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The Queen’s cousin makes history with first royal same-sex wedding

<p>Although the royal family always have busy schedules, Prince Harry’s wedding to Meghan and Princess Eugenie’s upcoming marriage to Jack Brooksbank next month are not the only royal weddings taking place this year.</p> <p>On the weekend, Lord Ivar Mountbatten, a third cousin once removed to the Queen, wed his long-time partner James Coyle in a small ceremony for family and close friends at a country property in Devon.</p> <p>The nuptials mark the first same-sex marriage by a member of the extended royal family.</p> <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BoGz-sGAAFx/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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> <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;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BoGz-sGAAFx/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Ivar (@ivar_mountbatten)</a> on Sep 24, 2018 at 4:01am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The 55-year-old was also the first member of the extended royal family to come out publicly, announcing his relationship in an interview with the Daily Mail two years ago.</p> <p>Sharing photos of the wedding to Instagram, Lord Ivar Mountbatten wrote that it was “an amazing day, despite the miserable British weather”.</p> <p>He thanked the registrar who conducted the service, the choir and his children from his 16-year marriage to Lady Penny Mountbatten.</p> <p>"Most importantly a massive thanks to my three gorgeous girls for being so understanding and supportive, without their support this could never have happened!" Mountbatten wrote.</p> <p>"And finally the biggest thank you to James for being just perfect."</p> <p>Mountbatten was ‘given away’ at the wedding by his former wife, a gesture that was the idea of their daughters.</p> <p>Penny, who divorced Mountbatten in 2011, said: “It makes me feel quite emotional. I'm really very touched.”</p> <p>In the early days of their relationship, Mountbatten explained to Penny that he was bisexual and informed her that he had been romantically involved with men.</p> <p>At the beginning of their marriage, Penny had no concerns about his sexuality, however, his attraction to men eventually left her feeling lonely and jealous.</p> <p>Mountbatten said his struggle with his sexuality was because of the era he grew up in rather than his expectations as a member of the royal family.</p> <p>"I was driven into the closet by not wanting to come to terms with who I was and facing friends and family in the early years. I buried it,” he told the <em style="font-weight: inherit;">Mail on Sunday</em>.</p> <p>“I even had girlfriends as I tried to work out what I wanted to be.</p> <p>"Being a Mountbatten was never the problem, it was the generation into which I was born,” he explained.</p> <p>“When I was growing up, it was known as 'the love that dare not speak its name', but what’s amazing now is how far we have all come in terms of acceptance. </p> <p>"'Coming out' is such a funny phrase, but it’s what I suppose I did in a rather roundabout way, emerging to a place I’m happy to be.”</p> <p>Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, are close friends of Mountbatten and are godparents to his two eldest daughters.</p> <p>However, the royal couple were unable to attend the wedding due a conflict in “their diaries arranged months in advance”. </p>

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Duchess Meghan shows off her sporty side – in heels!

<p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica',sans-serif; color: black;">While appearing at an event in the UK to encourage young people to become sports coaches, the Duchess of Sussex has showed off her athletic ability.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica',sans-serif; color: black;">Prince Harry and Meghan attended an awards ceremony for Coach Core, a program that helps unemployed and marginalised youth become sporting coaches.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica',sans-serif; color: black;">The charity, which is funded by the young royals’ Royal Foundation, was built after the 2012 London Olympics and has garnered the support of athletes such as tennis champ Laura Robson and English netballer Eboni Beckford-Chambers.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica',sans-serif; color: black;">Meghan, who wore an Oscar de la Renta navy blouse and Altuzarra trousers to the event, didn’t let her classy outfit or high heels stop her from joining in on a netball game.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: center; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;"><img style="width: 500px; height:343.0382466695316px;" src="/media/7820983/image_.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/b79ac5f3de6640dc9e2b913b783ac077" /></p> <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica',sans-serif; color: black;">The organisation allows participants to complete master classes from sports stars, allowing them to learn how to train and empower others in their sport.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica',sans-serif; color: black;">Empowering others through sport is an area of passion for the 34-year-old prince, who will visit Sydney next month with Meghan to attend the Invictus Games, the global sporting competition for injured and ill military personnel and veterans.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;"> </p> <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica',sans-serif; color: black;">Harry and Meghan visited Loughborough University in the English midlands, where more than 200 young people were participating in a full day of Coach Core activities, followed by an awards ceremony.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica',sans-serif; color: black;">The program caters for young people who are not working or studying, to help produce the next generation of sports coaches.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica',sans-serif; color: black;">Kensington Palace said Coach Core trained hundreds of young people across the UK through the program, which also connects graduates to the biggest sports clubs in the country, “providing unrivalled tuition, paying them a wage, and setting them up for an exciting future.”</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica',sans-serif; color: black;">Prince Harry presented awards at the ceremony and gave an inspiring speech to the graduates. </span></p>

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Prince George and Princess Charlotte steal the show at wedding

<p>Prince George and Princess Charlotte had all eyes on them when they featured in the wedding party of Prince Harry and Meghan earlier this year and now, the young royals have stolen the spotlight at another wedding.</p> <p>On Saturday, George and Charlotte acted as a pageboy and bridesmaid for one of Duchess Kate’s closest friends, Sophie Carter.</p> <p>Five-year-old George looked happy on the day as he wore a collarless white shirt, sky-blue knickerbockers, white stockings and white loafers.</p> <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BoFD6YAFATi/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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> <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;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BoFD6YAFATi/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by The Cambridges (@teatimewiththecambridges)</a> on Sep 23, 2018 at 11:42am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The third-in-line to the throne was seen poking his head out of the church porch as they waited for the bride to arrive and led his fellow pageboys in a game of soldiers after the ceremony.</p> <p>“George is a real star, quite the little chap,” a royal insider told <a href="https://people.com/royals/prince-george-princess-charlotte-sophie-carter-wedding/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em style="font-weight: inherit;">PEOPLE</em></strong></span></a>. “He was having a great time, running around like the leader of the pack.”</p> <p><span style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit !important;">Charlotte, who usually warms to attention, looked unimpressed with her brother’s antics and was seen frowning while she wore a white dress with blue piping and circlet of flowers.</span></p> <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BoDeqolh0CE/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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> <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;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BoDeqolh0CE/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by DuchessofSussex MeghanMarkle (@duchessofsussexmeghanmarkle)</a> on Sep 22, 2018 at 8:57pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The young royal siblings, who were among seven children taking part in the wedding, were accompanied by their parents the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.</p> <p>The wedding of Sophie Carter and Robert Suggs took place at St Andrew’s Church in Norfolk.</p> <p>For the special occasion, Kate wore a blue dress and jacket by Catherine Walker with a blue headpiece believed to be by Jane Taylor.</p> <p>Kate’s brother James and their parents Michael and Carole Middleton also attended the wedding, however, Pippa, who is due to give birth to her first child, was absent. </p>

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The tense moment between Lisa Wilkinson and Serena Williams: “I’ll walk out”

<p>In an interview with <em>The Project’</em>s Lisa Wilkinson, Serena Williams has opened up about her chaotic US Open final.</p> <p>The 23-grand slam champion had agreed to chat to the Channel 10 host prior to her defeat to Naomi Osaka, however, the interview had various strings attached.</p> <p>The tennis star’s publicist warned that if she asked any questions about the controversial <em>Herald Sun</em> cartoon, the interview would end immediately.</p> <p>Wilkinson also found herself in hot water after she asked Williams several questions regarding her outburst at the US Open.</p> <p>After kickstarting the interview with questions on motherhood and her rise to stardom, Wilkinson then asked Williams if she regretted smashing her racket in the second set – a move that saw her receive a code violation and provoked her outburst to the umpire Carlos Ramos.</p> <p>Before Williams had a chance to answer the question, her publicist interrupted: “That’s four questions about the US Open so ... change topic.”</p> <p>“I’m totally in your hands, Serena,” Wilkinson responded, asking the tennis star if she was comfortable to answer more questions.</p> <p>Williams, who initially labelled her treatment from the umpire as “sexism”, said she wished to put the incident behind her.</p> <p>“If as a man you want to express yourself, without profanity, you should be able to. As a woman you should be able to do half of what a man can,” she said.</p> <p>“But I’m just trying to recover from that and move on.”</p> <p>Following the interview, Wilkinson revealed to her co-hosts on the Channel 10 show that she was instructed to keep clear of any questions about Mark Knight’s controversial cartoon depicting her outburst.</p> <p>“I was told in no uncertain terms before I sat down in that room (that) if I brought up the Mark Knight cartoon, she would have got up and walked out,” Wilkinson said.</p> <p>“There would be no ifs or buts. And I know that would have been great tabloid TV to have her walk off but I was actually more interested in her answers to the US Open questions.”</p> <p>Williams reiterated to Wilkinson that she was unaware coach Patrick Mouratoglou was coaching her throughout the match, despite him admitting to making hand signals.</p> <p>“We don’t have signals, we’ve never had signals,” she said. “It was just a really confusing moment.”</p> <p>Speaking to <em><a href="https://mamamia.com/"><strong>Mamamia</strong></a>’</em>s Mia Freedman, Williams touched on the emotional moment she shared with her daughter following the incident.</p> <p>“For me I feel like we should lift each other up and support each other, and not tear each other down, and that’s something I’ve always tried to do,” Williams said.</p> <p>“I got in the car, and Olympia was in the car. It was so weird, and she started giving me kisses, she never gives me kisses. She doesn’t even know to give kisses, and she just grabbed me, and I was like this little baby is so smart. It’s just hard to be too down when you have a little one … when you have someone to take care of.</p> <p>“Like I have to take care of this person, and I have to do this type of stuff, it puts everything in perspective.”</p>

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The weird thing spotted on PM Scott Morrison's desk

<p>Scott Morrison, who became the 30th Prime Minister of Australia after a recent Liberal Leadership spill, appears to be proud of his past as the former immigration minister.</p> <p>In an article published by the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/15/opinion/columnists/trump-finally-makes-a-friend.html"><em><strong><u>New York Times</u></strong></em></a> earlier this week, it was revealed that the Prime Minister’s office "features a model migrant boat bearing the proud declaration 'I Stopped These'."</p> <p>The claim generated a stir online, with many surprised Mr Morrison would be so proud to remind himself of the “stop the boats” campaign which saw thousands placed into Pacific Island detention camps and the controversial turn-back of boats.</p> <p>Others were curious to see the alleged model as it had not been widely reported by other journalists.</p> <p>However, on Wednesday the photo of the model was captured by AAP photographer Lukas Coch to confirm that it does exist.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">Goodness me. <a href="https://t.co/OySZEn9smi">pic.twitter.com/OySZEn9smi</a></p> — Pat Caruana (@patbcaruana) <a href="https://twitter.com/patbcaruana/status/1042231747188912128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 19, 2018</a></blockquote> <p>The photo appears to show a laser-cut block of metal depicting an Asian fishing boat riding over a wave, with the words: “I stopped these”.</p> <p>“His office features a model migrant boat bearing the proud declaration ‘I Stopped These,’ and a cabinet adorned with a Jesus shrine and a biblical proverb to ‘Trust in the Lord',” the Times journalist wrote.</p> <p>The trophy drew criticism online with one person saying: “It looks like a novelty bottle-opener.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">It looks like a novelty bottle-opener <a href="https://t.co/aqe9gYChoV">https://t.co/aqe9gYChoV</a></p> — James Jeffrey (@James_Jeffrey) <a href="https://twitter.com/James_Jeffrey/status/1042239043772149760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 19, 2018</a></blockquote> <p>In an interview with Channel Nine, Mr Morrison revealed how he got the trophy. </p> <p>“It was given to me by a mate down in the Shire who runs a sign business. He loved the fact that we did that,” Mr Morrison said.</p> <p>“It has been sitting in my office, by the way, for about five years. I don’t think that there is anything terribly new about it.”</p> <p>The Prime Minister regularly mentions the “stop the boats” campaign, making reference to it three times during his first major speech as a leader.</p> <p>On Wednesday he told the chamber: "The Australian people know about me, that they can trust me on the borders and they can trust me on the budget, because that's my record."</p>

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Urgent alcohol recall: Warning issued over contamination fears in popular brands

<p>Fears of potential chemical contamination have sparked a recall of alcohol products bottled by supplier GJ Wholesale.</p> <p>Eight different spirits have been recalled after Food Standards Australia issued a warning saying the beverage may cause illness if consumed.</p> <p>The product is sold in liquor stores in Queensland, New South Wales and the ACT.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height:280.859375px;" src="/media/7820908/37c3b5a394a6bcfef210443ff6d6f9f9.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/091b71d9bd564e3baf2a8300e17d39af" /></p> <p>Brands affected are 700ml bottles of Veruschka Vodka, Mississippi Bourbon, Los Cabos Tequila, Yachtsman White Rum, Mudgee Rum, Barman’s Choice Whisky, Hunters Brandy and Her Choice Gin.</p> <p>All brands include a label that states, “Supplied to and bottled in Australia for GJ Wholesale.”</p> <p>If purchased, consumers are able to return the product to the place of purchase for a full refund.</p> <p>For further information, customers are advised to contact GJ Wholesale on 0411 150 254.</p>

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Strawberry farming families in crisis: "Within three days we lost it all"

<p>A strawberry farm has been forced to shut down its season early and destroy hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of produce following the national contamination scare.</p> <p>Suncoast Harvest, a small farm on the Sunshine Coast, laid off 100 workers weeks ahead of schedule as sales plummeted after the needle scare.</p> <p>“We have decided it is best to pull out of growing strawberries for the rest of this year... and begin spraying out healthy paddocks of luscious, juicy berries,” the farm said.</p> <p>“Imagine how many millions of punnets of strawberries are going into landfill this week? Sad day for the environment too.”</p> <p>The company is one of many strawberry farms that have been forced to throw out produce as customers refuse to buy the fruit.</p> <p>Suncoast Harvest was not one of the six growers whose produce was sabotaged with needles and razor blades, but the whole industry is suffering.</p> <p>The contamination frenzy was heightened after supermarkets pulled all strawberries from shelves, with ALDI only putting them back on Monday.</p> <p>The strawberry farm owner hit back at those who complained about the contaminated fruit to social media, sparking fear about the safety of all strawberries.</p> <p>“There are proper channels to report these things to so they can be substantiated before causing fear and/or harm. Have a care, people,” they said. </p> <p>“Thumbs down to the various government departments who mismanaged this into an international scare campaign. They need to be held accountable.”</p> <p>The person responsible for the contamination is yet to be identified.</p> <p>Queensland Premier Anastacia Palaszczuk issued a $100,000 reward for information leading to the capture of the saboteur, who could face up to 10 years jail.</p> <p>“Hopefully, they find out who has committed this awful crime against our industry and our favourite fruit and against Australian consumers and farmers,” Suncoast Harvest said.</p> <p>“Food tampering carries maximum penalties for good reason. We all enjoy safe, clean food in this country and on that reputation, we have export markets across the globe.</p> <p>"Whoever has jeopardised that reputation and our confidence in the foods we eat need to be severely dealt with.”</p> <p>Earlier this week, the Queensland Strawberry Growers Association warned that a dozen growers could out of business even if their strawberries had not been contaminated.</p> <p>The situation was even worse for the growers whose berries were tampered with.</p> <p>The daughter of the couple who runs Donnybrook Berries, one of the brands that were tampered with, shared a heartbreaking video of harvested fruit being dumped.</p> <p><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fsteph.chheang%2Fvideos%2F972927732890744%2F&amp;show_text=0&amp;width=269" width="269" height="476" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p> <p>“This is no doubt the worst thing to ever happen to my family. This is worth more than you could ever imagine and within three days we lost it all,” Stephanie Chheang said, referring to her mother and stepfather’s business.</p> <p>“We have to throw them out because the markets wouldn't take our strawberries due to the needle scare,” she said.</p> <p>“They put all their money and effort in to build such a successful business. They work hard to make the money for our family and to have these selfish individuals destroy it is just so upsetting.</p> <p>“My mum works day through to the night, controlling the shed and her 250 employees, making sure her strawberries are packed to perfection.”</p> <p>Berry Obsession, Berry Licious and Donnybrook Berries have recalled their strawberries nationwide.</p> <p>Police are also investigation contamination of fruit sold by Delightful Strawberries, Love Berries and Oasis in NSW, Queensland, Victoria and the ACT.</p>

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Roger Federer breaks silence on Serena Williams sexism saga

<p>Tennis superstar Roger Federer has opened up about the Serena Williams US Open sexism debacle, saying the game could use the incident as a catalyst for change.</p> <p>Williams caused worldwide controversy after claiming umpire Carlos Ramos displayed sexist behaviour and racism during her US Open final loss to Naomi Osaka.</p> <p>Tennis stars and the sporting community were divided by her comments, as some agreed that Williams anger was justified, while others believed that it was poor sportsmanship.</p> <p>Federer, who has had his own fair share of conflicts with umpire Fergus Murphy dating back to 2009, remained neutral when stating his views on the scandal.</p> <p>“It’s interesting but I think it’s important to look at it,” Federer told <em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.kvue.com/" target="_blank">KVUE</a></em>.</p> <p>“Every umpire has their own style, it’s just how it is in any sport.</p> <p>“In tennis, you might have an umpire that gives more coaching violations and another guy goes more to time violation.</p> <p>“You might get one guy who knows that this guy misbehaves quite often so I’ll give him a warning quicker or I’ll be more lenient with a guy because he’s a nice guy and just can’t control himself. I think it really depends on the situation.”</p> <p>While the champion tennis player believes that mistakes occurred on the court, the 20-time grand slam champion hoped that sexism had nothing to do with it.</p> <p>“I hope it’s not the case (that there is gender bias) but I think what happened, obviously there were mistakes along the way and there should be more discretion sometimes.</p> <p>“At the same time, they have to do their job, that’s what we want them to do.</p> <p>“It’s been tricky but a really interesting case to study."</p> <p>A report from the <em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/14/sports/tennis-fines-men-women.html" target="_blank">New York Times</a></em> revealed that male tennis players are three times more likely to be punished or fined for racquet abuse.</p> <p>Male players were fined 1517 times compared to women who were fined 535 times, according to data compiled by officials at Grand Slam tournaments for the period covering 1998 to 2018.</p> <p>However, Williams who spoke on <em>The Project</em> for the first time since the incident, refused to back down with her argument.</p> <p>“I just don’t understand … if you’re a female you should be able to do even half of what a guy can do,” she told <em>The Project</em>.</p> <p>“I feel it’s really important to stand up for what you believe in.</p> <p>“Especially if it can affect the future and affect a lot of people in the future. That’s what it’s all about.</p> <p>“Really it’s just about having a great team and rolling up your sleeves and hard work.</p> <p>“I work really, really hard at my game. And then I work super hard at my fashion business. And I’m working incredibly hard at being a mom.”</p> <p>Do you agree with Serena's views? Let us know in the comments below.</p>

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Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan's "secret code names" revealed

<p>There is no doubt that they are one of the most-watched couples in the world, and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have plenty of protocols in place to ensure their safety while they are fulfilling their royal duties around the world.</p> <p>As it is too risky to refer to Prince Harry and Meghan by their first name, they are known as “David Stevens” and “Davina Scott” by their personal bodyguards – a nod to the initials of their royal titles.</p> <p>A royal insider revealed to <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em style="font-weight: inherit;">The Sun</em></strong></span></a> that these code names are used in case “anyone got hold of a phone belonging to a royal aide or security team member, they won’t find Harry Windsor and Meghan’s names in it”.</p> <p>However, the code names have accidentally leaked at a recent event when Harry received an unexpected call.</p> <p>The caller had not been properly briefed on the “DS” code name and asked, "Why would I want to speak to David Stevens?”</p> <p>“Imagine the surprise he got when he heard Harry’s voice on the other end of the line,” added the royal insider.</p> <p>The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge also have pseudonyms to match their royal titles.</p> <p>Reportedly, Prince William and Kate are known by their security detail as Danny Collins and Daphne Clark.</p> <p>This is not the first time Harry has used an alias for security purposes.</p> <p>When he was younger, Harry had a Facebook account under the name “Spike Wells”.</p> <p>More recently, Meghan has been spotted in public by wearing a baseball cap when she visits her Pilates classes and Whole Food stores to help detract attention.</p>

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Summer plague continues: Experts warn of increase in monster insects

<p>As the weather continues to heat up, experts are warning Aussies to watch out for increased numbers of bugs as they take advantage of the sweltering conditions.</p> <p>An expert on urban entomology and pest control at the University of Technology, Bryce Peters, revealed that the warmer temperatures will allow insects to breed faster.</p> <p>“Insects don't control their own body temperature, that's done by the ambient temperatures,” Mr Peters told the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/"><strong><em style="font-weight: inherit;"><u>Daily Mail.</u></em></strong></a></p> <p>“The warmer it is, the more active insects are and the faster they breed. Heat and humidity will certainly affect their populations.</p> <p>“If we have a hot, humid summer we will get very, very high populations.”</p> <p>Mr Peters said the summer plague will also bring out more spiders, such as redbacks and huntsmen.</p> <p>“Spiders are relying on the insect population to get their food. The insects then will support the spider population. The two go hand-in-glove,” he said. </p> <p>“The warmer it is, the better the insects will do. The better they do, the more spiders do.”</p> <p>Mr Peters also explained how the heat this summer will impact cockroaches.</p> <p>“They will seek out micro-climates, so they're inside our homes. The heat definitely gets them going,” he said.</p> <p>Owner of Bugstop Newcastle, Michael McNelis, said that he has already noticed large quantities of spiders in his customer’s homes.</p> <p>“Just from my sprays that I've been doing in the last month, I have already noticed redbacks (spiders) in larger quantities than in previous years,” he told the <em style="font-weight: inherit;">Daily Mail</em>.</p> <p>“Normally they're a mid-spring insect that come out a little bit later on than what they are now.</p> <p>“I believe that's because it's been so dry and the heat which has come early.”</p> <p>Mr McNelis predicts that the warm weather will “make for a big year for redbacks and cockroaches in general”.</p> <p>“Last year was pretty big compared to the few years before that. It's been even more abnormal weather (this year),” he said.</p> <p>“As far as bugs are concerned, at the moment it feels like the end of spring rather than the start of it.”</p> <p>Although redbacks are the most common problem for Aussies at the moment, Mr McNelis said cockroaches will soon emerge as the dominant player.</p> <p>“The cockroaches they're going into their breeding season now, the bigger ones,” Mr McNelis said.  </p> <p>“Customers are seeing one or two a week at the moment. I would expect in the next month or so, then they're going to be all coming out a lot more than now.”</p> <p>Last week, experts also warned that deadly <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/home-garden/youll-get-them-everywhere-snake-catchers-grim-warning-of-aussie-plague-this-summer"><strong><u>snakes</u></strong></a> are making their way into Aussie homes as temperatures continue to rise.</p>

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Serena Williams breaks silence on US Open controversy

<p>Tennis star Serena Williams has opened up for the first time about the controversy surrounding her US Open outburst against chair umpire Carlos Ramos last week.</p> <p>Despite coach Patrick Mouratoglou admitting he was coaching the star through signals, the 23-time grand slam champion insisted she knew nothing about it.</p> <p>Speaking to <em>The Project</em> in an interview to air next week, she said: “He said he made a motion.”</p> <p>“I don’t understand what he was talking about. We’ve never had signals.”</p> <p>Williams also emphasises her previous claim that female tennis players were treated differently to men on tour.</p> <p>“I just don’t understand … if you’re a female, you should be able to do even half of what a guy can do,” she continued.</p> <p>Williams received three code violations and game penalty as well as later receiving a $17,000 fine.</p> <p>Tennis icon Billie Jean King expressed her support for Williams, saying that she believes a similar outburst by a man would't of had the same consequences.</p> <p>“Several things went very wrong during the match,” King tweeted.</p> <p>“Coaching on every point should be allowed in tennis. It isn’t, and as a result, a player was penalised for the actions of her coach. This should not happen.”</p> <p>The controversy surrounding the incident was heightened even more after Herald Sun editorial cartoonist Mark Knight <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/art/controversial-aussie-cartoon-of-serena-williams-sparks-backlash"><strong style="font-style: inherit;"><u>drew Williams</u></strong></a> in a fit of rage on the court with a baby’s dummy beside her.</p> <p>The cartoon received a lot of backlash online, however, Knight and his editor Damon Johnston stood behind the depiction.</p> <p>In one of her first appearances since the outburst, Williams spoke at an event in Las Vegas about standing up for the issues that are close to your heart.</p> <p>"I feel it’s really important to stand up for what you believe in,” she said. “Especially if it can affect the future and affect a lot of people in the future. That’s what it’s all about.</p> <p>“Really it’s just about having a great team and rolling up your sleeves and hard work.</p> <p>”I work really, really hard at my game. And then I work super hard at my fashion business. And I’m working incredibly hard at being a mom.”</p>

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Revealed: When the Queen is planning to pass on the crown to Prince Charles

<p>At the tender age of 21, the then-Princess Elizabeth made a heartfelt promise to her family’s constituents.</p> <p>In a message recorded in Cape Town when she was celebrating her birthday, the monarch said: “I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.”</p> <p>Many believe her message means that the Royal plans to serve as monarch until her death.</p> <p>However, a royal commentator has revealed that there is an upcoming date that has changed the Queen’s mind – her 95th birthday.</p> <p>Robert Jobson said in <em>The Mail on Sunday </em>that he has been informed by high-ranking palace officials that if she is still alive, the Queen will pass the crown to Prince Charles in 2021.</p> <p>“I understand the Queen has given the matter considerable thought and believes that, if she is still alive at 95, she will seriously consider passing the reign to Charles,” a senior former member of the royal household told the<em> <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4785166/Is-Queen-preparing-abdicate.html">Mail on Sunday</a></strong></span>.</em></p> <p>“Her Majesty is mindful of her age and wants to make sure when the time comes, the transition of the Crown is seamless.”</p> <p>There is also a law that will allow the Queen to pass on the crown without her having to abdicate the throne, which is something she is strongly opposed to.  </p> <p>The Regency Act will allow Prince Charles to become Prince Regent, giving him the duties of King without the title.</p> <p>The Act was updated in 1937 to allow reigning monarchs to pass the throne onto a regent if they meet certain requirements, such as being over the age of 21 and considered to be British.</p> <p>Before this law, a new Act was created each time this transition would take place in the royal family.</p> <p>The handover of power could also happen “in the event of the incapacity of the Sovereign”, most likely due to illness.</p> <p>Jobson claimed that the preparations for Charles to be made Prince Regent are already underway.</p> <p>“Palace staff responsible for communications have been ordered to be ‘up to speed’ on the 1937 Regency Act,” he said.</p> <p>There have been hints that Charles is getting ready to accept the throne, with the Queen naming her eldest son as the next head of the Commonwealth in April. </p>

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Inside Princess Margaret’s tumultuous life

<div class="replay"> <div class="reply_body body linkify"> <div class="reply_body"> <div class="body_text "> <p>Famous personalities are often known to deal with invasions of privacy, but a few Italian journalists took it too far after they broke into the late Princess Margaret’s hotel room, according to a documentary.</p> <p>Beatrice Behlen, a royal expert, said the Queen’s younger sister was “absolutely hounded” during a trip to Italy in May 1949.</p> <p>Margaret, who was only 18 at the time, quickly rose to fame and had become an “icon” around the world, which led to being photographed everywhere she went.</p> <p>Behlen, who spoke on the BBC documentary <em>Princess Margaret: The Rebel Royal</em>, said that “she went to Italy, and people are just totally hounding her.</p> <p>“They actually broke into her hotel room to find out what nail varnish she was wearing, and that was reported in the press.”</p> <p>An issue of <em>LIFE Magazine</em> from 1949 recounts how “an Italian newspaper woman had managed to slip into the Princess’ hotel suite,” <em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.hellomagazine.com/" target="_blank">Hello!</a></em> reports.</p> <p>It further explains that “she discovered that she was reading a book called <em>Busman’s Honeymoon</em>, using Tweed perfume and Peggy Sage nail polish.”</p> <p>Founded in the US in 1925, Peggy Sage is a cosmetic brand that is still on the market with its large range of nail varnishes.</p> <p>But while the brand of Princess Margaret’s nail polish was released by the press, avid fans are yet to know what colour she wore.</p> <p>The Tweed perfume that Margaret regularly wore was created by Lentheric in 1924 and is described as a “sensuous woody floral fragrance.”</p> <p>Behlen said that the Queen’s younger sister was not expecting the amount of attention she received during her trip to Italy.</p> <p>“[It] wasn’t expected. In England, the press was actually a lot more reverent.</p> <p>“I think it was a bit of a shock,” she said.</p> <p>Margaret visited Rome, Venice, Florence and the island of Capri during her trip to Italy in 1949, as well as Stresa, in the north of the country.</p> <p>She later enjoyed a five-day visit to Paris, where she met fashion designer Christian Dior.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div>

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Julie Bishop breaks silence over “illegal” behaviour in parliament

<p>Former Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has been silent over the past few weeks as she takes on her role on the Liberal backbench.</p> <p>But that silence was broken yesterday when she was swarmed by dozens of reporters in the halls of parliament.</p> <p>Bishop seemed to be in no hurry to escape the media, and patiently answered a long list of questions on topics ranging from Peter Dutton’s eligibility to the conditions women in her party are currently facing.</p> <p>After former PM and Liberal Party leader Malcolm Turnbull came out in support of the Labor Party, Dutton is facing pressure because of his comments.</p> <p>Bishop added further weight onto Dutton’s shoulders by calling for “clarity” on the issue and implying that she was open to voting against Dutton.</p> <p>“If there’s a vote, I will make up my mind at the time. But of course, we want clarity around the standing of all the members of parliament,” she said.</p> <p>When asked if she believes Dutton should voluntarily refer himself to the court, she responded by saying that politicians had a “personal responsibility” to ensure they were eligible.</p> <p>“That’s a matter for Peter Dutton. We all have a personal responsibility to ensure we are eligible to sit in the parliament. We’ve seen in recent times, steps taken by members of parliament to clarify their status. But it’s a matter for each politician to make that determination.”</p> <p>During Turnbull’s leadership, Bishop, along with the rest of the Liberal Party, voted and shot down an attempt to refer Dutton.</p> <p>If she changed her mind now, the numbers would go to the Labor Party.</p> <p>Bishop also defended her former colleague and said that Turnbull has every right to lobby MPs from New York.</p> <p>“I’m sure Malcolm’s enjoying his break from politics,” she said.</p> <p>“He has feelings and like any other Australian he’s free to express them.”</p> <p>Touching on the topic of bullying amongst her party, Bishop is still standing by her previous comments on the intimidation in politics.</p> <p>“You all attend Question Time. You see the behaviour in Question Time. Would that be tolerated in any workplace?” she asked, citing the constant name-calling and shouting across the chamber.</p> <p>She suggested that the behaviour that occurs in parliament would be considered “illegal”, and also mildly expressed support for the Liberal Party’s decision to deal with bullying allegations “internally” without naming the alleged culprits.</p> <p>“It’s a very difficult situation where you are accusing others of behaviour that could, well, in some instances be illegal, to name them,” Bishop said.</p> <p>“If the women who feel this way are confident that their concerns will be taken seriously and investigated then there’s no need to name them publicly.”</p> <p>Liberal Senator Lucy Gichuhi took back her threat this week of naming the bullies in parliament, saying she had spoken to Prime Minister Scott Morrison and left it in his hands.</p>

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Urgent recall: Woolworths shoppers warned to throw out this product immediately

<p>Woolworths has warned Australians to throw out two brands of strawberries after sewing needles were found in three punnets sold in Queensland and Victoria stores.</p> <p>The recall was issued in Woolworths stores yesterday for Berry Obsession and Berrylicious strawberries purchased in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.</p> <p>It is believed the sewing needles were placed inside the strawberries by a disgruntled employee, with at least one person being hospitalised after eating the sabotaged strawberries.</p> <p>Queensland Police Acting Detective Chief Superintendent Terry Lawrence said investigators were looking at "all options and avenues of the packaging and processing of the strawberries".</p> <p>However, he would not comment on the claim made by the Queensland Strawberry Growers Association (QSGA) that the needles were planted by an ex-employee.</p> <p>"We're not going to speculate at this stage. We are in the early stages of the investigation," he said.</p> <p>"That is a comment by the Queensland Strawberry Growers and we will talk with them to see if they have any information to assist us."</p> <p>In a statement yesterday, the QSGA said: "The association is waiting on more information from Queensland Police on this matter and will update the Australian public as news becomes available to us.”</p> <p>The incident was made known after Queensland’s Hoani Hearne, 21, discovered half of a needle inside a strawberry he had bitten into.</p> <p>On Sunday, he bought the punnet from Strathpine Centre Woolworths, which is located 20km north of Brisbane.</p> <p>His friend, Joshua Gane, shared a photo of the contaminated strawberry to Facebook.</p> <p> "Driving up to the coast when Hoani Hearne bites through a strawberry and swallows half a sewing needle,” he said.</p> <p>"We then checked the other strawberries and found another sewing needle lodged inside one of them.</p> <p>"We are now at the emergency room because he subsequently started experiencing severe abdominal pain.</p> <p>"Just being a helpful member of the community and making sure your children don’t have to endure what we have had to experience. Please make your family and friends aware."</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img style="width: 374.88284910965325px; height:500px;" src="/media/7820782/1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f76be3f37b814df7ae3215e53016cfe5" /></p> <p>So far three punnets of strawberries have been found with sewing needles hidden inside, including two in Victoria’s Yarram and Sebastopol.</p> <p>It is believed the strawberries all came from a farm in Queensland’s south-east.</p> <p>Queensland Health issued a warning to the public regarding the dangerous contamination.</p> <p>"I'm out here today to advise people if they've bought any strawberries in Queensland, New South Wales or Victoria since early last week, that they should dispose of them," Queensland Health's chief health officer Jeanette Young said.</p> <p>"If someone were to swallow a sewing needle it could get caught up in their gut."</p> <p>A Woolworths spokesperson said the supermarket took “food safety very seriously” and was working with authorities to investigate the incident.</p> <p>“We have withdrawn Berry Obsession and Berry Luscious branded strawberries from sale while this incident is being investigated with our suppliers,” the spokesperson said.</p> <p>“Customers are advised to return these products to their local Woolworths for a full refund.”</p> <p>Mr Lawrence would not say at which point in the supply chain the berries had been contaminated and declined to name the farm involved.</p> <p>"It's been some time for us to look at this sort of investigation, quite some time," he said.</p>

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“This is our one chance to survive”: Dairy farmers plead with shoppers to boycott Coles

<p>Dairy farmers are pleading with the public to boycott Coles amid claims that the supermarket is failing to comply with their request to increase the price of milk by 10 cents.</p> <p>Queensland dairy farmer, Joe Bradley, said that while there is increasing pressure from the public and support for the dairy industry, Coles has not agreed to meet their request.</p> <p>Woolworths has agreed to raise the price if other supermarkets follow.</p> <p>“What we’re asking people is if Coles doesn’t support local dairy farmers, don’t support Coles,” Mr Bradley told <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/sunrise/"><em>Sunrise</em></a>.</p> <p>“Don’t shop at Coles, please, this is our one chance to survive.”</p> <p>Mr Bradley says that he cannot wrap his head around as to why Coles won’t get on board to “make sure the dairy industry has a future.”</p> <p>Consumers are being asked to pay 10 extra cents for milk to help support drought-affected farmers.</p> <p>The Queensland Dairy Organisation (QDO) is currently fighting for supermarkets to drop their “dollar-a-litre” range to help save struggling farmers.</p> <p>The petition has called for the increase in price and for processors such as Parmalat, Norco and Lion to give the proceeds back to the farmers.</p> <p>“It wouldn’t amount to 10 cents back at the farm gate, but it would be closer to six to seven cents back at the farm gate price,” QDO president Brian Tessmann told the ABC.</p> <p>“Farmers are really suffering and there are guys who have come to the end of their tether and have basically said ‘someone please come and take my cows.’”</p> <p>Mr Tessmann said: “It’s the farmers that have suffered with the drought and we’ve been locked into $1 a litre as an anchor of the price since 2011.”</p> <p>Robert Miller, a dairy farmer from NSW said that the “dollar-a-litre” milk range found at leading supermarkets has hurt the industry more than the drought.</p> <p>“The cost of milk, just to source the feed alone, is $1.30 per litre,” he said.</p> <p>Mr Miller has campaigned against the cheap milk by posting signs on the front of his dairy farm, as he says it’s “killing farmers.”</p> <p>He has been forced to sell his cattle to China and Japan for the past few years just to keep his business afloat.</p> <p>But according to Mr Miller, selling overseas is no longer a viable option.</p> <p>“I’ve more than had enough. I’m going broke,” Mr Miller said.</p> <p>Mr Miller believes that 50 per cent of dairy farmers will be broke by Christmas.</p> <p>Their only saviour will be an increase in prices or the end of the drought, and neither seems likely.</p>

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“It’s moving”: Woman’s deadly discovery in her laundry

<p>A Queensland mother has shared footage from the terrifying encounter she had while attempting to do her washing at home.</p> <p><span style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit !important;">Bernie Beddie was completing her household chores when a deadly snake appeared in her laundry.</span></p> <p>Filming the deadly eastern brown snake, Ms Beddie's footage shows the reptile trying to outsmart the snake catcher who was called to their home to deal with the surprise guest. </p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="/media/7820774/image_.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/a3864ff17f15494099a9924af31b1d84" /></p> <p>The woman can be heard saying in the video: “The snake catcher is on its way – and it’s moving!”</p> <p>“Stay there, snake,” Ms Beddie orders to the serpent, before having a meltdown when it temporarily disappears.</p> <p>Although it didn’t take long for the snake catcher to arrive at her home, the snake moved under her washing machine.</p> <p>The catcher unplugged the washing machine from the wall and moved it outside, but the reptile was still difficult to locate.</p> <p>“Come on out,” the snake catcher calls to the snake.</p> <p><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fbernie.beddie%2Fvideos%2F10205070459557894%2F&amp;show_text=0&amp;width=267" width="267" height="476" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p> <p>Anxiously watching on, the mother says: “I’m glad the kids aren’t here.”</p> <p>Ms Beddie’s cats also attempt to have a look at the commotion in the laundry, before they are shooed away by their owner.</p> <p>The catcher eventually managed to get hold of the eastern brown snake and then quickly placed it inside his bag.</p> <p>“You get in there and stay there,” the snake catcher told the difficult snake. “Get back down!”</p> <p>One friend commented on her video, writing: “Omg I would be moving out, stuff that.”</p> <p>Another added that it was $70 well spent to get the deadly snake removed from her home. </p>

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Terrifying moment two warring snakes crash through bedroom ceiling

<p>A video has captured the scary duel between snakes after they fell through an air duct in an Aussie bedroom. </p> <p>The footage shows the two pythons tangled together and making hissing noises after they fell through the air ducts of the home located in Brisbane’s Kenmore Hills.</p> <p>The fight was captured by Snake Catchers Brisbane on Sunday and shows the two male Coastal Carpet pythons battling for a female mate in the area.</p> <p><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fwww.snakecatchers.com.au%2Fvideos%2F2060287627618889%2F&amp;show_text=0&amp;width=267" width="267" height="476" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p> <p>“People often mistake this as mating, but it is combat,” explained snake catcher Lana Field.</p> <p>According to Field, whichever snake won the battle would gain the right to mate with the nearby female, whose pheromones they could smell.</p> <p>The two snakes fell through the air duct vent by pushing on the cover and fell into the room of the unknowing inhabitants.</p> <p>Social media users were shocked by the video, with one person commenting: “Imagine being in that bed when they came through the ceiling vent! OMG!”</p> <p>Another wrote: “Oh my God they fell through the roof, I would have died, not looking forward to summer.”</p> <p>Ms Field described the two pythons as “small, average size”, with a length of around 1.75 metres.</p> <p>“They can continue like this for hours also, until one is exhausted, feels like he's going to win the battle, get on top and he'll leave,” she said</p>

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When to turn your clocks forward one hour

<p>As the weather slowly starts to warm up and the days start to get longer, it’s a reminder that the start of Daylight Savings is only a few weeks away.</p> <p>Mark the date in your diary! The clocks will go forward one hour in NSW, ACT, South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania at 2 am on Sunday, October 7.</p> <p>Daylight Savings will remain in place for 6 months until April 7 next year, where it will be going back an hour.</p> <p>Daylight Saving Time is observed in NSW, ACT, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania.</p>

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Another urgent product recall from Coles and IGA

<p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica',sans-serif; color: black;">A range of South Australian alfalfa sprouts has been recalled after eight people contracted salmonella in the past month.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica',sans-serif; color: black;">The Sunshine Sprouts, sold at Coles, Foodland, IGA and greengrocers, have been voluntary recalled.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica',sans-serif; color: black;">SA Health acting executive director Chris Lease said 116 alfalfa products had been sampled after the reports and salmonella was present in three samples.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica',sans-serif; color: black;">“A number of Sunshine Sprouts alfalfa sprouts products have already been voluntarily recalled and we are advising anyone who has purchased the affected products not to eat them, and to return them to the place of purchase for a refund, or throw them away,” Dr Lease said.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica',sans-serif; color: black;">“In cases of salmonella a common food source is not often identified, however testing of retail product confirmed its presence in a variety of alfalfa sprout products.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: center; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica',sans-serif; color: black;"><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.53846153846155px;" src="/media/7820737/1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/009060668da34365afcdcd23ce6e9e64" /></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica',sans-serif; color: black;">“We are working closely with the producer and suppliers while we continue to investigate.”</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica',sans-serif; color: black;">The products recalled include alfalfa sprouts with broccoli, garlic, mustard, onion, radish and the gourmet pack.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica',sans-serif; color: black;">Symptoms of salmonella can occur between six to 72 hours after ingestion and include fever, diarrhoea, vomiting, cramps and headaches.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica',sans-serif; color: black;">Symptoms can last for up to seven days. </span></p>

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