☕️ Ozzy Osbourne dies

Here is today’s riddle: Which of these English words is odd in the set?

Mood, stun, strap, straw, letter, and evil.

Answer is in the titbit!

“For the first time in Australia’s history, women make up the majority of the federal cabinet.”
Governor-General Sam Mostyn in her address to open Australia’s 48th Parliament on Tuesday.

43%
The percentage of cars sold on the Australian market by 2035 that will have been manufactured in China, according to a report from the Australian Automotive Dealer Association. The group suggested the move will likely be driven by the rising demand for hybrid and electric options, and falling prices offered by Chinese brands.

Mawkish [MAW-kish]
Definition: Overly sentimental, often in a sappy way.
Used in a sentence: "The rom-com's ending was mawkish and predictable."

The U.S. Department of Justice has released records on the assassination of civil rights activist Dr Martin Luther King Jr for the first time.

More than 230,000 pages of documents detail the FBI’s investigation into King’s 1968 murder.

The publication of these records comes despite the opposition of King’s two surviving children, who have called for respect for their “family’s continuing grief.”

King’s children also said the files included information about FBI surveillance of him before his death.

Martin Luther King Jr was born in 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia. He rose to become one of the most prominent leaders in the American civil rights movement.

At age 35, he became the youngest man to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, recognised for his leadership in the movement, including efforts to end racial segregation in multiple U.S. states.

On 4 April 1968, Dr King was fatally shot while standing on a balcony in Memphis, Tennessee.

A man named James Earl Ray pleaded guilty to his murder in 1969.

The documents published this week include hundreds of thousands of pages detailing the FBI’s investigation into his death. The records, held in the country’s National Archives, had been classified under a court-ordered seal since 1977.

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January, calling for the declassification of files related to the assassinations of King, President John F. Kennedy, and his brother Senator Robert F. Kennedy.

U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi said the move shows the administration’s “pledge of transparency.”

King’s two surviving children said that while they “support transparency and historical accountability,” they hold concerns about potential misuse of the files.

In a public statement, they described the documents as reflecting years of an “invasive, predatory, and deeply disturbing” surveillance campaign carried out by the FBI against their father.

King’s children also repeated their assertion that Ray was not their father’s murderer.

Reporting by Achol Arok.

The Federal Government has announced $14 million to assist with the effects of a toxic algal bloom on South Australia’s coastline — which has killed around 14,000 animals since March.

It follows calls from environmental experts and the Greens to declare a natural disaster in the region.

However, Environment Minister Murray Watt stopped short of declaring a natural disaster, saying it didn’t fit the official definition.

The SA Government has now matched Watt’s pledge, signing off on a $28 million support package on Tuesday.

Algae are a group of marine plants that grow in the sea and in freshwater. They are a key source of food for many aquatic animals.

When algae grow out of control, often triggered by warmer ocean temperatures, some species release harmful toxins into waterways.

Non-toxic algal blooms are also a threat to marine life. They consume large amounts of oxygen and can essentially suffocate other species. Non-toxic algae can harm fish by clogging their gills as well.

Water temperatures started spiking in South Australia around September last year, recorded at around 2.5°C warmer than normal.

The SA state environment agency has suggested increased temperatures, combined with additional nutrients in the sea washed in from river flooding two years ago, caused the bloom.

Thousands of fish, rays, and sharks have washed up dead along the state’s shoreline. The Biodiversity Council estimates more than 430 species of marine animals have been killed in the bloom.

Environment Minister Murray Watt visited SA on Monday to survey the damage.

He announced $14 million in federal funding to help address the marine crisis, which he described as an “extreme event”.

The funding will go towards research, community support, cleaning up dead marine life, and helping businesses affected by the bloom such as fishers.

It’s since been matched by a further $14 million pledged by the SA state Government.

SA Premier Peter Malinauskas has called the event a natural disaster.

A formal declaration would enable extra funds and resources to flow to state authorities.

Watt told reporters the algal bloom didn’t meet a strict definition to unlock natural disaster aid, but said the event was “very serious”.

He didn’t rule out adjusting the definition in future. It currently covers events including bushfires, cyclones, and floods.

Environmental experts are calling for the Government to take greater steps towards addressing the bloom, including issuing an official disaster declaration.

University of Melbourne Associate Professor John Morrongiello said the bloom has “wreaked havoc on the region’s marine ecosystem,” affecting fisheries and aquaculture industries.

“This could very well be considered a national disaster,” Morrongiello said.

Greens environmental spokesperson and SA Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has called for a “rescue package” comparable to the Government’s COVID-19 response.

“This is an environmental catastrophe, an economic calamity and increasingly a community health emergency,” she said

Shadow Environment Minister Angie Bell is pushing for extra funding to go towards scientific monitoring of the bloom.

She criticised Watt’s delay in visiting affected areas, telling the ABC it took him “too long” to visit SA.

Reporting by Harry Sekulich.

Did you know over 40% of Australians struggle to swallow pills?

If you’re part of that percentage, we’d like for you to meet someone: Blackmores Rapi-Melts.

It’s a simple, tasty way to stay on track with your health goals - no pills, no water, no fuss. Just melt and go.

They’re fast, flavourful, and effortless, and available in: 

Dissolving rapidly on the tongue, the Blackmores Rapi-Melt range is perfect for those on-the-go moments - and those who struggle to swallow pills.

Always read the label and follow the directions for use. 

The team at Edinburgh’s Heriot-Watt University set out to create accessible technology for rural patients everywhere, using AI advancements in medicine. PhD candidate Tess Watt has now developed a prototype, “showcasing how AI can analyse images of skin lesions and flag potential risks for further medical review.” The system does not require internet access to work, and is relatively cheap to make. Patients can take a picture of their skin using the device, which analyses the picture using “state-of-the-art image classification”. Findings are then shared with a local GP. Scottish health authorities will review the device before a pilot program is launched, “hopefully in the next year or two,” Watt said.

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

Reporting by Emma Gillespie.

Two unexpected music groups have been topping global streaming and radio charts over the last month.

Pop groups are often accused of being fake, but chart-toppers Saja Boys and HUNTR/X actually are — they’re fictional bands from the Sony/Netflix film ‘KPop Demon Hunters’.

Both groups have a combined following of more than 45 million monthly listeners on Spotify.

At the time of publication, ‘Golden’ by HUNTR/X is at the top of the Spotify Global Top 50. The song also topped the Billboard global chart last week.

Their tracks join other songs by fictional artists that have topped the charts, such as ‘Shallow’ from ‘A Star Is Born.’

Reporting by Anju Dhanushkodi.

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Riddle answer: Letter, because this is the only word that does not form a meaningful word when written backwards.

Sharks, seals, rays, octopus, dolphins - these are just some of the marine species that have washed up dead on South Australian beaches in recent months.

A toxic algal bloom that has been lingering off the state's coast since at least March is being blamed for the mass kills. It's a story that has now gained national attention, with the federal government announcing $14 million in funding this week.

As calls mount for the government to declare a national disaster, scientists are warning the danger could spread to other states. Today, we're unpacking everything you need to know about this story, including the science behind it and what it means for the future of Australia's marine ecosystems.