☕️ Could the U.S. Govt shutdown end soon?

Here is today’s riddle: A monkey, a bird, and a squirrel are climbing a coconut tree. Who gets the banana first?

Answer is in the titbit!

“The Government thanks the Administrators and Rex for working throughout the administration period to keep Rex flying and maintain critical aviation links for our regional communities.”
Transport Minister Catherine King in a statement following the news that U.S. airline Air T has bought Rex, more than a year after it went into voluntary administration.

139
The number of witnesses the prosecution will call to speak at Sydney broadcaster Alan Jones’ indecent assault trial, according to the ABC. A court hearing has been set for August 2026. Jones is facing 27 charges relating to nine alleged victims.

Syzygy
Definition: A nearly straight-line configuration of three celestial bodies in a gravitational system (e.g. the Sun, moon and earth during a solar or lunar eclipse).

Sentence: I’m excited to see the syzygy in the sky today.

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been released from prison 20 days into a five-year sentence.

Earlier this year, a Paris court found Sarkozy guilty of conspiring in an illegal campaign funding scheme with Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

Now, he has been conditionally released until an appeal of his conviction is heard next year.

Sarkozy, who has consistently denied any wrongdoing, said his “energy is solely on the single goal of proving my innocence.”

Sarkozy was President for five years, taking office after the 2007 presidential election as the leader of the centre-right party Union for a Popular Movement (UMP).

He retired from politics in 2017 and has since been convicted of two other corruption charges.

Earlier this year, French authorities revoked his Legion of Honour, the country’s highest award.

Prosecutors accused Sarkozy of orchestrating an illegal arrangement with Gaddafi to receive millions of euros in funding for his presidential campaign.

It was alleged that Libyan operatives, including a convicted terrorist, transported the money to Paris in suitcases.

Paramilitary forces killed Gaddafi in 2011. In 2014, France24 published a report claiming Gaddafi had previously confirmed the conspiracy, saying: “It’s thanks to me that [Sarkozy] became president… We gave him the funds that allowed him to win.”

The court ruled there was not enough evidence to prove Sarkozy personally executed the deal, nor to suggest the money ever reached his campaign.

However, it found sufficient evidence that Sarkozy had conspired to engage in “corruption at the highest possible level,” allowing his close political aides to liaise with Libyan officials between 2005 and 2007.

Sarkozy was prosecuted alongside 11 other defendants accused of involvement in the scheme, including former officials from his administration.

Following his trial, Sarkozy was sentenced in relation to the criminal conspiracy charge.

He was taken to prison in late October and was held separately to other prisoners.

This week, a court agreed to Sarkozy’s conditional release, ordering him to stay in the country and avoid contacting any witnesses or employees of the Ministry of Justice.

Several lawyers have complained Sarkozy received a prison visit from Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin, a former colleague and friend.

In a post to social media, Sarkozy remained confident that “the end of the story remains to be written” and that “the truth will prevail“.

Reporting by Achol Arok.

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The U.S. Senate has passed a bill to end the Government shutdown.

A group of Democrat Senators broke ranks with their party to develop the bill with Republicans.

Other Democrats oppose the bill, saying it abandons their fight for healthcare subsidies.

It still needs to pass the House of Representatives.

The shutdown has lasted 41 days, during which time millions of federal employees, including air traffic controllers, have worked without pay.

A U.S. Government shutdown happens when Congress fails to pass legislation to fund federal operations.

This tends to happen at the end of a U.S. fiscal year (30 September), when federal funding for the next year must be approved.

The Government shut down on 1 October after President Donald Trump and fellow Republicans refused to compromise on budget increases for healthcare benefits demanded by Democrats.

Since the shutdown began, $US1.7 trillion in federal agency operations have been affected, forcing Government departments to terminate non-essential employees.

More than 4,000 staff were laid off across departments including the Treasury, Commerce, Education, Energy, and Health.

Funding to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food benefits program, which serves 40 million people, has been affected by the shutdown.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) pays the majority of the funding for SNAP, while states pay some administration fees.

While payments were made in October, the Federal Government said it would not continue funding for November.

More than 20 states launched a lawsuit to force USDA to provide the funding.

After a federal judge ruled in the states’ favour, the Government escalated the case to the Supreme Court, which is now deciding the matter.

Some states handed out full benefits for the month despite the dispute.

Another major impact of the shutdown has been on airport security staff and air traffic controllers, who are Government workers. They have not been paid since the shutdown began 41 days ago.

Many have missed their unpaid shifts in recent days – often to work second, paying jobs – causing thousands of delays and cancellations.

The Federal Aviation Administration has directed a temporary reduction of flights at 40 key airports to ensure “air travel remains safe.”

On Monday night (local time), 60 Senators voted in favour of a bill to end the shutdown. This group included seven Democrats and one Democrat-aligned independent.

Republicans have a majority in the Senate, so would not normally have needed Democrat support, however funding bills require a 60-40 vote.

The bill funds the government until 30 January 2026, reverses firings carried out by the Trump administration at the start of the shutdown, and prevents further firings before January.

The bill now moves to the House of Representatives. Most House Democrats – including party leadership – oppose the bill because it doesn’t include healthcare subsidies.

Some Democrats are calling for party leadership changes, with California Representative Ro Khanna labelling Senate leader Chuck Schumer “no longer effective.”

The bill is likely to pass the House, where Republicans have a majority and don’t need extra support. Trump has said he will then sign it into law, telling CNN it is a “very good” deal.

Reporting by Emily Donohoe.

Black Friday = the perfect excuse to level up your home (and finally retire that dodgy couch from Facebook Marketplace)

Koala’s offering up to 30% off everything – bedroom furniture, sofas, the works.

The Wanda Sofa Bed is 30% off, which means one piece that covers movie nights, accidental naps, surprise mates-crashing-on-the-weekend, and hidden storage for your “I’ll fold that later” pile.

Plus, the award-winning Koala Mattress (queen) is $999 – with flippable firmness for indecisive sleepers – and 30% off the Kirribilli Bed Base for a proper grown-up bedroom setup.

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University of Dundee Professor Iris Grunwald “proved that a blood clot could be removed from the brain without a specialist being physically present,” after she conducted the remote thrombectomy on a human cadaver in Florida. The technology uses a sensory system that was able to capture Professor Grunwald’s hand movements from a lab in east Scotland, which were then mirrored in real time by a robot at the patient site. Although thrombectomy is highly effective in treating patients with a stroke caused by a large blocked brain vessel, it’s inaccessible in many parts of the world. Grunwald said the robotics breakthrough “truly bridges the gap between operator and patient, no matter the distance.” It’s hoped the technology will be approved by regulators in the U.S. so it can be rolled out to live patients more widely. 

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Reporting by Anju Dhanushkodi.

If you were aghast at 10-year-olds shopping at Sephora, you’re probably not going to like this.

Actor and entrepreneur Shay Mitchell, known for her roles in ‘You’ and ‘Pretty Little Liars,’ has launched a skincare line for children.

In her Instagram post announcing the launch, she said her skincare brand ‘Rini’ “isn’t about beauty, it’s about self-care.” 

The overwhelming response so far has been negative, with commenters saying they were “horrified,” calling it “shameless” and “tone-deaf.” 

One user questioned why “literal toddlers need face masks,” referring to the promo images of small children wearing sheet masks.

Reporting by Anju Dhanushkodi.

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Riddle answer: None! Bananas don't grow on coconut trees!

The Victorian Government has released the final report from its landmark inquiry into women's pain. The findings paint a stark picture where thousands are suffering unnecessarily within a healthcare system that has failed to address chronic pain adequately. 

Today, we're breaking down the inquiry’s findings and recommendations, what happens next, and what it tells us about women’s pain on a national scale.