Sun exposure, genetics, hormonal changes, skin injuries and medical conditions can all lead to hyperpigmentation.

Targeted solutions, like La Roche Posay’s Mela B3 Niacinamide Dark Spot Serum, are one way to help target and prevent further hyperpigmentation.

Find out more about the breakthrough Dark Spot Serum – Mela B3, from the No.1 Dermatologist Recommended Skincare Brand Worldwide, La Roche Posay**.

*According to a study conducted by La Roche Posay with 48,000 people worldwide (year). **Survey conducted among the skincare market carried out by APLUSA and other partners between January 2023 and May 2023, involving dermatologists in 34 countries, representing more than 80% of the worldwide GDP

76,798 spectators turned out to Sydney’s Accor Stadium to watch the Matilda’s 2 nil victory at home. It was goalkeeper Lydia William’s last Matildas game on Aussie soil, ahead of her retirement from international competition after the Paris Olympics.

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Mr Beast is now the most-subscribed channel on YouTube. If you’re not familiar, Mr Beast is known for his fast-paced videos and attention-grabbing stunts on the platform.

The 26-year-old’s YouTube channel has overtaken previous record-holder T-series, a music and movie channel popular in India. T-series has 266 million subscribers.

Mr Beast now has 271 million subscribers and counting.

His latest video, where he paid two contestants $US10,000 a day to live in the wilderness for as long as possible, has over 62 million views.

For the first time in U.S. history, the son of a sitting President is facing trial and potential jail time. The trial of Hunter Biden, the son of current President Joe Biden, has begun in the US state of Delaware this week. He stands accused of illegally buying and owning a handgun while using drugs.

It’s another twist in what is becoming a legally-entangled Presidential election.