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Prince Charles and Camilla to embark on first royal tour since 2019

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall are preparing to head off on their first royal tour in almost two years, Clarence House has announced. Charles and Camilla will visit Jordan and Egypt from November 16 to 19 as representatives of the Queen and the British government. It is the first royal tour to take place since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic (as opposed to brief visits). The couple will visit holy sites and attend interfaith events aimed at promoting tolerance between different religions. Climate change and the importance of girls’ education will also be highlighted during the visit, which will take place after the COP26 summit in Glasgow next week, and which the couple will also be attending. Queen Elizabeth, Prince William and Kate will also be attending the historic climate summit. While visiting Jordan and Egypt, Prince Charles will take part in conversations about the value of religious freedom and respect for other people’s beliefs, subjects of particular importance in countries that are home to holy sites for Muslims, Christians, Jews, and other religions. Charles has previously warned against the dangers of religious persecution and extremism, including to Christian communities in the Middle East. Jordan’s role in taking in so many refugees, including Palestinians and Syrians, in a region that has faced much conflict will be recognised, and Camilla will see work in Jordan that is being done by Queen Rania to keep girls in school and protect vulnerable children and mothers. In addition to visits to historic sites such as the city of Alexandria, there will be a focus on the importance of teaching crafts skills necessary to maintain and preserve such sites. The tour will also include a showcase of the monuments built for a far more ancient royal dynasty, with a reception overlooking the Pyramids of Giza. Charles last visited Jordan in 2015, and Camilla in 2013. The couple last visited Egypt in 2006. Image: Jacob King-WPA Pool/Getty Images

International Travel

Amanda Keller “probably won’t even go” to 2020 Logies

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> The 2019 Gold Logies campaign was one to keep an eye on last year, as comedian and Hard Quiz host Tom Gleeson made a parody of the public voted award. However, others weren’t a fan of his behaviour, with them believing that Amanda Keller should’ve won the coveted Gold Logie. She was nominated but became the target of Gleeson’s aggressive parody campaign. Last night’s episode revealed just how Keller really feels about the issue, according to her Living Room co-host and close friend Miguel. He said that Keller “probably won’t even go” to the ceremony this year and that Gleeson “wiped his a***” with the award. He was firm in his view that Keller should have won the award. “It would have been hard to beat Tom’s grassroots campaign, it’s crazy,” campmate Dilruk began. “I think Amanda deserved that Gold Logie,” said Miguel, prompting Myf to suggest she may be nominated again. “I don’t think she’s interested, I don’t think she’ll even go,” he said, shaking his head. <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-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B5JnB_kJHxK/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=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> <a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B5JnB_kJHxK/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">While gringo is in Antartica getting amazing stories for us @livingroomtv we have this legend @therealbeauryan helping out at the sofa Make sure you watch the amazing @amazingraceau is amazing show ... was that 3 amazings???</a> <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 post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/thecrazybull/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Miguel Maestre</a> (@thecrazybull) on Nov 21, 2019 at 5:59pm PST </div> </blockquote> To the camera, he asserted: “I understand the whole point of being funny and comedy, but I think that people in TV, it should be okay to want to win an award, when they have been working all of their life in the craft,” adding to his castmates: “Amanda Keller is the best in her game in radio, TV, acting and whatever she wants to do, she can do … It has to be this taking the piss.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> Massive thank you to everyone who voted! Last night, I was mostly showing off to you at home. I really hope you got your money’s worth. Thank you again. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Gleeson4Gold?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Gleeson4Gold</a> <a href="https://t.co/N4d6tXNZky">pic.twitter.com/N4d6tXNZky</a> — Tom Gleeson (@nonstoptom) <a href="https://twitter.com/nonstoptom/status/1145583828703928320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 1, 2019</a></blockquote> Campmate Dilruk said that that was the point of Gleeson’s campaign. “I think that’s his point, was that he wasn’t the best candidate to win it, but that he just ran a good campaign. That’s the whole point he was parodying the whole idea of the award.” However, Miguel wasn’t buying it. “But I don’t think that’s funny,” he said. “I don’t like people bringing other people down to make fun. I think that’s not that smart … and that’s his game, that’s what he does, fantastic I don’t really care much. “I was there and my friend was upset for something, I thought it wasn’t in good taste. And it went for so long- we were just standing there and he went on and on and on and I thought, all these people who are here would like to win that award and work hard every day to win that award, and you are getting that award and wiping your arse with it.” Despite Gleeson reassuring people that there is no bad blood between himself and Keller, who said that she found the situation “funny”, Miguel has made his thoughts known. </div> </div> </div>

They paid WHAT? 5 most expensive celeb houses of 2019

Celebrities live a life of luxury, so it makes sense that these luxuries would also extend to the places they call home. Here are the 5 most expensive real estate transactions done by celebrities for 2019. 5. Tommy Hilfiger The 68-year-old fashion designer and founder of Tommy Hilfiger finally sold his Plaza Hotel penthouse after a shocking 11 years on the market. The home is 6,050 square feet and has just four bedrooms. There is a formal dining room that features mirrored walls and the penthouse features a grand salon with 10-foot high ceilings, according to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/watch-tommy-and-dee-hilfiger-give-a-tour-of-their-stunning-plaza-hotel-apartment" target="_blank">Architectural Digest</a>. The penthouse sold for a shocking $USD 33.25 million ($AUD 48.4 million). 4. Mark Zuckerberg The founder of Facebook kept the details of this sale very private as he purchased a home in Lake Tahoe for $USD 37 million ($AUD 54.19 million). The Brushwood Estate features a 5,322 square foot main house with six bedrooms as well as a separate guesthouse and a private dock, according to <a rel="noopener" href="https://variety.com/2019/dirt/news/mark-zuckerberg-lake-tahoe-houses-1203209603/" target="_blank">Variety</a>. The home was built in 1964 and also features rolling lawns as well as a lakeview jacuzzi. The home adds to the smaller property he purchased earlier for $USD 22 million ($AUD 32.02 million) and now has a compound of up to 10 acres with 600 feet of uninterrupted lake views. 3. Adam Levine and Behati Prinsloo The power couple were ready to say goodbye to their mansion in Beverly Hills, but it wouldn’t be an easy one as their mansion is a three-story Tudor-style home. The sprawling 10,376 foot mansion features five bedrooms, twelve bathrooms and features crown moulding in many of the common living areas on the first floor. The master suite of the mansion includes a lofted ceiling, a private terrace and an en suite bathroom that has a luxurious free-standing tub, according to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/ellen-degeneres-buys-adam-levines-beverly-hills-mansion" target="_blank">Architectural Digest</a>. The home sold to another power couple Ellen DeGeneres and her wife Portia Di Rossi for $USD 45 million ($AUD 65.83 million). 2. Sting The iconic musician bought a luxurious 5,807 square feet penthouse which has three bedrooms and five and a half bathrooms. Although it’s not as large as some of the other mansions, it appears that stars are paying for the location as it’s on Billionaire’s Row at 220 Central Park South, according to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/news/sting-drops-nearly-96-million-on-penthouse-in-recordbreaking-new-york-building/" target="_blank">realestate.com.au.</a> With few details being made public about the actual apartment, there are little to no photos of this listing that he bought for a shocking USD $66 million ($AUD 96 million) 1. Jeff Bezos Last but not least, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos purchased a trio of Manhattan apartments for a combined whopping $USD 80 million ($AUD 116.52 million). The sizeable buy included a three-story five-bedroom penthouse apartment as well as the other two units he purchased which overlook Madison Square Park. The combined space of all three units create a massive 17,000 square foot, 12-bedroom estate. The penthouse alone has nearly 6,000 square feet of terraces and has four exposures facing the Madison Square Park. The penthouse also includes a private elevator, a grand ballroom and a library with a marble and glass fireplace, according to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.businessinsider.com.au/amazon-ceo-jeff-bezos-buys-manhattan-penthouse-apartment-80-million-2019-6?r=US&IR=T" target="_blank">Business Insider</a>. Photo credits: Tommy Hilfiger’s penthouse: <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/17/photos-tommy-hilfigers-nyc-penthouse-sold-for-millions.html" target="_blank">CNBC</a> & Sothesby’s International Realty | Travis Mark Mark Zuckerberg’s Lake Tahoe mansion: <a rel="noopener" href="https://variety.com/2019/dirt/news/mark-zuckerberg-lake-tahoe-houses-1203209603/" target="_blank">Variety</a> & Oliver Luxury Real Estate Adam Levine’s Tudor-style mansion: <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/ellen-degeneres-buys-adam-levines-beverly-hills-mansion" target="_blank">Architectural Digest</a> & Simon Berlyn / Berlyn Photography 2019 Jeff Bezos’ trio of Manhattan apartments: <a rel="noopener" href="https://visualhouse.co/work/212-fifth-avenue/" target="_blank">Visual House</a>

Home & Garden

2019: The year that was for the British Royal Family

It’s been an interesting year for the British royal family. Some royal commentators say that the monarchy hasn’t seen such a disastrous year since 1992, which had Princess Diana writing a tell-all book about the Royal family as well as Fergie being caught having her toes sucked. In a 1992 speech, the Queen described the year as her “annus horribilis”, which is a Latin phrase meaning “horrible year”. “1992 is not a year on which I shall look back with undiluted pleasure,” she said at an event marking the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.royal.uk/annus-horribilis-speech" target="_blank">40th anniversary of her accession to the throne</a>. However, the year of 2019 is set to give 1992 a run for its money. Let’s take a look back at the year that was 2019 for the British Royal family. The birth of Prince Archie Many were thrilled when it was announced that Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan were expecting their first child. The arrival of newborn Archie was positive until it was announced that the couple would be keeping details of his christening private. The British tabloids were fuming, especially as the couple had used taxpayer money to fund the renovations of Frogmore Cottage. Things only got more intense for the couple as reports came out about Meghan stopping a fan from taking a selfie with her at Wimbledon, where she was there in a “private capacity” supporting long-time friend Serena Williams. <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-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BxNPb_9B0fn/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=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> <a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BxNPb_9B0fn/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are pleased to announce they have named their first born child: Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor This afternoon Their Royal Highnesses introduced Her Majesty The Queen to her eighth great-grandchild at Windsor Castle. The Duke of Edinburgh and The Duchess’ mother were also present for this special occasion. Photo credit: Chris Allerton ©️SussexRoyal</a> <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 post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/sussexroyal/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> The Duke and Duchess of Sussex</a> (@sussexroyal) on May 8, 2019 at 8:39am PDT </div> </blockquote> The couple also received heavy criticism for using private jets while preaching about environmental concerns. The engagement of Princess Beatrice Princess Beatrice announced her engagement to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in September, much to the joy of her parents Prince Andrew and Fergie. The pair have known each other since 2011 but started dating seriously in 2018. <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-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B23uLfvn8Y3/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=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> <a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B23uLfvn8Y3/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">The Duke and Duchess of York are delighted to announce the engagement of Princess Beatrice to Mr Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. Her Royal Highness and Mr Mapelli Mozzi became engaged in Italy earlier this month. The wedding will take place in 2020. This photograph was taken by Princess Eugenie in Italy. Princess Beatrice and Mr. Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi said; “We are extremely happy to be able to share the news of our recent engagement. We are both so excited to be embarking on this life adventure together and can’t wait to be married.” For more click the link in our bio. 📷 © Princess Eugenie</a> <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 post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/theroyalfamily/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> The Royal Family</a> (@theroyalfamily) on Sep 26, 2019 at 3:13am PDT </div> </blockquote> Royal fans are curious as to where the wedding will be held, as her fiancé is Italian. However, Beatrice might decide to have the wedding in England as her family are part of the monarchy. Prince Philip’s car crash Prince Philip got into a car accident in early January and flipped his Land Rover while driving without a seatbelt. The accident occurred outside the Queen’s Sandringham estate, with the 97-year-old Duke saying he was “dazzled by bright sunlight”. <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-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bsv05E2FsEY/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=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> <a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bsv05E2FsEY/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">The Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip was recently involved in a car crash, The Duke (97) was driving a range rover at the Queen's Sandringham estate, when his car collided with another vehicle. . Thankfully by God's grace, he was miraculously left unharmed, the other two people in the car are being treated for minor injuries... The Queen was not with the Duke at the time but is with his side now...I'm so happy that Prince Philip is fine. He's one of my favorite royals! 💕 . The eye witnesses have reported that the Duke was conscious but really shocked by the accident. 🙏🏻 🌹 #PrinceWilliam #katemiddleton #royals #British #uk #unitedkingdom #queenelizabeth #love #George #charlotte #Louis #princeGeorge #royalbaby #princesscharlotte #royalsofuk #princelouis #princessdiana #dukeofcambrige #william #duchessofcambridge #Kate #princephilip #carcrash #accidents #livereport</a> <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 post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/kensingtonroyalss/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Lovely Cambridge Family 🌻</a> (@kensingtonroyalss) on Jan 17, 2019 at 11:24am PST </div> </blockquote> He flipped into a Kia car containing two women and a nine-month old baby. The Duke suffered criticism for being slow to apologise to the others involved. Kia passenger Emma Fairweather said that she was yet to hear from the Duke after the accident. “I’m lucky to be alive and he hasn’t even said sorry,” she said. “It has been such a traumatic and painful time and I would have expected more of the Royal Family … It could have been so much worse.” Prince Philip later wrote a note saying he was “very sorry” about what happened. “I was somewhat shaken after the accident, but I was greatly relieved that none of you were seriously injured,” he said. The tell-all documentary that solidified rumours of a rift between Prince William and Prince Harry The African tour with Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan was a last-ditch attempt to turn the public favour towards them, but a documentary that saw the duo opening up about pressures of living in the spotlight did just the opposite. Prince Harry explained that mental health required “constant management” and confirmed reports of a rift between himself and his brother Prince William, saying that “we’re certainly on different paths”. “We don’t see each other as much as we used to because we’re so busy … But I love him dearly and the majority of the stuff is created out of nothing,” he said. “But as brothers, you have good days, you have bad days.” Meghan was also criticised for saying that she was struggling to adapt to the “British sensibility of a stiff upper lip”. <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-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B3w2Qk1n2Ra/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=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> <a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B3w2Qk1n2Ra/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">In an upcoming ITV documentary, Meghan Markle opened up about the difficulty and struggle of being in the public eye. In the interview, she admits she has not been ok behind the scenes. 😔 (📸: ITV). . . . . . . . . #princeharry #meghanmarkle #sussexroyak #meghanandharry #harryandmeghan #dutchessofsussex #dukeandduchessofsussex</a> <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 post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/radaronline/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> RadarOnline</a> (@radaronline) on Oct 18, 2019 at 7:46am PDT </div> </blockquote> “I think I really tried to adopt this British sensibility of a stiff upper lip. I tried, I really tried, but I think what that does internally is probably really damaging,” explained Meghan. “The biggest thing I know is that I never thought this would be easy, but I thought it’d be fair, and that’s the part that’s really hard to reconcile. But I don’t know … I’m taking each day as it comes.” Prince Charles shows more signs of taking over for Queen Elizabeth II Prince Charles, now aged 71, is showing no signs of slowing down by consistently carrying out around 500 royal engagements per year. There are rumours that he is going to take over the monarchy and become King once the Queen turns 95, which she will do so in 18 months. <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-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/ByVNAV-Aupa/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=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> <a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ByVNAV-Aupa/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">Today The Queen and The Prince of Wales attended the National Commemorative Event for the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings at Southsea Common, Portsmouth. Her Majesty and His Royal Highness met D-Day veterans and Heads of State, Heads of Government and Representatives of Leaders of the Allied Nations. D-Day is considered one of the largest military operations in history. It included over 5,000 vessels and ships, nearly 11,000 planes and over 130,000 ground troops. Tomorrow The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall will attend #DDay75 events in Normandy.</a> <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 post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/clarencehouse/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Clarence House</a> (@clarencehouse) on Jun 5, 2019 at 7:23am PDT </div> </blockquote> This is the same age that Prince Philip withdrew from his public duties. The scandal that surrounds Prince Andrew and his controversial friendship with Jeffrey Epstein thrust Charles into the spotlight and gave him a chance to prove that he can be in charge. A royal source told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/10430396/prince-charles-andrew-run-the-firm-queen-retire/" target="_blank">The Sun</a>: “The scandal surrounding Andrew and Epstein gave Charles an opportunity to step in to show that he can run The Firm. No one is bigger than the institution of the Royal Family. Not even Andrew, the Queen's favourite son. “Charles recognised that and acted decisively — like the king he may well soon be. This was the moment when Charles stepped up as Prince Regent, the Shadow King.” The scandal surrounding Prince Andrew and his friendship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein Prince Andrew faced intense media speculation over his friendship with deceased paedophile billionaire Jeffrey Epstein. It was not speculation he handled well, as many watched on in horror during his interview on Newsnight where he gave bizarre responses to questions about his friendship. The interview was described as “nuclear level bad”, with Prince Andrew saying the following: “Do I regret the fact that he [Epstein] has quite obviously conducted himself in a manner unbecoming? Yes.” Interviewer Emily Maitlis said “Unbecoming? He was a sex offender.” Virginia Roberts is one of 16 women who says she was abused by Epstein and claimed that she was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew three times between 2001 and 2002. These are claims that Prince Andrew has aggressively denied, as he claims that he could not have had sex with 17-year-old Roberts on March 10th 2001 as he had been at a Pizza Express in Woking that evening. In the interview, Prince Andrew was told how Roberts had been “very specific” about him and the night that they met, with claims that Prince Andrew was “profusely sweating”. Prince Andrew said that he is unable to sweat. “I didn’t sweat at the time because I had suffered what I would describe as an overdose of adrenaline in the Falklands War when I was shot at and I simply...it was almost impossible for me to sweat,” he explained. Since that interview, he has since stepped down from royal duties after furious public backlash from the interview, ranging to lack of empathy for the victims of Epstein as well as claims that the Duke of York was supportive of the friendship with Epstein until it became publicly unacceptable to do so. <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-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B5GMamUpy9B/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=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> <a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B5GMamUpy9B/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A statement by His Royal Highness The Duke of York KG.</a> <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 post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/hrhthedukeofyork/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> The Duke of York</a> (@hrhthedukeofyork) on Nov 20, 2019 at 10:09am PST </div> </blockquote> However, he has received unwavering support from his ex, Fergie. As the year draws to a close, it’s safe to say that the royal family are eager for a fresh start in 2020.

Family & Pets

The most popular baby names for 2019 revealed

A list of baby names have made it into the Australian top 100 for 2019, including Sadie, Hallie, Hamish and River. Baby Centre compiled data and discovered a number of unique monikers that were popular with parents this year. And despite Amelia, Isla, Charlotte, Oliver, Noah and Leo topping the list for favourite baby girl and boy names, it looks like parents are taking the more unconventional path when it comes to naming their child. New entries Hallie, Sadie and Nora made the list, along with Eden, Lara, Everly and Maggie. For boys, the most popular names include Kobe, River, Miles, Christian, Leon and Mateo, with Felix and Luke making a comeback after two years. And reappearing on the list for 2019 was Hamish, Owen, Dominic, Fletcher, Phoenix and Alex. The name Oliver has topped the boys list for the eighth consecutive year. Top 10 girl names 2019 1. Amelia 2. Isla 3. Charlotte 4. Ava 5. Olivia 6. Mia 7. Lily 8. Willow 9. Sophia 10. Zoe Top 10 boy names 2019 1. Oliver 2. Noah 3. Leo 4. Lucas 5. Jack 6. Charlie 7. William 8. Henry 9. Luca 10. Thomas “This year's list reflects how fickle Australian parents can be in their choices,” the website states. “Alexis and Thea fell the most dramatically, once again dropping out of favour with parents after being super-hot last year.” The collected data revealed that names starting with the letter L are extremely popular among parents, including Leo, Lucas and Luca which all made the top 10. “L names are in vogue. Leo finally cracked the top five, Lucas returned to the top five after a two-year absence, and cousin Luca charged into the top 10 for the first time,” BabyCenter said. Do you feel as though naming trends are changing over time? What were the most popular types of names when you were born?

Family & Pets

Top hearing aids of 2019: Best features, invisibility and more

Getting older comes with great wisdom, and sometimes (unfortunately) a whole host of new health ailments. The good news is, many of them can be effectively treated or managed, including hearing loss. If you’re tired of saying “pardon?”, distracting yourself from the buzzing in your ear, or having to ask your family members to turn up the TV volume, know that you don’t have to suffer in silence any longer. Poor hearing is not your new normal. It can be fixed with the help of a quality hearing aid. And don’t worry—hearing aids aren’t the clunky devices they used to be. Many of today’s modern versions sit just inside the ear, making them practically invisible. If the cost of fixing your hearing is an issue, Sydney-based service <a href="https://hearingaidcomparison.com.au/edm/?utm_medium=sponsoredarticle&utm_source=over60&utm_campaign=hac-november&utm_content=top-hearing-aids">Hearing Aid Comparison</a> can book you in for a free hearing screening with an audiologist near you. They’ll test your hearing and show you a range of devices based on your unique needs and budget. Better yet—you can try before you buy, to ensure your hearing aid is a good fit for you and your lifestyle. Get your free hearing test today Step 1: Select your state below. Step 2: After answering a few questions, you will have the opportunity to compare hearing aids in your area and could be eligible for significant savings. <a href="https://hearingaidcomparison.com.au/edm/?utm_medium=sponsoredarticle&utm_source=over60&utm_campaign=hac-november&utm_content=top-hearing-aids"><img style="width: 500px; height: 158.984375px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7832127/o60_hac_selectyourstate_1280-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/e3995c525c144f589fde27598536d7b1" /></a> Noticing that your hearing has started to slip can be jarring. But you don’t have to live a life of shouting and asking people to repeat themselves. You simply need to find the hearing aid that best fits your needs, and if cost is an issue, your budget. But where to start? The following list of hearing aids are from some of the top providers in Australia and can help you get started on your search for a quality hearing aid. Best Features: Widex Evoke The Widex Evoke is the world’s first smart hearing aid, and the only hearing aid on the market that can truly evolve through frequent use. The Evoke lets you customise your settings—like most modern hearing aids do—but allows you more freedom and relaxation than some others on the market. Your hearing aids are learning as you use them. They make automatic adjustments to fit your surroundings based on the other environments you’ve visited in the past. On top of that, they’re some of the most comfortable hearing aids on the market. Best Invisible: Starkey CIC with Muse iQ Starkey is another top name in the hearing aid industry, and make one of the better invisible hearing aids out there. These hearing aids won’t be best for everyone, but those who have mild to moderate hearing loss can keep their hearing aids hidden without losing features. The Muse iQ delivers high-quality speech recognition in even the busiest of environments, as well as the ability to stream calls, TV, and music directly to the hearing aids. ReSound LiNX 3D The LiNX 3D is one of the newer hearing aid options from ReSound. It delivers some of the best directional sound features on the market, which is sometimes difficult to find in hearing aids. This hearing aid does everything well. It’s comfortable, discreet, and powerful enough to service the needs of those with severe hearing loss. As the name suggests, the real selling point of these hearing aids is the directional sound. It makes incoming sounds a lot more natural than some of the other devices we’ve seen. Eargo Neo The Eargo Neo presents as one of the better values for hearing aids. The invisible hearing aid sits comfortably in your ear and delivers reliable sound profiles that make the hearing aids feel more natural. These hearing aids aren’t the most powerful on the market, but they’re excellent value for those who want invisible hearing aids with reliable sound. Starkey Livio Ai The Livio AI is more than just a hearing aid. The device also tracks the health of your brain and body. The sensors can even detect if you’ve fallen and in need of assistance. Of course, the Livio is also a top-notch hearing aid that interfaces with your phone. It can perform well in noisy environments and is barely noticeable sitting on your ear. Widex Beyond iPhone lovers will enjoy the Widex Beyond. Although the hearing aid is compatible with Android, it’s designed to work in tandem with Apple devices. These behind-the-ear hearing aids are affordable and comfortable. They make setting adjustments easy through the intuitive app, and let you stream music, TV, and phone calls. Unfortunately, the streaming features aren’t available for Android just yet, but iPhone users will be more than happy with this pick. Oticon Opn S The Oticon Opn S is a discreet hearing aid that doesn’t compromise on sound quality. It provides 360-degree sound to make listening feel more natural. A lot of other invisible hearing aids need to compromise on directional sound, but the Opn S does not. Another great feature of these hearing aids is the ability to detect and eliminate the whistling sound that is common in other small devices. All of this for an affordable price as well. With all these different brands, styles, and features, finding a suitable hearing aid comes down to what you’re looking for. Need a hand? Connect with an audiologist near you Step 1: Select your state below. Step 2: Answer a few questions to book in a free hearing test in your area and compare hearing aids. <a href="https://hearingaidcomparison.com.au/edm/?utm_medium=sponsoredarticle&utm_source=over60&utm_campaign=hac-november&utm_content=top-hearing-aids"><img style="width: 493.82716049382714px; height: 500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7832126/o60_hac_map_1280.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/7919353ebc0f4774beac9cd41c0ef154" /></a> This article is opinion only and should not be taken as medical or financial advice. Check with a financial professional before making any decisions.

Body

The world’s richest royal in 2019 revealed

When you think of royalty, the British royal family might be the first thing that comes to mind – but when it comes to wealth, other royals around the world have the edge. A ranking of the world’s richest royals, published by <a href="https://ceoworld.biz/2019/09/18/these-are-the-worlds-richest-royals-2019/">The CEOWORLD Magazine</a>, found that no British royals made it to the top 10. Earning the top spot was Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn with an estimated net worth of US$43 billion. Following as a distant second was Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah with US$28 billion. Middle Eastern royals dominated the Top 10. Saudi Arabia’s King Salman Abdulaziz bin Saud came in third with US$18 billion, while Abu Dhabi’s Emir Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Morocco’s King Mohammed VI took the fourth and fifth place. Queen Elizabeth II (US$520 million) and Prince Charles (US$420 million) placed at number 11 and 12 respectively, while Prince William and Prince Harry came in at number 15 and 16 with an estimated wealth of US$40 million each. The wealthiest royals: <ol> <li>King Maha Vajiralogkorn, Thailand: $43 billion</li> <li>Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Brunei: $28 billion</li> <li>King Salman Abdulaziz bin Saud, Saudi Arabia: $18 billion</li> <li>Emir Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi, UAE: $15 billion</li> <li>King Mohammed VI, Morocco: $8.2 billion</li> <li>Prince Hans Adam II, Liechtenstein: $7.2 billion</li> <li>Emir Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai, UAE: $4 billion</li> <li>Grand Duke Henri, Luxembourg: $4 billion</li> <li>Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Qatar: $2.1 billion</li> <li>Prince Albert, Monaco: $1 billion</li> <li>Queen Elizabeth II, UK: $520 million</li> <li>Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, UK: $420 million</li> <li>King Carl XVI Gustaf, Sweden: $70 million</li> <li>Queen Margrethe, Denmark: $40 million</li> <li>Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, UK: $40 million</li> <li>Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, UK: $40 million</li> <li>Harald V, Norway: $30 million</li> <li>Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, UK: $30 million</li> <li>Felipe VI, Spain: $20 million</li> <li>Kate Middleton, UK: $10 million</li> <li>Meghan Markle, UK: $5 million</li> </ol>

International Travel

Winning pictures from Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2019 revealed

The marmot had not been out of hibernation for long when it ventured out of the burrows – but an encounter with a fox left the rodent slack-jawed and frozen in fear. The dramatic image, aptly titled The Moment, has earned Chinese photographer Yongqing Bao the Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2019 award, given by London’s Natural History Museum. “Photographically, it is quite simply the perfect moment,” said chief judge Roz Kidman Cox. “The expressive intensity of the postures holds you transfixed, and the thread of energy between the raised paws seems to hold the protagonists in perfect balance.” Cox added that the photograph, which was captured in China’s Qilian Mountains, “captured such a powerful interaction between a Tibetan fox and a marmot – two species key to the ecology of this high-grassland region”. Natural History Museum director Michael Dixon said the image shows nature’s fragility. “This compelling picture captures nature’s ultimate challenge – its battle for survival,” Dixon said. “The area in which this was taken, often referred to as the ‘third pole’ because of the enormous water reserves held by its ice fields, is under threat from dramatic temperature rises like those seen in the Arctic. “At a time when precious habitats are facing increasing climate pressures, seeing these fleeting yet fascinating moments reminds us of what we need to protect.” Bao beat out more than 48,000 entries from 100 countries to win the prestigious title. 14-year-old Cruz Erdmann from New Zealand was named Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2019 for his portrait of a bigfin reef squid in Lembeh Strait, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. “To dive in the pitch dark, find this beautiful squid and to be able to photograph it so elegantly, to reveal its wonderful shapes and colours, takes so much skill,” judge Theo Bosboom said. “What a resounding achievement for such a young photographer.” The Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition celebrates the world’s best nature photography. The winning images are evaluated by a panel of international experts for their artistic composition, technical innovation and truthful interpretation of the natural world. Scroll through the gallery to see the winning pictures from the competition.

Beauty & Style

These are the world’s best bars for 2019

The world’s best bars for 2019 have been revealed. The World’s 50 Best Bars, which has compiled an annual ranking of bars around the world since 2009, collected votes from more than 500 drink experts across the globe, including bartenders, cocktail specialists, consultants and drinks writers. Topping the list is New York’s Dante, a historic bar which was originally established in 1915 and reopened in 2015. “The measure of a bar is the experience of its customers – in hospitality, drinks and food Dante has the fundamentals down to a fine art, earning the deserved title of The World’s Best Bar 2019,” the list said. Apart from the restaurant-bar’s collection of Negronis, the panel also recommended the Garibaldi, which consists of Campari and ‘fluffy’ orange juice. Dante’s owner Linden Pride said he “could not be more honoured” to win the award. “We will continue to focus on our approach to hospitality and creating those special moments for every guest that comes through our door,” Pride told <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/worlds-best-bar-2019/index.html">CNN Travel</a>. The UK was also well-represented on the list with 10 bars making appearances. London’s Connaught Bar placed second, emerging as The Best Bar in Europe awardee, while American Bar earned the number five spot and the Legend of the List award. From Asia, six Singapore bars made the list with the chart-topper Atlas coming in at number eight. The Parkview Square bar was noted for its Great Gatsby-esque interior and impressive drink collection, which boasts more than 1,300 different labels of gin. Australia’s only entry was Sydney’s Maybe Sammy at number 43. Located in The Rocks, the hotel bar received praises for its “inventive and delicious cocktail list, luxe surrounds and an attention to detail” as well as “great hospitality”. <a href="https://www.worlds50bestbars.com/fifty-best-bars-list-2019/?ist=1">The World’s 50 Best Bars 2019</a>: <ol> <li>Dante (New York)</li> <li>Connaught Bar (London)</li> <li>Florería Atlántico (Buenos Aires)</li> <li>The NoMad (New York)</li> <li>American Bar (London)</li> <li>The Clumsies (Athens)</li> <li>Attaboy (New York)</li> <li>Atlas (Singapore)</li> <li>The Old Man (Hong Kong)</li> <li>Licorería Limantour (Mexico City)</li> <li>Manhattan (Singapore)</li> <li>Native (Singapore)</li> <li>Carnaval (Lima)</li> <li>Katana Kitten (New York)</li> <li>Guilhotina (São Paulo)</li> <li>Three Sheets (London)</li> <li>Himkok (Oslo)</li> <li>High Five (Tokyo)</li> <li>Salmón Gurú (Madrid)</li> <li>Paradiso (Barcelona)</li> <li>Indulge Experimental Bistro (Taipei)</li> <li>The Dead Rabbit (New York)</li> <li>Coupette (London)</li> <li>The SG Club (Tokyo)</li> <li>Dr. Stravinsky (Barcelona)</li> <li>Employees Only (New York)</li> <li>El Copitas (St. Petersburg)</li> <li>Scout (London)</li> <li>Jigger & Pony (Singapore)</li> <li>Operation Dagger (Singapore)</li> <li>Baba Au Rum (Athens)</li> <li>La Factoría, (San Juan, Puerto Rico)</li> <li>Presidente (Buenos Aires)</li> <li>Schumann's (Munich)</li> <li>Speak Low (Shanghai)</li> <li>Little Red Door (Paris)</li> <li>Linje Tio (Stockholm)</li> <li>The Old Man (Singapore)</li> <li>Lyaness (London)</li> <li>Happiness Forgets (London)</li> <li>Swift (London)</li> <li>Trick Dog (San Francisco)</li> <li>Maybe Sammy (Sydney)</li> <li>1930 (Milan)</li> <li>Sober Company (Shanghai)</li> <li>Electric Bing Sutt (Beirut)</li> <li>Kwānt (London)</li> <li>Artesian (London)</li> <li>Coa (Hong Kong)</li> <li>Jerry Thomas Speakeasy (Rome)</li> </ol>

International Travel

The world’s most powerful passports for 2019 revealed

Japan and Singapore have emerged as the world’s most travel-friendly passports this year. The two countries offer their passport holders access to 190 countries around the world without needing a visa, according to the quarterly Henley Passport Index. Taking the joint second place are South Korea, Germany and Finland, with access to 188 countries while Denmark, Italy, and Luxembourg are in third place with citizens being able to visit 187 countries without needing a visa in advance. France, Spain and Sweden followed in number four with a score of 186. According to <a rel="noopener" href="https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/henley-index-world-best-passport-2019-intl/index.html" target="_blank">Henley & Partners</a>, the index’s ranking goes beyond hassle-free travel. “Our ongoing research has shown that when we talk about ‘passport power’, we are discussing more than simply the destinations a holder can travel to without acquiring a visa in advance,” said Dr Christian H Kaelin, chairman of Henley & Partners and the creator of the passport index. “Often, there is a strong correlation between visa freedom and other benefits such as business and investment freedom, independence of the judiciary, fiscal health, and property rights.” The best passports to hold in 2019: <ol> <li> Japan, Singapore (190 destinations)</li> <li> Finland, Germany, South Korea (188)</li> <li> Denmark, Italy, Luxembourg (187)</li> <li> France, Spain, Sweden (186)</li> <li> Austria, Netherlands, Portugal (185)</li> <li> Belgium, Canada, Greece, Ireland, Norway, United Kingdom, United States, Switzerland (184)</li> <li> Malta, Czech Republic (183)</li> <li> New Zealand (182)</li> <li> Australia, Lithuania, Slovakia (181)</li> <li> Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Slovenia (180)</li> </ol> The worst passports to hold in 2019: <ol start="100"> <li> Lebanon, North Korea (39 destinations)</li> <li> Nepal (38)</li> <li> Libya, Palestinian Territory, Sudan (37)</li> <li> Yemen (33)</li> <li> Somalia, Pakistan (31)</li> <li> Syria (29)</li> <li> Iraq (27)</li> <li> Afghanistan (25)</li> </ol>

International Travel

Best looks from the Emmys 2019 red carpet

Hollywood’s leading TV actors and celebrities have gathered for the 71st annual Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles. The awards show unveiled some iconic fashion moments, with the stars walking down the red carpet in their best garments. Patricia Arquette impressed the crowd with her white LBV dress and clutch, while Catherine Zeta-Jones stunned in a fuchsia Georges Hobeika gown. Naomi Watts opted for a classic look with a black Dior Haute Couture gown and Harry Winston jewelry. Sharon Osbourne also went for black in an Alexander McQueen floor-length gown with gathered sleeves and silver embellishments. Catherine O’Hara donned a black-and-white colourblocked dress by Greta Constantine. Patricia Clarkson descended with a glittery look from her custom Christian Siriano. Hugh Grant walked down the red carpet in a dapper suit and bowtie with wife and TV producer Anna Elisabet Eberstein, while Eugene Levy went along with son Dan Levy in a navy suit. Scroll through the gallery to see the best looks from the night.

News

These are the world’s safest cities to visit in 2019

Want to travel with a peace of mind? Consider some of the cities that have been rated as the world’s safest below. The Economist Intelligence Unit's 2019 Safe Cities Index (SCI) ranked 60 cities across the world based on various factors, including their digital, health, infrastructure and personal safety. Tokyo was crowned as the world’s safest for the third time in a row, with a score of 92 points out of 100. Following in number two was Singapore with 91.5 points, while Osaka took the third spot with 90.9 points. These cities maintained their top three positions from the two previous indexes in 2015 and 2017. Two Australian cities made the Top 10 – Sydney came in at number five with 87.9 points, while Melbourne received 87.3 points to place at number 10. Two European cities – Amsterdam at the fourth place and Copenhagen tying at number eight with Seoul – completed the list along with two American cities, Toronto and Washington, DC at number six and seven respectively. “Of the 14 European cities in the Index, only Istanbul and Moscow fall below the average score of 71.2 globally,” Irene Mia, global editorial director of The Economist Intelligence Unit told <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/tokyo-safest-cities-world-singapore-osaka-amsterdam-economist-intelligence-unit-safe-cities-index-a9083236.html">The Independent.</a> Meanwhile, Wellington was down from number 16 in 2017 to the 18th place this year. Hong Kong also dropped from number nine on the list in 2017 to number 20 in this index. The city has been rocked by sometimes-violent political unrest in recent months, leading to <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-49276259">a decline in the number of visitor arrivals and flight bookings</a>. “The situation in Hong Kong is still dynamic, so at this stage of course we cannot say exactly what the impact on the score will be,” said Simon Baptist, global chief economist and managing director for the Unit in Asia. “If there are sustained attacks on infrastructure, an ongoing increase in political instability, civil unrest or if relations between the police force and the community cannot be repaired, then it is likely that Hong Kong’s score would fall.” <a href="https://safecities.economist.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/safe-cities-index-eng-web.pdf">Safe Cities Index</a> 2019: <ol> <li>Tokyo</li> <li>Singapore</li> <li>Osaka</li> <li>Amsterdam</li> <li>Sydney</li> <li>Toronto</li> <li>Washington, DC</li> <li>Copenhagen</li> <li>Seoul</li> <li>Melbourne</li> </ol>

International Travel

“I’m not mad at this:” Naomi Osaka loses world No. 1 rank to Aussie star

New York title winner Naomi Osaka has crashed out of the US Open with a stunning defeat to Belinda Bencic. The 21-year-old lost for the third time to Bencic in one hour and 26 minutes under the closrd roof at Arthur Ashe Stadium on a rainy Monday. "The challenge cannot be bigger playing Naomi," Bencic said. "She has a lot of power, me not so much. I play like chess and anticipate." Osaka broke to love in the fifth game of the second set on a double fault from the Japense. The Title holder’s defeat has slipped her to fourth in the rankings, according to the WTA with French Open champion Ash Barty returning to the top of the ladder ahead of Karolina Pliskova and Simona Halep despite all being out already in New York. Osaka’s elimination paints an interesting picture with the top seeds being out of the quarter-finals for the first time in Open era. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Big results fo Belinda Bencic, 22, and Donna Vekic,23. Two teenage prodigies - Bencic made QF here as a 17yo was Top 10 at 18, Vekic was Top 100 at 16yo - who have had to fight through a lot to get to this stage. Both in the midst of standout seasons. Both good friends. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/USOpen?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#USOpen</a> <a href="https://t.co/Mc4C0SnkWO">pic.twitter.com/Mc4C0SnkWO</a> — WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) <a href="https://twitter.com/WTA_insider/status/1168586115919556609?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 2, 2019</a></blockquote> The former No. 1 told reporters the loss stung a lot less than her first-week exits at Roland Garros and Wimbledon over the summer. "Right now I have this feeling of sadness, but I also feel like I have learned so much during this tournament," Osaka said. "Honestly, of course I wanted to defend this tournament. "I feel like the steps that I have taken as a person have been much greater than I would imagine at this point. "So I hope that I can keep growing. I know that if I keep working hard, then of course I'll have better results." "I mean, in Wimbledon I walked out on you guys," Osaka teareully explained, referring to a tearful end to her press conference after losing in the firsts round to Yulia Putintseva. "In Roland Garros, I came straight from the match, so I was all gross and I just wanted to get out of there. In true Osaka fashion, the 21-year-old has maintained her composure and hoped to bounce back in future games. "Honestly, I'm not that mad at this," Osaka said. "Of course I can look at this and be very disappointed and mad, but I'm not mad at it. Of course I would like to reach higher, like rounds. That's definitely what I'll aim for in Australia. "But for right now, I think the level of tennis that I was playing in Europe was not that great. Coming here: two quarterfinals, Round of 16. "Hopefully I'll do well in Japan because I always do well in Japan, and just keep building off of it to end the season."

News

World’s best vineyards for 2019 revealed

The world’s best vineyards have been revealed, and an Adelaide winery make the top 20 list. In the inaugural World’s Best Vineyard Awards, nearly 500 sommeliers, wine experts and luxury travel correspondents cast their votes among 1,500 nominated wineries around the world. “Wine is a reflection of its individual surroundings, its terroir,” said the awards founder Andrew Reed. “It’s not just about the wine; it’s a total package.” Argentinian winery Zuccardi Valle de Uco was crowned as the 2019 winner in July. Located at the footsteps of the Andes Mountains, the World’s Best Vineyards Academy described the winery as “one of the most impressive on the planet”. The family-run business has been making wine since 1960s. South America dominated the list, with eight Chilean vineyards placing in the top 50 list. Europe also featured prominently with appearances from France, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Germany, Italy, England and Austria. From the land of the long white cloud, Rippon Vineyard in Wanaka emerged as the best in Australasia at number eight. Following closely was Craggy Range at number 11. Three South Australian wineries also made the cut. Adelaide Hills’ Penfold’s Magill Estate came in at number 13, while d’Arenberg in McLaren Vale and Seppeltsfield Barossa placed at number 29 and 47 respectively. Find the full Top 50 list <a href="https://www.worldsbestvineyards.com/top-50/">here</a>.

International Travel

Whoops: Fodor’s 2019 guide to Melbourne debuts with a photo of the Gold Coast on the cover

The cover of travel publisher Fodor’s yet-to-be-released guide to 25 Best Melbourne featured an image of the Gold Coast in an embarrassing blunder. "Don't just see the sights. See the best." urges the book's tagline, which displays the wrong photo of a different city proudly. The photo used is admittedly a gloomy photo used of the Gold Coast, but the thin strip of high rises undoubtedly belongs to the Sunshine State. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7829822/domestic-travel-evergreen-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/c79d7aed59954316a3f1a2ca6f56f716" /> The New York Times notes that Fodor's guides are "aimed at a fairly discerning traveller with an appetite for background and the occasional surprise". However, this seems a bit remiss due to the use of the wrong photo. The mistake has now been fixed, which can be seen below.<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Fodors-Melbourne-Full-color-Travel-Guide/dp/164097203X"></a> <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7829823/domestic-travel-evergreen-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/c025fa7d04f6465981988885b8f14b88" /> Fodor’s aren’t the only one who have made mistakes when it comes to images, as Lonely Planet’s massive guide to Western Europe was accidentally named “Westen Europe”. The mistake has now become a collectable item amongst Lonely Planet readers.

Domestic Travel

Logies 2019: The best dressed stars from the red carpet

The 61st Annual TV WEEK Logie Awards were held at The Star Gold Coast on the 30th of June. Many stars were dressed to impress as they attended the events. Amanda Keller stepped out in a glamorous sparkling gown, which was a long-sleeved Mary Ioannidis couture dress which had been intricately designed for the TV star as she was tipped to win the Gold Logie.<a rel="noopener" href="https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/news-photo/amanda-keller-arrives-at-the-61st-annual-tv-week-logie-news-photo/1159208055?adppopup=true" target="_blank"></a> Sylvia Jeffreys turned heads in a patterned dress by her go-to designer Rebecca Vallance. The black and white full-length gown featured a high neck as well as a keyhole neckline.<a rel="noopener" href="https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/news-photo/sylvia-jeffreys-arrives-at-the-61st-annual-tv-week-logie-news-photo/1159132501?adppopup=true" target="_blank"></a> Carrie Bickmore, who is gearing up for her return to The Project after her maternity leave comes to an end in a week’s time, turned heads in a sheer scarlet off the shoulder dress.<a rel="noopener" href="https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/news-photo/carrie-bickmore-poses-in-the-awards-room-during-the-61st-news-photo/1159187884?adppopup=true" target="_blank"></a> Lisa Wilkinson stunned those attending with her Velani off the shoulder gown that featured beaded off-the-shoulder detailing and pink feathers.<a rel="noopener" href="https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/news-photo/lisa-wilkinson-arrives-at-the-61st-annual-tv-week-logie-news-photo/1159193696?adppopup=true" target="_blank"></a> The Voice coach Delta Goodrem went for a long off the shoulder gown that was sparkly and had sequins. Georgie Gardner went for something sweet and simple with a floor length white gown with a plunging neckline. Chris Bath went for an off the shoulder black gown with a slight train. Rebecca Gibney looked regal in a sheer black gown and paired the outfit with stunning diamond earrings. Dynamic duo Grant and Cheryl Denyer looked the part as Cheryl turned heads in a floor length, sheer blue sequined gown. Grant kept it simple in a white tux. Scroll through the gallery above to see some of the best dressed on the Logies red carpet.

Beauty & Style

Top 4 bedroom design trends for 2019

Wondering how other Australians are decorating their bedrooms in 2019? Check out this list of the top 4 bedroom design trends this year. 1. Extreme minimalism The extreme minimalism trend is different than most others you’ll find on home decorating trend lists such as this one. Keeping up with most trends requires you to buy whatever trendy item is being recommended. That isn’t the case here – in fact, it’s the exact opposite. To be au courant with this trend, you’ve got to take stock of the items in your bedroom, and get rid of everything except the utter necessities and the things that bring you delight. These are insights that a prominent organizing expert named Marie Kondo has been teaching to her legions of followers worldwide. Marie recently rose to prominence because her ideas about <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/home-garden/konmari-cleaning-method-explained">decluttering and organizing</a> have been helpful to consumers as they seek to design the homes and lives they really want. In response to Marie’s advice, countless homeowners are getting rid of possessions that do not bring them joy. Extreme minimalism has once again become a thing – and it’s an especially big thing in the bedroom closet. Have you ever stopped to consider which of the things in your bedroom bring you joy? If there are clothes in your closet or items stuffed in your drawers that make you feel fat, ugly or horrid in any way, donate them and get them out of your room. 2. Sustainable fabrics Simple bamboo, organic cotton and linen are the fabrics adorning many of the trendiest bedrooms in Australia right now. Earthy, nature-inspired colours are popular, but they aren’t your only choices. These fabrics are also being styled with a moody color palette filled with charcoal greys, sea greens and navy blues. Check out <a href="https://www.ecosa.com.au/bamboo-bedding-sets">Ecosa’s bamboo bedding sets</a> for an example of a bedroom colour palette that is spot on for 2019. 3. Macrame, weaving and other richly textured textiles Handmade textile art was popular in the 1970s, and it has made a comeback in recent years. Prominent Australian textile artists such as <a href="https://www.macrameart.com.au/">Angie Duncan</a> and <a href="http://www.melissacarey.com.au/">Melissa Carey</a> are working to popularise textile art forms such as macrame and weaving once again. Elaborate macrame wall hangings and hand woven tapestries are the up-and-coming trendy wall art pieces right now. Many of these pieces incorporate natural elements such as tree branches. Some homeowners are hanging these over the bed in place of a headboard. Others are incorporating smaller pieces into the bedroom décor in innovative ways -- sometimes as valances over a window or curtains hanging to conceal the closet instead of a closet door. Other interesting textured textiles such as tassels, pintucks and thick, hefty knitted blankets are also trending up right now. 4. Houseplants in the bedroom <a href="https://www.architectureanddesign.com.au/getmedia/2d832853-778b-41dd-af42-f93f7488e21b/14-Patterns-of-Biophilic-Design-Terrapin-2014e_1.aspx">“Biophilic design”</a> is a hot new buzzword phrase that refers to the phenomenon of incorporating nature and natural elements into the built environment. There are people who are getting really elaborate with creating these nature-inspired spaces -- but really, it can be as simple as bringing some humble houseplants inside. Bonus points if you hang your houseplants in macrame plant hangers near your bedroom windows. These are 4 of the most prominent bedroom design trends we’ve observed thus far in 2019. If you’re thinking of updating your bedroom soon, consider incorporating any of these trendy elements into your bedroom decor.

Home & Garden

5 films not to miss from the 2019 Sydney Film Festival

A “top five” list from a major film festival will inevitably annoy many people, because, by necessity, there are many films that one is not able to see, and the scheduling at this year’s Sydney Film Festival involved significant clashes. Still, perhaps the best thing about large film festivals is that they make people watch films they normally wouldn’t. Of the 30 or so I did catch, there were fewer spectacular ones - and notably, fewer duds - than in years past. Here are my five stand-outs. 1. School’s Out Directed by Sébastien Marnier, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7175992/">School’s Out</a> was my pick for best film at the festival. The narrative follows Pierre (Laurent Lafitte), a substitute teacher who takes over a class of elite students at a French private school, after the suicide of their teacher in the film’s opening scene. What begins as mere attitude from the arrogant students, led by Apolline (brilliantly played by Luàna Bajrami in her first feature film), turns into something more menacing as the film progresses. For the most part, the film is told from Pierre’s point of view, and this creates a sense of claustrophobic paranoia as he feels increasingly threatened by his students. We can never quite put our finger on the reason for this and this interplay between his sense of danger and the objective perspective of the other teachers regarding the saintliness of the elite students drives the tension. The whole thing is undergirded by a deep ecological anxiety that endows the film with a sense of significance greater than the ostensible clash between a teacher riven with an inferiority complex and his precocious students. It is as if we are watching a staging of the struggle between entrenched power, which continues to destroy the planet, and the nihilistic youth who are in tune to this, following their final, fatal attempts to do something about it. This thematic material is engaging enough. But it is the sheer control with which Marnier manages the tension and manipulates the viewer (whilst avoiding thriller cliches) that makes School’s Out a masterpiece. A magnificently wrought, flawless film, it also happens to be incredibly engaging at an affective level. 2. Bacurau The “people hunting people for sport” sub-genre has produced some of the most disturbing – and effective – films in genre cinema, dating back to The Most Dangerous Game of 1932. Cornel Wilde’s The Naked Prey (1965) remains one of the best, as does John Woo’s Hard Target (1993), one of the only genuinely good Jean-Claude Van Damme films. <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2762506/?ref_=rvi_tt">Bacurau</a>, an excellent genre thriller from Brazilian writer-directors Juliano Dornelles and Kleber Mendonça Filho, marks another entry on this continuum. Set sometime in the near future, the film revolves around a hamlet of the same name in the sertão in north-east Brazil. The inhabitants notice that Bacurau has disappeared from GPS mapping. This is quickly followed by a series of murders of the inhabitants, the victims of a squad of mercenary killers led by Michael (played by the inimitable Udo Kier). Most of these killers are from the US, and, whilst there are political motivations underpinning their invasion of the town, they seem to be mainly doing this for the fun of it (which includes only hunting with old-fashioned weapons such as Tommy Guns!). The inhabitants catch wind of the situation pretty quickly, and, led by guerrilla freedom fighter Lunga (Silvero Pereira), organise their resistance to the coloniser, which, needless to say, involves a great deal of blood. The second half of the film, channelling the films the directors clearly love in staging this struggle (ie those made by Sam Peckinpah and John Carpenter), is more effective than the first half, which is a little meandering in its kind of loose, new wave style. It is an extremely violent – and extremely funny – film, with bad taste aplenty. And this will, surely, alienate many viewers. But Bacurau will not disappoint those of us who like trashy genre films. 3. The Brink The Brink follows alt-right puppeteer Steve Bannon, after his dismissal as Trump’s Chief Strategist, as he sets about fostering a populist, anti-immigration movement uniting Europe and the US in the lead up to the US congressional election of 2018. Filmmaker Alison Klayman is given extremely close access to Bannon, and we see him strategising in meetings with European leaders of far-right parties, in “fly-on-the-wall” style – there is no clear exposition, and no talking heads and voice-overs here. The viewer (like Klayman) simply accompanies Bannon throughout his self-styled campaign. The intimacy she is granted is, perhaps, testament to Bannon’s vanity - he and his team are very open about their activities (for instance, they laugh at a supporter’s house at one point), and he does seem to be performing for the camera a lot of the time. What is particularly interesting, though, is the insight the film gives into Bannon and his motivations. Often presented as a kind of fringe lunatic and extreme right zealot in the popular media, Bannon is revealed here as little more than a cynical Machiavellian who will do whatever he can to maintain his power – and class privilege. (Like Trump, he pretends he is an outsider who appeals to blue collar workers but most of his support comes from white collar workers. He is, after all, the ex vice-president of Goldman Sachs, and was educated at elite universities.) We see, perhaps more than anything, how Bannon relies on personal charm, irony and humour to try to disarm his critics and opponents. Bannon appears as a man desperate to be liked – a bit of a loner, a nerd – unwilling to face any direct confrontation or challenge of his views. When a Guardian reporter, for example, challenges his antisemitic rhetoric, Bannon responds by touching the man’s arm and trying to laugh it off in a blokey way. The Brink offers a thrilling, energising insight into political strategy. To call Bannon deceptive – or to moralise about his actions – would be to miss the point. The film suggests Bannon’s aim is to consolidate power, and the ways he goes about this reveal important lessons for anyone interested in politics and populism. 4. The Mountain American indie director Rick Alverson’s <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7950334/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">latest film</a> is an exquisitely photographed and scored exercise in weirdness featuring Jeff Goldblum as a kind of snake-oil salesman who drives around the American west in the 1950s hawking lobotomies and electroshock therapy treatments to willing hospitals. Andy (Tye Sheridan), a young man with his own mental health issues, is employed as his photographer, visually documenting his surgeries and his patients’ experiences. There is an eerie starkness to the film – the white of winter snow (with faint echoes of The Shining), of lab coats, of asylum walls – that grounds its at times heavy-handed attempts at strangeness. Although a little pretentious in places, The Mountain is so beautifully made, and the story offers such an effective mixture of comedy and horror, that it is one of the strongest “strange cinema” films of recent years. At the same time, The Mountain, for all its hammy weirdness, does mark an effective intervention into narratives of medical progress through its measured depiction of the brutal treatment of mental illness in America. 5. God Exists, Her Name is Petrunya Despite the irritating title (which perhaps works better in its native language, Macedonian), <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8054608/?ref_=nv_sr_1?ref_=nv_sr_1">God Exists, Her Name is Petrunya</a> is a delightful parable from Macedonian writer-director Teona Strugar Mitevska. Set in a small Macedonian town, the film follows the social ostracism and persecution of unemployed Petrunya (Zorica Nusheva), when she wins a religious game traditionally played by men involving the retrieval of a cross cast by a priest into a freezing cold river. She is hounded by police, representatives of the Church, and an increasingly violent mob of men, yet refuses to return the cross to the Church. Her persecution is in tandem with journalist Slavica (played by the director’s sister, Labina Mitevska) and her attempts to present the hapless Petrunya as some kind of champion of womens’ rights, a modern day feminist martyr suffering for gender equality in the Balkans. Despite the incisive points the film makes about small town politics in general, it has a whimsical and gentle humour. Every image is beautifully framed, and realised with a subtlety rare in films on the festival circuit. Remarkably, the film is based on real events that happened in the town in which it is set and shot. And the rest There are, of course, several other excellent films that screened at the festival. Some of these, like Meeting Gorbachev, Werner Herzog’s latest documentary, could easily have been in the top five. Herzog’s study of the Soviet leader shows his usual cruel and absurd brilliance. It interweaves footage from 1980s USSR and US with commentary about the fall of the Soviet Union and contemporary interviews with Gorbachev himself and figures from the time who worked against or alongside him. Peter Strickland’s In Fabric – a demented tale involving a coven-like department store and a demonic red dress – could also feature in the top five, and is definitely something to watch and re-watch. Other highlights included the anime film Children of the Sea – typically enigmatic, and great to watch on a big screen – the bloody and comical horror thriller Come to Daddy, starring Elijah Wood as a son returning to his prodigal father, the intense, extremely well-made French cop thriller Les Misérables, the ambitious Australian medieval fantasy, Judy and Punch, the sentimental but effective film from Emilio Estevez about the position of the public library in an America of have-nots, The Public, and Pedro Almodovar’s Pain and Glory, a stately reflection on ageing with Antonio Banderas playing a subdued filmmaker reflecting on his childhood and career. The only real disappointment was Claire Denis’ High Life, a space film starring Robert Pattinson and Juliette Binoche that seemed to confuse being obscure with being interesting. This film has all the right elements. Its premise is great – deep space experiments into sexual reproduction involving death row inmates – as is its cast (and budget). But nothing really works, and, aside from a moderately interesting final 20 minutes or so, the whole thing was something of a bore. One of the annoying aspects of festivals playing across multiple screens – and Sydney has been expanding its number of screens in recent years – is that one seldom gets to see everything one wishes to see. Some of the bigger films I missed, this year, which are, from all reports, excellent, include: Thomas Vinterberg’s submarine thriller, Kursk, Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s Never Look Away, Korean auteur Joon-ho Bong’s Parasite – which won the festival prize – the Mongolian thriller Öndög, and the Jim Jarmusch zombie film The Dead Don’t Die. Most of these will see general theatrical release in Australia, so perhaps festival tickets are better used catching films otherwise impossible to see on a big screen. Written by Ari Mattes. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/five-films-not-to-miss-from-the-2019-sydney-film-festival-118775">The Conversation</a>.

Movies

The heartfelt reason why the royal family wore blue to Royal Ascot

The Duchess of Cambridge made international headlines for her heavenly Elie Saab blue look for the very first day of Royal Ascot. The dreamy ensemble was not the only blue look we saw the royal members flaunt during the annual ceremony – Queen Elizabeth, Princess Eugenie, Princess Beatrice and Zara Tindall all wowed royal watcher with their striking blue outfits. The strange occurrence is not at all common within the royal family – as two members being seen in the same colour can be considered as a fashion faux pas. In fact, royals make a conscious effort to dress in strikingly different outfits so seeing five popular royal family members rocking the same vibrant colour is an extraordinary and rare event However, it has been revealed the colour choice was on purpose – and indeed for an incredibly heartfelt reason. The colour blue is believed to be a favourite of the Queen’s, as she wears the shade nearly three times more than any other, according to Vogue. The monarch chose to don the hue for 29 per cent of royal engagements in 2012. Royal insiders suggest the beautiful blue tone worn by five royals during Royal Ascot this year is a nod towards their ultimate Queen and grandmother. The colour blue also has history within the British Royal family, as it is a shade commonly associated with royalty, art, military, business and art. Scroll through the gallery above to see the royal family members wearing heavenly blue during 2019 Royal Ascot.

News

These are the world's most valuable brands in 2019

Apple has topped Forbes’ list of the world’s most valuable brands for the ninth year in a row. The world’s 100 most valuable brands in 2019 are worth a cumulative US$2.33 trillion (AU$3.34 trillion / NZ$3.52 trillion), increasing by 8 per cent from the previous year according to the magazine’s annual list released in late May. Tech giants dominated the list, led by Apple with a brand value of US$205.5 billion, up 12 per cent over the past year. The company – which was noted for its unique ability to move its customer base from one product category to another – has become the first to cross the $200 billion threshold. Google came in second with US$167.7 billion in brand value, followed by Microsoft (US$123.5 billion) and Amazon (US$97 billion). Facebook rounded up the top five with a value of US$88.9 billion, down 6 per cent over the past 12 months. Brands from 16 countries made the 2019 list. US companies comprised the majority with 56 brands among the top 100, as well as 80 per cent of the top 10. Other prolific countries included Germany with 11 brands, France with seven and Japan with six. No Australian companies made the final cut. World’s most valuable brands: <ol> <li>Apple (US$205.5 billion)</li> <li>Google (US$167.7 billion)</li> <li>Microsoft (US$125.3 billion)</li> <li>Amazon (US$97 billion)</li> <li>Facebook (US$88.9 billion)</li> <li>Coca-Cola (US$59.2 billion)</li> <li>Samsung (US$53.1 billion)</li> <li>Disney (US$52.2 billion)</li> <li>Toyota (US$44.6 billion)</li> <li>McDonald’s (US$43.8 billion)</li> </ol> Find the full list <a href="https://www.forbes.com/powerful-brands/list/#tab:rank">here</a>.

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