AUSTRALIA
AUSTRALIA/OCEANIA
Lucy Arundell, Reporter
Politics: The Prime Minister will attempt to get the proposed same-sex marriage postal plebiscite through parliament, as the contentious issue again gains heat in politics.
Economics: The Commonwealth Bank, one of Australia's biggest banks, is under fire for allegations of money laundering, and the suspiciously large bonuses of senior executives.
Culture: a 16 year old boy was rushed to hospital after he came out of the ocean with severe bleeding on his legs. His wounds were caused by sea fleas.
BRIDGE THE DIVIDE
NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Daniella Inzena, Discussions Editor
On Aug. 5, Bridge the Divide ambassadors from across the world held a roundtable on the topic of the Media. Various points were discussed, from general impressions of the media to what an ideal media landscape should look like to how to ensure accurate news gatherings. Ambassadors suggested watching and reading varied news sources for a more objective perspective, both within their own countries and across the world. Ambassadors proposed replacing 24 hours news networks with 2 hour blocks for more objective and concise content, as well as increasing the role of podcasts, which look at bigger ideas or specific policies. The idea of "stoic" reporting was also examined. For countries where media is controlled by the government, ambassadors agreed that supporting journalists and respecting free speech is an important priority.
THE MEDIA ROUNDTABLE
BTD celebrated its first anniversary recently! Ambassadors across the world shared a few words expressing why they joined BTD and its mission of promoting tolerance and a bipartisan approach to fight for viewpoint diversity. Check the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCHKIroh1vQ.
BTD has a new discussion masthead with Associate Directors and Staff Writers directed by Ambassador Tuhin Chakraborty. We invite you to join our discussions or start your own on our platform: https://www.bridge-the-divide.com/discussion/.
BTD is preparing for its first ever conference, which will take place at Marlborough School in Los Angeles, California on October 28th. If you want to engage in workshops and expose yourself to the thoughts and visions of political pioneers, entrepreneurs, activists, thinkers, journalists, and officials across the political spectrum, apply to join us at the conference here: https://www.bridge-the-divide.com/conference.
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