☕️ Teenage boys the focus on new intervention

Without further ado, here’s today’s riddle: A bat and a ball cost $1.10 in total. The bat costs $1.00 more than the ball. How much does the ball cost?

Answer is in the tidbit!

"We need stronger peacebuilding and conflict prevention architecture and we need to strengthen resolve to achieve peace in Ukraine, Gaza and Sudan. Last month we marked the 75th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions.... We are falling short of that commitment with 2024 shaping up to be the deadliest year on record for humanitarian personnel."
Foreign Minister Penny Wong, speaking at a United Nations summit in New York. Wong called on the UN to introduce greater protections for aid workers, and said the international body has not "evolved" to keep up with global challenges.

374
The number of days two Russian astronauts spent at the International Space Station. Following the record-breaking stay, Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub landed safely back on earth this week. Kononenko holds another record for the cumulative 1,111 days he's spent in space during his career.

1992
NASA launched its Mars observer. Around a year later, NASA lost contact with it.

The Federal Government will target adolescent boys through a new early intervention program to end gender-based violence.

The initiative will boost support services for 12 to 18-year-old boys who’ve experienced family and domestic violence, “and who are using or at risk of using family, domestic or sexual violence.”

Participants will be offered trauma-informed and “culturally safe” services, including one-on-one counselling.

The trial will be rolled out across metropolitan, regional, and remote locations from early next year.

The Government has a 10-year plan to end violence against women and children.

One of its goals is to create “opportunities to support people who have used violence, or are at risk of using violence, to change their behaviours”.

A study of adolescent family violence by Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety found

89% of young people who had used violence had also experienced child abuse.

Boys and young men aged 12 to 18 who have perpetrated domestic violence, or are at risk of doing so, will be eligible for the ‘Supporting Adolescent Boys Trial’.

It will target young people who have had “adverse childhood experiences”, such as family and domestic violence.

Specialist organisations will run the intervention programs at 12 metropolitan, regional, and remote sites.

More sites are expected to be included in the program next year.

Programs will involve one-on-one counselling sessions, youth mentoring, and developing safety plans for each person.

Each teenager is expected to attend intervention programs for 6-12 months.

The Government has set aside $23 million in funding for the trial over three years.

Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth said there are currently only “limited and inconsistent services” designed to support young people who could potentially develop violent behaviour.

Domestic Violence Action Centre in the Queensland city of Ipswich, west of Brisbane, is one of 12 sites trialling the program.

CEO Amie Carrington said she hopes it will help teenage boys “recover and heal from their experiences of domestic and family violence, learn new skills and knowledge to build safe and positive relationships in their life as they grow into young men.”

Reporting by Harry Sekulich.

A group of South East Asian politicians have condemned Myanmar’s military government, after the execution of two people they say didn’t get a fair trial.

Married couple Kaung Htet and Chan Myae Thu were executed early Monday morning over their alleged involvement in a 2022 prison bombing.

Now, South East Asian Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) have urged the international community to “break the silence” around the military’s execution policy.

It said another 120 detainees will be executed in the “coming weeks”.

Following a military coup in 1962, Myanmar was ruled by decades of totalitarian control. The regime was marked by violent crackdowns against anti-government protesters and mass killings.

A parliament was established in 2011. At the November 2020 election, a military-aligned political party was defeated. Myanmar’s military then violently overthrew the government before the new parliament could meet.

Its leaders have been accused of killings, unlawful arrests, torture, and sexual violence.

Kaung Htet and Chan Myae Thu were executed on Monday for their alleged involvement in a 2022 bombing at a Myanmar prison.

Several political prisoners were housed at the jail after the military overthrow.

Authorities alleged two bombs concealed as parcels were detonated in the prison’s mail room, killing eight people and injuring 18 others.

Chan Myae Thu allegedly confessed to her husband’s responsibility during an interrogation, leading to his arrest.

Authorities said they found loaded guns, explosive materials, two detonators, and burner phones when they arrested Kaung Htet.

The military accused the couple of coordinating the attack.

The two were also accused of being affiliated with the Special Task Agency of Burma (STA), a militant group opposed to the Government that later claimed responsibility for the attack.

APHR says the couple were executed, “without due process and fair trial” —

in breach of human rights laws.

APHR said it’s received reports five more pro-democracy activists will be executed this week, over a 2021 train shooting.

It claimed the accused were denied a fair trial, tortured, sexually assaulted, and denied access to legal support.

APHR member Arlene Brosas said she fears death sentences are being used to “silence persons with dissenting views in Myanmar”.

In 2018, the United Nations Human Rights Council established a working group — to gather evidence of human rights breaches committed in Myanmar since 2011.

The UN group said it’s aware executions “may be imminent” for several more individuals who have been unfairly tried and detained.

The head of the group, Nicholas Koumjian, said: “Imposing a prison or death sentence in such circumstances could constitute crimes against humanity or war crimes.”

Reporting by Achol Arok.

Have you heard the big news?! MERIT Beauty (TDA’s fave make-up brand) has just landed on Aussie shores, and we couldn’t be more excited about it, genuinely. 

If figuring out which beauty products to buy feels overwhelming, MERIT is here to cut through the noise. Their minimalist, dermatologist-tested products have stripped beauty back to the essentials - so you can do more with less.

To celebrate their Australian debut, MERIT has released The Australian Set - a limited edition collection perfect for your beach-to-bar glow this summer. The Minimalist complexion stick and the Flush Balm are our absolute favourites.

And here's the best part: The set is currently 10% off, and if you spend over $150, you'll get a free compact mirror. Not only that, first-time purchasers also get a free Signature Makeup Bag with their order! 

Like when we use sunscreen to avoid being sunburnt, corals that have adapted to withstand higher temperatures are more likely to avoid being bleached. Researchers from Southern Cross University tested over 500 colonies across 17 locations along the Great Barrier Reef. The study’s lead author, Melissa Naugle, said the team found heat-tolerant corals “at almost all the reefs” studied, “highlighting how corals across the entire Great Barrier Reef may hold the key to protecting and restoring the reef”. It’s hoped the discovery will help scientists understand coral recovery, and learn more about different strategies to protect reefs from climate change.

Want more good news? Sign up to our weekly Good Newsletter here - we promise it’ll make your week better!

Reporting by Achol Arok.

What do a beetroot, harp, and a shovel have in common?

(Don’t worry, I’m not making you do a second riddle for the day).

They’re all newly released emojis soon to be available on everyone’s phones! I can’t say I understand the logic behind all of them, but these are the updated emoji icons:

Perhaps these new emojis will feature in an upcoming edition of Picture This (scroll down to play)!

Reporting by Nandini Dhir.

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Riddle answer: The ball costs 5 cents.

Borrowing money in Australia is expensive at the moment because of high interest rates.

Central banks around the world are lowering interest rates, but Australia hasn’t moved from 4.35% since November last year.

The Greens are urging the Government to use its legal power to force the RBA to lower rates, a tool which has never been used.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll look at how long it’ll be until mortgage holders feel some relief.