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Baby Lightning strikes! Aussie Olympian gives birth to fifth child

<p>Aussie Olympic champion Libby Trickett has shared some joyful news – her family has grown with the arrival of baby number five!</p> <p>The 40-year-old swimmer took to Instagram to announce the birth of her newest bundle of joy, revealing his beautiful name and details of his arrival. Trickett and her husband, Luke, proudly welcomed Archie Wilson Lightning Trickett into the world at 7:51am on April 3rd, via an elective caesarean. Baby Archie weighed in at a healthy 3.99kg and measured 53cm long.</p> <p>"The shape of our family is complete," Trickett wrote, beaming with happiness. "Definitely promise it’s for reals this time! I’m really almost certain this time... though I’ve come to realise that I probably would have babies forever. I know that I’ve pushed my body to its absolute limits with this one."</p> <p>Trickett shared that Archie’s arrival was a calm and joyous experience, filled with laughter and love. "Every birth I’ve had has been extraordinary and this one was no different. I couldn’t have asked for a better way to meet our baby boy," she added.</p> <p>The couple’s new arrival is already adored by his siblings, as Trickett sweetly noted that Archie is being "suitably smothered" by his three big sisters and big brother. "We have all been struck with love," she gushed.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DIF32JMxCiX/?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/DIF32JMxCiX/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Libby Trickett (@libby_trickett)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>In a fun twist, Trickett revealed that they never found out the gender of any of their children during pregnancy – and she managed to guess wrong every single time! "I didn’t predict a single one and I feel so lucky because I couldn’t have wished for more," she laughed.</p> <p>The heartwarming announcement was met with a flood of congratulatory messages from friends, fans and fellow athletes. Surfing legend Mick Fanning commented, "Congratulations," while fellow swimming great Grant Hackett wrote, "Woohoo 🎉 A massive congratulations." Olympian Jana Pittman also chimed in, saying, "Enormous congrats xxxxx."</p> <p>With their growing family now complete, the Tricketts are soaking up every moment of love and joy with little Archie.</p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

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66-year-old woman reveals why she just gave birth to her 10th child

<p>In a remarkable turn of events, 66-year-old Alexandra Hildebrandt gave birth to her 10th child, a healthy baby boy named Philipp, on March 19 at Charité Hospital in Berlin. The birth, carried out via cesarean section, saw Philipp weighing in at 7 pounds, 13 ounces.</p> <p>Hildebrandt, a well-known human rights activist and the director of Berlin’s Checkpoint Charlie Museum, insists that she conceived naturally, without the aid of fertility drugs, and faced no difficulties during the process.</p> <p>Baby Philipp joins an already large and diverse family, including siblings Svitlana (46), Artiom (36), Elisabeth (12), Maximilian (12), Alexandra (10), Leopold (8), Anna (7), Maria (4), and Katharina (2). Remarkably, eight of these children were born after Hildebrandt turned 53, all during her second marriage to former CDU politician Daniel Dormann.</p> <p>For Hildebrandt, having a big family is both fulfilling and fundamental. “A big family is not only something wonderful, but above all, it is important for raising children properly,” she told <em>The Today Show</em>. Despite her age, she has received only positive feedback from friends and family regarding her pregnancy and childbirth.</p> <p>Dr Wolfgang Henrich, Hildebrandt’s OB/GYN, described her pregnancy as “largely uncomplicated”. However, medical experts caution that pregnancies at such an advanced age come with significant risks. Dr Brian Levine, a fertility specialist based in New York City, notes that the biological likelihood of a woman conceiving naturally at 66 is extremely low. Additionally, the risks of hypertension, gestational diabetes, preterm labor and chromosomal abnormalities like Down syndrome rise significantly with age.</p> <p>Hildebrandt is not alone in making headlines for late-life motherhood. In 2023, 70-year-old Safina Namukwaya from Uganda gave birth to twins via in vitro fertilisation using donor eggs and her husband’s sperm. Despite concerns about her age, Namukwaya expressed joy at her newfound motherhood, saying that age should not be a barrier to having children.</p> <p>As for Hildebrandt, she credits her lifestyle for her ability to conceive and carry a child at her age. “I eat very healthily, swim regularly for an hour, walk for two hours,” she shared in an interview with <em>Bild</em>. She also noted that she has never smoked, consumed alcohol or used contraceptives.</p> <p><em>Images: The Today Show</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Man convicted of stealing $9m golden toilet

<p>In a heist that sounds more like the fever dream of a mischief-loving magpie than a real-life crime, a British man has been convicted for pilfering an 18-carat golden toilet from Winston Churchill’s birthplace.</p> <p>Yes, you read that right. A fully functioning, solid gold loo. Some people steal hearts, others steal diamonds – these guys stole a throne fit for, well, a rather ostentatious king.</p> <p>The golden commode, a conceptual masterpiece titled "America" by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, had been proudly displayed at Blenheim Palace just north of Oxford in the UK, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and, up until 2019, a place where even the most refined guests could contemplate the intersection of art and plumbing. But on September 14 of that year, a group of highly motivated men drove two stolen vehicles through the palace’s locked wooden gates, demonstrating a particular lack of subtlety.</p> <p>Once inside, they broke a window, smashed down a wooden door and ripped the toilet from the wall with what one can only assume was the determination of someone who just realised they were late for work. The entire escapade lasted five minutes.</p> <p>The golden lavatory, weighing a hefty 98kg and insured for a staggering $US6 million ($AUD9.4 million), is believed to have been melted down and sold off in smaller pieces. We can only hope its new form is as artistically significant as its previous one, though it’s far more likely that some of it is currently jingling around in someone’s pocket as loose change.</p> <p>At Oxford Crown Court, 39-year-old Michael Jones was found guilty of burglary after his rather ambitious attempt at indoor redecorating. His associate, Fred Doe, 36, was convicted of conspiracy to convert or transfer criminal property – namely, the gold. Meanwhile, 41-year-old Bora Guccuk walked free, having been acquitted of that charge, presumably to pursue other, less toilet-related endeavours.</p> <p>The ringleader, James Sheen, had already pleaded guilty to burglary, conspiracy and the conversion of the gold, proving that while he may have been skilled at lifting toilets, he wasn’t quite as adept at covering his tracks. Text messages between Sheen and Doe revealed their not-so-cryptic code for the golden loot, referring to it as a “car”.</p> <p>“I’ll link up with ya, I got something right up your path,” Sheen texted Doe, a message that is oddly poetic for a toilet heist.</p> <p>Doe’s reply, equally inspired, read, “I can sell that car for you in two seconds … so come and see me tomorrow.” One can only assume the conversation continued with at least one instance of, “Mate, why do you keep calling a car a toilet?”</p> <p>Shan Saunders of the Crown Prosecution Service called the theft “an audacious raid which had been carefully planned and executed”. Unfortunately for the thieves, their execution left a trail of forensic evidence, CCTV footage and phone data, ensuring their time in the spotlight would be less <em>Ocean’s Eleven</em> and more <em>World’s Dumbest Criminals</em>.</p> <p>Despite authorities never recovering the gold, Saunders remains confident that the prosecution “has played a part in disrupting a wider crime and money-laundering network”. </p> <p>For now, the golden throne remains lost to the ages, a cautionary tale for aspiring art thieves and a lingering question for the art world: when does a toilet become more than just a toilet? The answer, it seems, is when it’s worth six million dollars and inspires one of the strangest heists in British history.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Legal

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Major inquiry launched into Northern Beaches Hospital following child's death

<p>A parliamentary inquiry into the Northern Beaches Hospital’s services will be launched following the tragic death of two-year-old Joe Massa.</p> <p>NSW Health Minister Ryan Park announced on Friday that he has asked parliament’s Public Accounts Committee to investigate the safety and quality of care provided by the hospital.</p> <p>The inquiry will examine services dating back to the hospital’s opening in October 2018 on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. Joe Massa suffered a cardiac arrest at the hospital and died in September last year. His parents, Elouise and Danny Massa, claim Joe was incorrectly triaged and left waiting for hours, leading to brain damage.</p> <p>The grieving parents have urged the state government to review the hospital’s systems and protocols and take immediate action to upgrade its facilities.</p> <p>“We want change at that hospital so no other parent, no one of our family or friends, has to go through what we’ve gone through,” they said.</p> <p>The couple met with Minister Park, Premier Chris Minns, and NSW Health Secretary Susan Pearce in February, when the parliamentary inquiry was discussed. On Friday, Park confirmed the inquiry would investigate accessibility issues that contributed to Joe’s death.</p> <p>“We made a commitment to Elouise and Danny to undertake the necessary reviews to understand how they and their son have been let down, as well as to learn what changes need to be made to prevent such a tragedy from occurring again,” Park stated.</p> <p>The inquiry will scrutinise past incidents at the hospital, including those subject to serious adverse event reviews (SAERs), assess the hospital’s responses, and determine whether necessary improvements were implemented. Additionally, it will examine patient and carer escalation systems, particularly the REACH (Recognise, Engage, Act, Call, Help) protocol, which was found to be insufficiently accessible in Joe Massa’s case.</p> <p>The inquiry will also evaluate the hospital’s measures to prevent adverse events, as well as staff standards and capabilities. Park noted that a previous parliamentary inquiry in 2019 examined the hospital’s operations and management. The upcoming inquiry will specifically focus on patient safety and care quality while considering whether past recommendations have been acted upon.</p> <p>Public Accounts Committee chair Jason Yat-Sen Li expressed his commitment to ensuring a thorough investigation. “I understand the strong community interest in this matter, and I am confident the committee is well placed to undertake this important inquiry,” he said. “I am determined to get this inquiry underway as quickly as possible, but I also want to get it right. We will announce the opening of submissions as well as hearing dates in due course.”</p> <p>The NSW Health Services Union (HSU), which has raised concerns about the hospital’s operations since its opening in 2018, said the investigation is long overdue. “We have consistently seen evidence that Northern Beaches Hospital prioritises commercial interests over patient care,” said HSU secretary Gerard Hayes.</p> <p>“From renting out maternity wards to film crews while mothers struggle with understaffed services, to charging grieving families unnecessary fees to release their loved ones’ bodies – these practices reveal a disturbing pattern.</p> <p>“We hope this inquiry will finally address the systemic issues our members have been reporting for years and put patients before profits at Northern Beaches Hospital.” </p>

Caring

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Brittany Higgins celebrates birth of first child

<p>Brittany Higgins and husband David Sharaz, have announced the birth of their first child together. </p> <p>The former Liberal Party staffer took to Instagram to share her baby joy, with a photo of her newborn son asleep in a hospital cot. </p> <p> “Last night we welcomed our little boy into the world," she began in the caption. </p> <p>“A huge thank-you to the amazing midwives, nurses and doctors for their care and kindness,” Higgins continued. </p> <p>“We’re both looking forward to getting to dote on the newest member of the family — forever grateful for all the love and support we’ve received.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DGsdv2DJh-n/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DGsdv2DJh-n/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Brittany Higgins (@brittanyhiggins___)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Her comments were flooded with messages of congratulations from friends and followers, with one writing: "Very lucky little man to have you both as his parents" </p> <p>Another commented: "So lovely. Congrats to you both. You will be fabulous parents." </p> <p>"Omg!!!!! Best news. Congrats to you both let the fun begin 🫶🏼" a third wrote. </p> <p>Higgins revealed she was pregnant with her first child in July 2024, three months later she shared an emotional update, saying that she had a pregnancy health scare during her second trimester. </p> <p>"A fortnight ago, David Sharaz and I had the scare of our lives after the midwife told us halfway through my second trimester my blood test had raised red flags," she said at the time. </p> <p>“Our baby had a high probability of a genetic disorder — which wouldn’t have mattered to us — but scarily could mean he may be incompatible with life outside of the womb.”</p> <p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Fortunately, doctors had since given the all-clear, and her baby is now "perfectly fine and healthy." </span></p> <p><em><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Images: Instagram</span></em></p>

Family & Pets

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Aus Post worker jailed after stealing from packages

<p>An Australia Post contractor has been jailed after stealing $400,000 worth of luxury goods from packages. </p> <p>According to the Australian Federal Police, items such as jewellery, luxury watches, alcohol and gift cards were among the “significant number” of goods stolen from packages between November 2021 and May 2023.</p> <p>The 43-year-old man from Bexley in Sydney was sentenced to imprisonment for two years and three months when he faced the Downing Centre District Court on Tuesday.</p> <p>He is able to be released after serving 15 months on the condition he is then of good behaviour for two years.</p> <p>An investigation began into the thief in May 2023 after a report of “a man tampering with postal packages” was filed. </p> <p>A search warrant executed at the man’s Bexley home uncovered $398,000 worth of stolen items and $39,000 in cash which was the “proceeds of crime from the sale of tobacco the man had taken from mail packages,” AFP said.</p> <p>Police found an estimated $138,000 worth of alcohol, $124,000 of luxury watches, $52,000 of gift cards, and $43,000 of jewellery in the man's home. </p> <p>Police also seized 24g of methamphetamine, 17.8g of ketamine and small quantities of cocaine, MDMA and cannabis during their search of the property.</p> <p>The man pleaded guilty to three charges related to the postal theft, drug possession, and proceeds of crime.</p> <p>AFP acting Superintendent Stuart Millen said the man abused his trusted position with Australia Post for his own personal gain. </p> <p>“Criminals are motivated by profit and greed, and the AFP has zero tolerance for those who abuse employment access for their own illegal pursuits,” he said.</p> <p>“This was an opportunistic attempt to use a trusted position within Australia’s mail delivery system to profit, with no regard to its impact on the community."</p> <p>“People with trusted access are critical to the successful operation of Australia’s trade sectors, but the AFP will not hesitate to investigate and prosecute those who abuse this trust."</p> <p>“The AFP works closely with Australia Post to ensure trusted insiders abusing their position for criminal endeavours are dealt with swiftly to ensure public confidence in the Australian postal system.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: AFP</em></p>

Legal

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Mum furious over grandmother’s refusal to use car seat for her child

<p dir="ltr">A mother has voiced her frustration over her own mother’s major babysitting error. </p> <p dir="ltr">The woman, who has a son of her own, shared that her parents regularly look after their grandchild, but has grown more and more annoyed that one request has been ignored. </p> <p dir="ltr">In her lengthy post on Reddit, the woman wrote that her mother has taken her grandson in a car without a car seat more than once. </p> <p dir="ltr">She wrote, "I'm livid and won't be letting her take him out again but needed to vent. My parents look after my son for me now and again, he loves them, and they love him, but my mom is really testing me. Twice now she has had him in someone's car without his car seat."</p> <p dir="ltr">She continued: "The first time it happened, I didn't let her see him for a month. I knew they were taking him out and had left his car seat for them, but she didn't use it as they were only 'going around the corner.' I screamed and shouted about her putting my son at risk.” </p> <p dir="ltr">“She tried to backtrack and lie her way out of it, but at the end of the day, she disrespected me."</p> <p dir="ltr">"That was almost a year ago; yesterday, she had him as I had work in London, and hubby was at work; she said they were taking him out and promised she would use the car seat. I stressed to her how she won't see him again if they don't use it and guess what, they didn't use it."</p> <p dir="ltr">The end of the post reads: "I'm livid, I'm going to see her today to shout and give an ultimatum, why don't people listen?! 'Oh, he was fine. We only went two streets away. You're being dramatic…'"</p> <p dir="ltr">"'Dramatic' when there's an insane storm going on, and anything could have happened. [She] won't be having him again. I feel like a d*** for trusting and believing her.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Hundreds of comments poured in from other mothers backing up the woman’s decision, as one person wrote, "She is playing Russian roulette with your child's life. Stay strong in this decision."</p> <p dir="ltr">Another simply wrote, “Why even take the risk? Why?!"</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p></p>

Family & Pets

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"29-year-old child": Footy great slams Nick Kyrgios

<p>AFL Premiership winner Kane Cornes has slammed Nick Kyrgios after the tennis superstar has been making headlines for his Australian Open exit. </p> <p>There have been plenty of stories about the tennis player's fitness and his future in the sport, and Cornes, who is now one of the most outspoken members of the sporting media has had enough of the Kyrgios drama.</p> <p>“I just feel we talk about this guy too much,” Cornes began on SEN 1116 radio.</p> <p>“I understand why, but he’s absolutely dominated the headlines in the last two-to-three weeks in the lead-up to the Australian Open.</p> <p>“That’s not unusual, that happens, and we’re not going to hear the last of him.</p> <p>“I feel like his role in the game will be significant whether he’s playing or not because he is box office.</p> <p>“And despite him being our most disappointing Australian athlete ever, he will still have a role to play because people are interested in him.”</p> <p>“This is a guy who sits there and criticises everyone else,” Cornes continued.</p> <p>“He sits on his high horse and criticises everyone, be that ball kids, line judges, other opponents.</p> <p>“Look at the class which Roger Federer or other players with a similar level of talent as Nick carried themselves.</p> <p>“He’s a child. He’s a 29-year-old child. The way that he carries himself, the ambassador that he’s been, put all that in the mix, I think no one has disappointed more.</p> <p>“No one has been spoken about more with less results than this guy over a long period of time.</p> <p>“Yet still, here we are, and I get it and it’s a credit to him that people are interested in him, that we’re still talking about him.”</p> <p>Kyrgios has hit back at the comments on X, saying that Cornes' criticism was unfounded. </p> <p>"Gotta love comments from an athlete who didn't play a global sport," he posted. </p> <p>Social media users were quick to share their own opinions on disappointing athletes in response to Cornes' comments, with one person writing: “He’s not even the most disappointing tennis player. Tomic has him well covered.”</p> <p>Another sports fan said:  “Cmon guys... Nick is Nick but that Raygun could not even be defined as an athlete so she leads the list of ‘international disgraces’ and its daylight to second, whoever that may be.”</p> <p>However others backed Kyrgios, with one writing: “Nick has played in an era where there are 3 absolute legends of the game who have dominated and he’s beaten all 3 something no one else has managed to do!! Wake up you clowns comparing Nick to Raygun, Ben Simmons, Tomic, Jarryd Hayne etc absolute disgrace you guys are!”</p> <p><em>Image: Channel 7/ </em><em>Rachel Bach/Shutterstock Editorial </em></p>

Retirement Life

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AFL star welcomes first child after devastating loss

<p>AFL star Harry Himmelberg and his wife Taylia have announced the birth of their first child. </p> <p>The couple, who tied the knot in October, announced the birth on Instagram and revealed their newborn daughter's sweet name.</p> <p>"12.12.24 Hazel Olive Himmelberg 🤍," they wrote in their joint post, underneath some sweet family pictures.</p> <p>Their post was flooded with messaged of congratulations from friends and fans, with Kellie Finlayson, the wife of Port Adelaide star Jeremy Finlayson, writing, "Welcome to this big world you special little soul <3."</p> <p>GWS Giants, the team Himmelberg plays for, added, "Congratulations <3."</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DDtJ7XFviYJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DDtJ7XFviYJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Taylia Himmelberg (@taysarris)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The baby girl's arrival comes after the pair revealed they had suffered two devastating miscarriages prior to welcoming their daughter.</p> <p>"I had two miscarriages prior, one like the month before I fell pregnant with our little girl now and our problem was definitely not getting pregnant, just trying to hold on to it," Taylia told <a title="The Herald Sun" href="https://www.heraldsun.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=HSWEB_WRE170_a&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.heraldsun.com.au%2Fentertainment%2Fconfidential%2Fgws-giants-defender-harry-himmelberg-says-miscarriage-isnt-spoken-about-enough%2Fnews-story%2F6fc19034578dd92607965594b32c6519&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&v21=GROUPA-Segment-2-NOSCORE" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener"><em>The Herald Sun</em>.</a></p> <p>"It is pretty scary, the whole process, until she's born, and we get to hold her I don't think that anxiety will go away because you never know what can happen."</p> <p> </p> <p>Himmelberg added, "There is a stigma about it and the doctors said it's quite common and were really positive, which eased our mind as well."</p> <p>The new parents are believed to have first started dating back in 2020.</p> <p>They got engaged in a romantic proposal in Paris in October 2023, and tied the knot at a registry office in October.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Purple Wiggle welcomes first child

<p>Purple Wiggle John Pearce is officially a dad!</p> <p>Pearce welcomed his first child together with his wife Jessie on Monday and recently shared the news to fans on social media. </p> <p>“Welcome to the world our beautiful angel,” they wrote on Instagram.</p> <p>“We have never felt a love like this.”</p> <p>They shared an adorable family photo of them holding their baby boy, Henry Nicholas Adamo Pearce, and another photo of their sleeping bub.</p> <p>Pearce’s fellow Wiggles members congratulated the couple, who have been married since 2019.</p> <p>“Congratulations John and Jess. So happy for you both and can’t wait to meet Henry. Lots of love,” Red Wiggle Simon Pryce said.</p> <p>“Beautiful boy welcome to the world! Congratulations Jesse and Johnny,” veteran Blue Wiggle Anthony Field wrote.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DDtPAO-yRvM/?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/DDtPAO-yRvM/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by John Adamo Pearce (@johnpearce)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Youngest member Tsehay Hawkins added: “Congratulations you two!!! So happy for you guys. Love lil Henry already.”</p> <p>"Gorgeous boy little Henry 😍 congratulations Mama and Papa, can’t wait to meet the little treasure 💜" added Red Wiggle Caterina Mete, who also <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/double-the-joy-red-wiggle-welcomes-twin-daughters" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently gave birth</a> to identical twin girls, Dolly and Gigi, in July.</p> <p>"Jess, Johnny and Henry sending you all the love in the world  💜💜💜" commented veteran Purple wiggle Lachlan Gillespie.</p> <p>Pearce first started capturing hearts all over Australia as a member of the Aussie pop band Justice Crew before joining The Wiggles in 2021.</p> <p><em style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #323338; font-family: Figtree, Roboto, 'Noto Sans Hebrew', 'Noto Kufi Arabic', 'Noto Sans JP', sans-serif; background-color: #ffffff; outline: none !important;">Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Margot Robbie welcomes first child

<p>Margot Robbie has reportedly given birth to her first child with her husband, British filmmaker Tom Ackerley.</p> <p>According to <em>People</em>, the 34-year-old Australian actress gave birth to a baby boy on October 17 in Los Angeles. </p> <p>Her family is reportedly in the process of planning to travel out to the US.</p> <p>The actress known for her iconic roles in films like<em> I, Tonya, Wolf of Wall Street </em>and <em>Barbie</em>, has kept a low profile throughout her pregnancy, with friends and family also remaining tight-lipped on news of the baby.</p> <p>Ackerley was spotted carrying a box of nappies on the streets of LA on October 30, sparking speculation they had welcomed their baby. </p> <p>Robbie and Ackerley, met on the set of<em> Suite Française</em> in 2013, where he was an assistant director and she starred as Celine Joseph. </p> <p>They then married in December 2016 during a private ceremony in Byron Bay. </p> <p>Robbie's pregnancy was made public in July, with the couple enjoying a romantic babymoon to Sardinia, Italy a month later. </p> <p>The actress made her last red carpet appearance on September 9, when she attended the screening of the comedy movie she produced with her husband. </p> <p>Robbie has previously revealed how much she enjoys working with her husband. </p> <p>“I’m a great advocate of doing business with your partner,” she told <em>Porter </em>in 2018.</p> <p>“Being married is actually the most fun ever, life got way more fun somehow. I have a responsibility being someone’s wife, I want to be better." </p> <p><em>Image: CraSH/ Shutterstock Editorial</em></p> <p> </p>

Family & Pets

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Child dies after car crashes through school gate

<p>One child has died and another four kids have been left injured after a car crash through a school gate in the east Melbourne suburb of Auburn. </p> <p>Emergency services were called to Auburn South Primary School in Hawthorn East on Tuesday afternoon after a car veered off the road and into the primary school's gate.</p> <p>The car collided with a table where five children were sitting. </p> <p>Two 11-year-old girls, one 10-year-old girl and a 10-year-old boy were all taken to hospital with serious injuries.</p> <p>An 11-year-old boy was taken to hospital with critical injuries, and later died.</p> <p>The driver of the vehicle was identified as a 40-year-old woman who was local to the area, and was arrested at the scene. </p> <p>A primary school-aged was also in the car at the time of the crash but remained unharmed. </p> <p>Victoria Police Inspector Craig McEvoy said the driver was attempting a U-turn before veering off the road, and it appeared the crash was an accident.</p> <p>"It's tragic circumstances ... really tough for everyone involved," McEvoy said. "It's always a tough time when children are involved."</p> <p>"The ongoing investigation will take days, weeks, months," Inspector McEvoy added.</p> <p>Premier Jacinta Allan also commented on the incident, saying it should have been an "unremarkable sunny day" at the school.</p> <p>"Instead, a dark shadow has been cast over our city and state," she wrote on X.</p> <p>"I'm sending my love and thoughts to the students, their families and the whole school communityAnd my thanks to the first responders on the scene," she said.</p> <p>"I know tonight Victorians will be thinking of Auburn South Primary, and holding our kids even closer."</p> <p><em>Image credits: ABC News / Nine News </em></p>

Caring

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Stranger wanted after assaulting child in mother's arms

<p>Police are searching for a woman who callously attacked a toddler who was being carried by her mother through a busy shopping centre in Western Australia.</p> <p>The shocking act unfolded in East Victoria Park shopping centre, in south-eastern Perth, with CCTV capturing the distressing moment. </p> <p>In the security footage, a mother can be seen holding her two-year-old daughter near the entrance of the shopping centre, who are then approached by the woman who lunges at the child before fleeing. </p> <p>Staff working in the surrounding shops say it all happened incredibly quickly, one only hearing a scream from the mother, as nearby shoppers rushed to help.</p> <p>The little girl has been left with facial injuries, as well as the mother and daughter being left shaken and scared by the incident.</p> <p>Police said the child sustained "facial injuries", adding, "A female approached a mother who was holding her child, before assaulting the child and leaving the area.”</p> <p>“The female is not known to the mother and child.”</p> <p>The woman behind the attack has not been found, as police have called on the public for information. </p> <p>The attacker is described as having a medium build and a shaved head, and was wearing a pink singlet and grey shorts.</p> <p>Police are asking anyone who recognises the woman or who witnessed anything in the area at the time to come forward, and anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.</p> <p><em><strong>Editor's note:</strong></em> On Wednesday morning, Western Australian police said they want to speak to 21-year-old Pamila-Raye Jetta over the attack, and appealed for public help in finding her.</p> <p>"Jetta is described as female, olive skin, 170cm tall, heavy build, shaved head and was last seen wearing green coloured shorts with white stripes, pink coloured singlet and blue trainers," police said.</p> <p>"Jetta has also recently been observed wearing a fluorescent pink wig."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Nine News</em></p>

Caring

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Why do I have hay fever? I didn’t have it as a child

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/janet-davies-103598">Janet Davies</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queensland-university-of-technology-847">Queensland University of Technology</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joy-lee-1480523">Joy Lee</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a></em></p> <p>Hay fever (or allergic rhinitis) is a long-term inflammatory condition that’s incredibly common. It affects about <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-conditions-and-risks/national-health-survey-state-and-territory-findings/latest-release">one-quarter</a> of Australians.</p> <p>Symptoms vary but <a href="https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/fast-facts/hay-fever-allergic-rhinitis">can include</a> sneezing, itchy eyes and a runny or blocked nose. Hay fever can also contribute to sinus and ear infections, snoring, poor sleep and asthma, as well as lower performance at school or work.</p> <p>But many people didn’t have hay fever as a child, and only develop symptoms as a teenager or adult.</p> <p>Here’s how a combination of genetics, hormones and the environment can lead to people developing hay fever later in life.</p> <h2>Remind me, what is hay fever?</h2> <p>Hay fever is caused by the nose, eyes and throat coming into contact with a substance to which a person is allergic, known as an allergen.</p> <p>Common sources of outside allergens include airborne grass, weed or tree pollen, and mould spores. Pollen allergens can be carried indoors on clothes, and through open windows and doors.</p> <p>Depending on where you live, you may be exposed to a range of pollen types across the pollen season, but grass pollen is the most common trigger of hay fever. In <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0013935122010891?via%3Dihub">some regions</a> the grass pollen season can extend from spring well into summer and autumn.</p> <h2>How does hay fever start?</h2> <p>Hay fever symptoms most commonly start in adolescence or young adulthood. <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/JAA.S170285">One study</a> found 7% of children aged six had hay fever, but that grew to 44% of adults aged 24.</p> <p>Before anyone has hay fever symptoms, their immune system has already been “sensitised” to specific allergens, often allergens of grass pollen. Exposure to these allergens means their immune system has made a particular type of antibody (known as IgE) against them.</p> <p>During repeated or prolonged exposure to an allergen source such as pollen, a person’s immune system may start to respond to another part of the same allergen, or another allergen within the pollen. Over time, these new allergic sensitisations can lead to development of <a href="https://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749(12)00959-1/fulltext">hay fever</a> and possibly other conditions, such as allergic asthma.</p> <h2>Why do some people only develop hay fever as an adult?</h2> <p><strong>1. Environmental factors</strong></p> <p>Some people develop hay fever as an adult simply because they’ve had more time to become sensitised to specific allergens.</p> <p>Migration or moving to a new location can also change someone’s risk of developing hay fever. This may be due to exposure to different <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969722076884">pollens</a>, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969724060194?via%3Dihub">climate and weather</a>, green space <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/all.14177">and/or</a> air quality factors.</p> <p>A number of studies <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0105347">show</a> people who have migrated from low- and middle-income countries to higher-income countries may be at a higher risk of developing hay fever. This may due to local environmental conditions influencing expression of genes that regulate the immune system.</p> <p><strong>2. Hormonal factors</strong></p> <p><a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anai.2015.04.019">Hormonal changes</a> at puberty may also help drive the onset of hay fever. This may relate to sex hormones, such as oestrogen and progesterone, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9392967/#R55">affecting</a> histamine levels, immune regulation, and the response of cells in the lining of the nose and lower airways.</p> <p><strong>3. Genetic factors</strong></p> <p><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/ng.3985">Our genes</a> underpin <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK542187/">our risk</a> of hay fever, and whether this and other related allergic disease persists.</p> <p>For instance, babies with the skin condition eczema (known as atopic dermatitis) have a <a href="https://www.annallergy.org/article/S1081-1206(21)00172-1/abstract">three times greater risk</a> of developing hay fever (and asthma) later in life.</p> <p>Having a food allergy in childhood is also a risk factor for developing hay fever later in life. In the case of a peanut allergy, that risk is more than <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27542726/">2.5 times greater</a>.</p> <h2>What are the best options for treatment?</h2> <p>Depending on where you live, avoiding allergen exposures can be difficult. But <a href="https://auspollen.edu.au/auspollensitesmap/">pollen count forecasts</a>, if available, can be useful. These can help you decide whether it’s best to stay inside to reduce your pollen exposure, or to take preventative medications.</p> <p>You may also find <a href="https://www.health.vic.gov.au/environmental-health/epidemic-thunderstorm-asthma-risk-forecast">alerts on thunderstorm asthma</a>, where pollens combine with specific weather conditions to trigger <a href="https://theconversation.com/we-could-see-thunderstorm-asthma-in-south-eastern-australia-this-season-heres-how-to-prepare-215793">breathing difficulties</a>.</p> <p>If you have mild, occasional hay fever symptoms, you can take non-drowsy antihistamines, which you can buy at the pharmacy.</p> <p>However, for more severe or persistent symptoms, intranasal steroid sprays, or an intranasal spray containing a steroid with antihistamine, are the <a href="https://theconversation.com/can-i-take-antihistamines-everyday-more-than-the-recommended-dose-what-if-im-pregnant-heres-what-the-research-says-228390">most effective treatments</a>. However, it is important to use these <a href="https://allergyfacts.org.au/allergic-rhinitis-treatment/">regularly and correctly</a>.</p> <p>Allergen immunotherapy, also known as desensitisation, is an <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/all.13201">effective treatment</a> for people with severe hay fever symptoms that can reduce the need for medication and avoiding allergens.</p> <p>However, it involves a longer treatment course (about three years), usually with the supervision of an allergy or immunology specialist.</p> <h2>When should people see their doctor?</h2> <p>It is important to treat hay fever, because symptoms can significantly affect a <a href="https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/11/e038870.long">person’s quality of life</a>. A GP can:</p> <ul> <li> <p>recommend treatments for hay fever and can guide you to use them correctly</p> </li> <li> <p>organise blood tests to confirm which allergen sensitisations (if any) are present, and whether these correlate with your symptoms</p> </li> <li> <p>screen for asthma, which commonly exists with hay fever, and may require other treatments</p> </li> <li> <p>arrange referrals to allergy or immunology specialists, if needed, for other tests, such as allergen skin prick testing, or to consider <a href="https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/allergy-treatments/allergen-immunotherapy">allergen immunotherapy</a> if symptoms are severe.</p> </li> </ul> <hr /> <p><em>More information about hay fever is available from the <a href="https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/fast-facts/hay-fever-allergic-rhinitis">Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy</a> and <a href="https://allergyfacts.org.au/">Allergy &amp; Anaphylaxis Australia</a>.</em><!-- 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;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/239409/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/janet-davies-103598">Janet Davies</a>, Respiratory Allergy Stream Co-chair, National Allergy Centre of Excellence; Professor and Head, Allergy Research Group, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queensland-university-of-technology-847">Queensland University of Technology</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joy-lee-1480523">Joy Lee</a>, Respiratory Allergy Stream member, National Allergy Centre of Excellence; Associate Professor, School of Translational Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-do-i-have-hay-fever-i-didnt-have-it-as-a-child-239409">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

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Real estate agent flees the country after stealing from clients

<p>A real estate agent from Melbourne has allegedly fled the country after reportedly taking off with hundreds of thousands of dollars she stole from clients and employees. </p> <p>According to <em><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/real-estate-agent-debra-lawry-accused-of-stealing-hundreds-of-thousands-from-clients-and-employees/29121a3e-546c-44fe-8dff-70253c14a8b0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9News</a></em>, Debra Lawry, who traded as Debra Watchman with Ray White Romsey, has been accused of stealing money from her clients and staff by emptying the company's trust accounts and telling her colleagues she was in hospital while actually flying to Europe at the end of last month.</p> <p>One of Lawry's alleged victims is primary school teacher Shay Preston, who had just sold her family home with the estate agency. </p> <p>While she got the deposit back from Ray White, the theft cost the single mum thousands of dollars in extra expenses in the meantime.</p> <p>"It was very hard, very anxious, very stressful," Preston told 9News. "It's been a very stressful month."</p> <p>While clients are among those who have been stolen from, employees have also been impacted and are allegedly owed tens of thousands of dollars in unpaid super, leave entitlements and commission, including from Ms Preston's sale.</p> <p>"I felt horrible, they have done, they were doing a job for us and regardless of who they were working under, they did a job," Preston said.</p> <p>Staff at the agency claim they discovered their boss had been trying to book long-term accommodation in Italy after they found her office cleared out.</p> <p>"I hope she steps one toe out of wherever she is and just they get her, because that's a lot of people that she's hurt," Preston said.</p> <p>In the lead-up to Lawry's disappearance, Consumer Affairs Victoria publicly announced it was looking to suspend or cancel her estate licences, alleging she had deliberately failed to comply with auditing obligations over the last four years.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Ray White </em></p>

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Can a 10-year-old be responsible for a crime? Here’s what brain science tells us

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/susan-m-sawyer-109573">Susan M. Sawyer</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nandi-vijayakumar-1644262">Nandi Vijayakumar</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757"><em>Deakin University</em></a></em></p> <p>The age a child can be arrested, charged and jailed in Australia is back in the spotlight.</p> <p>Last year, the Northern Territory became the first jurisdiction to raise the age of criminal responsibility from ten to 12. Now its new, tough-on-crime government has pledged to <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/incoming-chief-minister-says-age-of-criminal-responsibility-to-be-lowered-to-10-years-old/a1xm9jy9c">return it to ten</a>. It comes after Victoria <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-13/victoria-youth-justice-reform-criminal-age/104217160">walked back</a> its earlier commitment to raise the age to 14, settling instead on 12.</p> <p>But the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child says 14 should be the absolute <a href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/documents/general-comments-and-recommendations/general-comment-no-24-2019-childrens-rights-child">minimum</a>. It raised this age from its earlier recommendation (in 2007) of 12, citing a decade of new research into child and adolescent development.</p> <p>So what does the science say? What happens to the brain between ten and 14? And how much can those under 14 understand the consequences of their actions?</p> <h2>Who is an adolescent?</h2> <p>Our research shows adolescence is a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30169257/">critical period</a> for development. It’s the time children’s experiences and explorations shape how they develop cognitive skills (including critical thinking and decision making), as well as social and emotional skills (including moral reasoning).</p> <p>Adolescence also lasts longer than we tend to think. Important brain development begins during late childhood, around eight to nine years. Intense changes then follow during early adolescence (ages ten to 14). But these changes continue well into the twenties, and full cognitive and emotional maturity is not usually reached until around age 24.</p> <p>However, everyone’s brain matures at a different rate. That means there is no definitive age we can say humans reach “adult” levels of cognitive maturity. What we do know is the period of early adolescence is critical.</p> <h2>What does puberty do to the brain?</h2> <p>Puberty is a defining feature of early adolescence. Most of us are familiar with the changes that occur to the body and reproductive systems. But the increase in puberty hormones, such as testosterone and oestrogen, also trigger changes to the brain. These hormones <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306453017313252?via%3Dihub">increase most sharply</a> between ten and 15 years of age, although gradual changes continue into the early twenties.</p> <p>Puberty hormones change the structures in the brain which process emotions, including the amygdala (which encodes fear and stress) and ventral striatum (involved in reward and motivation).</p> <p>This makes adolescents particularly reactive to emotional rewards and threats. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2019.04.024">Our research</a> has shown the brain’s sensitivity to emotions increases throughout early adolescence until around 14 or 15 years old.</p> <p>At the same time, changes in puberty have <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/pspp0000172">been linked</a> to increased sensation seeking and impulsive behaviours during early adolescence.</p> <p>This context is crucial when we discuss the behaviour of children in the ten to 14 age range. The way their brains change during this period makes them more sensitive and responsive to emotions, and more likely to be seeking experiences that are new and intense.</p> <h2>How do adolescents make decisions?</h2> <p>The emotional context of puberty influences how younger adolescents make decisions and understand their consequences.</p> <p>Decision making relies on several basic cognitive functions, including the brain’s flexibility, memory and ability to control impulses.</p> <p>These cognitive abilities – which together help us consider the consequences of our actions – undergo some of the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1741-13.2013">steepest development</a> between ages ten and 14. By age 15, the ability to make complex decisions has usually <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/lhb0000315">reached adult maturity</a>.</p> <p>But adolescents at this age remain highly susceptible to emotions. So while their brain may be equipped to make a complex decision, their ability to think through the consequences, weighing up costs and benefits, can be clouded by emotional situations.</p> <p>For example, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12085">research has shown</a> 13-14 year-olds were more distracted from completing a task and less able to control their behaviour when they viewed images that made them feel negative emotions.</p> <p>The social world of teenagers also has a significant impact on how they make decisions – especially in early adolescence. One study found that while older adolescents (aged 15-18) are more influenced by what adults think when weighing up risk, adolescents aged 12-14 <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0956797615569578">look to other teenagers</a>.</p> <p>Experiments <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0272431616648453">have also shown</a> adolescents aged 12-15 make riskier decisions when they are with peers than by themselves. Their brain responses also suggest they experience a greater sense of reward in taking those risks <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsy071">with peers</a>.</p> <h2>How do teens understand the consequences of their actions?</h2> <p>The concept of <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/rp2122/Quick_Guides/MinimumAgeCriminalResponsibility">criminal responsibility</a> is based on whether a person is able to understand their action and know whether it is wrong.</p> <p>Moral reasoning – how people think about right and wrong – depends on the ability to understand another person’s mental state and adopt their perspective. These skills are in development <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2020.09.012">across adolescence</a>.</p> <p>Research suggests it may take more effort for adolescent brains to process <a href="https://doi.org/10.1162/jocn.2009.21121">“social” emotions</a> such as guilt and embarrassment, compared to adults. This is similar when they make <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/17470919.2014.933714">moral judgements</a>. This evidence suggests teenage brains may have to work harder when considering other people’s intentions and desires.</p> <p>Young adolescents have the cognitive ability to appreciate they made a bad decision, but it is more mentally demanding. And social rewards, emotions and the chance to experience something new all have a strong bearing on their decisions and actions in the moment — possibly more than whether it is right or wrong.</p> <h2>Early adolescence is critical for the brain</h2> <p>There are also a number of reasons adolescent brains may develop differently. This includes various forms of neurodisability such as acquired brain injury, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and intellectual disability, as well as exposure to trauma.</p> <p>Teenagers with neurodevelopmental disorders will likely cope differently with decision making, social pressure, impulse control and risk assessment, and face <a href="https://www.mcri.edu.au/images/research/strategic-collaborations/Flagships/Neurodevelopment/Neurodevelopment_Flagship_Brochure.pdf">extra difficulties</a>. Across the world, they are <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(19)30217-8/fulltext">disproportionately incarcerated</a>.</p> <p>In Australia, Indigenous children and adolescents are incarcerated <a href="https://www.indigenoushpf.gov.au/measures/2-11-contact-with-the-criminal-justice-system#:%7E:text=On%20an%20average%20day%20in%202021%E2%80%9322%2C%20there%20were%3A,AIHW%202023d%3A%20Table%20S76a">in greater numbers</a> than their non-Indigenous peers.</p> <p>Each child matures differently, and some face extra challenges. But for every person, the period between ten and 14 is critical for developing the cognitive, social and emotional skills they’ll carry through the rest of their life.<!-- 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;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/237552/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/susan-m-sawyer-109573">Susan M. Sawyer</a>, Professor of Adolescent Health The University of Melbourne; Director, Royal Children's Hospital Centre for Adolescent Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nandi-vijayakumar-1644262">Nandi Vijayakumar</a>, Research Fellow, School of Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/can-a-10-year-old-be-responsible-for-a-crime-heres-what-brain-science-tells-us-237552">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

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Tom Cruise steals the show at epic Paris 2024 Closing Ceremony

<p>As the Olympic flame was extinguished to signal the Paris 2024 Games officially closed, a surprising famous face stole the show at the epic closing ceremony. </p> <p>In true Olympics style, as the French capital wrapped up their Games, they passed the torch to the 2028 host city Los Angeles, who were having their own celebratory concert. </p> <p>To help in the handover, acting legend Tom Cruise, who is famous for doing many of his own stunts, came in with a skydiving stunt reminiscent of his <em>Mission Impossible</em> films that saw him swing from atop Stade de France before touching down on the stadium’s field.</p> <p>The 62-year-old actor greeted athletes as he walked toward the stage to the final guitar shreds of the American national anthem, as the crowd erupted in cheers. </p> <p>He received the Olympic flag from Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and gymnast Simone Biles, then strapped it safely to the back of a motorcycle and rode off into the sunset, which switched into a pre-recorded video that tracked his journey to Hollywood.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Thank you, Paris! Now off to LA. <a href="https://t.co/MxlAb0hZbT">pic.twitter.com/MxlAb0hZbT</a></p> <p>— Tom Cruise (@TomCruise) <a href="https://twitter.com/TomCruise/status/1822749650463732136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2024</a></p></blockquote> <p>In the video, Cruise sped down the streets of Paris on the motorcycle, passing landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, and cruised onto a waiting airplane.</p> <p>"I'm on my way," he said, as he put on skydiving gear, as he then leapt from the plane and headed to the iconic Hollywood sign, where he turned the "O"s into Olympic rings before passing the flag off to Olympic cyclist Kate Courtney.</p> <p>The Olympics wrapped up with USA winning over overall medal tally with an impressive 126 medals, followed closely by China in second place and Japan in third place. </p> <p>Australia wasn't far behind in fourth place, as Nine commentary applauded the Aussie athletes for their most successful games ever.</p> <p>"The theme of the Closing Ceremony tonight: record," Eddie Maguire said in commentary for Nine.</p> <p>"It was a record performance by our Australian athletes. Paris provided record crowds, record ratings around the world on all platforms of media."</p> <p>"Paris, merci beaucoup, au revoir. See you in four years when the City of Angels welcomes the world to the city of dreams for LA 2028."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Nine Network </em></p>

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92-year-old grandma steals hearts in Paris

<p>Australian judo champion Aoife Coughlan stunned Olympic audiences with a tense showdown against German athlete Miriam Butkereit in Paris, but some audience members had their attention drawn elsewhere. </p> <p>The 28-year-old Aussie was holding her own against Butkereit, until sudden-death overtime saw Butkereit, 30, win at the last second in the women's 70kg judo round of 16.</p> <p>Despite the unbelievable scenes inside Grand Palais Éphémère in Champ de Mars in Paris, some spectators were quick to notice a special guest hovering behind the TV cameras, who has since drawn the world's attention. </p> <p>Coughlan's 92-year-old grandmother Pam Coughlan, from Ireland, scored a prime position mat-side to watch her granddaughter compete, with the judoka's cousin explaining just how his grandmother secured her prime, and unusual, spot on social media.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">My 92 year old granny is at the Olympics today to watch her Australian grandchild in the Judo.</p> <p>She persuaded them to let her sit here. Never doubt the Dublin Granny. <a href="https://t.co/XevdsWxKnt">pic.twitter.com/XevdsWxKnt</a></p> <p>— Mark Coughlan (@Mark_Coughlan) <a href="https://twitter.com/Mark_Coughlan/status/1818561337212977605?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2024</a></p></blockquote> <p>"She persuaded them to let her sit here. Never doubt the Dublin Granny," Mark Coughlan wrote on X (formerly Twitter). </p> <p>Wearing sunglasses inside and a red, French-style beret to complete her look, Coughlan's grandmother Pam kept a watchful eye on her granddaughter, with Mark commentating from at home. </p> <p>"Judo is quicker than I knew, and harsh," Coughlan's cousin explained to his social media followers. "Round two 20 minutes after round one: Aoife lost on Judo's equivalent of extra time and penalties in the last minute."</p> <p>"Massive pride. What an achievement. Olympian and hugs from Granny afterwards."</p> <p>Pam Coughlan, Mark said, will "have to do the Paris look-around now" as she did eight years ago, when she flew aged 83 to spectate at Rio 2016.</p> <p>Mark's Twitter thread about his grandmother quickly went viral, with many applauding the older woman for her supportive nature. </p> <p>One fan wrote, "Dublin Granny…need you say more??" while another added, "All olympic grannies who can manage to attend in person should be given front row seats."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Nine </em></p>

Family & Pets

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Beloved Oodie company fined $100k over child safety

<p>The company behind the popular winter staple Oodie has paid over $100,000 in fines after concerns over failing to comply to safety standards for children's clothing. </p> <p>Davie Clothing Pty Ltd was issued with infringements by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) after it was alleged that they did not include high fire danger warnings on six varieties of the Kids Beach Oodie. </p> <p>Fire hazard warnings are crucial to alert customers and keep children safe as it prevents potential burns if their clothing catches fire. </p> <p>“Children can suffer serious burns if their clothing catches fire and we urge consumers to remain especially vigilant when kids are more likely to be near artificial heating or open flames,” ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe said. </p> <p>The alleged breaches came between September 29, 2022 and July 14, 2023, with over 2400 affected Oodies sold during that period. </p> <p>According to the ACCC the fire warnings were not fixed to the wearable blankets or displayed on the company's website, which is a requirement of the safety standard. </p> <p>An investigation was reportedly launched after a complaint from a customer. </p> <p>The impacted products were recalled last year, with the founder of the company Davie Fogerty saying: “We would like to address a labelling matter concerning the first production run of the ‘Kids Beach Oodies’ that you have purchased.”</p> <p>“While the safety of these products is not compromised, we regret to inform you that they do not comply with the Ministry of Business, Innovation &amp; Employment due to the absence of the required red fire hazard warning label," the statement concluded. </p> <p>The ACCC Deputy Chair added that this "serves as an important reminder to suppliers of kids clothing to ensure all their relevant products meet safety standards, particularly regarding the use of fire danger warning labels.</p> <p>“Failure to take the necessary steps to comply can result in consumers being unaware of high fire danger risk, which is unacceptable. This is particularly concerning where children’s clothing is concerned.”</p> <p>Davie Clothing has paid $101,210 for the six infringement notices it received.</p> <p>The ACCC has accepted a court-enforceable undertaking from the clothing company, which included them publishing a corrective notice on their website and establishing a consumer law compliance program.</p> <p><em>Images: news.com.au</em></p>

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