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"This ruined my life": Mum still seeking justice after horror e-bike crash

<p>Sarah was crossing on George Street in Sydney's CBD on February 2023 when she was brutally struck by a Lime e-bike rider. At the time of the accident, she was three months pregnant. </p> <p>Speaking to <em>Yahoo News</em>, Sarah explained she had been crossing the street when she heard someone yell "look out!" but before she could react, she was knocked down by the speeding vehicle. </p> <p>She claims that the bike user was illegally riding with a companion on the handle bars at the time, and fled the scene when she cried out "my baby!" </p> <p>Fortunately, Sarah's unborn daughter was unharmed during the incident, but she was left with lifelong injuries. </p> <p>"My foot was crushed, I had dislocations and many broken bones, and I needed 21 screws, two plates and two pins," Sarah said. </p> <p> "As a result of the injury, the skin on my foot began to die with fracture blisters, so I needed skin grafts as well.</p> <p>"I required six surgeries on my foot in total. One on my elbow, which was broken. One big plate and seven screws. Six weeks of non-weight bearing on my arm, and much longer on my foot. Around 12 weeks plus altogether."</p> <p>It took the mum six months after the accident to be able to walk again - three weeks before she gave birth. </p> <p>"The pain was unbelievable," she recalled. </p> <p>"The trauma was unbelievable. It was all just horrible, horrendous. It really was." </p> <p>Her family tried to seek compensation from Lime, but they deflected any blame saying that they would only take responsibility if the accident was caused by a faulty Lime bike, but not reckless riding. </p> <p>Since Lime e-bikes are rented by individuals, liability typically falls on the rider, not the company, they argued.</p> <p>The family's solicitor had also obtained CCTV footage of the incident, and had tried to get police to follow up but have been hit with multiple roadblocks since. </p> <p>"The police had their name, addresses, mobile and photos. [But] they only called one time, and went to the house one time. That's it. A high commissioner rang me to apologise, but then they still did nothing."</p> <p>Now, Sarah and her family are calling for the total ban of e-bikes in Australia. </p> <p>"They should be banned," Sarah said. "The government and Lime have just let loose motorised vehicles that can hurt riders and pedestrians, and have not covered anyone but themselves.</p> <p>"There is no policing how fast they are going. This ruined my body, my life and my first pregnancy. And nobody has been held accountable."</p> <p>While Sarah's baby was unharmed in the accident, nine months after her birth, the baby girl "was found to have tetralogy of Fallot" — a rare but serious heart defect that affects how blood flows through the heart.</p> <p>"She needed open heart surgery and will need it every 10 years. My injuries made everything a lot harder. But hopefully I can change things," Sarah said.</p> <p>"I'm certainly scarred for life."</p> <p><em>Image: Yahoo News</em></p>

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“What is wrong with people?”: Baggage claims photo reignites age-old debate

<p dir="ltr">A single photo of an airport’s baggage claim area has kicked off a heated debate about travel etiquette.</p> <p dir="ltr">A frustrated traveller snapped the image of a crowded luggage carousel at Melbourne Airport and posted it to Reddit, reigniting the age-old debate about one of people’s most annoying habits when going on holiday.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I returned to Melbourne last night on an international full flight, and the lack of self-awareness from some people was astounding," the post read, accompanied by the photo of a crowded baggage claim carousel. </p> <p dir="ltr">"Despite the clear signs instructing passengers to stay behind the yellow line at baggage collection, many ignored them, standing right in front of it," she continued.</p> <p dir="ltr">"As someone who is on the shorter side, I already struggle to see over a 6ft grown man. After taking this photo, two more people stood directly in front of me.”</p> <p dir="ltr">"At that point, I firmly said in a loud voice, 'Stand behind the yellow line; it's there for a reason'. Thankfully, they moved."</p> <p dir="ltr">"Seriously, what is wrong with people? There's plenty of space around – why stand right in front of me? Rude AF!"</p> <p dir="ltr">The post quickly received hundreds of comments, with plenty of people equally baffled by the act and wondering why the selfish act takes over so many people in airports.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Those two are probably the first to stand up and get their carry-on bags out of the overhead compartments as soon as the wheels touch down," one person commented.</p> <p dir="ltr">"You really triggered them with this one. Imagine asking people to be considerate," another said.</p> <p dir="ltr">But others didn't see an issue at all, with one person writing, "I just say 'excuse me' and reach between people to grab my bag. Most people get out of your way."</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Man who worked on Harbour Bridge climbs iconic landmark

<p>An elderly man who worked on the Sydney Harbour Bridge 60 years ago has returned to Australia to climb the iconic landmark. </p> <p>Irishman Patrick Lonergan, 82, was part of a team of men who painted the Harbour Bridge in the 1960s as part of its yearly maintenance. </p> <p>Lonergan then returned to his native Ireland after his work in Sydney and has dreamed of returning ever since. </p> <p>Now in his 80s, the Sydney Bridge Climb official Instagram page has shared that Patrick has ticked off his bucket list dream of climbing the Harbour Bridge. </p> <p>"We’re honoured to have played a small role in helping him relive those special memories and capture a new photo on the Bridge," the account wrote. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DE4XDIMvCgm/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DE4XDIMvCgm/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by BridgeClimb Sydney (@bridgeclimb)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The Instagram page then shared a photo of Patrick from when he was in his 20s standing atop the bridge when he was enlisted to paint, and also a photo snapped after he completed his climb. </p> <p>The post racked up thousands of likes, with dozens of comments praising Patrick's efforts for completing the climb. </p> <p>One person wrote, "Blimey!!! No OH&S precautions back in those days! Welcome back to Oz, Paddy," while another added, "What a fantastic story. Well done Patrick!"</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram - Bridge Climb</em></p>

International Travel

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Ray Martin cashes in after selling luxury Sydney home

<p>Ray Martin has made a whopping $7.1 million after selling the family home he has owned on Sydney's north shore for thirty-five years.</p> <p>The veteran journalist sold the five-bedroom, three-bathroom mansion in the suburb of Waverton for a reported $8 million, after Martin and his wife Dianne bought the luxurious 1930s-era house in 1990 for $900,000.</p> <p>The beautiful home, known as Finisterre, sold for between $8 million and $8.5 million after being listed on January 1st, according to reports from <em><a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/news/ray-martins-8m-home-sale-bonanza/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener">The Daily Telegraph</a></em>.</p> <p>Located just 5km from the Sydney CBD, the gorgeous two-storey home features classic period stylings and luxurious interiors.</p> <p>The stunning home boasts impressive features such as grand scale living areas, a beautiful patio for entertaining and a glass-framed mosaic-tiled pool, while a chef's kitchen features the latest appliances and a breakfast island.</p> <p>Other highlights include a 'formal' living room, a separate family room, a home office and an open-plan dining area that opens out to the backyard and patio.</p> <p>The upper level offers a large open terrace which features views of Sydney Harbour and the city skyline.</p> <p>Other luxury features on the estate also include a wine cellar, a second-floor study and landscaped gardens.</p> <p><em>Image credits: SBS / McGrath Real Estate</em> </p>

Money & Banking

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Alan Jones once seemed unassailable. What ended it was a peculiarly Sydney story of media, politics and power

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/denis-muller-1865">Denis Muller</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></p> <p>For decades it seemed Alan Jones was unassailable.</p> <p>A finding against him of professional misconduct by the Australian Broadcasting Authority (2000); a <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/tribunal-upholds-that-jones-incited-hatred-20121002-26x8h.html">finding</a> that he incited hatred, serious contempt and severe ridicule of Lebanese Muslims (2009); propositions of violence against two women prime ministers (<a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-10-20/alan-jones-says-gillard-remark-best-left-unsaid/3579658">2011</a> and <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-21/alan-jones-breached-rules-in-jacinda-ardern-comment/12271476">2019</a>); verdicts against him and his employer amounting to millions of dollars in defamation actions (most notably <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-12/alan-jones-defamed-wagners-court-decision-brisbane-qld/10230384">one for $3.75 million</a> in 2018): none of these ended his career.</p> <p>Quite the reverse. Only weeks after the Australian Broadcasting Authority found in its “cash for comments” inquiry that Jones and others had misled their listeners by presenting paid endorsements as editorial opinion, he was hosting an event for then prime minister John Howard.</p> <p>Howard was to become a fixture on the Jones program throughout the 11 years of his prime ministership.</p> <p>The day after the Australian Communications and Media Authority found Jones was likely to have encouraged violence and vilification of Australians of Lebanese and Middle Eastern background, Howard <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/jones-wins-friends-in-high-places-20070412-ge4n4f.html">described him</a> as “an outstanding broadcaster”. “I don’t think he’s a person who encourages prejudice in the Australian community, not for one moment, but he is a person who articulates what a lot of people think.”</p> <p>By 2001, Jones had become a kind of on-air policy-maker for the New South Wales government. In November that year, he dined with the then Labor premier, Bob Carr. They discussed a range of government policies, particularly policing. At that time, Jones was a relentless critic of the NSW police.</p> <p>The following week, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-10-01/newton-alan-jones/4288824">Carr dispatched</a> his police minister-designate, Michael Costa, to Jones’s home to discuss policing policy.</p> <p>In 2011 he said Julia Gillard, then Australia’s prime minister, should be taken out to sea and dumped in a chaff bag. In August 2019 he said Scott Morrison, who was then Australia’s prime minister, should “shove a sock” down the throat of his New Zealand counterpart Jacinda Ardern.</p> <p>He was an outspoken climate-change denier, and these grotesqueries were part of his campaign against political recognition of this reality.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Od6I1YbrBoM?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>Jones’s power, which made him so apparently untouchable, came from his weaponising of the microphone for conservative political ends in ways that resonated with his vast and rusted-on audience of largely working-class older people across Sydney’s sprawling western suburbs.</p> <p>These suburbs contain many marginal state and federal electorates where the fates of governments can be decided. Their populations provide fertile ground for seeding by right-wing radio shock jocks, of whom Jones and his rival John Laws were pre-eminent examples.</p> <p>In Australia, this is a peculiarly Sydney phenomenon. It is not seen to the same degree in any other capital city, even though they too have large areas of socioeconomic disadvantage like western Sydney.</p> <p>Why that should be so is a complex question, but there are aspects of Sydney life that mark it out as different. It is really two cities. One is the largely prosperous and scenically dazzling east and north. The other, much larger, consists of dreary tracts of increasingly crowded housing stretching for many kilometres to the west and southwest.</p> <p>In Sydney argot, the inhabitants of these respective worlds are called “silvertails” and “fibros”, the latter referring to the cladding of the homes that proliferated in western Sydney between and after the two world wars.</p> <p>This two-cities effect makes the gap between the “haves” and the “have-nots” highly visible in a way that has no parallel in other Australian capitals. It engenders deep-seated grievance and cynicism, which the likes of Jones, who lives in a multimillion-dollar apartment on Circular Quay, have relentlessly exploited.</p> <p>Jones coined the term “Struggle Street” to encapsulate the hardships of his listeners’ lives.</p> <p>To these powerless people, Jones and Laws gave a voice, and as their audiences grew, prime ministers and premiers courted and feared them.</p> <p>In the end, Jones’s impregnability was breached by not the power elite turning on one of their own, but by the journalism of a redoubtably tenacious Sydney Morning Herald investigative reporter, Kate McClymont.</p> <p>In December 2023, <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/he-d-go-the-grope-alan-jones-accused-of-indecently-assaulting-young-men-20231205-p5epai.html">she claimed</a> Jones had used his position of power, first as a teacher and later as the country’s top-rating radio broadcaster, to allegedly prey on a number of young men.</p> <p>In response to McClymont’s work, the NSW police set up Strike Force Bonnefin, run by the State Crime Command’s Child Abuse Squad, to conduct an investigation into Jones.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0ExkpCtfmA8?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>On November 18 2024, Jones was arrested at his Circular Quay home and charged initially with 24 sexual offences against eight males. The following day, two <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-11-19/alan-jones-charged-with-additional-offences-nsw-police/104617680">additional charges</a> were laid involving a ninth male.</p> <p>Through his lawyers, Jones has denied the charges and was bailed to appear in Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court on December 18. He <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/alan-jones-arrested-over-allegations-he-indecently-assaulted-young-men-20241118-p5krdu.html">was ordered</a> to surrender his passport and not to contact or harass the alleged victims.</p> <p>The charges relate to offences alleged to have been committed by Jones between 2001 and 2019, the youngest alleged victim being 17 at the time.</p> <p>Those dates coincide almost exactly with Jones’s most influential years, from 2002 to 2020.</p> <p>McClymont <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/a-stunning-development-kate-mcclymont-on-alan-jones-arrest-and-what-s-next-20241118-p5krln.html">has spoken</a> about the reluctance of some of her interviewees to speak, for fear of what Jones might do: "People were too afraid to take on Alan Jones. Once a couple of people came forward, and some people were happy to be publicly named, that gave confidence for other people to come forward.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/243942/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />"</p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/denis-muller-1865"><em>Denis Muller</em></a><em>, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Advancing Journalism, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/alan-jones-once-seemed-unassailable-what-ended-it-was-a-peculiarly-sydney-story-of-media-politics-and-power-243942">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

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How hip pain led Sydney karate master to life-changing weight loss journey

<div> <p>Sydney-based karate instructor and personal trainer Glenn Stephenson knows the toll that joint pain and extra weight can take on physical activity. Despite decades of experience as a martial arts coach, Glenn found himself increasingly limited by severe hip pain and unwanted weight gain.</p> </div> <div> <p>In 2021, at 95 kilograms, the 64-year-old’s arthritis and reduced mobility affected not only his work but also his confidence. “I couldn’t move around like I wanted to, and as a master instructor, it felt wrong to be teaching students while carrying so much extra weight,” he admits.</p> </div> <div> <p>Glenn’s pain and discomfort prompted him to make a drastic change. Instead of resorting to extreme dieting, he adopted a more sustainable approach to weight loss to reduce joint and liver inflammation, and regain his mobility. He shed 20 kilograms and now walks four kilometres daily. “I can move better, my mental health has improved, and I feel more capable of guiding my students,” he says.</p> </div> <div> <p>Today, Glenn encourages others struggling with weight to take a balanced approach to fitness and health. “I look the part now, which gives me confidence as a master instructor to show my students that staying active is achievable at any age.”</p> </div> <div> <p>Dietitian Kirby Sorenson, from health platform <a title="https://www.getmosh.com.au/?utm_term=mosh&amp;utm_campaign=Cross_Search_Brand_Mosh&amp;utm_source=paid-search&amp;utm_medium=adwords&amp;utm_content=100740202037&amp;hsa_acc=5792635568&amp;hsa_cam=1701000406&amp;hsa_grp=100740202037&amp;hsa_ad=697110582898&amp;hsa_src=g&amp;hsa_tgt=kwd-295213997936&amp;hsa_kw=mosh&amp;hsa_mt=p&amp;hsa_net=adwords&amp;hsa_ver=3&amp;gclid=CjwKCAiAxKy5BhBbEiwAYiW--5qfGzQVQBG-CmA6baVMEeP5Zmk_oB_GOstA1n2vabFrLzbeDrEEnxoCM4YQAvD_BwE" href="https://www.getmosh.com.au/?utm_term=mosh&amp;utm_campaign=Cross_Search_Brand_Mosh&amp;utm_source=paid-search&amp;utm_medium=adwords&amp;utm_content=100740202037&amp;hsa_acc=5792635568&amp;hsa_cam=1701000406&amp;hsa_grp=100740202037&amp;hsa_ad=697110582898&amp;hsa_src=g&amp;hsa_tgt=kwd-295213997936&amp;hsa_kw=mosh&amp;hsa_mt=p&amp;hsa_net=adwords&amp;hsa_ver=3&amp;gclid=CjwKCAiAxKy5BhBbEiwAYiW--5qfGzQVQBG-CmA6baVMEeP5Zmk_oB_GOstA1n2vabFrLzbeDrEEnxoCM4YQAvD_BwE" data-outlook-id="bc4b923a-a4a3-4af0-80db-e837cd64b4c7">Mosh</a>, is encouraging Australians to ditch the Body Mass Index (BMI) in favour of more modern diagnostics to determine the risk of disease linked to higher body fat, declaring it’s unfairly categorising people as being overweight.</p> </div> <div> <p>Ms Sorenson says knowing your Body Roundness Index (BRI) as well as your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) can more accurately predict the risk of diseases like high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and heart disease because it works out body fat levels based on height and waist circumference, rather than the BMI method which relies on height and weight.</p> </div> <div> <p>“BMI has long been criticised for inaccurately categorising people as overweight or obese because it doesn’t differentiate between those who carry a lot of muscle and individuals with fat in the wrong places,” Ms Sorenson says.</p> </div> <div> <p>“The problem is that it only looks at overall weight, while the BRI focuses on fat held around the abdomen which is the riskiest fat in terms of overall health.</p> </div> <div> <p>Once the BRI is determined, Ms Sorenson says it can help to know your Basal Metabolic Rate, which is largely determined by your total lean mass to help determine a healthy path to maintaining a healthy weight range.</p> </div> <div> <p>“The basal metabolic rate or BMR gives you an idea of how many calories your body burns doing the bare minimum; breathing, blood circulation, brain and nerve function. It can vary greatly from person to person, which explains why individual weight loss journeys can be so different,” Ms Sorenson said.</p> </div> <div> <p>For more information visit Moshy’s online <a title="https://www.getmoshy.com.au/weight-loss/basal-metabolic-rate-calculator?srsltid=AfmBOoobS-PiI_4sJn2ykpEG6vzq6qkvQXammfLv4Rm-mS5nwll6EN0m" href="https://www.getmoshy.com.au/weight-loss/basal-metabolic-rate-calculator?srsltid=AfmBOoobS-PiI_4sJn2ykpEG6vzq6qkvQXammfLv4Rm-mS5nwll6EN0m" data-outlook-id="800f9af2-0a34-4ac4-801b-d16714c7ec2e">BMR calculator</a>.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Supplied</em></p> </div>

Body

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The Block winners revealed after nail-biting auction

<p>The winners of the 2024 season of <em>The Block</em> have been crowned, after the nail-biting auction came to a dramatic end on Sunday night. </p> <p>In a break from tradition, it was the last house sold that made the most money, with sisters Maddy and Charlotte making a huge $1,550,00 profit from their house, as well as the $100,000 prize money.</p> <p>The sisters, aged just 25 and 22, were in disbelief at how quickly it was all over. </p> <div id="paragraph-9"> <div> <p>“It took us a second to be like, ‘No, no. Like, you just won <em>The Block</em>.’ And I think I was a bit of a stunned mullet,” Maddy said.</p> </div> </div> <div id="paragraph-10"> <div> <p>“I was expecting anticipation and to be, like, ‘Oh, what’s gonna happen next?’ It was like, ‘Well, you’ve won.’ It’s like … time to go. It was the quickest auction of the day; it was over so quickly.”</p> </div> </div> <p>Coming in second were Courtney and Grant with $1,300,050 profit, followed by Kristian and Mimi in third place with $1,030,000.</p> <p>Fourth were Haydn and Ricky who made $750,000 and coming in last, but still smiling, were Kylie and Brad who made $650,000. </p> <p>Kylie, who was embroiled in much on-screen drama this season, said all the hardships of the show were worth it, and they were happy with their result. </p> <p>"It was worth it," she said. "Unfortunately. Because I was a different person here. But… we made it. We're very grateful."</p> <p>Millionaire "Lambo guy" Adrian Portelli made a splash at what he said would be his final <em>Block</em> auction, as he ended up spending $15,030,000 in one day and breaking a Block record by purchasing every single house.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Nine </em></p>

TV

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Baggage handler calls out crucial mistake at bag-drop

<p dir="ltr">A ramp agent for a major airline has revealed one crucial mistake that many people make when checking their luggage before they fly. </p> <p dir="ltr">Sharing all the details of the little-known trick on a lengthy Reddit thread, the baggage handler, who has years of experience working with American Airlines, noted an extra step that many people miss to ensure the safe arrival of their bags. </p> <p dir="ltr">"Your bag tag has three 'bingo' stickers with your itinerary on them. Take one off and stick it on your suitcase," the airline worker shared.</p> <p dir="ltr">"This way, even if the bag tag gets torn off at some point, we can still get it to its destination."</p> <p dir="ltr">The stickers look like small barcodes at the very end of the long luggage tag and can simply be pulled off and placed anywhere else on the suitcase.</p> <p dir="ltr">It can also be a good idea to keep one of these small tickets with you, whether on your boarding pass (in an area that doesn’t restrict important information), or simply on an old receipt. </p> <p dir="ltr">That way if your luggage unfortunately goes missing, you have the right barcode and number for your bags to be easily located, wherever they may be. </p> <p dir="ltr">Another thing the baggage handler mentions is the location of the luggage tag. </p> <p dir="ltr">While many signs indicate it should be placed around the side handle (if your case has one), the staff member suggests the top handle is better.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Having the tag on the top handle, which is the one that faces outward on the cart, makes it more likely for mistakes to be caught," he points out.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p>

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Traveller divides opinion on how early you should arrive at the airport

<p dir="ltr">A plane passenger has shocked even the most organised travellers after admitting that he gets to the airport six hours before his flight departs. </p> <p dir="ltr">Self-described anxious traveller Tim Murray slammed those who have a laxed attitude to an airport arrival time, boldly stating it's their own fault if they miss their flight.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It's not my fault you're late to your flight, so if you're behind me in the security line being like: ‘I gotta get past you I'm late’ you need to manage your time better”' he declared in a short clip posted to TikTok.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I get to the airport six-and-a-half hours before my flight,” he stated, admitting his “extreme anxiety” does play a role in getting there early. </p> <p dir="ltr">“And I wanna sit here and vibe at the airport Chili's with a waitress named Debra who has the most amazing smoker's voice you've ever heard and stories that will last six-and-a-half hours,” he joked.</p> <p dir="ltr">In a comment, Tim admitted that he may have over-exaggerated the six hours, but still saying he gets to the airport several hours early. </p> <p dir="ltr">While Tim seemed smug in bragging about his early arrival, many users pointed out that there are external factors that play into people's travel plans.</p> <p dir="ltr">“People need to remember it's not always the person's fault. If my plane is late that could cause me to miss my connection, no matter how early I was. This has happened to me a few times,” one person pointed out.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Have mercy on us international flyers who need to do immigration baggage claim and run to connecting flight after our first flight was delayed,” another complained.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Dude some people are connections because their flight was late, or stuck in a long customs lines… so many other reasons than being just late,” they pointed out. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: TikTok / Shutterstock </em></p> <p> </p>

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Father breaks silence after wife and two children die in tragic drowning

<p>Hoai Nguyen, 32, and her two children, Mitchell, 7, and Hazel, 5, were enjoying a day out at Shearer Park in south-west Sydney, and were walking down to a small pier on the waterfront before they were spotted <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/unimaginable-sorrow-mother-and-two-children-drown-during-family-outing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">struggling in the Georges River</a> about 10.15am on Saturday. </p> <p>Hoai was pulled to shore shortly afterwards, but despite desperate attempts by rescuers and bystanders she could not be revived. </p> <p>The bodies of the two children were recovered a few hours later, metres from a jetty. </p> <p>The children's father, Dinh Nguyen, had been at work during the incident and only found out about the tragedy when police showed up at his house. </p> <p>He has since broken his silence, and told <em>The Sydney Morning Herald</em> that his wife was navigating a mental illness prior to her death. </p> <p>“She has bipolar disorder, and she has some ups and some downs,” he told the publication. </p> <p>“She takes medicine. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.”</p> <p>He also recalled one of the last conversations the couple had, the night prior to the tragedy. </p> <p>“She told me the last night she didn’t sleep so she wanted to stay at home,” he said.</p> <p>According to <em>The Daily Telegraph</em>, detectives are now probing whether the incident was premeditated as they continue their investigations into the tragedy. </p> <p>The southwest Sydney community has since rallied around the family's loved ones, with bouquets of flowers and tributes seen at the riverbank as part of a growing memorial. </p> <p>A close friend of the family, Sarah Vu, has also organised a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/hoai-mitchell-and-hazel-nguyen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> page for the family which has since raised over $60,600 of their $40,000 goal. </p> <p>“I sincerely thank the entire community for their contributions,” she wrote in a social media tribute on Monday.</p> <p>“The family have decided to bring Hoai and the kids back to Vietnam.</p> <p>“The fund has currently exceeded my expectations, but I will keep the link open for anyone who still wants to donate.”</p> <p>"All we can do now is pray for you and the little ones to depart peacefully,” she added with a video of two young kids holding hands and skipping down a street together. </p> <p><em><strong>Need to talk to someone? Don't go it alone.</strong></em></p> <p><em>Lifeline: <strong>13 11 14</strong>, <a href="https://www.lifeline.org.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lifeline.org.au </a></em></p> <p><em>SANE Support line and Forums: <strong>1800 187 263,</strong> <a href="https://saneforums.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saneforums.org</a></em></p> <p><em>Headspace: <strong>1800 650 890,</strong> <a href="https://headspace.org.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">headspace.org.au</a></em></p> <p><em>Beyond Blue: <strong>1300 224 635</strong>, <a href="beyondblue.org.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener">beyondblue.org.au </a></em></p> <p><em>Images: Facebook/ GoFundMe</em></p>

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"Inhumane" sign at airport shocks travellers

<p>A sign at a New Zealand airport has sparked outrage among travellers, with the policy controlling people's emotional farewells. </p> <p>Photos of the sign at Dunedin Airport have gone viral, with the sign reading, "Max. hug time 3 minutes. For fonder farewells please use the car park,” in an attempt to combat airport traffic congestion. </p> <p>Despite the reasons behind the unusual signage, some users on Facebook slamming the “inhumane” limit on travellers’ allotted time to say goodbye to loved ones.</p> <p>“You can’t put a time limit on hugs! that’s inhumane,” one person wrote.</p> <p>Another person chimed in, “I love it. It shows warmth and compassion. My local airport it would be ‘you can’t stop there’ – there’s a £100 fine if you stop and a minimum £5.00 to drop someone off in the drop-off zone. I love Nice airport – they have ‘Kiss and Fly.’”</p> <p>Others also joined in poking fun at the strange new rule, with one person writing, “I can see the airport worker now … 2:56, 2:57, 2:58, 2:59 OK time to break it up!”</p> <p>Another joked, “In America, they don’t even want you to stop. Just come to a slow roll and push your passenger out.”</p> <p>The airport's CEO Daniel De Bono said that it redesigned its drop-off zone to improve safety and congestion around the terminal, telling New Zealand’s <em>RNZ</em> radio the change was made due to space considerations.</p> <p>He said, “There’s only so much space we have in that drop-off area and too many people are spending too much time on their fonder farewells in the drop-off area. There’s no space for others.”</p> <p>De Bono then citied a study that suggests a measly 20-second hug is enough to get the oxytocin and serotonin release people get from hugging, saying, “We’re not here to tell people how long they should hug for. It’s more a message of, ‘Please move onwards.’ If you’re going to spend however long, sit in the car park. You get 15 minutes free and it provides space for others who only want a 20-second hug.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p>

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"Unimaginable sorrow": Mother and two children drown during family outing

<p>A mother and two children have died after struggling to swim in a Sydney waterway, with tributes and donations flowing in to support the grieving father.</p> <p>Hoai Nguyen, 32, and her two children, Mitchell, seven, and Hazel, five, were enjoying a day out at Shearer Park in south-west Sydney on Sunday, when they were spotted in distress in the waters of the Georges River. </p> <p>Hoai was pulled from the river, but despite the best efforts of bystanders and paramedics, she was unable to be revived. </p> <p>Police and volunteers from the State Emergency Service launched a large search and rescue operation for the two children, with divers locating their bodies in the water hours later, metres from a jetty.</p> <p>According to <em><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/sydney-news-georges-river-mother-hoai-nguyen-and-children-drown-lansvale/c8601ec9-47a1-4a79-8a12-67c3ff18f3ea" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9News</a></em>, the children's father and Hoai's husband had been at work during the incident and was only alerted to the tragedy when police showed up at his house. </p> <p>A <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/hoai-mitchell-and-hazel-nguyen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> page has been set up by a family friend to support the children's father, Hoai's husband, and their one-year-old brother during the "time of unimaginable sorrow".</p> <p>"A beloved mother and her two young children tragically drowned... leaving behind a profound void in our hearts and a father and baby who is only 1 years old," the fundraiser reads.</p> <p>An investigation into how the mother and her children ended up in the water is ongoing, as NSW Police acting superintendent Luke Scott yesterday described the tragedy as "beyond words".</p> <p><em>Image credits: GoFundMe</em></p>

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Father reveals alarming details after young model found dead in Sydney brewery

<p>Savana Calvo, 27, was <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/tragedy-as-young-model-dies-in-popular-brewery" target="_blank" rel="noopener">found dead</a> in the bathroom of Young Henry's brewery in Newtown, at around 11.30pm on Wednesday. </p> <p>As tributes pour in for the young model, her father, Daniel Paul Calvo has revealed that she allegedly received death threats in the week prior to her death. </p> <p>“As her father, I knew very well that she was being harassed and stalked, and I tried to intervene. Although we were very close, daughters only tell their parents so much,” he told <em>The Daily Telegraph</em>. </p> <p>“There’s more and more coming out, she was involved with some dodgy young guys, owed money, and leading up to last week she was getting multiple death threats.”</p> <p>The death threats that were allegedly sent to her will form part of an ongoing investigation into her death, NSW Police have confirmed. </p> <p>Friends and family have paid tribute to the fallen model, and started a GoFundMe page to cover her funeral costs. They said that “those who knew her best, knew that she went through some trying times." </p> <p>“She was a cherished daughter, sister and friend who brought so much love and light into all of our lives.</p> <p>She will be deeply missed by all who knew her.”</p> <p>The fundraiser has since raised over $30,000 for the model. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram/ Google Maps</em></p>

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Tragedy as young model dies in popular brewery

<p>A young woman has died suddenly at a popular Sydney brewery. </p> <p>Savana Calvo, 27 tragically passed away at the Young Henry's brewery in Newtown at about 11.30pm last Wednesday. </p> <p>Her death is not being treated as suspicious, but her loved ones have revealed she had been going through "trying times" before her death. </p> <p>“It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved Savana, 27,” the model's friend Adam St John-Foti wrote online. </p> <p>“She was a cherished daughter, sister and friend who brought so much love and light into all of our lives.</p> <p>“She will be deeply missed by all who knew her.</p> <p>“Those who knew her best, knew that she was went through some trying time these past in recent times that led to her tragic passing.”</p> <p>Friends have rallied around her family, with St John-Foti setting up a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/savana-calvo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> page, which has so far raised over $28,000 to help her family cope with funeral costs. </p> <p>He added that he family were "spellbound" by the outpouring of support. </p> <p>“Your generosity will make a meaningful difference in ensuring that Savana is laid to rest with the dignity, respect, and celebration she deserves,” the page read. </p> <p>“We also appreciate your thoughts, prayers, and messages of support during this difficult time.</p> <p>“Your kindness means the world to Savana’s family as we navigate through our grief.”</p> <p>Another friend of the model has remembered her as a  “smiling and a kind gentle soul” who would  “be missed so much". </p> <p>“Fly high beautiful angel. I haven’t stopped thinking of you since I found out about your passing ... I will miss you Savvy.”</p> <p>Coopers Hotel, another Newtown institution has also paid tribute to Calvo, saying: “It is with heavy hearts that Newtown grieves the loss of a beloved member of its community Savana C." </p> <p>“Sav’s family has started a go fund me to help with funeral costs, please donate if you can.”</p> <p>Young Henrys was closed to the public on Thursday with police spotted on the outside. There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by the brewery. </p> <p><em>Images: GoFundMe/ Instagram</em></p>

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"Green cordial" water in Sydney harbour baffles residents

<p>A bay in Sydney Harbour has turned neon green, with authorities currently investigating the cause. </p> <p>Locals were baffled when they saw the bay along Hipwood Street in Kirribilli, near Milsons Park, turn bright green at about 3pm on Wednesday, with many calling the incident "unusual". </p> <p>Firefighters said they were  "alerted to a large spill of fluorescent green material flowing into the harbour".</p> <p>One local described the water as "green cordial" and said it resembled "radioactive stuff you see in superhero movies".</p> <p>NSW Fire and Rescue then conducted several tests and said the water is not toxic and is currently not harming the environment. </p> <p>The Fire and Rescue team are now trying to flush out the green substance, and said that the incoming rain should help turn the water colour back to normal. </p> <p>Another resident told 9News that they had seen green water in a stormwater drain at Anderson Park, along Clark Road, on Tuesday, before the green colour spread to the bay on Wednesday.</p> <p>Later in the afternoon, a North Sydney Council spokeswoman confirmed that were no major pollutants in the green water: “At this stage our engineers believe the substance is likely to be fluorescein, which is used as a dye for plumbing works. Fluorescein is a non-toxic substance and breaks down with UV light. The green colour is a feature that makes it easy to trace.” </p> <p>Green water was also spotted in Neutral Bay on Wednesday according to another local. </p> <p><em>Image: Nine</em></p>

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