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Aussie billionaire's ambitious mission to recover family remains

Australia's richest man is undertaking an ambitious mission to bring the remains of a long-lost loved one home, to keep a promise he made to his father before he died. Andrew 'Twiggy' Forrest's uncle was one of many Australians who died during the conflict in Papua New Guinea in the 1940s. David Forrest was shot down piloting his RAAF Beaufort bomber into an attack on a Japanese-held airstrip at Gasmata in Papua New Guinea in 1943. The loss has haunted the family ever since, as David's remains were never found. "[We] got the letter, from the king in those days, saying that uncle David was missing and presumed killed in action," Twiggy told <a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/aussie-billionaire-andrew-twiggy-forrests-search-to-find-loved-ones-lost-in-world-war-ii/9c042a41-c3d1-4b73-af6e-af40c983b81b" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A Current Affair</a>. "Dad went through extreme emotions and grief and since that day he never cried for the rest of his life. "For the next 80 years he couldn't shed a tear it was just overwhelming for him." Twiggy's dad Donald had long said he wanted to hold his brother's dog tags before he died, but after passing away last year at the age 95, he was unable to fulfil his final wish. "Unfortunately we lost dad six months ago so I haven't fulfilled that, but it's really to put closure around something that really wrenched our family," he said. In order to bring closure to the family, Twiggy and his sister Janine have travelled to PNG onboard a purpose-built research vessel and joined by a crew of experts, including marine archeologists. The mission has been ongoing for many years with the blessing of the PNG government and the assistance of RAAF members, but has remained under wraps until now. In 2021, the family thought they had a breakthrough with their mission. "It was really emotional, very heart-wrenching as you went down into the depths thinking, 'Am I going to dive on uncle David's plane and be part of solving the mystery maybe of his remains maybe even his dog tags?' The serial number on David Forrest's Beaufort bomber was A9-188, but the bomber they'd found was A9-186. "I had to tell Dad I can confirm it was a Beaufort bomber, I can confirm it was Australians, but I have to confirm it wasn't your brother's. That was tough." While Twiggy admitted that the chances of finding his uncle's remains are slim, he said he owed it to his father to keep looking. "For my kids and myself, the standard I hold myself to is doing your absolute best," he said. "It's not whether or not you achieve it, it's did you do your best?" Image credits: A Current Affair

International Travel

9/11 victim’s remains identified nearly 23 years after terror attack

Almost 23 years on from the deadly attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York, a victim’s remains have been identified. John Ballantine Niven, 44, was an executive at Aon Risk Services, an insurance firm on the 105th floor of Tower Two of the Trade Centre complex in September 2001. Niven is the 1,650th victim identified from the deadliest act of terrorism on American soil, when hijackers crashed planes into the Twin Towers, killing 2,753 people on September 11th. At the time of his death, he left behind a wife and an 18-month-old son, with his body remaining unidentified until now. “While the pain from the enormous losses on September 11th never leaves us, the possibility of new identifications can offer solace to the families of victims,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement. “I’m grateful for the ongoing work from the Office of Chief Medical Examiner that honours the memory of John Ballantine Niven and all those we lost.” In recent years, the medical examiner’s office has been utilising modern advanced DNA technology to identify victims through their remains. “We will forever remember our heroes who perished on 9/11 and we appreciate the continuous efforts of forensic experts to help identify victims,” Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino said in a separate statement. “We’re hopeful that this amazing advance in technology helps bring peace to Niven’s family and allows him to eternally rest in peace.” Roughly 40 percent of victims of the World Trade Centre attack have yet to have their remains identified, as few full bodies were recovered when the towers collapsed. Image credits: Getty Images / legacy.com

Caring

"It feels like losing her all over again": Missing woman's remains identified

Human remains discovered in a grassland area in New South Wales have been positively identified as those belonging to Samah Baker, a victim of a tragic murder. The individual responsible for her murder, James Hachem, who had an intermittent relationship with her, was convicted last year for the crime that occurred in January 2019. He was subsequently handed a 24-year prison sentence in May of this year. The recent discovery, made on July 28th, involved a woman stumbling upon the remains approximately 100 metres to the south of the Windellama Overpass in Goulburn. Law enforcement officials have now officially confirmed the identity of these remains as belonging to Samah Baker. The Baker family, in response to this development, released a statement expressing the persistent anguish they have endured since Samah's untimely death. While the identification of her remains offers some solace after four-and-a-half years, it doesn't provide a complete sense of closure. The family highlighted how each new twist in the case exacerbates the wounds that have barely started healing, serving as a stark reminder of their profound loss. The statement poignantly conveys the feeling that even though her physical remains have been located, it evokes the sensation of losing her all over again. Samah, a 30-year-old resident of Sydney, had been engaged in a tumultuous and occasionally violent relationship with Hachem, who was 37 years old, ever since their initial encounter at work in 2015. Despite numerous breakups, Baker eventually moved on and found a new partner in December 2018. The court proceedings unveiled that Hachem had obsessively watched Baker, even waiting outside her apartment and growing increasingly furious when he observed her with her new partner on the early morning of January 4. He concocted a ruse involving a fabricated story about his parents being in a car accident to lure Baker out of her apartment before committing the heinous act. Hachem's premeditation extended to purchasing materials, such as a double sheet, gloves, cleaning supplies and a digging trowel from a Bunnings store, before embarking on a journey to remote regions in rural New South Wales. At the time of Hachem's sentencing, Baker's body had not yet been discovered, compounding the grief experienced by her family and friends. The full statement from the Baker family reads: "On Friday 4 January 2019, Samah was taken away from us in the cruellest way. "In the years that followed, our grief has been compounded by the fact that we have not been able to have a funeral or lay her to rest. "We never got to say goodbye to her or tell her we loved her for the last time. "The news of her remains being discovered four and a half years later isn't a neat resolution, but it does offer a small measure of what we've been longing for all this time. "Each development in the case feels like a reopening of our barely healed wounds, reminding us of the harsh reality of our loss. "Even though what remains of Samah has been found, it feels like losing her all over again. We ask for privacy in dealing with our grief." Images: PR Handout / Facebook

Legal

Human remains found in search for missing teenager

Tasmanian Police have discovered human remains in their search for missing 14-year-old Shyanne-Lee Tatnell. After a huge ground and air search, the remains were found on a bush track at Nabowla, in the north-east of Tasmania. While police have yet to confirm the remains are those of the missing teen, they have notified Shyanne-Lee's parents of the discovery. Shyanne-Lee went missing almost three months ago on April 30th, and was last seen on a main road in Launceston. Northern District Commander Kate Chambers said a crime scene had been declared where the remains were found. "It is with a heavy heart that I can confirm that remains were located late this afternoon during our extensive search. While these have not yet been forensically confirmed, they are believed to be human remains," Chambers said. "We have been in regular contact with Shyanne-Lee's family throughout the investigative process, and have notified them about this latest development." "Our thoughts continue to be with them and Shyanne-Lee's loved ones during this difficult time." Police went on to confirm that no arrests have been made, but declared that the investigation into Shyanne-Lee's disappearance now likely had a “criminal element” as they are “following a specific line of inquiry". Tasmania Police, with the assistance of NSW Police, the Australian Federal Police, SES and community volunteers, launched what’s believed to be Northern Tasmania’s largest police operation on Wednesday in the search for clues as to Shyanne-Lee’s whereabouts. Image credits: Facebook / Tasmania Police

Legal

Human remains found in search for missing actor

Californian hikers have discovered human remains in the wilderness area where actor Julian Sands disappeared more than five months ago, according to authorities. Officials have not yet identified the victim. The remains were transported to the coroner’s office for confirmation, which is expected to be completed next week, The New York Post reported. Sands was reported missing on January 13 after he failed to return from a hiking trip in Mount Baldy, located about 72 kilometres east of Los Angeles. The search – consisting of 80 volunteers and officials – resumed on June 12 after a temporary suspension. Police have conducted eight ground and air searches since the actor's disappearance on the mountain. “Despite the recent warmer weather, portions of the mountain remain inaccessible due to extreme alpine conditions. Multiple areas include steep terrain and ravines, which still have 10-plus feet [about 16 metres] of ice and snow,” San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office said. Sands’ family spoke publicly for the first time since he vanished, releasing a statement on June 23 to express their gratitude for the ongoing search and rescue efforts. “We are deeply grateful to the search teams and co-ordinators who have worked tirelessly to find Julian,” the family said. “We continue to hold Julian in our hearts, with bright memories of him as a wonderful father, husband, explorer, lover of the natural world and the arts, and as an original and collaborative performer.” Sands is known for starring in films such as Arachnophobia, A Room with a View, Warlock and Leaving Las Vegas. Mt. Baldy is renowned for being one of the most dangerous peaks to climb in California. According to the Los Angeles Times, six people have died with crews conducting over 100 searches as daredevils and avid hikers alike are drawn to the daunting challenge of the more-than-16,000 metre climb. In January, officials found hiker Jin Chung, 75, who had become lost on Mount Baldy and was hospitalised with a leg injury and other weather-related injuries. Before Chung’s brief disappearance, a mother of four fell more than 500 to 700 feet to her death. Crystal Paula Gonzalez, renowned as a “hiking queen”, slipped on the steep icy hillside and later died from her injuries, officials reported. Image credit: Facebook / Getty

News

MP proposes schools remain open until night-time

A NSW Liberal MP has proposed that Australian schools should remain open until 6pm to better accommodate “modern employment”. During his maiden speech to parliament, Member for Ryde Jordan Lane said that "local schools should become hubs for after-school activity”, where the government guarantees that a child can remain on school campuses after 3pm. "It affords parents flexibility, while at the same time making school a place for extracurricular excellence," he said. "By engaging providers and community organisations, we avoid overworking our tirelessly hardworking teachers but expose more children to rounded experiences, such as coding classes, culture and language, art, dance, music and sport. "I care deeply about the academic results that our students are able to achieve, and about ensuring they can compete on a global stage, but I care even more that our education system helps us to create a new generation of Australians with the content of character we need to be successful as a country.” The move could lead to an extra year of education as a result of the extended hours of teaching, Lane added. "Greater flexibility for parents, a productivity and employment boost to the state, financial relief from the high cost of child care and an injection of hope for potential but reluctant parents who, like me, struggle to rationalise how to afford, in terms of both time and money, children, a home and equal employability between partners," he said. Image credit: Getty / Instagram

Legal

"His door remains open": King Charles "eager" to reconcile with Prince Harry

King Charles is reportedly "eager" to reconcile the fractured relationship with Prince Harry, despite the Duke of Sussex's recent claims. A source close to the monarch shared that King Charles has always shown a willingness to have a healthy and supportive relationship with both Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, regardless of the rumours that have frequently been shared. “Those close to the King insist that he has always made clear how much he loves both of his sons, keeping communication channels open throughout the last few years, despite the many barbs from California,” the UK <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-family/2023/01/03/duke-sussex-wrong-claim-king-charles-has-shown-no-willingness/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Telegraph</a> said, citing sources close to the royal family. Insiders told the British newspaper that Harry’s side of the story was “wrong” adding that Charles, 74, and his younger son, 38, have remained in contact and met up several times during Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June 2022. Their relationship has “occasionally been tense” but the monarch has “reiterated that his door remains open and that the Duke and [Meghan Markle] are welcome at any time,” according to the report. In a recently released trailer for an upcoming interview with Prince Harry, he <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/i-would-like-to-get-my-father-back-prince-harry-s-desperate-plea-to-his-family" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claimed</a> the royal family have shown "no willingness to reconcile" the fractured relationship. Harry told ITV’s Tom Bradby in the explosive trailer, “It never needed to be this way. The leaking, the planting, I want a family – not an institution.” “They feel as though it’s better to keep us, somehow, as the villains. I would like to get my father back. I would like to have my brother back.” Image credits: Getty Images

Family & Pets

Watching Casablanca on its 80th anniversary, we remain in awe of its simplicity – and profound depth

In November 1942, a romantic drama directed by a Hungarian immigrant and starring an ex-naval officer and an obscure Swedish actress was released. The film began shooting without a finished script. Many at Warner Brothers Studios thought the film would quickly disappear into obscurity. It would end up winning three Academy Awards (for best picture, director Michael Curtiz, and screenplay), starred the iconic pair Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman alongside a host of recognisable supporting players, featured a lush score and evocative set design, and contained endlessly quotable lines. Its reputation grows and grows. Casablanca has become one of Hollywood’s most beloved films. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MF7JH_54d8c?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> A film of vivid moments Casablanca is a heady mix of romance, cynicism, thrills and danger. Based on an unproduced play, Everybody Comes to Rick’s, the film mainly takes place in a night-club run by Bogart in the Moroccan city during the second world war. Rick’s Café is where desperate refugees try to get hold of illegal exit visas to America. Complications – with Nazi officials and officious French bureaucrats – ensue. One night, Rick’s old flame Ilsa (Bergman) turns up with her resistance leader husband in search of safe passage to the States. Cue the famous line: <blockquote> Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine. </blockquote> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3vvlmh_xVRQ?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> It is full of vivid moments: Bogart and Bergman drinking champagne in Paris, Sydney Greenstreet in a fez, Peter Lorre trying to escape, Dooley Wilson sitting at the piano and singing THAT song. Its production was fast-tracked to <a href="https://nypost.com/2017/12/04/an-accidental-classic-casablanca-turns-75/">take advantage</a> of the recent Allied invasion of North Africa. Casablanca was originally scheduled for an early 1943 release, but Warner Brothers capitalised on the resounding success of the US-led invasion, which in turn boosted box office receipts. Casablanca would go into wide release on January 23 1943, to coincide with the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casablanca_Conference">Casablanca Conference</a>, a strategic meeting between Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt. A political allegory Casablanca’s clearest theme is that neutrality – whether in war or in love – is difficult to maintain. At the outset, Rick is staunchly apolitical: he is jaded, unmoved by the refugee crisis unfolding around him. But we also learn Rick has been involved in political causes, supporting losing sides against the Fascists in Spain and Ethiopia. The film traces that ambivalence through Bogart’s masterful performance. His cynicism gradually softens once Ilsa turns up, and his animosity to the Nazi chief Strasser grows. This political about-face comes to a head in one of the greatest scenes in Hollywood cinema: the singing of La Marseillaise at Rick’s Café in full defiance of the Nazi officers belting out a German anthem. It is a deeply patriotic and uplifting scene, and reminds us of cinema’s power to engage us, move us and make us cheer. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SEJHJ_WfNgU?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> It also turns the night-club into a microcosm for the war, with it multinational clientele and the competing strands of partisanship, neutrality, aggression and political commitment. For an America wary of entering the European theatre, scenes like this reminded audiences of the need to fight injustice, intolerance and belligerence. Remembering Ingrid Bergman It is worth dwelling on Ingrid Bergman’s <a href="http://mercurie.blogspot.com/2016/08/ingrid-bergman-in-casablanca.html">luminescent performance</a>. She plays the role of a woman who never displays where her romantic allegiances lie. Should she leave with Lazslo to America, or should she go back to Rick, and rekindle a love affair that ended abruptly in Paris? The ambiguity in Bergman’s performance is due in large part to both a script that was constantly being rewritten and Curtiz’s indecision on how the film should end. But it is also a reminder of Bergman’s greatness. The critic Roger Ebert <a href="https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/elena-and-her-men-1987">once noted</a>: <blockquote> [Bergman] doesn’t simply gaze at [a man’s] eyes, as so many actresses do, their thoughts on the next line of dialogue. She peers into the eyes, searching for meaning and clues, and when she is in a close two-shot with an actor, watch the way her own eyes reflect the most minute changes in his expression. </blockquote> Her scenes with Bogart exemplify this approach. Many film historians argue Casablanca’s greatness is due to <a href="https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/The_ABCs_of_Classic_Hollywood/GDppAgAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=casablanca+invisible,+style&pg=PA58&printsec=frontcover">its “invisible” style</a>: there are no flashy camera movements, or ostentatious cuts, or “look at me” acting. French film critic André Bazin once famously attributed the success of Hollywood studio films to “<a href="http://www.davidbordwell.net/blog/2010/09/22/what-makes-hollywood-run/">the genius of the system</a>”. Films like Casablanca succeeded because they were made within a thriving ecosystem that placed storytelling, creative expertise, and cast and crew competence at the heart of its artistic practice. And Casablanca’s script remains unbeatable. It’s worth remembering the lines of dialogue that have stayed with us ever since: “Here’s looking at you, kid”; “This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship”; “We’ll always have Paris”; and “Round up the usual suspects”. Casablanca’s afterlife Casablanca’s legacy is long-lasting. Today, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AFI%27s_100_Years...100_Movies_(10th_Anniversary_Edition)">it ranks third</a> on the American Film Institute’s 100 best movies of the last 100 years, and it is <a href="https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/ReferencedBy/Casablanca">one of the most referenced films</a> of all time. Scholars love the film for its <a href="http://www.nihonbunka.com/blog/archives/000118.html">Freudian intertexts</a>, while others see the title casa blanca – “white house” in Spanish – <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/3814999">as a symbol</a> for American foreign policy. The Italian novelist Umberto Eco <a href="https://biblioklept.org/2013/05/26/casablanca-or-the-cliches-are-having-a-ball-umberto-eco/">wrote</a> Casablanca was “not just one film. It is many films […] it is a phenomenon worthy of awe”. Watched today, we remain in awe of its simplicity, but also of its profound depth.<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/192186/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Writen by Ben McCann. Republished with permission from <a href="https://theconversation.com/watching-casablanca-on-its-80th-anniversary-we-remain-in-awe-of-its-simplicity-and-profound-depth-192186" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: Getty Images

Movies

From crumbling rock art to exposed ancestral remains, climate change is ravaging our precious Indigenous heritage

Climate change is rapidly intensifying. Amid the chaos and damage it wreaks, many precious Indigenous heritage sites in Australia and around the world are being destroyed at an alarming rate. Sea-level rise, flooding, worsening bushfires and other human-caused climate events put many archaeological and heritage sites at risk. Already, culturally significant Indigenous sites have been lost or are gravely threatened. For example, in Northern Australia, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2021/nov/16/global-heating-is-destroying-rock-art-tens-of-thousands-of-years-old-experts-warn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rock art</a> tens of thousands of years old has been destroyed by cyclones, bushfires and other extreme weather events. And as we outline below, ancestral remains in the Torres Strait were last year almost washed away by king tides and storm surge. These examples of loss are just the beginning, unless we act. By combining Indigenous <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13549839.2015.1036414" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Traditional Knowledge</a> with Western scientific approaches, communities can prioritise what heritage to save. <h2>Indigenous heritage on the brink</h2> Indigenous Australians are one of the longest living cultures on Earth. They have maintained their cultural and sacred sites for millennia. In July, Traditional Owners from across Australia attended a <a href="https://drm4heritage.wordpress.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">workshop</a> on disaster risk management at Flinders University. The participants, who work on Country as cultural heritage managers and rangers, hailed from as far afield as the Torres Strait Islands and Tasmania. Here, three of these Traditional Owners describe cultural heritage losses they’ve witnessed, or fear will occur in the near future. - Enid Tom, Kaurareg Elder and a director of Kaurareg Native Title Aboriginal Corporation: Coastal erosion and seawater inundation have long threatened the Torres Strait. But now efforts to deal with the problem have taken on new urgency. In February last year, king tides and a storm surge eroded parts of a beach on Muralug (or Prince of Wales) Island. Aboriginal custodians and archaeologists rushed to <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-05/ancestral-remains-uncovered-torres-strait-due-to-climate-change/101387964" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one site</a> where a female ancestor was buried. They excavated the skeletal remains and reburied them at a safe location. It was the first time such a site had been excavated at the island. Kaurareg Elders now worry coastal erosion will uncover and potentially destroy more burial sites. - Marcus Lacey, Senior Gumurr Marthakal Indigenous Ranger: The Marthakal Indigenous Protected Area covers remote islands and coastal mainland areas in the Northern Territory’s North Eastern Arnhem Land. It has an average elevation of just one metre above sea level, and is highly vulnerable to climate change-related hazards such as severe tropical cyclones and sea level rise. The area is the last remnant of the ancient <a href="https://users.monash.edu.au/~mcoller/SahulTime/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">land bridge</a> joining Australia with Southeast Asia. As such, it can provide valuable <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-42946-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">information</a> about the first colonisation of Australia by First Nations people. It is also an important place for understanding <a href="https://artreview.com/fragmented-histories-the-yolngu-macassan-exchange/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">contact history</a> between Aboriginal Australians and the Indonesian Maccassans, dating back <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/language/indonesian/en/article/deep-ties-between-indigenous-australians-and-indonesias-macassans-celebrated-through-song-and-dance/rg6x9g1l4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">some 400 years</a>. What’s more, the area provides insights into Australia’s colonial history, such as Indigenous rock art depicting the ships of British navigator Matthew Flinders. Sea level rise and king tides mean this valuable piece of Australia’s history is now being eroded. - Shawnee Gorringe, operations administrator at Mithaka Aboriginal Corporation: On Mithaka land, in remote Queensland, lie important Indigenous heritage sites such as <a href="https://anthropologymuseum.uq.edu.au/exhibitions/past-exhibitions/kirrenderri-heart-channel-country" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stone circles</a>, fireplaces and examples of traditional First Nations water management infrastructure. But repeated drought risks destroying these sites – a threat compounded by erosion from over-grazing. To help solve these issues, we desperately need Indigenous leadership and participation in decision-making at local, state and federal levels. This is the only way to achieve a sustainable future for environmental and heritage protection. Mithaka Aboriginal Corporation general manager Joshua Gorringe has been invited to the United Nations’ COP27 climate conference in Egypt in November. This is a step in the right direction. <h2>So what now?</h2> The loss of Indigenous heritage to climate change requires <a href="https://www.icomos.org/images/DOCUMENTS/Secretariat/2022/TSP/ADCOMSC_202110_2-1_Trienial_Scientific_Plan_EN.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">immediate action</a>. This should involve rigorous assessment of threatened sites, prioritising those most at risk, and taking steps to mitigate damage. This work should be undertaken not only by scientists, engineers and heritage workers, but first and foremost by the Indigenous communities themselves, using Traditional Knowledge. Last year’s COP26 global climate conference included a <a href="https://www.cultureatcop.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">climate heritage agenda</a>. This allowed global <a href="https://unfccc.int/news/cop26-strengthens-role-of-indigenous-experts-and-stewardship-of-nature" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indigenous voices</a> to be heard. But unfortunately, Indigenous heritage is often excluded from discussions about climate change. Addressing this requires doing away with the usual “top down” Western, neo-colonial approach which many Indigenous communities see as exclusive and ineffective. Instead, a “bottom up” approach should be adopted through inclusive and long-term initiatives such as <a href="https://aiatsis.gov.au/sites/default/files/research_pub/benefits-cfc_0_2.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Caring for Country</a>. This approach should draw on Indigenous knowledge – often passed down <a href="https://www.bloomsbury.com/au/edge-of-memory-9781472943262/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">orally</a> – of how to manage risk. This should be combined with Western climate science, as well as the expertise of governments and other organisations. Incorporating Indigenous knowledge into cultural heritage policies and procedures will not just improve heritage protection. It would empower Indigenous communities in the face of the growing climate emergency. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/from-crumbling-rock-art-to-exposed-ancestral-remains-climate-change-is-ravaging-our-precious-indigenous-heritage-188454" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Travel Trouble

Tragic update after “horrific” suitcase discovery

Content warning: Graphic content Human remains found in two suitcases by a New Zealand family late last week have been identified as belonging to two young children of primary school age, with police saying they may have been dead for years. The family made the shocking discovery after purchasing the suitcases at an auction, along with other items from an abandoned storage locker in South Auckland. Police were alerted to the discovery on Thursday, August 11, with neighbours telling local media of a “wicked smell” in the area at the time. Detective Inspector Tofilau Faamanuia Vaaelua said initial post-mortem examinations suggested the remains were those of two children between the ages of five and ten. “Early indications suggest these children may have been deceased for a number of years before being found last week,” he said during a press conference on Thursday. “We also believe the suitcases have been in storage for a number of years.” Detective Inspector Vaaelau went on to suggest that the childrens’ remains may have been stored for three to four years. He added that the family who purchased the items from the storage unit aren’t involved in the deaths and have asked for privacy. “They are understandably distressed by the discovery, and they have asked for privacy. We are ensuring there is support in place for them,” he said. Detective Inspector Vaaelau confirmed that New Zealand police have begun working with Interpol and making enquiries with overseas agencies as part of the investigation. “As part of the investigation we are looking at canvassing and collecting CCTV, but given the period of time ... it’s going to be a challenge in itself,” he said. “The investigation team are working very hard to hold accountable the person or persons responsible for the deaths of these children.” Police are combing through the remaining items from the storage locker to establish any links and identify the remains, with Detective Inspector Vaaelau adding that contacting the next of kin was the biggest priority. He declined to comment on the gender or state of the remains, or whether police believe the children are related over concerns it may compromise the investigation. “That information is very important to the investigation and I’m not prepared to comment on that,” he said. Though local media have suggested that the case may have links overseas, Detective Inspector Vaaelau remained tight-lipped, stressing that police could only say that the victims had relatives in New Zealand. “What I can say is we are making very good progress with DNA inquiries,” he said. “We want to reassure the community our investigation is continuing the establish the facts to ascertain the full circumstances around the death of these children. “This includes establishing when, where and how. The nature of this discovery provides some complexities to the investigation.” The horrific discovery has rocked the country and has had a particularly strong impact on the Manurewa community in South Auckland, which is home to strong Māori and Pacific populations. “I really feel for the family of these victims,” Detective Inspector Vaaelua said. “Right here, right now, there are relatives out there that aren’t aware that their loved ones have deceased, especially two young children. “As for the investigation team, there are a number of them that are parents. This is no easy investigation and no matter how long or how many years you serve and investigate horrific cases like this, it’s never any easy task. “I myself am a parent of young kids but we have a job to do.” Image: Newshub

Legal

Why veggie prices remain high

An Australian grower and head of the nation’s peak vegetable industry body has spoken out on the rising costs of food across the country. AUSVEG chair and vegetable grower Bill Bulmer told NCA NewsWire that consumers needed to get used to paying “that little bit more” in order to avoid the importation of frozen products “across the board”. “We don‘t want to get to the stage where our shelves are bare of fresh produce at certain times of the year and we’re relying on imported products,” he said. The Victorian farmer said skyrocketing production costs, world pressures and mother nature were all playing “a massive part” in the soaring prices for vegetables in the past four months. “People are going to have to realise there has to be an increase in the price of fruit and veg across the board.” he said. “We don‘t want people paying six or $8 for a lettuce but people might have to get used to paying three or $3.50 for lettuce.” Mr Bulmer said cost pressures on growers had been accumulating for “quite a few years”, with a lot of businesses just “hanging in there”. Mr Bulmer said consumers needed to “step back a little bit and go, ‘OK, why are we paying six to $10 a lettuce?’” He said educating the public on where their money was going would ensure transparency across the industry. Image: Getty

Food & Wine

How Australia’s gig workers may remain contractors under Labor’s reforms

Uber Australia’s historic <a href="https://www.twu.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Statement-of-Principles-28-June-2022.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">agreement</a> with the Transport Workers’ Union, on the need to regulate the gig economy, is the first step in fundamental reform of gig work. It suggests the direction the Albanese government will to take to deliver better conditions for gig workers. The “statement of principles” agreed to between Uber and the union supports “regulatory certainty for platforms” and “minimum benefits and standards for platform workers who aren’t engaged as employees”. It does not agree that gig workers should be classified as employees instead of independent contractors. The response of federal workplace relations minister Tony Burke to <a href="https://ministers.dese.gov.au/burke/important-step-rights-gig-workers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the agreement</a> suggests the government will take the same route – not changing the classification of gig workers but giving the federal industrial relations umpire, the Fair Work Commission, the power to set minimum standards for any workers in designated sectors. A precedent for this approach comes from <a href="https://www.ntc.gov.au/sites/default/files/assets/files/Safe-payments-report-October-2008.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New South Wales provisions</a> enabling regulation of payments to owner-drivers of trucks. Those provisions have been in place for more than 40 years, and have inspired the proposal <a href="https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/95479" target="_blank" rel="noopener">before the Queensland parliament</a> to regulate the work of independent courier drivers. <h2>Leaving gig workers as contractors</h2> There are good reasons to aim to regulate gig economy workers as contractors, rather than attempting to bring them under the umbrella of being employees. Yes, their relationship with platforms can look an awful lot like an employment relationship – hence the reason for <a href="https://theconversation.com/an-employee-not-a-contractor-unfair-dismissal-ruling-against-deliveroo-is-a-big-deal-for-australias-gig-workers-161173" target="_blank" rel="noopener">court cases</a> supported by the Transport Workers’ Union seeking to have gig workers deemed employees. As the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duck_test" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saying goes</a>, if it looks, swims and quacks like a duck, it probably is a duck. But the outcome of trying to define gig workers as employees has been mixed. Around the world these attempts have sometimes <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/feb/10/pimlico-loses-appeal-against-plumbers-worker-status-in-gig-economy-case" target="_blank" rel="noopener">succeeded</a>, <a href="https://btlaw.com/insights/blogs/currents/2018/philadelphia-u-s-district-court-determines-uber-drivers-are-independent-contractors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sometimes not</a>. <h2>Roadblocks to becoming employees</h2> Platform companies have worked against these attempts, leveraging the fact quite a number of gig workers like to imagine themselves as <a href="https://www.cipd.co.uk/Images/to-gig-or-not-to-gig_2017-stories-from-the-modern-economy_tcm18-18955.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">independent</a>, self-employed people, as well as customers’ preference for cheap services. The best (but not only) example is their success against California’s <a href="https://www.acslaw.org/expertforum/ab5-regulating-the-gig-economy-is-good-for-workers-and-democracy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AB5</a> law, passed in 2019, that tightened the rules for companies to hire workers as independent contractors. Uber and rival Lyft first <a href="https://calmatters.org/economy/2020/08/california-gig-work-ab5-prop-22/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">threatened to suspend operations</a> in California rather than comply with the law. They then teamed up with other platform companies such as DoorDash and spent a reported <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/nov/12/uber-prop-22-law-drivers-ab5-gig-workers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">US$200 million</a> in 2020 to secure and a win a “ballot proposal” (known as Proposition 22) <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/04/technology/california-uber-lyft-prop-22.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">exempting</a> app-based transportation and delivery companies from the new law. A Californian court has since found <a href="https://www.nelp.org/blog/prop-22-unconstitutional/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Proposition 22 unconstitutional</a>, but it remains in place pending an appeal. Even when a rule is devised to interpret the contracts that gig workers sign as employment contracts, gig companies could <a href="https://www.hcamag.com/au/specialisation/industrial-relations/uber-eats-announces-new-business-model-and-contracts-for-riders/245068" target="_blank" rel="noopener">amend their contracts</a> to get around that. But in the end, a company such as Uber will adhere, grudgingly, to most standards that are imposed on it — other than defining its workers as employees. Thus it has accepted <a href="https://www.uber.com/ca/en/drive/montreal/get-started/training-requirement/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">training requirements in Quebec</a> (after first <a href="https://www.thedrive.com/article/14652/uber-threatens-to-leave-quebec-over-new-driver-training-requirements" target="_blank" rel="noopener">threatening to quit</a> the Canadian province), <a href="https://www.masslive.com/politics/2016/08/gov_charlie_baker_signs_law_regulating_uber_and_lyft_in_massachusetts.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fare regulation in Massachusetts</a> and driver accreditation requirements in <a href="https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/newsroom-and-events/media-releases/transport-for-nsw-statement-regarding-ride-sharing-apps" target="_blank" rel="noopener">several</a> <a href="https://www.intellinews.com/uber-reaches-agreement-with-the-czech-government-138071/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">jurisdictions</a>. <h2>Regulating contractors as contractors</h2> Regulating gig work without redefining gig workers as employees is not just politically easier, and hence more sustainable. It is also more effective policy. It enables regulation to be <a href="https://research-repository.griffith.edu.au/bitstream/handle/10072/405187/Peetz498000-Accepted.pdf?sequence=2&isAllowed=y" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tailored to circumstances</a>. For example it may mean applying an hourly wage rate in one sector, and a piece rate of some sort in another. For example, a New York state inquiry into how to regulate passenger transport came up with an amount expressed like taxi charges – that is, dollars per kilometre travelled – drivers needed to be paid to earn the <a href="https://news.yahoo.com/judge-rules-lyft-must-york-rules-driver-minimum-010416081.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">equivalent of the state’s minimum wage</a> (taking into account waiting times, average speeds and so on). Different panels of the Fair Work Commission could determine different forms of gig economy regulation for different industries. Legislation does not need to specify how regulation should be expressed. It just needs to make sure that the Commission has all the power it needs, to regulate in whatever way it sees fit. <h2>Levelling the playing field</h2> The Transport Workers’ Union – which has a number of former officials in the Albanese government – has a long history of successfully promoting regulation of safety conditions for independent contractors (such as truck owner-drivers) without rebadging workers as employees. In the 1970s, for example, it persuaded the Wran government in NSW to introduce amendments to the NSW Industrial Relations Act that have made roads safer. The Albanese government does not need to legislate specific regulation. It just needs give the Fair Work Commission the power it needs to regulate in whatever way it sees fit, setting a minimum hourly rate or something else. The law must also direct the commission to set minimum standards in a way that ensures gig workers are paid as much as comparable award-covered employees, taking account of expenses. (Contractors often pay for costs that, if they were employees, would be covered by their employer.) This sort of direction is important to ensure neutrality between the costs of using employees or contractors. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-australias-gig-workers-may-remain-contractors-under-labors-reforms-186197" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Money & Banking

Djokovic allowed to play Wimbledon despite remaining unvaxxed

Novak Djokovic will be allowed to defend his title at Wimbledon despite not being vaccinated against COVID-19. All England Club chief executive Sally Bolton gave Djokovic the all clear on Tuesday, as vaccinations are not required to enter Britain. World No.1 Djokovic, missed the Australian Open in January after being deported because he was not vaccinated against Covid-19. During the annual spring briefing ahead of Wimbledon, which starts on June the 27th, Bolton said “whilst, of course, it is encouraged [that all players get vaccinated], it will not be a condition of entry to compete” this year. The 34-year-old, in addition to being unable to defend his championship at Melbourne Park after an 11-day legal saga over whether he could remain in Australia, had to sit out tournaments at Indian Wells and Miami because he couldn’t travel to the United States as a foreigner who is unvaccinated. The US Tennis Association has said it will follow whatever governmental rules are in place regarding COVID-19 vaccination status when the US Open is held starting in late August. Djokovic has said he got COVID-19 twice, once in 2020 and again in 2021. The tennis legend is tied at 20 with Roger Federer for the second-most grand slams for a man. They trail Rafael Nadal, who won his 21st at the Australian Open. After what happened in Australia, Djokovic said he would be willing to sit out other grand slam tournaments if getting vaccinated was a requirement to compete. Image: Getty

News

Remains of Australia’s oldest people to be reburied

The 42,000-year-old remains of 108 Indigenous Australians, including Mungo Man and Mungo Lady, will be reburied in the Willandra Lakes Region of New South Wales. The federal environment minister, Sussan Ley, announced that the government had approved the reburial while visiting Mungo national park, within the world heritage-listed region about 750 km west of Sydney. “Forty-two thousand years ago Aboriginal people were living - and thriving - on the edge of what was then a rich lakeside. In the last four decades their remains have been removed, analysed, stored, and extensively investigated in the interests of western science,” Ms Ley said. “I have determined that the remains can be reburied in the Willandra Lakes region in accordance with the wishes, rights and interests of the local Aboriginal community, represented by the Willandra Lakes Region Aboriginal Advisory Group (AAG).” The ancient remains will be reburied in 26 anonymous locations in national parks over the coming months, as reported by the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-61006118" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BBC</a>. The remains of Mungo Man, discovered in 1968, and Mungo Lady, whose burned remains were found in 1974, are among the earliest modern humans found in the world and are the oldest remains found in Australia. Mungo Lady, who was burned before her burial, is the oldest known example of human cremation. Her remains were returned to Lake Mungo in 1992. Meanwhile, Mungo Man’s remains were kept by the Australian National University, then the National Museum of Australia, until his remains were repatriated in 2017. The decision to rebury the remains comes after four years of deliberations, including a formal assessment under national environment law. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CcABTzGOLXB/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CcABTzGOLXB/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Sussan Ley (@sussanleymp)</a> </div> </blockquote> However, some Indigenous groups claim they weren’t consulted in the process. Michael Young, who was involved in the return of Mungo Man’s remains to country, told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/apr/06/mungo-man-and-mungo-lady-to-be-reburied-in-willandra-world-heritage-area-after-federal-decision" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Guardian Australia</a> that the Barkindji people, who hold native title claim for 80 percent of the land where the reburial will be, weren’t consulted before the decision was made. “We have not even been included in the process,” Mr Young, a Barkindji man and former member of the Wilbarra AAG, told the publication. “This is the arrogance of both the federal and the state government. “We feel really traumatised by this. “We have always canvassed the idea of a keeping place … to hold it over for the future generations.” Ms Ley has denied the claims, noting that the AAG included representation of the Barkindji people, which also includes representatives from the Mutthi Mutthi and Ngiyampaa groups. “Everyone was listened to, everyone was heard,” she said. Image: Getty Images

Caring

Identity of human remains confirmed

The human remains that were discovered in Victoria’s High Country last November are confirmed to be those of missing campers Russell Hill and Carol Clay.Victoria Police confirmed forensic testing on the human remains found near Dargo had been completed."The Coroner has advised Victoria Police that the remains are that of Russell Hill and Carol Clay," a police statement read."As the matter is before the court, we will not be providing any further comment."Mr Hill, 74, and Ms Clay, 73, disappeared while camping in the Wonnangatta Valley on March 20, 2020. Police uncovered human remains while searching for the pair in bushland north of Dargo, nearly 400kms east of Melbourne.Locals helped bring a large excavator and a bobcat to the remote search site.The area where the human remains were found is an old gold-mining area known as the Grant Historic Area.Pilot Greg Lynn has been charged with two counts of murder over the pair's death and will face court in May this year.Image: Victoria Police

News

Another country makes it a crime to remain unvaccinated against COVID-19

Image: Getty Austria has officially made vaccinations mandatory for its adult population. The controversial law was passed in the country’s parliament last month. It takes effect from next month, after which anyone who refuses to be vaccinated faces a criminal record and a fine of up to 3,600 euros (about A$5,500). The only exceptions are pregnant women and those who have a medical exemption. The country joins Ecuador, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Indonesia and Micronesia in making it a crime not to have a Covid-19 vaccination. <h2>A ‘parliamentary democracy’</h2> To date, there have been about 14,000 Covid-related deaths and 1.5 million cases in the country which has a total population of about 9 million. Austria describes itself a parliamentary democracy, and on the Government’s website this is defined as meaning: “…That everyone should be able to voice their opinion and defend their interests in a spirit of mutual respect. In Parliament this is done by the different parties, the rules governing legislation and parliamentary control. If decisions were only left to the majority, democracy would be in danger of being reduced to voting. In this case only those who know how to win a majority for themselves would be able to safeguard their interests.” But there are thousands of Austrians who oppose the new laws and who have been taking to the streets in protest. The Government has also introduced a lottery to ‘incentivise’ anyone wavering in their decision making or lagging in their efforts to be vaccinated against Covid-19. The prizes are vouchers worth 500 euro (about $750) to spend on recreational activities such as sporting events, restaurants, hotels, and shopping. <h2>Paving the way to totalitarianism</h2> About 72% of Austria’s population is already vaccinated. The country is in the middle of an outbreak (as are most countries right now, including those with high vaccination rates), recording its highest ever case numbers last week. Those who have still not had the jab and are opposed to mandatory vaccinations have expressed concerns that laws are not democratic and ignore ‘basic fundamental rights’. Others have expressed concerns about any potential long-term effect of vaccines which have not yet been fully researched and documented. The laws are the toughest yet in Europe. <h2>Apathy and the ‘boiling frog’ </h2> The world looked on in astonishment when France introduced draconian vaccination mandates last year, refusing entry to shops and cafes, cinemas, restaurants, sports arenas and other venues for people who aren’t vaccinated, threatening those who broke the rules with fines of $10,000 eros and a prison term. The streets erupted in violent protest, yet the laws passed. Businesses have been suffering as a result. Many Australians too, have been guilty of looking at the experience of other countries and thinking, “that won’t happen here,” and yet it has, in various forms. We’ve had lockdowns and lockouts, ‘no jab, no job’ mandates, inter-state border closures, travel restrictions, curfews and very heavy-handed law enforcement. The economy has been decimated. Mental health problems are on the rise. There has, and continues to be, much condemnation of anyone who has protested against mandated health policies, or Government ‘coercion’, strict laws and extensive government powers in the past 18 months. There is deep social division and a lot of criticism hurled at those people who choose not to be vaccinated, with a narrative that continually perpetuates “anti-vaxxers” as “covid-deniers” which isn’t necessarily always the case, but which does provide a convenient way to shrug off any in-depth consideration for the over-reach of some of these ‘pandemic management’ tactics and the resulting slow erosion of human rights. <h2>Health or Government control? </h2> It’s incredulous to believe that democratic governments around the world, including our own, are taking such an authoritarian stance, particularly with regard to vaccines, and are by comparison, putting much less emphasis on or investment in treatments and cures for Covid-19. At some point, when the basic tenets of democracy are so seriously threatened, the question has to be asked whether or not the introduction of these laws is founded on a desire to swiftly and effectively manage a health crisis, or if they are about increasing Government power and control, under the guise of “for the greater good.” This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/another-country-makes-it-a-crime-not-to-have-a-covid-19-vaccine/">Sydney Criminal Lawyers</a>.

Legal

Chilling theory over how Brian Laundrie's remains were found

Brian Laundrie's family lawyer has been forced to debunk rumours that Brian's parents, Chris and Roberta, planted his possessions in Carlton Reserve before they were found by police. Steven Bertolino gave his first interview after human remains, a backpack and notebook were discovered in the manhunt for Brian, who has been named a "person of interest" in the homicide of his 22-year-old girlfriend Gabby Petito. Gabby's body was found in a campground in Wyoming on September 19th, as her "manner of death" was deemed as homicide by strangulation by local county coroner in the following weeks. In the weeks following her death, an active search for her fiancé Brian Laundrie continued in the dense reserve in Florida, which turned up the "partial remains" and personal items, all likely belonging to the 23-year-old. Mr Bertolini announced that Brian's father Chris had found the items, after only being inside the nature reserve for less than 30 minutes. “That area was under water and you can certainly understand why you may not have been able to locate it until today,” Mr Bertolino told <a rel="noopener" href="https://twitter.com/CuomoPrimeTime/status/1450996081563680768?s=20" target="_blank">CNN</a>. “If water had cleared two weeks ago perhaps they (police) could have circled back to search again. Perhaps they meant to … but never got back to this part because it is so near to the entrance." “Chris and Roberta went to this area first … and they stumbled upon these items.” CNN host Chris Cuomo questioned the family lawyer, asking if it was unusual that Brian's parents happened upon the key evidence in such a short amount of time, despite dogs and search personnel combing the area previously. “Some people don’t believe how the events laid out today … but Chris and Roberta walked into the preserve, and they were followed closely by two law personnel,” Mr Bertolino explained, calling any allegation that Chris had “planted” the bag that he found as “hogwash”. “And when I say close … I mean within eyeshot. As they went further in, Chris went off the trail and into the woods. He was zigzagging in different areas … law enforcement was doing the same thing." “Roberta Laundrie was walking down the trail … and at some point Chris locates what is called a ‘dry bag’. The dry bag is a white bag laying in the woods 20 feet or so off the trail. “According to Chris, it (the bag) was in some bramble.” Chris picked up the bag and took it to law enforcement on the search team, as they examined its contents. “At that point, law enforcement showed him (Chris) a picture on the phone of a backpack that law enforcement had located also nearby,” Mr Bertolino explained. “At that point the Laundrie’s were notified that there was also remains near the backpack … and they were asked to leave the preserve.” Mr Bertolini said his clients were "heartbroken" after hearing that Brian's remains had been discovered. The official announcement came from FBI Tampa, as they said they will continue their investigation in the mysterious set of events. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UPDATE?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UPDATE</a>: On October 21, 2021, a comparison of dental records confirmed that the human remains found at the T. Mabry Carlton, Jr. Memorial Reserve and Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park are those of Brian Laundrie. <a href="https://twitter.com/FBITampa?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FBITampa</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZnzbXiibTM">pic.twitter.com/ZnzbXiibTM</a> — FBI Denver (@FBIDenver) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBIDenver/status/1451302161690898435?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 21, 2021</a></blockquote> <div class="description g_font-long-format"></div> “It’s quite sad … you can imagine as a parent finding out your son’s belongings alongside remains … that has got to be heartbreaking,” Mr Bertolini said. “I can tell you they are heartbroken.” FBI officials said they will have personnel on site during the upcoming days to comb for further evidence, as an autopsy will be carried out to determine Brian's cause of death. Image credits: Instagram @gabspetito

Legal

The sneaky way anti-vaxx groups are remaining undetected on Facebook

Anti-vaccination groups on Facebook are relying on an interesting tactic to avoid detection from those who don’t share their beliefs. The groups are changing their names to euphemisms like ‘dance party’ or ‘dinner party’ to skirt rules put in place by the social media giant. Harsher bans were put in place by Facebook to crack down on dangerous misinformation about COVID-19 and subsequent vaccines. The groups are largely private and difficult to find on the social networking site, but still retain a large user base and have learned how to swap out detectable language to remain unseen. One major ‘dance party’ group has over 40,000 followers and has stopped allowing new users to join due to public backlash. The backup group for ‘Dance Party’, known as ‘Dinner Party’ and created by the same moderators, has more than 20,000 followers. Other anti-vaxx influencers on Instagram have adopted similar tactics, such as referring to vaccinated people as ‘swimmers’ and the act of vaccination as joining a ‘swim club’. These devious tactics have been recognised by governments internationally, as there is mounting pressure for officials to increase pressure on the social media platforms to do more to contain vaccine misinformation. An administrator for the ‘Dance Party’ wrote that beating Facebook’s moderating system “feels like a badge of honour”, as they urged users to stay away from ‘unapproved words’. Using code words and euphemisms is not new among the anti-vaxx community, as it borrows from a playbook used by extremists on Facebook and other social networking sites for many years. Image credit: Shutterstock

Technology

Shock discovery near Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s California home

Human remains have reportedly been discovered near Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Montecito mansion in California. Landscapers working at another estate just down the road from the couple’s home allege they found human bones, <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/15133106/human-remains-found-yards-harry-meghans-mansion/">The Sun reports</a>. According to the publication, the small adult bones are centuries-old and believed to have belonged to a Native American. Workers were reportedly landscaping a property on Riven Rock Road in Montecito. Though the exact address is unconfirmed, it is about 320m away from the royal couple’s house. The Sun also reported that the skeleton is incomplete and was found 60cm to 90cm deep into the soil. They alleged the bones could have belonged to a member of the Chumash tribe, who are believed to have lived in the area from approximately 700 A.D. The exact age of the remains are yet to be determined by a forensic anthropologist. If the remains were found to not be old, a spokeswoman for the local police said an investigation will be conducted.

Legal

"Cannibal" accused of killing mum and eating remains for TWO WEEKS

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT Alberto Sanchez Gomez, 26, is accused of strangling his mother, chopping up her body and putting it into lunchboxes, which he allegedly stored in the fridge and ate over the course of two weeks. Gomez had frequently been violent towards his 66-year-old mother Maria, who had taken out a restraining order on him but would frequently accept him into her home whenever he called. Gomez allegedly murdered his mother in Madrid on February 21st, 2019 after family friends alerted police about not seeing Maria in several days. Police officers were greeted by Gomez, who admitted he strangled his mother, but police were not prepared for what was inside. Inside the house, officers reported Maria's limbs were wrapped in plastic and left in various rooms in the house. The stench was so bad that many officers were violently sick as well as being in shock at the violent scene. Other parts of Maria's body were in the fridge as well as the oven. Gomez later admitted that he spent 15 days eating his mother's remains and fed the parts he didn't want to his dog. Maria had tried in vain to get her son the help he needed as he was admitted to psychiatric care three times. Gomez would routinely physically attack his mother, and she was terrified of him. Despite her friend's concerns, Maria would let her son back into her life after being served the restraining order, saying "What am I going to do? After all, he is still my son." The court currently believes that Gomez is suffering from a mental illness and was at the time consuming hard drugs. Gomez is currently on suicide watch in prison due to his fragile mental state and the police officers who were at the scene of the crime will be testifying on Tuesday in Madrid's provincial court. Photo credits: Newsflash

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