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New details shed light on Rebel Wilson's allegations against actor

New details have emerged of Rebel Wilson's allegations against Sacha Baron-Cohen, with the Aussie actress claiming he acted inappropriately towards her while filming a movie in 2014. In the days after Rebel took to Instagram to expose Baron-Cohen for allegedly "<a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/rebel-wilson-exposes-a-lister-who-threatened-her-over-book-release" target="_blank" rel="noopener">threatening</a>" her about the publishing of her tell-all memoir, excerpts of Rebel Rising have been published to further detail when the actors worked together on the film Grimsby. The pair both starred in the comedy film 10 years ago, with Rebel detailing in her book how the Hollywood actor, known for his controversial roles as Borat and Ali G, acted inappropriately towards her on set. Once filming began for the movie, Wilson claims that Cohen (SBC) would keep requesting her to go “naked” in a scene, according excerpts of the book obtained by <a href="https://people.com/rebel-wilson-details-allegations-about-sacha-baron-cohen-he-calls-false-exclusive-8620597" target="_blank" rel="noopener">People</a> magazine. She wrote, “It felt like every time I’d speak to SBC, he’d mention that he wanted me to go naked in a future scene. I was like, ‘Ha, I don’t do nudity, Sacha.’ ” Wilson alleges that Baron-Cohen's behaviour and strange requests only intensified throughout the shoot, coming to a head while they were filming a scene in Cape Town at a soccer stadium. “SBC summons me via a production assistant saying that I’m needed to film an additional scene. ‘Okay, well, we’re gonna film this extra scene,’ SBC says. Then he pulls his pants down … SBC says very matter-of-factly: ‘Okay, now I want you to stick your finger up my a**.’ And I’m like, ‘What?? … No!'” Wilson then continues to allege in the book, “I was now scared. I wanted to get out of there, so I finally compromised: I slapped him on the ass and improvised a few lines as the character.” Sacha Baron-Cohen released a statement via his representatives saying the claims are "demonstrably false", denying the pair had any tension while working together. “While we appreciate the importance of speaking out, these demonstrably false claims are directly contradicted by extensive detailed evidence, including contemporaneous documents, film footage and eyewitness accounts from those present before, during and after the production of The Brothers Grimsby,” a statement from Cohen’s team said in response to Wilson’s allegations. On Tuesday, Rebel took to Instagram to say she was being "threatened" by Baron-Cohen over the release of such information in her book, which is set for release on April 2nd. Rebel named and shamed the actor, writing, “I will not be bullied or silenced with high priced lawyer or PR crisis managers. The ‘a**hole’ that I am talking about in ONE CHAPTER of my book is Sacha Baron Cohen.” "Now the a**hole is trying to threaten me. He’s trying to stop press coming out about my new book. But the book WILL come out and you will all know the truth.” Image credits: Getty Images

Legal

Experts shed new light on Samantha Murphy case

A panel of experts have shed new light on the case of missing mum Samantha Murphy. The mother-of-three went missing on February 4 after going for her usual morning run in a local park in Ballarat. Despite major search efforts from the missing persons squad, specialists and the local Ballarat community, she has still not been found, and now a panel of experts have gathered to discuss the possibilities of what could've happened to Murphy. Former Victorian detective Damian Marrett, criminal psychologist Dr Peter Ashkar, missing persons specialist Valentine Smith and cyber expert Nigel Phair discussed a number of different scenarios in Channel Nine's show Under Investigation on Wednesday night. “The idea that Samantha has actually wilfully left the family is just unfathomable and just implausible to me,” Dr Ashkar said. Presenter Liz Hayes, who spoke to mine shaft explorer Raymond Shaw said that there's a possibility Murphy's body has been buried in one of the abandoned mine shafts around Ballarat. “I think there could be anywhere between 4000 and 5000 gold mines just underneath the town," Shaw told Hayes. The panel agreed that the most likely scenario was that Murphy’s body had been dumped in a mineshaft after meeting with foul play, as they believe that there was "no way" Murphy fell down a mineshaft by accident, as the locals all know how to navigate the terrain. “They could be a great place to conceal a body or a crime after the fact … and you’d probably never find it,” Marrett said. Dr Ashkar added that the absence of any trace of Murphy could point to her having been attacked by a “psychopathic predator … who would know that area, like the back of their hand”. The panel also considered a potential new clue, the possible sighting of a damaged vehicle, which was alluded to in a <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/major-development-in-search-for-samantha-murphy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">police statement </a>requesting for new information about the case. The experts said that if there was a damaged car in the area, it could mean that Murphy was kidnapped at the 7km point of her run and could still be alive. “I would still like to believe the very real possibility that it’s a kidnapping and she’s still alive,” Dr Ashkar said. “That’s my hope. But I absolutely feel that whoever has taken her and abducted, they are very systematic and organised and knew very well what they were doing.” Marrett added that the police’s interest in the damaged car was significant. “They didn’t just say a car, they said a damaged car, it’s so specific,” he said. “So was that damage caused with this incident or was that damage because someone saw a damaged car leave?” Image: Nine / Facebook

Legal

“He gave his life to protect his siblings”: Tragic end for third child in shed fire

In a heart-wrenching turn of events, the devastating shed fire that took place in Geelong, Victoria, on the weekend has claimed the life of a brave young hero. Isaac, the four-year-old boy who had been fighting for his life after the fire that tragically claimed the lives of two of his siblings, Ashlynn, aged 18 months, and Saige, just three years old, has succumbed to his injuries. The incident took place on a quiet Sunday morning in Corio, leaving the local community in shock and mourning. The children had been inside a shed on their family's property when the fire erupted, turning a normal day into an unimaginable nightmare. Despite the heroic efforts of Isaac, who valiantly shielded his younger siblings from the flames, the consequences were too grave for him to overcome. The fire rapidly consumed the shed, taking the lives of Ashlynn and Saige before they could be rescued. Isaac's father, Kane McGregor, described the extent of his son's injuries, with third-degree burns covering a staggering 82 percent of his young body. As if this wasn't enough, Isaac began showing signs of kidney and liver failure, all stemming from his courageous act to protect his siblings during the harrowing incident. “[Jasmine, their mother] said once she finally got the couch moved and grabbed Mavis first, Isaac had the other two huddled under him so they didn’t burn,” McGregor said. “What four-year-old huddles over their two little siblings? I couldn’t be any prouder of him.” Tragically, despite the valiant efforts of medical professionals, young Isaac couldn't overcome the devastating injuries he sustained. The loss of this young hero has left a deep void in the hearts of those who followed his courageous story. A <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/in-memory-of-Issac-saige-and-ashlynn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe page</a>, originally organised to raise funds for the children's medical expenses and support, posted an update following Isaac's death. It read, "Issac sadly grew his wings and reunited with his baby brother and sister. He will always be remembered as the heroic young boy who gave his life trying to protect his siblings." Mavis, Isaac's six-year-old sister, was the sole survivor among the siblings, though she, too, suffered severe injuries, with third-degree burns covering 30 percent of her body. She is currently in critical condition and is set to undergo surgery to address her injuries. Despite the physical and emotional trauma that Mavis has endured, there is hope that she will recover and heal in due course. The circumstances surrounding the fire remain unclear, and an investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the tragedy. A couch inside the shed, initially used as a dog bed, became the source of the fire that swiftly engulfed the structure. The local authorities are diligently preparing a report for the Coroner to gain a deeper understanding of the events leading up to this devastating incident. Image: GoFundMe

Caring

Julia Morris sheds light on I’m A Celeb co-host casting

Julia Morris has shared some insight into the casting for her new I’m A Celebrity co-host following the departure of her long-time on-screen partner Dr Chris Brown. Speaking to Yahoo Lifestyle, the TV presenter said that casting was currently underway and after almost a decade, the reality show would now be going in a “completely different way”. “I’m going to have to leave everything of the past behind,” she told the publication, explaining that she would soon do “chemistry” tests with six potential candidates. “Whoever comes in is going to want to build that together. So there’s plenty of space for that person, we’re just looking forward to finding out who that’s going to be.” Morris, 55, also highlighted the pressure that was on her and the successful candidate. “Whoever that person is going to have a huge effect on whether I’m working over the next few years, so I want it to work,” she added. Brown’s departure from Ten after 15 years was <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/the-doctor-is-out-chris-brown-changes-the-script" target="_blank" rel="noopener">revealed</a> in early 2023, with news he had been poached by rival network Seven. Morris has <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/dr-chris-brown-and-julia-morris-open-up-on-final-show-together" target="_blank" rel="noopener">previously confessed</a> her devastation about her co-host’s departure, with Dr Chris Brown adding that it was challenging saying goodbye to the show he “loves so much”. Brown had initially joined Ten in 2008 to host Bondi Vet, based on his real-life training as a vet in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, which became an unexpected major success and has since been syndicated in multiple countries. He later made appearances as a panellist on The Project and co-hosted I’m A Celeb alongside Morris for nearly a decade. Brown was also one of the hosts of lifestyle program The Living Room which is currently on hiatus. His role at Seven — set to begin in July 2023 — is yet to be officially announced, however, there is speculation he will be hosting the brand-new renovation program, Dream Home. Image credit: Getty

Karl Stefanovic sheds light on daughter’s health battle

Karl Stefanovic has shared more details on his daughter Harper’s ongoing health battle, after she was hospitalised again last Thursday. The incident occurred almost a year after her last <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/karl-stefanovic-s-daughter-rushed-to-hospital" target="_blank" rel="noopener">health scare</a>, when she was rushed to hospital due to breathing difficulties, and was later on diagnosed with a respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). "There's something going around in daycare and she picked up something else," Stefanovic said. "She had to go to hospital on Thursday night, it was something else entirely, but it's all similar and it just freaks you out as a parent.” The Today Show host has shared a warning for all parents and opened up on the lingering effects of RSV. “Almost a year ago, my daughter Harper scared the living daylights out of us. Struggling to breathe, we rushed her to GP. Then to hospital. There, we discovered the scary combination of letters we never heard of before, RSV. It’s a respiratory infection,” he said on the Today Show. “She was in a lot of pain. Luckily, she’s able to make a full recovery. In the last 12 months more than 27,000 Aussie children have suffered from RSV. It happened to us and it could happen to any parent,” he added, while discussing RSV with Dr Matthew O’Meara, the chief paediatrician at Sydney Children’s Hospital. Stefanovic revealed that the hardest part was watching his daughter’s health rapidly decline, from something that he thought was just “a normal cold and flu”. “The one hard thing for us was how quickly Harper went downhill,” he recalled. “It felt like a normal cold and flu. She went downhill. The breathing became laboured and it got worse in a very quick amount of time.” Both Stefanovic, and his wife Jasmine are committed to raising awareness on RSV. Jasmine has shared her own recollection of the terrifying incident. “The first time Karl and I heard the letters RSV was when Harper was in hospital struggling to breathe,” Jasmine said. “Initially, Harper had the sniffles and a cough, and we assumed she just had a bit of a cold. “But within hours, she deteriorated; it was alarming to see how hard she was working to breathe, with her little ribs sucking in and tummy pulling up into her chest.” Although Harper is on the mend, the couple shared that she still has a “lingering wheeze”. Dr Matthew O’Meara has shared that these viruses are common this time of year and the child will have the same symptoms as a common cold. However, if it does get worse, these are the things to watch out for: "It will make them cough or wheeze and find it hard to breathe or young babies will find it hard to feed," he said. "While we can prevent these with strategies like not sending your kids out when they're sick, washing your hands, washing toys, most of it is managing that illness while your child has already got it. "If they start to have breathing problems, pull their t-shirt up, look at their chest and see how quickly they're breathing and how much effort they're putting in. "If you are concerned see your GP or call Health Direct and if it's really bad you should go to hospital." Images: Nine News

Caring

Never-before-seen CCTV sheds new light into Bruce Lehrmann rape allegations

Bruce Lehrmann, the man who was accused of sexually assaulting former political staffer Brittany Higgins in Parliament House, has shared his take in his first television interview with 7News Spotlight. The rape charge against Lehrmann - which was eventually dropped - could be traced back to March 2019, when both Lehrmann and Higgins were working for Linda Reyonlds, a former defence minister. In the time since, Lehrmann has repeatedly denied the accusations, and continued to do so while speaking to Spotlight’s Liam Bartlett. According to Lehrmann, he was with Higgins and fellow Defence staff members for drinks on the night of the alleged rape, with Lehrmann suggesting that they should move their festivities to a different venue - a nearby club. Their night out continued into the small hours of the next day, and Lehrmann noted that he had suggested sharing a ride home with Higgins, as they both apparently lived in the same direction from the party. As he told Bartlett, he had to grab his keys - as well as file some notes - from the office en route, with the two arriving at Parliament House at around 2am. Lehrmann didn't have his pass, claiming that he “probably just forgot it” as he “wasn’t expecting it to be a big night.” And as he informed Bartlett, he remembered Higgins telling him that she needed to visit the office too, and claimed that he didn’t know why. However, over the course of the rape trial, Lehrmann offered three different reasons as to why he’d had to visit Parliament House. The police were told that he needed his apartment keys, but Parliament House security were told that he had been asked to pick up some documents, and Reynolds’ then-chief of staff Fiona Brown was told that the two had gone into the office to share whiskey. While that detail is unclear, the episode featured never-before-seen CCTV footage of Lehrmann and Higgins that confirmed the two had been together at both bar and Parliament House. First, the two could be seen at Canberra’s The Dock bar with their colleagues. And then, at 1:47am, they were recorded entering Reynold’s office, before Lehrmann was spotted leaving Parliament House at 2:30am. Lehrmann claimed that once they were let into the office, he and Higgins didn’t exchange any words, and instead parted ways. According to Lehrmann, that was the last he saw of her. He told Bartlett that he hadn’t let Higgins know he was leaving, only for Bartlett to ask why they hadn’t gotten a ride home together. “She didn’t tell me she needed to go home,” Lehrmann said. “She told me she also had to go to parliament.” Bartlett questioned it further, wondering why Lehrmann hadn’t checked in on Higgins, but Lehrmann maintained that his mind “was focussed on getting my keys, noting down what I needed to note down.” And when asked about Higgins being found naked in Reynold’s office, Lehrmann continued to deny the allegations, instead offering that he couldn’t “talk to her because I never saw her again. That was news to me, with the rest of the country.” As Bartlett then pointed out, “you can then see the contradiction in this. She’s naked on a couch, but here you are acting like a Buddhist monk, making post-it note stickers for a minister.” Images: 7NEWS Spotlight / Seven

How one brave mum is shedding light on postnatal depression through the healing power of music

Warning: This article contains sensitive content which some readers may find distressing. It’s no secret that having a baby changes your life in every way. From sleepless nights and feeding routines, to nappy changes and seemingly endless crying, starting a family is, put simply, a life-altering experience. And while the early days of having a newborn can bring love and chaos in equal parts, for some, the days, weeks and months after giving birth can welcome a whole new set of challenges. While most parents are privy to the “baby blues” and a rough day here and there, those struggling with postnatal depression can often be overlooked. Postnatal depression is common, with one in five mums, and one in 10 dads, experiencing postnatal depression symptoms after their baby is born. For Lija (pronounced Le-ah), postnatal depression completely changed her life. Lija, a music teacher from the Central Coast of New South Wales, welcomed her first child, a beautiful daughter named Harper, into the world at the end of 2017. When Lija discovered she was going to become a mum, she was overcome with fear. Lija spoke exclusively with OverSixty about her journey with postnatal depression, and how her feelings of anxiety began as soon as she fell pregnant. “There was this lie in my head that I could not give birth… That I would die. You feel like you can’t make a way through it and you’re predicting all these complications. [Lija’s friends’ traumatic birth experience] confirmed all these feelings and i just thought ‘Maybe you die from this’.” As soon as Lija and her husband began to celebrate the news of their growing family, she quickly began to “spiral” into self-doubt and depressive episodes. “When I found out I was pregnant, it was a spiral. I didn’t think I was good enough, I was crying so much… I didn’t feel like I could tell anyone because I was so gripped in fear.” “It took me about seven months to accept that I was having a kid.” Over the course of her pregnancy, Lija’s mental health continued to plummet with her feelings of fear and self-doubt, which led her down an even darker path. “The worst part was I was suicidal. There were moments where I wanted to end my life because I just felt like my time was up.” These feelings of helplessness led Lija to reach out to a counsellor, who helped manage her mental health symptoms for the rest of her pregnancy and introduced her to hypnobirthing. Her sessions with a hypnobirthing specialist gave Lija the boost she needed to be in tune with her body, and get her through to Harper’s birth with a sense of confidence. “If I’ve grown a baby, I can give birth to a baby. It was all just focus.” When Harper was born, Lija remembers healthcare professionals warning her husband that her mental health could decline, but she was never spoken to directly. “Apparently nurses were talking to my husband after the birth saying ‘She’s going to be prone to postnatal depression, you need to watch her’, but no one told me I was going to be so lonely.” “I was so focused on the birth going well that I hadn’t thought about what happens after, and I didn’t know what postnatal depression was.” When Lija and her husband brought baby Harper home, as they encountered perfectly common issues around sleep and breastfeeding, Lija thought she had failed as a first-time mum. “I felt like I failed as a mum because I couldn't give Harper everything she needed. And that started all these terrible thoughts and I just started to mentally spiral down again. But I didn’t know for about six months that I had postnatal depression.” During the first few months of Harper’s life, Lija began to find simple day-to-day tasks very difficult. “My poor husband… I was a psycho. It began when I said no one was allowed to come over because I was constantly in my pyjamas and I felt ashamed that my house wasn’t clean.” Lija shared that as she began to settle into the reality of being a mum, Harper’s needs always came first. “I was just in such a routine. I needed to have my baby follow a good structure, which meant my mental health took a backseat. So I just kept spiralling and spiralling.” As Lija tried to better herself, she quickly found out that comparing yourself to other new parents is a slippery slope that welcomes thoughts of self-doubt. “I tried to go to a mum’s club and they all seemed so perfect. I feel like they weren’t real. It was like Instagram mums. So to try and look good, I was spending all this money to try and keep up appearances.” As Lija’s mental health continued to suffer, she said it wasn’t until a difficult conversation with her husband that she realised she needed professional help. “I wasn’t being the normal me. There was no joy, there was no laughter, and I felt like I failed as a mother and as a wife. So my husband said ‘I’ve booked you in for a therapy session’, and that was the start of it.” “I wanted to be better for Harper. I wanted to be a good mum for her. So I had to start working on myself.” Now, five years on, Lija is reflecting on her experience with postnatal depression in the best way she knows how: through her music. Lija’s debut single Save Me details her journey of becoming a mum and bettering herself, while painting an honest portrait of the first months of motherhood. <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tmHTlybb-rM" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> After being a musician for most of her life, Lija’s passion took a backseat when she became a mother. “I started to miss my music, because I've done music my whole life. It was so hard to walk past my studio and see the guitar going to waste. I started to miss the other half of me as a musician.” After working on Save Me for several years, Lija believes it is the right time to put her story out there in order to help and inspire other parents struggling with postnatal depression. “It’s okay to be vulnerable. Be real, because you can help others with your honesty.” “It’s also important to remember that babies aren’t going to remember the best outfits they were in, or if they had the best pram. They're going to remember if they were loved or not.” Lija has long been a champion of music and its healing power, which became a saviour in her darkest times through her postnatal depression journey. “I went back to teaching music three months after having Harper. I worked one day a week and these kids and teenagers that were singing to me were actually healing me with their music and their talent.” “Music is something I have always turned to. It has always spoken to me, and I thought if I write a song about my journey, that could heal me too. I thought ‘It’s time to kick fear in the butt and write about life’.” Musical talent is something that runs in the family, with Harper’s singing talents already at “the next level”. “I swear she came out singing! Her ability to hear pitch is insane. In lockdown, she would be singing scales while I was teaching music classes over Zoom. She is just so joyous, and she is like my healing.” Lija’s debut single Save Me is out on now. Don't go it alone. Please reach out for help. Lifeline: 13 11 14 or <a href="http://lifeline.org.au/">lifeline.org.au</a> Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 or <a href="http://beyondblue.org.au/">beyondblue.org.au</a> Headspace: 1800 650 890 or <a href="http://headspace.org.au/">headspace.org.au</a> PANDA (Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia): 1300 726 306 or <a href="https://panda.org.au/">panda.org.au</a> Image credits: Instagram

Music

Desperate measures: Shed advertised as three-bedroom rental

As Australia’s housing crisis continues, prospective tenants have been left desperately searching for accommodation. Some homeowners have taken the chance to exploit the anguish of renters by listing their own version of “budget” accommodation to make a few bucks on the side. The latest makeshift housing solution comes from a landlord in Melbourne who has listed their garden shed a three-bedroom rental. The homeowner claims the shed boasts enough room for three bedrooms and a bathroom, while photos of the “property” show a singular room, adorned with astroturf. The listing, which is believed to have been shared on Facebook, was priced at $350 per month, with pictures showing one open-plan "room" with a large mattress shoved in one corner of the shed along with what appears to be a desk. The walls have no form of insulation and pieces of wood can be seen balancing in the rafters overhead. The Facebook listing was seen by an outraged man, who reposted the ad to a group which warns prospective renters about subpar rental properties. He said he was left "speechless" by the advertisement, which he described as "sweatshop style accommodation". "These sheds will be a sauna in summer, freezing in winter and attract all sorts of vermin. People will get severely sick. This should never, ever be an acceptable substitute for housing," he wrote. "I feel like this has to be someone actually genuinely joking?" one person said. "Disgusting, the nerve this person has," another raged. The listing comes amid unprecedented pressure on the Australian rental market, with record-low vacancy rates pushing prices sky-high. Tenants have little choice but to pay up, with the national vacancy rate at just 0.9 per cent. Image credits: Facebook

Money & Banking

Obese yet malnourished toddler mummy sheds light on life in 17th century aristocratic Austria

In a creepy discovery published, a collaboration of German scientists have performed a ‘virtual autopsy’ on a mummified toddler’s body, found in a 17th century Austrian crypt. Buried in a wooden coffin that was slightly too small and deformed the skull, the young child’s body appeared to be both obese and malnourished. Researchers say the findings might provide a rare insight into historical Austrian aristocratic society. By using CT scanning, scientists were able to perform a ‘virtual autopsy’ on the mummy which was naturally mummified in the conditions of the crypt. Well-preserved soft tissue showed the child was a boy, overweight for his age, and radiocarbon dating suggests a date of death between 1550 and 1635 CE. By examining the formation and length of the body’s bones, plus evidence of tooth eruption, the researchers were able to estimate that the child was about one year old when he died. The bones also showed that despite being well-fed, the boy was malnourished, with his malformed ribs displaying signs of rachitic rosary. This condition presents in a pattern of prominent bony knobs at points where the rib joins cartilage and results from diseases associated with specific vitamin deficiencies such as rickets (vitamin D) and scurvy (vitamin C). Vitamin D is found in foods like salmon, tuna, mackerel and beef liver and egg yolks, but we typically only get around 10% of our required Vitamin D from our diets – the rest is made by our bodies when exposed to ultraviolet B (UVB) from the sun. “The combination of obesity along with a severe vitamin-deficiency can only be explained by a generally ‘good’ nutritional status along with an almost complete lack of sunlight exposure,” said Dr Andreas Nerlich of the Academic Clinic Munich-Bogenhausen and lead researcher. The child appears to have died from pneumonia, judging by the evidence of inflammation in the lungs. Rickets is known to make children more vulnerable to pneumonia, suggesting that, sadly, not only was the child malnourished, but that this condition may have also led to his untimely demise. “We have to reconsider the living conditions of high aristocratic infants of previous populations,” said Nerlich. Relatively little is known about aristocratic childhood in the late Renaissance period, so these mummified remains give key insights into life in Europe of a period generally known for its fervent creativity and intellectual development. “This is only one case,” said Nerlich, “but as we know that the early infant death rates generally were very high at that time, our observations may have considerable impact in the over-all life reconstruction of infants even in higher social classes.” To understand more about this period, researchers scoured historical records of the crypt and the family to whom the crypt belonged. Curiously, the child was buried in a simple, unmarked, wooden coffin, although he was dressed in an expensive silk hooded coat. The unmarked coffin appeared to have been slightly too small for the body such that the skull became deformed and was the only infant buried amongst the identifiable adult metal coffins in the crypt. Historical records of renovations on the crypt confirmed the radiocarbon dating, indicating the child was likely buried sometime after 1600 CE. The crypt belonged to the Counts of Starhemberg and traditionally was kept exclusively for the burial of heirs to their titles, and their wives, making the body likely to be that of the first-born (and only) son, Reichard Wilhelm, of Count Starhemberg. “We have no data on the fate of other infants of the family,” Nerlich said, regarding the unique burial. “According to our data, the infant was most probably [the count’s] first-born son after erection of the family crypt, so special care may have been applied.” This article originally appeared on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/history/toddler-mummy-17thcentury-austria/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Clare Kenyon. Image: Andreas et al. (2022)

Travel Trouble

Chrissie Swan's impressive milestone after shedding 90kg

Chrissie Swan has taken to social media to share her impressive sobriety milestone. Having gone over 600 days without alcohol, the TV and radio host revealed it’s been a year and eight months since she gave up the booze in a bid to ease her anxiety. Since giving up alcohol, Chrissie has completely transformed both her lifestyle and health, down 90kg by simply picking up healthy habits – which include daily walks and changing her food choices. “Seem to be getting a lot of messages checking on whether I’ve taken up booze again”, she wrote on Instagram. “I haven’t! 643 since my last tipple! Thanks for asking!” She added. Speaking on The Project in October of 2021, she said she was reliant on alcohol to deal with the stress of the Covid lockdowns. Giving up drinking “was a decision I made for myself after giving it a fair nudge in the first lockdown last year”, she said at the time. Chrissie has <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/chrissie-swan-s-amazing-lockdown-transformation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">drastically transformed her physique</a> over the last year, citing a new diet, daily walks and sobriety as the secret behind it all. She briefly touched on her weight loss in an interview with The Australian Women's Weekly earlier in the year, saying the lifestyle changes she'd made over the last year had improved her life in so many ways. Image: Instagram

Body

How an unsolved murder could shed light on an infamous art heist

In the early hours of March 18th 1990, 13 artworks by renowned artists such as Vermeer and Rembrandt were stolen from Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Collectively valued at $500 million, the artworks were never recovered as investigators failed to pin down one key suspect after the theft. But now, over 30 years on, an unsolved murder of a man in 1991 has given police a new angle on what happened to the art. Jimmy Marks was shot twice on February 20th, the year after the heist, outside his apartment in Massachusetts: 25 minutes northeast of Boston. Jimmy’s murder remains unsolved, and there has not been an arrest made in connection with the high-profile case. Marks was a convicted bank robber and an associate of Robert Guarente, who has long been a person of interest in the case, and who died in 2004. Guarente had been with Marks earlier in the day of his death and is suspected of having been the one to pull the trigger on Marks. “[Marks] had connections to subjects suspected of being involved in the Gardner museum heist,” deputy police chief Mark O’Toole of the city of Lynn, Massachusetts, <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/02/27/metro/investigators-suspect-link-between-gardner-museum-heist-an-execution-style-murder-lynn/">told</a> the Boston Globe. “We don’t know what, if any, role he had. But very likely it was related [to his death].” Investigators believe that Guarente was once in possession of two of the stolen works, which he then handed over to another accomplice named Robert Gentile, who died in 2001. A recent tip to investigators said that prior to his death, Marks “was bragging that he was not only in possession of some of the stolen Gardner artwork, he bragged that he had hidden it,” according to Boston 25. Police recently searched the Lynn apartment where Marks once lived, but did not recover anything. Gardner Museum Security Chief Anthony Amore said that the new evidence “needs to be investigated more thoroughly”, as investigators continue their efforts to recover the paintings. Shortly after Marks’ death, investigators first were able to place Guarente and Gentile in the same place. Amore told Boston 25, “The fact that these people converge here around the time of the Marks homicide certainly makes a person hunting for the Gardner paintings sit up and pay attention.” Image credits: Getty Images

Art

COVID chaos has shed light on many issues in the Australian childcare sector. Here are 4 of them

Thousands of families are without childcare as <a href="https://www.acecqa.gov.au/resources/national-registers/service-temp-closure-info">hundreds of services</a> have had to close due to a surge in COVID cases, while many more are running at reduced capacity. Many parents dread another <a href="https://theconversation.com/from-covid-control-to-chaos-what-now-for-australia-two-pathways-lie-before-us-174325">chaotic year</a> that may have them jugging <a href="https://thesector.com.au/2022/01/06/executive-functioning-is-much-harder-for-children-from-chaotic-households/">childcare and work</a> at home. The government <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-government-has-again-rescued-the-childcare-sector-from-collapse-but-short-term-fixes-still-leave-it-at-risk-166568">rescued the childcare sector</a> several times over the past two years – making services eligible for a portion of their pre-pandemic payments as families pulled their children out. But these measures were only temporary. The childcare system was already busting at the seams before COVID. I led an <a href="https://uneprofessions.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_38j3CdPsHnM8l81">international survey</a> in 2021, during the pandemic, in which early childhood educators’ gave ideas on how their government could support their work. In Australia, 51 educators participated. Here are four preexisting the issues that have <a href="https://womensagenda.com.au/latest/early-childhood-directors-are-carrying-an-exhausting-load-during-covid-19-even-beyond-major-outbreaks-research/">increased during the pandemic</a>. <h2>1. Staff shortages</h2> Currently, many childcare services are closed and others are operating at reduced capacity because staff are either sick with COVID or close contacts that need to isolate. But staffing problems plagued the sector well before the pandemic, with <a href="https://theconversation.com/early-childhood-educators-are-leaving-in-droves-here-are-3-ways-to-keep-them-and-attract-more-153187">more than a 30% staff turnover</a>. The agency responsible for early childhood education and care, the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA), released its <a href="https://www.acecqa.gov.au/national-workforce-strategy">National Workforce Strategy</a> in 2021. It revealed 25% of educators have been at their service for less than a year. This high turnover harms relationships with children who need continuity. In a 2021 <a href="https://womensagenda.com.au/latest/73-of-early-educators-plan-to-leave-the-sector-within-three-years/">survey of almost 4,000 Australian educators</a>, 73% said they planned to leave their job within three years. The <a href="https://bigsteps.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Exhausted-undervalued-and-leaving.pdf">reasons</a> included low pay, overwork and being undervalued. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/440392/original/file-20220112-23-1qok3m4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/440392/original/file-20220112-23-1qok3m4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="Child pouring out sand." /></a> 73% of early childhood educators plan to leave the profession. <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/z02yFSgVRbA" class="source">Markus Spiske/Unsplash</a> Women make up <a href="https://www.acecqa.gov.au/national-workforce-strategy">91% the early childhood education and care workforce</a>. Pay is low in traditionally female occupations, and many educators leave simply because they <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0022185618800351">cannot afford to stay</a>. ACECQA has fast tracked <a href="https://www.acecqa.gov.au/qualifications/requirements/children-preschool-age-or-under/recognition-as-an-equivalent-early-childhood-teacher">quick conversions</a> for primary and secondary school teachers into early childhood education, despite large and important differences in teaching philosophies. But there is unlikely to be a stampede to become one of Australia’s <a href="https://au.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/lowest-paid-jobs-in-australia">13th lowest paid workers</a>, just above a housekeeper. The national average salary for a childcare worker is A$29.63 per hour, but many earn as little as <a href="https://www.payscale.com/research/AU/Job=Childcare_Worker/Hourly_Rate">A$23.50</a>. This is in comparison to an average school teacher who earns <a href="https://www.payscale.com/research/AU/Job=Primary_School_Teacher/Salary">A$33.65</a> per hour. One educator in our study called for <blockquote> recognition of the equal value of early childhood educators with primary school teachers, especially for university-trained teachers, who experience a huge pay gap. </blockquote> Casualisation in the sector is another issue leading to high turnover. As part of government COVID rescue packages, permanent staff could receive JobKeeper payments, but casual staff at childcare services were not eligible. Many <a href="https://thesector.com.au/2021/08/05/hypervigilance-is-wearing-ecec-educators-down-as-the-pandemic-continues/">casual staff left</a> the sector. Government oversight is needed but there is always confusion about which government is responsible. Then there are also differences between community based and private services. <h2>2. Nobody is responsible for the sector</h2> Australia has one of the <a href="https://theconversation.com/quality-childcare-has-become-a-necessity-for-australian-families-and-for-society-its-time-the-government-paid-up-131748">highest levels</a> of privatisation in early childhood education in the world. This makes it harder for governments to control casualisation. However, the government sets the award wages. In a recent speech to the National Press Club, New South Wales Premier, Dominic Perrottet, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-12-08/perrottet-bid-to-take-over-childcare-from-commonwealth/100681344">said</a> he wanted states and territories to be able to take over responsibility for childcare from the federal government. This was part of his plan for “reform for a postpandemic world” which he said should be “state led, not Commonwealth led”. The federal government funds childcare, through subsidies, but providers are largely private and set their own fees. The state and territory governments fund community preschools. The federal government is responsible for the sector’s standards, frameworks and curricula, but the state and territory governments regulate them. This messy web makes it more difficult to reform the sector and manage costs for families. One level of government taking responsibility for childcare and preschool services will go some way to fixing the problems. <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FIef0mCk7Ao?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet wants the states to take over responsibility for childcare. <h2>3. Too much paperwork</h2> In <a href="https://thesector.com.au/2021/07/26/acecqa-shares-findings-from-national-workforce-strategy-as-recruiting-challenges-persist/">ACECQA’s survey</a>, educators blamed <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2043610615597154">administrative overload</a> as one of the <a href="https://thesector.com.au/2021/07/26/acecqa-shares-findings-from-national-workforce-strategy-as-recruiting-challenges-persist/">three main reasons</a> they wanted to leave the profession. The increasing paperwork came as governments created <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwi86rWw4Jv1AhUTS2wGHSpPD7MQFnoECCYQAQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aasw.asn.au%2Fdocument%2Fitem%2F936&usg=AOvVaw0tkTyvOjf6LvcG5WzaJeYG">managerial systems</a> disguised as <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02680939.2017.1352032">quality assurance</a>, to try to regulate the sector. Now, educators must <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02680939.2014.924561">collect big data</a> every day, including <a href="https://bigsteps.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Exhausted-undervalued-and-leaving.pdf">mountains of checklists</a> for regulation and to document children’s learning. This extra workload <a href="https://educationhq.com/news/managerialism-has-taken-over-in-early-childhood-education-109737/">reduces time</a> spent on quality interactions. It also makes <a href="https://thesector.com.au/2021/10/25/bound-for-burnout-early-childhood-educators-are-swimming-against-a-gendered-micromanaged-tide/">educators feel micromanaged</a>, affecting their <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2020.1836583">identity and confidence</a>. Echoing the <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/childcare/report/childcare-overview.pdf">Productivity Commission’s findings</a> in 2014, educators in our study said governments must “reduce paperwork”, which they described as “ridiculous”, “complex”, “indecipherable”, “frustrating” and “random”. As one educator said: “we need some paperwork, but we also need to be there for the children”. Over 60% felt frustrated three or more times a week. Nearly 40% of educators said the paperwork required for accreditation compliance (assessment and rating) <a href="https://educationhq.com/news/managerialism-has-taken-over-in-early-childhood-education-109737/">decreased the time</a> they spent with children. <h2>4. High burnout, low morale</h2> Despite being an essential worker, <a href="https://womensagenda.com.au/latest/early-childhood-directors-are-carrying-an-exhausting-load-during-covid-19-even-beyond-major-outbreaks-research/">educators are undervalued</a>, struggling for <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/18369391211050165">recognition</a>. Their strengths <a href="https://www.iejee.com/index.php/IEJEE/article/view/1447/532">are not mentioned</a> in <a href="https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-05/belonging_being_and_becoming_the_early_years_learning_framework_for_australia.pdf">curriculum</a> documents. Overwork is the <a href="https://thesector.com.au/2021/07/26/acecqa-shares-findings-from-national-workforce-strategy-as-recruiting-challenges-persist/">second reason</a> educators want to leave. Our study showed that during the accreditation period, when they need to fill out regulation requirement documents, 50% of staff reported working unpaid hours. <a href="https://thesector.com.au/2021/09/14/accreditation-effects-on-early-childhood-educator-morale/">Staff morale</a> also suffers during accreditation. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/440556/original/file-20220112-21-1sgijcd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/440556/original/file-20220112-21-1sgijcd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="Childcare worker talking to kids." /></a> Despite doing essential work, childcare workers are burnt out and suffer from low morale. <a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/preschool-teacher-talking-group-children-sitting-1214667421" class="source">Shutterstock</a> During the pandemic, educators reported an <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/18369391211040940">increased burden</a> with extra time needed for cleaning, health requirements, communicating with parents, rearranging work plans and spaces, caring for staff, and constant <a href="https://thesector.com.au/2021/08/05/hypervigilance-is-wearing-ecec-educators-down-as-the-pandemic-continues/">hypervigilance</a>. One said, “I would prefer to work somewhere for the same or similar wage with less stress and take-home work”. Burnout is the <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13158-020-00264-6">third reason</a> educators want to leave. “The demand on educators is too high. The pressure is intense”, one told us. The National Workforce Strategy recommends directors give educators links to well-being services and strategies. While this is well-meaning, it is simplistic given the level of crisis. For example, we found 70% of educators felt overtired and 60% felt overwhelmed three or more times in the last week. Recognition of childcare as an <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/18369391211040940">essential service</a> – with assured funding provision and a more streamlined level of government regulation – is key to reforming the sector’s status, and educators’ pay. The sector is in crisis, so we need to stop talking about ideas to change it and take action towards <a href="https://thrivebyfive.org.au/">total reform</a>.<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; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/174404/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/marg-rogers-867368">Marg Rogers</a>, Senior Lecturer, Early Childhood Education, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-new-england-919">University of New England</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/covid-chaos-has-shed-light-on-many-issues-in-the-australian-childcare-sector-here-are-4-of-them-174404">original article</a>. Image: Pixabay

Family & Pets

The rise of the ‘She Shed’

<div class="c-message_kit__blocks c-message_kit__blocks--rich_text"> <div class="c-message__message_blocks c-message__message_blocks--rich_text"> <div class="p-block_kit_renderer" data-qa="block-kit-renderer"> <div class="p-block_kit_renderer__block_wrapper p-block_kit_renderer__block_wrapper--first"> <div class="p-rich_text_block"> <div class="p-rich_text_section"> While men have been able to escape to their garage or man cave – stocked with everything from basic tools and bikes, to poker tables and other boys’ toys – women are now increasingly finding solace in their own space too. “We are seeing a huge uptake of women buying sheds and turning them into home offices and studios, where they can work without distraction from what is happening in the house,” says Daniel Rutland, Head of Purchasing at <a rel="noopener" href="http://easyshed.com.au/" target="_blank">EasyShed</a>, Australia’s largest producers of backyard sheds. “We have seen 450 percent growth in the last 12 months alone, especially in the cities and outer suburbs, where space is at a premium,” says Rutland. Central Coast-based Kate Toon, 46, says living in such close quarters with her other half 24/7 has been driving her nuts. The trendsetting copywriter has created her very own business empire from her 3m x 5m backyard She Shed. The shed space is HQ to her StayTooned group of companies. These include three businesses, memberships with hundreds of people in them, and an SEO training business which has helped more than 10,000 other businesses grapple the Google beast. “My husband works from home too, so with lockdown and everything else going on, it was getting to the point where I couldn’t even stand to hear him breathing,” she laughs. “It’s my sanctuary, and amazing to have my own creative space to write, where I can sing loudly to bad pop songs and generally be myself – safe in the knowledge that no one is watching.” “It was a cost-effective way of building an extra space,” she adds. “It’s got two desks, air conditioning and I put the whole floor in myself and painted it sky blue. “It was a big step in my business and an investment in myself – but it makes me happy every day as I commute across my back yard.” According to the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, two in five people with a job (41 per cent) worked from home at least once a week in February 2021, compared with 24 per cent at least once a week before March 2020. Meanwhile, employed women (17 per cent) are more likely than employed men (11 per cent) to want to increase the amount of work done from home. With real estate prices on the rise, Rutland doesn’t see this trend changing either. “We are also seeing sheds being repurposed as separate living spaces, guest rooms, man caves, bars, aviaries, home offices, gyms and even home distilleries, home cinemas and pool rooms. “The sheds are cheap to purchase – so they are often customised and kitted out. We’ve seen windows installed, skylights and soundproofing. One guy turned his shed into an astronomy room, where the entire roof retracted back to provide viewing for his huge telescope.” <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842644/kate-toon-in-her-shed.jpg" alt="Kate Toon in her She Shed, which she nicknamed 'Toon Cave'." data-udi="umb://media/d00b40ebb3c84ea4af85159b92c39e36" /> Photo caption: Kate Toon in her She Shed, which she nicknamed ‘Toon Cave’. Top 5 shed do's Maintenance: choose materials that are low maintenance Size matters: Measure the site’s dimensions before purchasing a shed online, this ensures your chosen site is the right size. Location: The area should be level, secure, safe, be free from flooding and overhanging trees and accessible should there be maintenance or repairs. Permits: Make sure to check if any council permits are required. A handy overview of council regulations, <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.easyshed.com.au/council-requirements" target="_blank">here.</a> Customise: Extra windows, a roof pitch and cladding doors can really transform a basic shed. Top 5 shed don’ts Don’t forget to lay an even foundation: this will set the structure slightly off the ground to help with proper water drainage. Don’t underestimate storage space: Before deciding what size shed, list items you plan in it, then measure the space you have. Don’t forget to weatherproof: Weather-resistant floors and floor frames can prolong the life of the structure. Don’t rush the shed construction or installation process: Planning right ultimately saves time and money. Don’t forget to keep it well-maintained: Organising, maintaining and treating a shed well will prolong its longevity and keep it in top working order. </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div>

Home & Garden

Olympic sailor's boat shed on sale at record price

A property in Point Piper has been put on the market for a mind blowing price guide of $37-$40 million. It’s not unusual for the ritzy Sydney suburb to have such a high price tag, however the property is causing shockwaves as it is simply a boat shed. The shed sets a new Australian price record, holding nearly 2000 square metres and is extended to over two storeys. Represented by Ken Jacobs and James Hall from luxury auction house Christie’s International, this shed is not a home yet it could very well be. The shed has four berths, and can fit yachts up to 26 metres in size. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.11273792093704px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840123/dolly-parton-3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/fb46041762f44d7cbfb31bdab08013bc" /> Image: Domain The top storey of the boat shed can also be used as accommodation. Not only that, but the property also features a waterfront swimming pool. The Point Piper address was previously owned by the affluent O’Neil family. Property developer and former Olympic sailor Denis O’Neil used to use the private marina to moor his boats. The family bought it in 1958 for £9,000 (AU$16,132) from WWII survivors Dr Ignacy and Elvira Listwan before listing it in 2017 for $33 million. It sold for $30 million. Australia’s property market is soaring to previously unseen heights, marking a 2.1 per cent growth in February – the highest one-month growth in 17 years.

Real Estate

Angela Bishop shares one simple health change to shed excess weight

Studio 10's Angela Bishop has given insight to her recent weight loss, admitting she changed one simple thing in her routine to drop her excess weight. The 52-year-old explained her simple lifestyle change didn’t involve altering her diet or hitting up the gym - but instead involved giving up energy drinks. <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/CAUd5wwjMp7/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <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/CAUd5wwjMp7/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Angela Bishop (@angelabishop10)</a> on May 17, 2020 at 11:51pm PDT </div> </blockquote> “I recently gave up my sugar-free energy drink addiction,” she revealed on Studio 10. “'I was drinking between 2-3 cans a day and changing absolutely nothing else about my diet, I've lost two kilos in three and a half weeks.” Angela admitted it was a major struggle giving up her addiction. “The withdrawal from the drinks was very painful,” she recalled. <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_hV8d6jye7/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <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_hV8d6jye7/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Angela Bishop (@angelabishop10)</a> on Apr 28, 2020 at 3:20am PDT </div> </blockquote> “I had very very bad headaches and didn't feel good at all.” But since officially kicking her cravings, the star says she feels “great”. The veteran entertainment reporter lost her husband Peter Baikie to a rare cancer in 2018, and together they share 12-year-old Amelia. "I don't try to keep the grief in when it hits, otherwise I'll do myself an injury. You've got to go and find somewhere to have a little cry. I do it a lot in the traffic in the car, or in the carpark at work. You just have to let it out," she told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nowtolove.com.au/parenting/celebrity-families/angela-bishop-husband-daughter-55207" target="_blank">Australia Women's Weekly.</a> <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7836548/peter-baikie-angela.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/8bf8439d51284aa59b8ddc251a55b87a" /> Image: Instagram "You've got to quickly have a dash to the loo and have a cry then reapply the mascara and come back again." She added: "Some days I think I'm resilient, others I think I'm cactus. I haven't got enough distance to be able to look at it objectively. I don't know if I ever will. But you have to get up and put one foot in front of the other and keep going. And, of course, I've got the best reason to do that."

Body

Damning evidence sheds awful new light on cruise line toddler death

A man who dropped his young granddaughter on a cruise ship “unquestionably” knew the window was open, the cruise operator alleges in a court filing. Royal Caribbean Cruises filed a motion this month asking the federal court in the Southern District of Florida asking to dismiss a lawsuit by the family of Chloe Wiegand, who fell to her death from an 11th floor window on the Freedom of the Seas ship in Puerto Rico in July 2019. The toddler’s parents have accused the cruise liner of negligence in her death by allowing the window in the children’s play area to be open. In the new filing, Royal Caribbean alleged the blame falls on Wiegand’s 51-year-old grandfather Salvatore Anello, who was charged in Puerto Rico with negligent homicide. The company said surveillance video shows Anello leaning out the open window before lifting Wiegand up to it. <img style="width: 500px; height: 291.941px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7834041/court-document-pic-5.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/95e2e7fdf05b45f390375a75efd666ee" /> Source: United States District Court of Southern Florida “Because Mr Anello had himself leaned out the window, he was well aware that the window is open,” the court motion said. “This is a case about an adult man, who, as surveillance footage unquestionably confirms: (1) walked up to a window he was aware was open; (2) leaned his upper body out the window for several seconds; (3) reached down and picked up Chloe; and (4) then held her by and out of the open window for 34 seconds before he lost his grip and dropped Chloe out of the window. “His actions, which no reasonable person could have foreseen, were reckless and irresponsible and the sole reason why Chloe is no longer with her parents.” The family’s attorney Michael Winkleman said the cruise company’s motion is “baseless and deceptive”, The Indianapolis Star reported. Anello told <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/salvatore-anello-grandfather-charged-in-cruise-ship-death-speaks-out-2019-11-25/">CBS This Morning</a> in November that he is colourblind and did not realise the tinted window was open. “I thought there was glass,” he said then. “I still say it to myself, it's just, I kind of relive it all the time and I just thought there was glass there.”

Cruising

Keep your home free of animal hair

<div id="page1" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide"> <div class="slide-description"> A common problem with pet owners is the stray hairs their dogs and cats leave around the house on floors, furniture and clothes. As our pets have become important family members, they’ve moved out of the backyard and into the house. This means hair shedding and cleanliness have become more of a concern. Fortunately, there are ways to reduce the impact, explains veterinarian Dr Katrina Warren. <div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/pets/keep-your-home-free-of-animal-hair">Look at low-shedding breeds</div> <div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/pets/keep-your-home-free-of-animal-hair"> All dogs and cats shed hair – some more than others. Choosing a low-shedding breed can make a huge difference. Remember that low-shedding dog breeds require regular clipping, an additional expense to consider. Choosing a smooth or short-coated breed may also reduce the overall volume of shedding. Groom your pet regularly It may sound obvious, but brushing pets regularly will remove loose fur that will otherwise be shed and dropped around the house. Long-haired pets especially should be groomed regularly to keep their coats trim. There are some great de-shedding tools and brushes available that make grooming more effective by reaching through the topcoat to remove loose undercoat hair. Pay attention to couch fabrics Pet hair attaches more to certain furniture fabrics such as wool, velvet and tweed than ones like Ultrasuede and microfibre. Coverings should be selected for their ease of cleaning. Owners of light-coloured pets often choose cream or white slipcovers because they don’t show the hair. Leather or faux leather can also be a good furniture option as it doesn’t hold hair and wipes clean. What flooring is best? Avoid wall-to-wall carpeting as it can quickly entrap pet hair. Tiles and floorboards are more manageable but choose the right colour flooring – dark floorboards will show up light pet hair more than light floorboards. Remove the hair Vacuum regularly to remove hair from your living space and use a sticky roller to remove fur from clothing. If you allow your pets on the furniture, washable slipcovers or throw-rugs can be used to protect furniture and keep it fresh. Pet management Keeping pets off your furniture is the best way to prevent you, your family and visitors being covered in hair. If you’ve got a new puppy or kitten, it’s a good idea to train them to stay off the furniture from the start. Also, consider restricting pets to areas with hard surface flooring. Dr Katrina's tips for the best low-shedding pets These are great choices if you’re looking for a new four-legged friend. Low-shedding Dog Breeds: Bedlington terriers, bichon frise, Maltese dogs, poodles and schnauzers. These breeds all need regular clipping and grooming. Minimal Grooming Dog Breeds: Chinese crested dogs, chihuahuas, whippets, greyhounds and Italian greyhounds. These breeds all shed hair but their fine coats mean less hair and little grooming. Low-shedding Cat Breeds: Devon rex, Cornish rex, Bengal, Russian blue and Siamese. Written by Dr Katrina Warren. This article first appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/pets/keep-your-home-free-of-animal-hair">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a rel="noopener" href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRA93V" target="_blank">here’s our best subscription offer</a>. </div> </div> </div> </div>

Family & Pets

Sick of your dog shedding? This leotard stops exactly that

If you’re tired of vacuuming your dog’s fur, the guys at Shed Defender have a solution for you, although your dog is likely to be less than impressed with the outcome. It’s a leotard that’s designed to keep your dog from shedding its fur all over the house and you can see it below. <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/B0bAtoklZHT/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B0bAtoklZHT/" target="_blank">@meka_the_shepherd is ready to play #sheddefender . . . . . . . . #gsd #germanshepherd #germanshepherdforever #germanshepherd_corner #gsdforever #gsdfamily #gsdlover #gsdfeature #gsdworld #gsddaily #gsdforlife #gsdcorner</a> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/sheddefender/" target="_blank"> ShedDefender</a> (@sheddefender) on Jul 27, 2019 at 6:34am PDT </div> </blockquote> The Shed Defender has a range of purposes that come with also looking slightly dorky, which include acting as a barrier from mud and dirt if your dog decides to roll around in the backyard as well as protecting your pup from fleas. The leotard can also be used to replace cones around the head if your dog has recently had surgery as they will be unable to lick or bite their new wound. As the leotard is nice and snug against the dog, it’s said to calm down dogs with anxiety and provide them with an easing effect. If you’re worried that the leotards might be cruel for your dog, it’s made out of breathable, four way stretch eco-friendly mesh fabric and has been approved by vets. The Shed Defender first made its appearance on Shark Tank back in 2018 and since then, the company has seen a 65 per cent growth in revenue. The idea first came about in 2011 after the founder, Tyson Walters, struggled to find a solution to the shedding of his St. Bernard Harley. <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/BzYKTbCFuOH/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BzYKTbCFuOH/" target="_blank">Real Dogs Wear Pink @my_bark_is_bigger_than_yours #sheddefender . . . . . . . . #bigdogs #bigdogsofinstagram #stbernards #bigdog #bigdogclothes</a> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/sheddefender/" target="_blank"> ShedDefender</a> (@sheddefender) on Jul 1, 2019 at 7:29am PDT </div> </blockquote> There is a varied range of sizing starting from “mini” all the way up to “giant” with prices ranging from $72 up to $112. They ship to Australia too all the way from the US. Hero image credit: www.instagram.com/sheddefender/

Family & Pets

“I shed a tear or two”: Karl Stefanovic discusses his highly anticipated return to TV

Karl Stefanovic fans can celebrate as the star will be returning to the small screen from Monday, August 12, as he hosts This Time Next Year for the second time. The inspiring show sheds light on the challenges faced by everyday Australians and how they plan on changing their lives “this time next year”. Whether it’s overcoming a setback or finding love, the nature of the show means it takes over a year to film with viewers at home going on a journey with them. Stefanovic – who like everyone else, only knows their fate the moment they walk back in a year later – says it’s hard not to get emotional. <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/ByUvNdJH-vG/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ByUvNdJH-vG/" target="_blank">The greatest television is still to come on @channel9! #9ThisTime</a> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/thistimenextyear/" target="_blank"> This Time Next Year</a> (@thistimenextyear) on Jun 5, 2019 at 3:03am PDT </div> </blockquote> “I’m really proud and excited to be hosting series two of This Time Next Year,” he said. “I’ve met some truly inspiring Australians who will warm the hearts of viewers by pledging to reach huge personal goals in just one year.” He also gave an insight into what people can expect this season. “We have a whole new group of contributors as diverse as a 101-year-old woman who wants to learn to fly, a wheelchair-bound mum who dreams of running in the backyard with her five-year-old son, and a woman who wants to medically transition to being a man,” he said. “This Time Next Year is an absolute joy to work on, and I’m not going to lie, I shed a tear or two.” This Time Next Year premieres Monday, August 12 at 8:40 pm on Nine.

Can you spot the sneaky snake in this tool shed?

A “sneaky snake” has been found in a Brisbane toolshed, however, many people are baffled after failing to find where the python was hiding. A photo of a shed was shared to Facebook on Friday afternoon, asking followers of the Snake Catchers Brisbane page to find the slithering reptile hiding in an inconspicuous place. <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Felitesnakecatchingbrisbane%2Fphotos%2Fa.1675154946058175%2F2256860584554272%2F%3Ftype%3D3&width=500" width="500" height="696" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe> “Can you guess where this sneaky snake is hiding?” the post on the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.facebook.com/elitesnakecatchingbrisbane/" target="_blank">Brisbane Snake Catchers Facebook</a> page wrote. The post racked up over 1,400 comments filled with confused Facebook users. Many guessed the snake was hiding between tools and cans, behind beer bottles and on top of a radio – all of which were incorrect. “Did you take the photo after removing the snake?” one user joked after a flurry of comments filled with wrong answers flooded beneath the post. “Nope! It’s there, just hiding very well,” the Facebook page responded to the cheeky comment. Later that day, the Snake Catcher page revealed the python’s expert hiding place. “This carpet python’s nose was poking just over the ledge,” the page wrote, circling the area with a black heart. <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Felitesnakecatchingbrisbane%2Fphotos%2Fp.2257092601197737%2F2257092601197737%2F%3Ftype%3D3&width=500" width="500" height="501" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe> “As soon as it’s cover was blown it slithered out of its hiding spot to make a quick get away!” Although there were many incorrect guesses, the page confirmed that snakes had been removed from many sneaky hiding spots mentioned in the post. “Everyone is still right in a way... we’ve caught many snakes from all the spots you’ve all mentioned, now you know where to start looking if you ever feel eyes on you.” Did you find the sneaky snake in the photo? Let us know in the comments below.

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