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Ash Barty welcomes baby girl in sweet family news

<p>Retired tennis champion Ash Barty has delighted fans with the joyful announcement of the birth of her second child, a baby girl named Jordan.</p> <p>The 29-year-old sporting icon shared the happy news on Instagram on Monday, posting a touching black-and-white photo of the newborn alongside a heartfelt caption: “Welcome to the world, Jordan. You are loved unconditionally and we are so grateful to have you in our arms, gorgeous girl.”</p> <p>The update was met with a flood of warm wishes from fellow athletes and fans alike. Former tennis star Sam Stosur wrote, “Congrats Ash and Garry. How exciting to welcome Jordan into your family. She’s a lucky girl.” Swimmer-turned-commentator Gian Rooney and Ash’s close friend Casey Dellacqua also sent their congratulations, with Dellacqua adding, “Here she is. Hi gorgeous Jordan. Can’t wait to cuddle you soon. Good job Mum and Dad xx.”</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/DK8dBirBLqX/?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/DK8dBirBLqX/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Ash Barty (@ashbarty)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Little Jordan joins big brother Hayden, who turns two next month. In a heartwarming Christmas Day post last year, Barty and Kissick had recruited their toddler to help announce the pregnancy, sharing a photo of him in a T-shirt that read, “I am going to be a big brother”.</p> <p>Barty, who stunned the world by retiring from professional tennis in 2022 after winning three grand slams – including the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon – has embraced life beyond the court. Since stepping away, she’s published children’s books, released her memoir <em>My Dream Time</em>, launched a foundation, and mentored rising tennis talent Olivia Gadecki.</p> <p>Ash and Garry, who <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/adorable-honeymoon-photos-of-ash-barty-and-husband-garry-kissick" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tied the knot</a> in a private ceremony in Queensland in 2022, now look forward to life as a family of four, with their latest bundle of joy already bringing smiles to loved ones near and far.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

New details emerge after Aussie shot dead in Bali

<p>An Australian man has been killed and another wounded in a shocking shooting at a villa in one of Bali’s most popular tourist regions.</p> <p>The incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday in the Badung area, just over 10 kilometres north of Kuta, when gunfire erupted inside the accommodation.</p> <p>Zivan Radmanovic, 32, who had strong ties to Melbourne, was identified as the man who died at the scene from gunshot wounds. His wife, who was in the villa at the time, was unharmed but witnessed the attack. Another Melbourne man, Sanar Ghanim – aged in his 30s and previously jailed over a non-fatal shooting in Melbourne – was also shot and taken to hospital for treatment.</p> <p>Badung Police chief Arif Batubara confirmed the details, telling media: “A shooting incident has happened. There are two victims, both Australian nationals. We cannot yet determine the motive for this shooting and also who the perpetrator is until our investigation is complete.”</p> <p>According to a police statement cited by the ABC, Mr Radmanovic’s wife awoke shortly after midnight to the sound of her husband’s screams. She reported seeing a man wearing a bright orange jacket and dark helmet shoot her husband in the bathroom before fleeing. Moments later, she heard further gunshots and Mr Ghanim’s cries for help.</p> <p>Witnesses said they saw a man on a scooter wearing a green ride-hailing jacket and face covering, speaking in what they described as a strong Australian accent, saying: “I can’t start my bike.”</p> <p>No arrests have been made, and police say investigations are ongoing.</p> <p>The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) confirmed it was providing consular assistance to the families. “We send our deepest condolences to the family at this difficult time,” a spokesperson said. “DFAT stands ready to provide consular assistance to another Australian injured in the same incident.”</p> <p>Mr Ghanim, who remains in hospital, is known to have links to the Melbourne underworld and has a child with the stepdaughter of slain crime figure Carl Williams.</p> <p><em>Images: 9 News / Facebook</em></p>

Travel Trouble

New book seeks to understand what old age is for

<div class="theconversation-article-body">The “memoir boom” of the past few decades has brought an extraordinary expansion in the kinds of work written in the first person. Some offer new approaches, focusing on aspects or phases of the author’s life or feelings.</p> <p>Alongside these, a kind of hybrid form has developed in which authors, while not seeking to produce a memoir, include extensive discussion of their personal experience and reflections to illustrate different themes and issues.</p> <p>Bloomer, by Carol Lefevre, is a hybrid work of this latter kind. The author tells us quite a lot about herself and her current life, especially her experience of ageing. She deals at some length with her grief at losing her mother and with her own health issues. She makes clear her resentment of the growing invisibility that is such a common experience for older women, and her irritation at being patronised and discounted because of her age when engaging in journalism.</p> <p>Nonetheless Bloomer is not and does not present itself as a memoir. It is, as we are told very clearly at the start, a book about women and ageing in a society in which ageism is widespread – and directed particularly at women. It is seeking also to offer pathways that allow the possibility of flourishing in old age, written by a woman who is using herself as an example.</p> <p>The negative ways that ageing, especially women’s ageing, is seen and dealt with in contemporary Australian society and culture is evident from the start. She finds the prospect of “ageing in a time and place that does not value old people” “daunting”. Having devoted much of her life to activism of various kinds, she has decided to take on ageism.</p> <p>The book itself is a form of activism, concerned not only to critique and raise awareness about the many different forms of ageism that abound, but:</p> <blockquote> <p>to question the ageist narrative of decline and decrepitude, of ageing as a road that only runs downhill.</p> </blockquote> <p>Women today, Lefevre points out, enter old age with laptops and mobile phones and a range of new possibilities. It is within this framework that the concept of blooming is so important.</p> <h2>Tending to one’s garden</h2> <p>For Lefevre, the great consolation and antidote to ageing is gardening. She writes movingly of her immense pleasure in tending a small, walled garden which enables her to watch her flowers, herbs and trees bloom and flourish. Her enthusiasm for gardening is one of the most engaging aspects of the book.</p> <p>She includes several sections from her own gardening journals interspersed between chapters. Some of these depict the changing seasons, providing the structure for the book. There are also discussions of the ideas and practices of other gardeners and of the writing about gardens of several authors including Vita Sackville-West, Sylvia Townsend-Warner and an author who seems generally to be one of Lefevre’s favourites: <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Colette">Colette</a>.</p> <p>In the clearest illustration of how this book is intended to offer a pathway that others should follow, Lefevre points out how beneficial gardening is. Research has shown, we are told, getting one’s hands in the soil, “boosts serotonin levels and that serotonin, a natural antidepressant, strengthens the immune system”. No other group of people is so in need of garden therapy she insists “as those of us contemplating the more than half-empty glass”.</p> <p>As she contemplates the whole question of ageing and seeks to come to terms with her experiences, Lefevre turns not only to gardening, but to literature. Although insistent there are no novels with older women as heroines or central figures, she cites several novelists, memoirists, and writers of short stories who address ageing in their work, sometimes in insightful ways.</p> <p>Gardening writers are important here too. Lefevre deals with her own pain at her changing sense of time and losing a sense of herself at a younger age, for example, not only by gardening, but by reading Sackville-West, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Virginia Woolf. The slight she receives as an older woman seeking to photograph two young men for a magazine (involving a throw-away line about “old grannies”) leads her to the <a href="https://theconversation.com/friday-essay-grey-haired-and-radiant-reimagining-ageing-for-women-182336">reflections on ageing</a> and to a discussion of others who have written well about ageing: May Sarton and Doris Lessing.</p> <p>Alongside her own experiences, Lefevre deals with some of the serious issues and problems confronting older women. While she has a home and a garden, many other women face a crisis in terms of shelter and finding a place to live. Bemoaning the end of multi-generational families in which the elderly lives at home, she discusses the alarming incidence of homelessness among ageing single women. Residential care is sometimes available, but not without problems.</p> <p>One that concerns her particularly is that of unexpected intimacy, which is sometimes an affront to adult children and to nursing home administrators not accustomed to thinking about love in relation to ageing bodies. Loneliness too is dealt with here and so inevitably, is death and the question of voluntary assisted dying.</p> <p>The book provides useful information and reflections on many issues that face older women in a very accessible way. But it is not always an easy or engaging read. The hybrid form is clearly an issue here as the linking of personal experience and general discussion is sometimes a little awkward.</p> <h2>Still blooming</h2> <p>While being told about the author’s life, we are always held at arm’s length from her. One yearns sometimes for the kind of intimacy that allows the reader to share the author’s feelings, as we find in some memoirs of ageing, Diana Athill’s <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5960563-somewhere-towards-the-end">Somewhere Towards the End</a>, for example.</p> <p>There is also something slightly problematic about Lefevre’s central concern. In seeking to understand and overcome ageism, she wants not only to write sympathetically about women and ageing, but “to understand what old age is for”.</p> <p>I must confess to finding it hard to understand precisely what this statement means. Stages of life, in general, do not seem to be “for” anything. They are a necessary part of life and move one on to the next stage. In the case of old age, it is hard to see this could be anything other than moving one on to very old age – and inevitably death.</p> <figure class="align-left zoomable"><figcaption></figcaption></figure> <p>This concern to find a meaning and purpose for old age is linked to the sense of activism against ageism, something the author claims not only for herself, but enjoins other bloomers to undertake too. Having been shaped in the social and protest movements of the sixties, she wants us all to “do something about changing the ageing narrative” by talking about age and “rescuing the word ‘old’ from its position of insult”.</p> <p>There is no question about the extent and nature of ageism in Australia – especially in relation to women. Nor is there any doubt many older people, especially women, suffer from homelessness and isolation.</p> <p>At the same time, there is little recognition of the many facilities and social organisations available to older people or advocating for them, including the University of the Third Age or National Seniors Australia, or of the many ways “seniors” organise themselves – in walking, travel, theatre, film and book groups.</p> <p>The slightly embattled sense one has of the author and her enjoining of others to become active with her in protesting against the negative narratives of ageing seems to belie the many ways other older women are continuing to bloom.<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/253130/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em>By <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/barbara-caine-205093">Barbara Caine</a>, Professor Emerita of History, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-new-book-seeks-to-understand-what-old-age-is-for-but-is-this-the-right-question-253130">original article</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Carol Lefevre / Affirm Press</em></p> </div>

Books

2025 Logie nominees revealed, all new category announced

<p>The nominees for the 65th annual TV Week Logie Awards have been announced, with a fresh award category paying tribute to one of Australian television’s most respected journalists.</p> <p>The Ray Martin Award for Most Popular News or Public Affairs Reporter, named after the legendary <em>Four Corners</em> and <em>60 Minutes</em> presenter, will recognise excellence in news and public affairs reporting. Among the inaugural nominees are <em>A Current Affair</em>’s Ally Langdon, <em>7.30</em> host Sarah Ferguson, and <em>60 Minutes</em> veteran Tara Brown.</p> <p>In the race for television’s most coveted prize, the Gold Logie for Most Popular Personality, former ABC Breakfast presenter Lisa Millar is a standout contender. She’ll face stiff competition from <em>Today</em> star Ally Langdon, past winner Sonia Kruger, and two-time Gold Logie recipient Hamish Blake – the only man in this year’s field of nominees.</p> <p>Blake, who previously took home the top prize in 2012 and 2022, joked about his inclusion, telling <em>Today</em> viewers: “I think it really does need to go to a far more worthy recipient — and I’m not just saying that because it would be a PR nightmare if the only bloke got up and stole the Gold Logie from a sea of deserving women. It can’t happen and it shouldn’t happen!”</p> <p>The ABC led the pack with an impressive 44 nominations, thanks to popular titles such as <em>Fisk</em>, which earned five nods, and Guy Montgomery’s <em>Guy Mont Spelling Bee</em>, which secured Montgomery a nomination for Most Popular New Talent.</p> <p>Streaming platforms also made a strong showing, with Netflix emerging as the most nominated streamer, bolstered by hits like <em>Apple Cider Vinegar</em> and <em>Territory</em>.</p> <p>The 2025 Logie Awards will be held in Sydney on August 3, with comedian Sam Pang returning to host the event for a third consecutive year.</p> <h2>Highlights of major categories:</h2> <p><strong>Most Popular Personality on Australian Television</strong></p> <ul> <li>Ally Langdon</li> <li>Hamish Blake</li> <li>Julia Morris</li> <li>Lisa Millar</li> <li>Lynne McGranger</li> <li>Poh Ling Yeow</li> <li>Sonia Kruger</li> </ul> <p><strong>Bert Newton Award for Most Popular Presenter</strong></p> <ul> <li>Hamish Blake (<em>LEGO Masters Australia</em>)</li> <li>Julia Morris (<em>I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here!</em>)</li> <li>Ricki-Lee (<em>Australian Idol</em>)</li> <li>Sonia Kruger (<em>The Voice, Dancing With The Stars, Logies Red Carpet Show</em>)</li> <li>Todd Woodbridge (<em>Tipping Point Australia, Australian Open, Paris 2024 Olympic & Paralympic Games</em>)</li> <li>Zan Rowe (<em>Take 5 With Zan Rowe, ABC New Year’s Eve</em>)</li> </ul> <p><strong>Graham Kennedy Award for Most Popular New Talent</strong></p> <ul> <li>Guy Montgomery (<em>Guy Montgomery’s Guy Mont Spelling Bee</em>)</li> <li>Hailey Pinto (<em>Home and Away</em>)</li> <li>Jenny Tian (<em>Taskmaster Australia</em>)</li> <li>Kate Miller-Heidke (<em>The Voice</em>)</li> <li>Kylah Day (<em>Territory</em>)</li> <li>Sofia Levin (<em>MasterChef Australia</em>)</li> <li><strong>Best Drama Program</strong></li> <li><em>Bump</em> (Stan)</li> <li><em>Heartbreak High</em> (Netflix)</li> <li><em>Return To Paradise</em> (ABC)</li> <li><em>Territory</em> (Netflix)</li> <li><em>The Newsreader</em> (ABC)</li> <li><em>The Twelve</em> (BINGE/FOXTEL)</li> </ul> <p><strong>Best Comedy Program</strong></p> <ul> <li><em>Austin</em> (ABC)</li> <li><em>Colin From Accounts</em> (BINGE/FOXTEL)</li> <li><em>Fisk</em> (ABC)</li> <li><em>Good Cop/Bad Cop</em> (Stan)</li> <li><em>Melbourne International Comedy Festival</em> (ABC)</li> <li><em>Optics</em> (ABC)</li> </ul> <p>With a blend of long-time favourites, fresh talent, and powerful new programs, the 2025 Logies are shaping up to be a night to remember.</p> <p><em>Images: TV Week / Channel 9</em></p>

Today show reporter shares happy news

<p>Congratulations are pouring in for Today reporter Izabella Staskowski, who has announced she is expecting her first child with fiancé Drew Jones.</p> <p>The couple shared the heartwarming news on Instagram, posting a glowing photo of themselves standing on a Queensland beach at sunrise. In the picture, Jones lovingly cradles Staskowski’s baby bump while the two beam with excitement.</p> <p>“We can’t wait to meet you,” the caption read – a simple but joyful message that has already sparked an outpouring of love and excitement from friends, family and fans alike.</p> <p>"Congratulations! How beautiful," wrote Channel Nine Traffic Reporter Marina Ivanovic, while Channel 7 reporter Tyra Stowers added, "I can't wait either. So gorg, love you both."</p> <p>Channel Nine’s Zac Bailey also joined in with the well wishes, commenting: "Congrats guys! So stoked for you both."</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/DKq5EmRzx2F/?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/DKq5EmRzx2F/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Iza Staskowski (@izastaskowski)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>This latest chapter in the couple’s love story comes just six months after their dreamy engagement. In December last year, Jones popped the question by the water at sunset, accompanied by their beloved dogs, Dennis and Raymond.</p> <p>"06.12.24 🤍," they captioned a carousel of pictures capturing the romantic moment. One photo shows Staskowski hugging her now-fiancé with a sparkling oval-cut solitaire diamond ring on her finger. Another shows Jones on one knee as the couple gazes into each other’s eyes.</p> <p>Their love story has been unfolding publicly and joyfully. Just months before their engagement, the couple celebrated another major milestone – buying their first home together. “We bought Dennis & Raymond a home,” they joked in an Instagram post from July, featuring happy snaps of the pair holding up their new keys. Sitting on the floor of their new living room with pizza boxes and champagne, the couple looked ready to take on the next stage of life.</p> <p>Now, with a baby on the way, that next stage has truly arrived – and it seems the growing family couldn’t be happier.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

Bones and clothing found in new search for Madeleine McCann

<p>Fragments of bone and items of clothing discovered during a recent search for Madeleine McCann in Portugal have been sent to Germany for forensic testing, according to new reports that offer a glimmer of hope in the long-running mystery.</p> <p>Despite initial claims the three-day operation yielded nothing significant, German media outlet Berliner Morgenpost reports that investigators did, in fact, collect “several objects” from the search site near Praia da Luz – an area linked to the prime suspect, Christian Brueckner.</p> <p>German police, in collaboration with Portuguese authorities, used ground-penetrating radar and heavy excavation equipment to comb through scrubland believed to have been used as a “rat run” by Brueckner, a convicted rapist. While early reports suggested the search was a flop, it has now emerged that small bone fragments and pieces of adult clothing were retrieved and sent to Germany for further analysis.</p> <p>A source quoted in the Morgenpost said: “Several objects have apparently been discovered, which are now being examined in more detail by the police in the laboratory. As Portuguese media report, clothing debris and bones were found, among other things. The investigators have not officially commented on whether the finds could have anything to do with Madeleine’s disappearance but that is clearly their hope.”</p> <p>Christian Brueckner, 38, has been under intense scrutiny since 2020 when German police named him as the prime suspect in the case. He is currently serving time in prison for unrelated offences, but prosecutors have struggled to secure a fresh arrest warrant tied to Madeleine’s disappearance due to a lack of concrete forensic evidence.</p> <p>This latest development may prove critical. Without a direct link tying Brueckner to the crime, authorities risk being unable to extend legal proceedings against him.</p> <p>Adding fuel to the speculation, British tabloid <em>The Sun</em> recently aired a bombshell documentary <em>Madeleine McCann: Inside the Secret Evidence</em>, which sheds light on disturbing findings at Brueckner’s abandoned factory in Germany. Items uncovered there include children’s clothing, a toddler’s bike, toys, a mask, guns and disturbing writings about child abduction – all part of what investigators describe as an overwhelming file of circumstantial evidence.</p> <p>The documentary also revealed that Brueckner allegedly discussed using chemicals like ether to kidnap a woman and child outside a preschool – details pulled directly from seized police files.</p> <p>While none of the recently discovered items have been definitively linked to Madeleine, their forensic examination is now seen as a vital next step. If a match is found, it could represent the most significant breakthrough in the case since Brueckner was identified as a suspect five years ago.</p> <p><em>Images: Supplied</em></p>

Legal

Why do some people need less sleep than others?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <p>Have you ever noticed how some people bounce out of bed after just a few hours of sleep, while others can barely function without a solid eight hours?</p> <p>Take Margaret Thatcher, for example. The former British prime minister was known for sleeping <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-22084671">just four hours a night</a>. She worked late, rose early, and seemed to thrive on little sleep.</p> <p>But for most of us, that kind of sleep schedule would be disastrous. We’d be groggy, unfocused, and reaching for sugary snacks and caffeinated drinks by mid-morning.</p> <p>So why do some people seem to need less sleep than others? It’s a question that’s fascinated scientists for years. Here’s what we know so far.</p> <h2>Natural short sleepers</h2> <p>There is a small group of people who don’t need much sleep. We call them <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6879540/">natural short sleepers</a>. They can function perfectly well on just four to six hours of sleep each night, often for their entire lives.</p> <p>Generally they <a href="https://academic.oup.com/sleep/article/44/Supplement_2/A154/6260529">don’t feel tired</a>, they don’t nap, and they don’t suffer the usual negative consequences of sleep deprivation. Scientists call this the natural short sleep phenotype – a biological trait that allows people to get all the benefits of sleep in less time.</p> <p>In 2010 researchers discovered genetic mutations that help explain this phenomenon. Natural short sleepers carry rare variants <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2884988/">in certain genes</a>, which seem to make their sleep more efficient.</p> <p>More recently, a <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/epub/10.1073/pnas.2500356122">2025 study</a> assessed a woman in her 70s with one of these rare mutations. Despite sleeping just six hours a night for most of her life, she remained physically healthy, mentally sharp, and led a full, active life. Her body, it seems, was simply wired to need less sleep.</p> <p>We’re still learning about how common these genetic mutations are and why they occur.</p> <h2>Not everyone who sleeps less is a natural short sleeper</h2> <p>But here’s the catch: most people who think they’re natural short sleepers aren’t. They’re just chronically sleep-deprived. Often, their short sleep is due to long work hours, social commitments, or a belief sleeping less is a sign of strength or productivity.</p> <p>In today’s hustle culture, it’s common to hear people boast about getting by on only a few hours of sleep. But for the average person, that’s not sustainable.</p> <p>The effects of short sleep build up over time, creating what’s known as a “sleep debt”. This <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149763417301641">can lead to</a> poor concentration, mood swings, micro-sleeps (brief lapses into sleep), reduced performance and even <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1389945716301381">long-term health risks</a>. For example, short sleep has been linked to an increased risk of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease (heart disease and stroke).</p> <h2>The weekend catch-up dilemma</h2> <p>To make up for lost sleep during the week, many people try to “catch up” on weekends.</p> <p>This can help repay some of the sleep debt that has accumulated in the short term. Research <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352721823001663?via%3Dihub">suggests</a> getting one to two extra hours of sleep on the weekend or taking naps when possible may help reduce the negative effects of short sleep.</p> <p>However, it’s not a perfect fix. Weekend catch-up sleep and naps may not fully resolve sleep debt. The topic remains one of ongoing scientific debate.</p> <p>A recent <a href="https://academic.oup.com/sleep/article/47/11/zsae135/7696120">large study</a> suggested weekend catch-up sleep may not offset the cardiovascular risks associated with chronic short sleep.</p> <p>What’s more, large swings in sleep timing can disrupt your body’s <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-03171-4">internal clock</a>, and sleeping in too much on weekends may make it harder to fall asleep on Sunday night, which can mean starting the working week less rested.</p> <p>Increasing evidence indicates <a href="https://academic.oup.com/sleep/article/47/1/zsad253/7280269">repeated cycles of irregular sleep</a> may have an important influence on general health and the risk of early death, potentially even more so than how long we sleep for.</p> <p>Ultimately, while moderate catch-up sleep might offer some benefits, it’s no substitute for consistent, high-quality sleep throughout the week. That said, maintaining such regularity can be particularly challenging for people with non-traditional schedules, such as shift workers.</p> <h2>So, was Thatcher a true natural short sleeper?</h2> <p>It’s hard to say. Some reports suggest <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/aug/27/from-aristotle-to-einstein-a-brief-history-of-power-nappers">she napped during the day</a> in the back of a car between meetings. That could mean she was simply sleep-deprived and compensating for an accumulated sleep debt when she could.</p> <p>Separate to whether someone is a natural short sleeper, there are a range of other reasons people may need more or less sleep than others. Factors <a href="https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/sleep-topics/how-much-sleep-do-you-really-need">such as age</a> and underlying health conditions can significantly influence sleep requirements.</p> <p>For example, older adults often experience changes in their circadian rhythms and are more likely to suffer from fragmented sleep due to conditions <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00702-019-02067-z">such as arthritis</a> or <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11886-023-01939-x">cardiovascular disease</a>.</p> <p>Sleep needs vary from person to person, and while a lucky few can thrive on less, most of us need <a href="https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/sleep-topics/how-much-sleep-do-you-really-need">seven to nine hours</a> a night to feel and function our best. If you’re regularly skimping on sleep and relying on weekends to catch up, it might be time to rethink your routine. After all, sleep isn’t a luxury – it’s a biological necessity.<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/256342/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em>By <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kelly-sansom-2390567">Kelly Sansom</a>, Research Associate, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University; Research Associate, Centre for Healthy Ageing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/murdoch-university-746">Murdoch University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/peter-eastwood-2316718">Peter Eastwood</a>, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research and Innovation, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/murdoch-university-746">Murdoch University</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-do-some-people-need-less-sleep-than-others-a-gene-variation-could-have-something-to-do-with-it-256342">original article</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: </em></p> </div>

Body

New Madeleine McCann search underway

<p>Portuguese police have launched a new search operation in the Algarve region for clues in the 2007 disappearance of British toddler Madeleine McCann. The operation, taking place between June 2 and June 6 in the Municipality of Lagos, follows a formal request from German prosecutors in Braunschweig, according to Portugal’s Judicial Police (PJ).</p> <p>In a statement released Monday, the PJ confirmed it is executing a European Investigation Order on behalf of German authorities, who have identified German citizen Christian Brueckner as the prime suspect in the case.</p> <p>Brueckner, currently imprisoned in Germany for unrelated crimes, has not been charged in connection with McCann’s disappearance and continues to deny any involvement.</p> <p>The latest search effort is centred on an area between Praia da Luz – where McCann vanished in May 2007 while on holiday with her family – and a property previously inhabited by Brueckner at the time of her disappearance. According to reports from CNN Portugal and Germany's <em>Bild</em> newspaper, authorities are focusing on uncovering potential evidence, including traces of McCann’s remains.</p> <p>All material collected during the search will be transferred to Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), the PJ said.</p> <p>Braunschweig prosecutors confirmed to Reuters that “criminal procedural measures” related to the McCann case are being carried out in Portugal with the involvement of both the BKA and Portuguese law enforcement. However, they declined to provide further details.</p> <p>The UK’s Metropolitan Police, which has long been involved in the investigation, stated they are aware of the latest developments but are not actively participating in the current search. “We continue to support our international colleagues where necessary,” the force said in a statement.</p> <p>German authorities declared in 2020 that they believe Madeleine McCann is dead and suspect Brueckner to be responsible. The 47-year-old, a convicted child abuser and drug trafficker, is serving a prison sentence for the rape of a 72-year-old woman in the same Algarve region.</p> <p>The last significant search related to the case occurred in May 2023 at an inland reservoir in southern Portugal, but it yielded no new evidence.</p> <p>Eighteen years after her disappearance, the case of Madeleine McCann continues to captivate and confound investigators across Europe.</p> <p><em>Images: Supplied</em></p>

Legal

Meet the young princess and future queen who's moving to Australia

<p>In a delightful development that has captivated royal watchers and Australians alike, Norway's Princess Ingrid Alexandra is preparing to start an exciting new chapter – right here in Australia. (Sydney, to be more precise!)</p> <p>The 21-year-old royal, who is second in line to the Norwegian throne, will soon trade Oslo’s snowy landscapes for Sydney’s sunny shores as she embarks on full-time university study. The Royal House of Norway confirmed that the princess will begin a Bachelor of Social Science at the University of Sydney this August, with a focus on international relations and political economy.</p> <p>Adding a touch of tradition to this modern tale, Princess Ingrid Alexandra will be living on campus at the prestigious St Andrew's College. In a warm message to students, the college principal, Dr Daniel Tyler, encouraged the community to respect the princess’s privacy as she settles into campus life.</p> <p>While the Norwegian royal family may be lesser-known in Australia compared to their British or Danish counterparts, that’s expected to change quickly. Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Ingrid’s mother, also has ties to Australia, having studied at Wangaratta High School in Victoria as a teenager. Now, it’s her daughter’s turn to embrace life Down Under.</p> <p>Born in Oslo in 2004, Princess Ingrid Alexandra is poised to make history as Norway's first queen regnant in over 600 years. Her grandfather, King Harald V, currently holds the throne as Europe’s oldest reigning monarch at 88. Ingrid is the eldest child of Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit and has a younger brother, Prince Sverre Magnus.</p> <p>Far from a traditional royal upbringing, Princess Ingrid has forged a path that blends duty, discipline and adventure. Just this April, she completed 15 months of military service, earning respect as an engineer soldier and rifleman with the Norwegian Army's Brigade North. “You are much stronger together,” she told Norwegian media of the experience. “Without [my team], I would not have enjoyed myself as much here.”</p> <p>Ingrid’s move to Australia will pause her official royal duties for up to three years, though she is expected to return home during breaks. She has only recently begun taking on regular public roles, including a landmark appearance at a state banquet earlier this year and joining her family on the royal palace balcony to celebrate Norway’s National Day.</p> <p>Passionate about the environment and global affairs from a young age, Princess Ingrid’s academic focus aligns with her growing commitment to public service. She began official engagements as a child, attending World Environment Day at just five years old, and by age 11 she had already christened a rescue vessel for the Norwegian Society for Sea Rescue.</p> <p>And she’s not just a scholar or a soldier – she's also a sports fan. A talented surfer, Ingrid was named Norway’s junior surfing champion in 2020. She’s also an avid skier and kickboxer, embodying a refreshingly modern image of royalty.</p> <p>With a surfboard possibly in one hand and a textbook in the other, Princess Ingrid Alexandra’s time in Sydney promises to be a uniquely royal adventure – and Australia will be watching with warm anticipation.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

International Travel

From tragedy to joy: Channel 9 star shares baby news

<p>In a beautiful announcement that has touched hearts across the country, 9News Perth presenter Tracy Vo has shared the joyful news that she and husband Liam Connolly are expecting a baby girl – their rainbow baby – due on October 7.</p> <p>The couple’s exciting news comes just months after they experienced the devastating loss of their son, James, when Vo was five months pregnant in 2024. Now, the couple is embracing hope and healing with the anticipation of a new chapter in their lives.</p> <p>“We had some extra baggage during our Vietnam adventure,” Vo shared on Instagram, accompanied by a radiant photo. “Our rainbow baby is due in Spring 🌈 We can’t wait to meet our baby girl and Sophia is excited to be a big sister. We know our boy James is looking after his little sister already 🤍.”</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/DKQjHGYTHqE/?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/DKQjHGYTHqE/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Tracy Vo (@tracy_vo)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The due date carries a special significance – October 7 marks Tracy and Liam’s second wedding anniversary. “We were like, ‘Oh, well, it’s meant to be!’” she <a href="https://honey.nine.com.au/parenting/irena-gilbert-pregnancy-after-loss-no-one-tells-you-experience-rainbow-baby-anxiety-regret/6a00d6cd-32a8-47fd-82ff-9c414a1bfe47" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told 9News</a>.</p> <p>Vo, 41, opened up about the complex emotions that come with expecting after loss, describing their journey as “cautiously excited”. She and Liam waited until 21 weeks to share the news with loved ones, choosing to keep it close as they processed both hope and anxiety.</p> <p>“I think as the months go on it becomes more real and a step closer to having our little girl in our arms,” she said. “We’re just counting down those weeks.”</p> <p>Tracy says the experience has brought her and Liam even closer, strengthening their marriage through shared grief, healing and unwavering support.</p> <p>“I’m very grateful that Liam was a huge support,” she said. “We also had a great support network as well – our family, our friends.”</p> <p>The couple gently shared the happy news with Connolly’s six-year-old daughter, Sophia, by giving her a teddy bear that revealed the baby’s gender. Now eagerly preparing to be a big sister, Sophia is joining the family in their excitement.</p> <p>As for pregnancy cravings? “Cookies and ice cream,” Tracy revealed. “And then oranges. I’m just loving oranges. I could just eat oranges all day!”</p> <p>Vo hopes their story brings comfort and encouragement to others who have experienced pregnancy loss. Since sharing her journey, she has received messages from people with similar stories – all bound by strength.</p> <p>“Hopefully it just spreads the hope and the love for people out there,” Vo said.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

"Have some decency": Appalling reaction to Magda's health news

<p>Australian comedian and national treasure Magda Szubanski has revealed her battle with a rare and aggressive blood cancer – only to be met with a wave of online vitriol and conspiracy theories, drawing widespread condemnation for the lack of compassion.</p> <p>On Thursday, the 64-year-old star <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/magda-szubanski-shares-devastating-health-news" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced she had been diagnosed with Mantle Cell Lymphoma</a>, a rare form of stage-4 blood cancer. The diagnosis came unexpectedly during a routine breast screening, prompting Szubanski to begin the “Nordic protocol”, which she described as “one of the best treatments available”.</p> <p>In a candid Instagram video, the <em>Kath & Kim</em> actress addressed her followers with honesty and humour. “Hello, my lovelies. The head is shaved in anticipation of it all falling out in a couple of weeks,” she said. “It’s pretty confronting… But new treatments keep coming down the pipeline all the time.”</p> <p>Despite the seriousness of her condition, Szubanski reassured fans that she was in good hands, supported by her loved ones and an exceptional medical team. “To be honest, I’ve been feeling pretty ratsh*t for ages. So I asked for extra bloods and – voila!”</p> <p>However, the warmth of her message was quickly overshadowed by a torrent of cruel remarks and baseless conspiracy theories on social media platform X (formerly Twitter). Some users linked her cancer diagnosis to her vocal support for COVID-19 vaccinations during the pandemic, reviving the discredited “turbo cancer” myth – a fringe theory suggesting COVID vaccines cause rapid-onset cancers.</p> <p>“Very sad to hear another experimental vaccine pusher has been diagnosed with something horrible,” one user tweeted. Others echoed similar sentiments, with one post reading, “Zero sympathy,” and another claiming, “It’s good to see that karma still works.”</p> <p>Szubanski was a prominent proponent of vaccination during the pandemic, even donning her beloved character Sharon Strzelecki in a government campaign to encourage Victorians to get the jab. That effort, once celebrated, is now being weaponised by some online as supposed justification for her illness.</p> <p>The backlash sparked swift condemnation from more compassionate voices on the platform. “As if cancer didn’t exist before Covid and vaccinations. You guys are seriously cooked,” wrote one user. Another added, “Classless of you to post this. Why drop to the level?”</p> <p>Many others pointed out the lack of basic human decency in mocking someone for a life-threatening diagnosis. “The posts here are highly disrespectful… Have some decency. BTW, these things can happen to anyone.”</p> <p>Szubanski’s diagnosis has drawn an outpouring of support from fans, friends, and fellow celebrities who praised her courage and vulnerability in going public. As she begins treatment, the beloved entertainer remains focused on her recovery and grateful for the support surrounding her.</p> <p>“I’ll be lying very low while my immune system takes a hammering,” she said. “For now, just know I’m in good hands, good spirits – but I reserve my human right to be a cranky old moll.”</p> <p><em>Image: Supplied</em></p>

Caring

Magda Szubanski shares devastating health news

<p>Beloved actor and comedian Magda Szubanski has revealed she is facing a deeply personal and harrowing health battle, after being diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer.</p> <p>The 64-year-old star, best known for her iconic roles in <em>Kath & Kim</em>, <em>Babe</em>, and <em>Ride Like a Girl</em>, shared the devastating news in an emotional message posted to social media on Wednesday.</p> <p>"Hello, my lovelies," she began, her trademark warmth shining through despite the gravity of her words. "The head is shaved in anticipation of it all falling out in a couple of weeks."</p> <p>Szubanski went on to reveal that she has been diagnosed with a “very rare, very aggressive lymphoma”, which she described as “one of the nasty ones unfortunately”.</p> <p>The news has rocked fans across the country, many of whom have followed Szubanski's decades-long career and have embraced her not only as a performer, but as a passionate advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and mental health awareness.</p> <p>Despite the confronting nature of her diagnosis, Szubanski offered a glimpse of her enduring spirit. “It’s pretty confronting. It is a full-on one,” she said. “But new treatments keep coming down the pipeline all the time … I’ve just got to (laughs). What do you? What are you gonna do?”</p> <p>In the post, she expressed gratitude for the people around her, noting, “The good thing is I’m surrounded by beautiful friends and family and an incredible medical support team. Honestly, we have the best in the world here in Australia.”</p> <p>She also asked fans and well-wishers to keep their distance physically due to her compromised immune system: “Please keep a distance though because I will be very immunocompromised. So as I can’t hug no more.”</p> <p>The actor indicated that more information will be shared in an official statement soon.</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/reel/DKOM_tZSuO2/?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/reel/DKOM_tZSuO2/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Magda Szubanski (@magda_szubanski)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Szubanski has long been open about her private struggles. In her acclaimed 2014 memoir <em>Reckoning</em>, she candidly wrote about her complex relationship with food, identity, and her sexuality. Her public coming out in 2012 was a landmark moment, one she later described as among the most frightening experiences of her life.</p> <p>Messages of love and support have flooded social media, with fans, fellow actors and public figures rallying around one of Australia’s most cherished cultural voices.</p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

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Chilling new details emerge after Qld mother's alleged murder

<p>The Queensland mother who has been charged with the alleged murder of her three-year-old daughter posted a series of disturbing and emotional messages to social media just days earlier that hinted at inner turmoil and a spiritual battle.</p> <p>Lauren Flanigan, 32, was <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/qld-mother-charged-with-murder-of-toddler-daughter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">taken into custody on Monday night</a> after police were called to a property in Moore Park Beach, near Bundaberg. Flanigan was present at the scene and arrested shortly after. A knife, believed by authorities to be the murder weapon, was found and seized. She was formally charged with murder on Tuesday.</p> <p>In the days leading up to the incident, Flanigan’s social media presence had taken on a concerning tone. Through a series of emotionally charged posts, she spoke of trauma, spirituality and defiance against "the system".</p> <p>In her final post, published just a day before her daughter's death, Flanigan wrote:</p> <p>“REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE. Not what the system told you. Not what your trauma whispered. Not the lies of fear. You are ROYALTY. You are CHOSEN. You are HOLY. You are a WARRIOR OF LIGHT.”</p> <p>She continued: “Train like it’s war – because it is. Discipline is deliverance. Refine your algorithm. Refine your soul. God is calling His army out of hiding. This is kingdom rising… No more delays. No more compromise. Tag your generals. It’s time to RISE.”</p> <p>Another post reflected on her role as a mother and her desire for a more meaningful life:</p> <p>“Time to watch my babies grow. Time to breathe. Time to live. Time to love,” she wrote. “I have given my life to serve. I have a beautiful little family who remind me of love daily.”</p> <p>Flanigan, who was known to be an active member of Bundaberg’s Alive Church, often shared religious and inspirational messages online. She frequently posted photos of her children, once calling them her “divine babies”, and reflected on spiritual metaphors during walks on the beach.</p> <p>One lengthy post, accompanied by a video of waves washing over seashells, read: “As I walked along the beach today… I began to notice the shells scattered along the shoreline. Each one completely unique… Some cracked. Some whole… And then I realised… We are like these shells.”</p> <p>The alleged murder has shocked the quiet regional community and sparked widespread sorrow and disbelief. Neighbours and community members are grappling with the tragedy, as investigations continue into the circumstances surrounding Sophia’s death.</p> <p>Flanigan remains in custody and is expected to appear in court later this week. Police have confirmed that mental health will be a key focus of their ongoing inquiries.</p> <p><em><strong>Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).</strong></em></p> <p><em>Images: Facebook / Instagram</em></p>

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TGA approves new drug for Alzheimer’s

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <p>This week, Australia’s <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/resources/artg/420194">Therapeutic Goods Administration</a> (TGA) approved a drug called donanemab for people in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.</p> <p>Donanemab has previously been approved in a number of other countries, including <a href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/news-events-human-drugs/fda-approves-treatment-adults-alzheimers-disease">the United States</a>.</p> <p>So what is donanemab, and who will be able to access it in Australia?</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">A drug that is given once a month to slow the cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer’s disease has been approved by the TGA, but will only be available for a select few who can afford it privately. <a href="https://t.co/sJqR3IKhAB">https://t.co/sJqR3IKhAB</a></p> <p>— ABC News (@abcnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/abcnews/status/1925378845135274425?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2025</a></p></blockquote> <h2>How does donanemab work?</h2> <p>There are more than 100 different causes <a href="https://www.alzint.org/about/dementia-facts-figures/types-of-dementia/">of dementia</a>, but Alzheimer’s disease alone accounts for about 70% of these, making it <a href="https://www.alzint.org/about/dementia-facts-figures/types-of-dementia/alzheimers-disease/">the most common form</a> of dementia.</p> <p>The disease is believed to be caused by the accumulation in the brain of two abnormal proteins, amyloid and tau. The first is thought to be particularly important, and the “<a href="https://theconversation.com/alzheimers-drug-donanemab-has-been-hailed-as-a-turning-point-for-treatment-but-what-does-it-mean-for-people-with-the-disease-209970">amyloid hypothesis</a>” – which suggests amyloid is the key cause of Alzheimer’s disease – has driven research for many years.</p> <p>Donanemab is a “monoclonal antibody” treatment. Antibodies are proteins the immune system produces that bind to harmful foreign “invaders” in the body, or targets. A monoclonal antibody has one specific target. In the case of donanemab it’s the amyloid protein. Donanemab binds to amyloid protein deposits (plaques) in the brain and allows our bodies to remove them.</p> <p>Donanemab is given monthly, via intravenous infusion.</p> <h2>What does the evidence say?</h2> <p>Australia’s approval of donanemab comes as a result of a <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10352931/">clinical trial</a> involving 1,736 people published in 2023.</p> <p>This trial showed donanemab resulted in a significant slowing of disease progression in a group of patients who had either early Alzheimer’s disease, or mild cognitive impairment with signs of Alzheimer’s pathology. Before entering the trial, all patients had the presence of amyloid protein detected via <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/pet-scan">PET scanning</a>.</p> <p>Participants were randomised, and half received donanemab, while the other half received a placebo, over 18 months.</p> <p>For those who received the active drug, their Alzheimer’s disease progressed 35% more slowly over 18 months compared to those who were given the placebo. The researchers ascertained this using the <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4806404/">Integrated Alzheimer’s Disease Rating Scale</a>, which measures cognition and function.</p> <p>Those who received donanemab also demonstrated large reductions in the levels of amyloid in the brain (as measured by PET scans). The majority, by the end of the trial, were considered to be below the threshold that would normally indicate the presence of Alzheimer’s disease.</p> <p>These results certainly seem to vindicate the amyloid hypothesis, which had been <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33049114/">called into question</a> by the results of multiple <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/eli-lillys-alzheimers-drug-trial-fails-to-achieve-goals-1479902563">failed previous studies</a>. They represent a major advance in our understanding of the disease.</p> <p>That said, patients in the study did not <em>improve</em> in terms of cognition or function. They continued to decline, albeit at a significantly slower rate than those who were not treated.</p> <p>The actual clinical significance has been <a href="https://academic.oup.com/braincomms/article/6/6/fcae435/7915707">a topic of debate</a>. Some experts have questioned whether the meaningfulness of this result to the patient is worth the potential risks.</p> <h2>Is the drug safe?</h2> <p>Some 24% of trial participants receiving the drug experienced brain swelling. The rates rose to 40.6% in those possessing two copies of a gene called ApoE4.</p> <p>Although three-quarters of people who developed brain swelling experienced no symptoms from this, there were three deaths in the treatment group during the study related to donanemab, likely a result of brain swelling.</p> <p>These risks <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2274580725000949">require regular monitoring</a> with MRI scans while the drug is being given.</p> <p>Some 26.8% of those who received donanemab also experienced small bleeds into the brain (microhaemorrhages) compared to 12.5% of those taking the placebo.</p> <h2>Cost is a barrier</h2> <p>Reports indicate donanemab could cost anywhere between <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-22/alzheimers-drug-donanemab-tga-approval-dementia/105319856">A$40,000 and $80,000</a> each year in Australia. This puts it beyond the reach of many who might benefit from it.</p> <p>Eli Lilly, the manufacturer of donanemab, has made an application for the drug to be listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, with a decision pending perhaps within <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-22/alzheimers-drug-donanemab-tga-approval-dementia/105319856">a couple of months</a>. While this would make the drug substantially more affordable for patients, it will represent a large cost to taxpayers.</p> <p>The cost of the drug is in addition to costs associated with the monitoring required to ensure its safety and efficacy (such as doctor visits, MRIs and PET scans).</p> <h2>Who will be able to access it?</h2> <p>This drug is only of benefit for people with early Alzheimer’s-type dementia, so not everybody with Alzheimer’s disease will get access to it.</p> <p>Almost 80% of people who were screened to participate <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10352931/">in the trial</a> were found unsuitable to proceed.</p> <p>The terms of the <a href="https://www.ebs.tga.gov.au/servlet/xmlmillr6?dbid=ebs/PublicHTML/pdfStore.nsf&docid=420194&agid=%28PrintDetailsPublic%29&actionid=1">TGA approval</a> specify potential patients will first need to be found to have specific levels of amyloid protein in their brains. This would be ascertained either by PET scanning or by lumbar puncture sampling of spinal fluid.</p> <p>Also, patients with two copies of the ApoE4 gene have been ruled unsuitable to receive the drug. The TGA has judged the risk/benefit profile for this group to be unfavourable. This genetic profile accounts for only 2% of the general population, but <a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/study-defines-major-genetic-form-alzheimer-s-disease">15% of people with Alzheimer’s disease</a>.</p> <h2>Improving diagnosis and tempering expectations</h2> <p>It’s estimated more than <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/dementia/dementia-in-aus/contents/population-health-impacts-of-dementia/prevalence-of-dementia">400,000 Australians</a> have dementia. But only <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/dementia/ndap-indicators-dashboard/contents/action-4/measure-4-5-time-from-symptom-onset-to-diagnosis">13% of people</a> with dementia currently receive a diagnosis within a year of developing symptoms.</p> <p>Given those with very early disease stand to benefit most from this treatment, we need to expand our dementia diagnostic services significantly.</p> <p>Finally, expectations need to be tempered about what this drug can reasonably achieve. It’s important to be mindful this is not a cure.<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/257321/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em>By <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/steve-macfarlane-4722">Steve Macfarlane</a>, Head of Clinical Services, Dementia Support Australia, & Associate Professor of Psychiatry, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-tga-has-approved-donanemab-for-alzheimers-disease-how-does-this-drug-work-and-who-will-be-able-to-access-it-257321">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

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The Project in peril as Channel Ten plots bold news overhaul

<p>Speculation is mounting over the future of Channel Ten’s flagship current affairs program <em>The Project</em>, <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-14748609/Brutal-sign-Project-canned-Channel-10.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">with reports suggesting</a> the long-running panel show may be on the chopping block amid a broader shakeup at the network.</p> <p>According to <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/the-project-under-review-as-ten-plans-to-announce-new-show/news-story/280ab62724d67c2eed16bb04cafc3e97" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Australian</a>, <em>The Project</em> is “100 per cent” under review as Ten’s current affairs division undergoes scrutiny in response to dwindling ratings. The show, which first aired in 2009, is reportedly struggling to connect with audiences across key demographics.</p> <p>“<em>The Project</em> is a bit too old and irritating for younger viewers online… and a bit too young and irritating for older viewers on television,” the outlet reported, summarising the show’s struggle to appeal to either end of the age spectrum.</p> <p>Recent ratings appear to reflect this disconnect. Over the past week, <em>The Project</em> failed to break into the top ten most-watched programs, with Tuesday night’s episode recording its highest audience at 945,000 viewers. Friday’s episode fared worst, drawing just 626,000 viewers. In contrast, rival bulletins from Seven and Nine consistently drew more than 2 million viewers during the same 6pm timeslot.</p> <p>The program’s declining viewership comes amid broader criticism of its perceived political slant and the fallout from the departures of several high-profile hosts, including Carrie Bickmore, Peter Helliar and Lisa Wilkinson. Despite a relaunch in 2023 featuring Sarah Harris, Sam Taunton, Michael Hing and Waleed Aly, the shakeup has yet to reverse the trend. Michael Hing’s departure earlier this year marked another shift in the panel’s makeup.</p> <p>Adding to the uncertainty, Daily Mail Australia <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14509357/Channel-Ten-cancels-Project.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported earlier this year</a> that Channel Ten executives were eyeing a new "news magazine show" to rival established programs like Nine's <em>60 Minutes</em>, Seven's <em>Spotlight</em>, and the ABC's <em>Four Corners</em>.</p> <p>A “crack team” of producers – referred to internally as the “investigations unit” – is reportedly being assembled to lead this new venture. Dan Sutton, a seasoned Channel Ten reporter, is tipped to serve as the executive producer, with screen testing currently underway for potential reporters.</p> <p>Network Ten confirmed the formation of the investigative unit in a statement to Daily Mail Australia, saying: “Following the continued growth and success of our news brand, 10 News, we are investing in a 10 News investigative unit that will work on long-form investigative stories as part of our news offering across all our platforms.”</p> <p>When pressed about the future of <em>The Project</em>, however, a network spokesperson maintained that there were “no changes” currently planned. "The Project remains an integral part of our content line-up and rest assured, it’s not going anywhere," they reiterated, echoing a similar statement made in July of last year.</p> <p>The show has also been experimenting with new distribution strategies, including the decision earlier this year to upload full episodes to YouTube in a bid to capture younger audiences. Segments from the show continue to be shared widely across social media platforms like Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).</p> <p>One glimmer of hope for the embattled program came last Tuesday, when former host Carrie Bickmore made a brief return to the panel to celebrate the tenth anniversary of her charity, Carrie’s Beanies 4 Brain Cancer. The special appearance helped boost ratings to 945,000 viewers – the highest for the week.</p> <p>Despite the network’s reassurances, the combination of faltering ratings, a changing panel and mounting speculation over a new investigative format suggests that <em>The Project</em> could be heading into uncertain territory.</p> <p>Whether it can reestablish its place in the Australian television landscape – or be quietly phased out – remains to be seen.</p> <p><em>Image: Channel Ten / The Project</em></p>

"People don't vanish": Police step up search for missing teen

<p>The search for 17-year-old Pheobe Bishop has entered its second week, as Queensland Police continue to investigate her suspicious disappearance from Bundaberg.</p> <p>Pheobe was last seen on May 15, when her housemates claimed they dropped her off at Bundaberg Regional Airport around 8:30am. She was due to fly to Western Australia via Brisbane to visit her boyfriend, but police have since confirmed that she never entered the airport terminal or boarded her flight.</p> <p>Detectives have declared two active crime scenes: the Gin Gin home where Pheobe lived with a couple, and a grey Hyundai ix35 believed to have transported her to the airport. Investigators are combing both locations for clues.</p> <p>“Police have reviewed CCTV from the airport, which indicates that she did not enter the terminal,” said Detective Acting Inspector Ryan Thompson during a press conference. “This is a suspicious disappearance, and we’re treating it very seriously.”</p> <p>While no arrests have been made, police are speaking with individuals who knew Pheobe and are appealing to the public for help.</p> <p>Authorities are specifically requesting dashcam or CCTV footage of the grey Hyundai ix35, Queensland registration 414EW3, in the vicinity of Airport Drive and Samuels Road in Bundaberg, as well as the Gin Gin area on the day Pheobe vanished.</p> <p>“You may have the small piece of information that leads us to finding Pheobe,” said Thompson. “People don’t vanish – someone knows something, and we’re urging anyone with information to come forward immediately.”</p> <p>Pheobe’s family has distributed more than 400 missing person flyers across Bundaberg and Gin Gin and have been conducting their own searches through local rivers and bushland.</p> <p>She is described as being approximately 180cm tall, with a pale complexion, long dyed red hair, and hazel eyes. She was last seen carrying luggage and wearing a green tank top and grey trackpants.</p> <p>Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or report online via the Queensland Police website.</p> <p><em>Images: Queensland Police</em></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p>

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"Mischievous Moley": Camilla welcomes new palace puppy!

<p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Queen Camilla has officially welcomed a new four-legged rascal into the royal ranks: Moley, an irresistibly mischievous puppy recently adopted from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home.</span></p> <p>The Queen’s newest canine companion, who reportedly enjoys royal slippers a bit too much, arrives six months after the sad passing of her beloved Jack Russell, Beth, in November 2024. Sources say Beth was the household’s “Chief Cuddle Officer”, and her absence left a biscuit-shaped hole in Queen Camilla’s heart.</p> <p>But fear not! Moley is here – bringing chaos, charm and apparently an uncanny ability to find treats hidden three rooms away.</p> <p>An official Instagram post (yes, even royal dogs get grid space) announced Moley’s debut, noting that the perky pup will be honoured at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show. That’s right: <em>honoured</em>. Because nothing says “welcome to the monarchy” like having your name engraved on a brick path among begonias.</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/DJzWsxvsGbw/?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/DJzWsxvsGbw/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by The Royal Family (@theroyalfamily)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The new Dog Garden installation, a collaboration between the Royal Horticultural Society and BBC Radio 2, promises lush grass, shady trees and – thankfully – no royal corgis to compete for squeaky toys. Moley’s name will be permanently etched alongside those of Camilla’s other pets, including Bluebell, the plucky rescue dog who once had more bald patches than Westminster Abbey’s choirboys, and the dearly departed Beth.</p> <p>King Charles’ own dog, Snuff, also made the list – although insiders claim he’s mostly in it for the biscuits and political neutrality.</p> <p>In a touching nod to dogs across Britain, the garden will also feature the names of pooches belonging to RHS ambassadors and Radio 2 presenters, and even Monty Don’s late Labrador, Ned.</p> <p>Camilla, who serves as royal patron of Battersea, has long championed rescue animals. In a previous interview, she recalled the day she met Beth at the shelter: “She had just been moved from pillar to post and dumped,” said the Queen, adopting the pup faster than you can say “kneel before the biscuit tin”.</p> <p>Bluebell followed shortly after – a scrappy woodland wanderer found “covered in sores and no hair”. Now fully fluffed and likely ruling the couch cushions, she’s the royal household’s comeback queen.</p> <p>As for Moley, details of his hobbies include muddy puddles, shredding the pages of Horse & Hound, and – rumour has it – trying to chew the corner of a priceless Queen Victoria footstool. Royal insiders say he’s “spirited”, which is palace code for mayhem on legs.</p> <p>Still, Queen Camilla seems utterly besotted. And who can blame her? In a world of diplomatic dilemmas and ceremonial obligations, sometimes all you need is a wagging tail, a warm lap and a dog who thinks your tiara might be a chew toy.</p> <p>Long may he dig!</p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

More people are trying medicinal cannabis for chronic pain. But does it work?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <p>More Australians than ever are being prescribed <a href="https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/medicinal-cannabis">medicinal cannabis</a>.</p> <p>Medicinal cannabis refers to legally prescribed cannabis products. These are either the plant itself, or naturally occurring ingredients extracted from the plant. These ingredients, such as THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol), are called cannabinoids. Some cannabinoids are also made in labs to act like the ones in the plant.</p> <p>Medicinal cannabis comes in different forms, such as oils, capsules, dried flower (used in a vaporiser), sprays and edible forms such as gummies.</p> <p>Since regulatory changes in 2016 made medicinal cannabis more accessible, Australia’s regulator has issued <a href="https://dashboard-data.health.gov.au/single/?appid=1066afbe-2b37-427d-8c47-2caa5082cccc&sheet=088f611b-10de-4d72-be68-ccf8d12c54e9&select=clearall">more than 700,000 approvals</a>. (But approvals for medicinal cannabis don’t reflect the actual number of patients treated. One patient may have multiple approvals, and not all approved products are necessarily prescribed or supplied.)</p> <p>Around half of the approvals have been for chronic pain that isn’t caused by cancer.</p> <p>In Australia, chronic pain affects around <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/chronic-disease/chronic-pain-in-australia/summary">one in five</a> Australians aged 45 and over, with an enormous impact on people’s lives.</p> <p>So what does the current evidence tell us about the effectiveness of medicinal cannabis for chronic pain?</p> <h2>What the evidence shows</h2> <p>A <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/374/bmj.n1034">2021 review of 32 randomised controlled trials</a> involving nearly 5,200 people with chronic pain, examined the effects of medicinal cannabis or cannabinoids. The study found a small improvements in pain and physical functioning compared with a placebo.</p> <p>A <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29847469/">previous review</a> found that to achieve a 30% reduction in pain for one person, 24 people would need to be treated with medicinal cannabis.</p> <p>The 2021 review also <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/374/bmj.n1034">found</a> small improvements in sleep, and no consistent benefits for other quality of life measures, consistent with <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29847469/">previous reviews</a>.</p> <p>This doesn’t mean medicinal cannabis doesn’t help anyone. But it suggests that, on average, the benefits are limited to a smaller number of people.</p> <p>Many pain specialists have <a href="https://theconversation.com/medicinal-cannabis-to-manage-chronic-pain-we-dont-have-evidence-it-works-157324">questioned</a> if the evidence for medicinal cannabis is sufficient to support its use for pain.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.choosingwisely.org.au/recommendations/fpm6">Faculty of Pain Medicine</a>, the professional body dedicated to the training and education of specialist pain physicians, recommends medical cannabis should be limited to clinical trials.</p> <h2>What does the regulator say?</h2> <p>Guidance from Australia’s regulator, the <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/products/unapproved-therapeutic-goods/medicinal-cannabis-hub/medicinal-cannabis-guidance-documents/guidance-use-medicinal-cannabis-treatment-chronic-non-cancer-pain-australia">Therapeutic Goods Administration</a> (TGA), on medicinal cannabis for chronic non-cancer pain reflects these uncertainties.</p> <p>The TGA states there is limited evidence medicinal cannabis provides clinically significant pain relief for many pain conditions. Therefore, the potential benefits versus harms should be considered patient-by-patient.</p> <p>The TGA says medicinal cannabis should only be trialled when other standard therapies have been tried and did not provide enough pain relief.</p> <p>In terms of which type of medical cannabis product to use, due to concerns about the safety of inhaled cannabis, the TGA considers pharmaceutical-grade products (such as nabiximols or extracts containing THC and/or CBD) to be safer.</p> <h2>What about people who say it helps?</h2> <p>This evidence may feel at odds with the experiences of people who report relief from medicinal cannabis.</p> <p>In clinical practice, it’s common for individuals to respond differently based on their health conditions, beliefs and many other factors. What works well for one person may not work for another.</p> <p>Research helps us understand what outcomes are typical or expected for most people, but there is variation. Some people may find medicinal cannabis improves their pain, sleep or general well-being – especially if other treatments haven’t helped.</p> <h2>What are the side effects and risks?</h2> <p>Like any medicine, medicinal cannabis has <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/products/unapproved-therapeutic-goods/medicinal-cannabis-hub/medicinal-cannabis-guidance-documents/guidance-use-medicinal-cannabis-treatment-chronic-non-cancer-pain-australia#s9">potential side effects</a>. These are usually mild to moderate, including drowsiness or sedation, dizziness, impaired concentration, a dry mouth, nausea and cognitive slowing.</p> <p>These side effects are often greater with higher-potency THC products. These are becoming more common on the Australian market. High-potency THC products represent <a href="https://dashboard-data.health.gov.au/single/?appid=1066afbe-2b37-427d-8c47-2caa5082cccc&sheet=088f611b-10de-4d72-be68-ccf8d12c54e9&select=clearall">more than half of approvals in 2025</a>.</p> <p>In research studies, generally <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29847469/">more people experience side effects</a> than report benefits from medical cannabis.</p> <p>Medical cannabis can also <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36317739/">interact with other medications</a>, especially those that cause drowsiness (such as opioids), medicines for mental illness, anti-epileptics, blood thinners and immunosuppressants.</p> <p>Even cannabidiol (CBD), which isn’t considered intoxicating like THC, has been linked to serious drug interactions.</p> <p>These risks are greater when cannabis is prescribed by a doctor who doesn’t regularly manage the patient’s chronic pain or isn’t in contact with their other health-care providers. Since medicinal cannabis is often prescribed through separate telehealth clinics, this fragmented care may increase the risk of harmful interactions.</p> <p>Another concern is developing cannabis use disorder (commonly understood as “addiction”). A 2024 study found <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0376871624001844?via%3Dihub">one in four people</a> using medical cannabis develop a cannabis use disorder. Withdrawal symptoms – such as irritability, sleep problems, or cravings – can occur with frequent and heavy use.</p> <p>For some people, tolerance can also develop with long-term use, meaning you need to take higher doses to get the same effect. This can increase the risk of developing a cannabis use disorder.</p> <h2>How does it compare to other treatments?</h2> <p>Like many <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/chronic-pain">medicines for chronic pain</a>, the effectiveness of medicinal cannabis is modest, and is not recommended as a sole treatment.</p> <p>There’s good evidence that, for conditions like back pain, interventions such as exercise, cognitive behavioural therapy and pain self-management education can <a href="https://theconversation.com/do-any-non-drug-treatments-help-back-pain-heres-what-the-evidence-says-253122">help</a> and may have fewer risks than many medicines.</p> <p>But there are challenges with how accessible and affordable these treatments are for many Australians, <a href="https://www1.racgp.org.au/getattachment/e0603085-695c-4fbb-b7d9-ba77057e5a97/Management-of-chronic-pain-in-a-rural-Australian-s.aspx">especially outside major cities</a>.</p> <h2>So where does this leave patients?</h2> <p>The growing use of medicinal cannabis for chronic pain reflects both a high burden of pain in the community and gaps in access to effective care. While some patients report benefits, the current evidence suggests these are likely to be small for most people, and must be weighed against the risks.</p> <p>If you are considering medicinal cannabis, it’s important to talk to your usual health-care provider, ideally one familiar with your full medical history, to help you decide the best approaches to help manage your pain.<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/256471/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em>By <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/suzanne-nielsen-35849">Suzanne Nielsen</a>, Professor and Deputy Director, Monash Addiction Research Centre, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/myfanwy-graham-2392855">Myfanwy Graham</a>, NHMRC Postgraduate Scholar and Fulbright Alumna in Public Health Policy, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/more-people-are-trying-medicinal-cannabis-for-chronic-pain-but-does-it-work-256471">original article</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: </em></p> </div>

Caring

New Aussie film starring Nicolas Cage is an absolute blast

<div class="theconversation-article-body">Nicolas Cage has made a career from his highly entertaining scenery chewing. He follows a performance style he calls “<a href="https://filmschoolrejects.com/nouveau-shamanic-the-enigmatic-style-of-nicolas-cage/">Nouveau Shamanic</a>” – an exaggerated form of method acting where he acts according to the character’s impulses. This allows for the wild, unpredictable outbursts his characters are known for.</p> <p>Cage films are also usually about masculinity: its worst excesses, the parameters restricting it, and what ennobling versions of it might look like.</p> <p>The Surfer, a new Australian feature film from Irish director Lorcan Finnegan, leans right into masculinity as a theme.</p> <p>Our unnamed protagonist (Cage) is returning to his former Australian home from the United States. He is newly divorced, and trying to buy a beachside property to win back his family.</p> <p>He takes his teenage son (Finn Little) for a surf near the property, but they are run off by an unfriendly pack of locals.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Tb6iY_p1Qi0?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>Returning alone to the beachside car park to make some calls, he is besieged there over the next several days by the same gang. They are led by a terrifying middle-aged Andrew Tate-esque influencer, Scally (Julian McMahon), who runs the beach like a combination of a frat bro party and wellness retreat.</p> <p>The protagonist’s fast descent into dishevelled, dehydrated delirium as the group’s hazing escalates, fuels much of the first two acts.</p> <h2>Fish out of water</h2> <p>It is impossible to think of an actor other than Cage who could make a character like this so enjoyable to watch.</p> <p>From the first moments, he seems pathetic: giving his uninterested teenage son metaphorical speeches about surfing, losing arguments on the phone with his broker and real estate agent, reeking of pomposity and desperation.</p> <p>The sense of a man out of his depth is compounded by his Americanness contrasting with the particular brand of Australian masculinity the locals display. Both types are brash and entitled, but with entirely different ways of expressing it.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/668067/original/file-20250515-74-v46zis.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/668067/original/file-20250515-74-v46zis.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/668067/original/file-20250515-74-v46zis.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/668067/original/file-20250515-74-v46zis.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/668067/original/file-20250515-74-v46zis.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/668067/original/file-20250515-74-v46zis.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/668067/original/file-20250515-74-v46zis.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/668067/original/file-20250515-74-v46zis.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Cage is in the face of another surfer, wearing a Santa hat." /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">This is a man out of his depth.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Madman Entertainment</span></span></figcaption></figure> <p>Cage’s distinctively American confidence has no resistance to the terrifying switches of Australian masculinity from friendly to teasing to violent.</p> <p>“Don’t live here, don’t surf here,” they hiss at him on first meeting, forcing him to retreat, cowed, to the car park, where he remains for most of the rest of the film.</p> <h2>The wide-open and the claustrophobic</h2> <p>What a stroke of genius it is to use this single location.</p> <p>Filmed in Yallingup, Western Australia, The Surfer beautifully captures the natural surroundings, stunning views and shimmering heat of Australian coastal summer.</p> <p>At the same time, a confined, interstitial semi-urban feature like a beachside car park feels so bleak and uninviting. The only amenities are an overpriced coffee cart, ancient payphone and a dingy toilet block.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/668068/original/file-20250515-68-lj0ags.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/668068/original/file-20250515-68-lj0ags.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/668068/original/file-20250515-68-lj0ags.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/668068/original/file-20250515-68-lj0ags.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/668068/original/file-20250515-68-lj0ags.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/668068/original/file-20250515-68-lj0ags.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/668068/original/file-20250515-68-lj0ags.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/668068/original/file-20250515-68-lj0ags.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Cage stands next to a phone booth." /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">The beachside car park feels so bleak and uninviting.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Madman Entertainment</span></span></figcaption></figure> <p>As a film setting, it is both a spectacular wide-open vista and stiflingly claustrophobic – a perfect mechanism for The Surfer’s psychological horror.</p> <p>It must have been attractive in getting the script funded as well. With such an affordable location, more of the budget would have been freed up for a big name like Cage.</p> <h2>A modern Wake in Fright</h2> <p>With its oppressive setting, overexposed orange and yellow light and grade, and a sweaty spiral into madness, The Surfer invites comparisons to <a href="https://theconversation.com/thats-not-us-wake-in-fright-at-50-a-portrait-of-an-ugly-australia-that-became-a-cinema-classic-159221">Wake in Fright</a>, Ted Kotcheff’s 1971 brutal depiction of Australian men and their drinking culture.</p> <p>Both take place at Christmas and feature an antagonist who enjoys confidently explaining their dubious moral worldview to everyone. However, Wake in Fright’s horror lingers because we know the culture remains even after the hero escapes it. The Surfer struggles a little more in landing the ending.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/668069/original/file-20250515-56-ea6rb1.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/668069/original/file-20250515-56-ea6rb1.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/668069/original/file-20250515-56-ea6rb1.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/668069/original/file-20250515-56-ea6rb1.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/668069/original/file-20250515-56-ea6rb1.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/668069/original/file-20250515-56-ea6rb1.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/668069/original/file-20250515-56-ea6rb1.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/668069/original/file-20250515-56-ea6rb1.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Men in a sweaty hug: perhaps they are cheering, or maybe they are yelling." /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">The film’s depiction of masculinity echoes Wake In Fright.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Madman Entertainment</span></span></figcaption></figure> <p>For the mean, violent, misogynistic villains to be defeated, it would be unsatisfying for Cage to stoop to their level. This means – without spoiling too much – Cage remains an oddly passive character throughout the film, while others perform the avenging actions.</p> <p>The only way the protagonist’s masculinity can be resurrected as upright, ethical and empowering is for the character to literally turn his back on the vengeance we’ve been waiting for him to deliver.</p> <p>It’s not that the film has an inarticulate grasp of its own politics, but more that the otherwise terrific script by Thomas Martin feels written into a difficult corner.</p> <h2>A blast along the way</h2> <p>I don’t want to imply that this ending means The Surfer isn’t an absolute blast along the way. A lot of the fun is in anticipating each dreadful humiliation – and it somehow turning out worse than you could have expected.</p> <p>A spilled coffee leads to drinking recycled wastewater which leads to chewing on a dead rat, and we still haven’t reached the lowest rung on the ladder of indignities that Cage’s character suffers.</p> <p>In less skilled hands this could feel nasty or gross, but the hallucinatory quality of Finnegan’s direction makes it feel almost sublime. And Cage’s pleading, groaning, sobbing and gibbering feel believable and relatable.</p> <p>The pathos works – and it’s pretty funny too.</p> <p><em>The Surfer is in cinemas now and streaming on Stan from June 15.<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/254580/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></em></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/grace-russell-1459623">Grace Russell</a>, Lecturer, School of Media, Film and Journalism, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/dishevelled-dehydrated-delirium-new-aussie-film-the-surfer-starring-nicolas-cage-is-an-absolute-blast-254580">original article</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Main Image: Madman Entertainment</em></p> </div>

Movies

Why do some people get a curved back as they age and what can we do to avoid it?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <p>As we age, it’s common to notice posture changes: shoulders rounding, head leaning forward, back starting to curve. You might associate this with older adults and wonder: will this happen to me? Can I prevent it?</p> <p>It’s sometimes called “hunchback” or “roundback”, but the medical term for a curved back is kyphosis.</p> <p>When the curve is beyond what’s considered normal (greater than 40 degrees), we refer to this as hyperkyphosis. In more <a href="https://www.jospt.org/doi/10.2519/jospt.2010.3099#_i12:%7E:text=gold%2Dstandard%20radiograph.-,Clinical%20Consequences%20of%20Hyperkyphosis,-Functional%20Limitations">severe cases</a>, it may lead to pain, reduced mobility and physical function, or lower quality of life.</p> <p>Here’s how it happens, and how to reduce your risk.</p> <h2>What causes a curved back?</h2> <p>A healthy spine has an elongated s-shape, so a curve in the upper spine is completely normal.</p> <p>But when that curve becomes exaggerated and fixed (meaning you can’t stand up straight even if you try), it can signal a problem.</p> <p>One common cause of a curved back is poor posture. This type, called postural kyphosis, usually develops over time due to muscle imbalances, particularly in younger people who spend hours:</p> <ul> <li>hunched over a desk</li> <li>slouched in a chair, or</li> <li>looking down at a phone.</li> </ul> <p>Fortunately, this kind of curved back is often reversible with the right exercises, stretches and posture awareness.</p> <p>Older adults often develop a curved back, known as age-related kyphosis or hyperkyphosis.</p> <p>This is usually due to wear and tear in the spine, including vertebral compression fractures, which are tiny cracks in the bones of the spine (vertebrae).</p> <p>These cracks are most often caused by osteoporosis, a condition that makes bones more fragile with age.</p> <p>In these cases, it’s not just bad posture – it’s a structural change in the spine.</p> <h2>How can you tell the difference?</h2> <p>Signs of age-related hyperkyphosis include:</p> <ul> <li>your back curves even when you try to stand up straight</li> <li>back pain or stiffness</li> <li>a loss of height (anything greater than 3-4 centimetres compared to your peak adult height may be considered outside of “normal” ageing).</li> </ul> <p>Other causes of a curved back include:</p> <ul> <li><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30407981/">Scheuermann’s kyphosis</a> (which often develops during adolescence when the bones in the spine grow unevenly, leading to a forward curve in the upper back)</li> <li><a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4347150/">congenital kyphosis</a> (a rare condition present from birth, caused by improper formation of the spinal bones. It can result in a more severe, fixed curve that worsens as a child grows)</li> <li>scoliosis (where the spine curves sideways into a c- or s-shape when viewed from behind), and</li> <li>lordosis (an excessive inward curve in the lower back, when viewed from the side).</li> </ul> <p>In addition to these structural conditions, arthritis, and in rare cases, spinal injuries or infections, can also play a role.</p> <h2>Should I see a doctor about my curved back?</h2> <p>Yes, especially if you’ve noticed a curve developing, have ongoing back pain, or have lost height over time.</p> <p>These can be signs of vertebral fractures, which can occur in the absence of an obvious injury, and are often painless.</p> <p>While one in five older adults have a vertebral fracture, as many as two-thirds of these fractures are <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0002934315010128?casa_token=DzXngmS6GIoAAAAA:3ub0V4PuHbKjrqO9xYDo8vx2m9k6tbOtmz4yIVzkQvH-VylhgO_KnKaTYDLXpiHc9_4Jz0iNdQ">not diagnosed and treated</a>.</p> <p>In Australia, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and Healthy Bones Australia <a href="https://healthybonesaustralia.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/oa-racgp-osteoporosis-clinical-guidelines-2nd-ed.pdf">recommend</a> a spine x-ray for:</p> <ul> <li>people with kyphosis</li> <li>height loss equal to or more than 3 centimetres, or</li> <li>unexplained back pain.</li> </ul> <h2>What can I do to reduce my risk?</h2> <p>If you’re young or middle-aged, the habits you build today matter.</p> <p>The best way to prevent a curved back is to keep your bones strong, muscles active, and posture in check. That means:</p> <ul> <li>doing regular resistance training, especially targeting upper back muscles</li> <li>staying physically active, aiming for at least <a href="https://www.who.int/initiatives/behealthy/physical-activity">150 minutes per week</a></li> <li>getting enough protein, calcium, and vitamin D to support bone and muscle health</li> <li>avoiding smoking and limiting alcohol to reduce risk factors that worsen bone density and overall wellbeing</li> </ul> <p>Pay attention to your posture while sitting and standing. Position your head over your shoulders and shoulders over your hips. This reduces strain on your spine.</p> <h2>What exercises help prevent and manage a curved back?</h2> <p>Focus on <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5112023/">exercises that strengthen the muscles</a> that support an upright posture, particularly the upper back and core, while improving mobility in the chest and shoulders.</p> <p>In general, you want to prioritise extension-based movements. These involve straightening or lifting the spine and pulling the shoulders back.</p> <p>Repeated forward-bending (or flexion) movements may make things worse, especially in people with osteoporosis or spinal fractures.</p> <p>Good exercises include:</p> <ul> <li>back extensions (gently lift your chest off the floor while lying face down)</li> <li>resistance exercises targeting the muscles between your shoulder blades</li> <li>weight-bearing activities (such as brisk walking, jogging, stair climbing, or dancing) to keep bones strong and support overall fitness</li> <li>stretching your chest and hip flexors to open your posture and relieve tightness.</li> </ul> <p>Flexibility and balance training (such as yoga and pilates) can be <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3700806/">beneficial</a>, particularly for posture awareness, balance, and mobility. But <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31034509/">research</a> increasingly supports muscle strengthening as the cornerstone of prevention and management.</p> <p>Muscle strengthening exercises, such as weight lifting or resistance training, reduces spinal curvature while enhancing muscle and bone mass.</p> <p>If you suspect you have kyphosis or already have osteoporosis or a vertebral fracture, consult a health professional before starting an exercise program. There may be some activities to avoid.</p> <h2>Can a curved back be reversed?</h2> <p>If it’s caused by poor posture and muscle weakness, then yes, it’s possible.</p> <p>But if it’s caused by bone changes, especially vertebral fractures, then full reversal is unlikely. However, treatment can reduce pain, improve function, and slow further progression.</p> <p>Protecting your posture isn’t just about appearance. It’s about staying strong, mobile and independent as you age.<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/252811/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em>By <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jakub-mesinovic-2351870">Jakub Mesinovic</a>, Research Fellow at the Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-scott-1258511">David Scott</a>, Associate Professor (Research) and NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-do-some-people-get-a-curved-back-as-they-age-and-what-can-i-do-to-avoid-it-252811">original article</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Life Care Home Health</em></p> </div>

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Why do some people get a curved back as they age and what can we do to avoid it?

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