Today is a big day. Two mega-movies are released today: Barbie and Oppenheimer.

The two movies could not be more different. One is about creating a new world and the other is about destroying the old world.

But they’re set to come together to deliver the biggest crowds that cinemas around the world have seen since before the pandemic.

Oh, and speaking of the world, there’s also this small thing called the Women’s World Cup that starts today. More of that in the podcast!

The quote
"[Social media] platforms that were designed to enhance human connection are now used to undermine elections, spread conspiracy theories, and incite hatred and violence." – UN Secretary-General António Guterres, calling for a global AI agency.

The stat
70
The new maximum age that Russian men can serve in the military or be called back into service, up from 65 years old.

Today in history
1969: Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the moon. An estimated 650 million people tuned in from all over the world to watch the historic moment as it happened.

Some headlines from this morning:

A U.S. soldier has been detained in North Korea after crossing the border "wilfully and without authorisation", according to officials.

U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said the soldier, Travis King, was with a tour group in South Korea when he crossed it.

Background:
Since the Korean War in the 1950s, the north and south have been governed separately. The relationship between the two countries is hostile.

The border between North Korea and South Korea is called the 'demilitarised zone' (pictured above). It is heavily patrolled and overseen by a UN security force. Tourists can visit the DMZ, but crossings are unauthorised and rare.

Travis King:
U.S. soldier Travis King was at the border location Panmunjom when he crossed the DMZ. Panmunjom is the only official point of contact between the two countries.

U.S. officials have not publicly said why he crossed it. However, several U.S. media outlets report King was recently released from a South Korean prison and was due back in the U.S. to face further disciplinary action for assault charges.

North Korean officials have not confirmed King's whereabouts.

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Big W has removed a book from its shelves after "multiple incidents of abuse" directed at staff in its stores.

The book, called 'Welcome to Sex', is described by its publisher as "an educational and age-appropriate guide for tweens and teens and their parents about sex and sexuality."

The decision followed a social media campaign to ban the book over objections to its sexually explicit content and gender-neutral language.

'Welcome to Sex’
'Welcome to Sex' was written by adolescent health expert Dr Melissa Kang and journalist Yumi Stynes, and published by Hardie Grant in May.

Ahead of its publication, Stynes called it "a book for young ones who aren't necessarily practising any partnered sexual activities but who are curious enough to Google – and whose parents would prefer this early (and influential!) info come from legitimate and researched sources... [rather than] the internet".

"YES, it's frank... [but] this info is setting them up for safer, happier lives," Stynes said.

Backlash:
The book attracted criticism after podcaster Chris Primod filmed himself flicking through it at a Big W store.

Primod criticised its sections of various types of sexual activity, which included cartoons. He mocked a page suggesting penis size was not important and a page calling virginity an outdated concept.

He also criticised a section on sexual and gender identity. "How can anyone think they're not coming after the children after seeing books like this," Primod said. Primod did not elaborate on who he meant by 'they'.

Campaign:
Primod's post started a campaign to ban the book. The campaign was promoted in a range of media forums by Rachael Wong, CEO of 'Women's Forum Australia', an organisation that lists 'erasure of biological sex' as one of its key issues.

The organisation runs numerous anti-trans campaigns, including against self-identification laws and against trans women in women's prisons.

Wong said the book "heavily pushes gender ideology" and is "graphic" and "explicit".

Book off shelves:
In a statement, Big W confirmed it would take the book off shelves in its stores "later today", but would continue to sell the book online as part of its parenting range.

"We know there has been a wide range of views about the book, however it's disappointing that there have been multiple incidents of abuse directed at our store team members in the past 24 hours," a spokesperson said.

Publisher response:
In a statement yesterday, Hardie Grant Publishing said it was "proud" to have published the book.

Kate Brown, Managing Director of Children's Publishing at Hardie Grant, said buying the book was "a positive choice for parents and teens who are looking for guidance on a subject of genuine importance." She encouraged parents and caregivers to "make their own decisions about what is appropriate to share with their family".

The book is still available online.

Get all the news you need to know today in your ears on The Daily Aus podcast!

Ticket sales for the Women’s World Cup have set a new record for the tournament.

People from 182 different countries have bought close to 1.4 million tickets across games in host countries Australia and New Zealand. The tournament starts tonight.

This one’s for the older newsletter readers among us. Introducing….The Golden Bachelor. That’s right, ABC in the U.S. will launch a spin-off of The Bachelor that stars a 71-year-old grandfather, Gerry Turner, as the leading man.

According to ABC, “the women arriving at the mansion have a lifetime of experience, living through love, loss and laughter, hoping for a spark that ignites a future full of endless possibilities.”

Good luck, Gerry!