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"Absolute disappointment": Home and Away fans slam season finale

Fans of Home and Away have been left outraged after the finale of the 2024 season, with many claiming it was "boring and predictable". Viewers of the long-running Aussie soap were disappointed by the feature-length episode that promised "bloodshed" and "deadly consequences" and while it ended with two lives hanging in the balance. The show is set to return on January 13th and pick up where it left off, leading to the resolution that will see fans waiting almost two months for answers. After Thursday night's finale, hundreds of fans flocked to social media to share their annoyance over all the drama being crammed into the last 10 minutes of the episode, despite its 90-minute runtime. "Found the last episode so boring and predictable," one fan said. "How many more coppers are going to end up in jail?" "I have to say, that was ridiculously s**t for a season finale," another complained. "The best bit was the last 15 seconds." "That was the worst ending," someone else said, with another agreeing. "What an absolute disappointment for this year's final episode. Love Home and Away, but this was by far the worst final episode of the season ever." "I was so disappointed with the ending," another fan said. "I expected it to be more drama/suspense but it was quite boring in my opinion. Now an almost 2 month wait for the show to return." While many were disappointed, others were excited to see how the dramatic storyline is set to be resolved in the new year. "I'm so excited for the new season," one fan said. "What am l going to do without this lol it’s pretty sad when you so look forward to it at 7pm," another lamented. "I can't believe I've got to wait till next year, it's already killing me," someone else agreed. Image credits: Home and Away

Second Bee Gees member dies within four days

Drummer Byron Dennis, who played a pivotal role in the success of The Bee Gees, has died just days after one of the original band members also <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/original-bee-gees-star-passes-away-aged-78" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passed away</a>. Touring drummer Dennis Bryon died aged 76 in Nashville on November 14th, just four days before original Bee Gees drummer Colin “Smiley” Petersen. The news of Bryon’s death was confirmed by his former bandmate, Blue Weaver, who performed alongside him in another band before he joined the Bee Gees. “I am lost for words at the moment. Dennis has passed away,” Weaver wrote in a heartfelt social media post. “Dennis has been my friend since we were in our first band together aged 15. His great drumming will always Stay Alive.” Bryon was the group's drummer between 1973 and 1981, and played on some of the Bee Gees’ most iconic disco hits, including Stayin’ Alive and Night Fever. Just days before Dennis's tragic death, the Bee Gees original drummer Colin ‘Smiley’ Petersen, as the band confirmed the news of his passing with a post on social media. “It is with a heavy heart we announce the passing of our dear friend Colin ‘Smiley’ Petersen,” the post read. “He enriched our lives and bound our group with love, care and respect." “Not sure how we can go on without his glowing smile and deep friendship. We love you Col. Rest in Peace.” Image credits: Mediapunch/Shutterstock Editorial <p class="css-1n6q21n-StyledParagraph e4e0a020" style="box-sizing: border-box; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; margin: 0px 0px 1.125rem; line-height: 25px; font-size: 1.125rem; font-family: HeyWow, Montserrat, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; caret-color: #292a33; color: #292a33;">

Caring

Beloved Aussie musician dies days after revealing cancer diagnosis

Australian musician Richard Andrew has tragically died at the age of 58, just seven days after announcing he had been diagnosed with lung cancer. Andrew, who has long been a fixture of the Melbourne music scene, passed away on October 30th, with his grieving wife confirming his death on a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/supporting-nikki-through-tragedy-honouring-richards-legacy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> page. Andrew's wife, Nicolette Powell, is now faced with mourning the sudden loss of her husband while caring for her mother, who is grappling with a terminal brain tumour. "Nicolette's beloved husband, Richard, a well-known and iconic figure in Melbourne's music scene, recently passed away suddenly from cancer," the GoFundMe page's tribute to Andrew began. "Richard was a talented musician who left his mark in bands like Underground Lovers, Crow and Black Cab as well as his own band Registered Nurse and more recently his solo project RJ Andrew." "He was also the founder of Pharmacy Records. He poured his heart and soul into his music, and his legacy will be felt across Melbourne's music community for years to come." Just one week before his untimely death, Andrew revealed to his fans he had been diagnosed with lung cancer in a social media message shared alongside a photo from his wedding to Powell. "After my last unsuccessful attempt to jump 17 double decker buses – A) this may go someway towards explaining being in a wheelchair and, B) the fact I'm getting married to the beautiful Nicolette Powell, in this photo," he wrote on Facebook. "Alas, although the marriage is definitely true and based on love, the double decker bus is, sadly, not quite the truth. Instead, a few month ago, I was diagnosed with Stage IV metastatic lung cancer, which has been a billy cart ride down s**t street, for the last little while." Andrew then went on to issue a public farewell to his fans and loved ones. "I am completely reconciled to whatever the future is, however, that future is probably quite limited and I'm in the process of preparing to pop this mortal coil and return to the trees, as it were," he wrote. "I cannot overstate enough what an honour and a privilege it has been to know you all over the last 58 years, and to have lived the most incredible, incredible life." Image credits: Instagram / GoFundMe

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Prince Philip's final phone call to King Charles revealed

Prince Philip was known for his quick wit and sense of humour, and now his family have shared their favourite moments with him in the BBC documentary Prince Philip: The Family Remembers. In the documentary, King Charles revealed the cheeky remarks the Duke made in their final phone call just hours before his passing on April 9, 2021 at the age of 99. Charles recalled discussing the Duke's upcoming 100th birthday celebrations and having to raise his voice so his father could hear him better, saying: “We’re talking about your birthday! And whether there’s going to be a reception!” The Duke quipped: “Well, I’ve got to be alive for it, haven’t I?” King Charles fondly shared what he said to his father's cheeky remark, “I told him ‘I knew you’d say that!'”. In another part of the documentary, the monarch recalled the benefits of having young parents. “He was marvellous at arranging silly games. I mean, the fun of having obviously young parents was… there were lots of chasing around and mad things," he said. Prince William also shared some of his fond memories with his late grandfather, recalling the pranks they used to pull together, and one of them being squirting mustard all over the ceiling - much to the Queen’s annoyance. “He used to take the lid off [the tube] and put it in your hands … and then he’d squish your hands together to fire the mustard onto the ceiling," William said. “He used to get in a lot of trouble from my grandmother,” he added. William’s cousins, Princess Anne’s children Zara Tindall and Peter Phillips, also remembered the same prank. “He gets you to hold it in your hands and I can’t remember exactly what he says — but he ends up slamming your hands together… it goes all over the ceiling,” Zara said. Her brother Peter added: “I actually think the marks are still there.” Image: Canadian Press/ Shutterstock Editorial

Family & Pets

Court views footage of final moments before Clare Nowland was tasered

A registered nurse with nearly 50 years of experience has expressed her deep concern regarding the tasering of 95-year-old Clare Nowland, a resident at Yallambee Lodge nursing home in Cooma, New South Wales. The incident occurred in the early hours of May 17, 2023, and <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/clare-nowland-dies-officer-charged" target="_blank" rel="noopener">resulted in Nowland's death</a>, a great-grandmother suffering from dementia. Senior Constable Kristian James Samuel White, 34, is currently on trial in the NSW Supreme Court facing manslaughter charges related to the incident. He has pleaded not guilty, asserting that he acted lawfully under his duties as a police officer. During her testimony, Nurse Rosaline Baker recounted her alarm when she called triple-0 after Nowland had grabbed two steak knives and a jug of prunes from the kitchen. Following her call for help, White and Acting Sergeant Rachel Pank arrived on the scene after two paramedics. Together with Baker, they located Nowland in a treatment room. When White pulled out his taser, Baker admitted she was unfamiliar with the device and felt "kind of curious". However, her curiosity turned to horror when she heard a loud noise and witnessed Nowland being struck by the stun gun. "I was very, very concerned when she was falling to the ground," Baker stated in court. The trial has revealed troubling details about Nowland's condition and behaviour leading up to that fateful night. Expert testimony indicated that her behaviour had escalated over the three months prior to her death. She exhibited increasingly anti-social behaviour, such as taking food from other residents, attempting to undress in public areas, and refusing assistance from staff. CCTV footage presented during the trial showed Nowland physically lashing out at staff members and even getting stuck in a tree, as well as footage showing the final moments of Nowland's life as she hid from emergency service staff – including Senior Constable White. Nowland had been admitted to the hospital on April 16 and prescribed the anti-psychotic drug Risperdal to manage her aggressive behaviour after incidents involving punching and biting staff. Under questioning by defence barrister Troy Edwards SC, an expert acknowledged that Nowland's behaviour just before she was tasered could have been influenced by a recent reduction in her medication dosage. The trial continues. Images: 7 News

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Queen Elizabeth's final diary entry revealed

The final dairy entry of Queen Elizabeth, written in the days before her death, has been revealed for the first time. Featuring in Robert Hardman’s biography on King Charles, Charles III: New King, New Court, the final entry in Her Majesty's personal diary delves into the last days of her life. During her 70-year reign, Queen Elizabeth kept a private diary to record key events: a tradition she upheld until her final days. The passage, which was penned on September 6th, was made at Balmoral just two days before she died at age 96. She wrote that her private secretary, Edward Young, had visited her, and shared some highlights about swearing in new Privy Council members. “It transpires that she was still writing it at Balmoral two days before her death,” Hardman wrote. “Her last entry was as factual and practical as ever. It could have been describing another normal working day starting in the usual way — ‘Edward came to see me’ — as she noted the arrangements which her private secretary, Sir Edward Young, had made for the swearing-in of the new ministers of the Truss administration.” The Queen’s final engagement was asking Liz Truss to form a government after the resignation of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. According to The Telegraph UK, Queen Elizabeth's diary-writing habit is one she passed on to King Charles, with a senior courtier revealing that Charles “doesn’t write great narrative diaries like she used to,” but he does “scribble down his recollections and reflections”. Image credits: Shutterstock

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“Mindless vandalism" at Remembrance Day shrine

Vandals have allegedly desecrated one of Australia's Remembrance Day sites. A photo from the Dandenong Remembrance Day shrine shows the apparent act of vandalism, with flowers and wreaths ripped up. 3AW’s Rumour File reported on the alleged act of desecration on Tuesday. “Rumour has it, as one southeastern suburb’s Remembrance Day site, the mood was soured by the destruction of wreaths and the ripping up of flowers by the afternoon,” a caller told the show's hosts Ross and Russel. “Mindless vandalism as far as I can tell.” The alleged vandalism took place on Monday November 11, which marks the signing of the armistice agreement that ended World War 1 in 1918. Image: news.com.au

Legal

Bondi Junction attack victim's family reveals final phone call

Heartbreaking details have emerged of the final video call hero security guard Faraz Tahir made hours before the tragedy. Tahir, was one of six victims killed during the Bondi Junction stabbing attack on April 13, and the only male victim to die in the attacks as he confronted knifeman Joel Cauchi. His loved ones have shared details of the final video call he made before going to work on that tragic day, ahead of a coronial inquest into the massacre beginning on Tuesday. Tahir's family said he was very excited to be starting his new life in a country he described as safe and "very peaceful". "That day ... he was talking to the whole family on a video call in Pakistan, and he was dressed up, and he told us that he was preparing to go to a job," the family told Seven News. "He said it's my first shift in Bondi Junction ... and he was really excited. "He finally felt safe in Australia … he said 'Australia is very beautiful, Australia is very exciting and very peaceful.'" Tahir and colleague Muhammad Taha ran to help when they heard people screaming and shouting. His family said they were proud of the courage Tahir showed during the horrific event. "He was serving as a security guard, and he went above and beyond ... we definitely consider him a hero," they told Seven News. “He did what he was meant to do to protect humanity." “And his sacrifice will make things better in future... to prevent these sorts of incidents happening again.” The inquest is set to go over evidence and hear from a handful of witnesses, which the family said will bring back painful memories. “It is an emotional time... to be going through it again,” they said. "The memories will come back." Images: 7News

Family & Pets

Fasting, eating earlier in the day or eating fewer meals – what works best for weight loss?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hayley-oneill-1458016">Hayley O'Neill</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/loai-albarqouni-452476">Loai Albarqouni</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> Globally, <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight">one in eight people</a> are living with obesity. This is an issue because <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/risk-factors/risk-factors-to-health/contents/overweight-and-obesity">excess fat</a> <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27423262/">increases the risk</a> of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33393504/">Modifying your diet</a> is important for managing obesity and preventing weight gain. This might include reducing your calorie intake, changing your <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39143663/">eating patterns</a> and prioritising healthy food. But is one formula for weight loss more likely to result in success than another? Our <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11530941/">new research</a> compared three weight-loss methods, to see if one delivered more weight loss than the others: <ul> <li>altering calorie distribution – eating more calories earlier rather than later in the day</li> <li>eating fewer meals</li> <li>intermittent fasting.</li> </ul> We analysed data from 29 clinical trials involving almost 2,500 people. We found that over 12 weeks or more, the three methods resulted in similar weight loss: 1.4–1.8kg. So if you do want to lose weight, choose a method that works best for you and your lifestyle. <h2>Eating earlier in the day</h2> When our metabolism <a href="https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/metabolic-syndrome">isn’t functioning properly</a>, our body can’t respond to the hormone insulin properly. This can lead to weight gain, fatigue and can increase the risk of a number of chronic diseases such as diabetes. Eating later in the day – with a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23512957/">heavy dinner</a> and late-night snacking – seems to lead to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33172509/">worse metabolic function</a>. This means the body becomes less efficient at converting food into energy, managing blood sugar and regulating fat storage. In contrast, consuming calories <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31151228/">earlier</a> in the day appears to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29754952/">improve</a> metabolic function. However, this might not be the case for everyone. Some people naturally have an evening “chronotype”, meaning they wake up and stay up later. People with this chronotype appear to have <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36803075/">less success losing weight</a>, no matter the method. This is due to a combination of factors including genes, an increased likelihood to have a poorer diet overall and higher levels of hunger hormones. <h2>Eating fewer meals</h2> <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30700403/">Skipping breakfast</a> is common, but does it hinder weight loss? Or is a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28967343/">larger breakfast and smaller dinner</a> ideal? While <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28137935/">frequent meals</a> may reduce disease risk, recent studies suggest that compared to eating one to two meals a day, eating six times a day might increase <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32437566/">weight loss success</a>. However, this doesn’t reflect the broader research, which tends to show consuming <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33485709/">fewer meals</a> can lead to greater weight loss. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39485353/">Our research</a> suggests three meals a day is better than six. The easiest way to do this is by cutting out snacks and keeping breakfast, lunch and dinner. Most studies compare three versus six meals, with limited evidence on whether <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7490164/">two meals is better than three</a>. However, <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11530941/">front-loading your calories</a> (consuming most of your calories between breakfast and lunch) appears to be better for weight loss and may also help <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9605877/">reduce hunger</a> across the day. But more studies with a longer duration are needed. <h2>Fasting, or time-restricted eating</h2> Many of us eat over a period of more than <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26411343/">14 hours a day</a>. Eating late at night <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26411343/">can throw off</a> your body’s natural rhythm and alter how your organs function. Over time, this can increase your risk of type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases, particularly among <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8617838/">shift workers</a>. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35194176/">Time-restricted eating</a>, a form of intermittent fasting, means eating all your calories within a <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7262456/">six- to ten-hour window</a> during the day when you’re most active. It’s not about changing what or how much you eat, but <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7262456/">when you eat it</a>. <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7262456/">Animal studies</a> suggest time-restricted eating can lead to weight loss and improved metabolism. But the evidence in humans is still limited, especially about the long-term benefits. It’s also unclear if the benefits of time-restricted eating are due to the timing itself or because people are eating less overall. When we looked at studies where participants ate freely (with no intentional calorie limits) but followed an eight-hour daily eating window, they naturally consumed about 200 fewer calories per day. <h2>What will work for you?</h2> In the past, clinicians have thought about weight loss and avoiding weight gain as a simile equation of calories in and out. But factors such as how we distribute our calories across the day, how often we eat and whether we eat late at night may also impact our metabolism, weight and health. There are no easy ways to lose weight. So choose a method, or combination of methods, that suits you best. You might consider <ul> <li>aiming to eat in an eight-hour window</li> <li>consuming your calories earlier, by focusing on breakfast and lunch</li> <li>opting for three meals a day, instead of six.</li> </ul> The <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13679-024-00555-2">average adult gains 0.4 to 0.7 kg per year</a>. Improving the quality of your diet is important to prevent this weight gain and the strategies above might also help. Finally, there’s still a lot we don’t know about these eating patterns. Many existing studies are short-term, with small sample sizes and varied methods, making it hard to make direct comparisons. More research is underway, including well-controlled trials with larger samples, diverse populations and consistent methods. So hopefully future research will help us better understand how altering our eating patterns can result in better health.<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/242028/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hayley-oneill-1458016">Hayley O'Neill</a>, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/loai-albarqouni-452476">Loai Albarqouni</a>, Assistant Professor | NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock 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/fasting-eating-earlier-in-the-day-or-eating-fewer-meals-what-works-best-for-weight-loss-242028">original article</a>. </div>

Body

New details about Queen Elizabeth's final hours revealed

The final hours of Queen Elizabeth's life have been shared in a tell-all new book about the royals, detailing how Her Majesty was forced to pull out of an important meeting before she died. In his book, Charles III: New King, New Court, author Robert Hardman shared that the day before her death, Queen Elizabeth had met the departing British prime minister, Boris Johnson, and his replacement, Liz Truss, at Balmoral and attended a drinks party that same evening. Hardman wrote that the Queen felt "buzzy" at the event, but her health quickly took a turn for the worst. “She was quite buzzy over pre-dinner drinks,” one guest at the party told Hardman. “But then she said she was going upstairs to have dinner alone.” The monarch then spent the next day in bed, but reportedly arranged with the Privy Council to dial in via video link for an important meeting. As her health deteriorated throughout the day, that was changed to allow for her to call from her bedroom in an audio-only capacity, according to Hardman. But just moments before the meeting was set to get underway, the Queen reportedly made the difficult decision to cancel entirely on “medical advice”. It was that evening that then-Prince Charles was advised by Princess Anne and his private secretary to make his way urgently to his mother’s bedside, with fears that the end was near. Hardman writes that the following day, Charles was told his mother had died over the phone, having briefly left her bedside to have a moment to himself outside. Sadly, most of the royal family didn't make it to Balmoral in time to see the Queen before she passed, with Prince William, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward and his wife Sophie all landing 40 minutes later. Prince Harry shared in his own memoir Spare that he learned of his grandmother’s death by reading it in a BBC breaking news alert, moments after his own flight landed. The Queen died at 3:10pm on September 8th 2022, after more than 70 years on the throne. Image credits: Shutterstock

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Hugh Grant finally reveals his children's names

Hugh Grant has revealed the names of his two youngest daughters for the first time in a candid interview moment. The English actor and father-of-five has never announced the names of two of his children or the gender of his youngest offspring. Now, during an interview with talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, the 64-year-old finally shared that his youngest child was a girl and shared her name with viewers. During a conversation about his own unusual middle name, Mungo, he said, "I was in a bit of a panic with my wife on the day we named [our daughter]." Sharing the hilarious inspiration behind the name, he said, "We thought it might be nice for her when she was older if she could say in bars that her middle name is Danger. So, her name is Lulu Danger Grant. Austin Powers, you know?" Hugh, who also has a son named John Mungo, went on to reveal that his youngest isn't the only child in the family with a fun name. He went on to say that he and his wife Anna were stressed when naming their first daughter, and decided to ask their son for advice. "We asked her elder brother when she was on the way, 'there's a new baby coming along, what shall we call her?'", Hugh explained. "And he said 'Kevin', because that was his favourite Minion." "And we did think about calling her Kevin, but then we said, 'you'd better think of something else', and he said 'Blue', because that was his favourite colour." The announcement was out of character for Hugh, who despite being a huge Hollywood name, tends to keep his personal life out of the spotlight. Image credits: YouTube

Family & Pets

Bride's touching tribute to late father on her wedding day

"Who's going to walk me down the aisle?" those were the first words 13-year-old Bianca Accurso told her mother when she found out her father had passed away. "I knew from that moment that I needed to feel like he was going to be there right there with me [on my wedding day]," the now mum-of-one told Yahoo Lifestyle. "It was always important for me to acknowledge my dad in a special way at my wedding as he was my first love and whole world." Bianca kept her promise to her teenage self when she got married earlier this year, and the way she did it was by tracking down the man who owned her late father's car, and asking him if she could use it on her big day. "When going down the path of planning, I was writing down all that we needed to organise and tick off and ‘cars’ was one of the many things on the list," she recalled. Her husband had asked her what car she wanted for the special day, and she quickly responded "an XY GT just like my Dad’s". It was only when she brought up the topic of wedding cars to her mum that she had her "light bulb moment". "I literally then had a light bulb moment and said out loud, ‘Hey imagine if I could get it..’. I asked my Mum to see if she still had the transfer papers and contact details of the male that she sold it to after Dad had passed." It didn't take long for her to find the contact details for a man named Harold, while the phone call started a little awkwardly, once he realised who she was, they started talking like they were long lost friends. "I then proceeded to ask if he still owned my dad’s GT, to which he responded, ‘I would never sell it’. I had total goosebumps," Bianca said. <div class="embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important; width: 537px; max-width: 100%;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7430359178104802561&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40loverslenssocials%2Fvideo%2F7430359178104802561&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign-sg.tiktokcdn.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-alisg-p-0037%2FoQ4D7LDJFHhEO47CqjA4ACqIYzZIQoCfAOeHfE%3Flk3s%3Db59d6b55%26x-expires%3D1730498400%26x-signature%3DZNBsHGDfkYMa0%252F22tUjN3D3RPjE%253D%26shp%3Db59d6b55%26shcp%3D-&key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> "I then told Harold the real reason why I had called and explained to him my wish of driving to my wedding in my Dad’s GT. There was no hesitation and he quite literally responded, ‘I would be absolutely honoured to do that for you, count me in.’ I was speechless. The butterflies were fluttering in my tummy... it was a meant-to-be moment." People were moved by Bianca's story which she posted on TikTok, with the video gaining almost a million views. "Your father is watching down crying and praising that man for taking time out of his day to make yours even better ❤️❤️," one person wrote. "The pure joy and happiness on your face ❤️ your dad may have not walked you down the aisle but he made sure you arrived in style..bless this beautiful man for doing this for you on your special day🥰🥰🥰," another added. Bianca recalled the moment she saw the car for the first time, saying: "seeing my Dad’s car after 10 years was indescribable." "My smile said it all. It looked like it had never been touched. I could picture my Dad in the driver's seat with me buckled in tightly by his side. "When we were driving in it, it was pure joy and happiness! We were just so present and tried to enjoy every last moment. Harold made us feel so comfortable and gave us a ride that we will never forget." Images: Instagram/ TikTok

Family & Pets

Missing woman found after 12 days in national park

Missing woman Lovisa 'Kiki' Sjoberg has been found alive after almost two weeks lost in the Snowy Mountains region of New South Wales. The 48-year-old photographer was last seen driving into the Kosciuszko National Park on October 15th and was reported missing six days later when she failed to return a hire car. After setting up a command post at the Kiandra Courthouse on the Snowy Mountains Hwy, police began an intensive search for the woman immediately. A wide-scale search was conducted involving the Mounted Unit, Dog Unit, SES, National Parks and Wildlife Service, Rural Fire Service, a Surf Life Saving Helicopter and members of the public. On Sunday afternoon, the woman was found injured on the Nungar Creek Trail at Kiandra. She was treated at the scene by paramedics for exposure and what appeared to be a snake bite before being taken to a local hospital in a stable condition. Worried friends of Ms Sjoberg have expressed their relief and joy on Facebook about the news of her discovery, thanking the community for their support. Image credits: NSW Police / llawarra Police Rescue Squad

Caring

Aussies chat with King Charles on first day of royal tour

Hundreds of Aussies have lined up for a hours to catch a glimpse of King Charles and Queen Camilla on the first day of their royal tour of Australia, with some royal fans getting the chance to have a brief moment with the monarch. In their first public appearance of the royal couple’s five-day tour Down Under, Charles and Camilla attended a church service at St Thomas Anglican Church on Sunday morning in North Sydney as hundreds of fans waited to see the royals. After the service, Charles and Camilla made an unexpected stop to talk fans who had congregated on the street. Royalist Mary-Anne Spring said the monarch made the stop after a boy “yelled out” asking him to come over to the group, as Ms Spring shared that she spoke to the King about his health. “I welcomed them to Sydney and I wished the King all the very best in his cancer treatment. He said thank you very much I really appreciate it,” she told <a href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/royals/king-charles-queen-camillas-first-public-appearance-in-australia-on-royal-tour/news-story/f23713cc089ce37d149fd829c68e50fd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a>. “I think it’s good to support them and the work they do.” Another royal fan, Malcolm Lemirae, managed to gift the Queen a bunch of red roses. “They accepted the flowers and Camilla asked if I grew them and I said I grew them in my garden,” he said. "I think she was thrilled about that. It’s just a little symbol of my gratitude for them coming out. The guy's got cancer. To come out here and do that trip, it’s a long, long trip.” Julianne McCartney, who is originally from the UK, also had her own moment with the King, recalling her previous encounter with the royal family. She said, “He told me he really appreciated the crowd. He noticed my British accent and asked if I was from the UK, I said I had met his mother before and I think he thought that was quite nice actually.” On Monday, King Charles and Queen Camilla will head to Canberra for a reception with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, along with other political and community leaders. Image credits: DEAN LEWINS/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Editorial

Domestic Travel

"Ridiculous and disrespectful": Groom goes viral for working on wedding day

A wedding photo has gone viral for the wrong reasons after a groom was pictured working on his own wedding day. Torrey Leonard, the founder of US-based start-up company, Thoughtly, shared a photo of his co-founder, Casey Mackrell, pulling out a laptop at his own wedding to get some work done. “My co-founder Casey has built a reputation for himself as ‘the guy who sits on his laptop in bars’ from SF to NYC,” he wrote in the post. “Last week Thoughtly brought on a customer that needed to launch within 2 weeks. He just so happened to be getting married within that 2 week window. “So, here he is wrapping up a pull request. At his own wedding. Congrats Casey – now please, go take some time off.” Hundreds of people were quick to comment on the post, labelling it “one of the most depressing LinkedIn posts to exist” and it was even shared to other social media pages. The groom himself eventually had to clarify saying: “Don’t worry I got back to dancing and champagne 2 seconds later.” But that wasn't enough to appease fellow LinkedIn users. “So your company has such terrible work/life balance that you can’t have a WEDDING without having to work? That’s just sad as hell," one wrote. Another commenter quipped that it was "really sad" the groom didn't call off the wedding to focus on work, saying: “Someone who actually knows how to grind would have called it off the second the contract was signed." A few others questioned the authenticity of the post, saying that it had to be staged as they couldn’t believe that someone would be “that ridiculous and disrespectful to his bride and family”. “Aside from the fact that this is probably staged, pushing people to sacrifice their private life and mental health is not the flex you think it is," another added. In an interview with news.com.au Leonard defended his co-founder's decision and explained the situation. “As a company, what we do is very high-stakes. Every single one of our customers, they depend on us to function perfectly, 24-7, around the clock, no questions asked,” he told the publication. “We work with many publicly traded companies across the globe, and we spend long hours of the night, early mornings awake, monitoring these calls, proactively fixing issues, fixing problems, building new features. “The context of this post, he had to solve a problem, and it was really only something that he could solve. It was a three- to five-minute task. “We understand that this lifestyle is not for everybody. It’s obviously something that is a lot of work, but it’s something that we love.” He also clarified that Mackrell's bride, Grace, did not have a problem with the brief interruption on their happy day. “They were dating for many years, so she’s seen him pull a laptop out at a restaurant dinner table. I mean, it looks crazy, but that’s just who Casey is. She’s obviously fine with it.” Images: LinkedIn

Relationships

World’s longest treasure hunt ends as Golden Owl finally unearthed in France

After more than three decades of mystery and intrigue, the world’s longest-running treasure hunt has come to a thrilling conclusion with the discovery of the elusive Golden Owl. Valued at approximately $240,000, the treasure had captivated the imaginations of thousands since it was first buried in France in the early 1990s. The hunt began with the publication of the now-famous book, On the Trail of the Golden Owl, written by communications expert Régis Hauser under the pseudonym “Max Valentin” and illustrated by artist Michel Becker. The 1993 book challenged readers to solve a series of intricate riddles and clues, which, when deciphered, would reveal the owl’s secret location. Despite years of painstaking attempts to crack the mystery, the Golden Owl remained hidden for decades, surviving even its creator. Hauser passed away in 2009, leaving the prize still buried. Michel Becker, who took over the management of the hunt, delivered the long-awaited news on October 3 via an online announcement that sparked a frenzy among treasure hunters: “A potential winning solution is currently being verified.” Two hours later, he confirmed: “Don’t go digging! We confirm that the Golden Owl countermark was unearthed last night.” The treasure hunt’s <a href="https://goldenowlhunt.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">official website was also updated with the announcement</a>, bringing an end to a search that has been both thrilling and, for some, overwhelming. The obsession and madness behind the search For over 30 years, the Golden Owl hunt transcended being just a hobby for many treasure hunters and became an all-consuming obsession. While some enjoyed it as a leisurely pursuit, others were driven to extreme lengths – financially, emotionally and mentally. The search for the owl has been linked to personal crises, including financial ruin and broken marriages. At least one individual reportedly ended up in an asylum due to their fixation on solving the hunt’s riddles. The toll wasn’t limited to individuals. Searchers caused considerable disruption across France, digging unauthorised holes in public and private lands. In one eastern French village, the local mayor was forced to plead with hunters to stop digging around its chapel, while in other cases, searchers brought power tools to banks and even considered destroying structures in the hopes of unearthing the treasure. The Golden Owl’s elusive clues On the Trail of the Golden Owl contained a complex series of 11 riddles, each paired with a painting by Becker. The riddles, combined with maps, colours and hidden details, challenged readers to work out the owl’s hidden location. Before his death, Hauser revealed three crucial elements to solving the puzzle: The use of maps: Hunters needed to work with maps to narrow down the search area and use a specific map to pinpoint the final zone. A “mega trick”: This was the key to using the sequence of riddles to locate the final area where the owl was hidden. A final hidden riddle: Once in the final zone, hunters had to uncover one last riddle to lead them to the exact spot of the treasure. Joyous celebration among treasure hunters The treasure-hunting community was overjoyed when the news broke, with many expressing their disbelief and excitement. “Finally – liberated!” exclaimed one fan on the hunt’s Discord forum. Another added, “I didn’t think I’d live to see the day.” As of now, the exact location of the owl’s discovery and the identity of the finder remain undisclosed. However, Becker hinted at the complexity involved in concluding this monumental hunt. “Tons of emotions to manage for all those who are responsible for managing the end of this episode and complex logistics to put in place,” he said in a statement on October 6. For now, the Golden Owl, a treasure that has held a generation of sleuths in its grasp, has been unearthed. Yet, the fascination with its story will undoubtedly linger for years to come. Images/Illustrations: Michel Becker

International Travel

Daylight savings is about to start. But why do the days get longer?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/laura-nicole-driessen-892965">Laura Nicole Driessen</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> The days are getting longer and in Australia, the switch to daylight saving time is almost upon us (for about 70% of the population, anyway). But why do we have longer days in summer and shorter days in winter? <h2>It’s all about the tilt</h2> Earth goes around the Sun in an almost circular orbit. But not everything is lined up perfectly. Earth’s axis is tilted by 23.44 degrees relative to its orbit around the Sun. Imagine Earth’s orbit as a flat frisbee with the Sun in the middle and Earth as a ball on a stick going around the edge. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/623235/original/file-20241003-16-xourdg.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/623235/original/file-20241003-16-xourdg.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/623235/original/file-20241003-16-xourdg.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/623235/original/file-20241003-16-xourdg.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/623235/original/file-20241003-16-xourdg.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/623235/original/file-20241003-16-xourdg.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/623235/original/file-20241003-16-xourdg.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/623235/original/file-20241003-16-xourdg.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Diagram of Earth's rotation around the sun." /></a><figcaption>Earth goes around the Sun in an almost circular orbit. <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/earths-orbit-earth-rotation-around-sun-2441275921">Angela Cini/Shutterstock</a></figcaption></figure> If Earth’s axis wasn’t tilted (if its tilt was zero degrees) the stick would be exactly perpendicular to the frisbee. If you grab that perpendicular stick and tip it 23.44 degrees sideways, that’s what Earth’s tilt looks like now. As Earth orbits the Sun, the tilt of the stick does not rotate relative to the Sun. If you were in outer space looking at the Sun and you watched from the exact same position for a whole year, you would see Earth go around the Sun while the stick stayed tilted the same direction. In other words, if the top of the stick was pointing to the right when you started watching Earth go around the Sun, it would stay pointing to the right the whole way around. This tilt gives us longer days in summer and shorter days in winter. Let’s set up the scenario so the Northern Hemisphere is the top of the planet and the Southern Hemisphere is the bottom of the planet. When Earth is on one side of the Sun, the top of the stick is pointed towards the Sun. This is summer in the Northern Hemisphere and winter in the Southern Hemisphere. Six months later, when Earth is on the other side of the Sun, the bottom of the stick is pointed towards the Sun – and the seasons are reversed. <h2>Solstices and equinoxes</h2> Those two points, when the top of the stick is pointing directly towards the Sun or directly away from the Sun, are the solstices. They are the longest and shortest days of the year, depending on your hemisphere. The shortest day of 2024 in Australia was June 21. Looking forward to sunnier times, the longest day of the year in 2024 will be December 21. In between the summer and winter solstice, we have the equinoxes – when days and nights are almost exactly the same length. Those are the days when the stick through Earth is “side-on” to the Sun. The equinox is also the day when the Sun passes directly over Earth’s equator. In 2024 this happened on March 20 at 2:06pm AEDT and September 22 at 10:43pm AEST. That means that since September 22, days have been getting longer than nights in the Southern Hemisphere. <h2>What does daylight savings do?</h2> Earth’s tilt means the Sun both rises earlier and sets later as we head towards summer. When the clocks (in some states) switch to daylight saving time, people in these states all get one hour less of sleep. However, the total length of the day doesn’t change just because we changed our clocks. For me, daylight savings means I need an extra cup of coffee in the morning for about a week before I adjust to the daylight savings-lag (like jet lag, but without the fun of travel). What it really gives us is more daylight in the evening, instead of more daylight in the morning. If you’re already a morning person, this isn’t the way to go. But if you prefer to have a long dinner in the summer sun it’s ideal. <h2>Has it always been this way?</h2> Earth’s axis hasn’t always been tilted at 23.44 degrees. It cycles from a minimum 22.1 degree tilt to a maximum 24.5 degree tilt and back again once every approximately 41,000 years. Earth’s axis also “precesses”, where the stick through it draws a circle once every approximately 26,000 years. You can see this in the animation below. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/622704/original/file-20241001-16-lh8pl9.gif?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/622704/original/file-20241001-16-lh8pl9.gif?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/622704/original/file-20241001-16-lh8pl9.gif?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/622704/original/file-20241001-16-lh8pl9.gif?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/622704/original/file-20241001-16-lh8pl9.gif?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/622704/original/file-20241001-16-lh8pl9.gif?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/622704/original/file-20241001-16-lh8pl9.gif?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/622704/original/file-20241001-16-lh8pl9.gif?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="A gif of the Earth wobbling in a circle on its axis." /></a><figcaption>Demonstration of the precession of Earth’s axis. <a class="source" href="https://science.nasa.gov/resource/axial-precession-wobble/">NASA/JPL-Caltech</a></figcaption></figure> The length of a day on Earth hasn’t always been the same, either. At the moment, the length of a day is nearly exactly 24 hours. But it’s shifting all the time by tiny amounts. This is tracked very closely by a system of telescopes and satellites. These systems measure “<a href="https://ggos.org/item/earth-orientation-parameter/#:%7E:text=Accordingly%2C%20the%20EOP%20describe%20the,as%20tides%20and%20continental%20drift">Earth orientation parameters</a>” that describe Earth’s exact orientation compared to the position of stars in the sky. These are important to astronomers because the exact location of our telescopes is important for creating accurate maps of the sky. On top of all of this, the gravitational drag from the Moon causes days to become longer by around 2.3 milliseconds every 100 years. A few billion years ago, Earth’s day was a lot shorter – <a href="https://www.earthscope.org/news/a-day-is-not-always-24-hours-how-earths-shifting-systems-cause-day-length-variation/#:%7E:text=Billions%20of%20years%20ago%2C%20the,to%20the%20day%20every%20century">only 19 hours long</a>. Even though some of us are losing an hour of sleep this weekend, at least we get to enjoy 2.3 milliseconds longer every day than our great – and great-great – grandparents did.<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/240221/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/laura-nicole-driessen-892965">Laura Nicole Driessen</a>, Postdoctoral researcher in radio astronomy, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> Image credits: Shutterstock 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/daylight-savings-is-about-to-start-but-why-do-the-days-get-longer-240221">original article</a>. </div>

Domestic Travel

Heartbreaking final message from beloved TV icon

Australian TV icon Fiona MacDonald has died after a "very tough battle" with motor neurone disease, announcing her own death on social media. Fiona died with her sister Kylie and sons by her side, writing in her final post she had “left the building” in an emotional message shared by her sister. “Last night brought an end to a very tough few months,” she said. “Was very peaceful, the boys and Kylie stayed with me to say goodbye. While I’ve never wanted to die, the thought of leaving my tortured body was a relief.” She went on to detail how she had been struggling in her final months, saying she was "slowly starving, growing weaker and weaker," but even at the very end, always kept her "black humour that served me well through the first years of this journey". <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/DApP3VWz0b9/?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/DApP3VWz0b9/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by fionafinewines (@fionafinewines)</a> </div> </blockquote> She ended her post writing, "So let’s not call it goodbye as I hope to see you again on the other side. I carry your love and laughter with me and hope you’ll remember mine." MacDonald was a television regular during the 1980s as the host of popular children’s program Wombat alongside a puppet called Agro, and also the host of the gameshow It’s A Knockout. Fiona was first diagnose with motor neurone disease in 2021, and had been keeping her fans updated on there health journey on Instagram. Tributes have flooded MacDonald’s post, with friend and sculptor Cybele Rowe commenting, “What a spectacular human you were here on this planet! I’m sure there is something fabulously entertaining on the other side and you’re just joining in the groove.” “Shine on Sista, Like the moon, the stars and the Sun. Big love to all your loving family.” "Oh Fiona what a shining light you have been," added TV Chef Lyndey Milan. "So brave, strong, courageous and magnificent in cruel adversity. Sending love to your family and your incredible, supportive friends." "Time to rest beautiful Fi," wrote journalist and TV host Melissa Hoyer. "You will be missed. Thinking of you, the boys & your family." Image credits: Instagram

Caring

Terminally ill 23-year-old's final request

Liam Bulman was working a shift at The Illawarra Hotel in Wollongong last month when he asked to leave early, as he felt unwell. The following week he found himself in "crippling pain" and was rushed to hospital by his friend. After days of intensive testing, the 23-year-old was diagnosed with stage-four High Grade Neuroendocrine Carcinoma — a "rare" cancer that had spread. Now, his family and friends are doing everything they can to raise funds so he can have a "chance to make memories" through ticking off items on his bucket list in this "scary, sad and unknown" time. "He's smart and kind. He's been raised to work hard and contribute to people's lives, and our community. He's incredible," Liam's colleagues from The Illawarra Hotel wrote on the<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/youre-friendly-local-bartender-bulmans-bucket-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> GoFundMe</a> page. So far they have raised over $28,000 of their $50,000 goal, with most of the money raised going towards his medical costs, medical trial attendance and palliative care, and any remaining money will help fund his bucket list. His bucket list includes activities like attending the F1 in Melbourne, going for a joyride in a helicopter, learning to surf and taking a family photo session. Liam's mum, Emily Bulman, revealed his cancer is "incurable" and he has since started a bout of chemotherapy in hope it will "buy him more time" as the cancer has spread to his lymph nodes and lower digestive tract. "This will assist us to aim for longevity, quality of life, a chance to make memories, and receive the care and comfort that suits Liam best," she said on the fundraising page. "Anything we can raise to help take the burden off Liam, we would be incredibly grateful for." Images: GoFundMe/Facebook

Caring

High-speed rail plans may finally end Australia’s 40-year wait to get on board

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/philip-laird-3503">Philip Laird</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> Australia has debated and studied high-speed rail for four decades. The High Speed Rail Authority has begun <a href="https://www.hsra.gov.au/project">work on a project</a> that could finally deliver some high-speed rail in the 2030s. The Albanese government set up the authority in 2022. It also committed A$500 million to plan and protect a high-speed rail corridor between Sydney and Newcastle. This corridor was prioritised due to significant capacity constraints on the existing line, among other reasons. The ultimate plan is for a high-speed rail network to connect Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and regional communities across the east coast. The network would help Australia in its urgent task to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transport. These <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/infrastructure-transport-vehicles/towards-net-zero-transport-and-infrastructure">continue to increase</a> even as emissions from other sectors fall. The authority has now publicly outlined plans for the first stage of this east coast network. After a history of failed proposals dating back to 1984, the new plans provide some cause for optimism that Australia could have some high-speed rail by 2037. <h2>What is high-speed rail and why do we need it?</h2> The International Rail Union of Railways <a href="https://uic.org/passenger/highspeed">defines high-speed rail</a> as new lines designed for speeds of 250km/h or more and upgraded lines for speeds of at least 200km/h. High-speed rail could greatly reduce transport emissions by replacing <a href="https://theconversation.com/wondering-how-to-get-from-brisbane-to-melbourne-without-wrecking-the-climate-our-transport-choices-make-a-huge-difference-237396">air travel in particular</a>. For example, the <a href="https://www.bitre.gov.au/publications/ongoing/domestic_airline_activity-monthly_publications">7.92 million passengers</a> flying between Melbourne and Sydney in 2023-24 produced about 1.5 million tonnes of emissions. Including <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-air-travellers-can-cut-their-door-to-door-emissions-right-now-by-as-much-as-13-on-the-sydney-melbourne-route-211099">travel to and from airports</a> and other flight routes along the corridor (Sydney or Melbourne to Canberra, Albury etc), this adds up to about 2% of <a href="https://www.dcceew.gov.au/climate-change/strategies/annual-climate-change-statement-2023">annual domestic transport emissions</a>. A Sydney–Melbourne high-speed rail link could cut emissions to a fraction of those from <a href="https://theconversation.com/wondering-how-to-get-from-brisbane-to-melbourne-without-wrecking-the-climate-our-transport-choices-make-a-huge-difference-237396">air</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/we-compared-land-transport-options-for-getting-to-net-zero-hands-down-electric-rail-is-the-best-234092">road</a> transport. If Australia is to achieve <a href="https://www.dcceew.gov.au/climate-change/emissions-reduction/net-zero">net zero by 2050</a>, a <a href="https://theconversation.com/we-compared-land-transport-options-for-getting-to-net-zero-hands-down-electric-rail-is-the-best-234092">shift to rail will be essential</a>. High-speed city-to-city rail services will be needed to become an attractive alternative to air travel. <h2>What is the authority working on?</h2> Early this year the High Speed Rail Authority gained a new CEO, Tim Parker, with extensive experience in delivering mega-projects. In late August, the authority outlined its plans at an industry briefing in Newcastle. The authority has commissioned eight studies, including a business case for a Sydney–Newcastle line. Significantly, it will include the cost of future highway upgrades if high-speed rail does not proceed. This study, along with a report on how high-speed rail will proceed along Australia’s east coast, is due by the end of this year. Also under way is a <a href="https://minister.infrastructure.gov.au/c-king/media-release/all-aboard-high-speed-rail-accelerates-first-investigation-works">geotechnical study</a> that includes drilling 27 boreholes. It will help determine the proposed depths of two long rail tunnels and guide decisions on crossing the Hawkesbury River and the route to the Central Coast and on to Newcastle. All going well, including land acquisition and agreements with the New South Wales government (which could include funding), work could <a href="https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/8743698/newcastle-high-speed-rail-possible-by-2037-as-tunnel-plan-emerges">start in 2027 and be completed by 2037</a>. <h2>Many questions remain</h2> Given the time and money required to deliver a Sydney–Newcastle line, bipartisan support will be needed. However, the federal opposition is yet to make a clear commitment to high-speed rail. There are other uncertainties too. Will the trains be operated by the public or private sector? The latter was the intention for projects that were scrapped decades ago, such as the CSIRO-proposed Very Fast Train (<a href="http://www.repositoryofideas.com/VFT_information.html">VFT</a>) linking Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne, and the Sydney–Canberra <a href="https://trid.trb.org/View/1203853">Speedrail</a>. And how will the engineering projects be delivered? The new authority must learn from the project management <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/department/media/news/independent-review-inland-rail-released">problems in delivering the Inland Rail</a> freight line. The project is running late and costs have blown out. Some major federally funded government projects have worked well. These include upgrades of the national highway system (by state road authorities and contractors) and the new <a href="https://www.westernsydneyairport.gov.au/">Western Sydney International Airport</a>, which is nearing completion. <h2>And what about a full Sydney–Melbourne line?</h2> The big question is when work will start on a Sydney–Melbourne high-speed rail service. In 2019, International High-Speed Rail Association chairman <a href="https://ara.net.au/media-release/ausrailplus-2019-conference-exhibition-3-5-december-2019-in-sydney/">Masafumi Shukuri estimated</a> building this line could take 20 years. The present line is 60km longer than it should be as the route dates back to the steam age. It also has far too many tight curves. This means train travel on this line is slower than cars and trucks. As former NSW State Rail chief Len Harper <a href="https://theconversation.com/more-than-ever-its-time-to-upgrade-the-sydney-melbourne-railway-187169">said</a> in 1995, this railway was already “inadequate for current and future needs” even back then. When the VFT was proposed in 1984, questions were raised as to whether our population was big enough for such a project. Now, more than 15.5 million people live in NSW, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory. Melbourne–Sydney is the <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/traveller/travel-news/the-world-s-busiest-flight-routes-and-airports-revealed-20231222-p5et7n.html">world’s fifth-busiest flight route</a>. Advocacy group Fastrack Australia <a href="https://www.fastrackaustralia.net/hsr-implementation-plan">has called</a> for a Sydney–Melbourne track built to high-speed standards and able to carry freight. The estimated travel time is four hours. This group and the <a href="https://www.railfutures.org.au/category/submissions/%20July%202024%20reducing%20emissions%20in%20freight">Rail Futures Institute</a> propose the line be built in stages, with priority given to the section from near Macarthur to Mittagong in NSW. This would reduce the current line’s length by about 18km and allow for better Sydney–Canberra train services. Urgent action is needed to protect the rail corridor from encroaching urban development. <h2>Australia needs to catch up</h2> In June 2023, when the new authority started work, I <a href="https://theconversation.com/can-the-new-high-speed-rail-authority-deliver-after-4-decades-of-costly-studies-206287">observed</a> that Australia must surely hold the world record for studies into high-speed rail with no construction. In stark contrast, this October marks the 60th anniversary of the world’s first dedicated high-speed rail line, the Tokaido Shinkansen in Japan linking Tokyo to Shin-Osaka. The network has since grown in stages to about 3,000km of lines. Today, high-speed rail <a href="https://uic.org/passenger/highspeed/article/high-speed-data-and-atlas">operates in 21 countries</a> over about 60,000km of lines – China has about 40,000km. Indonesia’s high-speed rail service between Jakarta and Bandung started running last year. India and Thailand are in the advanced stages of delivering high-speed rail. It’s also under construction in another 11 countries. Australia could finally join them in the next few years if it starts building the Sydney–Newcastle line.<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/238232/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/philip-laird-3503">Philip Laird</a>, Honorary Principal Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> Image credits: Shutterstock 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/high-speed-rail-plans-may-finally-end-australias-40-year-wait-to-get-on-board-238232">original article</a>. </div>

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