☕️ You can now fly directly from Australia to France

Here is today’s riddle: A man is trapped in a room. The room has only two possible exits: two doors. Through the first door there is a room constructed from magnifying glass. The blazing hot sun instantly fries anything or anyone that enters. Through the second door there is a fire-breathing dragon. How does the man escape?

Answer is in the tidbit!

“I was blindsided by what was said at the show on Sunday. I would never condone hate speech or encourage political violence in any form… I no longer feel it is appropriate to continue the Tenacious D tour, and all future creative plans are on hold.”
Jack Black in a statement on social media announcing he has cancelled the rest of his tour after his bandmate, Kyle Gass, told a crowd in Sydney on Sunday that his birthday wish is, “Don’t miss Trump next time.”

19.1%
The increase in online clothes shopping purchases in April to June 2024 compared to the same period last year, according to analysis by Australia Post.

2014
The Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 crashed, killing all 298 passengers and crew on board.

Qantas has launched a non-stop flight from Australia to France for the first time. The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner will take 17 hours and 20 minutes to fly directy from Perth to Paris.

Qantas already flies directly from Perth to London and Rome.

In the lead-up to the Olympics and Paralympics, flights to Paris will operate four times a week, before reducing to three services per week from mid-August.

Reporting by Chloe Christie.

The Gambian Parliament has voted to uphold a ban on female genital mutilation (FGM), also called ‘female genital cutting’ (FGC).

Around 70% of women aged 15 to 49 in the country underwent FGM before it was banned in 2015.

FGM was banned in the West African country in 2015. Earlier this year, a bill was introduced to parliament that sought to overturn the ban.

This week’s decision will see the ban remain in place.

Here’s what you need to know.

FGM is known to cause health issues like infections, blood loss, problems urinating, and complications in childbirth. It has no health benefits.

The UN has identified FGM in 92 countries. It’s sometimes described as a cultural or religious practice, but it is not recommended in any major religious text.

The World Health Organisation describes FGM as “an extreme form of discrimination against girls and women.”

In 2015, The Gambia passed a law to ban FGM, which includes a penalty of up to three years imprisonment for anyone who performs it, and life imprisonment if the procedure causes death.

In March 2024, the Gambian Parliament voted in favour of overturning the ban on FGM. The bill was sent to be reviewed by a parliamentary committee before a final vote was made.

On Monday, the Gambian Parliament voted against the bill to overturn the ban — meaning FGM will remain a criminal offence in The Gambia.

The committee delivered numerous recommendations on the motion to overturn the ban on 8 July.

According to The Gambia’s Parliament Watch, the committee said the current ban on FGM should “be maintained to protect the health and wellbeing of women and girls.”

It also suggested that the Government should “ban any attempt to medicalise the practice of FGM”.

The Parliament voted to reject the bill in full, meaning that the original ban enacted in 2015 is unchanged.

The Government said it remains “firm in its resolve to eliminate this harmful practice” in a statement from the Ministry of Information.

Almameh Gibba, the politician who introduced the bill to overturn the FGM ban, said he is “ready to stand firm” against a law that he believes penalises “our sisters or mothers because of practising their culture.”

This was the first time a bill was fully rejected in The Gambia’s current parliament.

The Gambia Network Against Gender Based Violence described the ruling as a “pivotal moment” and a “triumph for survivors, activists, and human rights advocates.”

The United Nations Population Fund said it is “crucial that these legal protections remain in place.”

Reporting by Nandini Dhir.

Men’s health is in crisis – and it impacts everyone.

Australian men face significant health challenges. With higher rates of suicide and a higher burden of disease for several preventable health conditions, like cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and injuries. Men are less likely to engage in preventative health, and that is putting immense pressure on the families and communities who care for men in poor health. Movember’s ‘Real Face of Men’s Health’ report highlights the current state of men’s health in Australia and its widespread effects on society.

The unexpected faces of men’s health

When men are unwell, it often falls on loved ones to care for them. This unpaid workforce – most of whom are women – is often overlooked in conversations surrounding men’s health.

Over one in 10 Australians are informal caregivers, with the toll of caregiving falling disproportionately on women. 50% of female caregivers report that caregiving has had a negative impact on their mental health. While caregiving can be incredibly rewarding, it can also come with significant emotional, physical, social, and financial pressures. That's why it's vital for everyone to work together to improve men's health outcomes.

Your experience matters. Share your story here.

The species were labelled endangered after 2013 wildfires burnt through more than 77,000 acres in the Park.

The San Francisco Zoo conservation team have been leading the project, raising hundreds of amphibians from tadpoles to adults to reintroduce them to their natural habitat.

Reporting by Achol Arok.

An underground cave has been discovered… on the moon! 

Research published in the journal Nature shows a possible way to access the cave from an open area on the moon’s surface. 

Described as a lunar pit, researchers said this could be a “promising site for a lunar base” — where spaceships or rovers can land, or a habitat could be set up. 

The next humans set to go to the moon will travel on NASA’s Artemis IV mission in a few years’ time. Wonder if they’ll visit that cave? 

Reporting by Nandini Dhir.

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Riddle answer: He waits until night time and then goes through the first door.

One of Australia’s biggest unions – the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees’ Union (CFMEU) – is being investigated for alleged ties to criminal gangs and bikie groups in the wake of a Nine Network investigation.

The controversial head of the union’s Victorian wing, John Setka, stepped down last week before the criminal allegations surfaced. The union’s Victorian branch has since gone into administration and handed control to the national body.

In today’s deep dive, we’re going to explain what the CFMEU actually is, why these allegations are so serious and what it means for Labor.