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As you travel, pause and take a look at airport chapels

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/wendy-cadge-343734">Wendy Cadge</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/brandeis-university-1308">Brandeis University</a></em></p> <p>Flying home? It is very likely there is a chapel or meditation room tucked away somewhere in one of the airports you’ll pass through. <a href="http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/07/06/most-of-the-busiest-u-s-airports-have-dedicated-chapels/">Sixteen of the country’s 20 largest airports</a> have chapels, as do many more around the world.</p> <p>I am a <a href="http://www.wendycadge.com/">sociologist</a> of contemporary American religion and have written <a href="http://www.wendycadge.com/publications/airport-chapels-and-chaplains/">two recent articles</a> about airport chaplains and chapels. My interest in airport chapels started as simple curiosity – why do airports have chapels and who uses them? After visiting a few – including the chapel at Logan, my home airport here in Boston – I have concluded that they reflect broader changing norms around American religion.</p> <h2>How airports came to have chapels</h2> <p>The country’s first airport chapels were intended for staff rather than passengers and were established by Catholic leaders in the 1950s and 1960s to make sure their parishioners could attend mass.</p> <p>The first one in the U.S., Our Lady of the Airways, was built by Boston Archbishop Richard J. Cushing at Logan airport in 1951 and it was explicitly meant for people working at the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/socrel/srx025">airport</a>. A neon light pointed to the chapel and souvenir cards handed out at the dedication read, “We fly to thy patronage, O Holy Mother of God; despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us away from all dangers, O glorious and blessed virgin.”</p> <p>Our Lady of the Airways inspired the building of the country’s second airport chapel, Our Lady of the Skies at what was then Idlewild – and is today John F. Kennedy airport in New York City.</p> <p>Protestant chapels came later. The first was in New York – again at JFK. It was designed in the shape of a Latin cross and was joined by a Jewish synagogue in the 1960s. These chapels were located at a distance from the terminals: Passengers wishing to visit them had to go outside. They were <a href="https://books.google.com/books/about/Exploring_Interfaith_Space.html?id=on5YNwAACAA">later razed</a> and rebuilt in different area of JFK.</p> <p>In the 1970s and 1980s, Protestant chapels opened in Atlanta, and in several terminals of the Dallas airport in Texas.</p> <h2>Becoming more inclusive</h2> <p>By the 1990s and 2000s, single faith chapels had become a <a href="http://www.tciarchive.org/4534.article">“dying breed.”</a> Most started to welcome people from all religions. And many were transformed into spaces for reflection, or meditation for weary travelers.</p> <p>The chapel at San Francisco International Airport, for example, known as the <a href="https://www.flysfo.com/content/berman-reflection-room-0">Berman Reflection Room</a> for Jewish philanthropist Henry Berman who was a former president of the San Francisco Airport Commission, looks like a quiet waiting room filled with plants and lines of connected chairs. A small enclosed space without any religious symbols or obvious connections to things religious or spiritual is available for services.</p> <p>The scene at the <a href="http://www.atlchapel.org/">Atlanta</a> airport chapel is similar, with only a few chairs and clear glass entrances, to provide space for quiet reflection.</p> <p>Some airports, such as JFK, continue with their “Our Lady” names, indicating their faith-based origins.</p> <p>Others include religious symbols and objects from a range of religious traditions. The chapel in <a href="https://cltairportchapel.org/">Charlotte</a>, North Carolina, for example, has multiple religious texts alongside prayer rugs, rosary beads and artistically rendered quotes from the world’s major religions.</p> <p>Pamphlets on topics ranging from grief to forgiveness are available for visitors to take with them at the Charlotte airport.</p> <h2>Different airports, different rules</h2> <p>As these examples show, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/socrel/srx025">no two airports</a> have negotiated chapel space in the same way. What is permissible in one city is often not in another. Often, it is local, historical and demographic factors, including the religious composition of the region, that influence decisions. These could even be based on who started the chapel, or how much interreligious cooperation there is in a city.</p> <p>Certain airports such as Chicago’s <a href="http://www.airportchapels.org/">O'Hare</a> have strict rules regarding impromptu religious gatherings whether inside the chapel or out. Some use their public address systems to announce religious services. Others prohibit such announcements and do not even allow airport chaplains to put out any signs that could indicate a religious space.</p> <p>If they are included in airport maps, chapels tend to be designated by the symbol of a person bent in prayer. But even then, they can be difficult to spot. About half of the existing chapels are on the pre-security side of the airport and the other half accessible only after passengers pass through security.</p> <p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/socrel/srx025">Only four large American airports</a> – Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and New York’s LaGuardia – do not have chapel spaces, although opening such a space is under consideration. In the interim, at LaGuardia, a Catholic chaplain holds mass in a conference room.</p> <h2>What’s the future?</h2> <p>The reasons for these spaces and their variations are idiosyncratic and intensely local. These chapels reveal a range of approaches to contemporary American religion and spirituality.</p> <p>So on your travels, keep an eye out for these chapels. Note their similarities and differences and recognize how important local histories are to how church-state issues are resolved – at airports and beyond.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/87578/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/wendy-cadge-343734">Wendy Cadge</a>, Professor of Sociology and Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/brandeis-university-1308">Brandeis University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/as-you-travel-pause-and-take-a-look-at-airport-chapels-87578">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Travel Tips

Drinking olive oil: a health and beauty elixir or celebrity fad in a shot glass?

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hazel-flight-536221">Hazel Flight</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/edge-hill-university-1356">Edge Hill University</a></em></p> <p>In the ever-changing world of wellness trends and celebrity endorsed health fads there is a new trend on the scene: daily olive oil shots.</p> <p>Celebrities such as <a href="https://poosh.com/why-kourtney-kardashian-drinks-tablespoon-evoo/">Kourtney Kardashian</a>, Beyonce, Gwyneth Paltrow and <a href="https://www.womanandhome.com/life/news-entertainment/jennifer-lopez-credits-her-grandmas-crazy-beauty-secret-for-glowing-skin-and-chances-are-you-already-have-it-at-home/">Jennifer Lopez</a> all extol the virtues of swigging extra virgin as well as slathering it on their skin, crediting olive oil for their glowing complexions.</p> <p>Lopez even based her JLo Beauty brand around the kitchen staple, claiming that her age-defying looks were not the result of botox or surgery but the family beauty secret: <a href="https://graziamagazine.com/us/articles/jennifer-lopez-skincare-routine/">moisturising with olive oil</a>.</p> <p>And she’s in good company. Hollywood star <a href="https://jnews.uk/goldie-hawn-swears-by-olive-oil-for-perfect-skin-at-76-best-life/">Goldie Hawn reportedly drinks olive oil</a> before bed and uses it topically as a moisturiser, while <a href="https://www.redonline.co.uk/beauty/a31184313/julia-roberts-olive-oil-hair-skin/">beauty icon Sophia Loren</a> really goes to town by bathing in the stuff.</p> <p>While these celebrities swear by the skin beautifying properties of olive oil, some skin types should <a href="https://scholarhub.ui.ac.id/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1182&context=jdvi#:%7E:text=Background%3A%20Dry%20skin%20or%20xerosis,water%20in%20the%20stratum%20corneum.">give it a swerve</a>. Those <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/dth.14436">prone to acne</a> or eczema, for example, might find the <a href="https://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749(21)00813-7/fulltext">olive oil exacerbates their problems</a>. Some <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22995032/">dermatologists warn against</a> using it as skin care altogether – bad news for JLo.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3F7uc9jV9V4?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>Thanks largely to celebrity promotion, drinking olive oil has now become a <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/tv/lifestyle/tiktok-dua-lipa-ice-cream-olive-oil-b2479725.html">worldwide TikTok sensation</a>. Viral videos show influencers tossing back shots of cult olive oil brands, and proclaiming a wide range of health benefits from improving digestion to clearing up acne.</p> <p>Celebrity and influencers are sold on liquid gold but what about the rest of us? Can drinking olive oil really work on miracles for our health?</p> <h2>The benefits of olive oil</h2> <p>There’s no doubt that olive oil is full of good stuff. It’s high in polyphenols and antioxidants, which have protective qualities for the body’s tissues. It’s also a rich source of essential fatty acids, including oleic acid, which is known for <a href="https://foodrevolution.org/blog/olives-and-olive-oil-benefits/#:%7E:text=Compared%20with%20olives%2C%20olive%20oil,in%20polyphenols%20and%20antioxidants%2C%20however">lowering cholesterol</a> so reducing the chances of heart disease.</p> <p>Research has found that the inclusion of olive oil in the diet shows encouraging effects in a variety of <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390%2Fnu11092039">inflammatory and medical diseases</a> and can <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389%2Ffnut.2022.980429">support weight management</a> if used correctly.</p> <p>Replacing butter, margarine, mayonnaise and dairy fat with olive oil has been linked to a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.jacc.2021.10.041">lower risk of mortality</a>. There’s also evidence to suggest that the protective compounds in olive oil may help <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0261649">guard against cancer</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10376491/">dementia</a> and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29141573/">support the liver</a> <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7916323/">and kidneys</a>.</p> <p>But none of this is new information to health professionals. The health benefits of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7466243/">extra virgin olive oil</a> are <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390%2Fnu11092039">well researched</a> and nutritionists have promoted olive oil as a swap for saturated cooking fat for years.</p> <p>After all, the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7536728/">Mediterranean diet</a> has been touted as one of the healthiest diets in the world for decades. The diet itself can vary from region to region, but <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390%2Fnu15092127">virgin olive oil</a> is a <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390%2Fnu11092039">consistent element</a>. It’s used as the <a href="https://www.themediterraneandish.com/cooking-with-olive-oil/">main source of cooking fat</a> and included in everything from salad dressings to bread.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/krFcE5IPT7g?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <h2>Can fat be healthy? Yes and no</h2> <p>Fats are crucial for a balanced diet, aiding in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A,D,E,K and enhancing the nutritional value of meals.</p> <p>However, fat of any kind is also dense in calories and excessive consumption <a href="https://doi.org/10.1159/000336848">can lead to weight gain</a>. According to the <a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/17-07-2023-who-updates-guidelines-on-fats-and-carbohydrates">World Health Organization</a>, to prevent unhealthy weight gain, adults should limit their intake of fat to 30% of total energy intake with no more than 10% coming from saturated fats.</p> <p>Two tablespoons of olive oil – the standard amount in the shots taken by celebrities and social media influencers – contain 28g of fat (238 calories) and 3.8g of saturated fat equating to <a href="https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/171413/nutrients">19% of the recommended daily intake</a>.</p> <p>That daily shot of extra virgin, then, might not be the best idea. Adding small amounts of olive oil to meals throughout the day is a more balanced – and appetising – approach to incorporating healthy fats into your diet.</p> <p>But what about Kourtney Kardashian’s <a href="https://poosh.com/why-kourtney-kardashian-drinks-tablespoon-evoo/#:%7E:text=First%20things%20first%2C%20it's%20recommended,a.m.%20(every%20other%20day).">claim that</a>: “It’s recommended to consume extra virgin olive oil in the morning on an empty stomach so the oil can coat your system and neutralize your stomach walls for optimal benefits?”</p> <p><a href="https://www.oliveoiltimes.com/briefs/consuming-olive-oil-on-an-empty-stomach-health-benefits/91503">Some brands</a> have also echoed the idea that consuming olive oil on an empty stomach offers unique health benefits. But no. There’s no scientific evidence to suggest this is true.</p> <p>For a healthy but more satisfying snack, Kourtney might try including a handful of olives into her daily diet. Olives offer the same rich array of nutrients, including vitamins E, A and K, alongside essential minerals such as iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium and amino acids.</p> <p>Unlike olive oil, olives have the added benefit of a high fibre content. The combination of fat and fibre enhances feelings of satiety, making olives a nutritious addition to the diet.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/224018/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hazel-flight-536221">Hazel Flight</a>, Programme Lead Nutrition and Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/edge-hill-university-1356">Edge Hill University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/drinking-olive-oil-a-health-and-beauty-elixir-or-celebrity-fad-in-a-shot-glass-224018">original article</a>.</em></p>

Beauty & Style

11 beauty trends that should have never happened

<p><strong>Avoid these beauty buzzkills at all costs</strong></p> <p>Recent years have seen particularly vibrant, eccentric and unpredictable movements in the beauty sphere. Don’t get us wrong; beauty is an aesthetic concept that is indeed subjective to the eye of the beholder, but some of these recent trends aren’t as appealing as you might think.</p> <p>While you’re recovering from the traumatic fashion trends embedded in our history, take comfort in knowing that just about every decade has encountered questionable decisions – whether that be sartorial or cosmetic. If the thought of sporting orange Crocs and popcorn shirts makes you cringe, consider discarding these unflattering beauty trends as well.</p> <p>As proven peeves for guys, makeup artists and job employers alike, these 11 beauty trends actually do the opposite of their intended purpose.</p> <p><strong>Overly sticky lip gloss</strong></p> <p>We all love to sport a glossy pout, but when your lips are so sticky that they begin to look like you doused your mouth in maple syrup, that’s a problem. Wearing it outside especially doesn’t help; nobody likes spending the day with sticky, raspberry pink-streaked strands. Not surprisingly, men aren’t fans of it either; surveys have found that the majority of men vote against women donning it on a dinner date.</p> <p>Not only does it diminish the whole effortless, woke-up-like-this impression you’re trying to pull off, but nobody wants to make out with super glue. Instead, try opting for long-lasting lip tints that moisturise with a subtle sheen.</p> <p><strong>Extensive self-tanner</strong></p> <p>Unless you’re naturally blessed with the wondrous genes of a luminous rose gold complexion, the rest of us mere mortals have been turning to self-tanners to bestow that subtle bronze glow.</p> <p>This doesn’t come with no strings attached however; not only can it ruin that expensive white cashmere sweater you just bought, one coat too many and you’ll begin to resemble a baked pastry. Instead of that “fresh-out-of-the-oven” look, try a tinted moisturiser instead.</p> <p><strong>Stiff hair </strong></p> <p>Applying too much hairspray can make your locks crunchier than a forest floor during September. Instead of spritzing half a bottle of hairspray on your poor scalp, keep it minimal or natural.</p> <p><strong>Hair add-ins </strong></p> <p>While synthetic clip-ons can be cute on a kid or at Coachella, feathers, extensions, and bells on a regular basis can come off rather childish.</p> <p>To prevent looking like a walking Christmas tree (and avoid making your hair look like an arts-and-crafts project), opt for dangling these trinkets on handbags or sporting them as jewellery instead.</p> <p><strong>Neon lips </strong></p> <p>While we’ve all seen the numerous images floating of (admittedly cool-looking) vibrant lipstick styles all over Pinterest, we’re still left scratching our heads as to what public setting one can don a neon green pout.</p> <p>Sporting electrifying colours too drastically divergent from your natural lip colour may make yourself come off as unprofessional and overly aggressive, so it’s best to stay away from the popping lips if you’re attending a job interview.</p> <p><strong>Wet hair look</strong></p> <p>Makeup artists worldwide have predicted this to be the major hair trend of the year. With celebrities like Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Kim Kardashian West donning it on red carpets and said to have been inspired from Calvin Klein’s campaigns in the ‘90s, it has caught major spotlight everywhere.</p> <p>Although the tousled, wet hair look may look nice on the beachside, having a twist with too much slick on the streets may just come across as greasy, unwashed hair.</p> <p><strong>Colour-blocked makeup </strong></p> <p>Colour-blocking on clothing is undeniably chic, but colour-blocked makeup can make your face appear much too angular, and not in a good way. If you want to avoid looking like a makeup novice, don’t neglect the blending brush.</p> <p><strong>Hangover makeup</strong></p> <p>You know those mornings after a particularly rough night out, and you awaken to the sight of a bloated, saggy face? Well, now there’s a makeup trend striving for just that. A new trend known as “hangover beauty,” this look praises “aegyo-sal” (translated into “charming fat”), striving to highlight the puffiness under one’s eyes.</p> <p>To achieve the look, one has to line the bags underneath the eye and add blush above the cheekbones before blending them together into a reddish hue. This one’s pretty straightforward: don’t try to enhance what the rest of society usually tries to cover up.</p> <p>While having your eyes appear puffy and red-rimmed may have been an intentional choice for you, chances are people are just going to wonder how much sleep you got last night.</p> <p><strong>Furry nails</strong></p> <p>Ever since Jan Arnold, renown co-founder of CND nail polish, showcased furry nails on the runway, people have been plastering actual faux fur on their nails. Several obvious questions arise to the impracticality factor of this trend (how do you even eat or wash your hands with those?), but this nail art might be stretching it a tad too far, even for nail aficionados.</p> <p>You don’t want someone holding your hand to feel like he’s on a date with Sasquatch, so stick with the gel and acrylic for first impressions.</p> <p><strong>Stark ombre hair </strong></p> <p>Don’t get us wrong; we love ombre for many reasons – when done right. The biggest advice you could take for this is to seriously invest in a reputable hair stylist, or else your hair may just end up looking like you are in desperate need of a root touch-up.</p> <p>Never go cheap with ombre, and make sure your colour transition is gradual as opposed to stark.</p> <p><strong>Bleached brows</strong></p> <p>We have Cara Delevingne to thank for sparking the brow obsession; the pencil-thin arches reminiscent of the ’90s have officially been eliminated for thicker, fuller brows. But if you thought microblading was a bold move, think again.</p> <p>Stars like Katy Perry, Kendall Jenner and Rita Ora have all plunged into the peroxide party, inciting an entire movement of people grabbing the bleach to make their arches completely invisible. While that’s fine and all – if you’re into that sort of thing – fuller brows are proven to make you look younger.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p> <p><em>This article was originally published on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/healthsmart/beauty/11-beauty-trends-that-should-have-never-happened?pages=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>. </em></p>

Beauty & Style

“A beautiful soul”: Teenager killed in Aus Day boat crash identified

<p dir="ltr">The teenager killed in a fatal boat crash on Australia Day has been identified, as her heartbroken family remember her as a “beautiful soul”. </p> <p dir="ltr">Darcy Davey-Sutherland was enjoying a day on the water when two tinnies collided near the Gray’s Point boat ramp in Sydney’s Sutherlandshire, where the 16-year-old was critically injured. </p> <p dir="ltr">Paramedics arrived on the scene and transported Darcy to St George’s Hospital, where she later died. </p> <p dir="ltr">The 16-year-old was wearing a lifejacket at the time of the crash, and it is believed onlookers found her face down in the water and performed CPR on the teenager until paramedics arrived.</p> <p dir="ltr">Her father, Michael Davey-Sutherland, said his daughter was "the beacon of light within our family" in both the UK and Australia.</p> <p dir="ltr">"She was about to embark on the most special part of life as she stepped into adulthood," Michael told <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/sydney-darcy-sutherland-killed-in-grays-point-boat-crash/794e7737-9970-4e41-80b0-4324c4d6db5c" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>9News</em></a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Words cannot describe the pain we feel at the moment."</p> <p dir="ltr">Darcy, who was the eldest child and was very close to her two younger brothers, was also fondly remembered by her family and friends online.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I will miss you so much Darc, I feel like I've lost a part of me," one person said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Will forever love you. You will forever be missed, my beautiful angel, I will never forget our time together," another said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I pray for your family to find the strength to live with their forever broken heart, keeping your memory alive. Rest beautiful girl," a third added.</p> <p dir="ltr">A <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/darcy-sutherland">GoFundMe</a> page set up to help the Davey-Sutherland family has already seen more than $40,000 raised in 24 hours.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: 9News / Facebook</em></p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-ece18212-7fff-7359-edb0-233aa1d71116"></span></p>

News

Embracing the art of beauty without compromise

<p dir="ltr">When it comes to trying out the latest makeup products, people with sensitivities are often left behind. </p> <p dir="ltr">Whether it’s sensitive skin or allergies, makeup users can often find products that work for them and their limitations. </p> <p dir="ltr">But when it comes to having sensitive eyes, there are very few options for those who still want to partake in applying makeup. </p> <p dir="ltr">In answer to this gap in the market, an Australian ophthalmologist has developed a game-changing product that can give everyone the long lashes they deserve, even if they suffer from eye sensitivities. </p> <p dir="ltr">Enter: OKKIYO. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C0xoSFPvHhl/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C0xoSFPvHhl/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Beauty + Makeup for Sensitive Eyes - OKKIYO™️ (@okkiyoeyes)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The OKKIYO Eye-Care collection was crafted with expertise by Dr. Jacqueline Beltz, with each product being the perfect blend of aesthetics and eye health. </p> <p dir="ltr">The range offers meticulously formulated products to beautify sensitive eyes, ensuring you don't just look good but also feel great.</p> <p dir="ltr">From the transformative PRIORITEYES Mascara to the gentle Sensiteyes Cleansing System, every item is a promise of quality, safety, and confidence.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cvd68g8tBWE/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cvd68g8tBWE/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Beauty + Makeup for Sensitive Eyes - OKKIYO™️ (@okkiyoeyes)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The <a href="https://www.okkiyo.com/products/protect-and-preserve-mascara">PRIORITEYES Mascara</a> is crafted with natural ingredients that will protect your eyes, while still doing all the things you want a mascara to do. </p> <p dir="ltr">The mascara is tailored for those with sensitive eyes, ensuring a comfortable, irritation-free experience, making it the perfect blend of medical-grade care and cosmetic elegance.</p> <p dir="ltr">Its clean formula boasts over 90% natural ingredients, including nourishing Australian Manuka honey and rejuvenating citrus extracts, while also promising no smudging, lasting through watery eyes and eye drops, all while being a breeze to remove.</p> <p dir="ltr">Another feature of the OKKIYO mascara is its accessible packaging, as the square tube prevents the product from rolling away and out of sight, with the tube also featuring braille, so those with low vision can identify the product. </p> <p dir="ltr">When it comes to removing eye makeup, cleansing the eyelid margins is one of the most important steps in looking after the delicate eye area, especially if you have sensitive eyes. </p> <p dir="ltr">Thankfully, <a href="https://www.okkiyo.com/products/okkiyo-cleansing-cloth">OKKIYO cleansing cloths</a> effectively remove all traces of eye make-up as well as any dried oil, bacteria and skin cells from the lashes and lids, all while being good for the environment. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C14D7OrvSYd/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C14D7OrvSYd/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Beauty + Makeup for Sensitive Eyes - OKKIYO™️ (@okkiyoeyes)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The reusable muslin cloths cleanse the lid margins allowing the oil glands to function properly, producing tears that naturally desensitise the eyes. </p> <p dir="ltr">OKKIYO is the first Australian beauty brand to cater to the over 2.2 billion people in the world with low vision, and now, after three years in the making, the OKKIYO range is available exclusively at <a href="http://www.okkiyo.com.au/">www.okkiyo.com.au</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">A proportion of profits from each OKKIYO sale will go to supporting Aboriginal Eye Health, improvements for people with low vision and general eye health research.</p> <p dir="ltr">Given the ophthalmologist-created and tested formula, those with eye sensitivities no longer have to choose between protecting their vision and looking fabulous thanks to the revolutionary OKKIYO system. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-5dc0b4d6-7fff-4672-607b-3530170c75c6"></span></p>

Beauty & Style

9 beauty hacks for when you’re running late

<p><strong>Spritz on dry shampoo</strong></p> <p>When you don’t have time to wash or blow-dry your hair, dry shampoo is your new best friend. One quick spritz is a shortcut to volume and oil-free hair. Simply spray the dry shampoo directly at the roots and massage in for a clean, tousled look. Beauty expert and blogger, Jeanette Zinno, shares her special trick, “Use a dry shampoo at night to wake up with fresh textured hair. It has all night to work and absorb.”</p> <p>If you’re in a pinch and don’t have any dry shampoo on hand, run a dryer sheet across your hair, suggests Rochelle Maribojoc from Spa Pechanga. Though it sounds strange, it effectively picks up static, dirt, and oil; even if you plan on throwing your hair into a ponytail or messy bun, it’ll look leagues better.</p> <p><strong>Stock up on travel-size products </strong></p> <p>If you’re constantly running late (hey – no judgments!), having a to-go makeup bag full of mini hair and makeup products at the ready is a lifesaver. On those harried mornings, simply grab this trusty tote and do your beauty routine on the fly (on the train or when you get to your office).</p> <p>Makeup artists, Sam & Nic Chapman, share, “Travel-ready products are fantastic in a bind. If you haven’t had enough time to perfect your look in the morning, you’ll have the tools to freshen it up throughout the day.”</p> <p><strong>Take advantage of multipurpose products </strong></p> <p>Multi-purpose products help reduce the number of products you use and can be applied in less time. For example, a colour stick the can be used for cheeks, eyes, and lips. “I love it because it’s also very small, so you can take it on-the-go too,” Zinno says.</p> <p><strong>Dry nail polish fast with ice water</strong></p> <p>We’ve all been there – you’re going to an event or getting ready for a date, and you didn’t have time for a manicure. Of course, there’s no such thing as speedily painting your nails, as polish requires ample drying time, except, that is, if you use this brilliant trick from Zinno.</p> <p>“Soak your freshly-painted nails in a bowl of ice water for a minute; the cold will dry them quickly. Make sure you have the bowl ready before you paint your nails so you don’t mess them up!”</p> <p><strong>Skip the foundation</strong></p> <p>Unless your skin has a lot of unevenness, you really don’t need foundation 24/7. When you’re in a hurry, you can get away with dabbing concealer under eyes, down the bridge of the nose, on your chin, and on any problem areas like dark spots or pimples.</p> <p>“Using your concealer for spot-concealing is the best time-saver as it provides evenness of tone, while giving your complexion a natural, not-fussy look,” says CEO of Veil Cosmetics, Sébastien Tardif, who adds that you want to pick a concealer that matches your skin tone for the most flattering finish.</p> <p><strong>Apply eyeliner on the "negative space"</strong></p> <p>While cat liner and smoky eyes require a time commitment, filling in the negative space (the area of skin on your eyelid between your lashes and eye) is extremely easy and gives instant definition and make your lashes look fuller without any mascara.</p> <p><strong>Smudge eyeliner for an instant smoky eye </strong></p> <p>For the quickest smoky eye, “Simply line your eyes using a creamy eyeliner and smudge with your ring finger (it’s the weakest, so it’s the best for blending without pulling your delicate eyelid skin),” shares beauty expert and professional makeup artist, Sona Gasparian, “In just a few seconds, you’ll have a simple Parisian look!”</p> <p><strong>Blush is a must</strong></p> <p>Although contouring your full face will eat up too much time, blush is too important to skip, especially in the morning when most of us tend to roll out of bed looking pasty or sallow. If you’re super tight on time, dab a tinted lip balm on your cheeks and blend for a creamy blush alternative.</p> <p>“A little bit of colour on our cheeks can go a long way – the colour makes you look more alive without barely even trying,” says BH Cosmetics.</p> <p><strong>Swipe on a dark lip colour</strong></p> <p>A red, plum, or sophisticated brown lip hue can elevate your look and make others think you dedicated a whole lot of effort on your appearance, even when you didn’t.</p> <p>Choose a lip stain and you won’t even have to re-apply throughout the day, says Liz Fuller from Makeup Artistry Inc, “One quick pat on the lips in the morning as you’re running out the door, and you can forget about it for the remainder of the day.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/healthsmart/beauty/9-beauty-hacks-for-when-youre-running-late" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>. </em></p>

Beauty & Style

12 expert ways to manage stress at airports

<p><strong><em>Betsy Goldberg writes for <a href="http://blog.virtuoso.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Virtuoso Luxury Traveller</span></a>, the blog of a <a href="http://www.virtuoso.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">global luxury travel network</span></a>, and she enjoys nothing more than taking a holiday.</em></strong></p> <p>Airports should be happy places. They’re the beginning of a journey, either to a new place, a vacation, business meetings, time with family and friends, or back home.</p> <p>If you’ve spent even a brief amount of time inside an airport, though, you know that’s not the case. They can be stressful places with people running to and fro trying to make flights. All while dealing with their day-to-day life via their phone. No surprise that a psychologist has even developed an air travel stress scale.</p> <p>Air travel stress gets to virtually all of us. But it doesn’t have to. How can you reduce the drama?</p> <p><strong>1. Put things in context</strong></p> <p>A lot of reducing air travel stress comes simply from having a good mindset.</p> <p>The most important thing is to start with the right attitude, says Rishi Piparaiya, author of Aisle Be Damned: “We’re talking about an extremely complicated industry, where millions of people fly in the skies in metal tubes at the speed of sound. Sure, something may go wrong, but our ancestors would spend a lifetime to make the journey we make in half a day.”</p> <p>Here’s another take from Brent Bowen, dean of the College of Aviation at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He noted that in 2013 the overall performance of U.S. airlines hit its highest point in 24 years.</p> <p>“The number of customer complaints has gone down,” he says. “Mishandled baggage has gone down and on-time performance has improved. So technically, based solely on the data, (the flight experience) has improved over the last 25 years substantially.”</p> <p><strong>2. When to fly</strong></p> <p>Leisure travellers tend to fly on weekends. Business travellers are crowding airports Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays. Therefore, book your flights for the quieter days of Tuesday and Wednesday when you can.</p> <p>Book an early-morning flight if possible to avoid more air travel stress. Airlines are less likely to have delays first thing in the day.</p> <p><strong>3. Use a packing list</strong></p> <p>This prevents “Oh no!” moments at the airport. If you’re not even at security yet and you already think you’re missing something and don’t have the time to go get it, the rest of the airport experience probably won’t be great.</p> <p>Avoid that kind of air travel stress before you get to the airport by starting with a packing list. Also, learn how to effectively pack a bag.</p> <p><strong>4. Check in promptly</strong></p> <p>Airlines let you check in online 24 hours before your flight. Do that to avoid lineups at the airport. Another bonus: it may help prevent you from being bumped off an oversold flight.</p> <p><strong>5. Carry on what you can</strong></p> <p>The advantages: less to potentially lose in your checked luggage. No baggage fees. And a faster exit from the airport when you arrive.</p> <p>Always carry on essentials like keys, medications, valuables and anything critical for business meetings. You don’t want to arrive in the Caribbean and be waiting days for everything you need to actually enjoy the Caribbean.</p> <p>So remember that air travel is actually much more effective than almost any human mode of transport in history. And in the past few decades, the experience has technically only improved. Take a deep breath when that air travel stress hits you.</p> <p><strong>6. The early bird approach</strong></p> <p>People fall into very distinct camps on this. Earlier tends to be better (especially around peak travel times like holidays). If you know security lines might be longer, why gamble and add more air travel stress?</p> <p><strong>7. The full charge</strong></p> <p>Phone batteries are getting better as technology continues to develop. And more airports are offering outlets and charging stations. But always get to the airport on a full charge. If you encounter a hiccup, you’ll need your device as a resource.</p> <p><strong>8. What to wear</strong></p> <p>Layers will help you navigate varying temperatures inside the airport and on the plane. Wear comfortable clothes you can move in, in case of a last-minute dash to a connecting flight. Wrinkle-free clothing is great, both for the journey to your destination as well as your trip itself.</p> <p>As far as footwear goes, wear something easy to slide on/off to get through security faster. In larger airports, you’re likely in for a big walk to and from your gate, so comfort is a must as well.</p> <p><strong>9. Entertainment</strong></p> <p>Unless you’ve booked an entire row on the plane, your seatmates are a random act of chance. They could be great – and not bother you. Or they could be challenging in many ways.</p> <p>So load up on distractions. Those include magazines, books, e-books, movies, TV shows and work you need to complete. They’ll also help in case of delays while you’re still in the terminal.</p> <p><strong>10. Your fellow passengers</strong></p> <p>Airports are amazing places for people-watching. If you stop at an airport bar or restaurant, you can usually strike up a conversation easily. You might be sitting next to someone from halfway around the world. You don’t get that chance every day, so take advantage of it.</p> <p>Want a conversation starter? Talk about the fastest way to board passengers. You’ll make some new friends and relieve your mutual air travel stress.</p> <p><strong>11. Airport lounges</strong></p> <p>Another place to meet new people: an airport lounge. You’ll await your flight in a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere. And you’ll enjoy peace and quiet, comfortable seating, food, drinks and reading materials.</p> <p>First-class and business-class travellers and elite frequent flyers have access to their airline’s lounge. Also, certain credit card holders enjoy complimentary access. For everyone else, there’s a day pass. A pass at an independent lounge will run you about $30 to $50.</p> <p><strong>12. Advisors as air travel stress relief</strong></p> <p>There are dozens of reasons why working with a professional travel advisor is a good idea. See here for real-life stories from actual travellers. One of those: an advisor can reduce air travel stress. Your advisor will work with you on itineraries, the best flight times, and any adjustments. If something crops up at the airport, you have a trusted resource one call away.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Travel Tips

Traveller's $3,000 mistake at airport security

<p>A grandmother from New Zealand has copped a whopping $3,000 fine after failing to declare an airport sandwich to border control officers. </p> <p>June Armstrong, 77, was travelling from her native Christchurch to Brisbane to housesit for a friend, and treated herself to a muffin and a sandwich ahead of her 4am flight. </p> <p>Ms Armstrong ate her muffin before boarding the plane, and stashed the sandwich in her carry-on luggage to eat later on the flight. </p> <p>However, the grandmother fell asleep on the plane and the sandwich was left uneaten. </p> <p>When she woke up from her nap, she filled out the declaration form to enter Australia, as she had prescription medication, but completely forgot about the sandwich.</p> <p>When she arrived at the security gates at Brisbane Airport and her bags were checked, she was met with an unfortunate welcome to Australia as she was slapped with the fine. </p> <p>“I was just sobbing and said “$NZ3300 for a little sandwich?” Ms Armstrong told the <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/canterbury-grandmother-fined-3300-for-chicken-sandwich-by-australian-border-officials/3KJUEZBB2JHVLHBNSXFY3XPKLE/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>NZ Herald</em>.</a></p> <p>She said asked the official who found the sandwich if they could throw it away for her, but after they walked away and came back, they allegedly just said, “Twelve points, $3300”.</p> <p>Ms Armstrong first thought they were joking, but when she realised they were serious, she broke down in tears as staffers "strongly advised" her to appeal the fine within 28 days. </p> <p>She went through with the appeal to avoid forking out the four-figure sum, but to no avail and eventually ended up coughing up the hefty fine. </p> <p>“My husband kept saying, 'Just pay it'. I said, 'It’s our pension, we can’t afford this’,” Ms Armstrong said, adding that they had about $30,000 in savings as well as their pensions.</p> <p>Ms Armstrong sent an email asking why she was fined, considering it was her first infringement, and why the cost was so high, especially considering the sandwich was untouched and sealed. </p> <p>She also outlined the impact the fine was having on her mental health, but she allegedly never received a response.</p> <p>Six months on from sandwich-gate, she has accepted she won’t be getting her money back and has since spoken out to warn fellow passengers not to make the same mistake. </p> <p>“Everybody I show the fine to is dumbfounded, they just can’t believe it,” Ms Armstrong told the <em>NZ Herald</em>.</p> <p>Australia’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry said Ms Armstrong needed an import permit to bring the chicken sandwich into the county, adding it could have been a much higher penalty, as fines can be as much as $6260. </p> <p>“Meat has strict import conditions which can change quickly based on disease outbreaks,” a departmental spokesperson told <a href="https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/warnings/grandmother-who-forgot-to-declare-chicken-sandwich-cops-3000-fine-at-brisbane-airport/news-story/2bc94ac2e7e4f59cd16e5798fc7f9f7b" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>news.com.au</em></a>. </p> <p>“Uncanned meats, including vacuum-sealed items, are not allowed into Australia unless accompanied by an import permit."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

Travel Trouble

"So beautiful": Summer Warne overwhelmed by Coldplay's tribute to Shane

<p>Summer Warne has captured the emotional moment that Coldplay frontman Chris Martin paid tribute to her late father on stage. </p> <p>During their show in Perth on Sunday night, Martin bean singing an original acoustic song that honoured Shane Warne in a unique way. </p> <p>Shane's daughter Summer was in the audience for the performance, and was incredibly touched by the gesture. </p> <p>During the song, Chris Martin sang the lyrics, "Friends come, and friends go, there are just some people you're lucky to know. If I could, I'd do it all again, so thanks for everything Shane."</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cz1Ln4fRVQU/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cz1Ln4fRVQU/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Summer Warne 🍒 (@summerwarne)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>He even joked at one point, singing "I needed sunglasses just to look at your teeth," and poked fun at the late cricketer's lack of rhythm. </p> <p>Summer posted a clip of the emotional moment to Instagram with the caption, "The most amazing song dedicated to Dad. Thank you Chris, so beautiful <a title="" href="https://www.instagram.com/coldplay/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">@coldplay</a> Love you dad xx."</p> <p>This isn't the first time Martin has honoured the star in song, as Coldplay dedicated an acoustic cover of their hit song <em>Yellow</em> to the sporting legend at Shane's memorial. </p> <p>The performance was done via video, as Chris began saying, "I am sorry I cannot be there today."</p> <p>"We are on tour in Central America and there are a lot of background noises, but I feel like that may be OK with him. I think chaos and Shane were good friends."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram</em></p>

Music

Elle Macpherson reportedly caught snapping at airport staff

<p>Elle Macpherson was reportedly overheard snapping at border security staff in Dallas Fortworth Airport, after being forced to double-back through a checkpoint. </p> <p>The 59-year-old Aussie supermodel had to wait for over 20 minutes at the security stop, and a witness reported that Macpherson was visibly frustrated during the incident. </p> <p>The onlooker claimed that Macpherson told the security staff: “Why did you just say I could go through and then tell me I had to come back?” </p> <p>“You just let five people through, I was before them and now I’m at the back again.”</p> <p>Images obtained by <a href="https://www.perthnow.com.au/entertainment/celebrity/australian-supermodel-elle-macpherson-gets-frustrated-at-dallas-fort-worth-airport-in-texas-c-12525462" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Perth Now</em></a> show a frustrated-looking MacPherson checking her boarding pass while rocking a a fluffy statement vest, cowboy boots and flared jeans with a leopard print Christian Dior bag in hand. </p> <p>In another photo, Macpherson was pictured putting on her cowboy boots after passing through the checkpoint. </p> <p>It is unclear why Macpherson was travelling through Dallas. </p> <p>This news comes after the supermodel recently celebrated her <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/body/elle-macpherson-marks-major-20-year-milestone" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one-year anniversary</a> with partner Doyle Bramhall, and 20 years of sobriety. </p> <p>Macpherson and her partner are avid travellers, with the model sharing a bunch of photos from their adventures and describing themselves as “nomadic lovers”. </p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p> <p> </p>

Travel Trouble

"Beautiful soul": Johnny Ruffo passes away at 35

<p>Beloved Australian actor and singer Johnny Ruffo, known for his role on <em>Home and Away</em> and as a finalist on <em>The X Factor Australia</em>, passed away on Friday at the age of 35 after a courageous and lengthy battle with brain cancer.</p> <p>The sad news was confirmed through a heartfelt statement shared on Ruffo's Instagram page, leaving fans, friends, and fellow celebrities mourning the loss of a talented and resilient soul.</p> <p>Ruffo's journey with brain cancer began in 2017, a battle that he faced with determination, strength, and a remarkable sense of humour. Described as a talented and sometimes "cheeky" man, Ruffo's positive spirit shone through even in the face of adversity. The statement on his Instagram page conveyed the heavy hearts of his loved ones, emphasising his strong will and the incredible support he received from his partner Tahnee, family, nurses, and doctors:</p> <p><em>"It is with a heavy heart that today we had to farewell our beloved Johnny.</em></p> <p><em>Surrounded by his partner Tahnee and family, Johnny went peacefully with the support of some incredible Nurses & Doctors.</em></p> <p><em>He was a very talented, charming and sometimes cheeky boy. Johnny was very determined and had a strong will. He battled all the way to the end and fought as hard as he could. Such a beautiful soul with so much more to give.</em></p> <p><em>We all love you Johnny and will remember you for all the joy you brought to our lives.</em></p> <p><em>Rest easy ❤️"</em></p> <p>Tributes immediately poured in from the Australian entertainment industry, with stars like Dannii Minogue, Casey Donovan, and Guy Sebastian expressing their sorrow and remembering Ruffo's infectious personality. Fellow <em>Home and Away</em> co-star Penny McNamee recalled the joy Ruffo brought to the set, emphasising the warmth and humour he shared with those around him.</p> <p>Ruffo's impact extended beyond the screen, as evidenced by the outpouring of grief from friends in the industry. Mel B, who was a judge on <em>The X Factor Australia</em> when Ruffo competed in 2011, expressed her heartfelt condolences, while Georgie Parker, another<em> Home and Away</em> co-star, described Ruffo as "truly one in a million" and lamented the cruelty of his untimely departure.</p> <p>In November 2020, Ruffo bravely shared with his fans that his cancer had returned, initiating another challenging chapter in his life. Despite the uphill battle, he remained open about his experiences, releasing a book titled <em>No Finish Line</em> last year. The book documented his journey from the moment he learned about the 7-centimeter tumour in his brain, known as a stage three oligodendroglioma, to completing it while undergoing chemotherapy.</p> <p>Throughout his fight, Ruffo maintained a strong presence on social media, updating his followers on his progress and sharing moments of vulnerability and strength. Tahnee played a crucial role in his journey, providing unwavering support and being a pillar of strength during the challenging times. The couple's love story, which began at a dance studio in 2015, became an inspiring tale of resilience and commitment.</p> <p>In his final Instagram post on August 7, Ruffo's girlfriend shared a poignant video montage, illustrating his six-year battle with cancer. The clip showcased Ruffo's hospital visits, chemotherapy sessions, and moments of joy, highlighting the indomitable spirit that defined his character. Ruffo's infectious smiles and thumbs-ups for the camera served as a testament to his positive outlook, even in the face of adversity.</p> <p>As the entertainment industry and fans mourn the loss of Johnny Ruffo, his legacy remains embedded in the memories of those who were touched by his talent, charm and unwavering spirit. His courage in the face of a relentless illness serves as an inspiration, and his impact on the Australian entertainment scene will be remembered for years to come.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

"It was beautiful": Rare rainbow cloud stuns small farming town

<p>The locals of a small farming town in Western Australia have been delighted with the sighting of a rare rainbow cloud. </p> <p>The colourful weather phenomenon appeared above the town of Goomalling, about 130km northwest of Perth in Western Australia, on Tuesday morning.</p> <p>Jenni Shaw was at her family-owned business when she got a text from a friend instructing her to look up at the sky. </p> <p><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif;">"We all went out the front and had a look and there was some bright, rainbow-type clouds in the sky that we hadn't seen before," she </span>told <em><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10-24/rainbow-cloud-iridescence-irisation-delights-wheatbelt-community/103016928" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC</a></em><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif;">.</span></p> <p>“It was beautiful,” she said.</p> <p>“But we were a bit like ‘why is that like that? Should we still be outside looking or not?’”</p> <p><iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Flang.lefroy.7%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02h2HTyVYSVda8NkewrireTWPS4P6wKTnuJxhBWfkNhbxGn3QzHweELRNFQczM8GsPl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="645" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>Ms Shaw said the rainbow-coloured cloud was visible for just a few minutes.</p> <p>"It was not there long, just long enough for us all to get some photos," she said.</p> <p class="paragraph_paragraph__3Hrfa" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif;">Jessica Lingard from the Bureau of Meteorology said rainbow clouds, known as cloud iridescence, form in the same way as rainbows - when sunlight diffracts off water or ice crystals in the sky.</p> <p>"It's quite a rare phenomenon to catch in person," she said.</p> <p>"It's the perfect storm of conditions: the sun's at the right angle, the clouds are not too thin and not too thick that they're being blocked out, and the sunlight has just created this spectacle of coloured light."</p> <div data-component="EmphasisedText"> <p>"It's an absolutely stunning photo."</p> </div> <p>Lucky local residents said it wasn’t the first time they’d seen the special clouds in the area.</p> <p>“I have seen clouds like this a few times in my travels, mostly in the Wheatbelt,” Jill Lefroy wrote on Facebook. </p> <p>“Pretty awesome seeing a rainbow with no rain!”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p>

Domestic Travel

Take a look inside the luxury airport lounge used by the royal family

<p dir="ltr">Around the world, many airports are known to boast luxurious airport lounges that service frequent flyers and elite travellers. </p> <p dir="ltr">These exclusive areas of the airport are reserved for VIP customers, with members of the royal family even utilising the luxury lounges. </p> <p dir="ltr">At London’s Heathrow Airport, one of the busiest airports in the world, the famous Windsor Suite, found next to Terminal 5, has often been used by the royals including the Prince and Princess of Wales, William and Kate.</p> <p dir="ltr">There are eight private suites, but they come at a hefty price, costing £3000 (A$5700) for just three people.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CuRL5p-IcIO/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CuRL5p-IcIO/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Heathrow VIP (@heathrowvip)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The whopping price tag covers a series of luxuries during your time at the airport, including a chauffeur who picks you up from your door and takes you straight to the lounge, as well as takes you straight to the plane.</p> <p dir="ltr">There is also a private butler, personal shopper, Michelin star food, and priceless artworks adorning the suites. </p> <p dir="ltr">There are added security features too such as bombproof glass and anti-paparazzi nets to ensure privacy. </p> <p dir="ltr">This level of luxury is not exclusive to the London airport, as airports in Germany, America, the UAE and even Australia boast a similar service to VIP travellers. </p> <p dir="ltr">In Australia, the Qantas Chairman’s Lounge membership list includes the country’s top CEOs, A-list celebrities, and politicians.</p> <p dir="ltr">The lounges are in six domestic airports across the country, and offer world-class dining hidden behind unmarked wood-panelled doors.</p> <p dir="ltr">Former Qantas CEO Alan Joyce described the luxury as “probably the most exclusive club in the country” for those who are willing to spend big on the service before their flight. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Instagram </em></p>

International Travel

Former beauty queen dies after cosmetic surgery

<p>Former beauty queen Jaquelin Carrieri, 48, has sadly passed away following complications from cosmetic surgery. </p> <p>The mother-of-two from Argentina suffered a blood clot and passed away at an unnamed clinic in Los Angeles, California on Sunday October 1st. </p> <p>A post on her Instagram page confirmed the tragic news. </p> <p>"We want to inform our followers today of some sad news," the post began. </p> <p>"Jaquelin Carrieri, who was Queen of Punta del Agua District and Deputy Queen of San Rafael Department in 1996, has passed away.</p> <p>"From Reinas de San Rafael, we want to extend our condolences to her family and friends during this difficult time." </p> <p>According to another statement posted on Facebook the following day, Carrieri passed away from a "stroke" caused by cosmetic surgery.</p> <p>"Jaquelin Carrieri has passed away," the statement began.</p> <p>"She was a woman of great talent, an actress in one of our department’s plays that was being performed at the Roma Theatre until just a few days ago.</p> <p>"Jaquelin also owned a high-end fashion store called Jaquelin Carrieri Boutique, which unfortunately had to close its doors during the pandemic.</p> <p>"She was well known for dressing the San Rafael pageant queens for many years, making their dresses shine during the Vía Blanca and Carrusel Vendimial parades.</p> <p>"In her youth, she was also Deputy Queen of the San Rafael en Vendimia festival.</p> <p>"She passed away in Los Angeles, California, due to a stroke that may have been caused by cosmetic surgery". </p> <p>Carrieri was just days away from celebrating her 49th birthday, and grieving friends have taken to social media to share their heartache. </p> <p>"Dear Jaqui yesterday I sent you a message for your birthday and I was surprised you didn't answer. Today on TV I heard this terrible news. I will always love you and I'm broken. Lots of light and love to you," one friend said. </p> <p>"All of us who had the pleasure of knowing you and sharing moments of our lives with you know what a wonderful person you were, a beautiful woman in every sense, always with your smile and your glamour," her close friend Jorgelina Olivera said. </p> <p>"Honestly your departure has taken me by surprise and I still can’t believe it.</p> <p>"Thank you, a thousand thanks for coming into my life and painting it with so much joy and happiness.</p> <p>"It was a pleasure to share moments with you, and I will be eternally grateful.</p> <p>"May God welcome you into His glory. It’s not a goodbye but a see you soon, my beautiful and dear Jaquelin".</p> <p>Carrieri leaves behind a son, Julian and daughter, Chloe. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p> <p> </p>

Caring

MasterChef star's beautiful beach wedding

<p>Former <em>MasterChef </em>contestant Hayden Quinn has officially tied the knot with his model fiancé Jax Raynor in a beautiful beach wedding. </p> <p>The couple took to Instagram to share their wedding photos in Nantucket, US, which is an up-market holiday destination off the coast of Massachusetts.</p> <p>"Mr & Mrs Quinn 🤍" they captioned the photos. </p> <p>The first photo showed the couple sharing their first kiss, followed by a photo of them smiling happily while holding hands as the sky turned pink. </p> <p>The final photo showed the newlyweds waving to family and friends as they walked down the aisle. </p> <p>Their wedding was “pearl-themed” as it was inspired by their childhood, where they group up by the beach. </p> <p>Jax, who is a model and US native, grew up by Nantucket’s Galley Beach, while Hayden spent most of his childhood on Sydney’s northern beaches, before his first appearance on <em>MasterChef</em> in 2011. </p> <p>“The Galley was the only place I wanted to get married,” Jax told <em>Vogue</em> magazine. </p> <p>“We both wanted everything to feel classic and effortless, and the Galley is such a stunning venue that we only needed to enhance its already beautiful decor.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cx-KIu6LBiD/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cx-KIu6LBiD/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Hayden Quinn (@hayden_quinn)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Friends and fans took to the comments to share the joy. </p> <p>"Awww gorgeous congratulations you two xx," wrote former MasterChef contestant Rose Adam.</p> <p>"Congratulations to you both ❤️❤️" wrote cook and Bumplings Perth owner Brendan Pang. </p> <p>"Congrats legends," Australian surfer Mick Fanning wrote. </p> <p>"Yes!!! Huge congrats to you both 😍," wrote one fan. </p> <p>"Awesome!!! Mazal Tov, Congrats and all that jazz. ♡" wrote another. </p> <p>The couple first met on New Year’s Eve in 2016 and fell in love at first sight. </p> <p>“Hayden was in New York on holiday with friends and I was living in the city at the time. Our meeting was very by chance, all orchestrated by a close friend of ours," Jax recalled their romance. </p> <p>“We spent the next five days together, and by the end, we both knew that this was it. I packed up my life in New York and moved to Australia on February 1, only 32 days after we first met.</p> <p>“We had been together for about six years when Hayden proposed. We had been talking about getting married since the night we met so we both knew it was something we both wanted.”</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Relationships

How some people can end up living at airports for months – even years – at a time

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/janet-bednarek-144872">Janet Bednarek</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-dayton-1726">University of Dayton</a></em></p> <p>In January 2021, local authorities arrested a 36-year-old man named Aditya Singh <a href="https://news.yahoo.com/man-living-o-hare-3-001000925.html">after he had spent three months living at Chicago’s O'Hare International Airport</a>. Since October, he had been staying in the secure side of the airport, relying on the kindness of strangers to buy him food, sleeping in the terminals and using the many bathroom facilities. It wasn’t until an airport employee asked to see his ID that the jig was up.</p> <p>Singh, however, is far from the first to pull off an extended stay. <a href="https://udayton.edu/directory/artssciences/history/bednarek_janet.php">After more than two decades studying the history of airports</a>, I’ve come across stories about individuals who have managed to take up residence in terminals for weeks, months and sometimes years.</p> <p>Interestingly, though, not all of those who find themselves living in an airport do so of their own accord. This group includes Mehran Karimi Nasseri, who famously lived in Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport for 18 years and inspired the movie “The Terminal.” <a href="https://www.npr.org/2022/11/12/1136307777/the-terminal-movie-merhan-karimi-nasseri-dies-paris-airport">Nasseri died</a> on November 12, 2022.</p> <h2>Blending in with the crowd</h2> <p>Whether it’s in video games like “<a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/airport-city/9wzdncrfjchj?activetab=pivot:overviewtab">Airport City</a>” or scholarship on topics like “<a href="https://airporturbanism.com/">airport urbanism</a>,” I’ll often see the trope that airports are like “mini cities.” I can see how this idea germinates: Airports, after all, have <a href="https://theconversation.com/as-you-travel-pause-and-take-a-look-at-airport-chapels-87578">places of worship</a>, policing, hotels, fine dining, shopping and mass transit.</p> <p>But if airports are cities, they’re rather strange ones, in that those running the “cities” prefer that no one actually takes up residence there.</p> <p>Nonetheless, it is possible to live in airports because they do offer many of the basic amenities needed for survival: food, water, bathrooms and shelter. And while airport operations do not necessarily run 24/7, airport terminals often open very early in the morning and stay open until very late at night.</p> <p>Many of the facilities are so large that those determined to stay – such as the man at O'Hare – can find ways to avoid detection for quite some time.</p> <p>One of the ways would-be airport residents avoid detection is to simply blend in with the crowds. Before the pandemic, U.S. airports handled 1.5 million to 2.5 million passengers <a href="https://www.tsa.gov/coronavirus/passenger-throughput">on any given day</a>.</p> <p>Once the pandemic hit, the numbers dropped dramatically, falling below 100,000 during the early weeks of the crisis in the spring of 2020. Notably, the man who lived at O'Hare for a little over three months arrived in mid-October 2020 as passenger numbers <a href="https://www.tsa.gov/coronavirus/passenger-throughput">were experiencing a rebound</a>. He was discovered and apprehended only in late January 2021 – right when passenger numbers dropped considerably after the <a href="https://www.tsa.gov/coronavirus/passenger-throughput">holiday travel peaks</a> and during <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-54966531">the resurgence of the coronavirus</a>.</p> <h2>Living in limbo</h2> <p>Not all of those who find themselves sleeping in a terminal necessarily want to be there.</p> <p>Travel by air enough and chances are that, at one time or another, you’ll find yourself in the category of involuntary short-term airport resident.</p> <p>While some people may book flights that will require them to stay overnight at the airport, others find themselves stranded at airports because of missed connections, canceled flights or bad weather. These circumstances seldom result in more than a day or two’s residency at an airport.</p> <p>Then there are those who unwittingly find themselves in an extended, indefinite stay. Perhaps the most famous involuntary long-term resident was <a href="https://www.gq.com/story/merhan-nasseri-charles-de-gaulle-stuck">Mehran Karimi Nasseri</a>, the airport dweller whose story inspired “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0362227/">The Terminal</a>.”</p> <p>Nasseri, an Iranian refugee, was en route to England via Belgium and France in 1988 when he lost the papers that verified his refugee status. Without his papers, he could not board his plane for England. Nor was he permitted to leave the Paris airport and enter France. He soon became an international hot potato as his case bounced back and forth among officials in England, France and Belgium. At one point French authorities offered to allow him to reside in France, but Nasseri turned down the offer, reportedly because he wanted to get to his original destination, England. And so he stayed at Charles de Gaulle Airport for nearly 18 years. He left only in 2006, <a href="https://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0621/p11s02-almo.html">when his declining health required hospitalization</a>. Prior to his death in November 2022, he had returned to the airport on his own accord, and was staying in Terminal 2F when he suffered the heart attack that killed him.</p> <p>Other long-term airport residents include Edward Snowden, the NSA leaker, who spent <a href="https://www.theregister.com/2016/09/12/edward_snowden_wikileaks_sarah_harrison/">more than a month in a Russian airport in 2013</a> before receiving asylum. And then there is <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4673103.stm">the saga of Sanjay Shah</a>. Shah had traveled to England in May 2004 on a British overseas citizen passport. Immigration officials, however, refused him entry when it was clear he intended to immigrate to England, not merely stay there the few months his type of passport allowed. Sent back to Kenya, Shah feared leaving the airport, as he had already surrendered his Kenyan citizenship. He was finally able to leave after an airport residency of just over a year when British officials granted him full citizenship.</p> <p>More recently, the coronavirus pandemic has created new long-term involuntary airport residents. For example, an Estonian named Roman Trofimov arrived at Manila International Airport on a flight from Bangkok on March 20, 2020. By the time of his arrival, Philippine authorities had ceased issuing entry visas to limit the spread of COVID-19. Trofimov spent over 100 days in the Manila airport until personnel at the Estonian embassy <a href="https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/travel-stories/man-trapped-in-manila-airport-for-100-days-amid-coronavirus-pandemic/news-story/09bfee03d3d1f23ca28f1fd97fa99109">were finally able to get him a seat on a repatriation flight</a>.</p> <p>[<em>You’re smart and curious about the world. So are The Conversation’s authors and editors.</em> <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/newsletters/weekly-highlights-61?utm_source=TCUS&utm_medium=inline-link&utm_campaign=newsletter-text&utm_content=weeklysmart">You can get our highlights each weekend</a>.]</p> <h2>The homeless find refuge</h2> <p>While most involuntary airport residents long to leave their temporary home, there are some who have voluntarily attempted to make an airport their long-term abode. Major airports in both the United States and Europe have long functioned – though largely informally – as homeless shelters.</p> <p>Though homelessness and the homeless have a long history in the United States, many analysts see the 1980s as an important turning point in that history, as many factors, including federal budget cuts, the deinstitutionalization of the mentally ill and gentrification, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519584/">led to a sharp rise in the number of homeless</a>. It is in that decade that you can find the earliest stories about the homeless living at U.S. airports.</p> <p>In 1986, for example, <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1986-12-12-8604020917-story.html">the Chicago Tribune wrote about Fred Dilsner</a>, a 44-year-old former accountant who had been living at O'Hare in Chicago for a year. The article indicated that homeless individuals had first started showing up at the airport in 1984, following the completion of the Chicago Transit Authority train link, which provided easy and cheap access. The newspaper reported that 30 to 50 people were living at the airport, but that officials expected the number could climb to 200 as the winter weather set in.</p> <p>This issue has persisted into the 21st century. News stories from 2018 reported a rise in the number of homeless at several large U.S. airports over the previous few years, including at <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/todayinthesky/2018/02/12/atlantas-homeless-fill-atrium-worlds-busiest-airport-overnight/328388002/">Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport</a> and at <a href="https://www.wbal.com/article/325387/3/growing-number-of-homeless-people-find-refuge-at-airport">Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport</a>.</p> <p>The coronavirus pandemic has added an additional public health concern <a href="https://saportareport.com/amid-pandemic-city-plan-directs-homeless-sleeping-at-airport-to-supportive-services/columnists/sean-keenan/seankeenan/">for this group of airport denizens</a>.</p> <p>For the most part, airport officials have tried to provide aid to these voluntary residents. At Los Angeles International Airport, for example, officials have deployed crisis intervention teams to work <a href="https://www.nbclosangeles.com/investigations/lax-homeless-problem-bathrooms-waste/2278989/">to connect the homeless to housing and other services</a>. But it’s also clear that most airport officials would prefer a solution <a href="https://www.ajc.com/news/local/homeless-spending-night-hartsfield-jackson-prompt-police-monitoring/XKhpdJ8QZliOtGYutCsZOO/">where airports no longer operated as homeless shelters</a>.</p> <p><em>This is an updated version of an article originally published on March 3, 2021.</em><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/154336/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/janet-bednarek-144872">Janet Bednarek</a>, Professor of History, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-dayton-1726">University of Dayton</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-some-people-can-end-up-living-at-airports-for-months-even-years-at-a-time-154336">original article</a>.</em></p>

International Travel

Airport renamed in honour of the late Queen Elizabeth

<p>An airport has been given the seal of approval to be rebranded in honour of the late Queen Elizabeth. </p> <p>The airport in the seaside town of Le Touquet in France was given the go ahead for the renaming by King Charles on Monday, as the entire royal family shared a particular fondness for the town. </p> <p>The renaming of the airport is one of the first places to get approval following Queen Elizabeth II's death on September 8th last year.</p> <p>Although there is no official date announced for when the rebrand will take place, Touquet-Paris-Plage airport will become Elizabeth II Le Touquet-Paris-Plage International Airport.</p> <p>"The international airport of Le Touquet Paris-Plage is about to undergo a historic transformation by taking on the name 'Elizabeth II International Airport of Le Touquet Paris-Plage'," the town hall said in a statement.</p> <p>"This is a tribute to a great Queen and her uncle who had a fondness for France, as well as a recognition of the 'most British of French resorts'," it added.</p> <p>While honouring the late monarch in the name, the rebranding also acknowledges King Edward VIII, who held a love for the country before he abdicated the throne. </p> <p>Edward VIII, Queen Elizabeth's uncle, frequented the resort to enjoy horse riding and sand yachting, sometimes accompanied by his niece when she was not yet Queen.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images / Google Maps </em></p>

International Travel

"Beautiful angel": Serena Williams welcomes second child

<p>Serena Williams and her tech entrepreneur husband, Alexis Ohanian, have welcomed their second baby girl! </p> <p>The couple took to Instagram and TikTok to announce the birth of their "beautiful angel" Adira River Ohanian in a series of family photos and a video. </p> <p>"I'm grateful to report our house is teaming with love: a happy & healthy newborn girl and happy & healthy mama. Feeling grateful," proud dad Ohanian captioned the photo of his wife and first-born Olympia meeting her baby sister for the first time. </p> <p>"@serenawilliams you've now given me another incomparable gift — you're the GMOAT," he said referring to her as a the greatest mum of all time. </p> <p>"Thanks to all the amazing medical staff who took care of my wife & our daughter 🙏 I'll never forget the moment I introduced @olympiaohanian to her baby sister."</p> <p>"Your peace would have been like a river, your well-being like the waves of the sea."</p> <p>Williams also made her own special announcement in a TikTok video. </p> <p>In the clip Williams takes a seat next to Ohanian and her first-born Olympia, before getting up and grabbing Adira and sitting back down to make their family complete. </p> <p>"Welcome my beautiful angel," she captioned the photo. </p> <p>The couple <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/serena-williams-unveils-exciting-family-news" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first announced</a> their pregnancy at the 2023 Met Gala in a TikTok with the caption: "Was so excited when Anna Wintour invited all three of us to the Met Gala." </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

"6 beautiful souls": Family break silence after tragic house fire

<p dir="ltr">The family of a man and five children who tragically died in a house fire have broken their silence after the devastating incident. </p> <p dir="ltr">On Saturday, Wayne Godinet and his five children, aged three to 11, were found dead after a home on Russell Island, southeast of Brisbane, went up in flames. </p> <p dir="ltr">Emergency services were called after the house caught fire, and spread to two neighbouring homes. </p> <p dir="ltr">The children’s mother Samantha Stephenson, 28, and a 21-year-old female relative were able to escape the property after it was engulfed in flames. </p> <p dir="ltr">Relative Emma-Lee Headrick took to social media on Monday to mourn the loss of Mr Godinet and her “beautiful” nephews. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I stayed awake, mourning the loss of 6 beautiful souls. Waynie boy and my nephews,” Ms Headrick wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We have suffered a great loss. I find comfort in knowing you rest peacefully in the arms of the Lord.” </p> <p dir="ltr">“With Grumpy and Nicky. To my whanau in Queensland, I feel your pain and aroha. I’ll be there soon.”</p> <p><iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fwww.purpleberry%2Fposts%2Fpfbid05VtAmAb9wpSyvGDxM9XTAwo1EUgph7o851giWK6R46Rai8A1GJciiBK1jzLVWwjgl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="471" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p dir="ltr">Another relative, Dawn Williamson, wrote on Facebook on Sunday that the family were in shock and thanked first responders for their efforts. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We would like to thank everyone including the ambulance, police, firefighters, SES and all others that were in attendance at the fire,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“A special thanks to Kylie Purtell and Peter Mac, but also to those that offered food, drinks, hugs and help.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“My family are in shock and devastated, and we kindly ask that you respect our privacy until we regroup as a family.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“We will update as we sort through this tragedy. We appreciate the kindness shown by all.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Queensland Police Regional Crime Co-ordinator Superintendent Andrew Massingham said police had not determined if the fire was suspicious, as they continue their investigation. </p> <p dir="ltr">“The establishment of the investigation centre is because there are some elements of this incident that do require closer scrutiny,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It‘s important that I tell you that we are keeping an open mind with respect to this matter.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“And, as I say, no determination has been made, but there are some aspects of it that require further investigation.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Facebook / ABC news</em></p>

News

Why do I have to take my laptop out of the bag at airport security?

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/doug-drury-1277871">Doug Drury</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/cquniversity-australia-2140">CQUniversity Australia</a></em></p> <p>Anyone who has travelled by air in the past ten years will know how stressful airports can be.</p> <p>You didn’t leave home as early as you should have. In the mad rush to get to your gate, the security screening seems to slow everything down. And to add insult to injury, you’re met with the finicky request: “laptops out of bags, please”.</p> <p>But what does your laptop have to do with security?</p> <h2>The day that changed air travel forever</h2> <p>Airport security changed dramatically after the terrorist attacks in the US on September 11 2001. Before 9/11, you could pass through security with a carry-on bag full of everything you might need for your holiday, <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/09/10/1035131619/911-travel-timeline-tsa">including a knife</a> with a four-inch blade. Indeed, that’s how the 9/11 attackers brought their <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/09/10/1035131619/911-travel-timeline-tsa">weapons on board</a>.</p> <p>After 9/11, screening processes around the world changed overnight. In the US, private security contractors being paid a minimum wage were swapped out for a federalised program with highly trained security personnel. Anything that could be <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2013.00654/full">considered a weapon</a> was confiscated.</p> <p>Around the world, travellers were suddenly required to <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=6hBnJ-1hRp0C&oi=fnd&pg=PA86&dq=why+do+I+have+to+take+my+shoes+off+at+airport+security&ots=o6JIFHJzF1&sig=B6azb6xqN2uxM9CP-VZdfyt3Ag0#v=onepage&q=why%20do%20I%20have%20to%20take%20my%20shoes%20off%20at%20airport%20security&f=false">remove their shoes</a>, belts and outerwear, and take out their phones, laptops, liquids and anything else that could be used as part of an improvised explosive device.</p> <p>This lasted for several years. Eventually, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212478013000944">more advanced</a> screening methods were developed to effectively identify certain threats. Today, some countries don’t require you to remove your shoes when passing through security.</p> <p>So why must you still take your laptop out?</p> <h2>Airport scanners have come a long way</h2> <p>The machine your bags and devices pass through is an X-ray machine.</p> <p>The main reason you have to remove your laptop from your bag is because its <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/traveller/reviews-and-advice/why-do-i-have-to-remove-my-laptop-from-my-bag-at-the-airport-xray-machine-20170320-gv1vqs.html">battery</a> and other mechanical components are too dense for X-rays to penetrate effectively – especially if the scanning system is old. The same goes for power cords and other devices such as tablets and cameras.</p> <p>With these items in your bag, security officials can’t use the screened image to determine whether a risk is present. They’ll have to flag the bag for a physical search, which slows everything down. It’s easier if all devices are removed in the first place.</p> <p>A laptop inside a bag can also shield other items from view that may be dangerous. Scanning it separately reveals its internal components on the screen. In some cases you might be asked to turn it on to prove it’s an actual working computer.</p> <p>With newer multi-view scanning technology, security officials can view the bag from multiple angles to discern whether something is being covered up, or made to look like something else. For instance, people have tried to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212478013000944">mix gun parts</a> with other components in an effort to pass checked baggage screening.</p> <p>Some airports have upgraded <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/traveller/inspiration/no-more-removing-liquids-and-gels-laptops-at-melbourne-airport-as-new-scanners-installed-20191002-h1ijdf.html">3D scanning</a> that allows travellers to pass their bags through security without having to remove their laptops. If you’re not asked to take out your laptop, it’s probably because one of these more expensive systems is being used.</p> <p>Nonetheless, amping up the technology won’t remove the lag caused by airport screenings. Ultimately, the reason these are a major choke point is because of the speed at which staff scan the imagery (which dictates the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212478013000944">speed of the conveyor belt</a>).</p> <p>Unless we find a way to automate the entire process and run it with minimal human supervision, you can expect delays.</p> <h2>What about body scanners?</h2> <p>But your bags aren’t the only thing getting scanned at airport security. You are too!</p> <p>The tall frame you walk through is a <a href="https://science.howstuffworks.com/transport/flight/modern/airport-security3.htm">metal detector</a>. Its purpose is to uncover any weapons or other illegal objects that may be concealed under your clothes. Airport metal detectors use non-ionising radiation, which means they don’t emit X-rays.</p> <p>The larger body scanners, on the other hand, are a type of X-ray machine. These can be <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212478013000944">active or passive</a>, or a combination of both.</p> <p>Passive scanners simply detect the natural radiation emitted by your body and any objects that might be concealed. Active scanners emit low-energy radiation to create a scan of your body, which can then be analysed.</p> <p>The kind of machine you walk through will depend on where in the world you are. For instance, one type of active body scanner that emits X-rays in what’s called “backscatter technology” was once <a title="https://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/high-tech-gadgets/backscatter-x-ray.htm" href="https://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/high-tech-gadgets/backscatter-x-ray.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">used widely</a> in the US, but is no longer used. It’s also banned in <a title="https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/about-us/what-we-do/travelsecure/passenger-screening" href="https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/about-us/what-we-do/travelsecure/passenger-screening" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Australia</a> and <a title="https://www.forbes.com/sites/daviddisalvo/2011/11/15/europe-bans-airport-body-scanners-over-health-and-safety-concerns/" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/daviddisalvo/2011/11/15/europe-bans-airport-body-scanners-over-health-and-safety-concerns/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the European Union</a>, where only non-ionising technology can be used.</p> <p>Another type of scanner emits lower-energy <a href="https://science.howstuffworks.com/backscatter-machines-vs-millimeter-wave-scanners.htm">millimetre waves</a>, instead of X-rays, to image the passenger. Millimetre wave frequencies are considered to be non-ionising radiation.</p> <h2>AI in our airports</h2> <p>AI seems to be all around us lately, and our airports are no exception. Advancements in AI systems stand to transform the future of airport security.</p> <p>For now, human reviewers are required to identify potential threats in scanned images. However, what if an advanced <a href="https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/artiificialintelligenceinsecuritycheck/article/">AI was trained</a> to do this using a database of images? It would do so in a fraction of the time.</p> <p>Some airports are already using advanced <a href="https://www.in-security.eu/index.php/editorial/the-future-of-airport-security-faster-smarter-safer">computed tomography</a> (CT) <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/jun/21/3d-body-scanners-at-australian-airports-what-are-they-and-how-do-they-work">scanners</a> to produce high-definition 3D imagery. In the future, this technology could be further enhanced by AI to detect threats at a much faster rate.</p> <p>Hypothetically, CT scans could also be used for both humans and their baggage. Could this allow travellers to walk through a body scanner while carrying their bags? Possibly.</p> <p>Until then, you should probably try your best to leave the house on time.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/209041/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/doug-drury-1277871">Doug Drury</a>, Professor/Head of Aviation, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/cquniversity-australia-2140">CQUniversity Australia</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-do-i-have-to-take-my-laptop-out-of-the-bag-at-airport-security-209041">original article</a>.</em></p>

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As you travel, pause and take a look at airport chapels

Drinking olive oil: a health and beauty elixir or celebrity fad in a shot glass?

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Embracing the art of beauty without compromise

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Elle Macpherson reportedly caught snapping at airport staff

"Beautiful soul": Johnny Ruffo passes away at 35

"It was beautiful": Rare rainbow cloud stuns small farming town

Take a look inside the luxury airport lounge used by the royal family

Former beauty queen dies after cosmetic surgery

MasterChef star's beautiful beach wedding

How some people can end up living at airports for months – even years – at a time

Airport renamed in honour of the late Queen Elizabeth

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Why do I have to take my laptop out of the bag at airport security?

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