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Nine-year-old Aussie ballet prodigy scores full New York scholarship

<p>A talented nine-year-old is heading to New York City, after scoring a full scholarship to a prestigious ballet school. </p> <p>Malcolm Doyle's dad Nick said he and his wife knew their son had a talent for dance from a young age, and could not be more proud of the international attention his dancing has garnered.</p> <p>"He's been doing really well here in Australia and since last year, there's been a bit of a focus from overseas," Nick told <em><a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/today/aussie-billy-elliot-nine-year-old-ballet-prodigy-scores-scholarship-to-prestigious-new-york-academy/4e3fdf08-3fb7-41a4-89df-eb6ee4b58095" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Today</a></em>.</p> <p>"He got brought in to do an audition for Chicago's A and A Ballet, who were doing a world broadcast for auditions and from there, we just started to get a bit of interest."</p> <p>"And then this year, we let him do the auditions for the Royal Ballet and he ended up in Hong Kong over Easter."</p> <p>From there, Nick said the American Ballet Theatre in New York got in contact and offered Malcolm a scholarship. </p> <p>Malcolm ultimately turned down the offer and signed with another NYC school, the Ellison Theatre, who offered the youngster a full ride. </p> <p>The family are currently saving up to buy flights over to the US to check out the school, with Nick saying they will do anything and everything to support their son's dream. </p> <p>"It's taking quite a bit of the funds out of my bank account, but the love he's got for dancing, you can't stop him and even if we wanted to, I mean we get home after he's had a full day of dance and he's still dancing around the house," Nick said.</p> <p>Malcolm's dad has a performing arts background and his mum is also a classically trained ballerina and teacher, so Nick said Malcolm was either going to inherit the genes or "end up having three left feet".</p> <p>"He went and saw a production by the Queensland Ballet on the weekend, which he had never seen before and he walked out with half the choreography memorised in his head and trying to reproduce it.," Nick said.</p> <p>After being dubbed "Australia's own Billy Elliot", the Today hosts asked Malcom what it is he loves so much about dancing.</p> <p>"It makes me feel really excited and it's so amazing for me, the feeling I get when I dance," Malcolm said.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Today  </em></p>

Music

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Billy Joel lists New York estate for $73 million

<p>Legendary rocker Billy Joel is <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/music/billy-joel-in-tears-over-career-announcement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saying goodbye to The Big Apple</a> as he prepares to sell his jaw-dropping estate.</p> <p>The New York native’s property on the affluent Oyster Bay Harbour has a price guide of a staggering US$49 million (AU$73.4 million).</p> <p>According to the Wall Street Journal, the 26-acre estate comprises the original 14-acre property Joel bought for $22.5 million in 2002 and the adjoining area he’s purchased over the years.</p> <p>The property covers more than 600m of frontage on Centre Island, with the focal point of the estate being the 1,858 sqm main house with breathtaking water views.</p> <p>The home includes five bedrooms, six bathrooms, two half-baths, a playroom, a spa and hair salon, a bowling alley, and a wine centre.</p> <p>There is also an indoor pool, which the Piano Man singer has covered up to use as a music room as it offers fantastic acoustics, according to listing agent Bonnie Williamson, of Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty.</p> <p>Parts of the main house are under renovation and are expected to be finished over the next several months.</p> <p>The magnificent estate also has a three-bedroom beach house, a three-bedroom guest apartment, and a four-bedroom gatehouse.</p> <p>Other amenities include a floating dock and boat ramp, two outdoor pools, and a helicopter pad.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty / Realestate.com.au</em></p>

Real Estate

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Teenagers who were lost at sea speak about terrifying experience

<p dir="ltr">The four teenagers who were lost at sea after paddling out on inflatable boards at the Mornington Peninsula have spoken about their terrifying experience.</p> <p dir="ltr">Two 18-year-old males, an 18-year-old female and a 19-year-old female from Glen Waverley, were paddling at the beach just off Point Nepean Rd in Rosebud, Victoria when they were swept out to sea.</p> <p dir="ltr">They joined their boards together to ensure no one would be left behind and drifted through the icy night on their journey of more than 30 kilometres.</p> <p dir="ltr">Around 2 am they finally saw some land, arriving at the Australian Defence Force facility on Swan Island.</p> <p dir="ltr">Speaking out since the horrific ordeal, the four teenagers said they never lost hope that they would be eventually found.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We were just trying to stay alive, and we started trying to call out to passing boats,” Rong Shi told 7NEWS.</p> <p dir="ltr">Sally Liu was worried about spending the night floating on a paddleboard and if they would survive the conditions.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m thinking ... do we have to stay for the night on this paddleboard and how can we survive?” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I thought maybe it was my last night ... because for myself I am not a good swimmer.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Another survivor, Shi Rui Heng, said she just wanted to go home back to her mother after getting into a fight with her earlier that day.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I was thinking about my mum because we’d had a fight the day before, I just wanted to go home and apologise to her,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’ve never been that cold before, it was pretty scary.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite their circumstances the four tried to make the best of the situation and appreciated the scenery around them.</p> <p dir="ltr">“There were stars in the sky and there were shiny little fish in the sea ... so it was pretty,” Rui Heng said.</p> <p dir="ltr">The group are truly lucky to be alive after the strong current swept them from Rosebud Beach to Swan Island in the Queenscliff area before they were eventually found.</p> <p dir="ltr">“They’ve gone from here (Rosebud) to where we are straight across Port Phillip Bay ... it’s a fair way,” Acting Inspector Terence Rowlands said.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: 7News</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Urgent search for four missing teens continues

<p>The search for four missing teenagers will resume this morning, as the teens are believed to have gone missing off the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria.</p> <p>Two 18-year-old men, an 18-year-old woman and a 19-year-old woman are believed to have been using inflatable paddle boards at Rosebud Beach off Point Nepean Road in Rosebud yesterday. The group were celebrating the end of their VCE.</p> <p>Somebody passing by found their belongings on the beach about 8 pm and reported it to police.</p> <p>Air and water police along and other emergency rescuers launched a search, which went on through the night, using a helicopter and boats.</p> <p>Due to poor conditions the search was halted at about 4 am and has resumed after sunrise this morning. Locals around the area have reported strong easterly winds which picked up over midnight, with high tide whisking water away from the shore at the same time.</p> <p>Anyone with information is urged to call Rosebud Police Station on 5986 0444 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 000.</p> <p><em>Image: Nine News</em></p>

News

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New York Times under fire over "shameful" obituary of Jack Charles

<p>The New York Times has come under fire for their "shameful" obituary of Aboriginal actor Jack Charles.</p> <p>The publication's tribute to the late actor, who died of a stroke on September 13th at age 79, portrayed his life of drugs and crime rather than his long list of achievements in the arts.</p> <p>Furious social media users claimed the post, which has since been removed, was offensive and an example of "racial profiling".</p> <p>The NYT's Twitter post about Jack Charles' death said he "was one of Australia's leading Indigenous actors, but his heroin addiction and penchant for burglary landed him in and out of jail throughout his life".</p> <p>The outrage was widespread online, with one person writing, "No, we are not doing this. He was a leading actor and activist. This isn't presenting a complex person, it's straight up racial profiling."</p> <p>Another said, "Wow. This is … one of the worst ways I've seen his story told. Shame on you."</p> <p>"How to say 'we're a tone deaf racist publication" without saying "we're a tone deaf racist publication'," commented a third.</p> <p>The original post was later deleted and replaced with a tweet remembering Charles as "one of Australia's leading Indigenous actors and activists", and as "the grandfather of Aboriginal theatre".</p> <p>Jack Charles' family announced his death in a statement, saying, "He will live on in our hearts and memories through his numerous screen and stage roles".</p> <p>The Indigenous icon was names NAIDOC male Elder of the year just months before his death.</p> <p>Prime Minister Anthony Albanese took to Twitter to say, "Jack Charles lived a hard life and he leaves a joyous legacy. He endured cruelty, he knew pain."</p> <p>"He survived every turn of the vicious cycle, holding on to his humanity. Jack Charles uplifted our nation with his heart, his genius, his creativity and passion."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Caring

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New York museums now required to acknowledge art stolen under Nazi rule

<p dir="ltr">Museums and art galleries in New York are now legally required to acknowledge art stolen under the Nazi regime. </p> <p dir="ltr">The new state law requires New York museums to display signage alongside works of art from before 1945 that are known to have been stolen or forcibly sold during the Nazi rule.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to legislation and expert testimony, the Germans looted 600,000 works of art during World War II. </p> <p dir="ltr">As well as the new public recognition law, works that were created before 1945 that changed ownership in Nazi Europe are now required to be registered in the <a href="https://www.artloss.com/about-us/">Art Loss Register</a>, a private database of more than 700,000 works of lost, stolen and looted art. </p> <p dir="ltr">Over the last few decades, museums in New York have been at the centre of discussions of who has rightful ownership of artworks that changed hands during the Nazi era.</p> <p dir="ltr">Both the Guggenheim and the Metropolitan Museum of Art have gone a step further, and returned artworks stolen by the Nazis to surviving members of the families who owned them before they were looted during World War II.</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite this, several New York museums have also successfully fought to keep allegedly looted art from the Nazi era in their halls. </p> <p dir="ltr">In 2021, a federal appeals court ruled that the Metropolitan Museum of Art can keep a $100 million Picasso painting that the family of the previous owner says was sold to fund the owner's escape from Nazi Germany. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Art

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“People are going to die”: Over 1000 uncared for after council aged care services end

<p dir="ltr">More than 1000 elderly residents on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula have been left without care after the local council stopped providing care services and made more than 110 staff redundant.</p> <p dir="ltr">In July, private aged care service providers took over the care of more than 3500 residents who had previously been cared for by the council, with 2063 people transferred to Mecwacare and 1554 to Bolton Clarke, per <em><a href="https://www.watoday.com.au/national/victoria/nobody-s-checked-i-m-alive-more-than-1000-stranded-as-council-retreats-from-aged-care-20220808-p5b81l.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WA Today</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Aimee Bonfield, a spokeswoman for Bolton Clarke, said “essential services” were being provided for 300 residents, with services starting or scheduled for another 200.</p> <p dir="ltr">“All remaining clients have been contacted and we remain in touch on a regular basis to update on progress and to address any immediate needs,” she said. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Bolton Clarke has a strong track record of understanding local needs and supporting wellbeing and independence for older people on the Mornington Peninsula.”</p> <p dir="ltr">But, at least 1000 residents have been left without care, including Barbara Rimington, who has a fused back from spinal surgery and has undergone surgery for lung cancer and was receiving assistance with cleaning from the council.</p> <p dir="ltr">Since Bolton Clarke took over on July 1, the 77-year-old said she hasn’t received any care and is “one of the luckier ones” because she is still relatively independent.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The council said they are monitoring,” she said. “Pig’s arse they are. Nobody has contacted me to see if I am still alive.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Rimington said she was worried for others who needed help with shopping, since there are limited delivery options available on the peninsula.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Are any of these people eating?” she said. “People are going to die. Some people are totally isolated. It’s an indictment on the whole of society.”</p> <p dir="ltr">89-year-old Michael Nolan said he and his wife, 85, were left in the lurch by Mecawacare and haven’t received care for more than a month.</p> <p dir="ltr">The council used to provide assistance to Nolan once a fortnight, helping with cleaning and tasks around the home, such as checking smoke alarms, changing light bulbs, and changing bed sheets.</p> <p dir="ltr">“[Mecwacare] has been on the job since July 1 and nothing is happening,” he said. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We have to try and do the cleaning ourselves and we tackle it a little bit at a time, but it takes us days and days to do because I can’t bend down, otherwise I fall over.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Mecwacare has had months and months to prepare for this. </p> <p dir="ltr">“It is typical of the former federal government, they want to give everything over to private enterprise.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Anthony Marsh, the mayor of Mornington Peninsula, said the council decided to “transition” away from using its own staff to prepare for the federal government’s open-market system, and that the council had no say in the providers that would replace them.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The peninsula had no provider other than council delivering these services and we needed to ensure our residents had choice and the advantage of a competitive market environment,” he said. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We did not get a say in the appointment of new providers; that was done by the federal government.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Marsh said the council was assured by both providers and the government that essential services would continue from July 1, and that an offer to keep some staff on “to help with the transition” was turned down.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The welfare of our older residents is a major priority for council, and we will continue to advocate to the federal government to make sure older people receive the support they need to remain independent and involved in the community,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">A government spokesman said the government was “continually reviewing” the transition and selection process for councils that chose to exit the Commonwealth home support program and was aware of the situation on Mornington Peninsula.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-e0887fa8-7fff-732a-46d4-1c85b94eac52"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“The department is aware of the transition of clients from Mornington Peninsula Shire council to Mecwacare and Bolton Clarke and is actively working with My Aged Care and the providers on outstanding transition issues,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Legal

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Law and Order crew member shot dead on set in New York City

<p dir="ltr">A Law and Order: Organized Crime crew member has been fatally shot outside the series set in New York.</p> <p dir="ltr">Johnny Pizarro, aged 31 who was identified as the show's parking enforcer, was killed on the 19th of July, during a car ambush in Brooklyn, according to the NYPD.</p> <p dir="ltr">The father of three, was then take to Woodhull Hospital where he was pronounced dead.</p> <p dir="ltr">The murder happened around 5:15 am in the Greenpoint area when a killer opened the door of the victim's vehicle and shot him in the face and neck.</p> <p dir="ltr">Pizarro was inside his vehicle and had a traffic cone on the roof of the car at the time of the shooting. Reports claim he was gunned down while reserving spaces for filming.</p> <p dir="ltr">The NBC crime show, had been gearing up for its third season after it was renewed in May. "We were terribly saddened and shocked to hear that one of our crew members was the victim of a crime early this morning and has died as a result," NBC said.</p> <p dir="ltr" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;">"We are working with local law enforcement as they continue to investigate. Our hearts go out to his family and friends and we ask that you respect their privacy during this time."</p> <p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"> </p> <p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><em>Image: Fox News</em></p>

News

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Rupert Murdoch lists two jaw-dropping New York apartments

<p dir="ltr">Media mogul Rupert Murdoch is <a href="https://www.nine.com.au/property/news/rupert-murdoch-sells-two-new-york-city-apartments-for-usd-78-million/6f2cd734-5dc4-47cc-b62b-3a6fef0178f5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">selling</a> not one, but two apartments in New York City located just one floor apart - and hopes to make a combined $100 million from them.</p> <p dir="ltr">Having bought the apartments in 2014 for a combined $USD 57.9 million ($AUD 77.6 million).</p> <p dir="ltr">The first, a three-storey penthouse that takes up the entirety of the 58th, 59th and 60th floors of the One Madison tower near Madison Square Park, comes with stunning views and an <a href="https://www.corcoran.com/homes-for-sale/23-east-22nd-street-ph-manhattan-ny-10010/21655708/regionId=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">asking price</a> of USD $62 million ($AUD 83 million).</p> <p dir="ltr">As well as having five bedrooms, the penthouse includes a ‘staff room’, a kitchen with stunning city views, and a room with soaring six-metre ceilings and a wrap-around terrace.</p> <p dir="ltr">A curved glass staircase connects the first and second levels, while an internal lift connects all three.</p> <p dir="ltr">The <a href="https://www.corcoran.com/homes-for-sale/23-east-22nd-street-57a-manhattan-ny-10010/21655673/regionId=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">second</a>, a smaller three-bedroom apartment on the 57th floor, is on the market for $USD 16 million ($AUD 21.4 million).</p> <p dir="ltr">Deborah Grubman, the listing agent managing the sales from Corcoran Group, said Murdoch bought the penthouse and had it fitted out to his own specifications while he lived in the downstairs apartment.</p> <p dir="ltr">Once it was complete, Murdoch kept the smaller home for staff and guests.</p> <p dir="ltr">Before its most recent listing, Murdoch attempted to sell the penthouse in 2015 for $USD 72 million.</p> <p dir="ltr">Having failed to sell at the time, the mogul could walk away with a $30 million profit if he succeeds in selling the homes now for his desired price.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-84f24441-7fff-7703-d565-317a9debf572"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty Images, Corcoran Group</em></p>

Real Estate

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The movie-geek’s guide to New York City

<p><strong>1. New York Public Library </strong></p> <p>Housing more than 8-million artefacts and books, the magnificent main branch of the New York Public Library has been featured prominently in Ghostbusters, The Day After Tomorrow, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Sex and the City: The Movie (really, Big?) and Spider-Man (oh, Uncle Ben).</p> <p>From there, make the short walk to Bryant Park for a burger at Shake Shack and a spin on the charming carousel in the summer or on the ice skating rink in the winter.</p> <p>Insta-worthy: Patience and Fortitude, the Library Lions located at the library’s 42nd Street and Fifth Avenue entrance, are the big draw for shutterbugs. For a less predictable shot, head inside to snap the spectacularly ornate Rose Main Reading Room.</p> <p><strong>2. Time Square </strong></p> <p>Taxi Driver, Midnight Cowboy, Date Night, Captain America, Big, Shaft (the original!), A Chorus Line, Vanilla Sky, Birdman… The list of movies shot in the neon-lit heart of New York City is endless.</p> <p>Times Square is at its brightest and most boisterous at night, but don’t go there hungry. En route, stop at West 51st Street and Broadway for a bite at Ellen’s Stardust Diner – featured in New Year’s Eve – where the showtunes-singing wait staff are part of the experience.</p> <p>Insta-worthy: For a panoramic view of the world’s most-visited tourist attraction, jostle for a spot on the stepped red roof of the TKTS discount booth just below 47th Street.</p> <p><strong>3. Radio City Music Hall</strong></p> <p>Fans of The Godfather will recognise this famed theatre as the spot Michael Corleone and Kay Adams learn about the assassination attempt on Don Corleone. Billed as the “Showplace of the Nation” when it opened in 1932, Radio City Music Hall continues to host hundreds of concerts and events each year. Don’t have a ticket? Get an insider’s view of the venue and meet one of the world-famous Rockettes during the guided one-hour Stage Door Tour.</p> <p>Insta-worthy: The marquee shoots best at night from the intersection of 6th Avenue and West 50th Street.</p> <p><strong>4. Hook and Ladder 8</strong></p> <p>Who you gonna call? You can’t help but hum the Ghostbusters theme song on your approach to the active FDNY firehouse used as Ghostbusters HQ in the 1984 comedy classic. For a photo op alongside like-minded fans, book an NYC TV and Movie bus tour with On Location Tours which makes a stop at this TriBeCa location.</p> <p>Grab a bite nearby at The Odeon, the legendary bistro featured in the film adaptation (and on the book cover) of Jay McInerney’s Bright Lights, Big City.</p> <p>Insta-worthy: Once you take the requisite photo of the firehouse exterior, look down: the station’s insignia – featuring the Ghostbusters logo – is painted directly on the sidewalk.</p> <p><strong>5. Empire State Building</strong></p> <p>The most iconic skyscraper in New York City (thanks, King Kong!), the Empire State Building has played a starring role in Elf and Sleepless in Seattle – though, sadly, the latter film’s emotional climax was filmed on a replica set. Head out early in the morning to avoid long line-ups for tickets, security and the elevator leading up to the famous open-air Observation Deck on the 86th floor.</p> <p>Insta-worthy: The only problem with the 360-degree view from the Empire State Building is that it doesn’t include the Empire State Building! For that, you’ll need to visit Top of the Rock Observation Deck at Rockefeller Center 16 blocks north. You can save money and skip lines by purchasing a New York CityPASS to get access to both experiences.</p> <p><strong>6. The Unisphere</strong></p> <p>Although you saw it destroyed by a flying saucer in Men in Black, the real-life Unisphere stands tall in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens. The 12-storey stainless-steel globe was commissioned for the 1964 New York World’s Fair to celebrate the dawn of the space age and “Peace Through Understanding,” and shines like new thanks to recent restoration efforts.</p> <p>Baseball fans will want to visit nearby Citi Field, home of the New York Mets, while little ones will enjoy the Queens Zoo.</p> <p>Insta-worthy: If you’re visiting in the summer, a selfie with the reflecting pool and fountains is a must. In the off-season, when the pool is empty, stand underneath the globe for a unique angle.</p> <p><strong>7. Grand Central Terminal</strong></p> <p>A transportation hub for travellers and commuters since 1913, Grand Central Terminal has been the big screen backdrop for everything from chases (North by Northwest) and gun battles (Carlito’s Way) to alien invasions (The Avengers) and flash mobs (Friends with Benefits). To learn more about this Beaux Arts beauty, download the Grand Central Tour app ($5) for an official self-guided audio tour, then stop by the Magnolia Bakery location in the Lower Concourse for one of their deeply delicious cupcakes.</p> <p>Insta-worthy: Watch the ebb and flow of the bustling main concourse from the east or west balconies or aim high for a photo of the arched windows and constellation-themed ceiling mural.</p> <p><strong>8. Rockefellar Centre</strong></p> <p>Conceived by John D. Rockefeller during the Depression as a “city within a city,” Rockefeller Center encompasses six square blocks of Midtown Manhattan. Several of the complex’s most popular attractions have made film appearances, including The Rainbow Room (Sleepless in Seattle), Top of the Rock (The Adjustment Bureau) and The Rink at Rockefeller Plaza (Elf, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York).</p> <p>After a day of sightseeing, relax with a cocktail at the stately Lotte Palace New York on Madison Avenue – its Tavern On 51 bar offers a cool Old New York vibe. The mansion-turned-hotel appears in the rom-coms 27 Dresses and Just My Luck.</p> <p>Insta-worthy: The stairs to the Center’s sunken plaza are the best spot to capture a shot of the massive gilded statue Prometheus, one of the most-photographed works of art in the city.</p> <p><strong>9. Central Park</strong></p> <p>Manhattan’s 341-hectare green space is one of the most popular filming locations in the world. Movie buffs will recognise Central Park’s bench-lined Mall from Kramer vs. Kramer and Maid in Manhattan, picturesque Bethesda Fountain as the site of the sing-along in Enchanted and Wollman Rink as the oh-so-romantic backdrop in Serendipity and Love Story.</p> <p>If a hot dog from a cart won’t do, nestled on the park’s west side is the world-famous Tavern on the Green. Featured in dozens of films including Wall Street, Beaches and Mr. Popper’s Penguins, the restaurant is probably best known as the spot where poor Louis Tully bangs fruitlessly on the windows trying to escape a demon dog in Ghostbusters.</p> <p>Insta-worthy: All of it – but the balconies of the whimsical Belvedere Castle at the 79th Avenue Transverse offer particularly stunning views of the Great Lawn to the North and the Ramble to the south.</p> <p><strong>10. Charging Bull</strong></p> <p>Part tourist attraction, part talisman for New York Stock Exchange traders, artist Arturo Di Modica conceived Charging Bull as a symbol of strength and courage. Located at Bowling Green at the intersection of Broadway and Morris Street in Lower Manhattan, the statue has popped up in Hitch, Arthur (the remake) and The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.</p> <p>While you’re there, enjoy a Wall Street-inspired moment with a drink at the bar at CUT inside the luxurious Four Seasons New York Downtown on nearby Barclay Street. Afterwards, walk two blocks west to One World Trade Centre to marvel at the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere.</p> <p>Insta-worthy: Go very early in the morning or late at night to get a photo of Charging Bull and its controversial new companion, Fearless Girl, without throngs of tourists in the background.</p> <p><strong>11. Brooklyn Bridge</strong></p> <p>Sex and the City: The Movie fans will know this iconic landmark as the spot Miranda and Steve reunite after their separation. It’s also where Alvy professes his love for Annie in Annie Hall. The bridge has dedicated pedestrian and bike lanes (stick to yours!) and takes about 20 minutes to cross depending on the sight-seeing, photo-snapping crowds.</p> <p>Insta-worthy: Taking a selfie from the Brooklyn-side arch ensures you capture some of Manhattan’s skyline. For a perfectly framed image of the bridge itself, head to the intersection of Front Street and Washington Street in Brooklyn.</p> <p><strong>12. The Statue of Liberty</strong></p> <p>The Statue of Liberty is one busy leading lady. Her film credits include X-Men, Titanic, On the Town, Splash and the shocking final scene in the original Planet of the Apes. You can admire her from the Staten Island Ferry (the service is free), but to get up close you’ll need to book the Statue Cruises Experience which includes admission to Liberty Island and Ellis Island National Immigration Museum: the point of entry for more than 12-million immigrants starting a new life in America.</p> <p>Insta-worthy: Capture Lady Liberty in all her glory from the boat deck just before it docks at Liberty Island.</p> <p><strong>13. The American Museum of Natural History</strong></p> <p>The American Museum of Natural History on the Upper West Side saw a surge in visits with the release of Night at the Museum. Young film fans can explore the real exhibits behind the characters featured in the Museum movies including the Tyrannosaurus Rex (“Rexy”) in the Hall of Saurischian Dinosaurs and the Capuchin Monkey (“Dexter”) in the Hall of Primates.</p> <p>Insta-worthy: A photo of the façade and the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial is a must. Follow the line of kids heading to the Margaret Mead Hall of Pacific Peoples for a selfie with the Rapa Nui (Easter Island) head.</p> <p><strong>14. Katz's Delicatessen </strong></p> <p>A fixture of Manhattan’s Lower East Side for more than 100 years, Katz’s Delicatessen entered film lore as the site of Meg Ryan’s fake orgasm scene in When Harry Met Sally. There’s even a sign affixed above the famous table that reads: “Where Harry Met Sally… Hope You Have What She Had. Enjoy!” (The last part is a nod to the line from the film – “I’ll have what she’s having!” – which was actually delivered on-screen by director Rob Reiner’s mother.) If you go, go hungry, be ready for a line-up, and order the pastrami sandwich. You’re welcome.</p> <p>Insta-worthy: Choose between the movie moment sign inside or the deli’s marquee.</p> <p><strong>15. Guggenheim Museum </strong></p> <p>Boasting architecture as impressive as the collection it houses, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum on the Upper East Side is one of New York City’s most striking filming locations. The white exterior of the Frank Lloyd Wright design can be spotted in Men in Black, Bye Bye Birdie and When in Rome, while the interior’s spiral main gallery is showcased in Annie (the remake) and, of course, Manhattan.</p> <p>After an afternoon of browsing the exhibits, hop in a cab for a quick ride south to Serendipity 3 on East 60th Street – the dessert destination for Jonathan and Sara in the rom-com Serendipity.</p> <p>Insta-worthy: Look up from the entrance level for a shot of the rotunda spiral and glass dome or take the elevator to Rotunda 6 to capture the lower levels. Note: Selfie sticks are not permitted in the museum.</p> <p>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/travel/destinations/the-movie-geeks-guide-to-new-york-city-15-must-see-filming-locations?pages=1">Reader's Digest</a>.</p>

TV

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Bought for $1.5m, selling for $40m: Richard Gere lists New York mega-mansion

<p>A year after forking out $9.8 million for a new family home in upstate New York, Richard Gere is trying to unload his other upstate property he purchased back in 1986.</p><p>The actor, aged 72, listed his sprawling 19.4ha compound in Pound Ridge for a whopping $28 million (AU$39.3 million) in October.</p><p>Nearly 35 years ago, he had purchased the land for just $1.51 million, property records reveal.</p><p>Known for his leading roles in “Pretty Woman” and “American Gigolo,” Gere is hoping to start over in a seven-bedroom, nine-bathroom house after welcoming children in 2019 and 2020 with his wife, Alejandra Silva.</p><p>The main residence at the Pound Ridge compound — only an hour away from New York City — is made up of eight bedrooms and 11 bathrooms and spans over 1,080 sqm.</p><p>Made up of five structures in total, with stables and a pool, the estate comes with 4,300 acres of protected land.</p><p>Dubbed as a “magical country compound,” the property features a winding country lane that makes its way through the grounds. Outside is a private lake with a Sandy Beach, and a separate island to row out to, according to the listing.</p><p>Other features include aesthetic views of rolling hills (reserved for horseback riding), a hidden soccer field and several mature plantings that surround the compound.</p><p>After buying his new colonial home last year, he dropped another $700,000 on a vacant neighbouring block, which expanded the property to about 35 acres.</p><p><em>Images: Real estate.com</em></p>

Real Estate

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How a New York pizza chef adopted a classic Aussie ingredient

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After spinning pizzas for more than 40 years, Giovanni Fabiano knows a thing or two about what makes the perfect pizza. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Rosa’s Pizza chef from Brooklyn, NYC, is now venturing into uncharted territory with an experiment to get Aussies talking. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Giovanni has teamed up with Vegemite to encourage more Australians to get creative when it comes to the nation’s iconic flavour. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a recent survey conducted by Vegemite, the majority of Australian respondents (89.4 percent) still associate the spread with toast, with only 17.6 percent using it in cooking.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Giovanni, however, believes the unique flavour could be Australia’s best kept secret. </span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CUgINjEhrF3/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;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> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CUgINjEhrF3/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Vegemite (@vegemite)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“In New York City, you don’t need to go far to talk to an Aussie. And you don’t need to be talk’n for long before they start prattling on about the stuff,” he said.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Aussies love their Vegemite, but I only ever hear about them eating it on toast. I love it on pizza pie so I decided to try it on my menu, test it out with the crowds and maybe show the Aussies a thing or two.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Vegemite marketing manager Jacqui Roth says their venture with Giovanni will help people from all over the world fall in love with Vegemite. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CUl92BYL_89/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;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> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CUl92BYL_89/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Vegemite (@vegemite)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">She said, “While we love Vegemite on toast and we always will, Vegemite is so much more than just a spread.”</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We’ve loved getting behind Giovanni and his talented team and couldn’t be happier that they’ve put a taste of Australia on their secret menu – until it’s sold out at least!”</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image credits: Vegemite / Supplied</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p>

Food & Wine

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Anti-vaxxers in New York protest outside the Australian consulate

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Anti-vaxxers in New York City took to the streets on Monday to protest New York state’s vaccine mandate for public school teachers, and made an unlikely stop along the way: the Consulate General of Australia. Protestors gathered outside the Manhattan building waving signs, flags (both American and Australian) and wielding microphones, chanting ‘Save Australia’.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">The crowd gathers outside the Consulate General of Australia here in New York <a href="https://t.co/g9JVbiEzt5">pic.twitter.com/g9JVbiEzt5</a></p> — Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) <a href="https://twitter.com/BGOnTheScene/status/1445126806152089602?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Save Australia from what, exactly? Their signs give us some clue as to what their primary concern is: one protestor can be seen in a video holding up a sign that says, ‘What is happening in Melbourne?’ Another bears a sign that reads, ‘Australia is the example for the NEW WORLD ORDER. NOT about a virus! Total government control! End the lockdown, forced VAX, police brutality, Hotel Quaratine [sic]. #FREEAUSTRALIA’.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Speaking to the crowd, one (American) protestor who claimed to have been a healthcare worker who had been fired for organising protests in favour of ‘freedom’, said, “What’s going on in Australia is not just going to be Australia. And when it shows up on our doorsteps, we’re gonna punch it right in the f****** teeth”. </span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">“What’s going on in Australia is not just going to be Australia. And when it shows up on our doorsteps, we’re gonna punch it right in the f****** teeth” Additional speeches as this afternoon’s march against vaccine mandates concludes at the Australian consulate <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NewYork?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NewYork</a> <a href="https://t.co/k7eyjUrx6i">pic.twitter.com/k7eyjUrx6i</a></p> — Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) <a href="https://twitter.com/BGOnTheScene/status/1445141536589680640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">No signs can be seen in the crowd pointing out the relatively small number of Australians who have died during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to Americans, but fortunately Australians on Twitter were available to point that out.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Thanks. Given we’ve had only 1300 deaths from COVID in Australia from a pop of approx 25 million, whilst it’s over 700,000 dead in US - it seems we’ve done rather a good job of saving ourselves. You guys on the other hand…</p> — Jane Caro (@JaneCaro) <a href="https://twitter.com/JaneCaro/status/1445169644852023301?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The protest began in Brooklyn earlier in the day, before protestors walked across the Brooklyn Bridge and into Manhattan while chanting, ‘Wake up, New York’ and ‘We, the people, will not comply’, a reference to the preamble of the United States Constitution. In addition to visiting the Australian Consulate, protestors also visited a mobile testing site in Union Square, where they knocked over a tent, table, and chairs.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to reports, many of the protestors were Department of Education employees, which is why the protest began outside the Department of Education offices in Brooklyn, and why protestors could be heard chanting ‘Let us teach’. They were protesting the department’s vaccine mandate that went into effect on Monday, as the mandate resulted in unvaccinated employees being placed on unpaid leave with health insurance.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Two of the marchers just flipped over a Covid-19 mobile testing site tent, knocking down a table and chairs set up in Union Square in New York <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NYC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NYC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NewYork?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NewYork</a> <a href="https://t.co/RkEKwSMzzi">pic.twitter.com/RkEKwSMzzi</a></p> — Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) <a href="https://twitter.com/BGOnTheScene/status/1445118252707889160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The response of various Australian state governments to COVID-19, particularly Victoria’s under Premier Daniel Andrews, has become a hot-button issue in anti-vaccine and conservative American circles, with many decrying the lack of freedoms available to people under lockdown. Last month, one </span><a href="https://www.news.com.au/world/coronavirus/australia/texas-lobby-groups-attempt-to-shame-australias-lockdown-rules-backfires/news-story/0fc39f032c5d26a9ddc12f7090a4f392"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Texas group</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> posted a photo of Australia with the caption, ‘What the world’s largest prison looks like from space’. Many Australians were no doubt surprised that members of the group could locate Australia on a map.</span></p>

News

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Take a virtual tour of New York’s brand new Legoland

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The first theme park to open in the Northeast United States in 40 years pays homage to a beloved toy.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Legoland New York opened its doors to the public last week, with seven different lands for kids and adults to explore.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The opening comes as a sign of relief for the state and industry that have both been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The pandemic took a devastating toll on New York, and as we make our comeback, the new Legoland New York Resort in Orange County is a testament to the resilience and ingenuity that this state has always been known for,” </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-announces-full-opening-theme-park-legolandr-new-york-resort-orange-county" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Governor Andrew Cuomo said</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in a statement on Friday.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“This is historic,” Cuomo said. “This is the first new theme park in the Northeast United States in 40 years.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The theme park features 50 rides stretched out across 520 acres.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Built in Goshen, a village in Orange County, the theme park is roughly 95 kilometres from Manhattan.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Reservations are required and the park uses a cashless system for tickets, games, food and other services.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Images: legoland.newyork / Instagram</span></em></p>

International Travel

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Shocking New York Times cover reveals the human cost of COVID-19

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>The New York Times has gone with a heartbreaking cover that reveals the human cost of the handling of the coronavirus pandemic in the USA.</p> <p>The image is simple and spans almost the entire page, with a dot representing a life lost to COVID-19.</p> <p>There are nearly 500,000 dots on the page, which means that more Americans have died from COVID-19 than on the battlefields of World War I, World War II and the Vietnam War combined.</p> <p>“Each death has left untold numbers of mourners, a ripple effect of loss that has swept over towns and cities. Each death has left an empty space in communities across America: a bar stool where a regular used to sit, one side of a bed unslept in, a home kitchen without its cook,” the newspaper read.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">The front page of The New York Times for Feb. 21, 2021, as the U.S. nears 500,000 dead from Covid-19. Each dot represents a life lost. <a href="https://t.co/YAAEvQIszZ">pic.twitter.com/YAAEvQIszZ</a></p> — The New York Times (@nytimes) <a href="https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1363498989652426754?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 21, 2021</a></blockquote> <p>“The living find themselves amid vacant places once occupied by their spouses, parents, neighbours and friends – the nearly 500,000 coronavirus dead.”</p> <p>Almost 91,000 are projected to die from the disease by June 1, with more concerns raised over the spread of new mutations.</p> <p>“It’s terrible. It is historic. We haven’t seen anything even close to this for well over 100 years, since the 1918 pandemic of influenza,” Anthony Fauci, chief medical adviser to US President Joe Biden, said on NBC’s<span> </span><em>Meet The Press</em>.</p> <p>“It’s something that is stunning when you look at the numbers, almost unbelievable, but it’s true.”</p> <p>There is hope for Americans however, as cases and hospitalisations plummet due to the vaccination effort in the US.</p> <p>More than 42.8 million Americans have received at least the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, with 17.8 million people being fully vaccinated.</p> <p>Current US President Joe Biden is aware that the program to administer vaccines is complicated, as there are intense challenges of manufacturing the vaccine in huge quantities quickly.</p> <p>“There has never, ever, ever been a logistic challenge as consequential as what we’re trying to do, but we’re getting it done,” he said.</p> </div> </div> </div>

Travel Trouble

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Marine protected area is long overdue: Humans threaten the Antarctic Peninsula’s fragile ecosystem

<p>Antarctica, the world’s <a href="https://media.nature.com/original/magazine-assets/d41586-018-07183-6/d41586-018-07183-6.pdf">last true wilderness</a>, has been protected by an <a href="https://www.ats.aq/e/antarctictreaty.html">international treaty</a> for the last 60 years. But the same isn’t true for most of the ocean surrounding it.</p> <p><a href="https://www.asoc.org/advocacy/marine-protected-areas">Just 5%</a> of the Southern Ocean is protected, leaving biodiversity hotspots exposed to threats from human activity.</p> <p>The Western Antarctic Peninsula, the northernmost part of the continent and one of its <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0011683">most biodiverse regions</a>, is particularly vulnerable. It faces the cumulative threats of commercial krill fishing, tourism, research infrastructure expansion and climate change.</p> <p>In an <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02939-5">article</a> published in Nature today, we join more than <a href="https://homewardboundprojects.com.au/about/">280 women in STEMM</a> (science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine) from the global leadership initiative Homeward Bound to call for the immediate protection of the peninsula’s marine environment, through the designation of a <a href="https://www.antarcticanow.org/">marine protected area</a>.</p> <p>Our call comes ahead of a meeting, due in the next fortnight, of the <a href="https://www.ccamlr.org/en">international group</a> responsible for establishing marine protected areas in the Southern Ocean. We urge the group to protect the region, because delays could be disastrous.</p> <p><strong>Threats on the peninsula</strong></p> <p>The Southern Ocean <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-how-the-antarctic-circumpolar-current-helps-keep-antarctica-frozen-106164">plays a vital role</a> in global food availability and security, regulates the planet’s climate and drives global ocean currents. Ice covering the continent stores 70% of the earth’s freshwater.</p> <p>Climate change threatens to unravel the Southern Ocean ecosystem as species superbly adapted to the cold struggle to adapt to warmer temperatures. The impacts of climate change are especially insidious on the Western Antarctic Peninsula, one of the fastest-warming places on Earth. In February, temperatures reached a record high: <a href="https://theconversation.com/anatomy-of-a-heatwave-how-antarctica-recorded-a-20-75-c-day-last-month-134550">a balmy 20.75℃</a>.</p> <p>The peninsula is also the <a href="https://theconversation.com/humans-are-encroaching-on-antarcticas-last-wild-places-threatening-its-fragile-biodiversity-142648">most-visited part of Antarctica</a>, thanks to its easy access, dramatic beauty, awe-inspiring wildlife and rich marine ecosystems.</p> <p>Tourist numbers have doubled in the past decade, increasing the risk of introducing invasive species that hitch a ride on the toursts’ gear. More than <a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/470576496/Polar-Perspectives-No-1-Is-it-time-for-a-paradigm-shift-in-how-Antarctic-tourism-is-controlled#download&amp;from_embed">74,000 cruise ship passengers</a> visited last year, up from 33,000 in the 2009-10 season.</p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/australia-wants-to-build-a-huge-concrete-runway-in-antarctica-heres-why-thats-a-bad-idea-139596">The expansion of infrastructure</a> to accommodate scientists and research, such as buildings, roads, fuel storage and runways, can also pose a threat, as it displaces local Antarctic biodiversity.</p> <p>Eighteen nations have science facilities on the Antarctic Peninsula, the highest concentration of research stations anywhere on the continent. There are 19 permanent and 30 seasonal research bases there.</p> <p>Another big threat to biodiversity in the peninsula is the commercial fishing of Antarctic krill, a small, shrimp-like crustacean which is the <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2017.2015">cornerstone of life</a> in this region.</p> <p><strong>A cornerstone of life</strong></p> <p>Krill is a foundation of the food chain in Antarctica, with whales, fish, squid, seals and Adélie and gentoo penguins all feeding on it.</p> <p>But as sea ice cover diminishes, more industrial fishing vessels can encroach on penguin, seal and whale foraging grounds, effectively acting as a competing super-predator for krill.</p> <p>In the past 30 years, colonies of Adélie and Chinstrap penguins on the Antarctic Peninsula have <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/41242231?seq=1">declined by more than 50%</a> due to reduced sea ice and krill harvesting.</p> <p>Commercial Antarctic krill fishing is largely for omega-3 dietary supplements and fish-meal. The fishery in the waters of the Western Antarctic Peninsula is the largest in the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-2979.2011.00406.x">Southern Ocean</a>.</p> <p>The krill catch here has <a href="https://www.ccamlr.org/en/fisheries/krill">more than tripled</a> from 88,800 tonnes in 2000 to almost 400,000 tonnes in 2019 — the third-largest krill catch in history and a volume not seen since the 1980s.</p> <p><strong>How do we save it?</strong></p> <p>To save the Antarctic Peninsula, one of critical steps is to protect its waters and its source of life: those tiny, but crucially important, Antarctic krill.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7838471/antarctica-3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/b40e7f32cd174fa39cb137d91ce94e0f" /></p> <p><span><em>Image caption: </em></span><em><u>A map of the current and proposed marine protected areas under consideration. Cassandra Brooks, Author provided</u></em></p> <p>This can be done by establishing a marine protected area (MPA) in the region, which would limit or prohibit human activities such as commercial fishing.</p> <p>An MPA around the peninsula was first proposed <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/336888437_Protecting_Antarctica_through_Co-production_of_actionable_science_Lessons_from_the_CCAMLR_marine_protected_area_process">in 2018</a>, <a href="https://www.ccamlr.org/en/science/mpa-planning-domains">covering</a> 670,000 square kilometres. But the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (the organisation responsible for establishing MPAs in the Southern Ocean) has yet to reach agreement on it.</p> <p>The proposed MPA is an excellent example of balancing environmental protection with <a href="https://theconversation.com/no-take-marine-areas-help-fishers-and-fish-far-more-than-we-thought-119659">commercial interests</a>.</p> <p>The area would be split into two zones. The first is a general protection zone covering 60% of the MPA, designed to protect different habitats and key wildlife and mitigate specific ecosystem threats from fishing.</p> <p>The second is a krill fishery zone, allowing for a precautionary management approach to commercial fishing and keeping some fishing areas open for access.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7838472/antarctica-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/be0da721223d49479b289f835fa16b2b" /></p> <p><span><em>Image caption: </em></span><em><u>A map of the current and proposed marine protected areas under consideration. Cassandra Brooks, Author provided</u></em></p> <p>The proposed MPA would stand for 70 years, with a review every decade so zones can be adjusted to preserve ecosystems.</p> <p><strong>No more disastrous delays</strong></p> <p>The commission is made up of 25 countries and the European Union. In its upcoming meeting, the proposed MPA will once again be considered. Two other important MPA proposals are also on the table in the East Antarctic and Weddell Sea.</p> <p>In fact, for <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/nov/02/antarctic-marine-park-conservationists-frustrated-after-protection-bid-fails-for-eight-time">eight consecutive years</a>, the proposal for a marine park in Eastern Antarctica has failed. Delays like this are potentially disastrous for the fragile ecosystem.</p> <p>Protecting the peninsula is the most pressing priority due to rising threats, but the commission should adopt all three to fulfil their <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/269874896_Competing_values_on_the_Antarctic_high_seas_CCAMLR_and_the_challenge_of_marine-protected_areas">2002 commitment</a> to establishing an MPA network in Antarctica.</p> <p>If all three were established, then more than 3.2 million square kilometres of the Southern Ocean would be protected, giving biodiversity a fighting chance against the compounding threats of human activity in the region.</p> <p><em>Written by <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/marissa-parrott-561432">Marissa Parrott</a>, University of Melbourne; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/carolyn-hogg-1166504">Carolyn Hogg</a>, University of Sydney; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/cassandra-brooks-419939">Cassandra Brooks</a>, University of Colorado Boulder; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/justine-shaw-299755">Justine Shaw</a>, The University of Queensland, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/melissa-cristina-marquez-1166518">Melissa Cristina Márquez</a>, Curtin University. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/humans-threaten-the-antarctic-peninsulas-fragile-ecosystem-a-marine-protected-area-is-long-overdue-147671">The Conversation.</a> </em></p>

Cruising

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Inside Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban’s luxury New York condo

<p>Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban have recently expanded their real estate portfolio into the currently beleaguered city of New York.</p> <p>The celebrity duo picked up a condominium in one of the city’s most exclusive precincts, in a famous building whose luxury level is off the charts.</p> <p>According to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dirt.com/entertainers/actors/nicole-kidman-keith-urban-house-new-york-city-1203329681/" target="_blank"><em>Variety</em></a>, Nicole and Keith parted with a mere $3.5 million the 1600-square-foot, two-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom condo in Manhattan’s highly sought-after Tribeca area.</p> <p>Situated inside Tribeca’s famous clock tower building, which previously housed the massive New York Life Insurance Company, developers converted the entire building into luxury condominiums in 2018 – and now Nicole and Keith are the newest pair to call it home.</p> <p>Shared amenities that are available to all residents of the luxury building officially situated at <a rel="noopener" href="https://108leonard.com/" target="_blank">108 Leonard</a> include a gorgeous indoor pool, fully-equipped gym/fitness centre, dining areas, rooftop gardens and more.</p> <p>Whenever they stay there, Nicole and Keith will be sharing the building with 151 other beautifully well-appointed residences.</p> <p>Other condos in the luxurious building range from $1.5 million for less than 1,000 square feet, all the way up to $11.5 million for units that are more than 3,500 square feet, according to listings on real estate site Zillow.</p> <p>According to <em>Variety</em>, one of the amenities that drew Nicole and Keith’s attention to the building is the presence of a “sky garage”, which would allow their car to be lifted hydraulically right to their unit – giving them perfect protection from the paparazzi.</p> <p>Check out all the amazing images of the property below.</p> <p>IMAGES: <a rel="noopener" href="https://108leonard.com/" target="_blank">108 Leonard</a> / Wikimedia</p>

Real Estate

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Catherine Zeta-Jones shows off inside beautiful New York mansion

<p>Catherine Zeta-Jones and her family can definitely say they are one of the lucky families that get to relax and self-isolate during lockdown in their New York mansion.</p> <p>While she nor the rest of her family give many details away about their beautiful home, fans have been given a glimpse of the rooms, including their spectacularly regal black and white theme.</p> <p>Recently, Catherine shared a photograph of her husband Michael relaxing on their gorgeous cream sofa.</p> <p>The Darling Buds of May actress shared the picture on Instagram over the weekend, revealing that her puppy, Taylor, had taken over the sofa.</p> <p>The actress lives in a gorgeous Georgian mansion in Irvington, New York, which is not too far away from Manhattan.</p> <p>Her and Michael share their home with their two children, Dylan, 19, and Carys, 17.</p> <p>Their stunning property boasts magnificent views of the Hudson river and has a sprawling garden, complete with an impressive outdoor kitchen.</p> <p>The home also includes an indoor swimming pool, a library, a gym, and a games room, where Catherine has been spending a lot of time learning how to play pool during the lockdown.</p> <p>There are also ten bathrooms in the house, which are all themed differently, ranging from a gothic all-black design to a spa-like area complete with a roll-top bath.</p> <p>The family has an expansive property portfolio, including a spacious apartment overlooking Central Park on New York's Central Park West, as well as a large family home in Catherine's hometown of Swansea, Wales.</p> <p>While in quarantine, the family have been enjoying spending quality time together and fans have been able to indulge virtually with the family.</p> <p>Scroll through the gallery to see Catherine and Michael’s incredible mansion.</p>

Real Estate

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Harry and Meghan’s biography rockets to No 1 on New York bestseller list

<p><span>Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s biography has reached number one on Amazon's Top 10 New York bestseller in 24 hours list on the day of its release for pre-order.</span><br /><br /><span>Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of A Modern Royal Family has been announced to be released worldwide online on August 11, with the hard copy on sale from August 20.</span><br /><br /><span>A description of the highly anticipated biography on Amazon promises to offer an “honest, up-close, and disarming portrait” of the “confident, influential, forward” Prince Harry, 35, and Meghan Markle, 38.</span><br /><br /><span>The British co-author Omid Scobie took to Twitter to share his surprise at his book hitting number one on the bestseller list on Tuesday night, writing “Well this is a nice surprise!”</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B_xh9krnROP/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;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> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B_xh9krnROP/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Meghan Markle 🔵 (@meghanmarkle_official)</a> on May 4, 2020 at 10:13am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>While the biography has since dropped down off the 24-hour bestseller list, it has already climbed to number two on Amazon's 'Biographies of Royalty' bestsellers list - just behind current number one 'Kensington Palace: An Intimate Memoir from Queen Mary to Meghan Markle', by Tom Quinn.</span><br /><br /><span>It is widely reported that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex both gave interviews to Omid Scobie and Catherine Durand on a book about their lives.</span><br /><br /><span>Harper Collins released a brief description of the book, writing “few know the true story of Harry and Meghan'.</span><br /><br /><span>It promises to go “beyond the headlines to reveal unknown details of Harry and Meghan's life together, dispelling the many rumours and misconceptions that plague the couple on both sides of the pond.</span><br /><br /><span>“With unique access and written with the participation of those closest to the couple, Finding Freedom is an honest, up-close, and disarming portrait of a confident, influential, and forward-thinking couple who are unafraid to break with tradition, determined to create a new path away from the spotlight, and dedicated to building a humanitarian legacy that will make a profound difference in the world.”</span></p>

Beauty & Style

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New York wedding officiated from fourth-floor window amid social distancing

<p>As weddings around the world are being cancelled or postponed due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, a New York couple has found a way to carry on with their nuptials – by having a friend officiate the ceremony from a fourth-floor window.</p> <p>Reilly Jennings and Amanda Wheeler tied the knot on Friday on a small sidewalk in the city. Their friend Matt Wilson, who is a licensed marriage officiant, led the ceremony from his fourth-floor apartment window as part of social distancing efforts. The couple exchanged their vows as a few friends stood witness from several metres away.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/tv/B9_98yxpw7Z/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;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> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/B9_98yxpw7Z/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Reilly Jennings (@reillyjennings)</a> on Mar 21, 2020 at 7:47am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Jennings and Wheeler initially planned to wed in October, but decided to have a quick courthouse wedding amid concerns “that things weren’t going back to normal for quite a while”.</p> <p>Jennings said Wilson texted them on group chat, letting them know he was ordained by the county clerk of New York and could help them “get hitched”.</p> <p>“We texted, ‘Wanna marry us outside your window in the next 24hrs?’ and he said ‘YES!’” Jennings told <em>CNN</em>.</p> <p>“To that I replied, ‘How about in 90 minutes?’ We both finished up work meetings, got dressed, picked up some flowers, and headed to his apartment around the corner.”</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B9-kCC8Jfca/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;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> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B9-kCC8Jfca/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Reilly Jennings (@reillyjennings)</a> on Mar 20, 2020 at 6:39pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The wedding came as businesses were closed and residents of the US city were told to keep their distance and stay indoors where possible.</p> <p>Speaking to <em><a href="https://www.eonline.com/au/news/1133191/couple-marries-on-new-york-street-as-friend-officiates-wedding-from-3-floors-up">E!News</a></em>, Jennings said she and Wheeler will remember “the overwhelming sense of joy and love amidst a scary and uncertain time”.</p>

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