This week's selection of essential reads from Guardian Australia, curated by Miles Herbert, features stories that move and challenge. From the devastating aftermath of the Nepal-Tibet flood to personal reckonings with political movements, these narratives offer deep insights into human endurance and societal issues.
After the Flood: Nepal's Devastation
In the wake of the Nepal-Tibet flood disaster, thousands remain missing, and aid access is severely hindered by treacherous conditions. Correspondents Hannah Ellis-Petersen and Gaurav Pokharel report from the worst-hit areas, describing the unfathomable scale of damage and human suffering. Communities nearly wiped out are now grappling with what comes next.
Rescue teams are sifting through debris, finding poignant remnants of lives lost. "Kettles, teddy bears, a record-keeping book, saucepans, medicine packets, a pair of glasses" serve as reminders of the hundreds still missing. One resident expressed ongoing disbelief: "Even now, I cannot believe that she is gone. That's why I keep walking around looking for her. I still feel as if she might be walking around somewhere here."
Further reading highlights that trapped workers could still be alive, families hope DNA can identify loved ones, and relatives fear attention is drifting from the crisis.
Walking Away from the Cult of Trump
After more than a decade, some devotees of Donald Trump's "Make America Great Again" (Maga) movement are walking away, making amends, and supporting others. Rich Logis, founder of Leaving Maga, found a second family in the community, with belonging and camaraderie. However, after politicians platformed Covid anti-vaxxers, he diversified his news sources and realized his beliefs were false, feeling "complicit in dividing this country."
Logis reflects, "My loyalty wasn't to Trump. My loyalty was to God and the church." The non-profit Leaving Maga is fighting Trumpism like a disease, offering support to those reckoning with their roles.
Freddie Mercury's Untold Story
Mary Austin, Freddie Mercury's one-time girlfriend, has released a new book laying out Mercury's life in lyrics, 35 years after his death. Austin and Mercury lived together for four years before realizing Mercury was attracted to men. The revelation felt like a relief, and they remained close friends as Queen became a global phenomenon.
Austin inherited half of Mercury's estate, now estimated at about £150m. Asked about the money's future, she said, "It's going to go to my children." The book offers a personal look at the Queen frontman's life.
The Ethics of Sex Dolls
On a quiet road south of Sydney, two citizens found what they thought was a corpse in a suitcase, but it turned out to be a sex doll. This incident has drawn global attention to the booming sex doll industry, valued at over US$6bn. Madison Griffiths asks whether it matters how these dolls are treated.
Lifelike dolls, increasingly customisable, cost about US$1,790. Caitlin Roper, author of Sex Dolls, Robots and Woman Hating, calls them "replica female sex slaves." Prof Kelly Richards of Queensland University of Technology notes, "In a global context, where I believe gender equality has gone backwards, sex dolls are actually just the extreme end of that."
A Week-Long Run in the Park
Australian endurance athlete Phil Gore ran 6.71km every hour for an entire week to test his limits. Having set the world record in 2025, Gore wanted a challenge that pushed him further, competing only against his own body and mind. He said, "Maybe [there is] a little bit of disappointment that I wanted my limit to be a bit further away."
His fuel included "speckled snakes and Nerd clusters, jelly cups, custard pouches, simple sugars like that," sustaining him for days. The feat highlights remarkable physical and mental endurance.
