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Landmark aged care reforms set to benefit millions of Aussies

<p>The federal government has reached a deal with the coalition for the long-awaited aged care reforms including $4.3 billion for in-home services. </p> <p>This means that senior citizens will be given more support and choice to live their golden years in dignity, as they intend to help them live at home for longer and improve conditions and protections for those in aged care facilities. </p> <p>"$4.3 billion will be invested in Support at Home, to come into effect on the first of July next year," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced at Parliament House on Thursday. </p> <p>The Support at Home package is expected to help 1.4 million Australians live independently at home with support, before going into aged care by 2035. </p> <p>It will provide support for nursing, occupational therapy and day-to-day tasks like cleaning, showering, dressing and shopping, with wait times for packages cut from 12 to three months. </p> <p>The government will also pay all of the cost of clinical care services, with a lifetime contribution cap of $130,000  for non-clinical care costs.</p> <p>Those using the Support at Home program could also get $25,000 in aid to spend their final three months at home, instead of the hospital. </p> <p>The $5.6 billion reform package is also set to affect the availability of funding for residential aged care, including a "no worse off" assurance that people currently in aged care won't be asked to pay more for their care.</p> <p>New aged care quality standards will also be implemented to improve the sector and drive higher-quality care. </p> <p>The government also promised more resources to investigate and penalise bad behaviour by providers. </p> <p>Albanese said the reforms will be the "greatest improvement" to the aged care sector in 30 years. </p> <p>“This is about caring for the generation that cared for us,” he said. </p> <p>“We will deliver historic aged care reforms to ensure the viability and quality of our aged care system and support the growing number of older Australians choosing to retain their independence and remain in their homes as they age.”</p> <p>Aged Care Minister Anika Wells said the changes would lead to more services for older Australians.</p> <p>“Our reforms will create better and safer care, help reduce the fear of a system that has been neglected for far too long,” she said.</p> <p>The reform has been welcomed as the number of Australians over the age of 65 is expected to double and those older than 85 are predicted to triple in the next four decades. </p> <p><em>Images: Shutterstock</em></p>

Caring

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8 landmarks around the world that are seriously strange

<p><strong>Le Pouce, Paris, France </strong></p> <p>Yes, it’s a 12-metre thumb, in the middle of the busy business sector of Paris, France. Known as Le Pouce, by artist César Baldaccini, this giant sculpture is most definitely one of the weirdest landmarks around the world.</p> <p>Known for making oversized sculptures of commonplace objects, Baldaccini’s mammoth digit is actually an exact replica of his own thumb. Built in 1965, this strange addition to the landscape of Paris has left locals and visitors scratching their heads ever since.</p> <p><strong>Molinere Underwater Sculpture Park, Grenada</strong></p> <p>You may not have known the world needed one, but the very first underwater sculpture park was created by sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor in 2006. The British sculptor used casts of real people to create a cement world of people buried in the water off the coast of Grenada in the Caribbean.</p> <p>The most famous of the series features a collection of people holding hands in a circle. The strange sculpture park can be viewed by scuba divers or passengers on a glass-bottom boat tour.</p> <p><strong>Upside Down Charles La Trobe Statue, Melbourne, Australia </strong></p> <p>In most respects, this is an ordinary statue of Charles La Trobe, the first Lieutenant-Governor of Australia – except for the fact that it’s upside down, of course. Why is it upside down? The Australian sculptor Charles Robb says the controversial nature of this statue, located at La Trobe University in Melbourne, is what makes it a memorable monument.</p> <p>However, many onlookers and locals disagree, deeming it disrespectful to La Trobe’s memory. </p> <p><strong>Hand of the Desert, Atacam Desert, Chile </strong></p> <p>In the Atacam Desert in Chile, you’ll find a hand that seems to be emerging from the sand. The closer you get to it, the bigger it seems, giving the impression that a giant human is breaking out of the sand as you approach. </p> <p>Created by Chilean sculptor Mario Irarrazabal, the hand is quite literally in the middle of nowhere. However, if you have the chance to roam the Chilean desert, you’ll certainly appreciate its cool effect.</p> <p><strong>Manneken Pis, Brussels, Belgium</strong></p> <p>Why? No one is quite certain, but there are several theories, most of which are quite hilarious. One legend says the statue, located in Brussels, Belgium, and created in the 1600s, was made to commemorate a young boy who saved the town from a fire by putting it out with his urine.</p> <p>Another legend says it was made in memory of a young king who was known for urinating on enemies. Whatever the reason behind the construction of this little naked boy, peeing into a fountain, it is most definitely one of the weirdest landmarks around the world.</p> <p><strong>Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia</strong></p> <p>What used to be a prehistoric lake near the Andes is now the largest salt flat in the world. It is over 10,000 square kilometres and contains half the world’s supply of lithium, and 10 billion tons of salt!</p> <p>Though this Bolivian landmark isn’t man-made, it still fits into our category of weird. Its unusual appearance makes it an interesting sight to see, despite the fact that it’s really just a huge ton of salt.</p> <p><strong>Hanging Statue, Prague, Czech Republic </strong></p> <p>This may look like a man about to plummet to his death, but it’s actually a bronze statue of a man hanging from a building in Prague, Czech Republic.</p> <p>Not just any man, either: created by controversial artist David Cerný, this is supposed to be none other than Sigmund Freud, father of psychoanalysis.</p> <p><strong>Kindlifresser Fountain, Bern, Switzerland </strong></p> <p>In the city of Bern, Switzerland, there are beautiful landscapes at almost every turn. The only unusual thing about this picturesque place is Kindlifresser Fountain, which translates into ‘Child-Eater.’ The disturbing statue depicts a giant or ogre quite literally eating a baby, with a few more infants held captive in his sling. Stranger still is the fact that the origins of this 16th-century monument are not really known.</p> <p>Some say it’s a reference to Kronos the Titan of Greek mythology, who ate his own children to keep them from stealing his throne. One thing’s for certain: it’s been scaring the daylights out of children (and parents) for nearly 500 years.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/uncategorized/the-worlds-strangest-landmarks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.  </em></p>

International Travel

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Why you shouldn’t wait to explore incredible Iceland

<p dir="ltr">Iceland, also called the Land of Fire and Ice, is the most peaceful country in the world. It ranks high in social stability, equality, democracy and more. One of the reasons it is so high on the Peace Index is because it is without a standing army - meaning no army, navy or air force.</p> <p dir="ltr">It's got a lot more to offer though as it's home to some of the most remarkable natural landmarks in the world. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>1. Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">A constantly changing natural wonder located on the edge of Vatnajökull National Park in southeast Iceland, Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon is famous for its icebergs that break away from the glacier and float in the lagoon before they drift out to sea.</p> <p dir="ltr">Sculptural mountains make for a majestic backdrop with seals swimming between the icebergs and reindeer roaming around the shores.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>2. Diamond Beach</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Just minutes from the lagoon you’ll find Diamond Beach. It features striking black sand and glistens with iceberg fragments drifting ashore. </p> <p dir="ltr">The beach won’t look the same every time you go as new icebergs form once the old ones disappear. A truly unique destination.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>3. Skógafoss Waterfall</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">With a width of 25 metres and a drop of 60 metres, Skógafoss Waterfall is one of the largest and most elegant waterfalls in Iceland. Its size leads to a lot of spray, often showcasing single or double rainbows on sunny days. </p> <p dir="ltr"> You can get up close to it by following the river below or taking the stairs next to it to get a stunning view from above. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>4. Seljalandsfoss Waterfall</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Seljalandsfoss Waterfall is located by a main road, making it one of the most accessible waterfalls and very hard to miss. </p> <p dir="ltr">It drops 60 metres into a tranquil pool below and is one of the few places in the world where you can walk behind a waterfall. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>5. Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach is one of the most well-known black sand beaches in the world. It features fine textured soft black sand and a cave with huge geometric columns.  </p> <p dir="ltr">You can see the powerful waves of the Atlantic Ocean meet the shore and the towering basalt sea stacks jutting out from the ocean at 66 metres into the air.<span id="docs-internal-guid-65d3faf7-7fff-1267-2a1e-810c72dfce35"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credit: Getty</em></p>

International Travel

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Rare, unseen Beatles pics released ahead of landmark exhibition

<p dir="ltr">On Thursday, The UK's National Portrait Gallery unveiled five photos from Paul McCartney’s personal archives, teasing a series of unseen photographs of Beatlemania through his own eyes.</p> <p dir="ltr">The exhibition, "Paul McCartney Photographs 1963-64: Eyes Of The Storm”, will run for three months from the 28th of June and is set to showcase what McCartney calls a "humbling yet also astonishing" experience.</p> <p dir="ltr">McCartney approached the gallery in 2020, after stumbling across the images taken on his Pentax camera, which he thought were lost.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Looking at these photos now, decades after they were taken, I find there's a sort of innocence about them," he said..</p> <p dir="ltr">"Everything was new to us at this point. But I like to think I wouldn't take them any differently today.</p> <p dir="ltr">"They now bring back so many stories, a flood of special memories, which is one of the many reasons I love them all, and know that they will always fire my imagination," he added.</p> <p dir="ltr">The images include black-and-white self-portraits shot in a mirror in Paris, John Lennon also in the City of Love, George Harrison in Miami Beach, and Ringo Starr in London.</p> <p dir="ltr">These are five out of the 250 images shot by McCartney between November 1963 and February 1964, and the exhibition will feature in the London gallery's reopening after three years of refurbishments.</p> <p dir="ltr">An accompanying book of photographs and reflections will also be published on June 13.</p> <p dir="ltr">Click <a href="https://uk.news.yahoo.com/unseen-mccartney-photos-beatles-early-230100596.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a> to see the five recently released images.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: 1964 Paul McCartney / National Portrait Gallery</em></p>

Art

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World's most-loved landmarks ranked

<p dir="ltr">A new study has ranked the world's most-loved landmarks, whittling down a list of 125 iconic spots down to just ten.</p> <p dir="ltr">Travel experts at <a href="https://usebounce.com/blog/best-loved-landmarks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bounce</a> analysed Google search data with a focus on several factors, including annual visitor numbers, TripAdvisor ratings and posts on social media. </p> <p dir="ltr">The US and Canada dominated the list, with Niagara Falls, the Grand Canyon, Golden Gate Bridge and the Statue of Liberty coming in first, third, fourth and fifth respectively. </p> <p dir="ltr">India's Taj Mahal came in second, while the Great Wall of China just missed out on the top five. </p> <p dir="ltr">Though Australia and New Zealand's icons were noticeably absent from the list, the famed Sydney Opera House took out second in Bounce's ranking of landmarks expected to generate the most revenue, coming in behind India's Burj Khalifa.</p> <p dir="ltr">The full list of the top ten most-loved landmarks is:</p> <p dir="ltr">1. Niagara Falls, Canada </p> <p dir="ltr">2. Taj Mahal, India </p> <p dir="ltr">3. Grand Canyon, United States </p> <p dir="ltr">4. Golden Gate Bridge, United States </p> <p dir="ltr">5. Statue Of Liberty, United States </p> <p dir="ltr">6. Great Wall Of China, China</p> <p dir="ltr">7. Eiffel Tower, France</p> <p dir="ltr">8. Burj Khalifa, India</p> <p dir="ltr">9. Banff National Park, Canada</p> <p dir="ltr">10. Colosseum, Italy</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-a8e96ede-7fff-f0d0-7a86-4e6177dfc7c8"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

International Travel

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"Heartbroken": High-profile women react to landmark Roe v Wade decision

<p>When the US Supreme Court made the landmark decision to overturn Roe v. Wade on Friday June 24, women across America and all around the world took to social media to express their anger, disgust, sadness and outrage.</p> <p>A range of celebrities and high-profile women spoke out over the decision, as they grieved the loss of fundamental women's right and bodily autonomy in the eyes of the law.</p> <p>Roe v. Wade was implemented to grant women in the US the constitutional right to terminate a pregnancy, regardless of their reasoning.</p> <p>The landmark abortion ruling, which has been in place since 1973, was officially overturned last week, meaning individual states in America now have the right to ban women from seeking legal abortions – which several states have now already done.</p> <p>Australian model Robyn Lawley made a statement on her Instagram as she wrote on her torso, "My body my choice".</p> <p>The model shared her disgust for the ruling, while also empathising with women living the US of the challenges they are about to face.</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/p/CfOyiHmO1ud/?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/CfOyiHmO1ud/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Robyn Lawley (@robynlawley)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Former First Lady Michelle Obama posted an emotional statement online, which has been shared millions of times by men and women alike who are in disarray over the ruling.</p> <p>In the statement she wrote, "I am heartbroken that we may now be destined to learn the painful lessons of a time before Roe was made law of the land - a time when women risked their lives getting illegal abortions."</p> <p>"That is what our mothers and grandmothers and great-grandmothers lived through, and now we are here again."</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/p/CfMSJTKu_XY/?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/CfMSJTKu_XY/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Michelle Obama (@michelleobama)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Pop star Taylor Swift was one of the many who reposted Obama's message, adding, "I'm absolutely terrified that this is where we are – that after so many decades of people fighting for women's rights to their own bodies, today's decision has stripped us of that."</p> <p>Kim Kardashian echoed the thoughts of many as she shared that "In America, guns have more rights than women," as the overturning of Roe v. Wade has somehow taken priority over tighter gun restrictions, despite there being over <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/06/02/mass-shootings-in-2022/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">250 mass shootings in 2022</a> so far.</p> <p>Hillary Clinton also chimed in on the decision, saying overturning Roe v. Wade is "a step backward".</p> <p>"Most Americans believe the decision to have a child is one of the most sacred decisions there is, and that such decisions should remain between patients and their doctors," Clinton said.</p> <p>"Today's Supreme Court opinion will live in infamy as a step backward for women's rights and human rights."</p> <p>Everyday women across America shared their fear over the ruling, with many encouraging others to delete their period tracking apps, to have real conversations with their partners about their intimacy, and to start savings accounts to travel out of their state for an abortion if needed.</p> <p>As protestors took to the steps of the Supreme Court to protest the overturning of Roe v. Wade, online spaces were dominated with anger, as "my body, my choice" began trending on Twitter and became the battle cry for the women of the United States and around the world.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Body

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UN committee rules anti-lesbian sex laws breach human rights in landmark decision

<p>On Wednesday, a United Nations committee became the first international law body to recognise that criminalising female same-sex sexual activity is a fundamental breach of human rights.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.humandignitytrust.org/wp-content/uploads/resources/CEDAW-C-81-D-134-2018-English-clean-copy.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">landmark decision</a> means all countries that criminalise women having sex with other women should immediately repeal these laws.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">UN Body Condemns Sri Lanka’s Criminalization of Same-Sex Acts <a href="https://t.co/UW0Opoqfwc">https://t.co/UW0Opoqfwc</a></p> <p>— Human Rights Watch (@hrw) <a href="https://twitter.com/hrw/status/1506776054706458627?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p><strong>Which countries criminalise homosexuality?</strong></p> <p><a href="https://antigaylaws.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Seventy-one countries</a> still criminalise homosexual conduct. Many of these are our neighbours – <a href="https://antigaylaws.org/regional/asia-2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ten in Asia</a> and <a href="https://antigaylaws.org/regional/pacificoceania/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">seven in the Pacific</a>.</p> <p>Many people assume these laws only apply to men having sex with men, but that’s not the case. Sexual conduct between women is prohibited in the criminal codes of 34 of these 71 countries.</p> <p>Countries with sharia law such as Afghanistan, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia also essentially criminalise lesbian sex. So there are <a href="https://www.humandignitytrust.org/lgbt-the-law/map-of-criminalisation/?type_filter=crim_sex_women" target="_blank" rel="noopener">43 countries</a> where it’s a crime for women to engage in same-sex sexual activity – almost a quarter of all countries in the world.</p> <p>The majority of the countries that criminalise same-sex sexual activity are members of the <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1037969X1403900203" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Commonwealth</a>, whose anti-homosexuality laws were introduced by the British Empire.</p> <p>However, Britain only ever criminalised male homosexual activity, and the expansion of these laws to explicitly include female sexual activity is a relatively recent phenomenon. Countries that have done so include: Trinidad and Tobago (1986), Solomon Islands (1990), Sri Lanka (1995), Malaysia (1998) and Nigeria (2014).</p> <p>In the past 35 years, <a href="https://www.humandignitytrust.org/wp-content/uploads/resources/Breaking-the-Silence-Criminalisation-of-LB-Women-and-its-Impacts-FINAL.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ten jurisdictions</a> that previously only criminalised same-sex male sexual intimacy changed their laws to include, for the first time, new criminal sanctions of lesbians and bisexual women.</p> <p>The laws criminalising same-sex activity between women aren’t just arcane laws that are never enforced. In Malaysia just over three years ago, two women were <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/03/women-caned-in-malaysia-for-attempting-to-have-lesbian-sex" target="_blank" rel="noopener">caned six times</a> for attempting to have sex.</p> <p>And late last year, a <a href="https://www.advocate.com/world/2021/12/14/lesbian-detained-iran-fears-life-sareh" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lesbian activist in Iran</a> was arrested while trying to flee to Turkey to seek asylum. Before this, she was detained for 21 days by the Iraqi Kurdistan police following an interview she did with BBC Persian about the situation of the LGBTQ+ community in Iraqi Kurdistan.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Atrocious punishment of lesbians in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Malaysia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Malaysia</a> <a href="https://t.co/pknBrYnlO4">https://t.co/pknBrYnlO4</a></p> <p>— Amnesty UK Rainbow Network (@AmnestyUK_LGBTI) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmnestyUK_LGBTI/status/1037277740951584773?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 5, 2018</a></p></blockquote> <p><strong>The case</strong></p> <p>The case of <em>Flamer-Caldera v Sri Lanka</em> was brought by a lesbian activist to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).</p> <p>She argued that Sri Lanka’s criminal laws violated her right to live her life free from discrimination based on her sexual orientation.</p> <p>The CEDAW committee agreed.</p> <p>It found the effect of Sri Lanka’s criminal code was that lesbian and bisexual women lived with the constant risk of arrest and detention. And the laws facilitate a culture where discrimination, harassment and violence against lesbians and bisexual women can flourish.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">The verdict is clear: compulsory heterosexuality, enforced through legislation and policing as well as unchecked social stigma, violates women’s rights under international law. My piece for <a href="https://twitter.com/OutRightIntl?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OutRightIntl</a> on the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SriLanka?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SriLanka</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CEDAW?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CEDAW</a> ruling: <a href="https://t.co/cahtHV2k2d">https://t.co/cahtHV2k2d</a></p> <p>— Neela Ghoshal (@NeelaGhoshal) <a href="https://twitter.com/NeelaGhoshal/status/1507106976370769923?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p>Law is a tool that governments use to communicate to society what is acceptable and unacceptable behaviour. When the Sri Lankan government declared any sexual intimacy between consenting women is a crime, it signalled to Sri Lankans that vilification, targeting and harassment of lesbians and bisexual women is acceptable, because they are criminals.</p> <p>The laws not only criminalise same-sex sexual conduct. They also perpetuate homophobia, stigmatise the LGBTQ+ community and sanction gender-based violence against lesbians and bisexual women.</p> <p>This decision sends a clear message to all governments who think it’s OK to persecute, harass and discriminate against lesbians and bisexual women – you are wrong.</p> <p><strong>What now?</strong></p> <p>Sri Lanka now has six months to provide a written response to the CEDAW Committee setting out the action it has taken, or will take, to give effect to the committee’s decision.</p> <p>Repealing the specific provision in the criminal law will not be enough. A much more holistic and nuanced response is required. In particular, the government will need to:</p> <ul> <li> <p>develop campaigns to counter prejudice and stereotypes directed at the LGBTQ+ community</p> </li> <li> <p>enact anti-discrimination laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and intersex status</p> </li> <li> <p>embed human rights education in schools, promoting equality and respect for all regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity</p> </li> <li> <p>provide training for police, judges and other law enforcement officials to increase their understanding of, and respect for, the human rights of LGBTQ+ people. This will also enable women to report homophobic crimes to the police without fear of retribution and with the knowledge the perpetrators will be prosecuted</p> </li> <li> <p>ensure there are adequate civil and criminal remedies for members of the LGBTQ+ community who are subjected to discrimination and gender-based violence.</p> </li> </ul> <p>The decision in <em>Flamer-Caldera v Sri Lanka</em> represents a watershed moment in international human rights law and will reverberate around the world.</p> <p>It’s now beyond dispute that criminalising consensual adult same-sex sexual conduct violates a woman’s right to privacy, dignity and non-discrimination.</p> <p>All governments have a duty to protect all women, including lesbians and bisexual women, from discrimination, gender-based violence and other harm.</p> <p>Any country that criminalises the sexual conduct of lesbians and bisexual women, regardless of whether they enforce the laws, is guilty of violating international law.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/179936/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/paula-gerber-4812" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Paula Gerber</a>, Professor of Human Rights Law, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Monash University</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/un-committee-rules-anti-lesbian-sex-laws-breach-human-rights-in-landmark-decision-179936" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Legal

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New heart attack treatment hailed as landmark discovery

<p><em>Image: Nine News </em></p> <p>A ground-breaking discovery made by Australian doctors in the treatment of heart attacks is, according to researchers, a breakthrough as significant as landing on the moon.</p> <p>As a result, $8 million dollars has been given as a boost to run a major trial, with heart attack survivor Wayne Cook the first participant in the world to receive the breakthrough treatment.</p> <p>“I had a pain in both my biceps and across my back,” the 57-year-old, who had a major blockage, said of his heart attack.</p> <p>“I didn’t think my symptoms were a heart attack but the pain was excruciating.”</p> <p>The Perth man was able to receive life-saving treatment – a balloon unblocking his artery and a stent placed to hold it open.</p> <p>Professor Martin Ng from the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and the University of Sydney said the treatment for heart attacks had not advanced in over 20 years.</p> <p>One in two treated patients also have blockages downstream, in the micro vessels of their heart, which increase their risk of dying.</p> <p>"There's a fundamental serious problem that still isn't resolved," he said.</p> <p>"These vessels are so small so they can't be seen on the X-ray equipment from which we do the angiogram."</p> <p>Now, a wire with sensors measures blood pressure and flow.</p> <p>It's used to identify blockages downstream, so patients can then receive a clot-busting drug.</p> <p>An earlier study, funded by taxpayers, uncovered astonishing results.</p> <p>"This observation is, for us, like a landing on the moon," Professor Ng said.</p> <p>This new larger trial will involve more than 500 heart attack patients, who are identified as being higher risk.</p>

Caring

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Genetic secrets of almost 2,700 cancers unveiled by landmark international project

<p>Scientists have revealed the detailed genetic makeup of thousands of cancer samples, yielding new insights into the genes that drive the many and varied forms of the disease.</p> <p>The results, <a href="https://www.nature.com/collections/pcawg/">published in a landmark collection of research papers in the journal Nature</a> interpret the complete DNA sequences, or cancer genomes, of 2,658 cancer samples. This will further our understanding of the crucial “driver” mutations that underpin cancer development and offer potential as targets for treatments such as chemotherapy.</p> <p>It is the work of some 700 scientists around the world, as part of an international project called the <a href="https://dcc.icgc.org/pcawg">Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes</a>.</p> <p>The hallmark of a cancer cell is its unregulated growth. The mechanism that allows these cells to escape normal cellular growth regulation involves the introduction of mutations into the cancer cell’s DNA. The collection of mutations present in a particular cancer genome is thus known as that cancer’s “mutation signature”.</p> <p>Each advance in our capacity to accurately and completely sequence whole cancer genomes, and to analyse the sequence data, has enabled a more in-depth analysis of these mutation signatures. Each step forward has revealed further diversity in the mutation processes that underlie the development and progression of cancer.</p> <p><strong>Diverse mutations</strong></p> <p>It is seven years since the <a href="https://theconversation.com/cancer-signatures-offer-hope-for-treatment-and-prevention-17045">previous landmark advance in this field</a>. Back in 2013, researchers reported on the genetic makeup of 7,042 cancers of 30 different types, and identified 20 distinct mutational signatures.</p> <p>Today’s reports involve fewer cancers, but an increase in the number of cancer types to 38. But this latest advance is not really about numbers.</p> <p>The real step forward is in our understanding of the diversity of DNA mutations and mutation signatures within cancer genomes. This is primarily the result of improved methods for analysing the DNA sequence data, compared with the state of the art in 2013.</p> <p>As a result, important DNA sequence alterations that could not be detected in previous work have now been described. Each contributes important new details about each cancer genome.</p> <p>Until recently, cancer DNA mutation analyses had been focused on small alterations in “coding regions” of DNA - the roughly 1% of DNA that is responsible for making proteins. The new analyses reported today have identified non-coding driver mutations – some of them large structural mutations that can be as big as entire chromosomes.</p> <p>These new analytical capabilities have enabled the identification of 97 mutation signatures, five times more than previously known. The improved detail boosts our understanding of the diversity of cancer genomes. It also provides important new information about the order in which these mutations accumulate during cancer development.</p> <p>However, there is good evidence to suggest that more work is still required to characterise the full spectrum of cancer DNA mutations. It is anticipated that all cancers will have at least one, and perhaps as many as five, driver DNA mutations. Despite the extensive array of analytical approaches described in these new reports, the researchers were still unable to identify any driver mutations in 5% of the cancers in their study.</p> <p>The research has also shown that similar mutation signatures are present in cancers that arise in different tissues. This has implications for cancer treatment. For example, a drug successfully used to treat a breast cancer may be as effective for treating a pancreatic cancer if the two cancers share the same mutation signature.</p> <p>These data will greatly advance our ability to identify cancers with the same or similar origins via their mutation signature. It has enormous implications for diversifying the current suite of drugs available for gene-targeted cancer treatment.</p> <p>But, perhaps more significantly, it also offers the opportunity to expand our strategies for preventing cancer before it starts.</p> <p><em>Written by Melissa Southey. Republished with permission of </em><a href="https://theconversation.com/genetic-secrets-of-almost-2-700-cancers-unveiled-by-landmark-international-project-131197"><em>The Conversation.</em></a></p>

Beauty & Style

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How many of these famous landmarks have you ticked off?

<p>Incredible feats of architecture can be found on every continent. One of the joys of travelling is finally standing at the foot of that famous tower or wandering through the ruins of an ancient site you’d seen on the history channel. These incredible locations will make you want to pack your bags and book a flight ASAP. Feast your eyes on the world’s most famous landmarks.</p> <p><strong>Statue of Liberty</strong></p> <p><strong>Where is it? </strong>New York CIty, NY, USA <strong>When was it built?</strong> 1875 <strong>Crunch the numbers: </strong>93 metres tall, weighing a total of 225 tonnes. <strong>Fun fact: </strong>On a windy day, the Statue of Liberty can sway as much as 6 inches.</p> <p><strong>Eiffel Tower</strong></p> <p><strong>Where is it? </strong>Paris, France <strong>When was it built?</strong> 1875 <strong>Crunch the numbers: </strong>324 metres tall, weighing a total of 7.3 million kilograms. <strong>Fun fact: </strong>The Eiffel Tower was never intended to be permanent. It was due to be demolished in 1909 but was repurposed as a radio antenna.</p> <p><strong>Big Ben</strong></p> <p><strong>Where is it? </strong>London, England <strong>When was it built?</strong> 1884 <strong>Crunch the numbers: </strong>The clock tower stands at 96 metres tall. The Great Bell inside weighs more than 13 tonnes. <strong>Fun fact:</strong> Many people refer to Big Ben as the tower that houses London’s most recognisable clock, however, Big Ben was actually the name given to the Great Bell inside.</p> <p><strong>Leaning Tower of Pisa</strong></p> <p><strong>Where is it? </strong>Pisa, Italy (85km west of Florence) <strong>When was it built?</strong> 1173 <strong>Crunch the numbers: </strong>57 metres tall, weighing around 12,500 tonnes with a current lean of 3.99 degrees. This means the top of the tower is displaced 3.9 metres from where it would be if it were perfectly vertical. <strong>Fun fact: </strong>The Leaning Tower of Pisa is actually starting to straighten. It has moved 3 inches in the last decade. Experts predict the tower will stand for at least another 200 years.</p> <p><strong>Colosseum</strong></p> <p><strong>Where is it? </strong>Rome, Italy <strong>When was it built?</strong> Construction began in AD 72 and was finished in AD 80 <strong>Crunch the numbers: </strong>189 metres long, 156 metres wide and 48 metres high. It can purportedly hold up to 80,000 spectators. <strong>Fun fact: </strong>Even though Ridley Scott was granted access to film his hit movie, Gladiator, at the Colosseum, it apparently wasn’t big enough. Instead, he built a replica in Malta at a cost of US$1 million.</p> <p><strong>London Eye</strong></p> <p><strong>Where is it? </strong>London, England <strong>When was it built?</strong> 1998 <strong>Crunch the numbers:</strong> Standing at 135 metres tall, the London Eye rotates 26cm per second. A full revolution takes around 30 minutes. <strong>Fun fact: </strong>The London Eye has 32 capsules, one to represent each of the city’s 32 boroughs. However, they are numbered one to 33, skipping number 13 because it’s considered an unlucky number.</p> <p><em>Written by Bethany Plint. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.mydiscoveries.com.au/stories/famous-landmarks/?slide=all">MyDiscoveries.</a></em></p>

Travel Tips

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13 secret chambers inside famous landmarks

<div id="page1" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide"> <div class="slide-description"> <p>Talk about hiding in plain sight… each of these secret spots can be found in a famous landmark you may have visited. S<span>croll through the gallery to see the sites of these hidden chambers.</span></p> </div> </div> </div> <div id="page2" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide"> <div class="slide-title"><strong>1. The bomb shelter in the White House</strong></div> <div class="slide-description"> <p>You’d think the White House, in Washington DC, USA, would have lots of secret spaces, but there’s only one you’re allowed to know about without security clearance, and even that’s not exactly public knowledge. We’re talking about the bomb shelter President Franklin Delano Roosevelt had constructed in the East Wing in December 1941. While he was having it built, “mum” was the word; he acknowledged only that the East Wing construction was under construction.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div data-fuse="21833175956"><strong>2. Secret passage in Buckingham Palace</strong></div> <div id="page3" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide"> <div class="slide-description"> <p>Maybe the reason we associate secret passages with the dwellings of heads of state is that secret passages are pretty much standard fare in royal palaces. For example, Buckingham Palace has a secret door in the White Drawing Room, which connects to The Queen’s private residence. Although the White Drawing Room is open to visitors, the door is not. </p> <div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/travel/destinations/13-secret-chambers-inside-famous-landmarks"><strong>3. Her Majesty’s secret panic rooms</strong></div> </div> </div> </div> <div id="page4" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide"> <div class="slide-description"> <p>The passageway from the public to the private rooms at Buckingham Palace is just one of the secret spaces Queen Elizabeth II maintains there. In Buckingham Palace, as well as in Windsor Castle, The Queen has had “panic rooms” installed: very small bullet-proof, flame-retardant rooms in which she can hide in case of a bombing or any sort of terrorist attack.<span> </span></p> </div> </div> </div> <div id="page5" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide"> <div class="slide-title"><strong>4. The secret bowling alley at the Frick Collection</strong></div> <div class="slide-description"> <p>There’s a good reason you can’t go into the<span> </span>bowling alley at the Frick Collection<span> </span>(an art museum located in a mansion on Manhattan’s Upper East Side that was once the home of the family of steel magnate, Henry Frick). It has only one exit, and that’s against New York City Fire Code. There are other private rooms in the mansion, but they’re not closed to the public.</p> <div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/travel/destinations/13-secret-chambers-inside-famous-landmarks"><strong>5. The secret room in the arch at Washington Square Park</strong></div> </div> </div> </div> <div id="page6" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide"> <div class="slide-description"> <p>The Washington Square Park Arch in the USA looks just like the<span> </span><a href="https://arcdetriompheparis.com/">Arc de Triomphe</a>, but here is a major difference: whereas the Arc de Triomphe has an interior that is open to the public (it even includes a museum), the Washington Square Park Arch has an interior, but very few people have ever been inside it, and frankly,<span> </span><a href="https://untappedcities.com/2016/07/20/inside-nycs-washington-square-arch/">from these photos</a>, it looks super-spooky.<span> </span></p> </div> </div> </div> <div id="page7" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide"> <div class="slide-title"><strong>6. The little room hidden behind Mount Rushmore</strong></div> <div class="slide-description"> <p>Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, USA, is one of the 8 most famous monuments with little-known secrets. The secret it holds is a room hidden behind Lincoln’s head. The room was designed and is used as a “hall of records” that contains copies of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. What’s haunting about the secret room is that it the man who designed the monument died before the room was completed, and his original plan – to inscribe a written description of nine important events from U.S. history therein – was never realised. </p> </div> </div> </div> <div id="page8" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide"> <div class="slide-title"><strong>7. The secret quarters at Monticello</strong></div> <div class="slide-description"> <p>“As part of the $35-million Mountaintop Project restoration to return Monticello to the floorplan it had when [Thomas] Jefferson lived there, archaeologists and restoration experts have been renovating the building’s south wing,” writes<span> </span><em>Smithsonian Magazine</em><span> </span>of the building in Charlottesville, USA. In the course of their work, they discovered an area beside where Jefferson was believed to have slept, a hidden room. Small and windowless and believed to have been built in 1809, it may have been where Jefferson’s slave, Sally Hemings slept.<span> </span></p> <div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/travel/destinations/13-secret-chambers-inside-famous-landmarks"><strong>8. The secret cinema in the Paris Catacombs</strong></div> </div> </div> </div> <div id="page9" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide"> <div class="slide-description"> <p>Beneath the City of Paris lies over 300 kilometres of tunnels containing the remains of more than six million people who were relocated there from Parisian cemeteries between the 17th and the 19th centuries (because of cemetery overcrowding). The existence of the Catacombs is no secret, but here’s something that had been for quite a while: someone, or a group of someones, had secretly (and illegally) built an underground cinema and an adjoining restaurant. The police discovered the space in 2004, and a group called the Perforated Mexicans came forward to claim it as their work.<span> </span></p> </div> </div> </div> <div id="page10" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide"> <div class="slide-title"><strong>9. The secret room in the Medici Chapels</strong></div> <div class="slide-description"> <p>In 1975, the then-director of the Medici Chapels museum in Florence, Italy was searching for a new exit route for visitors and stumbled upon a trapdoor beneath a closet. Further investigation revealed sketches and even doodles on the walls. Although unsigned, their style suggests the hallmarks of Michelangelo’s “signature style,” according to<span> </span><em>Conde Nast Traveler</em>. The room has been closed for renovations ever since, although plans are underway for it to open to the public in 2020.<span> </span></p> </div> </div> </div> <div id="page11" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide"> <div class="slide-title"><strong>10. Empire State Building Floor 103</strong></div> <div class="slide-description"> <p>The observation deck on the 103rd floor of the Empire State Building closed to the public unless you’re someone super important. According to the building’s own fact sheet, “VIPs, celebrities, and dignitaries” are allowed “exclusive access,” to the top floor. Recently, Taylor Swift was allowed to take and model in photos from the almost secret room to promote her single, “Welcome to New York” according to<span> </span><em>Travel + Leisure</em>.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div id="page12" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide"> <div class="slide-title"><strong>11. The room in the torch at the Statue of Liberty</strong></div> <div class="slide-description"> <p>There’s a room inside the Statue of Liberty‘s torch, but the room has remained almost entirely closed since July 30, 1916, the day of the “Black Tom” explosion. This act of sabotage by German agents during World War I involved blowing up munitions housed in a warehouse on a neighbouring island in the New York Harbour, damaging the Statue, and especially the torch. The only people who’ve been in it since are National Park Service Staff who access it via a 12-metre ladder. There are no plans to reopen the torch, due to terrorism fears.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div id="page13" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide"> <div class="slide-title"><strong>12. Secret bus station at the Carter Hotel in NYC</strong></div> <div class="slide-description"> <p>Inside the Carter Hotel, an arguably seedy hotel in New York City’s Time’s Square, lies hidden a nearly century-old bus station. Built in the 1930s, when the Carter was known as the Dixie, the Central Union Bus Terminal was built partly underground. “After descending underground, buses would rotate on a 35-foot turntable, then proceed into a designated berth,” explains Scouting New York. It’s now a parking garage, but if you venture down there, you’ll still be able to find that turntable.<span> </span></p> </div> </div> </div> <div id="page14" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide"> <div class="slide-title"><strong>13. The hidden apartment inside the Eiffel Tower</strong></div> <div class="slide-description"> <p>Well, Paris certainly seems to have its share of rooms hidden in the plain sight of famous landmarks. This third one on this list, the hidden apartment on the third floor of the Eiffel Tower, was constructed by the architect of the tower, Gustave Eiffel as his own private apartment. It’s not such a secret anymore because it’s now it’s available for the public to tour. But according to<span> </span><em>Architectural Digest</em>, while Eiffel was alive, he kept the place pretty tightly locked down.</p> <p><em>Written by Lauren Cahn. This article first appeared in </em><span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/travel/destinations/13-secret-chambers-inside-famous-landmarks" target="_blank"><em>Reader’s Digest</em></a><em>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, </em><a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&amp;utm_medium=articles&amp;utm_campaign=RDSUB&amp;keycode=WRA93V"><em>here’s our best subscription offer.</em></a></span></p> </div> </div> </div> <p><img style="width: 100px !important; height: 100px !important;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820640/1.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f30947086c8e47b89cb076eb5bb9b3e2" /></p>

International Travel

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70% of women with breast cancer may not need chemotherapy, finds landmark study

<p><em><strong>Darren Saunders is a cancer biologist in the School of Medical Sciences at UNSW Sydney. </strong></em></p> <p>Findings from a <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1804710?query=featured_home">major international clinical trial</a> suggest a significant number of women with the most common form of early-stage breast cancer do not need chemotherapy after surgery.</p> <p>The results of the so-called <em>TAILORx</em> trial were presented yesterday at the annual meeting of the <a href="https://am.asco.org/">American Society of Clinical Oncology</a> and concurrently published in the <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1804710">New England Journal of Medicine</a>.</p> <p><strong>Breast cancer types</strong></p> <p>The study looked at over 10,000 women with one specific type of breast cancer known as hormone-receptor–positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)–negative, lymph node–negative breast cancer.</p> <p>Not all breast tumours behave the same way, with a number of different subtypes of breast cancer defined by genetic and protein markers. There are five to six main subtypes, depending on the classification system used. But with genome sequencing it’s becoming apparent each patient’s disease has subtle differences at the molecular level. These <a href="https://www.cancer.gov/types/breast/patient/breast-treatment-pdq">different subtypes are treated differently</a>, and can have significantly different outcomes for patients.</p> <p>The subset of breast tumours that form the focus of this study are driven by hormones (oestrogen), do not respond to drugs such as <a href="https://canceraustralia.gov.au/affected-cancer/cancer-types/breast-cancer/treatment/what-does-treatment-breast-cancer-involve/targeted-therapies/types-targeted-therapy/trastuzumab-herceptin">trastuzumab</a>(also known as Herceptin - an engineered antibody that targets HER2), and haven’t yet spread to the lymph nodes. They represent roughly half of the more than 17,000 new cases of breast cancer <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/cancer/breast-cancer-in-australia-an-overview/contents/summary">diagnosed in Australia every year</a>.</p> <p>Patients with these kind of tumours typically undergo surgery followed by treatment with drugs that target rapidly dividing cells (chemotherapy) and drugs that block the production or action of the hormone oestrogen (endocrine therapy, such as the drug Tamoxifen).</p> <p>Results from this study suggest many women with this specific type of tumour do not receive any additional benefit from having chemotherapy in combination with endocrine therapy, compared to endocrine therapy alone. This has the potential to spare thousands of women from the awful side effects of chemotherapy, including nausea, hair loss, and heart and nerve damage.</p> <p>This study used a genetic test (called “Oncotype DX”) to measure a panel of 21 genes that help predict risk of cancer recurrence. Importantly, chemotherapy still showed some benefit in women with higher Oncotype recurrence scores, and in some women under the age of 50.</p> <p>Although mortality rates have decreased significantly over the last few decades, breast cancer is estimated to cause more than <a href="http://globocan.iarc.fr/old/FactSheets/cancers/breast-new.asp">half a million deaths globally</a> every year. Breast cancer remains the <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/cancer/cancer-compendium-information-and-trends-by-cancer-type/report-contents/breast-cancer-in-australia">second most common cause of death from cancer</a> among females in Australia.</p> <p><strong>Hope and hype</strong></p> <p>Cancer is complex and challenging to study, and news reporting on the disease easily lends itself to hype, contradiction and misinterpretation. Clearly communicating research findings are important for helping patients make informed decisions about treatment and modifying risk.</p> <p>Poor reporting may have serious consequences for public and scientific communities alike. Some of the reports and headlines on this trial have been a little misleading, feeding on an understandable fear. They could potentially encourage patients to incorrectly avoid or stop treatment - with potentially tragic consequences.</p> <p>False or unmet expectations can also seed disappointment and an eventual loss of trust in science. Another, more sinister, aspect to these headlines is the potential to fuel myths and conspiracy theories about the effectiveness of chemotherapy.</p> <p>One of the most exciting aspects of this trial is the emergence of robust, large-scale data supporting the use of “<a href="https://theconversation.com/its-2030-and-precision-medicine-has-changed-health-care-this-is-what-it-looks-like-90539">precision medicine</a>” - using genetic profiles to dictate treatment and predict outcomes in cancer. Trials like this are critical in balancing the significant hope and hype of precision medicine.</p> <p>This study supports sparing thousands of women from the sometimes nasty side-effects of chemotherapy, but we must be crystal clear that it applies to a very specific (and significant) subset of women. Patients should not make any changes to their treatment based off this study, and should always consult their doctors.</p> <p>And while celebrating this genuine advance, we should remember just how far we have to go in finding effective therapies for metastatic breast cancer, and other breast cancer subtypes for which treatment options are still limited.</p> <p><em>Written by Darren Saunders. Republished with the permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/many-women-with-breast-cancer-may-not-need-chemo-but-beware-misleading-headlines-97686" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>The Conversation.</strong></span></a></em></p>

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Rescue crews are sick of tourists visiting this Aussie landmark

<p>Australia might not get its due as a thrill seekers destination, and while we might not have as many options as our friends across the ditch, there’s still plenty of activities Down Under for tourists who are looking for a holiday with a bit of an adrenaline rush. But of course, this isn’t always a good thing, especially for busy rescue crews.</p> <p>And there’s one landmark, that’s drawing their ire.</p> <p>High in the Glass House Mountains, an hour or so away from Brisbane, two popular climbs are causing an absolute headache for rescue crews, claiming numerous lives.</p> <p>Mount Beerwah and Mount Tibrogargan, sitting at 556 metres and 364 metres above sea level respectively, and while they’re not as high as other climbs the degree of difficulty more than makes it a dangerous experience.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Frescue500queensland%2Fvideos%2F2062072927344961%2F&amp;show_text=0&amp;width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p> <p>Greg Toman, a member of Queensland Fire Emergency Service’s Remote Mountain Rescue crew, understands the risks all too well and says that this issue isn’t always getting up to the peak, but finding your way down from the mountain.</p> <p>“All the rescues are tricky ones and they’re all strenuous because we have to carry our pack and all our gear. It’s even harder stretchering people down, the rescues are tricky. There’s nothing glamorous about it,” Mr Toman said</p> <p>Mr Toman told News.com.au it’s becoming increasingly frustrating for rescue crews to risk life and limb for “boofheads” who haven’t done the correct amount of planning. </p> <p>“Bad things happen when people don’t do their homework,” he said.</p> <p>“There’s plenty of people heading to the mountain to do silly stuff and often it’s in the middle of the night or at dark. There’s a big difference between rock climbers who read the guidebook and are completely prepared but things just accidentally go wrong for them to boofheads that head out there purely to be stupid,” he said.</p>

Travel Trouble

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How to skip the line at the Eiffel Tower (and other famous landmarks)

<p>Don’t let your experience be ruined by a line! Here’s how to avoid them.</p> <p><strong>Buy your tickets online</strong></p> <p>Don’t make the mistake of just turning up and joining the line. Go to the official website (toureiffel.paris) up to two months in advance, choose your half hour time slot between 9am and 930pm, and book your ticket for just €15. Beware of other third party sites that will try to sell you these same tickets at a big markup.</p> <p><strong>Join a tour</strong></p> <p>Even if you’re not a tour kind of person, now is a good time to get onboard. Many private tour companies will let you skip the queue as part of your package. Plus you’ll get the added bonus of an expert guide to give you all the inside info on the tower itself.</p> <p><strong>Get a Paris Passlib</strong></p> <p>The Paris Convention and Visitor Bureau has recently launched a special tourist pass that covers entry to lots of the city’s best attractions for one flat fee. You can book a one-, three- or five-day Paris Passlib and get entry to museums and galleries, plus a bus tour and one-hour boat ride. For an extra €15 you can add a fast track Eiffel Tower ticket.</p> <p><strong>Have a meal</strong></p> <p>Did you know there are two restaurants inside the Eiffel Tower? The casual 58 Tour Eiffel is on the first level and the formal Le Jules Verne is on the second level, and both have separate entrance lines from the main tower. A set lunch at 58 Tour Eiffel starts from €42.50 per person and includes a starter, main course and dessert served ‘picnic style’ in a basket, plus a beer or wine – all with a side of stunning views. If you want to splash out, head to Le Jules Verne for an unforgettable lunch or dinner that will set you back around €200.</p> <p><strong>Take the stairs</strong></p> <p>Feeling fit? There’s hardly ever a line for the stairs at the Eiffel Tower so you can make your way up to the first and second level under your own steam. It’s 330 steps to the first level and 670 to the second, and then you can buy a ticket to the top from the short lines there. A stair ticket only costs €7 and attendants never check tickets on the way down, so you can catch a ride back to earth on the elevators.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"> </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Last Fri, I was 1 of 700 ppl lucky to zip line at 90km/h, gliding along the 800m-long wire fr the iconic Eiffel Tower <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/smashperrier?src=hash">#smashperrier</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Paris?src=hash">#Paris</a> <a href="https://t.co/PLC85alSIg">pic.twitter.com/PLC85alSIg</a></p> — Hanis Zainul (@nizzkee) <a href="https://twitter.com/nizzkee/status/875552747659165697">June 16, 2017</a></blockquote> <p style="text-align: center;"> </p> <p><strong>And for other attractions?</strong></p> <p>A lot of these tips will work for popular spots like the Louvre, Musee D’Orsay and Notre Dame. Buy a special Paris Passlib with fast track entry, join a guided tour or hire a private guide, or look for alternative entrances that aren’t as popular. Good luck!</p>

Travel Tips

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How many famous landmarks can you name?

<p>Think you’re a geography buff? You might need to rethink that title after this test. UK travel site <a href="https://www.destination2.co.uk/" target="_parent"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Destination2.co.uk</span></strong></a> has put together the ultimate puzzle for lovers of all things travel, and while it sounds simple, in reality, it’s quite the challenge.</p> <p>All you have to do is see if you can name all 31 landmarks in the image below. But don’t be fooled – it’s harder than it seems.</p> <p><img width="498" height="415" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/38291/image__498x415.jpg" alt="Image_ (354)" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p>Ready for the answers? See how many you correctly guessed.</p> <ol start="1"> <li>Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia</li> <li>Ayers Rock, Australia</li> <li>Tower Bridge, London, England</li> <li>London Eye, London, England</li> <li>The Shard, London, England</li> <li>Houses of Parliament, London, England</li> <li>Red Telephone Box, London, England</li> <li>Stonehenge, Salisbury, England</li> <li>Angel of the North, Newcastle, England</li> <li>The Parthenon, Athens, Greece</li> <li>White Tower of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece</li> <li>St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City, Italy</li> <li>The Colosseum, Rome, Italy</li> <li>Leaning Tower of Pisa, Pisa, Italy</li> <li>Great Wall of China, Beijing, China</li> <li>Forbidden City, Beijing, China</li> <li>Empire State Building, New York, USA</li> <li>Mount Rushmore, South Dakota, USA</li> <li>Abraham Lincoln, Washington, USA</li> <li>Las Vegas Sign, Las Vegas, USA</li> <li>Statue of Liberty, New York, USA</li> <li>Chichen Itza, Yucatán, México</li> <li>Kremlin Wall, Moscow, Russia</li> <li>Kremlin, Moscow, Russia</li> <li>Petronas Towers, Kuala lumpur, Malaysia</li> <li>Humayun's Tomb, New Delhi, India</li> <li>Virupaksha Temple, Hampi, India</li> <li>Taj Mahal, Agra, India</li> <li>The Sphinx, Egypt</li> <li>Pyramids of Giza, Egypt</li> <li>el-Bahari, Egypt</li> </ol> <p>How many did you name? Share your result with us in the comments below!</p>

Mind

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The world’s top 30 landmarks

<p>There’s so much to see in this big wide world of ours that sometimes it’s hard to know where to begin. A recent survey by Gatwick Airport, which asked 2,000 travellers to name the world’s best landmarks to visit, is a good list to get started with. These top 30 landmarks should be on everyone’s travel bucket list.</p> <p>1. Eiffel Tower – France<br /> 2. The Grand Canyon – USA<br /> 3. Big Ben – England<br /> 4. Stonehenge – England<br /> 5. Houses of Parliament – England<br /> 6. Statue of Liberty- USA<br /> 7. The Pyramids of Giza – Egypt<br /> 8. Great Wall of China – China<br /> 9. Tower of Pisa – Italy<br /> 10. Niagara Falls – USA/Canada<br /> 11. The Taj Mahal – India<br /> 12. The Colosseum – Italy<br /> 13. The Great Sphinx – Egypt<br /> 14. Edinburgh Castle – Scotland<br /> 15. Empire State Building – USA<br /> 16. Sydney Opera House – Australia<br /> 17. Mount Everest – Nepal<br /> 18. Pompeii- Italy<br /> 19. Golden Gate Bridge – USA<br /> 20. Ayres Rock – Australia<br /> 21. Great Barrier Reef – Australia<br /> 22. Loch Ness – Scotland<br /> 23. The Rivers of Venice – Venice<br /> 24. Acropolis of Athens – Greece<br /> 25. The Louvre – France<br /> 26. Machu Picchu – Peru<br /> 27. Christ the Redeemer – Brazil<br /> 28. The Hollywood Sign – USA<br /> 29. The White House – USA<br /> 30. Mount Rushmore – USA</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/travel/travel-club/2015/08/tips-to-stop-overspending-on-holiday/">7 ways to avoid overspending on holiday</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/travel/travel-club/2015/07/get-good-hotel-rate/">Tips for getting the best hotel rate</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/travel/travel-club/2015/06/tips-for-grey-nomad-adventure/">How to plan a grey nomad adventure</a></strong></em></span></p>

International Travel

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10 spots in London every senior has to visit

<p>London is one of the world’s great cities and has endless attractions that everyone will enjoy. Don’t miss these 10 must-dos on your next visit to Old Blighty.</p> <p><strong>1. Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament</strong></p> <p>We’ll start with an obvious one. Arguably London’s most iconic landmark, Big Ben and the adjacent Houses of Parliament are instantly recognisable. Unfortunately, unless you’re a UK resident you can’t go inside the tower so you’ll just have to take a selfie from Westminster Bridge.</p> <p><strong>2. The Shard</strong></p> <p>There’s so much history to see in London that it can be easy to forget the modern wonders. The Shard is the tallest building in the city and opened in 2013. As well as a luxury hotel and plenty of high-end restaurants, the viewing platforms (on floors 68, 69 and 72) offer incredible views over the city. Just make sure to visit on a clear day so you’re not looking down on the clouds.</p> <p><strong>3. Victoria and Albert Museum</strong></p> <p>London is stuffed with museums, but the V&amp;A (as it’s known) is easily one of the most interesting and engaging. It has a permanent collection of more than 4.5 million art and design objects, and there’s a constantly changing set of exhibitions, covering everything from toys to jewellery to underwear. Admission is free (though some special exhibitions require a ticket) and the stunning café, the world’s oldest museum restaurant, is worth the visit alone.</p> <p><img width="500" height="339" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/28667/shutterstock_289093214_500x339.jpg" alt="tower of london" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p><strong>4. Tower of London</strong></p> <p>Dating back almost 1,000 years, the Tower of London has been both a palace and a prison. Many famous Brits met their end in the courtyard (including Anne Boleyn) or spent time in the dank dungeons. Goggle at the Crown Jewels and keep your eyes out for the six resident ravens which, according to legend, must remain on site lest king and country should fall.</p> <p><strong>5. Portobello Road, Notting Hill</strong></p> <p>Is it just us or did everyone love the film <em>Notting Hill</em>? Recreate your favourite movie moments down the main strip of Portobello Road. It’s chock full of buzzy bars, cool restaurants and hip boutiques. The famous markets run every day, but the biggest day is Saturday and the whole street is lined with endless stalls selling fresh produce, vintage clothes and jewellery, books, antiques, furniture and food. It's also a great spot for celebrity spotting.</p> <p><img width="500" height="333" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/28666/shutterstock_423423517_500x333.jpg" alt="tate modern" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p><strong>6. Tate Modern</strong></p> <p>Britain’s national contemporary art museum is one of the world’s best, from the dramatic building itself (once a power station) to the incredible collection inside. It’s just opened a huge new space, the Switch House, that’s a futuristic, expressionistic wing filled with the museum’s most remarkable works yet. One not to be missed.</p> <p><strong>7. British Museum</strong></p> <p>From the new to the old – the British Museum is home to some of the world’s most famous pieces of history. The (somewhat controversial) Elgin Marbles, the Rosetta Stone, mummies, samurai armour and 5,000 year old clay figurines. The visiting collections are reliably fabulous, so check the calendar before you go.</p> <p><img width="498" height="245" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/28665/image__498x245.jpg" alt="camden markets" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p><strong>8. Camden Markets</strong></p> <p>This one might be a little off the general tourist radar, but it’s a great introduction to London street style. It's a great spot to find emerging local designers, vintage clothes, antiques and tasty street food. The area has cleaned up considerably over the last decade, though it still retains some of its original grungy feel. Plus there are plenty of lovely pubs scattered throughout for a refreshing afternoon pint.</p> <p><strong>9. London Eye</strong></p> <p>Ok, so just about every major city in the world now has one of these. But it is still pretty impressive, the views are stunning and there’s something exciting about standing in a giant plastic bubble, high above the River Thames. You can even rent a capsule for a private tour or arrange for an exclusive dinner after dark.</p> <p><strong>10. Hyde Park</strong></p> <p>When you need a little break from the grey of the city, head to the enormous Hyde Park right in the centre of the city. It’s a sprawling wonderland of trees, flower beds, lakes and paths. The park is one of four that link together to make a chain of greenery, flanked by Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace. In summer, London’s city workers flock to the grass to eat their lunch and catch a little sun. Join them.</p> <p>Have you ever been to London, and if so how did you find the experience? Let us know in the comments section below, we’d love to hear from you.</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/travel/international/2016/04/top-10-landmarks-to-visit-in-2016/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Top 10 landmarks to visit in 2016</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><a href="/travel/international/2016/06/14-photos-offer-rare-glimpse-of-londons-secret-gardens/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">14 photos offer rare glimpse of London’s secret gardens</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><a href="/travel/international/2016/05/8-photos-london-mysterious-beauty/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>8 photos reveal mysterious side of London</strong></em></span></a></p>

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