☕️ UK's smoke-free generation

Good morning!

Special shoutout to 'Drake', who won yesterday’s ‘Picture This’ with a time of 5.84 seconds.

That seems especially fast to us (even the best puzzlers amongst us may take longer than two seconds per emoji riddle), but we'll let Drake have his victory and wear his Hotline Bling with pride for now.

I’ve got 10 seconds

Quote of the day

“Male actors get paid more because they used to say they draw in the audience, and actually that hasn’t been true for decades… I’m very aware that if I was Oliver Colman, I’d be earning a f*** of a lot more than I am… I know of one pay disparity which is a 12,000% difference.”
Oscar-winning actor Olivia Colman speaking to CNN on gendered pay disparity in the film industry.

Stat of the day

$57.5 million
The amount ANZ paid to settle a class action lawsuit over allegations it charged customers interest on credit card purchases made during an ‘interest-free period’. A class action is a type of lawsuit where many people are represented by one entity.

Today in history

1953
American medical researcher Dr. Jonas Salk announced he had successfully tested a vaccine against poliomyelitis, which causes the disease of polio.

I’ve got 30 seconds

Some headlines from this morning:

• The Federal Government has announced new university ‘study hubs’ in regional Australia, aimed at bringing university “closer” to regional students. Ten new hubs have been announced in regions including Warwick in Queensland, the Pilbara in WA, and East Gippsland in Victoria. The announcement comes after the Universities Accord Panel released its report last month, calling on the Government to improve higher education in regional areas.

• Four men have been charged with terrorism over an attack on a concert venue in Moscow, Russia, last Friday. Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility for the attack. More than 130 people were killed and at least 140 others were injured. It’s the deadliest attack inside Russia in 20 years.

I’ve got 1 minute

Ireland is set to have its youngest-ever Prime Minister

Simon Harris has been elected as Ireland’s new Prime Minister after former leader Leo Varadkar resigned last week. At 37-years-old, Harris is Ireland’s youngest-ever PM.

Harris joined his party, Fine Gael, at 15 years old. At the time of being elected, he was the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation, and Science.

Harris said: “I know I won’t get everything right. But I am going to bring energy and renewal to this party.”

I’ve got 2 minutes

The UK is introducing a smoking ban for anyone born after 2009

A bill on new tobacco and vaping regulations has been introduced to UK Parliament. The bill, which is expected to pass, will block anyone born after 1 January 2009 from ever legally purchasing tobacco products.

The proposed law is part of UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s “commitment to create a smoke-free generation”.

It comes after a 2022 review on UK’s smoking policies recommended gradually increasing the age that people can legally buy cigarettes.

Background

Sunak announced the plan in October last year to reduce the number of smoking-related health issues in the country.

The UK followed a similar proposal in New Zealand that would have banned children born in, or after, 2009 from legally buying smoking products.

PM Christopher Luxon scrapped the ban after winning the country’s latest federal election last year.

Smoking in the UK

Under current UK law, you must be over 18 to buy cigarettes.

According to data cited by the government, four in five smokers begin before the age of 20.

It’s estimated that smoking-related health issues cost the UK’s health system £17 billion ($AU33b) a year.

Health Secretary Victoria Atkins said smoking kills around 80,000 people a year in the UK, and “causes one in four cancer-related deaths”.

The bill

By restricting the sale of tobacco to children born in 2009 or later, the bill aims to prohibit younger generations from ever picking up smoking.

It proposes £100 ($AU190) “on the spot fines” for anyone caught selling tobacco or vapes to children.

The bill will not make smoking illegal, and anyone who can purchase tobacco under the current laws will not be impacted.

Vaping

The bill will also give the government power to restrict vape marketing that targets children, such as different flavours, colourful packaging, and visibility in shop displays.

Under separate environmental legislation, the government plans to ban disposable vapes in the UK from April next year.

Response

When Sunak announced the plans last year, Labour Opposition health spokesperson Wes Streeting said his party will “vote through the ban on selling cigarettes to kids, so that young people are even less likely to smoke”.

This means the bill will pass.

The British Heart Foundation’s Chief Executive Dr Charmaine Griffiths said the “landmark” bill will “ensure future generations don’t die early because of tobacco”.

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Anj Sharma is a 19-year-old university student. She’s also an activist trying to change the laws of the country.

Sharma wants to make it a legal obligation for the Australian Government to consider its duty of care to future generations when making decisions about the environment. She is working with Independent Senator David Pocock to get their duty of care bill through Parliament.

This week, the Senate is considering the merits of the bill. In today's deep dive, TDA talks to Anj Sharma about the legislation.

Give me some good news

Jasmin Paris has become the first woman to complete one of the hardest marathons ever.

The Barkley Marathon is a 60-hour race that involves five laps through mountainous woodlands, leaving the runner to navigate the track without a phone or GPS, just a digital watch and compass.

Only 20 people have completed the marathon, and 40-year-old Paris became the first woman to do so, finishing the run with less than two minutes to spare.

TDA tidbit

Forget about the Paris Olympics - bring on the ‘Course de Cafés’. 

Around 200 waiters and waitresses completed a 2km race over the weekend, each carrying a tray with a glass of water, a cup of coffee, and a croissant.

The goal? Reach the finish line without spilling anything, and no running either!

Women’s and men’s category winners Pauline and Samy beat the course in 14 minutes and 12 seconds, and 13 minutes and 30 seconds, respectively.

Not only do the winners get the title of fastest server in town, but they also score a free night in a nice hotel.

Perhaps they’ll have some coffee and a croissant for breakfast. Bon appétit!

TDA asks