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How 8-year-old Ruby McLellan became Australia's youngest home owner

Move over, monopoly tycoons and pretend princes of pretend kingdoms – meet Ruby McLellan, the pint-sized powerhouse who's rewriting the rules of real estate and giving the term "property ladder" a literal twist. That's right: Ruby is just eight years old and already owns a four-bedroom house. Meanwhile, most of us can barely find matching socks in the morning. Now, before you start picturing a tiny landlord with a playhouse adorned with "No Girls Allowed" signs, let's delve into Ruby's remarkable tale of fiscal responsibility and pocket money prowess. While most kids her age were still trying to figure out if they preferred chocolate or strawberry milk, Ruby was busy checking out property market trends and crunching numbers like a seasoned Wall Street mogul. With the help of her siblings, Angus (14) and Lucy (13), Ruby pooled their collective pocket money - a grand total of $6000 - to secure a deposit for their first property. Their weapon of choice? Not lemonade stands or tooth fairy funds, but good old-fashioned hard work and frugality. The result? A four-bedroom home in Clyde, southeast of Melbourne, bought by the McLellan kids for $671,000. Their dad, Cam McLellan, CEO of a property investment company, guided them through the labyrinth of real estate jargon, teaching them about positive gearing and growth corridors. While other kids were learning their times tables, Ruby was calculating potential rental yields. Talk about a head start in life! And while their friends were blowing their allowances on the latest toys and gadgets, these pint-sized property moguls were saying no to impulse buys and yes to long-term investments. It's like they were born with calculators instead of rattles. Now, you might be wondering, what's next for these mini-magnates? Well, they plan to hold onto their property until Lucy and Angus hit their early 20s, ensuring they've waited through one full "growth property cycle". After that, it's off to the races, with hopes that their humble abode will fetch a cool million bucks. But Ruby's not stopping there. She's already asking about tax implications and property sales, proving that she's got the brains to match her business acumen. Who needs a lemonade stand when you can have a diversified investment portfolio? So, while most kids are busy mastering Fortnite dances or perfecting their TikTok routines, Ruby McLellan is out here making moves in the property market. Who knows? Maybe one day we'll all be renting from her property empire. But just remember, when you're paying rent to an eight-year-old landlord, be sure to pay on time. Late fees might include extra homework assignments or a mandatory bedtime story session. Hey, it's all in the lease agreement... Image: The Today Show

Money & Banking

Queen Elizabeth's youngest maid of honour passes away

The youngest of Queen Elizabeth’s maids of honour at her 1953 coronation passed away just one day before Her Majesty’s state funeral. The Times reported that Lady Mary Russell died on September 18, aged 88. “Lady Mary died peacefully at home with her family around her on Sunday 18 September,” the outlet’s obituary read. “Beloved wife of David, much-loved mother of Arabella, Anthony, Philip, Jason and Marina, and dearly loved by her 12 grandchildren.” Lady Mary was 19 when she helped five other maids of honour in carrying the Queen’s six-metre train - which was so heavy the monarch would be unable to move without their hel[ - at Westminster Abbey during the coronation. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/09/qeii-coronation.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Queen Elizabeth II with her maids of honour Lady Moyra Campbell, Lady Anne Glenconner, Lady Rosemary Muir, Lady Mary Russell, the Baroness Willoughby de Eresby Jane Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, Lady Jane Rayne. Image: The Print Collector/Getty Images Her father, the Earl of Haddington, was a childhood friend of the Queen Mother and was pictured carrying the Sceptre of the Dove at George VI’s coronation in 1937. In a previous interview, Lady Mary recalled how “moving” and “overwhelming” the coronation was, as well as the honour of being one of a select few chosen to be involved in the ceremony. "It was overwhelming and moving – especially during the anointing… It was an incredible moment, but all I could think about was how heavy the embroidery felt," she said. "Of all the girls our age in the country, we six girls were chosen to carry the Queen's train and that meant a great deal." Fellow maid of honour Baroness Anne Glenconner told the BBC that they had a taste of fame during the 1950s as a result of their role in the historic occasion, describing them as “the Spice Girls of their time”. Lady Mary’s passing comes two years after the death of Lady Morya Campbell, another maid of honour, at the age of 90. Baroness Glenconner, along with Lady Jane Lacey, Lady Rosemary Muir and Baronness Willoughby de Eresby, is still alive today. Image: Getty Images

Caring

Meet Australia’s newest and youngest Chaser

There is a new Chaser on the block and she is not here to play nicely. Enter Mara Lejins, only 27, and Australia’s youngest Chaser on popular TV show The Chase. One look and you’d actually think she’s Elle Woods from Legally Blonde thanks to her blonde hair and pink outfit. But don’t underestimate the innocent look as she has been dubbed The Smiling Assassin. “I only smile when I’m trying to take down contestants - that’s why I’m always smiling,” she says with a grin. The Smiling Assassin joins the top guns on the show - Goliath, The Governess, The Beast, The Shark, The Super Nerd and The Tiger Mum - who have long been putting contestants in their place in the competition. Host Larry Emdur told The Morning Show that people are fooled by Mara’s looks and when she attacks it’s “impressive”. “She’s so disarming,” he said. “She comes out, ‘oh doesn’t she look lovely’, and then BANG, she is across everything.” In a funny twist of events, Mara appeared in the show’s spinoff series Beat The Chasers in 2020 where she won a huge $58,000. Before that, she appeared as a contestant on The Chase in 2017 where she earned a whopping $20,000 for her team. Images: Seven

New birthday snaps of Crown Princess Mary's youngest children

The Danish Royal Family have released new photos of Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine, the youngest children of Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary, to mark their 11th birthday, which they celebrated over the weekend. The photos were taken by Mary herself, and show the children in jeans and winter coats. In some of the photos, the twins are holding matching puppies. In addition to the photos of the pair together, there are portrait photos of each child on their own. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CYd2zWlgsFg/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CYd2zWlgsFg/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by DET DANSKE KONGEHUS 🇩🇰 (@detdanskekongehus)</a> </div> </blockquote> The photos were posted to the family’s Instagram account, accompanied by the caption, “On the occasion of their birthday, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess have shared new photos of their two youngest children - as well as the family’s two small and lively puppies.” The children celebrated their birthday privately with their family over the weekend, and their birthday celebrations came just a week before the celebration of their grandmother’s 50th year on the Danish throne. One fan commented, “A mother of twins is pleased to see that you are making two posts and not a joint one. They each deserve theirs - so do all the others.” The twins were born in Copenhagen in 2011, and are Frederik and Mary’s youngest children. Their siblings are Prince Christian, 16, and Princess Isabella, 14. Just days ago, the couple posted to Instagram to announce the cancellation of a gala banquet at Rosenborg Castle on 4 February 2022 to celebrate Mary’s 50th birthday. The statement said that the couple hoped to be able to reschedule the celebrations for later in the year, while on the day, Mary will celebrate privately with family. The family lives in Copenhagen, at Frederik VIII’s Palace at Amalienborg. Vincent is fourth in line to the throne, while Josephine is fifth, Vincent having been born 26 minutes earlier than his sister. Image: Danish Royal House

Family & Pets

World’s youngest Prime Minister goes out clubbing after Covid exposure

The world’s youngest Prime Minister, Finland’s Sanna Marin, has apologised to the public after a photo surfaced of her in a nightclub following the foreign minister testing positive for COVID-19. “I did wrong. I should have considered the situation more carefully,” Marin, 36, said in a television interview by public broadcaster Yle on Wednesday night. Marin decided not to cut her night out short on Saturday, despite being told she had been exposed to the coronavirus the day before, she explained on Facebook on Monday, after a Finnish gossip magazine published a photo of her in a crowded nightclub. But Marin wasn’t the only politician in the line of fire. Economic Affairs Minister Mika Lintila also attended a floorball match between Finland and Latvia on Sunday, despite being advised to avoid contact with others, Helsingin Sanomat newspaper reported on Wednesday. Defence Minister Antti Kaikkonen went to a dinner party on Saturday while Finance Minister Annika Saarikko and Science and Culture Minister Antti Kurvinen cancelled their attendance of the same event to avoid contacts, evening paper Ilta-Sanomat reported on Tuesday. All three ministers were exposed on Friday at a meeting attended by Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, who on Saturday tested positive. Marin said she was at a restaurant when she received a phone call from her state secretary informing her about the exposure. “He said ministers would not be quarantined because they all have been vaccinated twice,” Marin wrote on Facebook, explaining why she continued socialising. The prime minister’s office later said it had sent the exposed ministers two text messages on Saturday recommending that they avoid contact with other people. Marin said she had left her official phone at home and instead relied on aides reaching her on her personal phone. Marin has since taken two tests that were negative, while Lintila and Kaikkonen have also tested negative. Finland has seen a surge of new COVID-19 cases in the past months, spurring health officials to worry about the healthcare system being overburdened. Several big hospitals around the country have postponed non-critical surgeries and the government on Wednesday proposed a vaccine mandate for healthcare workers. Image: EPA

Travel Trouble

Four-week-old tests positive for Delta strain

A four-week-old baby boy has become Sydney’s youngest COVID-19 case after catching the virus from his father who brought it home from work. Beth Kouts took her newborn son, Lukas, to Nepean Hospital in Sydney on Monday with what she thought was reflux, but instead, he tested positive for the Delta variant. Kouts said her baby was “screaming in pain, refusing his bottle and would vomit.” “I have heard a two-year-old get it but not a four-week-old - so, yeah, that was terrifying,” she told 7NEWS. She adds after her newborn returned a positive result, they were left waiting for 14 hours before finally being given an adult bed. Sent home to self-isolate Doctors told Kouts that Lukas would need to be transferred to Westmead Children’s Hospital but after a 24-hour wait, they were sent home instead. “I do know that they’re under the pump, just a little bit more care would’ve been nice,” Beth said. “It’s always hard to see your kid sick especially with this.” It’s thought the baby contracted the virus from his father who brought it home to St Clair from his workplace last week. Beth is waiting for her results but their toddler Emily is, so far, negative. The symptoms Lukas is experiencing, like most children, are mild and similar to those of a common cold. “When parents make babies - they make babies that are born with some really good immunity already because they’ve got it from their mother through the womb,” Infectious Diseases Physician Professor Robert Booy told 7NEWS. The Kouts family is now isolating at home. Image: 7News

News

Meet the youngest person to run a solo lap of Britain

Elise Downing never thought she was a gifted runner. She tried running a marathon, dressed as a crayon, but gave up before finishing and was found crying on the side of the road. She wasn’t phased by her previous marathon failures, as six weeks later, she set out on a marathon of epic proportions, leaving from London’s National Maritime Museum with a tent on her back and a map that she couldn’t read to run around the coast of Britain. She became the first woman and the youngest person to run a lap of Great Britain by herself, having completed the 5,000-mile journey back to Greenwich in 301 days. Along the journey, she crashed with over 200 strangers for a night and suffered several injuries on the way. She was often slowed down by chaffing from her running tights and her backpack rubbing on her shoulders. After finishing the impressive feat, Elise recalled her travels in her book titled Coasting: Running Around The Coast of Britain – Life, Love And (Very) Loose Plans. In her book she explains that the clockwise route around the UK was never an issue, saying “I just keep the sea to my left, surely.” She also explained that the hole in her back was caused by friction from her sports bra clasp wearing a big hole in a T-shirt she didn’t want to change because she had become “weirdly superstitious” about taking it off. “It’s probably one of the most ridiculous ideas I had,’ she writes. ‘I can’t explain myself.” Elise’s 40 mile-per-day jogs were often interrupted by ferocious storms and decided to name them as old friends. She wrote in her book, “Your own mortality suddenly feels very apparent in those moments. I had to take an alternative inland route quite a few times to avoid literally being blown out to sea.” Despite the trials and tribulations, Elise witnessed the kindness of people firsthand. She wrote, “I realised how fundamentally good most humans are. It was a huge privilege to be welcomed into so many people’s homes, and I feel really lucky to have had the chance to meet so many different, amazing people.” “Running the coast of Britain was technically a solo challenge, but I really don’t think I would have made it to the end if it wasn’t for all the help I received.” Image credit: Instagram @elisecdowning

Travel Trouble

15-year-old becomes youngest Australian to die with Covid-19

A 15-year-old boy has died overnight with COVID-19, becoming the youngest Australian to die with the virus. Osama Suduh, from Sydney’s southwest, was admitted to the Sydney Children’s Hospital at Randwick over the weekend for pneumococcal meningitis, but authorities confirmed he was also diagnosed with COVID-19. “I can confirm that there is someone admitted to hospital that is 15 and that the cause of their admission, whilst they are COVID positive, is related to another health condition,” chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant confirmed. “The family has confirmed that we can indicate that he has pneumococcal meningitis.” It remains unclear whether he contracted COVID-19 before or after contracting meningitis. <img style="width: 500px; height:281.53846153846155px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843141/66d1551a0a908dcf6a55bb5014c970040fe1e417.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/4fc8fb151680409db4af08ef743dfd08" /> Image: Supplied “What an incredible tragedy it was for that young man to die last night,” Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce told Sunrise on Monday. Osama was up-to-date with his routine childhood vaccinations, but was unvaccinated for COVID-19. Sydney’s Children Hospital has said that though Osama was a confirmed COVID-19 case, the virus did not cause his death. The official death toll for the current outbreak in New South Wales stands at 48, while 108 people have died in the state over the duration of the pandemic. Image: Supplied

News

Why youngest ever TED Talker got a standing ovation

A seven-year-old Australian girl has delivered a TED Talk on parenting that has seen her become an internet sensation. Molly Wright took the stage, telling adults how they had better interact with their children. She’s the youngest person to give a TED Talk, and the video of her talk has since received more than 100,000 views. “My talk today is about things grown-ups can do to shape us as children,” the young Queenslander said in the talk. Molly is the new spokesperson for the Mindaroo Foundation’s “Thrive by Five” campaign, run by Andrew “Twiggy” and Nicola Forrest. The campaign says the first 1,000 days of a child’s life are crucial for their development. “If we don’t take charge and look after our early years, then everything we do later is just a patch-up,” Nicola Forrest said. In her talk, Molly says simple interactive games like Peek-a-Boo can be literally life-changing. “Every moment is an opportunity to connect, talk and play,” she said. “Imagine the difference we could make if everyone, everywhere did this.” The young speaker also chastised parents for an over-reliance on technology, arguing it could have harmful effects on kids in the long term. During her talk, she showed a dad using his iPad and ignoring his one-year-old child who was reaching out for attention. “Kids are hardwired to seek out meaningful connections and not receiving them causes confusion and stress,” she said. “Interactions early and often matter. “Take it from me, the seven-year-old up here talking about brain science.” Molly’s talk brought the audience to a standing ovation, and has already been shown in maternity wards across Australia. The film will also be placed in 1,400 doctor’s waiting rooms throughout the country. Image: TED

Family & Pets

Coronavirus: Newborn baby becomes one of UK’s youngest COVID-19 deaths

A 13-day-old baby with no known underlying health conditions has died from COVID-19, NHS England reported. The newborn is thought to be one of the youngest to die from the virus in the UK. Previously, the youngest person to have died with the disease in the country with no pre-existing health problems was believed to be Ismail Mohamed Abdulwahab, who died in March aged 13 years old. In May, a six-week-old baby with underlying health conditions died from coronavirus. In total, 20 children and young people under the age of 19 are reported to have died from the virus in hospitals across England. It is believed that children are significantly <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/health-52003804">less likely to become ill and die</a> from complications of the virus. There have been reports of children developing an inflammatory syndrome similar to Kawasaki disease, with symptoms including rashes and swelling. The new illness – dubbed PIMS-TS – has been identified in more than 100 children in New York and recorded in France, Switzerland and Spain. But public health experts believe the syndrome is as rare as Kawasaki disease. “Only a small fraction of COVID-19-infected children will ever develop this condition,” Dr Angus Stock from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research told the <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/how-does-covid-19-affect-children-and-what-is-kawasaki-disease-20200514-p54swe.html">Sydney Morning Herald</a>.

News

Blackwater mystery: Tracing the cause of Australia's youngest COVID-19 death

A 30-year-old miner known as Nathan Turner is the youngest Australian to die from coronavirus. It was only discovered that he was suffering from the virus after he was discovered dead at his home. This is the first care recorded in Blackwater, 190km west of Rockhampton, and Queensland Health is trying to figure out how Turner was infected. Turner had not worked since November and hadn’t left Blackwater since February. An unidentified nurse from Rockhampton tested positive for the virus earlier this month after she broke government enforced lockdown to travel to the town. She reportedly told contact tracers that she had visited Blackwater to “see a sunset”, but Queensland health have suggested the two have not had contact. "The [nurse] travelled to Blackwater in the second week of May but did not interact with other individuals there," the spokesperson said. "Information provided to Queensland Health about the case identified today indicated the man had respiratory symptoms since the first week of May. "At this time, no evidence has been provided to Queensland Health that links the two cases, but we will continue to assess all information relevant to any case." State Health Minister Stephen Miles said Blackwater residents weren’t told of the nurse’s visit because it was deemed low risk. “To my knowledge, she drove there, watched the sunset, and drove back – didn’t leave her car," he told ABC radio on Thursday. He said authorities are now looking into whether there is a link between the cases. "It’s possible that there is some kind of connection there, or it could just be a coincidence," he said. "That’s what our investigators are working on. Those dates don’t really line up with when he got sick. It is a bit of a mystery and it could just be a coincidence.” However, Deputy CMO Paul Kelly said that it was worrying that someone from a remote area had fallen ill. “It shows that there is community transmission of some sort,” he told reporters on Tuesday afternoon. “We haven’t had many people in rural areas in any state and so at this point in the pandemic it is a concern. “I understand that he had been sick for some weeks and I guess he hadn’t assumed that it was COVID-19. It is another very strong reminder to all of us at this point that if anyone has any symptoms that are of a respiratory virus. “It might feel like a cold, it could be COVID and we really want to get that test done.” Photo credits: <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-27/coronavirus-testing-queensland-death-dies/12287058" target="_blank">ABC</a>

News

Fans fuming after MasterChef Australia crowns youngest ever winner

MasterChef’s grand finale aired on Tuesday night where the top three contestants battled it out for the top prize. After Larissa Takchi, Simon Toohey and Tessa Boersma took part in an intense service challenge, it was Larissa that ultimately came out on top with her pavlova receiving a perfect score from the judges. At just 22 years old, she is the youngest ever winner in the show’s history. She was awarded a brand new Holden Equinox, a monthly column in Delicious magazine and a quarter of a million dollars. Feeling overwhelmed, the young cook said: “Thank you so much. Honestly, I can’t believe it. I am so surprised that I even made it this far in the competition. “And to say that I’ve actually won is just so weird to even say out loud. I’ve got you three to thank for it,” she told the judges. “Honestly, you’ve seen me, how I’ve grown since I first came to the competition. You guys are like my three dads. You’ve kind of brought me up in this way!” Her mother, who was standing beside her, was also visibly proud, saying: “I can’t believe what she’s achieved. She’s just young and just starting out and she just taught herself everything, really. She’s just got this drive in her and she has places to go.” Coming in at second place was Tessa Boersma, who was awarded $30,000, and was gracious in defeat, saying: “I’ve learnt so much being in this competition about myself and what I’m capable of, and it’s changed me completely for the better.” She added, “And Larissa, she’s so incredible and completely deserves to win." But not everyone was happy with the outcome, with viewers taking to Twitter to express their fury at the so-called favouritism shown by the judges. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet tw-align-center" data-lang="en-gb"> the judges have been pushing the “youngest contestant” agenda for a while... looking back i should of known <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MasterChefAU?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MasterChefAU</a> — carly (@marleyisdardy) <a href="https://twitter.com/marleyisdardy/status/1153664008022396928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">23 July 2019</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet tw-align-center" data-lang="en-gb"> Rock hard sorbet, collapsed meringues... Judges: 10/10 🙄 Not sure anyone is surprised but hey, maybe one year they’ll start doing blind tastings in the finale. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MasterChefAU?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MasterChefAU</a> — Ben Carney (@bencarnz) <a href="https://twitter.com/bencarnz/status/1153671643622830080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">23 July 2019</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet tw-align-center" data-lang="en-gb"> 10/10 for a dessert with cracked meringue and rock hard sorbet. Melting it would have made it syrupy. Larissa was always going to win. Judges loved her and the fact she would be the youngest winner was good for them. She was very lucky the past few weeks. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MasterChefAU?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MasterChefAU</a> — Kaz (@kazza_1961) <a href="https://twitter.com/kazza_1961/status/1153646338220814336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">23 July 2019</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet tw-align-center" data-lang="en-gb"> So Larissa serves up bone marrow and Coles brand Laurent sourdough an hour late and gets 9/10. Seems legit <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/masterchefau?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#masterchefau</a> — Alexandra Stockdale (@alexpaige_co) <a href="https://twitter.com/alexpaige_co/status/1153616804041744384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">23 July 2019</a></blockquote> “The judges have been pushing the ‘youngest contestant’ agenda for a while … looking back I should of known,” tweeted one viewer. “Rock hard sorbet, collapsed meringues … judges: 10/10. Not sure anyone is surprised but hey, maybe one year they’ll start doing blind tastings in the finale,” wrote another. “10/10 for a dessert with cracked meringue and rock hard sorbet. Melting it would have made it syrupy. Larissa was always going to win. Judges loved her and the fact she would be the youngest winner was good for them. She was very lucky the past few weeks,” said another viewer. “So Larissa serves up bone marrow and Coles brand Laurent sourdough an hour late and gets 9/10. Seems legit,” a user tweeted in regards to the winner's entrée, which was served late due to her having trouble in the kitchen. This season of MasterChef Australia is the last for judges Matt Preston, Gary Mehigan and George Calombaris, who announced yesterday afternoon that they will not be returning next year. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B0QPbQfhnPe/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B0QPbQfhnPe/" target="_blank">To all of our fans ‘thank you’ To the team that makes MasterChef ‘thank you’ and to all of the contestants that we know and love, we are all part of a very exclusive club and what a journey what an experience. To explain: ‘It was time to move on, have more free time to explore our own creativity’ It was never about the money and never will be about the money. We couldn’t agree on the term of the new contract for 2020 and season 12. Something we felt very strongly about. The opportunity to work with Matt and George has been a blessing and something I cherish. Working together will continue to be the most important thing for us.....the three musketeers.......🤗 @mattscravat @gcalombaris @masterchefau #masterchefau #foodies #foodiesofinstagram #homecooks #homecooking #masterchef</a> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/garymehigan/" target="_blank"> Gary Mehigan</a> (@garymehigan) on Jul 23, 2019 at 2:11am PDT </div> </blockquote> The three chefs took to Instagram late last night to post their individual statements, confirming that they were “unable to agree to all terms of the new contract” with Mehigan denying that money was the reason why. "Thank you so very much for supporting @masterchefau over the last 11 years," Preston wrote on Instagram, captioning a photo of himself, Mehigan and Calombaris. "We have loved every single moment. It is however with a heavy heart that I can confirm that Season 11 was our last. We were really keen to continue but we were unable to agree to all terms for the new contract." He wished "the new judges all the best with the show that we love so much," and said he would not be making any further comment.

Food & Wine

Why this $800 lamp is unlike any other

Sony have decided to add a touch of glass and light to their latest speaker. The Song LSPX-S2 speaker uses three actuators that vibrate against the glass tube, which turns the entire tube into a speaker. “Unlike the highly-directional sound of conventional tweeters, thanks to its cylindrical shape, the glass tube delivers precise sound quality from every angle,” said <a href="https://www.sony.com.au/electronics/wireless-speakers/lspx-s2">Sony</a>. The glass tube features a 35mm speaker as well as a passive radiator to amplify low notes, which can be found at the bottom of the device. The light inside the glass casing offers 32 different levels of brightness, which can include dinner lighting to a bedside reading light. You can even make it flicker like a candle. However, Sony has warned that the product isn’t strong enough to be suitable for household room illumination. They’ve also explained that the “organic glass” is actually acrylic resin. As the device has built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth as well as 8 hours of battery life, it’s a handy little speaker to have in your home. A device like this doesn’t come cheap though, and it’ll set you back around $800.

Music

There is now proof that your smart speaker is eavesdropping on your conversations

Amazon has confirmed that its smart speaker, the Amazon Echo – also known as “Alexa” – listens to your personal and private conversations. The company employs thousands of workers to listen to voice recordings that are captured by the company’s Echo “smart” speakers, according to a <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-10/is-anyone-listening-to-you-on-alexa-a-global-team-reviews-audio">Bloomberg</a> report. Millions across the world have been reluctant to use the device for this very reason, and it turns out that someone IS listening to their conversations. However, Amazon doesn’t refer to the process as eavesdropping. The company refers to it as the “Alexa voice review process” and uses it to highlight the role that humans play in training software algorithms. “This information helps us train our speech recognition and natural language understanding systems, so Alexa can better understand your requests, and ensure the service works well for everyone,” an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement. The audio transcribers, who are comprised of full-time employees at Amazon as well as contractors, told Bloomberg that they reviewed “as many as 1,000 audio clips per shift”. Although some of the employees might find the work mundane, the listeners occasionally pick up on things that the person on the other end would like to remain private, such as a woman singing in her shower off-key and loudly. The report from Bloomberg also revealed that the more amusing (or harder to understand) voice clips get shared amongst the employees via internal chat rooms. How to disable this feature However, disabling this feature is easy. As it’s switched on by default in the Alexa app, this is also the way you turn it off. <ol> <li> Open the Alexa app on your phone.</li> <li> Tap the “Menu” button on the top left of the screen.</li> <li> Select “Alexa Account”.</li> <li> Choose “Alexa Privacy”.</li> <li> Select “Manage how your data improves Alexa”.</li> <li> Turn off the button next to “Help Develop New Features”.</li> <li> Turn off the button next to your name under “Use Messages to Improve Transcriptions”.</li> </ol> Despite turning off the recording function for Alexa, the company told Bloomberg that its voice recordings may still be analysed as a part of Amazon’s review process.

Technology

What Queen Elizabeth forgot about her youngest son Prince Edward

Prince Edward is the youngest child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, however despite being the baby of the family reports say the Earl of Wessex’s birthday was forgotten while in his 20s by his mother. Now 54 years old, Prince Edward had a rather sobering experience in his younger life that the public took to social media to extend their sympathies. Jeremy Paxman’s new Channel 5 documentary is delving into the early life of the Queen’s children, and his biographer Ingrid Seward described him as a young lonely royal who found it difficult to find his place in Buckingham Palace. Seward, the editor-in-chief of Majesty magazine, said he was the “overlooked” third son. “At Buckingham Palace, he was lonely. “One year on his birthday he went to have breakfast with the Queen, and nothing was said. No card, no present. She didn’t know it was his birthday,” Seward recounted. Previously she had mentioned the same experience in her 2005 book Prince Edward: A Biography, where she described the Queen eating her toast and marmalade and sipping her special blend of homemade tea. The Prince’s demeanour hadn’t changed throughout breakfast, however, when a royal aide was made aware of the situation, the Queen was alerted, a “hasty” phone call was made, and presents were delivered to him a few hours later. "If it had been Prince Edward’s 20th or his 30th, his mother would not have forgotten,'" Steward wrote. She also noted the Queen’s second “heroic” son Andrew, who fought in the war, was her favourite son. Daily Mail’s Richard Kay told Jeremy Paxman that Prince Edward never really knew where he fit in. “His royal aides once told me that the trouble with Prince Edward is that he can never decide whether he is His Royal Highness or Edward Windsor. “He couldn't tell whether he was one of us or a member of the royal family,” Kay said. This news comes days after the surprising revelation that <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/prince-charles-surprising-admission-prince-andrew-wants-to-be-me" target="_blank">Prince Charles claimed his younger brother, Prince Andrew, wanted to be him.</a> The dynamic that existed between Prince Charles and his youngest brother, Edward, was extremely separate. “Charles is 16 years older than Edward and they weren't close,” Stewart admitted. She also confirmed their was a time where Prince Charles was the ‘leading’ son of the family. “On one of those occasions Prince Edward went upstairs and found some of the Duke of Windsor's old kilts which of course were all the tartans that the Prince of Wales is entitled to wear, and he thought, 'Ooh those look rather fun.' So, he put one on, and it fitted. “He went down to dinner in a tartan which was that of the Duke of Rothesay, and as he went into the dining room Charles went apoplectic and said, ‘What are you doing wearing that? I am the only one entitled to wear that kilt. It is a kilt for the Prince of Wales. Go upstairs and take it off.’” “Edward being such a calm person just went, 'OK', went upstairs and took it off and never mentioned it again.” Scroll through the gallery above to see Prince Edward through the years. Are you surprised by the Queen forgetting Prince Edward’s birthday? Let us know in the comments below.

News

“Australia’s youngest parents” welcome second child at the age of 16

Couples twice their age still aren’t ready for kids, but 16-year-olds Mollie and Oscar have been parents for almost two years now. Mollie Syrigos and Oscar Wilks made headlines in 2016 when they found out they were expecting their first child at the age of just 13, making Mollie one of the youngest mums in Australian history. She gave birth at 14 to a boy named Theodore (now almost two years old) and in December welcomed the couple’s second child, a girl named Delilah Lilli. At the time she discovered her second pregnancy (which, like the first, wasn’t planned), Mollie told <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/9stories/2017/05/24/15/26/melbourne-teen-mum-pregnant-with-second-baby-at-15" target="_blank">9 News</a> she and Oscar were excited for a new addition to their family. “I know it will be a huge challenge but I’m prepared for that challenge. When you love something so much challenges sort of make you stronger and I’m ready for the challenges and very excited for the new baby to come.” Mollie is also quick to shut down any criticism of teen parents, saying it was actually very common. In 2015, 2,641 teenagers became mothers. “Just because I’m physically 15, my head is in a different place. I feel a lot older than 15,” she said last year. “No age defines how well you parent. There’s 30-year-old ice junkie mums out there. I’m doing as best as I can and my son is happy and so is my partner and I think that’s the main thing.” The couple live with Oscar’s dad, who has multiple sclerosis, and help care for him. Mollie, who would have started Year 11 this year, is taking Swinburne University of Technology’s secondary school classes for young mothers. Oscar, who says his partner is a “genius” and will go a long way, is a full-time apprentice tradie. But as much as they love their two bubs, the 16-year-olds have some advice for other kids their age. “Look, if I had anything to say about being so young and having a baby, it would be this – hold on to your childhood as long as you can,” Oscar told the Herald Sun. “If it happens and you become a parent, just be the best parent you can be.” What do you think about this young 16-year-old Aussie couple having two children under the age of two? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

Family & Pets

Bec Hewitt’s mini-me daughter looks just like her

Bec and Lleyton Hewitt’s kids, Mia, Cruz and Ava, are growing up and they’ve inherited so many of their parent’s features. Recently, Bec shared a photo of her six-year-old daughter Ava to Instagram and the mother-daughter resemblance is uncanny. <img width="498" height="245" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/44123/image__498x245.jpg" alt="Image_ (9)"/> Fans were quick to point out just how much Ava’s facial features and big eyes mirror her mother’s. "Such a beautiful resemblance between you both," wrote one user, while another said, "She is the spitting image of you @bechewitt23." Last year, Bec also pointed out the similarity she shares with her youngest when she shared a photo of her holding Ava in New York. “Me and my mini-me!” she captioned the photo. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media"> <div style="padding: 8px;"> <div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 50.0% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;"> <div style="background: url(data:image/png; base64,ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaacwaaaascamaaaapwqozaaaabgdbtueaalgpc/xhbqaaaafzukdcak7ohokaaaamuexurczmzpf399fx1+bm5mzy9amaaadisurbvdjlvzxbesmgces5/p8/t9furvcrmu73jwlzosgsiizurcjo/ad+eqjjb4hv8bft+idpqocx1wjosbfhh2xssxeiyn3uli/6mnree07uiwjev8ueowds88ly97kqytlijkktuybbruayvh5wohixmpi5we58ek028czwyuqdlkpg1bkb4nnm+veanfhqn1k4+gpt6ugqcvu2h2ovuif/gwufyy8owepdyzsa3avcqpvovvzzz2vtnn2wu8qzvjddeto90gsy9mvlqtgysy231mxry6i2ggqjrty0l8fxcxfcbbhwrsyyaaaaaelftksuqmcc); display: block; height: 44px; margin: 0 auto -44px; position: relative; top: -22px; width: 44px;"></div> </div> <a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BFTwp3TlXDR/" target="_blank">Me and my mini-me! #tbt #newyork</a> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by Bec Hewitt (@bechewitt23) on May 12, 2016 at 6:23am PDT </div> </blockquote> Eldest daughter Mia and son Cruz are also following in their parents’ footsteps. Just like Lleyton, eight-year-old Cruz enjoys playing tennis and has even had the opportunity to play with the likes of Roger Federer. Meanwhile, 11-year-old Mia is proving to be as photogenic as her mother and has started modelling. Recently, Lleyton hit out at reports that his marriage to Bec was in trouble, and <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/2017/09/lleyton-hewitt-slams-out-of-control-rumours-that-his-marriage-is-in-trouble/" target="_blank">slammed the "out of control" rumours</a>. <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/2017/09/lleyton-hewitt-slams-out-of-control-rumours-that-his-marriage-is-in-trouble/" target="_blank"> </a> Do you think Ava looks just like her mother? Let us know in the comments below.

Princess Mary's twins start school

Next week, Princess Mary and Prince Frederik's twins, Vincent and Josephine, will start school. Royal Central has reported that the siblings will attend Tranegård School in Hellerup where their two older siblings Prince Christian and Princess Isabella also attend. Vincent Frederik Minik Alexander and Josephine Sophia Ivalo Mathilda were born on January 8, 2011. As the youngest members of the Danish Royal family, the twins continually capture the hearts of the public with their playful natures. Jospehine is known for pulling funny faces whenever there is a camera around and Vincent appears to be slighly more reserved. When the twins were born in 2011, a 21-gun salute was fired from the Naval Base in Copenhagen. They were christened later that year on April 14, at the Church of Holmen in Copenhagen. Just two months later, they travelled to Australia and were photographed at Admiralty House in Sydney. The duo have also enjoyed many other exciting adventures in their first years of childhood. From going on a ski holiday to Switzerland at the age of four and recently joining the festivities at Queen Margrethe's 77th birthday, the twins share experiences children their age could only dream of. Scroll through the gallery above to see the twins most adorable moments over the years.

News

Russell Crowe’s youngest son is all grown up

It was a family affair for Russell Crowe at the Australian premiere of The Mummy at Sydney's State Theatre. Stepping out in his trademark blazer and jeans combo, Russell was accompanied by his ex-wife Danielle Spencer and their youngest son Tennyson. The former couple split in 2012 after nine years of marriage and two sons, Charles, 13, and Tennyson, 10. Tennyson looked like he was having a ball as he posed with his famous father on the red carpet. <img width="500" height="600" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/36968/russell-and-son_500x600.jpg" alt="Russell And Son"/> Russell has previously admitted he’s sons are the reason he doesn’t want to rush into new relationships. “I have the responsibility of my two boys and I don’t want them thinking anything other than that their mum is the most perfect woman in the world," he explained on The Graham Norton Show. “I don’t want them to see me in another relationship with someone not their mother. It’s not something I need or want them to have to deal with at the moment,” he added. <img width="500" height="750" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/36969/russell2_500x750.jpg" alt="Russell2"/>

Movies

9-year-old is world’s youngest wedding photographer

While most of her friends are watching cartoons or playing video games, nine-year-old Regina Wyllie is helping photograph the most important day of a couple’s life. Regina has always been interested in photography, picking up her first camera at age three, and on April 15 this year she received her first official assignment as a photographer – assisting her father take pictures of the nuptial of a close family friend. Regina's dad Kevin told <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/" target="_blank">The Huffington Post</a>, “She first picked up a camera at the age of three when she asked to accompany me to a mountain bike race that I was shooting. Since then, she started taking cameras from my bags and asking me to show her how to work them. It just grew from there and I always made sure never to push her for it, preferring to let her ask the questions." Regina has a keen eye for framing and the couple were reportedly thrilled with the images that had been taken by the very talented nine-year-old. "[The couple] was delighted," Kevin said. "In fact, they told me that Regina's shots, especially of their own children, had brought tears to their eyes." Regina did such a good job that she has already received requests to take additional wedding photos with her next wedding due to take place on July 1. "I really enjoyed the wedding as I had to work quite fast, which was a challenge," Regina told The Huffington Post. "It was great fun." What an incredible nine-year-old. To see some of Regina’s work, scroll through the gallery above or check out her <a href="https://www.instagram.com/photosbytheg/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>. Do you have a grandchild with an artistic gift? Let us know in the comments. Image credit: Twitter / BorrowLenses Related links: <a href="/lifestyle/beauty-style/2016/06/couple-celebrate-64-years-with-photoshoot/">Bride and groom tour the globe in their wedding outfits</a> <a href="/entertainment/music/2016/04/the-surprising-real-names-of-singers/">The surprising real names of famous singers</a> <a href="/entertainment/music/2016/03/surprising-facts-about-the-beatles/">8 facts about The Beatles most people don’t know</a>

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