Placeholder Content Image

Princess Kate "spotted in public" amid wild speculations

<p>The Princess of Wales has reportedly been spotted in public for the first time since her "planned abdominal surgery". </p> <p>Kate Middleton was reportedly spotted watching her children play sports at a location near her family's Windsor home.</p> <p>According to <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/royals/26750949/princess-kate-windsor-farm-shop-william/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>The Sun</em></a>, the royal looked “happy, relaxed and healthy” as she spent Saturday morning watching Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five, play sports. </p> <p>She later on reportedly visited her favourite farm shop located near her Adelaide Cottage home, with witnesses saying they were stunned to see the royal out and about, following the wild <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/princess-kate-s-post-surgery-pic-ignites-even-wilder-conspiracy-theories" target="_blank" rel="noopener">conspiracy theories</a> that emerged after the royal received criticism for editing a Mother's Day photo. </p> <p>“After all the rumours that had been going round I was stunned to see them there," a witness at the farm shop reportedly told <em>The Sun</em>. </p> <p>“Kate was out shopping with William and she looked happy and she looked well.</p> <p>“The kids weren’t with them but it’s such a good sign she was healthy enough to pop down to the shops.”</p> <p>However, no photos of her have been published. </p> <p>This is the first time she has been out and about since her surgery and could signal her return to public duties, although the Palace has previously said that she won't return to official duties until after Easter. </p> <p>The Princess of Wales was last photographed seated in the back of a car, next to Prince William as they were reportedly on their way to London. </p> <p>She was replaced by Lady Ghika, wife of the regiment's Major General St Chris Ghika, in her role as honorary coronel of the Irish Guards for St. Patrick's Day on March 17. </p> <p>Members from the Irish Guards gave three cheers to absent Kate, as a mark of respect for the royal. </p> <p>There are speculations that she will join the royals for their traditional public walk on Easter Sunday.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

Kate Middleton spotted for the first time since surgery

<p>Kate Middleton has been seen for the first time in over six weeks, as she continues to recover from a "planned abdominal surgery". </p> <p>The Princess of Wales was last seen by the public attending mass on Christmas Day before being admitted to hospital in early January for the procedure. </p> <p>Despite Kensington Palace sharing that the princess wouldn't be returning to royal duties until after Easter, <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/kate-middleton-s-disappearance-sparks-bizarre-conspiracy-theories" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rumours</a> began to swirl online over her whereabouts. </p> <p>Now, the 42-year-old royal has been <a href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/royals/kate-middleton-finally-spotted-after-disappearing-for-more-than-two-months/news-story/d1ca1f9c54e1526ba2ba69a605af7811" target="_blank" rel="noopener">photographed</a> in a car alongside her mother Carole in Windsor. </p> <p>As rumours continued to run rampant online about Kate's wellbeing following her surgery, Kensington Palace was forced to <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/palace-responds-to-bizarre-conspiracy-theories-about-kate-s-whereabouts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interfere</a> and debunk the wild accusations. </p> <p>After "Where is Kate Middleton?" was trending worldwide on social media, due to her not being in the public eye for an unprecedented amount of time, the Palace reiterated their original statement following Kate's surgery, saying she was simply at home recovering.</p> <p><span style="font-size: 16px; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; background-color: #ffffff;">“We were very clear from the outset that the Princess of Wales was out until after Easter and Kensington Palace would only be providing updates when something was significant,” the statement read. </span></p> <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">"That guidance stands."</p> <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">The Palace also added that Kate is well on the road to recovery as she is "doing well", and with all things going to plan with her health, she can be expected to be seen in public after Easter, as they originally made clear. </p> <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';"><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p> <p> </p> <p> </p>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

Robert Irwin's favourite Aussie holiday spot

<p>Robert Irwin is a Queenslander through and through, and despite all the attractions and things to do in his hometown, the young conservationist is surprisingly a huge fan of Tasmania.</p> <p>When asked what his favourite destination was, Irwin said that it was a "very tough question" but narrowed it down to two spots: North Queensland and Tasmania.</p> <p>“I know what you’re thinking – two of the most polar opposite places, but they both have such rugged and raw natural beauty,” Irwin told news.com.au.</p> <p>He added that Cradle Mountain, one of Tasmania's most iconic sights is one of his favourite spots and that it is a must-see destination.</p> <p>“I also enjoy the Tasman Peninsula, Launceston, Swansea and the stunning Tarkine Wilderness just to name a few spots.”</p> <p>In North Queensland, he lives up to his role as the son of 'The Crocodile Hunter' as he loves exploring the mangroves and estuaries.</p> <p>“At a good distance away from the water’s edge of course,” he added.</p> <p>“Surprisingly, Cairns also has some top-notch mountain biking, so if you love an adrenaline hit, it has got you covered.”</p> <p>Irwin added that all Aussies need to explore the far north and far south at least once in their lives.</p> <p>“To sum it all up, Tasmania has Tassie devils, and North Queensland has crocs. What more do you need,” he said.</p> <p>The young conservationist will soon be heading to South Africa to film the newest season of <em>I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here!</em> as he replaced Dr Chris Brown as a co-host for the show.</p> <p>He shared that he will definitely bring his own camera.</p> <p>“We have supported wildlife conservation efforts there for many years and have spent so much time photographing the unique wildlife of South Africa,” he said.</p> <p>“My new I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here! hosting role will definitely give me the opportunity to further pursue my passion for photography.”</p> <p>Images: Instagram</p>

Domestic Travel

Placeholder Content Image

Pink spotted at Bondi ahead of national tour

<p>In a dazzling spectacle of beach vibes and sun-soaked fun, pop sensation Pink has graced the shores of Bondi Beach ahead of her highly anticipated Australian tour.</p> <p>The iconic singer, known for her powerhouse performances and unapologetic personality, was spotted basking in the Aussie sun with her adorable children, making waves Down Under.</p> <p>The excitement was palpable as Pink, with her trademark pink hair, took to social media to express her joy at being back on Australian soil. "Bondi Beach, it's been too long!!!!!!! Bills was delicious, too. ️Soooooooo happy to be back on this side of the world! Thank you beautiful Australia for being our home away from home. Kids are stoked," she gushed alongside some envy-inducing beach pictures.</p> <p>It seems Bills, a popular eatery in Sydney, left quite the impression on the star. If Pink says it's delicious, it's practically a culinary endorsement for the ages. (Move over food critics; Pink's tastebuds have spoken.)</p> <p>But this isn't Pink's first love letter to the Land Down Under. The singer has long expressed her admiration for Australia and has been a staunch supporter during challenging times. In 2020, she pledged a generous $500,000 donation to the country's fire services during the devastating Black Summer bushfires, proving she not only rocks the stage but also has a heart of gold.</p> <p>As Pink gears up for her stadium tour in Australia, aptly named the Summer Carnival tour, fans are eagerly anticipating a spectacle that will undoubtedly leave them smiling and singing until their cheeks hurt. Kicking off at Sydney's Allianz Stadium on February 9, the tour will then take Pink and her musical carnival to various cities, including Newcastle, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.</p> <p>It's been nearly six years since Pink's 2018 tour, Beautiful Trauma, which wowed almost 560,000 Australian and New Zealand fans. Eager to share the joy once again, Pink expressed her excitement, saying, "I can't wait to bring the Summer Carnival tour to my home away from home and smile and sing together until our cheeks hurt. Summer 2024 can't come soon enough!"</p> <p>The tour is not just a celebration of Pink's electrifying stage presence but also a nod to her ninth album, Trustfall, released in February the previous year. The anticipation is building, and fans can't wait to witness the magic unfold live on stage.</p> <p>Adding a touch of whimsy to the excitement, Pink <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/music/my-home-away-from-home-pink-s-dream-down-under" target="_blank" rel="noopener">teased the possibility</a> of making Australia her permanent home last year. In an interview with <em>60 Minutes</em>, she revealed, "Last year, I was thinking about applying for citizenship; I am not even joking. I was like, 'If we're going somewhere Carey, [Australia] is where we're going'." Australia, get ready to welcome Pink with open arms – she might just become our newest citizen!</p> <p>So, as Pink readies to paint Australia with her musical colours and contagious energy, fans are counting down the days until the Summer Carnival kicks off, promising a tour de force that will linger in their memories long after the final note fades away. Bondi Beach, Bills, and a Summer Carnival – it's a Pink party, and everyone's invited.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Domestic Travel

Placeholder Content Image

10 dumb hiding spots burglars always find

<p><strong>Under the mattress</strong></p> <p>Burglars will make a beeline to the room with the most valuables. “The good stop is always going to be in the master bedroom,” says Chris McGoey, CPP, CSP, CAM, president of <a href="http://www.crimedoctor.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">McGoey Security Consulting.</a></p> <p>“That’s where you have your clothes, your jewellery, your extra cash, your prescriptions – anything of value.” Hiding things under the mattress is one of the oldest tricks in the book, so a thief will likely check there for hidden treasures, he says.</p> <p><strong>Bedroom closet</strong></p> <p>A thief might rummage through your entire closet – pockets and all – looking for cash or other valuables. If you do decide to store valuables in your closet, leave them in a box purposely mislabelled with a boring name (think: “uni textbooks 1980” or “baby clothes”) to keep sticky fingers out, suggests McGoey.</p> <p><strong>Dresser drawers</strong></p> <p>While burglars are in your bedroom, a jewellery box on top of the dresser is a hot commodity. Even if you don’t store your jewellery in plain sight, a thief will probably hunt around in dresser drawers for a shoebox or other unique box that could be filled with watches, jewels, and other valuables, says Robert Siciliano, CSP, security analyst with <a href="https://www.hotspotshield.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hotspot Shield</a>.</p> <p>Instead of putting your high-value belongings in an obvious box, ball them up in a sock, he suggests. Pick a pair with a bright pattern that will stand out to you but won’t look fishy to a crook.</p> <p><strong>Portable safe</strong></p> <p>You probably want to keep your precious items locked away, but it won’t do much good if the safe isn’t attached to the floor or a wall. “If it’s closed and locked, it implies there are things of value in there,” says McGoey. “If it’s small and portable, they’ll take the whole thing.” On the other hand, burglars are generally trying to get in and out as quickly as possible. They won’t bother using a stethoscope to crack the combination, so a heavy safe they can’t lift is your best bet, he says.</p> <p><strong>Medicine cabinet</strong></p> <p>Robbers want to make quick cash off your belongings, so they’ll be sure to browse your medicine cabinet for prescription pills they can sell. The pills might not be a concern because you can get a refill easily, but be careful what you store nearby.</p> <p>“You want to avoid putting anything of significant value around medication of any kind,” says Siciliano. For instance, using an old pill container as a hiding spot for jewels could actually make them a target.</p> <p><strong>Freezer</strong></p> <p>If you’ve thought of the freezer as a sneaky hiding spot, chances are a robber has, too. A burglar won’t rummage through your entire stack of frozen peas and fish sticks, but if you leave your treasures in something out-of-place, such as a sock, the thief will be onto you.</p> <p>“If you’re going to put something in the freezer, you want to put it in with something that looks legit, like wrapping it in a bag that used to have blueberries in it,” says Siciliano. Use the same rule of thumb if hiding anything in a pantry. Just give a loved one a heads up so that if anything happens, your valuables won’t be trashed with the rest of your food.</p> <p><strong>Office drawers</strong></p> <p>Think twice before stashing important papers like birth certificates or passports in your office drawers. “People want to be convenient. They have a file labelled,” says McGoey. Unfortunately, that also means you’re leading burglars straight to everything they need to steal your identity. Use a locked drawer to keep sensitive data safe, recommends Siciliano.</p> <p><strong>Vase</strong></p> <p>An empty vase could act as a hiding place for valuables, but swindlers are onto your tricks. They’ll likely tip the vase over or even break it, hoping to find goods inside. “Have something additional in it, like flowers, that would obscure somebody looking in it,” he says. They’ll also be less likely to empty your vase if it means dropping flowers all over the floor.</p> <p><strong>Liquor cabinet</strong></p> <p>A liquor cabinet might not seem like an obvious spot for thieves to hunt for valuables, but that doesn’t mean they’re safe. “It’s a target for kids looking for [alcohol],” says Siciliano. You might not be devastated if your whiskey goes missing, but you don’t want to lose an heirloom along with it.</p> <p><strong>Suitcase</strong></p> <p>Your luggage might seem like a waste of valuable storage space when you’re not travelling, but don’t keep anything irreplaceable inside. “Suitcases are common things people use as a safe even though it’s not a safe,” says McGoey. Criminals will open a suitcase up if they find one in your closet, he says.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/home-tips/10-hiding-spots-burglars-always-look-first" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>. </em></p>

Home & Garden

Placeholder Content Image

"Hats off to whoever did this": Hilarious act of revenge on parking spot thief

<p>In the cutthroat world of Sydney parking, one fed-up property owner has taken matters into their own hands – or rather, their own clingfilm.</p> <p>A red Fiat, blissfully parked in what turned out to be somebody's private parking spot in the Upper North Shore suburb of Wahroonga, became the canvas for a sticky masterpiece of vehicular revenge.</p> <p>A vigilant passerby, no doubt amused by the spectacle, snapped a photo of the clingfilm-covered car and generously shared it on a community Facebook page. The caption, dripping with sarcasm, read, "And you thought people parking boats on Mosman streets was bad. Look what happens in Wahroonga if you park in the wrong place!"</p> <p>The clingfilm artist didn't stop at just wrapping the car; they took it a step further by scribbling a stern message on the plastic: "Not a public park. Read, you moron. Private property."</p> <p>Talk about a clingy reminder that parking etiquette is serious business in Australian capital cities.</p> <p>While some Sydneysiders chuckled at this clingfilm caper, others questioned the creativity behind the furious act. "Why the hell would you do that to someone's car? Would a note not have achieved the same result? Seems an overreaction," pondered one rational soul, evidently unfamiliar with the concept of "sticky situations".</p> <p>Another concerned citizen chimed in, "Well deserved. Though it's a dreadful waste of plastic." Clearly torn between environmental consciousness and a deep-seated desire for vehicular justice, this commentator encapsulated the internal struggle faced by many Sydney residents.</p> <p>On the flip side, some applauded the clingfilm connoisseur for taking a bold stance against parking transgressors. "Fair enough. We have it happen to us all the time, and I'm at the point of doing this considering I can't park on the street, so I need my parking spot at my own place. Lucky they put gladwrap on the car first and not write straight on the car... hats off to whoever did this," confessed a sympathetic comrade in the battle for parking supremacy.</p> <p>Clearly, as this red Fiat sits wrapped up like a vehicular burrito, Sydney residents have found themselves divided over the ethics of clingfilm activism. Is it a genius way to teach parking manners, or just a sticky situation waiting to be unwrapped? Only time will tell if clingfilm justice becomes the hottest trend in Sydney's ongoing parking wars.</p> <p><em>Images: Facebook</em></p>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

Eagle-eyed motorists spot funny typo on "confusing" new interchange

<p>The new interchange at Rozelle, in Sydney's inner west, has already copped backlash just days after its opening,  because of the confusing signage and changed traffic conditions causing chaos among commuters. </p> <p>Now, motorists have spotted another awkward blunder at the bustling "spaghetti junction", intended to improve traffic. </p> <p>Just metres away from the main intersection along Victoria Road and Darling Street, some poor road worker made the same typo twice, in a left-hand turn lane.</p> <p>Instead of saying  "buses excepted", they painted "buses expected", and now their mistake has gone viral on social media. </p> <p>"If I was a road, I'd expect buses too," one joked.</p> <p>"I get my bus near there and I'm constantly expecting buses that don't show, so seems accurate," another quipped. </p> <p>The interchange itself has been years in the making and opened up on Sunday. </p> <p>It was intended to connect drivers to the M4 and M8 tunnels, the City West Link, the Western Distributor and give access to the Anzac Bridge with a toll-free bypass of Victoria Road. </p> <p>While the aim of it was to improve traffic flow, just four days after its opening locals are still complaining about the chaotic strip, specifically it's poorly designed signage that has reportedly baffled drivers. </p> <p>One of the new signs suggested there was a toll from Iron Cove Bridge to Anzac Bridge, and while it is actually free, commuters are avoiding the tunnel and trying to switch across multiple roads to avoid presumed fee. </p> <p>Earlier this week, NSW Premier Chris Minns said: "Clearly it's confusing, that spaghetti junction is difficult to navigate and a lot of cars' GPS haven't caught up.</p> <p>"We'll change that sign and I understand the Minister for Roads is putting up those portable electronic signs to show people that you can use that road in particular and not pay the toll."</p> <p><em>Images: Twitter/ 9News</em></p>

Travel Trouble

Placeholder Content Image

"Matthew would enjoy the humour of it": Ironic detail spotted in Friends tribute

<p>While many fans of the long-running sitcom Friends are in mourning over the <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/you-were-loved-tributes-flow-over-tragic-passing-of-matthew-perry" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sudden death of Matthew Perry</a>, others have delighted in an ironic detail surrounding the Friends apartment in New York. </p> <p>Since the announcement of Perry's death on Sunday, thousands of fans of the show has flocked to the apartment building in New York City's West Village, where the external shots of the gang's apartment was filmed, to pay their respects. </p> <p>While the sitcom, which ran for ten years from 1994, was actually filmed in Los Angeles, the Bedford Street address was used for the external shots of the New York-based show, with the humble apartment being home to each of the cast members during the show. </p> <p>Fans of the show have left notes, flowers, Central Perk memorabilia, and other sentimental items to pay tribute to the late actor. </p> <p>However, one eagle-eyed fan spotted a quirky detail hovering around the building, as Perry's death coincided with Halloween. </p> <p><iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FKidspotAustralia%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02xSVyrpRthTeLeBNqtvHKWUB36us5bVB5vKCW1R9DYgF66kBWqnsSYarY2kDFfCT3l&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="581" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>Part of the building's Halloween decorations included a large ghost hovering near the iconic apartment, with many quick to point out the hilarious irony of the figure floating above the makeshift memorial. </p> <p>“That Halloween ghost is kinda fitting for the photo/mood and I think Matthew would enjoy the humour of it,” fan Holly astutely pointed out, sharing photos of the ghost on Facebook.  </p> <p>The ironic decorations emerged shortly after Perry's Friends co-stars have <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/so-utterly-devastated-friends-cast-break-silence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">broken their silence</a> over his sudden death in a group statement to People magazine. </p> <p>Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer said on Tuesday, "We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family."</p> <p>"There is so much to say, but right now we're going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook / Kidspot</em></p> <div id="fuse-injected-22953829264-1" class="fuse-slot-dynamic publift-video-ad" style="box-sizing: border-box; padding-top: 24px; padding-bottom: 24px; display: flex; justify-content: center;" data-fuse="22953829264" data-fuse-injected-at="1698722632652" data-fuse-code="fuse-slot-22953829264-1" data-fuse-zone-instance="zone-instance-22953829264-1" data-fuse-slot="fuse-slot-22953829264-1" data-fuse-processed-at="1440"> <div id="bb-iawr-over60au-1692594483990158" class="bb_iawr" style="box-sizing: border-box; position: relative; overflow: hidden; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; width: 730px; height: 0px; opacity: 0.01;"> <div id="bb-wr-over60au-1692594483990158" class="bb-media bb_wrapper bb-muted bb-phase-init bb-mode-video bb-state-loading" style="box-sizing: content-box; cursor: auto; margin: 0px auto; position: relative; background-color: #ffffff; border-radius: 10px; width: 730px; height: 411px;" data-softembargoremainingtime="0" data-sid="vFJ5s4ZTs5TI" data-currenttime="0" data-duration="91" data-isready="true"> <div class="bb-layer bb-commercial-layer" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; left: 0px; width: 730px; height: 411px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px; pointer-events: none !important;"> <div class="bb-layer bb-skin-layer bb-muted bb-phase-init bb-mode-video bb-state-loading" style="--primary-color: #3578BB; --element-background-color: #4E4E4E; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; left: 0px; width: 730px; height: 411px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px; pointer-events: none !important;"> <div class="bb-skin-container phase-init svelte-10zo7b2 controls-visible" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: normal; color-scheme: initial; font-feature-settings: initial; font-kerning: initial; font-optical-sizing: initial; font-palette: initial; font-stretch: initial; font-style: initial; font-synthesis: initial; font-variant-alternates: initial; font-variant-caps: initial; font-variant-east-asian: initial; font-variant-ligatures: initial; font-variant-numeric: initial; font-variant-position: initial; font-variation-settings: initial; text-orientation: initial; text-rendering: initial; writing-mode: initial; -webkit-font-smoothing: initial; -webkit-locale: initial; -webkit-text-zoom: initial; letter-spacing: initial; accent-color: initial; border-collapse: initial; caption-side: initial; caret-color: #ffffff; clip-rule: initial; color-interpolation: initial; color-interpolation-filters: initial; cursor: initial; empty-cells: initial; fill: initial; fill-opacity: initial; fill-rule: initial; glyph-orientation-horizontal: initial; glyph-orientation-vertical: initial; hanging-punctuation: initial; image-orientation: initial; image-rendering: initial; kerning: initial; line-break: initial; line-height: initial; list-style: initial; marker-end: initial; marker-mid: initial; marker-start: initial; orphans: initial; overflow-wrap: initial; print-color-adjust: initial; quotes: initial; shape-rendering: initial; speak-as: initial; stroke: initial; stroke-color: initial; stroke-dasharray: initial; stroke-dashoffset: initial; stroke-linecap: initial; stroke-linejoin: initial; stroke-miterlimit: initial; stroke-opacity: initial; stroke-width: initial; tab-size: initial; text-align: initial; text-align-last: initial; text-anchor: initial; text-decoration-skip-ink: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-emphasis-color: initial; text-emphasis-position: initial; text-emphasis-style: initial; text-indent: initial; text-shadow: initial; text-transform: initial; text-underline-offset: initial; text-underline-position: initial; visibility: initial; white-space: initial; widows: initial; word-break: initial; word-spacing: initial; -internal-text-autosizing-status: initial; border-spacing: initial; -webkit-box-direction: initial; -webkit-cursor-visibility: initial; -webkit-hyphenate-character: initial; -webkit-hyphenate-limit-after: initial; -webkit-hyphenate-limit-before: initial; -webkit-hyphenate-limit-lines: initial; -webkit-hyphens: initial; -webkit-line-align: initial; -webkit-line-box-contain: initial; -webkit-line-grid: initial; -webkit-line-snap: initial; -webkit-nbsp-mode: initial; -webkit-rtl-ordering: initial; -webkit-ruby-position: initial; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: initial; -webkit-text-fill-color: initial; -webkit-text-security: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-user-modify: initial; border-radius: var(--border-radius-skin); text-combine-upright: initial; -webkit-text-combine: initial; --transform-animation: transform 0.15s ease-in-out, visibility 0.15s ease-in-out; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; width: 730px; height: 411px; color: var(--foreground-color); -webkit-user-select: none; pointer-events: none; font-family: Lato, Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: var(--font-size); isolation: isolate; overflow: hidden; --accent-color: #3578bb; --foreground-color: #ffffff; --background-gray: #2b2b2b; --bar-button-size: 38px; --bar-icon-size: 16px; --big-icon-size: 54px; --font-size: 14px; --margin-size: 20px; --cancel-button-right: 0em; --related-desired-height-img: 110px; --height-progress-bar: 6px; --bg-color-highlight-pane: rgba(33, 33, 33, 0.75); --bg-color-pane: rgba(33, 33, 33, 0.9); --bg-color-pane-hover: rgba(45, 45, 45, 0.9); --bg-color-button: rgba(33, 33, 33, 0.75); --bg-color-button-hover: rgba(33, 33, 33, 0.9); --color-blue: #649BD2; --aria-focus-color: -webkit-focus-ring-color; --bar-height: var(--margin-size); --border-radius-skin: 10px; --header-area-height: 17px; --player-width: 730px; --player-height: 411px;" tabindex="0"> <div class="overlays svelte-10zo7b2" style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); position: absolute; inset: 0px;"> <div class="loading-overlay no-padding svelte-10zo7b2" style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); position: absolute; width: 730px; height: 411px; display: grid; align-content: center; justify-content: center;"> </div> </div> <div class="keyboard-feedback no-padding svelte-10zo7b2" style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); display: grid; align-content: center; justify-content: center; position: absolute; inset: 0px;"> <div class="center-controls skinsize-S svelte-y9heg7" style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); display: flex; align-items: center; gap: var(--gap-size); --gap-size: 37px; --icon-height: 32px;"> <div class="left-right-button-container left svelte-y9heg7" style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); width: calc(var(--icon-height) + 2.25em); height: calc(var(--icon-height) + 2.25em);"> </div> <div class="left-right-spacer-container svelte-y9heg7" style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); width: 2.4em; height: 2.4em;"> </div> <div class="center-button-container svelte-y9heg7" style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); width: var(--size); height: var(--size); --size: 54px;"> </div> <div class="left-right-spacer-container svelte-y9heg7" style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); width: 2.4em; height: 2.4em;"> </div> <div class="left-right-button-container right svelte-y9heg7" style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); width: calc(var(--icon-height) + 2.25em); height: calc(var(--icon-height) + 2.25em);"> </div> </div> </div> <div class="logo-overlay svelte-10zo7b2" style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); position: absolute; top: var(--margin-size); right: var(--margin-size); bottom: var(--margin-size); left: var(--margin-size); display: flex; z-index: 2;"> </div> <div class="chrome svelte-10zo7b2" style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); width: 730px; height: 411px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; transition: opacity 0.15s ease-in-out 0s; opacity: 1; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15);"> <div class="top-container svelte-10zo7b2" style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); background-image: linear-gradient(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5) 0%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 100%); height: 85px; transition: var(--transform-animation), opacity 0.15s ease-in-out; transform: translateY(0px); z-index: 1;"> <div class="header-area svelte-10zo7b2" style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); margin: var(--margin-size);"> <div class="top-bar svelte-10zo7b2" style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); display: flex; align-items: flex-start; gap: var(--margin-size);"> <div class="metadata-wrapper svelte-10zo7b2" style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); flex-grow: 1; position: relative;"> <div class="metadata svelte-10zo7b2" style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); position: absolute; width: 632px; display: inline-flex; flex-direction: column; row-gap: 0.3em; column-gap: 0.3em;" role="contentinfo"> <h1 class="title svelte-10zo7b2" style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; font-size: 1.1em;">Rupert Friend Spills Secrets of 'Obi-Wan Kenobi' at Star Wars Celebrations</h1> <div class="share-button bar-button svelte-10zo7b2" style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); width: var(--bar-button-size); height: var(--bar-button-size); margin-top: calc(-0.25 * var(--bar-button-size));"> <div class="button-element svelte-1eoizxx no-toggle-transform no-hover-transform" style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); box-sizing: border-box; width: 38px; height: 38px; position: relative; cursor: pointer; pointer-events: initial; border-radius: var(--border-radius); --foreground-color: #ffffff; --border-radius: 50%; --icon-height: 16px; --bg-height: 100%; --bg-width: 100%; --button-position: absolute;"> <div class="button-content svelte-1eoizxx" style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); width: var(--bg-width); height: var(--bg-height); transition: transform 0.2s ease-in-out 0s, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out 0s, transform 0.2s ease-in-out 0s; border-radius: 50%;" tabindex="0" role="button" aria-label="Share"> <div class="normal slot-content svelte-1eoizxx" style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); filter: drop-shadow(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25) 0px 2px 0px); box-sizing: border-box; position: var(--button-position); top: 0px; left: 0px; width: 38px; height: 38px; display: grid; align-content: center; justify-content: center; transition: transform 0.2s ease-in-out 0s, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out 0s, transform 0.2s ease-in-out 0s; opacity: 1;"> <div style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); min-height: 12px; height: var(--icon-height); line-height: var(--icon-height); min-width: var(--icon-height); display: inline-flex; justify-content: center;"> </div> <div class="toggled slot-content svelte-1eoizxx" style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); filter: drop-shadow(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25) 0px 2px 0px); box-sizing: border-box; position: var(--button-position); top: 0px; left: 0px; width: 38px; height: 38px; display: grid; align-content: center; justify-content: center; transition: transform 0.2s ease-in-out 0s, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out 0s, transform 0.2s ease-in-out 0s; opacity: 0;"> </div> </div> <div class="button-tooltip svelte-1eoizxx" style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); pointer-events: none; opacity: 0; transition: opacity 0.2s ease-in-out 0s; height: 0px;"> <div class="tooltip svelte-1bd19u8" style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); display: inline-block;"> <div class="tooltip-content center svelte-1bd19u8" style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); display: flex; padding: 6px 10px; background-color: var(--bg-color-pane); border-radius: 5px; font-size: 0.75em; row-gap: 6px; column-gap: 6px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap; position: absolute; left: 19px; transform: translate(-50%); top: 4em;"> <div class="text svelte-1bd19u8" style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); display: inline-block;">Share</div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="center-controls-layer svelte-10zo7b2" style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); display: grid; align-content: center; justify-content: center; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; width: 730px; height: 411px; transition: opacity 0.15s ease-in-out 0s;"> <div class="center-controls skinsize-S svelte-fllze1" style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); display: flex; align-items: center; gap: var(--gap-size); --gap-size: 37px;"> <div class="big-button big-play-pause-button svelte-fllze1" style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); position: relative; transition: opacity 0.25s ease-in-out 0s;"> <div class="button-element svelte-1eoizxx no-toggle-transform" style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); box-sizing: border-box; width: 54px; height: 54px; position: relative; cursor: pointer; pointer-events: initial; border-radius: var(--border-radius); --foreground-color: #ffffff; --border-radius: 50%; --hover-transform: scale(1.2); --icon-height: 54px; --bg-height: 54px; --bg-width: 54px; --button-position: absolute;"> <div class="button-content svelte-1eoizxx" style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); width: var(--bg-width); height: var(--bg-height); transition: transform 0.2s ease-in-out 0s, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out 0s, transform 0.2s ease-in-out 0s; border-radius: 50%;" tabindex="0" role="button" aria-label="Play"> <div class="normal slot-content svelte-1eoizxx" style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); filter: drop-shadow(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25) 0px 2px 0px); box-sizing: border-box; position: var(--button-position); top: 0px; left: 0px; width: 54px; height: 54px; display: grid; align-content: center; justify-content: center; transition: transform 0.2s ease-in-out 0s, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out 0s, transform 0.2s ease-in-out 0s; opacity: 1;"> <div style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); min-height: 12px; height: var(--icon-height); line-height: var(--icon-height); min-width: var(--icon-height); display: inline-flex; justify-content: center;"> </div> <div class="toggled slot-content svelte-1eoizxx" style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); filter: drop-shadow(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25) 0px 2px 0px); box-sizing: border-box; position: var(--button-position); top: 0px; left: 0px; width: 54px; height: 54px; display: grid; align-content: center; justify-content: center; transition: transform 0.2s ease-in-out 0s, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out 0s, transform 0.2s ease-in-out 0s; opacity: 0;"> <div style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); min-height: 12px; height: var(--icon-height); line-height: var(--icon-height); min-width: var(--icon-height); display: inline-flex; justify-content: center;"> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="start-time svelte-fllze1" style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); top: calc(8px + var(--size-big-button)); position: absolute; left: 27px; transform: translate(-50%); background-color: var(--bg-color-pane); padding: 8px 16px; border-radius: 32px; font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: var(--margin-size); margin-left: 2px;" data-cy="start-screen-duration">01:31</div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="center-area svelte-10zo7b2" style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); flex-grow: 1;"> </div> </div> <div class="chrome-bottom-shadow svelte-10zo7b2" style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); transition: opacity 0.15s ease-in-out 0s; opacity: 0; position: absolute; inset: 0px;"> </div> </div> <div class="bb-layer bb-context-layer" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; left: 0px; width: 730px; height: 411px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px; pointer-events: none !important;"> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem;">"For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty's family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world."</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

Misinformation and the Voice: how can you spot and defuse false claims?

<p>On 14 October, Australians will vote in their first referendum in 24 years.</p> <div class="copy"> <p>The question – whether to establish an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament – has been hotly debated for much of this year already, and campaigning will ramp up for both the Yes and No votes in coming weeks.</p> <p><a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/what-if-instead-of-blaming-readers-of-misinformation-we-showed-them-how-to-tell-the-difference-between-facts-and-falsehoods/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" data-type="link" data-id="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/what-if-instead-of-blaming-readers-of-misinformation-we-showed-them-how-to-tell-the-difference-between-facts-and-falsehoods/">Misinformation</a> and <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/covid/inoculating-against-disinformation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" data-type="link" data-id="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/covid/inoculating-against-disinformation/">disinformation</a> about the referendum have also been circulating, both on- and offline.</p> <p>What should we be keeping an eye out for, and what are the best methods of dealing with misinformation? <em>Cosmos</em> investigates.</p> <p>“There’s a whole field unto itself on how you classify misinformation,” says Dr Natasha van Antwerpen, a lecturer in psychology at the University of Adelaide.</p> <p>It can vary “from the very blatant, absolute lie, through to something that, even if all the facts are correct, the actual impression that you get is not true”, she says.</p> <p>It’s particularly difficult to see if you’re dealing with statements about the future – such as, ‘a Yes or No vote will cause this thing to happen’.</p> <p>“With prediction, it can be really challenging, because you don’t really have a ground truth to work with,” says van Antwerpen.</p> <p>“Things that you can always look out for tend to be: if it’s a really extreme statement, if there’s no degree of uncertainty in the prediction, and sometimes if it’s very obviously feeding into a politicised narrative, that can be a bit of a red flag.”</p> <p>Acknowledging uncertainty is often a better sign that the information is true, says van Antwerpen, as is checking someone’s citations.</p> <p>“What are the bases that they’re making those predictions on? Have they actually got solid research evidence behind the predictions that they’re making, as opposed to speculation?”</p> <p>While the actions both campaigns want people to take in this referendum are very simple – either vote yes, or no – they rest on a very complicated cultural context.</p> <p>“There’s a lot of things that are feeding into people’s decision making that don’t just come from the campaign, they have extraordinary long legacies in Australia,” says Dr Clare Southerton, a lecturer in digital technology and pedagogy at La Trobe University.</p> <p>“When you’re trying to inform people, they’re always going to be interpreting it through their own lens. And that’s how misinformation is able to circulate so rapidly: people respond to it in emotional ways, because they’re coming to it from their own personal histories.”</p> <p>What’s the best way to deal with misinformation if you do come across it?</p> <p>“I wish there was a simple answer,” says Southerton.</p> <p>“Unfortunately, research shows that at this point there is really no <em>most</em> successful strategy.”</p> <p>That said, there are things that work in different circumstances. Southerton says that on social media, reporting the misinformation is a reliable strategy. “When misinformation is mass-reported, it does get taken down – unfortunately, not usually before many, many eyeballs have seen it.”</p> <p>What about your friend or relative who’s dead-set on a stance you know is factually incorrect? Southerton says that while, once again, there’s no method with strong evidence proving it to be the best, connecting with the person “on an emotional level” often helps change their beliefs.</p> <p>“If you can think about where they might be coming from, and connect with them on that level, that’s going to be the most successful. Because we know that people share misinformation because the position that the misinformation has taken makes them feel good,” says Southerton.</p> <p>Southerton warns against “debunking” by simply telling someone that they’re wrong.</p> <p>“Correcting someone, or fact checking, feels good to us, but often shames the person who’s shared the misinformation and can radicalise them further.”</p> <p>This doesn’t mean you need to legitimise their viewpoint.</p> <p>“Try and think about ways that you can humanise your position to them,” says Southerton.</p> <p>“Ultimately, this is a very emotional time for Aboriginal people in Australia, to have these kinds of debates happening about them in a way that can open up conversation for extreme racism to happen in the public sphere.</p> <p>“So it’s really important that we don’t legitimise that racism. But at the same time, […] what is actually successful, as a way to combat misinformation, is about connecting with people who are sharing it, and seeing what ways we can best reach them.”</p> <p>For people who deal with a lot of misinformation professionally, van Antwerpen says it’s important to choose which myths to debunk – you won’t be able to fight every single false statement.</p> <p>Once chosen, she recommends <a href="https://www.climatechangecommunication.org/debunking-handbook-2020/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>The Debunking Handbook</em></a> by Stephan Lewandowsky for evidence-based advice on challenging myths.</p> <p>In general, “you want to start with the facts in a very clear way, so you want it to be as concise as possible,” she says.</p> <p>“We used to say ‘never repeat the misinformation’, but that’s changed a bit now. Generally, it’s best to warn that you’re going to say misinformation, and then just say it once.”</p> <p>Then, van Antwerpen says it’s very important to explain why the misinformation is wrong.</p> <p>“Our brains like to have some sort of explanation. If we don’t have something to fill the gap that’s left when we correct the misinformation, it will just go back to the misinformation.”</p> <p>Being conscious of political narratives, without feeding them and getting more polarised, is important too.</p> <p>“When we present these really polarised arguments, people often tend to either polarise or they’ll get apathetic and drop out,” says van Antwerpen.</p> <p>“So if you’re looking at informing people, it’s finding how can you communicate it in a way that’s not encouraging that split.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em><a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/people/behaviour/misinformation-voice-referendum/">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/ellen-phiddian/">Ellen Phiddian</a>. </em></p> </div>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

Meghan and Lilibet spotted in rare outing

<p dir="ltr">There has been a rare sighting of Meghan Markle and her daughter, Princess Lilibet, in California.</p> <p dir="ltr">The royal mother-daughter duo were spotted close to their home in Montecito, California, as they joined revellers to celebrate the Fourth of July in a parade.</p> <p dir="ltr">Prince Harry and Prince Archie, four, were also in attendance but in the short clip shared on social media, they are obscured by other members of the crowd watching the event.</p> <p dir="ltr">The video of the royal sighting was posted by a local hotel, which shows an Independence Day parade featuring a display of vintage and modern cars, along with local ambulances and fire trucks, making its way from the San Ysidro Road towards East Valley.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CuSz3y2g1Ok/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <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/CuSz3y2g1Ok/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Rosewood Miramar Beach (@rosewoodmiramarbeach)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Meghan can be seen crouching on the ground with her arms around Lilibet, who is waving an American flag pinwheel, as they both wave to the people in the parade.</p> <p dir="ltr">Prince Harry was also spotted, dressed in casual wear, carrying Lilibet through the crowd.</p> <p dir="ltr">The rare sighting comes just days after the Sussexes continue to sit out official royal events, as King Charles celebrated his <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/travel-trouble/not-my-king-second-coronation-marred-by-protestors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">second coronation</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">King Charles celebrated his coronation a second time during a ceremony in the Scottish capital of Edinburgh, just two months after being crowned King in London.</p> <p dir="ltr">The monarch was joined by Queen Camilla, and Prince and Princess of Wales, who are known as the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay in Scotland, for a Service of Thanksgiving and Dedication held in his honour.</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite the grand and emotional service, the ceremony was slightly marred by anti-monarch protestors outside.</p> <p dir="ltr">The protestors stood chanting "not my King" for hours on end so loudly, that the voices could be heard from inside the church during the quieter moments of the ceremony.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

Placeholder Content Image

"Get out of the water!" Huge shark spotted at crowded beach

<p dir="ltr">Dramatic footage has revealed the moment a shark was spotted swimming in shallow waters at a crowded beach in Florida.</p> <p dir="ltr">In the video filmed at Navarre beach on Monday, a sizeable fin can be spotted zipping past swimmers as panicked onlookers screamed for them to get out.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Get out of the water!" one person screamed, as stunned swimmers ran for their lives.</p> <p dir="ltr">However there was an eerie lack of urgency for a few others who took their time exiting the waters, with no worries whatsoever to the frustration of a bystander who commented: "They're still out there."</p> <p dir="ltr">Cristy Cox, who filmed the footage, told the <em>Pensacola News Journal</em> that the shark was simply chasing a fish, but warned people to be aware of their surroundings.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It all happened so fast! A dolphin was actually side by side with the shark at first and then just disappeared,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The shark was just trying to feed as they are expected and just passed by swimmers.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Everyone was stunned as it moved down the beach chasing the school of fish. We all just have to remember this is natural and we are in their home, so stay alert!”</p> <p dir="ltr">Beach Safety Director Austin Turnbill confirmed to the publication that a shark had been spotted at the beach, but for people to not be alarmed.</p> <p dir="ltr">“There’s sharks in the Gulf, everywhere. We see sharks almost every day and there’s nothing to be alarmed of for 99.9% of the time,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Cristy Cox Facebook</em></p>

Travel Trouble

Placeholder Content Image

Marine species are being pushed towards the poles. From dugong to octopuses, here are 8 marine species you might spot in new places

<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/gretta-pecl-128477">Gretta Pecl</a>, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a></em>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/curtis-champion-1373045">Curtis Champion</a>, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/southern-cross-university-1160">Southern Cross University</a></em>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/zoe-doubleday-393169">Zoe Doubleday</a>, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a></em></p> <p>If you take a plunge in the sea this winter, you might notice it’s warmer than you expect. And if you’re fishing off Sydney and catch a tropical coral trout, you might wonder what’s going on.</p> <p>The reason is simple: hotter water. The ocean has absorbed the vast majority of the extra heat trapped by carbon dioxide and other greenhouses gases. It’s no wonder heat in the oceans is building up rapidly – and this year is <a href="https://theconversation.com/ocean-heat-is-off-the-charts-heres-what-that-means-for-humans-and-ecosystems-around-the-world-207902">off the charts</a>.</p> <p>That’s even without the likely arrival of El Niño, where the Pacific Ocean gets warmer than usual and affects weather all over the world. Our coastal waters <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/oceanography/oceantemp/sst-outlook-map.shtml">are forecast</a> to be especially warm over the coming months, up to 2.5℃ warmer than usual in many places.</p> <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533327/original/file-20230622-27-cqb9j1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533327/original/file-20230622-27-cqb9j1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=482&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533327/original/file-20230622-27-cqb9j1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=482&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533327/original/file-20230622-27-cqb9j1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=482&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533327/original/file-20230622-27-cqb9j1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=605&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533327/original/file-20230622-27-cqb9j1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=605&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533327/original/file-20230622-27-cqb9j1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=605&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Oceans around Australia are forecast to be much warmer than usual. SSTA stands for projected Sea Surface Temperature Anomaly, the difference between forecast ocean temperatures and a historical baseline period encompassing 1990–2012.</span> <span class="attribution">Bureau of Meteorology</span></figcaption></figure> <p>Many marine species live within a narrow temperature range. If the water heats up, they have to move, and if they don’t, they might die. So those that can move, are moving. In Australia, at least 200 marine species have <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/gcb.15634">shifted distributions</a> since 2003, with 87% heading south.</p> <p>This pattern is happening all around the world, both on land and <a href="https://theconversation.com/thousands-of-photos-captured-by-everyday-australians-reveal-the-secrets-of-our-marine-life-as-oceans-warm-189231">in the ocean</a>. This year, the warmer ocean temperatures during winter mean Australia’s seascapes are likely to be more like summer. So, the next time you go fishing or diving or beachcombing, keep your eyes peeled and your camera ready. You may glimpse the enormous disruption happening underwater for yourself.</p> <h2>Here are eight species on the move</h2> <p><strong>1. Moorish idol (<em>Zanclus cornutus</em>)</strong></p> <p>Historic range: northern Australia</p> <p>Now: This <a href="https://www.redmap.org.au/species/1/204/">striking fish</a> can now be seen south of Geraldton in Western Australia and Eden in New South Wales.</p> <p>This is a great fish for divers to spot on hard-bottomed habitats.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533373/original/file-20230622-21-6g6xk8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533373/original/file-20230622-21-6g6xk8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533373/original/file-20230622-21-6g6xk8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533373/original/file-20230622-21-6g6xk8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533373/original/file-20230622-21-6g6xk8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533373/original/file-20230622-21-6g6xk8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533373/original/file-20230622-21-6g6xk8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533373/original/file-20230622-21-6g6xk8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="moorish idol" /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">Moorish Idols are heading south to escape the heat.</span> <span class="attribution">Shutterstock</span></figcaption></figure> <p><strong>2. Branching coral (<em>Pocillopora aliciae</em>)</strong></p> <p>Historic range: northern NSW</p> <p>Now: Look out for this <a href="https://www.redmap.org.au/species/2/255">pale pink beauty</a> south of Port Stephens, not far from Sydney.</p> <p>Seemingly immovable species like coral are fleeing the heat too. They’re already providing habitat for a range of other shifting species like tropical fish and crab species.</p> <p><strong>3. Eastern rock lobster (<em>Sagmariasus verreauxi</em>)</strong></p> <p>Historic range: common in NSW</p> <p>Now: South, as far as <a href="https://www.redmap.org.au/species/2/167">it can get.</a> It’s now found in Tasmania and even in <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-the-marine-biological-association-of-the-united-kingdom/article/westward-range-expansion-of-the-eastern-rock-lobster-sagmariasus-verreauxi-in-australia/8DE945E58E1DDA1A2BB7431065AAC8EC">South Australia</a>.</p> <p>This tasty greenish crustacean <a href="https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v624/p1-11/">doesn’t like heat</a> and has moved south into the territory of red southern rock lobsters (<em>Jasus edwardsii</em>).</p> <p><strong>4. Gloomy octopus (<em>Octopus tetricus</em>)</strong></p> <p>Previous range: common in NSW</p> <p>Now: As far south as Tasmania.</p> <p>Look out for this slippery, smart invertebrate in <a href="https://www.redmap.org.au/species/2/127">Tasmanian waters</a> this winter. You might even spot the octopus nestled down with some eggs, as this looks to be a <a href="https://www.publish.csiro.au/mf/mf14126">permanent sea change</a>.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533376/original/file-20230622-17-lf2y8r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533376/original/file-20230622-17-lf2y8r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533376/original/file-20230622-17-lf2y8r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=462&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533376/original/file-20230622-17-lf2y8r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=462&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533376/original/file-20230622-17-lf2y8r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=462&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533376/original/file-20230622-17-lf2y8r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=581&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533376/original/file-20230622-17-lf2y8r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=581&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533376/original/file-20230622-17-lf2y8r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=581&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="gloomy octopus" /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">The gloomy octopus is also known as the common Sydney octopus.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Niki Hubbard, Wikimedia</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span></figcaption></figure> <p><strong>5. Whitetip reef shark (<em>Triaenodon obesus</em>)</strong></p> <p>Previous range: northern Australia</p> <p>Now: <a href="https://www.redmap.org.au/species/3/185">South of K'gari</a> (formerly known as Fraser Island).</p> <p>Classed as vulnerable in parts of the world, this tropical shark is a slow swimmer and never sleeps. It poses very little danger to humans.</p> <p><strong>6. Dugongs (<em>Dugong dugon</em>)</strong> Previous range: northern Australia</p> <p>Now: As far south as Shark Bay in WA and <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-17/tweed-river-dugong-sighting-boaties-warned/102355438">Tweed River</a> in New South Wales.</p> <p>Our waters are home to the largest number of dugong in the world. But as waters warm, they’re heading south. That means more of us may see these elusive sea-cows as they graze on seagrass meadows.</p> <p>Some of the most adventurous have gone way out of their normal range – in 2014, a kitesurfer <a href="https://www.redmap.org.au/articles/2021/07/26/are-dugongs-hitching-a-ride-south/">reported</a> passing a dugong at City Beach, Perth. As a WA wildlife expert says, dugongs may occasionally stray further south of Shark Bay but “given the recent warming trend […] more dugong sightings might be expected in the future”</p> <p><strong>7. Red emperor (<em>Lutjanus sebae</em>) and other warm water game fish</strong></p> <p>Previous range: northern Australia</p> <p>Now: Appearing much further south – especially in WA.</p> <p>Look for <a href="https://www.redmap.org.au/species/1/108/">red</a>, threadfin, and redthroat emperors in southwest WA as the Leeuwin current carries these <a href="https://www.redmap.org.au/articles/2021/07/26/game-fish-follow-warm-route-south/">warm water species</a> south. As WA fisheries expert Gary Jackson has said, this current is a warming hotspot, acting like a warm water highway for certain marine species.</p> <p>These fish are highly <a href="https://goodfish.org.au/species/red-emperor/">sought after</a> by fishers.</p> <p><strong>8. Long-spined sea urchin (<em>Centrostephanus rodgersii</em>)</strong></p> <p>Historic range: NSW and Victoria</p> <p>Now: Tasmania</p> <p>Look out for these <a href="https://www.redmap.org.au/species/2/34/">spiky critters</a> in southern and western Tasmania. The larvae of these urchins have crossed the Bass Strait and found a new home, due to warming waters. Urchins are grazers and can scrape rocks clean, creating urchin barrens where nothing grows. That’s bad news for kelp forests and the species which depend on them. In response, Tasmanian authorities are working to create a <a href="https://fishing.tas.gov.au/community/long-spined-sea-urchin-management/long-spined-sea-urchin-strategy#:%7E:text=%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8BTackling%20the%20longspined%20sea%20urchin&amp;text=Unchecked%2C%20the%20urchin's%20presence%20is,at%20around%2020%20million%20individuals.">viable urchin fishery</a> to keep numbers down.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533379/original/file-20230622-33216-7lslyr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533379/original/file-20230622-33216-7lslyr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533379/original/file-20230622-33216-7lslyr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533379/original/file-20230622-33216-7lslyr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533379/original/file-20230622-33216-7lslyr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533379/original/file-20230622-33216-7lslyr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533379/original/file-20230622-33216-7lslyr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533379/original/file-20230622-33216-7lslyr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="long spined sea urchins" /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">Long-spiked sea urchins are voracious eaters of seaweed.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnwturnbull/32131133496/in/photostream/">John Turnbull/Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span></figcaption></figure> <h2>You can help keep watch</h2> <p>For years, fishers, snorkellers, spearfishers and the general public have contributed their unusual marine sightings to <a href="https://www.redmap.org.au/">Redmap</a>, the Australian citizen science project aimed at mapping range extensions of species.</p> <p>If you spot a creature that wouldn’t normally live in the waters near you, you can upload a photo to log your sighting.</p> <p>For example, avid spearfisher Derrick Cruz logged a <a href="https://www.redmap.org.au/sightings/1624/">startling discovery</a> with Redmap in 2015: A coral trout in Sydney’s waters. As he told us: “I’ve seen plenty of coral trout in tropical waters, where they’re at home within the coral. But it was surreal to see one swimming through a kelp forest in the local waters off Sydney, much further south than I’ve ever seen that species before!”</p> <p>How does tracking these movements help scientists? Many hands make light work. These vital observations from citizen scientists <a href="https://data-blog.gbif.org/post/gbif-citizen-science-data">have helped</a> researchers gain deeper understanding of what climate change is doing to the natural world in many places, from bird migrations to flowering plants to marine creatures.</p> <p>So, please keep an eye out this year. The heat is on in our oceans, and that can mean sudden change. <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/207115/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/gretta-pecl-128477">Gretta Pecl</a>, Professor, ARC Future Fellow &amp; Director of the Centre for Marine Socioecology, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a></em>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/curtis-champion-1373045">Curtis Champion</a>, Research Scientist, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/southern-cross-university-1160">Southern Cross University</a></em>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/zoe-doubleday-393169">Zoe Doubleday</a>, Marine Ecologist and ARC Future Fellow, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/marine-species-are-being-pushed-towards-the-poles-from-dugong-to-octopuses-here-are-8-marine-species-you-might-spot-in-new-places-207115">original article</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

International Travel

Placeholder Content Image

Michael Buble spotted Down Under

<p dir="ltr">Canadian singing sensation Michael Bublé has landed in Australia ahead of his 2023 Higher Tour. </p> <p dir="ltr">The star was initially set to perform in 2022, but due to “global logistical issues” he and his team were unable “to deliver the show that I feel Australians deserve”, and postponed until the following year. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Although it’s incredibly disappointing for all of us, I wanted to be transparent with you,” he said in a statement to fans at the time, “and hope you can understand what a difficult decision this was to make.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The first stop on the renewed tour saw him in Newcastle, before he jetted off to Perth for his second show Down Under. </p> <p dir="ltr">It was there that he crossed paths with his mother, taking to social media to share a sweet snap of their Aussie reunion, with a caption that left fans all across the globe chuckling. </p> <p dir="ltr">The picture saw Michael standing with an arm around his mum, Amber Santagà, smiles on each of their faces with water and the looped architectural designs of Elizabeth Quay behind them. </p> <p dir="ltr">“My mom opted for the upgraded ‘meet &amp; greet’ package which included a brief conversation and one photograph,” he quipped.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CtDV1rFLKj1/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CtDV1rFLKj1/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Michael Bublé (@michaelbuble)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">One of the first up to respond was Michael’s wife, Luisana Lopilato, who took the opportunity to gush over the mother-and-son duo, writing “Love you mom. Love u mike.”</p> <p dir="ltr">His sister, Brandee, joined in from there, adding her own “Omg. I love this so much!!! Hi momma! Hi Mike! I love this so much!”</p> <p dir="ltr">Meanwhile, fans of the singer wanted to get in on the fun too, with many sharing that they loved the sweet family moment, and welcoming them to their sunny city. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Wow! Beautiful momma! (and you look pretty good too) Welcome to Perth!” one wrote. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Amber is very lucky, she got the best package, with the best treatment a son can give to his mother: lots of love and great memories!” another said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Good for her for splurging,” one joked.</p> <p dir="ltr">“She's beautiful and definitely looks too young to be your mama,” someone noted. “You go, girl!”</p> <p dir="ltr">“Michael, if I didn't know better, I'd think she was your sister!” a like-minded fan added. “You're one lucky guy. Make sure she gets the best seats.”</p> <p dir="ltr">And the praise for Amanda just kept coming, with another writing, “Smart mum! ‘Meet &amp; greet’ is the way to go!”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

International Travel

Placeholder Content Image

8 spots to declutter on a daily basis

<p>Many people who are naturally tidy will say that orderliness is merely a habit.</p> <p>So get into the groove of doing a little bit of decluttering every day, and you're sure to live a (somewhat) more streamlined life.</p> <p>Here are eight areas in your home that could do with a tidy on-the-daily.</p> <p><strong>1. The mailbox </strong></p> <p>Start setting your home life in order before you even walk in the door by making sure to clear your mailbox.</p> <p>Any junk mail can go straight in the recycling bin outside and you can deal with mail and bills immediately.</p> <p><strong>2. Your handbag</strong></p> <p>The busier a woman is, the more likely she is to accumulate fodder in her handbag. Receipts, toiletries, charger cables, hair clips, mail, snacks, and more will get lumped into the bag.</p> <p>Take a couple of minutes at the end of each day to clear what's arrived there into the relevant places, and make sure you have what you need for tomorrow.</p> <p><strong>3. The kitchen sink</strong></p> <p>Does anyone really enjoy doing the dishes? </p> <p>Washing dirty pots and pans is an activity that only becomes less attractive the longer you leave it.</p> <p>Do yourself a favour and the air in your home a favour - don't leave unwashed dishes in the sink overnight.</p> <p><strong>4. Your clothes pile </strong></p> <p>Let's be real - we all have one of these. Whether it's your chair, a corner of your bed or in a hamper, unworn clothes just seem to gather.</p> <p>Make it your practice to return clothes to the wardrobe before bed for a more relaxing bedroom (and maybe even a better night's sleep).</p> <p><strong>5. The car</strong></p> <p>Don't treat your car like an open-plan filing system, a trash can or a laundry basket.</p> <p>Make a rule - when you get out of the car, all new additions - like coffee cups or the drycleaning you just retrieved - come out with you.</p> <p><strong>6. The kitchen bench</strong></p> <p>The counter in your kitchen is a waypoint in the home where clutter easily accumulates.</p> <p>It might be tempting to decorate this space with a tray for odds and ends, but by doing this, you're simply allowing yourself to procrastinate. </p> <p>Instead, create a pinboard somewhere in your kitchen. Reminders and important documents can be pinned, everything else can go back where it belongs.</p> <p><strong>7. Your desk </strong></p> <p>Maintaining a tidy home office is important for morale and productivity. Plus, you deserve to work in well ordered environment.</p> <p>It's easy to bring things from around the house onto your desk (e.g. scissors, charging cables) and then be frantically wondering where they are later.</p> <p>When you finish your work for the day, make a ritual of putting everything away. </p> <p><strong>8. Your wallet </strong></p> <p>File receipts, remove excess coins, keep an eye on your loyalty cards (you might have a nice surprise) and make sure you have all your cards.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p> <p><em>Written by Anabela Rea. Republished with permission on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz.</span></strong></a></em></p>

Home Hints & Tips

Placeholder Content Image

Ableism and disablism – how to spot them and how we can all do better

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kelsey-chapman-1345505">Kelsey Chapman</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/angel-dixon-1412256">Angel Dixon</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/elizabeth-kendall-210342">Elizabeth Kendall</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/katie-kelly-1436986">Katie Kelly</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a></em></p> <p>When the 2022 Australian of the Year was announced, <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/the-defining-moments-of-dylan-alcotts-time-as-australian-of-the-year/anpkgw2gw">Dylan Alcott</a> wheeled onto the stage. Australian audiences are tuning in to watch TV shows featuring people with disability: <a href="https://iview.abc.net.au/show/you-can-t-ask-that/series/7/video/LE2021H003S00?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlMCoiYLY_gIVl1l9Ch2plwHkEAAYASAAEgKiC_D_BwE&amp;gclsrc=aw.ds">You Can’t Ask That</a>, <a href="https://iview.abc.net.au/show/love-on-the-spectrum">Love on the Spectrum</a> and <a href="https://iview.abc.net.au/show/employable-me-australia">Employable Me</a>.</p> <p>The Disability Pride movement is gaining momentum and people with disability are becoming part of the diversity conversation.</p> <p>On the surface, it would appear we have come a long way in our collective attitudes towards disability. But two of society’s biggest “-isms” still go largely <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-02-27/harry-styles-concerts-marvel-stadium-accessibility-chloe-hayden/102025124">unnoticed and unaddressed</a>: ableism and disablism.</p> <p>What do these terms mean? And how can we all do better to dismantle them?</p> <h2>Two types of discrimination</h2> <p>Ableism and disablism both refer to types of disability discrimination. The nuance between the two words can cause confusion but are important for acknowledging, detecting, and dismantling the types of barriers people with disability encounter.</p> <p><a href="https://www.attitude.org.au/uploads/120/Perspective%20Shift_Series%201_Study%20Guide_Nov_FINAL.pdf">Ableism</a> is discrimination that favours “able-bodied” people, or people without disability. Ableism prioritises the needs of people without disability. A building designed without a ramp or a lift for people who require them, a lack of captions for a meeting, and stadiums without <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/health-and-wellness/what-is-a-sensory-space-and-why-are-they-so-important-20230227-p5cnwy.html">low-sensory spaces</a> are all examples of ableism.</p> <p><a href="https://www.sense.org.uk/information-and-advice/ableism-and-disablism/">Disablism</a> is the inherent belief that people with disability are inferior to those without disability. It is discrimination against people with disability, like those shared in the <a href="https://disability.royalcommission.gov.au/system/files/2022-03/Issues%20paper%20-%20Rights%20and%20attitudes.pdf">Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability</a>. Disablism can be a more direct, conscious act of discrimination and abuse. Using disability slurs, ignoring someone, or speaking in a patronising way are common examples.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Weekly reminder: If your event doesn't have a virtual option, it's not inclusive or accessible. Thank you for coming to my Twitter talk on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ableism?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ableism</a></p> <p>— chantzy (@chantz_y) <a href="https://twitter.com/chantz_y/status/1653033877105934339?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <h2>Ingrained and everywhere</h2> <p>If we are honest, we can acknowledge ableism and disablism are ubiquitous in our language, our homes, children’s stories, media, at work and in our daily social interactions. Indeed, ableism and disablism can be so ingrained in our daily lives that most people are unaware of them.</p> <p>Both forms of discrimination can be subtle and insidious, making them difficult to detect and address. They often operate at systemic levels and are not identified as discrimination.</p> <p>A good example of systemic ableism is the forced segregation of people with disability into <a href="https://disability.royalcommission.gov.au/system/files/2022-03/Issues%20paper%20-%20Education%20and%20learning.pdf">“special” schools or “sheltered” workplaces</a> through limited choice and structural support of these options. Although the process of forcing people into these options no longer occurs in such blatantly disrespectful ways, the result is the same.</p> <p>Ableist and disablist attitudes are frequently encountered in daily conversation. Subtle ableism manifests in the use of well-intended “empathetic” comments, like “I can’t imagine losing my eyesight. That would be the worst.” These remarks, even when intended to prompt a connection between two people, reveal deep-seated beliefs and create a greater divide.</p> <p>People with disability, along with other marginalised communities, categorise these types of interactions as “<a href="https://hbr.org/2020/07/when-and-how-to-respond-to-microaggressions">microaggressions</a>”.</p> <p>Disablist attitudes are more overt. Comments like “If you are unable to walk down the ramp then you shouldn’t have gotten tickets to this concert” demonstrate the low expectations and damaging beliefs that impact on people’s opportunities for education, employment and social interaction.</p> <h2>Challenging but worth it</h2> <p>Combating disablism and ableism is a great challenge but one that is worthwhile. A broad spectrum of challenges is at play: confronting and disrupting the status quo, valuing diverse types of knowledge and experience and acknowledging the unconscious biases we all have.</p> <p>At a systemic and societal level, the way we design and deliver systems, polices, virtual and physical environments, products and experiences need to be co-designed in partnership with people with disability – or better yet, through disability-led initiatives.</p> <p>Generating new ideas and better ways of working will contribute to improvements in daily life for all people – just like ramps benefit parents pushing prams and people using mobility aids.</p> <p>The emphasis on <a href="https://anzsog.edu.au/research-insights-and-resources/research/the-promise-of-co-design-for-public-policy/">co-design</a> and engagement with people with disability is <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1440-1630.12847">increasingly prevalent</a>. However, it is critical to conduct co-design in ways that are not tokenistic and don’t merely validate current practice. Frameworks like the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1440-1630.12847">Dignity Project Framework</a>, which includes principles of importance for engaging with people with disability, can better support a dignified process of co-design and citizen partnership.</p> <h2>‘Not yet disabled’</h2> <p>At an individual level, we all have a part to play in creating an inclusive future.</p> <p>Disability has been called the <a href="https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/resources/factsheet-on-persons-with-disabilities.html">world’s largest minority</a> and is a group any person can join at any time in their life.</p> <p>The late disability rights activist <a href="https://judithheumann.com/">Judith Heumann</a> preferred to use the term “not yet disabled” to emphasise that we will all experience impairment and disability at some stage. Thus, we may all confront ableism and disablism at some point. The way to prepare for that time is to actively acknowledge and challenge personal biases, learn about and advocate for accessibility and inclusion in the spaces where you live, work and play and amplify the voices of people with disability at every opportunity.</p> <p>As advocate <a href="https://tiltingthelens.com/about-us/#:%7E:text=As%20a%20passionate%20writer%2C%20podcast,of%20Fashion%2C%20and%20many%20more.">Sinead Burke from Tilting the Lens</a> says in <a href="https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/vogue-disability-portfolio-2023">British Vogue’s</a> May issue, "Accessibility and disability inclusion is everyone’s responsibility and opportunity. This is a movement, not a moment. And it involves all of us.<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/204541/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />"</p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kelsey-chapman-1345505">Kelsey Chapman</a>, Research Fellow Dignity Project, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/angel-dixon-1412256">Angel Dixon</a>, Researcher, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/elizabeth-kendall-210342">Elizabeth Kendall</a>, Professor, Director, Griffith Inclusive Futures, Griffith University, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/katie-kelly-1436986">Katie Kelly</a>, Research fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty </em><em>Images </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/ableism-and-disablism-how-to-spot-them-and-how-we-can-all-do-better-204541">original article</a>.</em></p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

Outrage after Aus Post driver caught parking in disability spot

<p>A Queensland Australian Post worker has sparked outrage after parking his car at a shopping centre car park, leading to a quick response from the company.</p> <p>A disgruntled Karalee local saw the Aus Post van parked in the disability spot and said the contractor’s “unacceptable” act led to an elderly woman missing out on the much-needed spot.</p> <p>Posting to the Australian Disability Parking Wall of Shame Facebook page, the woman wrote, "Driver’s laziness led to elderly lady with a permit having to park opposite and hobble across the road."</p> <p>The van was parked outside the Karalee Chempro Chemist.</p> <p>The post prompted many to weigh in, with some users bringing up other Australia Post parking concerns they’ve seen around their local areas.</p> <p>“At my local shops here in Perth one of the thatched areas besides an ACROD bay is marked that Australia Post vehicles are permitted to park in it which I also believe is wrong and this is definitely inexcusable," one man wrote.</p> <p>The Facebook post has since been deleted.</p> <p>Australia Post issued an apology as soon as they were made aware of the situation.</p> <p>"We sincerely apologise for the actions of this delivery contractor and any inconvenience caused," an Australia Post spokesperson said in a statement.</p> <p>"This lapse in judgement falls well below the high standards we expect of our team members.</p> <p>"It’s especially disappointing given Australia Post prides itself on its commitment to inclusion and diversity both across our workforce and within our communities. We’ve spoken to the contractor and taken steps to ensure this doesn’t happen again.”</p> <p>According to <em>Yahoo</em>, both the man driving the van and all Australia Post contractors copped a strong reminder that they cannot park in disability spots without a permit.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Facebook</em></p>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

Searching for a sizzle: Rod Stewart spotted at Bunnings!

<p>Legendary rocker Rod Stewart has been spotted shopping at Bunnings in Sydney’s Balgowlah.</p> <p>The 78-year-old, who just wrapped up his tour down under, was seen in all white when he popped over to Sydney’s Northern Beaches perhaps in search of the store’s famed sausage sizzle before learning the snags are a weekend-only affair.</p> <p>One man posted a photo of the British star with staff, paired with the caption, “Rod Stewart spotted at Bunnings in Balgowlah feeling somewhat disappointed to hear that they only do snags in bread on the w/e.”</p> <p>The tweet, originally posted to the Manly Observer, received a fair bit of attention.</p> <p>One comment read, “Road crew sent him out to pick up some gaffer tape apparently,” complete with a winky face emoji.</p> <p>Another Twitter user explained this wasn’t the first time Stewart has been spotted out and about in Sydney of late, writing, "He was spotted all the way out in Pendle Hill the other day. Apparently he's a bit of a train model enthusiast and popped into the store.”</p> <p>In a Facebook post, Stewart was seen visiting Woodpecker Railways, a small family-run shop in New South Wales.</p> <p>In an interview with 3AW he revealed he is quite the fan of Bunnings.</p> <p>"I love Bunnings," he said. "I found this particular angled wood that you can't get in England so I'm trying to get it to England, but we haven't found our way to do it yet."</p> <p>Stewart is just another celeb to join the list of Bunnings lovers.</p> <p>Fellow Brit Harry Styles was spotted wearing the classic Bunnings hat on stage during his Australian tour, while Ryan Gosling and Sydney Sweeney have been pictured with Bunnings umbrellas while filming in Sydney.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Twitter</em></p>

Music

Placeholder Content Image

“Doesn’t seem okay to me”: Police slammed for parking in disabled spot

<p dir="ltr">NSW Police have come under fire after an outraged Sydney driver called out a patrol car that was parked in a disabled parking spot.</p> <p dir="ltr">A furious driver spotted the police vehicle outside a state election early-voting centre in Mascot on Monday, and snapped a photo of the Hyundai Sonata police car in the clearly labelled disabled parking zone.</p> <p dir="ltr">They then posted the picture to Reddit, with the infuriated motorist captioning the post, “Police parking in a disabled spot so they can vote in Mascot. Where should I complain?”</p> <p dir="ltr">“I have no issue with them voting while on the clock, I do have an issue with them having to park in a disabled spot,” the driver commented.</p> <p dir="ltr">“They have five more days to vote, even if they can’t find time when they’re not working, they can at least wait until they’re not disadvantaging a disabled person.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The driver, who has firsthand experience of battling to claim a disabled parking space for their chronically ill parent, called out the brazen officers for not thinking how this act could significantly impact accessibility requirements for people with disabilities.</p> <p dir="ltr">“My mum had MS and this kind of sh*t would mean we’d need to turn around and go home,” they said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“For people with severe and debilitating disabilities, these spots are vital to them even being able to leave the house. Blocking a spot so they can vote in an election that isn’t until the weekend doesn’t seem okay to me.</p> <p dir="ltr">“There were no other spots between there and the polling station. The election isn’t now, or even tomorrow. (The officers) had time to wait for a non-disabled spot.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The post went viral on Reddit, with a spokesperson for NSW Police saying they’re looking into the situation after being notified about the incident.</p> <p dir="ltr">The comments on the post were divided after many people sided with the officers, saying officers on patrol should be remaining close to their vehicles in case of an emergency.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Arguably, emergency services are probably better off parking in convenient accessible locations,” one person said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I agree a disabled spot sounds a bit sh*tty, but you wouldn’t want them having to rush to level 4 of a nearby multi-story carpark to take an urgent call like a domestic violence response.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s very important for the officers to (be) close to their patrol car in case of an emergency. Stop having a whinge,” another comment read.</p> <p dir="ltr">Meanwhile, others were more sympathetic towards the person who posted the photo and agreed the officers should have parked elsewhere.</p> <p dir="ltr">“As a disabled person, this is really disappointing to read,” one person said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I greatly appreciate someone sticking up for people like myself. Not a lot of people will.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Another supporter added, “Yeah that’s not on. I have a disability and I’m tired of people parking in our spots when they don’t have a disability.”</p> <p dir="ltr">According to the NSW state government website, “heavy fines apply for stopping in spaces reserved for people with disabilities, or using a permit that infringes its conditions of use.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Reddit</em></p>

Legal

Our Partners