For half a century, the fantasy storytelling game Dungeons and Dragons has created a space for people to explore and craft their identities through role-playing. To mark its 50th anniversary, a live theatrical experience called "Dungeons & Dragons, The Twenty-Sided Tavern" was created. On Sunday December 15, it opens at the Sydney Opera House.  Newsworthy's Leila Patch spoke with David Carpenter, the show's cofounder and executive producer and some avid Sydney D&D fans about what keeps this game both current and captivating.

Why Dungeons & Dragons is thriving at 50

The Australian Medical Association has called the rise of vapes a catastrophic health concern. From July this year, a new Australian law mandated "all vapes and vaping products, regardless of whether they contain nicotine or not, can only be sold in a pharmacy". #Newsworthy's Daniel McLaren-Kennedy speaks to one vaping advocate Dr Colin Mendelsohn, who has a different, controversial take. 

Song "Peach Ice" by Big Moist and the Smoking Durries used with permission.

Challenge to how vapes should be classified

Farzad Rooein fled Afghanistan when the Taliban took control of the country. His journey to safe asylum in Australia was marked by danger and heartbreak. ​

Escaping Afghanistan: Farzad's dangerous journey

Figuring out your identity becomes complicated when you’re called up for military service in a different country. Chongwan Yu talks to Fujun Sun about how he navigates his ties to three diverse countries.

Tour of duty: how Chongwan’s military service impacted his identity

Witnessing the deadly impact of the Russian attacks on Ukraine had a profound impact on Simon Doyle. Last year, the Coffs Harbour principal flew to southeastern Ukraine to volunteer with Hopefull, a UK mobile charity serving pizzas to civilians displaced by the ongoing war.  Simon spoke to Newsworthy's Ebony Casagrande about what he saw, the Ukrainians’ sense of community and their ongoing fight to maintain their language and cultural identity. 

Serving up pizza and support: Simon Doyle on volunteering in Ukraine

Tessa Sitjes is only in her second year of her mechanical engineering degree, but she's already witnessing the gender imbalance in STEM courses.  Currently only 14 per cent of engineers in the Australian workforce are female, with women making up just 37 per cent of enrolments in university STEM courses. 
Sitjes talks to Newsworthy’s Olive Wilson about her experiences as part of the Sunswift solar car racing team, the importance of diversity in engineering and what actions she can see taking place to address the gender imbalance. 

Racing for equality: Innovation, solar car racing and beating gender imbalances in STEM

The hashtag skinnytok has been banned on TikTok, but experts question if it will help those struggling with disordered eating.  Newsworthy’s Yunya Wang spoke to content creator Charlotte Grimmer and dietitian Hannah Melville about what they thought of the move and asked them what more could be done to help those battling eating disorders.  

Will banning skinnytok make a difference?

Ruth Lopez is a US citizen, but because her parents are immigrants, she lives in fear of the immigration raids. The Immigration and Customs and Enforcement Agency (ICE) has been more active since the beginning of this year. "I'm personally scared just because of the colour of my skin. Because my last name is Lopez. It is not an American last name" she says. 
Newsworthy’s Patricia Byrnes spoke to Ruth about how she and her family are feeling right now, her hopes for the future and what happened on a recent trip to Oklahoma.  

Why Dungeons & Dragons is thriving at 50

Newsworthy

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